Bulletin of Dental Education Article

Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (WU CDM) Associate Professor Mark Mintline, D.D.S., is the recipient of the 2024 International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation (IPPF) Doctor of the Year Award.

The IPPF Doctor of the Year Award recognizes a health care professional or researcher whose recent work has shown an exceptional dedication to people living with pemphigus and pemphigoid. Dr. Mintline is the Principal Investigator of the Biopsies Save Lives program and has worked to help close the health equity gap in diagnosing pemphigus and pemphigoid in southern California.

Biopsies Save Lives is a multidisciplinary and patient-centered care program developed by Western University of Health Sciences (WU), the University of California Irvine (UCI) Health Dermatology Department and the IPPF, which offers free or low-cost diagnostic testing services for patients with pemphigus and pemphigoid to under-resourced communities across Southern California.

“The Doctor of the Year Award represents the wonderful community of doctors who provide hope in times of worry and guidance along the diagnostic journey,” said Becky Strong, IPPF Outreach Director. “Dr. Mintline has not only provided top-tier clinical care to patients but has also taken significant steps to ensure that lifesaving diagnostic services are accessible to underserved communities.”

Biopsies Save Lives aims to accelerate diagnosis times, save patient lives and eliminate barriers in the diagnostic and treatment pathways of pemphigus and pemphigoid. The program focuses on improving access to diagnostic laboratory testing services for low-income, uninsured and underinsured people with erosive and blistering diseases. The program also provides education and training for the delivery of oral diagnostic services to people with chronic autoimmune blistering diseases. With support from Quest Diagnostics—which provides no-cost testing through the Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative—and the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, Biopsies Save Lives provides free or low-cost consultations, intraoral biopsies, routine anatomic pathology testing services, direct immunofluorescence and serum testing for under-resourced patients with erosive and blistering diseases.

Southern California health care providers are able to refer patients to WU Health Sciences for biopsies and serum testing without worrying about the cost of laboratory testing.

“I have been in practice for over 40 years, and I have never seen a more successful effort to help patients and physicians along the diagnostic journey,” said Sergei A. Grando, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., UCI Health Immunobullous Clinic Director and Distinguished Professor.

Pemphigus and pemphigoid are rare, ultra-orphan, autoimmune, blistering diseases that result in potentially life-threatening destruction of the skin and mucosa. The patient’s immune system makes antibodies, and they attack healthy cells in the skin or mucous membranes. As a result, skin cells separate from each other, fluid collects between skin layers and blisters form. Blisters and ulcerations may cover a large area of skin or mucosa. These diseases result in fragile, extremely tender lesions that will not go away without proper treatment.

Patients often find it difficult to find a doctor who has seen or treated pemphigus or pemphigoid, making the journey to a correct diagnosis exceptionally challenging. Once diagnosed, patients meet with their doctor and make informed health care decisions about their treatment options and ways to manage their chronic disease.

“The IPPF is honored to work with Dr. Mintline on this visionary program,” said Ms. Strong. Dr. Mintline is a board certified oral and maxillofacial pathologist. At WU CDM, he serves as the Laboratory Director of the WU Health Oral Pathology Laboratory and a Co-coordinator of the Advanced Oral Diagnosis Workgroup. WU Health Oral Pathology Laboratory is one of two specialty oral pathology laboratories in the United States to achieve accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP).

“The successes of the Biopsies Save Lives program are the successes of a multidisciplinary team of medical and dental clinicians, patient advocates, patients and laboratory professionals, from WU, UCI Health Dermatology, the IPPF and Quest Diagnostics,” said Dr. Mintline.

“We are proud to help support the work of Dr. Mintline and his team by providing access to lab testing so that uninsured and underinsured patients in southern California suffering from these rare autoimmune diseases can get the care they need,” said Cynita Smith-Watson, Senior Manager of Regional Contracting at Q4HE. “This award exemplifies his tireless efforts to break down some of the barriers to health care access that these patients experience.”

“The award reflects Dr. Mintline’s commitment to improving the lives of people living with pemphigus and pemphigoid, his outstanding leadership skills in clinical practice and dedication to patient education,” said Elizabeth Andrews, D.D.S., M.S., Dean of WU CDM.

“I’m very grateful to work with supportive and talented colleagues across multiple institutions, and I am humbled to help patients and families accelerate diagnosis times,” said Dr. Mintline.

Dr. Mintline received the prestigious Doctor of the Year Award on Oct. 26 at the 2024 IPPF Patient Education Conference in Newport Beach, CA. The event marked the IPPF’s 30th anniversary and the first in-person patient conference since the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference celebrated 30 years of hope and allowed attendees to meet others living with pemphigus and pemphigoid, interact with IPPF Peer Coaches and medical advisors and speak directly with disease experts.

About Western University of Health Sciences
Western University of Health Sciences (www.westernu.edu), located in Pomona, CA, and Lebanon, OR, is an independent nonprofit health professions university, conferring degrees in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sciences, dental medicine, medical sciences, nursing, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine and veterinary medicine. WesternU is home to WesternU Health, where the best in collaborative healthcare services is offered.

Courtesy of Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine

Published on December 11, 2024