Impressions - Spring 2023

Page 14

ACCESS. OPPORTUNITY. EXCELLENCE.
SPRING 2023

Dean Cataldo Leone

Catie

Stacey

Charis Anderson McCarthy

Principal Designer

Andrew Adamides

Writers

Rachel Philipson

Junior Writer, Communications & Outreach

Louise Kennedy

Senior Writer, Development Communications Photography

Dan Bomba

Dave Green

Cover

Eleven students and residents share what earning a scholarship means to them (see page 2).

Send address change to:

02
A publication for alumni and friends of Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine.
Assistant Dean, Development & Alumni Relations
Dargue Director, Alumni Relations & Annual Giving
McNamee Director, Communications & Outreach
Charis Anderson McCarthy Director, Communications & Outreach
Development
Alumni Relations
University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine 85 East Newton Street, 10th floor Boston, MA 02118
01 FEATURED 01 A message from the Dean 02 Access. Opportunity. Excellence. 13 ALUMNI 13 A message from the Alumni Association President 15 Alumni Events 26 Class Notes
&
Boston
smcnamee@bu.edu
35 31 15 31 SCHOOL 31 On Campus: Highlights 35 Faculty Profile: Afsheen Lakhani DMD 06 AEGD 07 37 Research Spotlight: Gum Disease Linked to Earlier Mortality Rates 40 IN EVERY ISSUE 40 In Memoriam 43 The Last Word

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

Each year, I am amazed anew at the amazing caliber of the students and residents seeking to join the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine community. I shouldn’t be, of course, because I know that our school offers one of the best, and most rigorous, educations in dental medicine available anywhere in the United States. By joining our community, they will be further enhancing a diverse and inclusive student body, committed to excellence in oral healthcare and to advancing the field. And I know that, after they graduate, they will be joining a passionate, supportive, dedicated group of alumni. But my amazement is tempered by the knowledge that some of these individuals will end up declining our offer – and some even might choose never to apply. They will make this decision not because they want to, but because of financial realities.

Modern dental education is expensive, and GSDM is no exception. Digital dentistry and other innovations in oral healthcare – innovations in which GSDM is at the leading edge – come at a high cost. Yes, our school offers a tremendous value to the students and residents who matriculate. But, we also derive tremendous value from those students and residents, and it is impossible to separate the quality of our school from the quality of our student body. Therefore, it is imperative that we find ways to ensure that quality.

Our scholarship program is one of the most valuable tools that we have to recruit, support, and retain a diverse, inclusive, and vibrant student body. Every time that we are able to offer a student or resident a scholarship, we are helping them access the opportunities that our school has to offer and recognizing the excellence that they will contribute back to our community.

In this issue, we feature some of the students and residents who have received scholarships this year – and I believe you will be as impressed by them as I am. The Last Word essay in this issue is authored by one of our alumna, Dr. Maria Petroche PERIO 21. In her essay. Dr. Petroche writes that GSDM was her dream – but one that she was only able to make a reality because of the scholarship she was awarded. She expresses her gratitude for that opportunity – and I too am grateful, grateful that we had a scholarship to offer her, as our community would certainly be worse off for not having her a part of it.

I am deeply appreciative of the generosity and support of alumni like you who have contributed to our scholarship program – but we need to do more. Every dollar you contribute to our scholarship program will go to supporting students and residents like the ones featured in this issue – and to building a stronger, more impactful GSDM community.

I look forward to seeing you at one of the alumni receptions we hold throughout the year – notably, Alumni Weekend from September 2123, 2023! And if you find yourself in Boston, please come visit us.

1 FEATURED

ACCESS. OPPORTUNITY. EXCELLENCE.

Each year, the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine awards scholarships to outstanding students and residents who have demonstrated academic and clinical excellence. These scholarships allow the school to recognize this excellence while increasing access to a GSDM education and the many opportunities that come with it. We talked to 11 scholarship recipients about their paths to GSDM and what lies ahead.

2

Spencer N. Frankl Scholarship

Dr. Spencer N. Frankl, GSDM’s second dean, was known for his innovation, determination, and personal connections within the GSDM community. After 31 years of service, he became the longest serving dean of any dental school in the United States. In that time, Frankl was a mentor and inspiration to countless students and residents. Since 2007, the scholarship created in his name has been awarded annually to students from the DMD and DMD Advanced Standing programs who demonstrate academic and clinical excellence.

In 2018, when PAULA ASPINWALL-REZENDE DMD AS 23 moved to the U.S. from Brazil – where she had completed an initial dental degree as well as specialized training in orthodontics – she initially struggled with the language barrier. She was not fluent in English, and worried that would hinder her academic progress. But with the support of professors and peers, who never denied her help with translations, Aspinwell-Rezende began to excel and build confidence in herself.

Even so, it came as a shock and when Aspinwall-Rezende learned she had been named a Frankl scholar.

“I was not expecting it at all because in my country, you have to fight so much for everything, for education, and everything in our lives,” Aspinwall-Rezende said. “Here, when you put in hard work, they appreciate it.”

The Frankl scholars are announced at the school’s White Coat Ceremony each year – and while MARY MORCOS CAS 20 DMD 24 knew going into the ceremony that she was receiving the scholarship, she kept it a surprise for her family. Her parents immigrated to the U.S. from Egypt and made many sacrifices in support of Morcos and her brother’s educations. When Morcos’ name was announced, it led to a joyous celebration with her family.

Morcos said Frankl’s work has inspired her to be true to herself. Her goal as a future dentist is to be a motivational leader, not only to her dental peers, but in her personal life as well.

3 FEATURED

“I am truly honored to be seen as spirited as former Dean Spencer Frankl,” Morcos said. “This perspective inspires me further to be the creator, innovator, and leader, that Dean Frankl once was, now as a dental student, in the future as a dentist and a team leader, and in the meantime, in my own personal life as a young woman of today’s society.”

When STEPHEN CARPINITO CAS 18 CAMED 19 DMD 24 learned that he had been named a Frankl scholar, he said it was a “full circle” moment to receive an award connecting him to the dean who had mentored his father and uncle – Pasquale Carpinito DMD 87 and Renato Carpinito DMD 89 – when they were GSDM dental students.

“My dad always said Dean Frankl was the type of individual that really got to know you and really made a point to make you feel welcome in belonging at the school,” Carpinito said. “To be told that I embodied those same values … it really meant a lot to me.”

As a child, Carpinito saw how his father and uncle developed relationships with their longtime patients, and he looks forward to following in their footsteps, using his own extroverted,

compassionate personality as a guide.

“[Receiving the Frankl scholarship] told me that I was on the right track as a student, as a scholar, as a future clinician, and as an individual,” he said.

Humbling – that is the first word PARSA SHAHIDI ENG 19 DMD 24 thought of when asked how it feels to be connected to Frankl’s legacy. He said he strives to uphold Frankl’s values of respect, compassion, and integrity when he is treating patients in the clinic.

Shahidi has an engineering background and said there are many similarities between engineering and dentistry: teamwork, technology, and innovation. Looking to the future, Shahidi is inspired by Frankl’s philosophies to innovate within the field of dental medicine – and reminded that he needs to keep working hard and persistently to make that dream a reality.

“Dr. Spencer Frankl was a visionary whose legacy, leadership, and impact will live forever in the field of dentistry,” Shahidi said.

4

Herbert Schilder Scholarship

Dr. Herbert Schilder was a renowned endodontist who chaired the school’s Department of Endodontics for 33 years. He developed a pioneering root canal therapy technique that involved cleaning out a tooth’s infected tissue, filling it vertically, and compacting it with a heated plastic material, which expands upon cooling, filling the gap. In 2006, a gift from endodontic alumni established a scholarship in his name, which is now awarded annually to one or more academically deserving endodontic graduate students each year.

DR. KANWAL MAHESHWARI ENDO 23 was fascinated with dentistry from an early age. However, the moment that shaped her career path in endodontics and research came when she was working on a premolar root canal during a dental school rotation. In that moment, she realized that endodontics was the only field of dentistry where one can work inside the tooth and explore the different anatomy of each tooth.

One of the reasons why Maheshwari wanted to come to GSDM was Schilder’s influence on the field of modern endodontics. Maheshwari lives by his motto: “Success = 100 – X,” which means that one can achieve success by starting at 100 and then ruling out clinical or multifactorial errors.

“He is a true legend in the field, and it’s been a blessing working at the same program he helped found,” Maheshwari said. “You can feel his influence in all aspects of the program – from the mentors to the literature, to every single root canal we do.”

After graduation, Maheshwari plans to pursue a career in clinical endodontics with an emphasis on research to help shape the next generation of endodontists.

“It is not so much about myself as it is validation for my mentors who have helped me reach this point. I appreciate their support,” she said. “I am inspired by Dr. Schilder and hope to contribute the best I can.”

5 FEATURED
6

Delta Dental Scholars ProgrAM

The Delta Dental Scholars Program awards second-year DMD student(s) three full years of tuition support in exchange for an agreement to commit three years after graduation either to practicing dental medicine in an underserved Massachusetts community or to teaching full-time in an academic setting. The goal of the program is to increase access to high-quality oral healthcare in underserved areas of the state.

Growing up, SHAHZAD MUMTAZ DMD 24 was encouraged by his family to look for ways to give back to the communities that have nurtured him. When he started thinking about life after dental school, he knew he wanted to specialize in pediatric dentistry and stick close to his Massachusetts roots.

“What better way to stay in the Boston community, stay in the area that raised me and molded me into the person I am now and who I’m becoming,” Mumtaz said. “[It’s] the perfect way to give back and utilize the dental knowledge that I gained here at BU to pay it forward and increase access to care, increase care for underserved communities.”

He said he wants to care for underserved communities because it’s a way to use his dental expertise for the greater good. The

Delta Dental scholarship will help him to achieve all his goals.

FIONA KERTHI CGS 17 SAR 19 DMD 24 grew up amid a large immigrant population in Revere, Massachusetts, and witnessed firsthand immigrant families struggling to find quality healthcare. As a first-generation immigrant and dental student, she knew she wanted to help underserved communities, but was overwhelmed by figuring out how to start. When Kerthi learned she had received the Delta Dental scholarship, tears of joy rolled down her face: She finally felt like she was on the right track.

“No matter what, I was going to work in underserved communities,” Kerthi said. “That’s one of the main reasons why I chose to go into dentistry. The fact that the scholarship sets me up for that goal is substantial because right after graduation I can work directly with these communities, start making connections with like-minded individuals, and bridge the gap in access to care in communities that mirror mine growing up.”

7 FEATURED

For GRACE HSIEH CHRISTIANSON SAR 19 DMD 24 , her interest in dentistry started at just 10 years old, when her family dentist would allow her to hold the suction tube and explain how to use the other instruments. In high school, she shadowed that same family dentist and solidified her passion for dentistry. As an undergraduate, she pursued as many dental and public health opportunities as possible, from participating in international dental mission trips to volunteering with a nonprofit organization that worked with people without housing. As a Delta Dental scholarship recipient, she is looking forward to continuing working with underserved communities.

“For me, volunteering just gives me more perspectives and also gives me that reminder, this is what I’m working for,” Christianson said. “It’s for these people. And even though days are hard and sometimes patients are hard, it’s seeing the joy in people’s face... it’s knowing that they’re being taken care of.”

As an eight-year-old, TORERA AINA DMD 24 waited with eager anticipation for her dental appointments, hoping one day that she would be the one using the instruments.

“As a Black woman, I know that the medical profession hasn’t always been kind to us,” Aina said. “That has been one of the pivotal reasons I have pursued a degree in a medical profession because I want to be able to reach people who may otherwise avoid a dentist because of fear of insult or fear of judgment, or any other fear.”

When Aina learned she received the Delta Dental scholarship, she felt joy, disbelief, and gratitude. ““It’s important for dentists to look into underserved communities because as dental professionals, we focus on prevention,” Aina said “But if half of our community doesn’t know the knowledge of prevention, if they don’t know why prevention is important, then the field kind of crumbles, in general.”

8

Morris Ruben Scholarship

Over his 40-plus-year tenure, Dr. Morris Ruben made countless contributions to GSDM, including helping create the oral biology department in 1979 and then serving as its first chair. He was known for his unselfish devotion to learning, high degrees of ethics and scholarship, as well as his commitment to periodontological research – publishing more than 150 professional publications. Since 1985, the Morris Ruben Scholarship, a merit-based award, has been given annually to a periodontology resident(s) in their second or third year at GSDM who has demonstrated excellence in their program.

When residents in a small program spend 11 to 12 hours days working together, it’s not surprising when they become close collaborators and friends. This year’s Ruben scholarship recipients, LAUREN FITZGERALD PERIO 23 and RYAN JOHNSON CAMED 17 DMD 21 PERIO 24 , are proof positive of this idea. Both said they were both “very excited” when they learned they were this year’s Ruben scholarship winners.

“[When I got the news], my wife gave me a big hug and my first reaction was ‘I think they sent this email to the wrong person,’” Johnson said.

Ruben scholarship recipients are chosen purely based on academic merit, so the pair said they felt reaffirmed in their dental pursuits.

“Dental education is a very big financial commitment, so any help is so appreciated, and especially when it’s something

that you’ve earned from working hard,” Fitzgerald said.

Over the last couple months of her program, Fitzgerald said she is focused on soaking up as much knowledge as possible from the GSDM faculty and her co-residents. After graduating, she plans to stay in the Boston area and find a dental practice where she can keep strengthening her skills.

Before he graduates, Johnson wants to care for as many patients as possible over the next year, while learning as much as possible from faculty and his fellow residents.

Although they never personally worked with Ruben, Fitzgerald and Johnson said they recognized Ruben’s impact on the periodontology department and are honored to be connected to his legacy.

“[He is] a very big name, treated with a lot of respect,” Johnson said.

9 FEATURED
10

NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP TO BE CREATED

A gift of $100,000 from Acadental, Inc., a dental company based in Overland Park, Kansas, will provide financial aid for students at the Henry M. Goldman School of Medicine.

The income from the Acadental Endowed Scholarship in Dentistry will provide annual merit-based scholarship awards to second- or third-year Doctor of Dental Medicine students who have demonstrated an interest and/or commitment to dental education. They must also have distinguished themselves through academic work, research, and/or clinical practice in dental medicine.

“Each day, educators and students around the world are using our products to learn the necessary skills to become an outstanding dental professional,” says Jeff Scott, Acadental’s general manager. “Giving back to dental education in the form of a scholarship is consistent with our vision of making better dental

professionals. in addition to helping with the cost of dental education. Acadental continues to innovate and support future dental experts with powerful products replicating the human dentition via physical and digital means.”

With the goal of improving dental education to train better dentists, Acadental develops cutting-edge products used in dental schools worldwide. In dental anatomy, operative, endodontics, dental hygiene, and more, Acadental excels in consistent product quality and timely delivery. The company combines multiple disciplines and standardizes a wide array of preclinical hands-on courses, thus “simplifying to one” with the ModuPRO. Acadental’s continuous goal is to remain ahead of emerging technologies to provide the latest tools and resources for dental education.

OTHER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT GSDM

To learn more about how you can support an existing scholarship fund or create a new scholarship, contact Stacey McNamee at smcnamee@bu.edu.

Steven R. Gordon Graduate Scholarship

Named in honor of a beloved GSDM faculty member, Dr. Steven R. Gordon, and created thanks to a generous gift from Gordon's family, this scholarship is given annually to a Geriatric Dental Medicine resident.

Goldman School of Dental Medicine Scholarship

One of the primary scholarship funds at the school, this fund sponsors scholarships for DMD students annually.

Richard E. Stallard Scholarship

This scholarship is named for Dr. Richard Stallard and is awarded to one or more periodontology residents each year.

Richard A. Allard Fellowship

This scholarship recognizes outstanding residents in the

Department of Pediatric Dentistry and is named for Dr. Richard Allard.

Seymour Abrams Memorial Scholarship

Named for Dr. Seymour Abrams this scholarship is given annually to one more residents in the Department of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics.

David Russell Endowment Scholarship

Given in memory of Dr. David Russell, former GSDM associate dean for admissions, this scholarship will be given annually to one or more students or residents.

Dr. Oreste Zanni Scholarship

This annual scholarship is given to one or more residents in the Periodontics program at GSDM; it was created thanks to a bequest from Dr. Oreste Zanni and is named in his honor.

42 North Dental Graduate Scholarship

42 North Dental made a generous donation to create this scholarship that is designed to support diversity and inclusivity at GSDM. It will be presented annually to GSDM students.

Yonathon Dassa Scholarship

Named in memory of Yonathon Dassa DMD 14, this scholarship is awarded annually to one or more DMD students.

Anthony Westwater Jong Scholarship

This scholarship is given annually to either predoctoral students or postdoctoral residents.

11 FEATURED

617-358-6828

Boston University Dental Career Network

Get Connected!

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine now has an online job-board system: Boston University Dental Career Network (BUDCN). The system allows employers to post positions tailored to GSDM current students, residents, fellows, alumni, and faculty.

STUDENTS may use BUDCN as a jobboard system and career resource tool customized for their needs.

ALUMNI & FACULTY can sign up as job seekers or employers for BUDCN.

Access the Boston University Dental Career Network dental-bu-csm.symplicity.com

EMPLOYERS can register to post positions and review applicant submissions for dentists and specialists.

Discount 20%

30%

Continuing Education

We offer multidisciplinary courses for dental health professionals on a range of cutting-edge topics, from robotics to Botox to laser dentistry–and more! You can choose whether you want a hands-on course, a live-patient demo, or a traditional lecture–and whichever you choose, you’ll be taught by a leading expert in the field.

For full course offerings, see our website at bu.edu/dental/ce

New Graduate Discount
*Discounts cannot be combined Alumni
GSDM Career Resources
gsdmcr@bu.edu
12

“We should be very proud of the number of scholarships that GSDM gives out each year, and the ways in which these scholarships help increase access to the many, many opportunities offered by a GSDM education.”

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LETTER

Dear Fellow Alumni,

I can still remember the day that I learned that I had been accepted into the Advanced Education Program in Endodontics at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. It felt like a life-changing moment –and indeed, it was. The whole course of my career was changed – was improved – by the education and experiences that I received during my two years at GSDM. Every year, several hundred predoctoral students and postdoctoral residents experience that same life-changing moment, but for many of them, excitement is tempered with the realities of paying for that lifechanging education. Luckily, GSDM – thanks, in part, to the generosity of its donors, including many of you – is able to offer many students and residents scholarships to help cover the cost. In this issue’s cover feature, we profile 11 of these outstanding students or residents – and I’m sure, once you’ve had a chance to read the piece, that you’ll agree that the future of dentistry is very bright indeed.

Alumni Association Letter

We should be very proud of the number of scholarships that GSDM gives out each year, and the ways in which these scholarships help increase access to the many, many opportunities offered by a GSDM education. To learn more about the scholarships GSDM offers and how you can support them – and in turn, the next generation of GSDM students and residents – please contact Stacey McNamee at smcnamee@bu.edu.

In closing, thank you again for allowing me to serve as your Alumni Association president. I look forward to working on behalf of you all over the next year. And please come visit us in Boston soon!

Sincerely,

13 ALUMNI

ALUMNI BOARD ADDS TWO NEW MEMBERS

James E. Lee CAS 09 CAMED 10 DMD 14

Dr. James E. Lee is a second-generation dentist practicing general dentistry alongside his father, Ted Lee DMD 86, in Malden, Massachusetts. He received his bachelor’s degree from Boston University College of Arts and Sciences, his master’s degree from Boston University School of Medicine, and his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Lee most recently served as chair of the American Dental Association New Dentist Committee and as a member of the American Dental Association Board of Trustees. He previously served on the Massachusetts Dental Society Board of Trustees and the East Middlesex District Dental Society Executive Board. Dr. Lee is a fellow of the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Snehal Pingle DMD 15

Dr. Snehal Pingle has been in private practice since she graduated from GSDM and treats patients of all age groups. She brings her positive energy and enthusiasm to any environment and is a natural at motivating and bringing people together.

She strongly believes that high quality dental care should be equally accessible to everyone. She loves giving back to the community

ALUMNI BOARD LISTING

Maryam Shomali CAS 87 ENDO 93

President

Hongsheng Liu DMD 10 ENDO 12

President Elect

Gigi Meinecke DMD 88

Past President

Chandan Advani DMD 04

Ashish Agarwal DMD 17

Stephanie Brooks DMD 18

Hesham Farag DMD 21

Zhiqiang Huang DMD 08

Dennis Jodoin DMD 95 PERIO 98

Ana Keohane DMD 16

Jasmine Khedkar DMD 17

Puneet Kochhar DMD 03

Sandip Ladani DMD 16

James Lee CAS 09 CAMED 10 DMD 14

Nikita Naumowicz DMD 21

Gary Nord DMD 10

Sepideh Novid DMD 04 AEGD 05

Casey Pedro DMD 03

Jamily Pedro DMD 11

Snehal Pingle DMD 15

Loubna Chehab Pla ENDO 08

Kady Rawal AEGD 10

Jignesh Rudani DMD 17

Frank Schiano DMD 06 AEGD 07

ORTHO 18

Cameron Shahbazian DMD 14

Tadeu Szpoganicz DMD 11

Naveen Verma DMD 04

Donald Yu ENDO 81

Past Presidents

Zhimon Jacobson PROS 80 PROS 81 DMD 86 (1992–1994)

by volunteering and fundraising whenever opportunity presents. She is happy to be a part of the GSDM Alumni Association board and give back to her alma mater. Outside of dentistry, she is a huge food and wine enthusiast and loves exercise, yoga, music, and outdoors.

Bill Walker ENDO 68 (1994–1997)

Ronnie A. Schnell DMD 81 (1997–2000)

Josephine Pandolfo CAS 74 DMD 79 PERIO 82 (2000–2003)

Maddy Apfel DMD 80 (2003–2006)

Joseph Calabrese DMD 91 AEGD 92 (2006–2008)

Shadi Daher DMD 90 OMFS 94 (2008–2010)

Tina Valades DMD 84 (2010–2012)

Mitch Sabbagh DMD 87 (2012–2014)

Bing Liu DSc 99 DMD 03 (2014–2017)

Sean Rayment DMD 97 DSc 00 (2017-2019)

14

ALUMNI EVENTS

BU Endodontic Alumni Association

Boston, MA – September 2022

15
ALUMNI
16

Boston University 2022 Alumni Weekend

Boston, MA – September 2022

17
ALUMNI
18

American Dental Association

Houston, TX – October 2022

19 ALUMNI
20

American Academy of Periodontology

Phoenix, AZ – October 2022

21
ALUMNI

American College of Prosthodontics

Austin, TX – November 2022

22

AEGD, PGOE, and Digital Dentistry Alumni CE Dinner

Boston, MA – December 2022

23 ALUMNI

Yankee Dental Congress

Boston, MA – January 2023

24
ALUMNI
25

CLASS NOTES

Frank Schiano CAS 01 DMD 06 AEGD 07 ORTHO 18 married Nicole Marie Garzon on November 4, 2022, at Castel Brando, which is one of the largest and oldest castles in Europe, located in Cison di Valmarino, the Veneto region of Northern Italy.

Parsia Koleini DMD 13 AEGD 14 and Grecia Sucre AEGD 17 married in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, on November 26, 2022.

Danielle Vertolli SAR 09 DMD 13 and husband Travis welcomed their second son, Mason Brady, on December 2, 2022. He joins big brother, Sloan.

26

Jignesh Rudani DMD 17 and wife Grishma welcomed a baby boy, Dev, in December 2022.

Nazia

22 and husband Juned Ahmed Shaik welcomed a baby boy, Mizan Junaid Shaik, in February 2022.

Michel Raad PROS 08 and Zeba Siddiq CAMED 07 DMD 10 welcomed a baby girl Michelle. She joins big sisters Nadia and Layla.
27 ALUMNI
Hussainy Syed DMD

Frank Glushefski DMD 93 retired recently from his practice in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania, at which he was the owner and sole practitioner. He took over the practice in 2004, prior to which he served as an associate dentist in various locations. In retirement, he plans to spend time traveling and enjoying the great outdoors with his wife and daughter as well as acquiring and allocating antiquities on both domestic and international levels.

are making an impact in the profession less than 10 years after graduating from dental school.

Khurrum Sheikh DMD 07 was voted one of the top dentists 2023 by Philadelphia Magazine. Marty Greenberg DMD 09 and wife Trang Cao DMD 09 opened their own orthodontic practice, Bold Bite Orthodontics, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
28
Dalal Alhajji DMD 14 and Anchita Venkatesh DMD 18 were named as two of the American Dental Association’s 10 under 10 during the association’s annual conference in October 2022. The award honors dentistry’s rising stars, dentists who

In February 2023, Dr. Kadambari Rawel AEGD 10 was invited by Nair Dental College and Hospital in Mumbai, India, to give a course on Geriatric Dental Medicine. Dr. Rawal started teaching Geriatric Dental Medicine at Indian universities in 2016, and after a long hiatus due to the pandemic, she was finally able to return to Mumbai with an updated course. She has now taught courses at all seven dental schools in the city of Mumbai.

Six GSDM alumni were named to the Massachustts Dental Society’s “10 under Ten” list in January 2023:

Joshua Hurlburt PEDO 22

Manish Juneja DMD 17

Hongsheng Liu DMD 10 ENDO 12

Justine Karanian MED 11 DMD 15

Kyle Medeiros MED 12 DMD 17

Anisha Pandya DMD 20

Sixteen GSDM alumni were inducted into the International College of Dentists at the ADA’s annual conference in October 2022:

Joseph Akhikar DMD 04 AEGD 05

Eric Block Implantology 04

Ethan Chase DMD 97

Maureen Colella DMD 92

Tadasha Culbreath DMD 89

Mark Hartzler DMD 12

Jitendra Jethwani AEGD 17

Peixi Liao PROS 18

Adarsh (Harry) Malhotra ENDO 00

Marlen Robles-Moreno PROS 16

Mitchell Sabbagh DMD 87

Ashu Sharma DMD 18

Christina Thompson DMD 06

Jhansi Tulasi DPH 19

Pei-Hua (Patricia) Wu DMD 98

Matthew Zizmor PROS 80

29 ALUMNI

Seventeen GSDM alumni were inducted into the American College of Dentists at the ADA’s annual conference in October 2022:

Chandan Advani DMD 04

Chiho Ahn DMD 17

Erin Breen CAMED 08

DMD 15

Sateesh Elangovan DMD 07

Yael Frydman DMD 05

Hatice Hasturk PERIO 04

Ana Keohane DMD 16

Jessica Lau DMD 17

PROS 20

Matthew Mara DMD 16

AEGD 17 Wheelock 19

Takanari Miyamoto PERIO 03 05

Helmy Mostafa DSc 11

Nick Nguyen DMD 96 Hesham Nouh DSc 12 PROS 15

Mayuni Onoe-Miyamoto AEGD 01 PROS 05

Patrick Ralph DMD 92

Jiangyun Sheng DMD 11 Naveen Verma DMD 04

Eighteen GSDM alumni were inducted into the Pierre Fauchard Academy in fall 2022 and winter 2023:

Chandan Advani DMD 04

Ashish Agarwal DMD 17

Paul Boscia DMD 96

Carolyn Brookes DMD 08

Satheesh Elangovan DMD 07

John Gusha DMD 84

Jitendra Jethwani DMD 17

Manish Juneja DMD 17

Amandeep Kaur DMD 11

Ana Keohane DMD 16

Matthew Mara DMD 16

AEGD 17 Wheelock 19

Andrew Miller DMD 12

AEGD 13 ENDO 15

Helmy Mostafa DSc 11

Divya Mudumba DMD 20

Hesham Nouh PROS 15

Patrick Ralph 92

Rashmi Shah PEDO 79

Naveen Verma DMD 04

Did you get married? Have a baby?

Accomplish a life goal? We’d love to hear your news! Email your updates (and any address changes) to Stacey McNamee at smcnamee@bu.edu.

30

Expanding Representation –One Post at a Time

ON CAMPUS: HIGHLIGHTS
31 SCHOOL

Getting accepted into dental school is a daunting task; for students of color, it’s even more challenging. The number of Black and African American students admitted into dental school has increased between 2000 and 2019, but they continue to make up a disproportionately small percentage of students, according to the Journal of Dental Education. Following graduation, the American Dental Association reported that only 3.8 percent of U.S. dentists identify as Black.

Dolapo Adeola DMD 24 and Elias Hilaire DMD 25 both followed unconventional paths to GSDM and worked hard to overcome personal hardships and the odds against them. After they were accepted to dental school, they felt an obligation to document publicly on social media their unfiltered personal stories, sharing their unique experiences about being a young person of color in the dental field to help support and encourage the next generation of dental students.

“I have had [predental students] say a lot that they really appreciate my vulnerability because I think a lot of dental students don’t really tell people their failures,” Adeola said. Both Adeola and Hilaire started with YouTube channels –Dolly D.M.D. and Doctor Eli respectively – and now share content on Instagram and TikTok as well.

“Personally, I didn’t meet my first Black dentist until I was 19 years old,” Adeola said. “It gives the [predental students] motivation. Not only is it someone who looks like them, it’s someone who had to overcome adversities and things that a lot of predentals are struggling with."

Hilaire agreed: “I did see a need in the community for someone like me."

As for the future of their social media channels, both want to expand on ways they can best assist and mentor their dental peers.

The key thing Hilaire said he wants to continue making sure he is doing with his platform is demonstrating his realistic day-today life as a Black male dental student.

“I think it is important that I myself am on that platform just to show the people that look like me that it’s possible, and also that you don’t have to be a 4.0 student, or a valedictorian at your college in order to get here,” he said.

For Adeola, the core of her platforms will remain the same: being a positive representative for people of color trying to enter the dental profession.

“My success to me is so crucial because there are people looking up to me that are motivated by seeing me work really hard,” Adeola said.

32
Scan to read more

USING HER VOICE

Dr. Jessica C. Williams DPH 23 fell in love with dentistry when she volunteered at a community dental clinic during college – indeed, she fell in love with the idea of using dentistry to improve people’s lives.

So when she recently received the Dr. Bessie E. Delaney Scholarship from the National Dental Association Foundation, it was especially meaningful, she said, as Dr. Annie Elizabeth “Bessie” Delaney, the only black woman to graduate in her dental school class at Columbia University in 1923 and the second Black woman licensed to practice dentistry in New York, was a huge force in her community.

“She was never afraid to use her voice to talk about injustice,” Williams said. “She spoke up for herself and she spoke up for the underserved, and that’s somebody who I want to be honored alongside with.”

As Williams learned more about health disparities, she realized that she wanted to pair dentistry with public health.

While in dental school at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Williams was selected for the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, for which she created an oral health literacy program for a food bank. She imagined that her work through the fellowship would be focused on teaching people how to brush and floss effectively, but instead, most of her conversations focused on access to care.

After dental school, Williams participated in the National Health Service Corps, picking a clinic in rural, southeastern Iowa to complete her service. Up until that point, her experiences with underserved populations had always been in urban settings; now, she

33 SCHOOL

GSDM RESIDENT COMBINES POLICY, DENTISTRY TO IMPROVE LIVES

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT DAY

was viewing oral health disparities through a rural lens.

“To me, it was completing a picture,” she said.

While in Iowa, she realized that solving the issues she was experiencing getting patients the care they needed and wanted required changes to policy at the state and federal level –and not just health care policy.

“Policy is important, but what you learn is that economic policy is important, housing policy is important, transportation policy is important,” Williams said. “All of that impacts my ability to do a filling on a patient, or to hopefully have a child come in for an exam.”

Williams discovered GSDM through the recommendation of Dr. Eleanor Fleming, a GSDM alumna, who spoke highly of the supportive nature of the institution.

“Every institution is going to teach you what you need to know, but it’s the context in which you’re getting that degree or certificate that makes all the difference,” said Williams, who is pursuing both a CAGS and a Master of Science in Dentistry in Dental Public Health at GSDM.

A record-setting number of GSDM faculty turned out to participate in thought-provoking discussions on racism and discrimination during a recent faculty development day. Nearly 100 faculty members attended this year’s Faculty Development Day on “Race, Racism, Discrimination and Disparities in Oral Health in America.” According to GSDM Faculty Development Director Dr. Neal Fleisher, discrimination is an overarching issue that affects every aspect of society –including oral healthcare – and it is important for the school to foster safe platforms for diverse voices to articulate their experiences, so that all faculty can learn and grow.

“Race, racism, discrimination, that is a power-packed couple of words, and it’s often a difficult conversation...” Fleisher said in his opening remarks. “People become very offended by it. People become very defensive about it. And today, we’re going to try to tackle it a little bit. We’re going to be talking about things that are going to make people uncomfortable, everybody, to one extent or another. If we ever want to move forward, we have to at least put things on the table.”

In his opening remarks, Dean Cataldo Leone thanked everyone for attending and applauded the high attendance.

“Our Faculty Development Days are a wonderful opportunity to connect and grow together as a community,” Leone said. “I’m gratified by the record-setting turnout for this important session on disparities in oral healthcare. It gives me hope that we are taking the necessary steps – and doing the hard work – to make oral healthcare more accessible and inclusive for all our patients.”

Five speakers – a mix of internal and external – gave presentations that touched on a wide range of issues related to the day’s theme, including access to healthcare, health disparities, and social determinants of health, and then the day concluded with a panel discussion.

During that discussions, panelists were asked to provide two words to describe how they felt about the day’s topic. Together, they came up with: heavy, hopeful, challenges, opportunities, mindfulness, understanding, community, and inclusion.

Fleisher said he hopes faculty members came away from the day with an awareness of their bias and an increased understanding of how to talk about these topics.

“I think it’s a topic that needs more discussion,” Fleisher said. “And I don’t, in any way, think that I’ve fully accomplished it today or that we have accomplished it completely today; accomplished means to be able to say that there’s some concrete change that has occurred, but we need to start somewhere with it and do more than just superficial talk… We need to really delve into it. I think today was just breaking the surface, just starting to get in the direction that we need to go.”

34
Scan to read more Scan to read more

Dr. Afsheen Lakhani

DMD 06 AEGD 07

During Dr. Afsheen Lakhani’s tenure at GSDM, she has done it all, ranging from being a student and a resident to receiving the 2021 Spencer N. Frankl Award for Excellence in Teaching and, most recently, being honored with ADEA Chair of the Board Citation at the ADEA 2023 Annual session. After being appointed to Director of Group Practices, she has been experiencing “full-circle moments,” taking her back to her student days, one of which being gifted a personalized bobblehead from the graduating Class of 2020 - the exact same graduation gift her AEGD class gave their program director.

We spoke to her about her GSDM experiences and what she hopes to bring to her new role.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
35 SCHOOL

Scan to read more

How meaningful is it that you’ve become a faculty member at your alma mater?

I feel really blessed that I’m able to give back to my institution, because there have been so many of the mentors and teachers who have been so inspiring to me, and they’ve played an instrumental role in my success and in my learning… I would never be able to give back to them what they have done for me, but at least I’m able to pay it forward.

Congratulations on starting your new role as Director of Group Practices back in October 2022. What are you most looking forward to achieving in this new role?

Luckily, I’ve been part of all these roles as a student, resident, supervising faculty, practicing dentist at a private office and the BU Dental Health Center, practice leader, and now as a director. I know what every person in those roles is thinking. My goal is to integrate that together –because dentistry is all about teamwork – to enhance and improve the group practice experience for students and patients.

If we can ensure there is a strong alignment between the didactic and clinical portions of student education, it will automatically translate into high-quality patient care.

What do you envision as the future of group practice model?

We have a very dedicated team of faculty members at GSDM and, together, our vision is to give students real-life dental practice experience in order to enhance patient services and improve student learning. Our goal is to prepare students to become compassionate and competent oral healthcare providers by instilling in them effective communication skills, practice/patient management skills, and leadership skills. Our aim is to inspire them to become future dental educators and leaders who provide patients with the highest standard of professionalism and service.

What do you hope students will take away from their time in group practice?

I want them to become caring, competent oral healthcare professionals. They shouldn't think of themselves as “just a dentist.” I want them to feel passionate about our profession and to feel proud to be a GSDM alum. And I want them to give back as educators, if they are able to.

I want them to also remember that as they are entering the real world, they are not alone. They are and will remain a part of this extraordinary GSDM family. It’s a bond for life. They can use these relationships and experiences here at GSDM to boost their success and grow their professional network, build an active community of GSDM alums, so that they can support each other and at the same time strengthen our institution.

36

NEW STUDY CONTINUES TO LINK GUM DISEASE TO EARLIER MORTALITY RATES

Twenty-five years ago, GSDM faculty

Drs. Raul Garcia and Elizabeth Kaye broke new ground with a research study that found that men with periodontal disease (“gum disease”) were at a greater risk of dying earlier – “floss or die,” as they phrased it.

Now, Dr. Brenda Heaton, associate professor of health policy & health services research, her epidemiology PhD student Julia Bond and colleagues, have confirmed Garcia and Kaye’s findings with an updated study, published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, that draws on an additional 25 years of data and uses more sophisticated analytic methods.

“Death arrives earlier for those who have periodontal disease,” Dr. Heaton said. “Periodontal disease delivers a chronic inflammatory burden, that the longer you have that inflammatory burden, the higher the risk of death.”

In the new study, Heaton and Bond drew on data from the VA Dental Longitudinal Study, a cohort of men, first formed in 1968, who receive medical and oral exams approximately every three years. Participants in that study received dental x-rays at each visit from which inflammation-related bone loss around the teeth could be measured. Beginning in the late 1980s, more detailed clinical measures of the current periodontal inflammation, including periodontal pocket depth and clinical attachment loss, were obtained. With periodontal disease, the severity of the condition can change over time, leading to an ever-changing mortality expectancy. According to Heaton, the longevity of the study, combined with the frequency with which study participants received exams, allowed them to investigate a variety of systematic biases to determine if other factors could explain the earlier mortality. Heaton said the team came to similar conclusions to the earlier study: Periodontal disease can lead to an earlier death.

“The long follow-up, over fifty years, allowed us to identify early disease states and update the status of the periodontal disease exposure, which reduces the amount of bias in the time to death that’s related to that exposure condition,” Heaton said.

Additionally, smoking, a primary risk factor for periodontal disease, poses a potential bias that Heaton and her team were able to examine in more detail, thanks to the additional 25 years of data from which they were drawing. Some participants, who were smokers when they first joined the study, eventually quit smoking. In this new study, Heaton and colleagues were able to be more precise about determining death related to periodontal disease, as opposed to death related to smoking.

“Basically, nothing good comes from having bad teeth and bad gums,” Heaton said. “It’s floss or die.”

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
Scan to read more 37 SCHOOL
“WITH PERIODONTAL DISEASE, THE SEVERITY OF THE CONDITION CAN CHANGE OVER TIME, LEADING TO AN EVERCHANGING MORTALITY EXPECTANCY.”

DEAN’S ADVISORY BOARD

David Paul Lustbader CAS 86 DMD 86

Chair

Chief of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Milton Hospital

Founder, South Shore Oral Surgery Associates

Quincy, MA

Tarun Agarwal

Owner, 3-D Dentists

Founder, Raleigh Dental Arts

Raleigh, NC

Nazila Bidabadi CAS 82 DMD 87

President & Chief Cosmetic Dentist, Soft Touch Dentistry

Allston, MA

Donald Booth

Professor and Chair Emeritus, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine

Rye, NH

Shadi Daher DMD 90 OMFS 94

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, Brookline, MA

Co-founder and President, Medical Missions for Children

Westwood, MA

Patrik Eriksson

President, Nobel Biocare

Yorba Linda, CA

Richard A. Konys DMD 84

OMFS 88

Founder, EastSide Dental Specialists

Fayetteville, NY

Jonathan B. Levine DMD 81

Founder & CEO, GLO Science

Founder, Jonathan B. Levine & Associates

New York, NY

Geoffrey Ligibel

President & CEO, 42 North Dental Waltham, MA

Madalyn Mann DPH 76

Former Director, Applied Professional Experience (APEX) & Extramural Programs, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine

Miami, FL

Alon Mozes

CEO, Neocis Inc.

Miami, FL

Thomas Olsen

Advisor, Mavrik Dental Systems

Costa Mesa, CA

Mina Paul SPH 97

Administrative Dental Director, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center

Boston, MA

Uday Reebye DMD 98

Founder, Triangle Implant Center

Chapel Hill, NC

Maryam Shomali CAS 87 ENDO 93

Owner, Wellesley Endodontics, P.C.

President, Boston University Henry M. Goldman

School of Dental Medicine Alumni Association

Wellesley, MA

Jeanne C. Sinkford

Senior Scholar in Residence, American Dental Education Association

Dean Emeritus, Howard University College of Dentistry

Washington, D.C.

Richard A. Soden LAW 70

Partner Emeritus, Goodwin Procter LLP

Boston, MA

IN EVERY ISSUE 39

IN MEMORIAM

Marvin Rosenberg PERIO 60

North Palm Beach, Florida

February 3, 2023

Dr. Marvin M. Rosenberg, of Palm Beach and most recently North Palm Beach, passed away on February 3, 2023. Dr. Rosenberg, a retired periodontist, was 88 years old.

Dr. Rosenberg graduated from dental school with a DDS from New York University in 1958. He received his postgraduate education and training in periodontology at Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1960, Marvin and his new bride, Baylie Rubin Rosenberg, moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he opened his dental practice. Ultimately, the practice grew under his leadership to be one of the largest and most successful in Palm Beach County.

With Baylie, Dr. Rosenberg was active in Palm Beach philanthropic activities for decades with a special emphasis in raising funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, both locally and nationally, and for Jewish causes.

He was a supremely committed professional. Over many decades, he honed his skills as a periodontist (pioneering new surgical techniques), real estate developer, noted textbook author, lecturer, and adjunct professor.

Christopher Allen Pedorella DMD 97

Saunderstown, Rhode Island

December 27, 2022

Christoper Allen Pedorella graduated from the University of Hartford School of Music in 1989, and received his Doctor of Medical Dentistry from Boston University Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry in 1997, before returning to Fort Carson to join the U.S. Army, earning the rank of Major.

His dental experience began in the U.S. Army, where he served for over eight years, with five of those years on active commissioned service across the United States and abroad as a dental officer. He also did an advanced education general dentistry residency in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Although Chris did not pursue a musical career, he never stopped singing. As his patients and co-workers will tell you, much to their delight and sometimes chagrin, Chris loved to sing country music and tell jokes as he worked. Never mind the audience, Chris laughed the hardest at the jokes.

Chris was published in General Dentistry, a Journal of the Academy of General Dentistry; and was a member of the Kent County Dental Association, the East Greenwich Chamber of Commerce, the American Dental Association, and the Rhode Island Dental association. He was also a Pierre Fauchard Academy fellow.

40

IN MEMORIAM

Eugene Sandler PEDO 66

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

January 14, 2023

Gene earned his Bachelor of Arts in Zoology from Syracuse University (1954), his Doctor of Dental Surgery from New York University (1958) and his Master of Science in Pediatric Dentistry from Boston University (1966). He practiced dentistry in Lynn, Massachusetts, for 21 years before moving to Chapel Hill in 1979, when the University of North Carolina recruited Gene as a teacher and administrator of what became a model dental program for teaching dental students to practice in an outreach setting in most of the 100 counties in North Carolina. Gene demonstrated his remarkable organizational skills and served as a role model for students at UNC School of Dentistry. This program became well known throughout the country and representatives of many dental school faculties throughout the U.S. and Canada traveled to Chapel Hill to see how this program was organized.

Wayne

Shim DMD 02

West Newton, Massachusetts

January 13, 2023

Wayne Shim immigrated to the U.S. in January 1982. He was a graduate of Orange High School in Orange County, California, and then went on to attend Cal State Fullerton. He made his first move to the east coast to attend Boston University Dental School and graduated in 2002.

In 2007, another life-changing event occurred when he married his great and loving wife, Dallae Kang. She was by his side until the last moment Wayne left this world. Wayne was a perfect son to his father, Sang Hwan, and mother, Myung Sook. He was a perfect brother to Jason Shim and the most perfect husband to Dallae. Wayne will be missed by dozens of his cousins, dozens of his aunts and uncles and hundreds of friends.

Burton Robinson PEDO 67

Framingham, Massachusetts

December 14, 2022

Burton Robinson, of Framingham, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully December 14, 2022, surrounded by his children Andy Robinson, Lisa (Milinazzo) Robinson, Kimberly (Robinson) Duckworth, and Michelle Robinson, and his adored companion, Donna Levy.

Burt grew up in Dorchester, graduated from Boston College, Boston University, and Tufts Dental School, and remained in the greater Boston area – Framingham -- to raise his family and practice dentistry, until his retirement in 2010.

An avid sports fan, Burt followed professional and college leagues but was loyal to Boston teams and those of his alma mater, the Boston College Eagles. Burt loved the nice weather and enjoyed 40 years of golf at the Framingham Country Club.

Donald Gove OMFS 64

Falmouth, Massachusetts

December 11, 2022

Dr. Donald Frederick Gove died December 11, 2022, at the age of 87 after a courageous battle with vascular dementia. Don grew up in Concord where he enjoyed time with his sister and cousins on the family’s dairy farm and summers at the beach in Rye, New Hampshire.

After graduating from Concord High, Don entered the Pre-Med program at the University of New Hampshire. He graduated from Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1961. He was selected to join the Oral Surgery program and residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City for two years of oral surgery training, followed by a capstone year at Boston University School of Dental Medicine. He was a board certified oral surgeon and member of International College of Dentists.

41 IN EVERY ISSUE

Don practiced oral surgery for over 35 years. He was affiliated with both Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospitals. Don was a gifted surgeon, beloved teacher and even better known for his incredible kindness and genuine interest in each patient. He was also on the Board of Trustees at North Yarmouth Academy and a member of Holy Martyrs Church.

Stephen P. de Garavilla

DMD 78

Wakefield, Massachusetts

December 11, 2022

Dr. Stephen P. de Garavilla, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2022, at Massachusetts General Hospital surrounded by his loving family. He was a 1970 graduate of Wakefield Memorial High School. Stephen then received his B.S. from Boston College in 1974 and his dental degree from Boston University Dental School in 1978. He was commissioned into the United States Navy as a dental officer and was stationed at Parris Island in Beaufort, SC. Following his service in the Navy, he returned home and opened his own practice on Main Street in Melrose where he spent 38 years practicing family dentistry until his retirement in 2019.

In his youth, Stephen was a gifted athlete. Later in life, he shared his love of sports with others. He began coaching soccer in Wakefield in 1987 and has since served in various roles including coach, volunteer, and board member. As a coach, Stephen’s pride and joy was developing his players on and off the field. He got great fulfillment following players as they advanced through the soccer ranks, some becoming coaches themselves. His 35-year soccer coaching career is one of his greatest legacies.

Meredith

Evans Chase

Dental Assistant 63

Manchester, New Hampshire

December 2022

Meredith Evans Chase, 79, graduated from Dedham High in the Class of 1961, after which she studied to be a dental assistant at Boston University. Upon graduation, she worked for Dr. R. John Feely as his assistant and office manager for over 40 years, with time off to raise her family. She married the love of her life, Bill, in 1967. They raised two children, William and Marc, and she was a natural at being a mother and wife.

After their sons graduated from college, Meredith and Bill moved from West Newton to Sagamore Beach on Cape Cod. She was very involved in community activities, especially the local garden club where she was voted president, twice, and also the eastern regional director. She also managed a bed & breakfast, served as chair of several clubs and committees, and volunteered at the town food pantry. All of these activities gave her a chance to make new friends. She had a gift for remembering names which served her well in all of her jobs and activities.

Carlos Aguiar DMD 94

Puerto Rico

January 24, 2023

42

LAST WORD

I fell in love with periodontology when I was a predoctoral dental student. And when it came time to decide where to apply for my periodontics residency, I knew that I couldn’t do better than Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine – after all, Dr. Goldman was one of the founding fathers of periodontology!

But like any student, I was worried about tuition and the cost of living in Boston, which – while an undeniably amazing city in which to live, study, and work – is very expensive. It was a scary and stressful time for me: I knew that GSDM was the best option, but I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to afford it.

Then, I learned about the Zanni Scholarship, a scholarship named for the late Dr. Oreste “Russ” Zanni, a 1976 graduate of GSDM’s periodontics program who went on to become the beloved clinical director of the school’s periodontology department until his death in 2013. In 2015, the School announced that it had received a bequest of more than $3 million from Zanni’s estate that was designated, in part, to establish an endowed full scholarship in Zanni’s name for a periodontics resident.

For me, the Zanni Scholarship was the missing piece that made a GDSM education more accessible. I was incredibly grateful to be named the school’s first Zanni Scholar in 2018 and continue to be grateful to this day. In particular, I appreciate how welcomed I felt by the program and clinical directors – Drs. Serge Dibart and Gail McCausland respectively; they truly made me feel like this was the right program for me.

Receiving that scholarship significantly reduced the student loan burden that I need to take on to pursue my dream of becoming a periodontist. Now, as a practicing periodontist in Denver, Colorado, I take every opportunity that I can to give back, whether it’s by supporting other new dentists through my work with the Colorado Dentist Association’s New Dentist Committee or by organizing volunteer events to support underserved communities or by participating in international mission trips.

I will be forever grateful for the outstanding education that I received at GSDM and for the scholarship that made that education possible. Scholarships such as the Zanni Scholarship help expand access to a GSDM education – and all the opportunities that come with it. There are a wide range of scholarships at GSDM, and supporting these scholarships is one of the very best ways to support the next generation of outstanding oral healthcare professionals.

43 IN EVERY ISSUE

“Teaching inspires me to push myself. It made me not only a better educator, but a better healthcare professional.”

Faculty Profile, pg. 35

TAKEAWAYS FROM

“It’s floss or die.” Research Spotlight, pg. 37

“...it is validation for my mentors who have helped me reach this point. I appreciate their support...”

Access. Opportunity. Excellence., pg. 02

pg. 01 pg. 25 pg. 26

pg. 03 pg. 33

“For me, the Zanni Scholarship was the missing piece that made a GDSM education more accessible.”

The Last Word, pg. 43

Share your favorite moments from Impressions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and tag @budental

10

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.