Ann Arbor, MI — Feb 5, 2013 — The American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) has awarded initial accreditation to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s Craniofacial and Special Care Orthodontics Fellowship Program.  The U-M program becomes only the fourth in the nation to be established after the specialty was formally recognized by the ADA in 2009.  CODA is an accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The 12-month certificate program is designed to give orthodontists the specialized training they need to enable them to provide long-term orthodontics care to children with craniofacial anomalies in communities or to become members or leaders of craniofacial anomalies teams in hospital- or university-based programs.  The first U-M craniofacial fellow is Dr. Kostas Kazanis. 

Dr. Katherine Kelly is the director of the new program.  An orthodontist and adjunct assistant clinical professor of dentistry who has been on the craniofacial anomalies team since 2000, Kelly regularly collaborates with specialists at U-M hospitals.  She also treats patients with craniofacial anomalies at her private practice in Saline, Michigan.  The fellowship is funded through the generous support of the Coghlan Family Foundation. 

12 Disciplines Involved

The Craniofacial Anomalies Program includes a team of specialists from across the University of Michigan working together to ensure the physical health, growth, and development of patients from birth to 21 years of age.  The specialists are from 12 disciplines including orthodontics, pediatric plastic surgery, pediatric oral and maxillofacial surgery, genetics, speech pathology, and neuropsychology. 

Orthodontic treatment is provided to children with craniofacial anomalies during their growing years.  It is an essential prerequisite for successful reconstructive surgeries.  Many of these patients undergo multiple surgeries at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.  As a fellow in the new program, Kaznis will work closely with team members to care for patients at the School of Dentistry and Mott Children’s Hospital. 

What Are Craniofacial Anomalies?

Some craniofacial conditions are the result of a birth defect (congenital).  The most common anomalies include cleft lip, cleft palate, and craniosynostosis, a premature fusing of the bones in the skull and face during fetal development.  No single factor is believed to be responsible for craniofacial anomalies.  However, several factors may contribute to their development including genetics and folic acid deficiency. 

Children who have suffered facial trauma or have undergone treatment for childhood leukemia or other cancers may subsequently experience alterations in facial growth that later result in craniofacial anomalies.  Since craniofacial conditions affect the growth of jaws, teeth, muscles, and nerves and can also make eating and speaking difficult, care from multiple specialists is frequently needed.

“Experience shows that it is not possible for just one dentist or physician to treat and meet all the special medical, dental, educational, psychological, and communications needs of children with craniofacial anomalies,” Kelly says.  “That’s why a team approach is so important.  Depending on their condition, a child may see many or all of these specialists.”  Members of the U-M craniofacial anomalies team frequently meet to discuss each child’s condition, their findings, and then discuss treatment recommendations with the child’s parents or guardians.

Hundreds Receiving Care at U-M

Kelly says approximately 3,000 children in Michigan have been diagnosed with craniofacial anomalies.  About 700 from across Michigan and even some surrounding states receive care from the U-M craniofacial team. 

Over 100 come to the School of Dentistry annually for orthodontic care, often traveling three or four hours with a parent or relative.  Because of the time needed to travel and provide dental and medical care, children miss many hours of school and their parents or guardians miss countless hours of work.

Compounding the problem is that Michigan has only three hundred orthodontists and many of them are retiring, Kelly says, “so it’s becoming increasingly difficult for these patients to get the orthodontic care they need.”  Kelly says a craniofacial patient born with a cleft lip and palate needs orthodontic care for about 10 years.  The School’s Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry is committed to training specialty residents and fellows to meet the needs of these patients.

“I believe we have an obligation to help patients with craniofacial anomalies in Michigan and elsewhere, and instituting this new fellowship is a big step towards achieving that goal,” says Dr. Sunil Kapila, chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry.  “Dr. Kelly’s long-term record of compassion and providing care to these patients and the generosity of Michael and Suzi Coghlan dovetail nicely with the School’s desire to train specialists who can treat these underserved patients.”

“A Special Milestone”

“It took vision, compassion, and commitment from Dr. Kelly, Dr. Kapila, the University of Michigan and the School of Dentistry to create this program,” said Michael Coghlan.  “The accreditation and appointment of Dr. Kazanis as the first Fellow is a special milestone,” he added.  The new Craniofacial Anomalies Program at the School of Dentistry is funded by a generous gift from the Michael and Suzanne Coghlan Family Foundation.

The Coghlans met Kelly about eight years ago and were impressed with her passion for helping patients with craniofacial anomalies.  “As she described the need for this program, we all agreed that once it was established it could have far-reaching benefits for many children and their families who might not have access to such a high level of orthodontic care as is provided at the School of Dentistry,” Suzi Coghlan said.

The Coghlans gifted $500,000 to the University of Michigan to create the program at the School of Dentistry.  Their gift was matched with $250,000 from U-M President Mary Sue Coleman’s Donor Challenge program which leveraged gifts of up to $1 million with a contribution of 50 cents for every dollar gifted prior to December 31, 2008.

1^st Craniofacial Fellow: Dr. Kostas Kazanis

Dr. Kostas Kazanis earned his dental degree from the University of Athens (Greece) School of Dentistry in 2006 and a master’s degree and certificate in orthodontics from St. Louis University in June.  He completed clinical rotations in the Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and was a cleft and craniofacial anomalies fellow at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis from August 2010 to June 2011.

“I’m grateful to be the first craniofacial fellow at the U-M School of Dentistry and help launch this new program,” Kazanis says.  “The opportunity to work with Dr. Kelly, these special needs patients, the parents or guardians of the patients, and specialists at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”