Leading up to the Annual Meeting, the AAP hosted a special Q&A series with some of our Annual Meeting session speakers. This week, Dr. Shayan Barootchi shared a little bit about himself and the session he will be speaking at.
On Nov. 11, Dr. Barootchi will be presenting at AAPF1: AAP Foundation Future Horizons in Periodontology: Recent Advances in Bone Tissue Engineering, along with speaker Dr. David T. Wu and moderators Drs. Praveen Gajendrareddy and Hector Rios. Additionally, Dr. Barootchi will be presenting at FCE10: The Winners Circle on Nov. 12 regarding the Balint Orban Memorial Program – Clinical Science.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and what made you choose the field of periodontology.
A: Currently, I am part of the faulty team at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Division of Periodontology. I recently joined this institution after spending a productive and wonderful year as an adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, where I also obtained my Periodontology residency training, and was also a post-doc research fellow for two years prior to that.
My path in Perio started with me having always been fascinated for the delicate, yet robust foundation of the supporting apparatus of the teeth, and the periodontium. In addition, I have always been fond of the intricate arts that are inherent to periodontal surgeries, especially those required for regenerative procedures. This is what initially drew me to pursue further and advanced training in Periodontology. Later – as I progressed through this field as a research scholar (even prior to starting residency) by immersing myself in different forms of research – I was able to learn much more about the biological foundation and principles underlying the mechanisms of the Periodontium and the soft and hard tissues surrounding our teeth.
As time passed, and as I went through residency training, I dove deeper into different disciplines of Periodontology and found a passion for regenerative procedures. During this time, by engaging in and starting many of my own research projects, my curiosity for these topics grew further. After graduation I was fortunate to stay on as a faculty in the same department and continued my research path and clinical studies. I also taught in the residency clinic and directed seminars with the residents.
During this one year, I found my duties as a young professor extremely rewarding, and my zest towards an academic path was further fortified. Hence was the start of my professional career in this field and where I am today. Along this path, I have been extremely fortunate to receive many opportunities and have met brilliant people who have been very supportive of my goals. Without them, none of this would have been possible.
Q: What does the AAP mean to you? How has the AAP helped you in your periodontal career?
A: The American Academy of Periodontology has always been extremely supportive of not just our field and profession, but also of young professional who are pursuing their own path in Perio. This (the future minds) is indeed what paves the way to the future of our profession, the science of Periodontology, and furthermore Dentistry as a whole.
Personally, among the many opportunities I have received through the AAP, I am very grateful for the generous support that the AAP has provided me through different avenues, such as the AAP Foundation awards that both financially aid amidst student loan debts, as well as rewarding the hard work behind our research. There is no doubt that such recognition provides additional motivation for researchers and academicians to continue pursuing excellence in our field and performing high-quality research. In addition, the community work and attendance that is encouraged by the AAP (such as the AAP meetings and other events) is an excellent way for colleagues to meet and share their knowledge, experience, and expertise.
Q: Please share a short "sneak preview" of the Annual Meeting session you will be speaking at. What topic will you be covering and what are you most excited about?
A: During the Annual Meeting in Austin this year, I will be presenting both as part of the AAP Foundation Future Horizons in Periodontology lecture series on the topic of immediate implant therapy and how it is so intimately related to the periodontal soft tissues, as well as during the Winner’s Circle lecture seminars for having received the Balint Orban Memorial Clinical Research Award, which was for a randomized clinical trial our group recently completed on the topic of soft tissue grafting around natural teeth. As always, I’m very grateful to the AAP for providing me with the opportunity to share my passion and highlight the results of our clinical research, and certainly looking forward to seeing many colleagues and friends during these events!
Thank you for following along with our Annual Meeting Speaker Q&A Series and see you at the Annual Meeting in Austin!