Dr. Mehmet C. Oz (47) may be best known for his association with Oprah as “America’s Doctor,” but what dentists need to know is that he’s a strong advocate of the gum disease/systemic health philosophy. At the recent Greater New York Dental Meeting, Dr. Oz began his talk by announcing that we have clear facts to associate gum disease with cardiac disease. He added some interesting tidbits, such as a pregnant woman with gum disease has a one-in-seven chance to give birth to a healthy child that will have normal development. Dr. Oz believes that health education for the public is the primary challenge we face as a nation, and as a dentist, you can make an impact in this area.
According to Broadcasting & Cable, Oprah’s production company, Harpo, will launch a talk show with Dr. Oz next year. The doctor’s road is being paved much like Dr. Phil’s was. Oprah has had Dr. Oz on her show as a guest numerous times, and he “…hosted an episode of Oprah almost by himself…” according to B & C.
Dr. Oz is the chief medical consultant for Discovery Communications and has written many books on general health issues. He has had many of his own television bits, including Discovery Health’s Second Opinion with Dr. Oz and the award-winning Transplant! series, Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report, and Oprah’s Ask Dr. Oz. He is a columnist for Esquire and Reader’s Digest, as well. Sign up for his free newsletter and read his full biography here.