January 2014 • Volume 4, Issue 3
ASDA National Leadership Conference Inside This Issue National Leadership Conference
page 1
Message From Your District 11 Trustee
page 3
ASDA District 11 Meeting
page 5
ASDA District 11: Featured Members
page 6
Diastema. What’s the Verdict?
page 8
Upcoming Events ASDA Annual Session
Anaheim, CA February 26 - March 1, 2014
National Dental Student Lobby Day 2014 Washington D.C. April 7 - 8, 2014
Editor Stephanie Ting
Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC ‘16 stephajt@usc.edu
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By Shannen Boeckmann, Western ‘16
he American Student Dental Association hosted its second annual National Leadership Conference on November 15-17, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. Over 450 predoctoral and predental students from colleges across the nation attended this well-constructed convention. The conference opened with a presentation by Luke Williams, a Professor of Innovation at NYU Stern School of Business and an international best seller, targeted our part in what he terms “The Disruptive Age.” He urged students and professionals alike to challenge conventional approaches and think outside the box. Following this inspirational opening speech, the conference was divided into four different schedules based on topic-themed tracks. Each track was designed to focus on a specific area within the dental healthcare profession. The ASDA & Organized Dentistry track focused on the position of ASDA at chapter, district and national level. Career Planning and Business Leadership track focused on finances and responsibilities of working in a practice. Advocacy, Politics & Professional Issues track concentrated on current licensure, legal and ethical issues. Chapter Leadership and Management track was attentive to those issues surrounding attendants who wish to hold chapter positions addressing issues such as recruitment of members, fundraising and increasing overall student involvement. Although tracks were designed to include certain topics, each person was able to move freely between tracks based on their personal interest in issues and presenters. This
continued on p. 2
ASDA BONDING AGENT • DISTRICT 11
ASDA National Leadership Conference, continued from p. 1 allowed participants to create a customized schedule and provided the greatest benefit to the attendee due to the diversity of subjects that were relevant to predental students through fourth year predoctoral students. In addition to the numerous presentations, networking was another important aspect of this conference. Networking breaks were implemented throughout the presentations and a scheduled networking opportunity was provided with students who hold national leadership positions. This networking opportunity focused on dental students who were interested in expanding their leadership involvement within ASDA. No scheduled events occurred in the evenings, which allowed students to roam the Windy City, network with other dental students and enjoy time away from academics. A supplementary event to this conference is the Exhibitor Fair, which featured over 55 dental related sponsors. This provided yet another networking opportunity amongst students and for students to network with dental related businesses. Raffle prizes, appetizers and many giveaways made this event a student favorite. The conference came to a close with Jake Greene, author and owner of Greene Group, who addressed the influence of social media and professional presentation. His message encouraged students to think about the way in which they want to portray themselves in person, through the community and via social media. The third annual ASDA National Leadership Conference is scheduled for October 31-Novemeber 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. I strongly encourage those students who wish to hold district and national ASDA positions to attend. Networking with those in higher leadership positions and with the ASDA advisor team is an invaluable tool along with the attending many indepth relevant lecture topics addressed. Full presentations and additional topic material regarding topics in all tracks from the 2013 conference can be accessed at http://asdanet.org/presentations/2013-nlc.aspx.
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ASDA BONDING AGENT • DISTRICT 11
Message from Your District 11 Trustee Dear District 11, It is with great excitement for the coming year that I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. This time of year is a perfect time not only to reflect on where we have been, but also where we are headed as an Association. It is the turning of a new leaf and the possibilities are endless. I would like to take some time to reflect on past few months, as a lot has happened within organized dentistry and ASDA. Kicking off ASDA’s fall festivities was the District 11 Meeting in October. I was a great event and I was very excited to see so many new faces there. In late October, District 11’s Noha Nour successfully hosted a Southern California for advanced standing international students. It was a great opportunity to allow our international students to network and help facilitate their transition into ASDA. In early November, I had the opportunity to represent ASDA at the ADA’s House of Delegates in New Orleans. It was a wonderful and trying opportunity, highlighted by our successful fight against an increase to our ADA Student Dues. Following ADA’s Annual Session was ASDA’s Second Annual National Leadership Conference where District 11 was able to send over 40 students in total. We enjoyed the opportunity to build upon our leadership skills, learn about issues important to dentistry, and network with other dental students across the nation. I would highly recommend attending next year’s Leadership Conference in Chicago to anyone who is looking to get more involved in ASDA or would like to develop as a leader. As we look toward the next few months, there are many exciting opportunities to get involved! ASDA’s Annual Session from February 26-March 1, 2014 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, an opportunity you don’t want to miss. If you would like to get involved in ASDA at a district level, applications for a new District 11 Cabinet will be distributed shortly after our Annual Session. National Student Lobby Day on April 7th & 8th is a great opportunity to discuss the importance of dental related issues to Representatives in Congress, and is a great way to see how advocacy and ADPAC impact our profession. This is a very exciting and challenging time for us as dental students, as we face a multitude of challenges. Whether you are trying to complete clinic requirements, study for tests, or completing our licensure exam, I urge you all to take the time to invest in your profession and your future, and get involved in ASDA. It is time for us to take responsibility for our future and create a better future for dental students after us. I wish you all well and please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Happy New Year,
Kris Mendoza District 11 ASDA Trustee UCLA ‘15
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ASDA BONDING AGENT • DISTRICT 11
ASDA District 11 Meeting: A First Year’s Perspective
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By Rosemary Tran, Pacific ‘16
he clock strikes five and we immediately rush out of class, pack into the car and head down south to the ASDA District 11 annual meeting. A car full of first years, not quite knowing what to expect, but happy to be taking a break from academics to attend the ASDA District 11 Annual Meeting. Pre-dental and Dental students from all over California gathered at the Pacific Dental Services Support Center in Irvine to find out what ASDA is all about and to meet students from other schools. The weekend was filled with several amazing speakers like Dr. Carol G. Summerhays (currently running for ADA president elect 2014) who kick started the event by speaking about what brought us all to the district meeting to begin with—leadership. She shared with us several of her favorite books that helped enhance her communication and leadership skills, including Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”. Dr. Lindsey Robinson (CDA Past President) provided some insight about the current issues facing dentistry today and the future of the profession. The eventful day closed with a vendor fair where we were able to get our hands on some freebies and enter for a chance to win iPads, gift cards, and more! In the evening, we mixed and mingled at the famous Edison Lounge in LA. Our Sunday was spent at UCLA School of Dentistry where Dr. Felsenfeld gave a lecture about portfolio licensure. As our mini getaway was coming to the end, I reflected on the weekend and all the awesome people I met. I couldn’t help but feel lucky to have had the chance to learn so much more about my profession and organized dentistry. During the long drive back reality struck as we all realized that we had a radiology quiz the next day. Although my first year at UOP has been challenging, I’m glad I took that time to get involved with ASDA and look forward to many more events in the future!
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ASDA BONDING AGENT • DISTRICT 11
ASDA District 11: Featured Members
Neek LaMantia Name: Neek LaMantia Undergraduate Education: Pre-Dental Scholar at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI Current Dental School: University of California, San Francisco Plans After Dental School: Hoping to go into Pediatrics, possibly moving back to my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. However, San Francisco is a hard city to leave! Fun Fact: For 13 years I competed internationally in Irish Dancing, however my family is not Irish but actually Italian. What inspired Your Winning ASDA District 11 Logo Design? As a strong advocate of ASDA and all that it encompasses, I am always looking for ways to get involved. Over the past year I’ve met some remarkable students from each of the California dental schools. As an editor for national ASDA, my job requires constant communication amongst not only District 11 schools but the entire nation. Doing so, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to learn what makes us (District 11) so unique and outstanding. Graphics, drawing and computer design have always been hobbies of mine. As a first year in dental school, I rarely found a good excuse to take time away from academic studying to embrace my outside interests. However, contests like the ASDA logo design are fantastic opportunities to incorporate both my love of dentistry along with my interest in design. Not to mention, I’m always up for a little fun and harmless competition! I knew even if my logo didn’t win I still had a really enjoyable time getting creative. How did you design the logo? Did you use any special programs? The design that was chosen was one of my simpler ideas. I meant it to be used as a logo, poster or emblem rather than a t-shirt design which I would have made more elaborate. One cool aspect of district 11 is that it includes all and only the California dental schools. Therefore, I thought it would be important to use a symbol of California in part of my design. Lastly, repetitive letters or numbers (like the 1 in 11) are good places to get creative. I thought it would be neat to substitute outlines of two front teeth as the 1’s to add some dentistry flare while still keeping it professional and simplistic. I had a fantastic time making the logo and was thrilled to hear it was chosen to represent the entire ASDA district 11. I’m honored and hope you all like it! Besides designing, what other hidden talents do you have? Some of my hobbies include running marathons, playing piano, drawing, teaching, and writing- of course! What do you like to do in your spare time outside of dental school? Fortunately, San Francisco always has fun music, food or cultural festivals and events going on throughout the city. There’s always something to do! What is your favorite dental instrument? Although I think it’s slightly overrated, the acorn burnisher does come in handy for making a functional and super esthetic occlusal table!
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ASDA BONDING AGENT • DISTRICT 11
ASDA District 11: Featured Members
Souvik Sarkar Undergraduate Education: Bachelor of Dental Surgery, 2002-2007 A.J Institute of Dental Sciences Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, India Graduate Education: Masters in Public Health Biostatistics- Clinical Research UNT Health Science Centre, 2009 - 2012 Fort Worth, Texas 76107 Current Dental School: Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC Plans After Dental School: I would like to pursue a residency in oral maxillofacial surgery and to practice cosmetic surgeries in future. What inspired Your Winning ASDA District 11 Logo Design? I am a big fan of ASDA from beginning. It was a big opportunity to design ASDA logo and i am good at design, drawing and painting so i thought i should do it. How did you design the logo? I decided to use California state map in my logo. The logo should represent the California. Did you use any special programs? I used Paint brush and Photoshop. Besides designing, what other hidden talents do you have? Painting, playing DJ, photography and travelling, cooking.
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tarting in 2009, there has been a shift in the fashion industry from the “pout” to the “gap”. If you haven’t noticed, some of the top international models of today display a significant gap in between central incisors, “one of the most coveted looks at New York Fashion week” – Wall Street Journal. This quirky trait is very sought after by agencies today. Jessica Hart, for example, was part of the 2012 Victoria Secret Fashion Show, and was also featured in Banana Republic’s Spring 2013 ads, suggesting the gap is not only sexy, but also chic. Other famous models and celebrities are Lindsey Wixson, Lara Stone, Anna Paquin (True Blood), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Madonna, and Georgie May Jagger (Mick Jagger’s daughter). Dorothy Tam, junior creative director for Vogue magazine, notes that the trend is more popular internationally. The US will occasionally feature famous models such as Lara Stone, whereas countries such as Australia, Netherlands, and the UK will put her
ASDA BONDING AGENT • DISTRICT 11
DENTS DU BONHEUR
Diastema. What’s the verdict? By Samantha De Leon, USC ‘16
on Vogue’s covers. “This is becoming a trend because society is moving towards embracing your own flaws and the idea of perfect beauty is becoming boring. We sometimes choose to cover up the gap so it’s one of those “flaws” that can easily be disguised.” According to both Tam and Dr. Kyle Stanley, USC alumni and faculty, as well as former model, one of the major things the fashion industry looks at when scouting is whether you are going to remember a face when you are flipping through the magazine. The gap tooth gives an identity rather than the cookie cutter “beauty” that we are accustomed to. A backlash against unattainable beauty standards and the obsession with perfection, it is a flashback tribute to the 1950’s when Bridgette Bardot sported a gap herself. Off course, while embracing the gap trend, the fashion industry ends up denouncing none other than the dental profession. In Lara Stone’s interview, she says that dentists are always trying to “fix her problem” when it is a part of who she is. Ironically, many dentists have no problem leaving the gap, valuing the perfection in the imperfections. However, in the US, dentists are trained towards creating the Hollywood smile, so
maybe the fashion magazine is right in that respect. The poll below shows that none of the dental students at Ostrow School of Dentistry love the trend! In fact, a majority (>50%) said to go with braces all the way. Either way, we can all agree that there are some considerations when it comes to people walking into dental offices to PUT IN an artificial gap! Agencies today are asking models to do just that to make their face more memorable. An artificial gap can lead to crookedness due to shifting teeth. Caries can be an issue if the gap is small enough that it’s difficult to clean (on average the ideal gap is about 1mm wide according to Dr. Stanley). Lastly, patients should be reminded that enamel doesn’t grow back when it is filed down, and this procedure can lead to teeth sensitivity. As long as it doesn’t interfere with their oral health, I am all for dents du bonheur or, lucky teeth, as the French would call them.
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