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News Briefs
CHAI APPOINTED TO UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR
Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai PhD ’91, DDS ’96 has been appointed University Professor, making history as Ostrow’s first faculty member to achieve such distinction. The designation, held by 22 other faculty members across the university, is awarded very selectively to those whose accomplishments have brought special renown to USC. Chai helped create the Center for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Tissue and Organ Regeneration, which enables the development and implementation of innovative approaches to dental, oral and craniofacial tissue regeneration. He’s also the principal investigator behind FaceBase, a central repository for craniofacial datasets and tools meant to foster cooperation and collaboration among craniofacial scientists. Both endeavors have helped establish USC as a premier center for craniofacial research and tissue regeneration.
Ostrow’s hybrid online/on-campus master’s degree in orofacial pain and oral medicine was recently accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons – Edinburgh, a venerable, centuries-old institution. The hybrid program had already undergone a successful review by USC’s University Committee on Academic Review, and the accreditation from the Royal College of Surgeons gives the program yet one more stamp of approval. This is the second program Ostrow has had accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons; the hybrid certificate program in orofacial pain — a partnership with Trinity College Dublin — also received the distinction. “Kudos to Dr. Glenn Clark and the entire Distance Education Team for this recognition,” said Dean Avishai Sadan in a community message.
USC PARTNERS WITH TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN FOR NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Ostrow’s Online Dental Programs has partnered with Trinity College Dublin Dental University Hospital/School of Dental Science to launch a hybrid online/on-campus certificate program in orofacial pain. The program, which launched in January 2021, includes a mix of hands-on training at Trinity College with online didactic instruction — including weekly live webinar sessions with faculty and other residents, video lectures and quizzes — provided by Ostrow. Once students complete the certificate program, they have the opportunity to join USC’s three-year master’s degree program in orofacial pain and oral medicine during its second year. The partnership helps raise the profile of orofacial pain in a new area of the world, which could improve outcomes for dental patients in the European Union.
OSTROW JOINS USC HEALTH ENTERPRISE
Earlier this year, USC President Carol Folt announced a reorganization that would draw all of the health sciences schools into the USC Health System under the leadership of USC’s first Senior Vice President for Health Affairs Steve Shapiro. The realignment impacts Ostrow, the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. The synergy will give each school a larger voice in the critical issues facing healthcare and the health sciences while allowing them to maintain their current autonomy. “I am very excited to work with the dentistry school, which since 1897 has shaped talented students into outstanding dental professionals,” Shapiro said. “Ostrow is home to some of the brightest names in the field and its graduates are known for their commitment to excellence and innovation as they further the latest advances in dental treatments.”
USC MOBILE DENTAL CLINIC TREATS NEARLY 100 VETERANS AT RECENT STOP
Earlier this fall, the USC Mobile Dental Clinic put in a stop outside the Wilshire Federal Building in Westwood, where nearly 100 homeless and at-risk veterans received treatment, including comprehensive exams, radiographs, restorations, root canals and extractions. Because the event is part of an ongoing partnership with Village for Vets, a nonprofit dedicated to filling healthcare gaps for veterans, Ostrow’s residents, students and faculty were able to conduct recall exams and cleanings for patients seen at previous veterans’ mobile clinics. “It’s such an honor to see Ostrow making such lasting impacts in the community — and particularly for some of our nation’s bravest,” said Dean Avishai Sadan in a community message.
BRIAN HONG, DERICK TAGAWA STEP INTO NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES
After more than three years as Chair of the Board of Councilors, Carol Gomez Summerhays DDS ’78 stepped down from the leadership position in late October. “Given her major contributions, Carol graciously accepted my offer to remain on the Board of Councilors,” said Dean Avishai Sadan, in a memo. In her place, Derick Tagawa DDS ’68, ORTHO ’71 has agreed to assume the Chair position, stepping down as Chair of the Friends of Dentistry (FOD). “Given his vast experience and track record, I am confident he will do a tremendous job in his new role,” Sadan said. The vacancy of FOD Chair will be filled by Brian Hong DDS ’89, PEDO ’96, MS ’97, a current FOD member. “Brian brings with him the professionalism, experience and leadership skills necessary to successfully lead this group, having served as both the Chairman and the President of the Korean American Dental Association,” Sadan’s memo said.
