Romer is Health Care Hero

Maureen Romer, D.D.S., M.P.A., has been named a 2010 Health Care Hero in the dental category by The Phoenix Business Journal. She received the award on Aug. 19 in a recognition breakfast held at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz. A record crowd of 600 was on hand to celebrate the accomplishments of healthcare professionals from across the Valley. A total of 10 awards were presented in categories ranging from Researcher/Innovator to Service Philanthropy. Former A.T. Still University Arizona School of Health Sciences Dean Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., PA-C, DFAAPA was also a nominee in the Health Care Education category. “This award is well-deserved. It is truly an honor to have Maureen as an ASDOH faculty member. She is an extraordinary credit to our school, the profession of dentistry, and all of us involved in healthcare,” said ASDOH Dean Jack Dillenberg, D.D.S., M.P.H. Dr. Romer has served as the inaugural director of special care dentistry at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) since December 2006. She is also an associate professor and serves as co-director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program and the ASDOH special care clinics. Dr. Romer is co-principal investigator on a study on oral health-related quality of life of adult dental patients with developmental disabilities and for a HRSA grant on Workforce Development with the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is a member of the Arizona Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Legislative Consortium. Despite her numerous diverse activities, perhaps the strongest qualities advocating her as a Healthcare Hero are Dr. Romer’s compassion for, and dedication to, adults and children with special needs, and teaching ATSU-ASDOH students how to communicate and approach these patients. According to Dr. Romer, statistics say that 85 percent of people with disabilities can be treated in private practice, and yet many still can’t find offices willing to provide the dental care they need. “I think for students, the advantage of working with patients with special needs is that they realize people with disabilities really can be treated in private practice,“ said Dr. Romer. “The majority of patients are very easy, nice, wonderful people, and once students have the opportunity to be exposed to this population, they realize it can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience.” Community outreach is also a strong component of Dr. Romer’s professional and personal passion. In June 2009 Dr. Romer traveled with students and dental residents to the Alaskan Yukon to provide oral health services to this remote underserved area. Additionally, Dr. Romer trains and educates general dentists in the community about special care dentistry as director of Project C.A.R.E. that aims to educate Arizona dental health practitioners how to accept and treat the special needs patient with Compassion, Accommodation, Respect and Empathy in their practice. Dr. Romer received her D.D.S. from New York University College of Dentistry in 1991. She graduated with an M.P.A. from Long Island University in 1997. She also served as associate professor, department of dentistry and department of pediatrics and director, special care dentistry at the Rose F. Kennedy Center, Children’s Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center, Albert Einstein college of Medicine-Yeshiva University from 2003-06. She has published extensively on special care dentistry and received the New York State Office of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Distinguished Service Award in 2006.