USC 925
The Voice of the Student Body of the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry Fall 2017
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Natalie Inoue
Editor of Photography Tiffany neimar & Tan KHuu
Associated Student Body President Karen Sierra
Vice President of Internal Affairs Natalie Inoue Vice President of Financial Affairs Rachna Shenoy Secretary Leora Sheily
Class of 2018 President Ambika Parti
Vice President Rachna Shenoy Secretary Monika kunder Treasurer Brock Hyder
Class of 2019 President moji ghalambor
Vice President cory nasoff Secretary iriff ulep Treasurer josh helmstadter
Class of 2020 President sai patadia
Vice President angelica chaghouri Secretary hailey logan Treasurer mark park
Class of 2021 President Jessica Huang
Vice President john lamp Secretary minalie jain Treasurer teresa nguyen
Letter from the Editor
Dear Students of the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, After a short break in publication, I am so excited to share with all of you the recent activities and accomplishments of our student body in this issue of the 925 Magazine. From your Class of 2021 President’s point of view of Orientation Week and White Coat Ceremony to our annual Hiking and Jogging Scholarship event, there are many events on campus that I hope this issue provides a new point of view on. I also challenge you to match faculty with their child photo in a feature entitled “Faculty Flashback.” Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful and talented contributors with whom this issue would be nothing without. As I pass the editorship to your new ASB of Internal Affairs, Iriff Ulep, anyone who has an interest in submitting an article for the next issue, please contact her at ulep@usc.edu. I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing winter break, and I cannot wait for your 2018 ASB to share all that they have planned for you in our next issue. Best, Natalie Inoue ‘18 Editor-in-Chief of the 925 Magazine
By: JESSICA HUANG ‘21
The FACULTY OF MOBILE CLINIC By: KatRINA GOROSPE ‘18
FACULTY FLASHBACK
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meet your new asb
executive board
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the hiking and jogging
scholarship
By: judith naziri ‘19 and josh helmstadter ‘19 - - - - - - - - -
ayuda international
--------By: moheet merchant ‘19
faculty feature:
trimeter
dr. richard phillips
in review
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i n s i d e t h i s i ss u e
THE START OF NEW BEGINNINGS
The
Start of New Beginnings
By: Jessica Huang '21
21, 2017 couldn’t come soon enough. I had A ugust been counting down the days to the start of den-
tle yet. As I thought about what it would take to earn that honor, fear crept in; there was so much to learn, in such little time, in order to take on the responsibilities of a doctor. My fear eventually transformed into motivation because I remembered everything that I had overcome up to this point, and I was not going to let anything prevent me from earning that title. I continue to use this feeling to help me and my classmates stay motivated and to maintain a positive attitude.
tal school since I received my acceptance letter from the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry. When the day finally arrived, it felt almost surreal. One by one, students entered the East Lobby and filled it with buzz and excitement. It was a welcome change to meet all my classmates without discussing pre-requisites, DAT scores, applications, or interviews; instead, we talked about what it might be like to fabricate our first crown or work on our to practice my profession with the high- Orientation week ended with the first patient. The most exciting part est integrity, thoughtful judgment, and White Coat Ceremony, which of orientation was receiving all of skills derived from scientific evidence. marked our induction into the denour dental tools and instruments. tal profession. Some schools do not Holding these instruments was the first tangible mo- bestow the white coat to their students until they ment that I realized I was going to be a dental profes- have earned it by working hard through their first sional and that I was going to help hundreds, if not two years of pre-clinical coursework and by proving thousands, of people improve their oral health. that they are ready to enter the clinical world. I appreciated that USC held their White Coat CeremoOn the second day of orientation, Dr. Navazesh opened ny before the first day of dental school, though, as up a discussion by calling us all doctors instead of stu- it helped set the tone for the type of dental profesdents. At first, it felt odd to be called a doctor, espe- sional I strive to be. Even though I am working on a cially because we had not earned that respectable ti- mannequin, it does not change the techniques I use 1
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to restore a tooth, because I already took an oath “to practice my profession with the highest integrity, thoughtful judgment, and skills derived from scientific evidence.” The White Coat Ceremony was more than just an initiation into the dental profession; it symbolized our commitment to providing the highest standard of comprehensive care to both our mannequins and our patients. As we recited the oath and our voices echoed in unison in Bovard Auditorium, there was a strong sense of equality and unity among us. I could tell that those few minutes it took us to recite the oath brought us all closer together.
each other’s accomplishments. However, one thing remains constant, and that is the support we have for each other as we all work towards becoming the most exemplary dental professionals in the nation.
One of the ways USC emphasizes classmates working closely together is through problem-based learning. This unique approach to learning ensures that we, as future clinicians, never miss a single step or detail within the process of care. Even though I just started school, I feel as if I have already treated each patient from each case study, and most importantly, I treated these patients with my fellow classmates as a team. Exactly one trimester of school has passed; some of us shed tears of frustration, shouted in disappointment, and high-fived Jessica Huang ‘21 and her classmates at the White Coat Ceremony. 2
The
Faculty of
Mobile Clinic By: Katrina Gorospe '18 a predominantly A sdent-run community
stuoutreach program, Mobile Clinic has always featured USC students as the core component behind which each clinic operates. However, behind us students stand devoted faculty with years of experience guiding us along the way. Leading by example, Dr. Sunny Fereshteh and Dr. Santosh Sundaresan show endless passion in guiding students in a learning environment while better serving the dental needs of underserved communities around Southern California. Dr. Sunny and Dr. Santosh, along with faculty members Dr. Bethany Kum, Dr. Gardner 3
in the dental chair and how they feel leaving it. Knowing this, Dr. Sunny not only emphasizes to her students the necessity for quality and efficient dental treatment for the children, but also the importance of behavior management to attain excellent treatment results. Children all have different personalities, and their personalities dictate how to approach dental treatment. Dr. Sunny demonstrates not only her clinical skills but also her ability to relate to patients, and emphasizes both these aspects of dentistry. Passion, compassion, efficiency, and skill – some of the many lessons she has helped us learn. Setting an example as such through hands-on clinical experiences is a way Mobile Clinic really impacts students and encourages practical learning. Therefore, it is seen that leading by example from faculty to student, then from student to patient, is a large aspect of what drives Mobile Clinic forward. Without strong and devoted faculty at the forefront, the backbone of these clinics would cease to exist. For this, we owe the faculty endless appreciation and a thank you that will never be grand enough for all they do.
Dr. Santosh Sundaresan checking A STUDENT’S TREATMENT PLAN DURING A FRIDAY CLINIC. Beale, and volunteer faculty that alistic treatment approaches seen dedicate their own time to come in real-life situations. Encouragehelp at each clinic work together ment and passion that is exempliwith the students to make Mobile fied through Mobile Clinic faculty Clinic the organization it is today. transfers through to the students, which in turn transfers to our paIt is often found that treatment tients. The patients then realize planning is where a large bulk of how important dental care in daidental knowledge and experience ly life is, provoking passion and is gained, but sometimes it is diffi- urgency in them to continue oral cult to find time as a faculty mem- hygiene regimens they are taught ber to teach under a time crunch. even after they leave Mobile Clinic. However, the faculty of Mobile Clinic, tough as it may be, always Dr. Sunny is a prime example of do their best to share their knowl- the dedication and compassion edge along with tips and tricks of found in each staff and faculty the trade to pass on to the next gen- member behind Mobile Clinic. At eration of students. Each clinic site the end of the day, what matters has new patients, new cases, and to the patients is how they felt new learning experiences to take away knowledge from. Students leave Mobile Clinic with not only a sense of accomplishment, but with a bit more knowledge in their pocket than they initially came with. The faculty understand the importance of providing quality dental work to underserved individuals while taking into consideration the limitations these patients may face in their resources available for dental treatment. Because of this, it allows faculty to teach students not only quality clinical approaches to dental treatment, but also re- Dr. Sunny Fereshteh teaching students how to restore a class I preparation with composite.
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1) Dr. Magne 2) Dr. Berdan 3) Dr. Madden 4) Dr. Parish 5) Dr. Unterman 6) Dr. Austin 7) Dr. Truhan 8) Dr. Santosh 9) Dr. Mehdi
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Can you guess some of Herman Ostrow’s favorite faculty at a young age?
aculty lashback
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meet your asb executive board
secretary
samer rashad Hometown: Toms River, NJ
Hometown: Chino Hills, CA
Most Memorable Moment: meeting my first patient who came to the dental school because I did her dental screening at a health fair Fun fact: I can sing the alphabet backwards If you could be an instrument what would it be? a high speed handpiece because without it, we would be limited in what we could do as dentists
Most Memorable Moment: Mammoth trip with classmates Fun fact: I have a twin brother in medical school. I am sure if he were to replace me in clinic no one would notice If you could be an instrument what would it be? the super glue that was issued to every student during our first year
vp of internal
iriff ulep
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vp of finance daniel adelpour Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA Most Memorable Moment: the last day of removable when my entire class got together with our white coats and took pictures Fun fact: I can beat box pretty well If you could be an instrument what would it be? I would be the half hollenback... that thing is versatile as heck!
Hometown: San diego, CA Most embarrassing Moment: Dr. kim displaying my snapchat filtered selfies during lecture, none of which were my best angle and at 8 am Fun fact: I was a professional water polo athlete before coming to dental school playing overseas for a few years If you could be an instrument what would it be? primer/adhesive because I like to bring / bond people together
president
cory nasoff 8
The Hiking and Jogging Scholarship By: Judith naziri '19 and josh helmstadter '19 How It Started The USC Hiking and Jogging Scholarship is an annual event that was created by Dr. David Eggleston (DDS ‘70, Pros ‘72) and Dr. Andrew Vo (DDS ‘15) in 2011. What started as a casual weekend hike with a student and his mentor has grown to an event attended by students, faculty, staff members, alumni, special guests and our very own, Dean Sadan! The Hiking & Jogging Scholarship event provides a day to enjoy each other’s company, with over 300 guests in attendance. Since the inaugural year in 2011, this event has already given back over $120,000 to the students at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. This was the first year this event was open to UCLA students, adding an element of cross-town rivalry.
Winners during the climb. “When I usually run, I listen to music to use the rhythm to set a pace; but when I run during races, I use my breaths and footsteps as the rhythm of the pace. As I move, I remind myself that I love running because it is challenging, fulfilling, and there is always a destination at the end. For this particular trail filled with some intense hills, I reflected on how dental school is filled with similar hills of challenges to climb--long hours in sim lab-- but every step helps me get closer to the destination of becoming a dentist, and throughout the journey to get there, I become stronger.”
First Place Male Runner Francisco Ramirez ‘18 DH First Place Female Runner Hope Elizabeth Penner ‘20 Second Place Male Runner Bradley Kessler ‘18 Second Place Female Runner Emily Lau ‘18 DH Top Runners Garrett Cecchini ‘19 DH David Hernandez ‘19 Roberto Marroquin ‘20 Maile Osborne ‘21 Connor Perrin ‘21
Top 5 Hikers Valerie Hernandez ‘21 The Prize Melissa Luna ‘19 DH Besides the joy of the fun outing, Denise Luna ‘19 DH students who attend get a shot at Cloe Neuenschwander ‘19 DH The Rundown earning a scholarship during this Ana Zapata Caceres ‘21 The day started bright and early at event. Everyone is guaranteed to 6:30 am where students gathered be entered in a raffle for participatat the dental school. Charter bus- ing at the event. There are 36 raffle ses drove the students to Orange prizes given. For the brave souls County, California to the Blackstar willing to compete, there is an exCanyon trail. The hike is eight ki- tra incentive. First place male and lometers and the weather was sun- female runners get $1,000 each, ny as ever. To say this is a calm, lei- second place male and female runsurely trail is an understatement. ners get $500 each, and the top five First place runner Hope Penner hikers and top five runners split describes what she was thinking the rest of the pot. 9
Ayuda
International
“Improving Dentists, Improving the World�
is an organization A yuda that provides dental
care to the uninsured and impoverished populations of local neighborhoods in Southern California where there is a lack of adequate dental care. Ayuda International Inc. officially began in 1967. The first international project was established in the highlands of Guatemala where it created the country’s first rural junior high school, built a hospital and dental clinic, revolutionized their agricultural system, and provided universal immunization to over 30,000 children living in Guatemala. In 1991, Ayuda commenced an even larger outreach program in Southern California in partnership with the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC. The clinics, while overseen by USC faculty, are entirely student run. Each year, there are nine local clinics and two international clinics, one in Rosarito, Mexico and one in a new location during spring break. The Rosarito clinic lasts two days and is held on the first weekend of winter 11
By: Moheet Merchant '19 break. In April 2017, Ayuda traveled to India for ten days for its international trip. Forty students and five faculty attended and managed the clinic with the help from dentists in India. The four-day clinic took place in Agra and provided care for over 380 patients. The rest of the trip was spent traveling around the famous Golden Triangle, which included worldly sights such as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Amer Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, and Jal Mahal. The following international clinic will be held in Thailand this spring. Each clinic serves anywhere from 60 to 100 patients and, more importantly, each patient receives dental treatment to the standards found at school, as all procedures are thoroughly and competently overseen by faculty. There are several major duties to be managed in each clinic. One of the most important and most stressed stations is where oral hygiene instructions are given, which is usually done by our first year students. Instructing the patient on proper oral hygiene is of utmost
importance as these patients rarely return to the dentist for a follow-up after our clinics. Second year students are permitted to assist, to take radiographs, and to provide cleanings. As third and fourth years, students are able to do operative procedures as long as the diffi-
culty of the case is within the grasp of the student. There are many tasks and positions available for students of all levels including pre-dental students, and if any student is looking into participating in community health outreach programs, Ayuda is an excellent resource.
My experiences with Ayuda have been eye-opening to the disparity in dental care seen even right here, in Ostrow’s backyard. Besides being a fantastic opportunities to learn supplemental information in the realm of dentistry, the clinics are extremely rewarding. As is the na-
ture of most community health clinics, the patient population are in desperate need of care, and they are always grateful for the care received. Every thank you, every hug, and every word of encouragement goes a long way in making a caring and competent dentist. 12
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Faculty Spotlight:
Dr. Richard Phillips of the most notable part-time faculty at Herman OneOstrow School of Dentistry, Dr. Richard J. Phillips con-
tinues to show his passion and love for dentistry through his craft and commitment to his students. Though he currently resides in Southern California, Dr. Phillips was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. From there, he went on to obtain his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the notable Ivy League institution, Dartmouth College. He swam at the collegiate level and even set a record at Brown University. After graduating from Dartmouth, Dr. Phillips took a gap year where he worked for his uncle, a dentist. This experience, coupled with his enjoyment for hands-on projects as a child, helped initiate his path towards dentistry. Dr. Phillips received his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. While he was there, he balanced academics with athletics and leadership. Dr. Phillips was a member of the club water polo team for which he practiced twice a week and traveled for tournaments throughout the Northeast. He was also his class secretary and the treasurer of his university’s Psi Omega Dental Fraternity chapter. After Penn, Dr. Phillips wanted to gain more experience and yearned for adventure. From Philadelphia, he moved to La Jolla, California with the Navy where he served on active duty for three years and stayed on the reserves for 18 years more. This introduction to Southern California was enough to leave a lasting impression that influenced where he would establish roots for the future. After he got out of the Navy, Dr. Phillips returned to Ohio to pursue general dentistry working with a family friend. It was during this time frame that he realized
By: Iriff Ulep '19
that his interests in dentistry focused on teeth restorations and ultimately found his niche in removable prosthodontics. This led him to pursue higher education and a specialty in this field. Dr. Phillips earned his Certificate in Prosthodontics in 1987 from the UCLA School of Dentistry where he had the opportunity to learn under the father of the I-bar, Dr. James Kratochvil, who also became his mentor. While there, Dr. Phillips felt compelled to understand the lab process of dentistry so that he could better understand the margins, fit, occlusion, and esthetics of his restorations. This would only help him better serve his patients in private practice later on. While he was at UCLA, Dr. Phillips met his wife, Regina, who was pursuing her doctorate in dentistry. He still jokingly says that she owes him a full-mouth wax-up from their time at UCLA. Although Ohio waited for him to return after his residency, Dr. Phillips was offered an opportunity to teach at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry as a clinical professor and he never looked back. From 1992-2002, Dr. Phillips was the Chairman of Removable Prosthodontics here at USC. During this time, he edited the Complete Denture and Removable Partial Denture Clinic Manuals that was used in the removable prosthodontics course and worked on a committee to rewrite the State Board Examination with representatives from other California dental schools. After 2002, Dr. Phillips took a break from teaching for ten years and focused on being with his family, and we are now lucky to continue to have the opportunity to learn from him on the clinic floor.
Dr. Phillips overseeing 4th-year students on the clinic floor as they gain experience in removable prosthodontics. 14
T HE C E N T U RY C LU B A LU MNI A S S O C I AT I O N
Yes, you’re already a member. (Even if you don’t remember joining.)
Membership is automatic. Just like the benefits. The Century Club Alumni Association is home to all students and graduates who share in our mission to support and promote the advancement of oral health education and outreach. The CCAA is committed to sustaining the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC’s tradition of excellence and a dedication to service, lifelong and worldwide. Explore all the benefits of membership at dentistry.usc.edu/alumni
CenturyClub
Trimester in Review August 21-25, 2017 DDS Class of 2021 Orientation Week
August 25, 2017 White Coat Ceremony
August 28, 2017 Back to School BBQ
November 4, 2017 Homecoming
Fall 2017 Implementation of Digital Dentures
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