Burton Langer PERIO 66 Presents Annual Schoolman Lecture; Reception Welcoming New Periodontology and Oral Biology Residents and Students Follows

On Monday, September 10, 2012, Dr. Burton Langer, a 1966 alum of the post-doctoral program in periodontics at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM), presented the 2nd Annual Schoolman Lecture to an attentive audience of faculty, residents, students, and alumni. The title of the lecture was “The Correction and Avoidance of Esthetic Disfigurements on Teeth and Implants Resulting from Trauma, Dental Disease or Previous Implant Therapy.”

Each year, as part of its endowed lectureship, the Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology invites a speaker who is an alum of the Department and who has become a prominent figure in the field of clinical periodontics and has contributed significantly to the advancement of periodontology.

Professor and Chair of the Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology and Director of the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Periodontics Dr. Serge Dibart said, “I am very happy that Dr. Burton Langer came back to the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine to give this year’s Schoolman Lecture, as he is part of the golden era of periodontology and a giant in the field of clinical periodontics.”

Dr. Langer expressed his own pleasure at returning to the GSDM campus, his first time since his graduation in 1966 with a Master of Science and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Periodontology & Oral Biology. Among other changes around the GSDM campus, he was especially impressed by the School’s state of the art facilities. Though he had not been back to the campus, Dr. Langer had maintained a connection with Boston University: his daughter studied liberal arts at BU.

Over his career to date, Dr. Langer has developed numerous modalities of therapy that have become standard methods of treatment. These include: early re-entry procedure for bone grafts, the ridge augmentation procedure, the subepithelial connective tissue graft, and various flap procedures for implants.

Currently, Dr. Langer maintains a practice on Fifth Avenue in New York City with his wife, Dr. Laureen Langer. He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from Tufts School of Dental Medicine and was an Associate Clinical Professor of Periodontics and the Director of Postgraduate Clinical Periodontics at Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery. Dr. Langer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology.

Following the lecture, Dr. Langer attended, as an honored guest, a welcome reception for the new Advanced Specialty Education in Periodontics residents and post-graduate students in the Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology at the Boston University Castle. Addressing the guests at the reception, Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter extended his gratitude to Dr. Langer, “We are all very proud to have such a distinguished graduate of the Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology join us today to lecture and revisit the School. On behalf of myself and the entire Department I want to thank Dr. Langer for joining us.”

Dean Hutter continued, welcoming the new residents and students of the GSDM Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology: “I know that I speak for the entire School when I say that we are very happy to welcome you to the BU Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine family. You have chosen an outstanding program and I am confident that you will appreciate what you learn here throughout your professional careers.”

Dr. Dibart also addressed the guests, thanking Dr. Langer for his lecture and attendance, warmly welcoming the incoming post-doctoral students, and welcoming back returning residents and students to the Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology.

The day had begun with a demonstration of the great height of success reached by a former student of the GSDM Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology. It ended with a welcome to new students at the start of their ascent to success.

Photos of the welcome reception are available on Facebook and Flickr.