Spring 2023 Penn Dental Medicine Journal

MAKING A SOCIAL IMPACT

ALUMNI, STUDENTS, FACULTY USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO EDUCATE, CONNECT, INSPIRE

Building Networks

AS THE MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2023 GET READY to celebrate their commencement, it is a pleasure to have this opportunity to congratulate them on their accomplishments and welcome them into our remarkable network of Penn Dental Medicine alumni. The bond with Penn Dental Medicine, created through a shared educational experience, is truly an invaluable resource to draw upon throughout a dental career, and I encourage our soon-to-be graduates to stay connected to each other, to our incredible international alumni network, and to our School as they move on.

Over this academic year, we’ve continued to build and strengthen our networks in the local community and around the globe. We officially dedicated our newest community care site as part of Woods Services, serving individuals with disabilities (see story, page 2), and we are building ties globally through exchange agreements with schools in South Africa and Tanzania (see story, page 4). In addition, we have launched an exciting new partnership with Cochrane Oral Health with our Center for Integrative Global Oral Health now the home of the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine; this new Center places the School squarely at the forefront of the oral-health-evidence-synthesis field globally (see story, page 22).

In this issue, we also highlight the growth of our academic programs and student research over the past three years under the leadership of Dr. Esra Sahingur, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research (see story, page 33). And, we hear how some alumni, students, and faculty are using social media to educate and inspire others (see story, page 10).

Now that we are back to gathering in-person, I look forward to welcoming you to upcoming programs here at the School. On June 5-9, our new Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center will present a conference on how to conduct and publish systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and the 6th Penn Periodontal Conference will be held July 24-28. I hope you will join us or plan a visit back to Penn Dental Medicine soon – my door is always open.

Stay well and stay connected.

Partnering to Advance Evidence-Based

New Center places the School at the forefront of the oral-healthevidence-synthesis field globally

Advancing Research & Education

Dr. Esra Sahingur moving new academic programs forward, along with student research

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL: Vol. 19, No. 2

University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine www.dental.upenn.edu

Dean: Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD

Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement: Elizabeth Ketterlinus

Associate Dean for Leadership Giving: Maren Gaughan

Director, Publications: Beth Adams

Contributing Writers: Beth Adams, Juliana Delany, Debbie Goldberg, Katherine Unger Baillie

Photography: Mark Garvin, Kevin Monko, Eric Sucar Office of Institutional Advancement: 215-898-8951

Penn Dental Medicine Journal is published twice a year by the Office of Communications for the alumni and friends of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. ©2022 by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Penn Dental Medicine. We would like to get your feedback — address all correspondence to: Beth Adams, Director of Publications, Robert Schattner Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 240 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104–6030, adamsnb@upenn.edu

New Community Care Partnership Serving Individuals with Disabilities

Penn Dental Medicine marked the official opening of its newest community-care site in February with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Penn Dental Medicine at Woods Mikey Faulkner Dental Care Center. The Care Center is a partnership with Woods Services, a Pennsylvania- and New Jersey-based nonprofit organization that serves children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries. The Center is located within Woods’ Langhorne, Pa., campus.

“We are thrilled to be providing care within the Woods campus, serving the Woods residents and clients as well as others in the local community with disabilities,” says Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark S. Wolff. “In addition, our students will be gaining invaluable experience in patient care.”

Postdoctoral students and faculty from Penn Dental Medicine’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program are providing care in the Center, which features five dental operatories, quiet space for those needing a lower-stimulation environment, a waiting area and reception check-in, and conference room.

“The opening of Penn Dental Medicine at Woods Mikey Faulkner Dental Care Center continues Woods’ commitment to providing an integrated healthcare experience for our clients — an approach that optimizes outcomes for individuals,” said Tine Hansen-Turton, Woods President and CEO.

Along with six affiliate organizations, Woods provides integrated healthcare, education, housing, workforce development, behavioral health, and case management services to more than 22,000 children and adults who have complex medical and behavioral healthcare needs in the intellectual and

developmental disability, behavioral, child welfare, and brain trauma public health sectors.

The Center adds to Penn Dental Medicine’s expanding community care programs, which will add another location later this year as part of the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) Public Health Campus on Cedar, located in the former Mercy Philadelphia Hospital building at 54th Street and Cedar Avenue in Cobbs Creek. Penn Dental Medicine will have an 11-chair care center there.

TOP: One of the School’s AEGD residents providing care at Woods Services.

ABOVE: Dr. Marc Henschel, Director of the School’s AEGD Program, at the Center ribbon cutting. He oversees the graduate students who are providing care at the Center.

”We are thrilled to be providing care within the Woods campus, serving the Woods residents and clients as well as others in the local community with disabilities.”

— DR. MARK S. WOLFF

Online Presentation Series Continuing to Build Expertise in Disabilities Care

When Penn Dental Medicine opened its Care Center for Persons in Disabilities in 2021, the goal was not only to provide clinical care to this underserved population and teach students to do the same, but also to train and inspire practicing clinicians to better meet the needs of these patients as well.

To that end, the School also launched the Persons with Disabilities Presentation Series in 2021 —a free online continuing education program aimed at building competency in providing oral healthcare to persons with disabilities. It is doing just that. Now in its third year, the series has attracted nearly 7,170 attendees to date, who either joined the live virtual presentations or viewed the lectures self-paced online. In addition, 50 learners have taken 18 courses or more, earning a certificate of completion from Penn Dental Medicine as a Disabilities Dentistry Clinician Expert.

“We see this series as an important way to not only build awareness of the barriers to equitable oral healthcare for individuals with disabilities, but also expand the number of dentists treating this vulnerable population,” says Dr. Miriam Robbins, Director of Penn Dental Medicine’s Care Center for Persons with Disabilities, who helps to develop topics and identify speakers for the Series. “It’s rewarding to see the strong interest.”

Since its launch, there have been 36 programs presented on topics ranging from defining disabilities across a lifetime and the role of teledentistry when caring for people with disabilities to how the payer system can be strengthened to improve care for the disabled. The series has been supported by the Delta Dental Foundation of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina (DDF) with DDF

having contributed $50,000 a year to fund the series, recently renewing its support again for 2023.

“The excitement and feedback we’ve received about the series continues to inspire us,” said Holli Seabury, EdD, executive director of the DDF. “It’s clear that oral health professionals across the industry want to be on the leading-edge of care for ALL people.”

Developed and offered through Penn Dental Medicine’s Office of Continuing Education, the series is open to oral health professionals at no charge. Individuals completing 18 or more of the courses within a three-year period will receive the Disabilities Dentistry Clinician Expert certificate of completion from Penn Dental Medicine.

View the series’ full schedule of upcoming live webinars as well as available online lectures at www.dental.upenn.edu/disabilitiescare

< View Schedule

By the Numbers

2022: A Year in Review

$27.92M

AWARDED FOR RESEARCH (FY22)

43,580

PATIENTS SERVED IN 2022 WITHIN THE SCHOOL’S CARE CENTERS & PENN DENTAL FAMILY PRACTICE

12,136

LIVE WEBINAR AND SELF-PACED LEARNERS AT ONLINE CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN 2022

265

ONLINE CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS WERE PRESENTED IN 2022

5,892

PATIENT VISITS TO THE SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY SITES DURING THE 2021-2022 ACADEMIC YEAR

Building International Collaborations in South Africa, Tanzania

Penn Dental Medicine is continuing to build upon its international engagement with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The signing took place as part of a visit earlier this year by Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark S. Wolff, to South Africa and Tanzania.

“We are eager to be building a working relationship with the University of the Witwatersrand,” says Dean Wolff, who signed the MOU with Professor Shabir Madhi, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Witwatersrand. “We look forward to future research collaboration and exchanges between our faculty and students and to working with schools in Southern and Eastern Africa to improve the health of individuals with limited access to oral healthcare.”

On the trip, Dean Wolff also visited Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, meeting at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) with leadership of the MUHAS Dental School and with the MUHAS Vice

Chancellor, with whom an MOU was also recently executed. While in Tanzania, Dean Wolff also met with the Ministry of Health officials, exploring how Penn Dental Medicine may be able to collaborate on child and maternal health and oral health, including bringing Penn’s research and training experiences in disability and community health to collaborations with the faculty of MUHAS.

The meetings in South Africa and Tanzania were organized and facilitated by the leadership of Henry Schein Cares and the non-profit MCW Global. MCW Global’s work in Tanzania is centered on promoting improved oral health across the country, including underserved communities.

“Connecting Wits, home to Africa’s first dental school and present provider of postgraduate education in all fields for the continent, with MUHAS, which shares MCW Global’s vision of improving access to oral health, Penn is positioned to energize these two anchor schools to continue to train dental faculty for institutions across Africa,” says Dr. Marion Bergman, Director, Health Care Projects, MCW Global.

With the signing of the new MOU with the University of the Witwatersrand, Penn Dental Medicine now has 37 international MOU agreements for exchange with schools around the globe.

“We look forward to future research collaboration and exchanges between our faculty and students and to working with schools in Southern and Eastern Africa to improve the health of individuals with limited access to oral healthcare.”

— DR. MARK S. WOLFF

ABOVE: Dean Mark Wolff (left) signed an MOU with the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, pictured with Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal (center) and Professor Shabir Madhi, Dean of the Faculty of Health (right).

New Members Join Board of Advisors

Penn Dental Medicine has added to the depth of its Board of Advisors, welcoming two new members — Jöerg Vogel, Vice President of International Sales for Dentsply Sirona, and Thomas D. Schwieterman, MD, Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for Midmark Corporation. Their appointments to three-year renewable terms were officially approved by the University of Pennsylvania’s Board of Trustees at its fall meeting. Both Vogel and Schwieterman bring unique perspectives on industry and technology to their advisory roles.

LEFT: Jöerg Vogel

RIGHT: Thomas D. Schwieterman, MD

New Coursera Course Launched

Penn Dental Medicine faculty explore some of the latest advances in the field of dental medicine in a new course that has launched on Coursera, the global online learning platform. The course, Frontiers in Dentistry (www.coursera.org/learn/frontiers-in-dentistry), focuses on five distinct areas that are moving oral healthcare delivery forward.

The topics include: the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD); treatment of patients with disabilities; innovation in biomaterials and artificial intelligence; digital dentistry; and computer assisted orthodontics.

“We are thrilled to have Jöerg and Tom on the Board,” says Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark S. Wolff. “Both of their respective companies have been valued supporters of initiatives at Penn Dental Medicine, and we look forward to building upon those relationships.”

Vogel has served as Vice President of International Sales at Dentsply Sirona for nearly two decades — starting at Sirona Dental Systems in 2004 and moving to Dentsply Sirona in 2016. Since 2015, he has led the International Special Clinic Solutions division worldwide, helping to provide universities and large clinics with digital dental equipment and education systems. Dentsply Sirona was an early and important partner in designing and equipping Penn Dental Medicine’s Center for Persons with Disabilities, and the company has helped amplify the work of the Center in Europe and elsewhere around the world. They have also been closely involved with the expansion of digital dentistry at Penn Dental Medicine.

Schwieterman, who joined Midmark in 2007, has helped to lead the company’s focus on technology and new approaches to enrich experiences between caregivers and their patients at the point of care. His role includes advising on the development of clinical solutions, evaluating market trends, providing insight on government regulations, and identifying new innovations in the medical, dental, and animal health markets. He also targets ways health information technology can improve caregiver efficiency and patient outcomes.

The Board of Advisors provides volunteer leadership and financial support to the School and acts as an advisory resource for the Dean on matters of policy, direction, practice, and effectiveness. Board members also serve as ambassadors for the School, stewarding the missions of both the School and the University.

Each module includes an interviewstyle video with supporting visuals and accompanying quiz material, as well as any suggested supplementary reading or documents provided by the speaker. The course can be taken at any time on the schedule of participants, who can choose to receive a certificate on completion or audit the course free of charge.

“We are thrilled to be adding to our Coursera course offerings,” says Dr. Uri Hangorsky, the course director, who conducted the interviews with the featured faculty in each of the course modules. The other Penn Dental Medicine Coursera courses include The Oral Cavity: Portal to Health and Disease (www.coursera.org/learn/oralcavity) and Introduction to Dental Medicine (www.coursera.org/learn/dental-medicine-penn).

The course, titled Frontiers in Dentistry, focuses on five distinct areas that are moving oral healthcare delivery forward.

ONCAMPUS

2023 Delta Dental Community Scholars

Three Penn Dental Medicine students have been named 2023 Delta Dental Community Scholars in recognition of their community service, academic achievement, and future plans to work with vulnerable populations after graduation. Since its inception in 2019, the program has awarded scholarships to 17 talented Penn Dental Medicine students who have expressed a commitment to helping expand access to oral healthcare for hard to reach populations.

JULIE BERENBLUM (D’23)

Passionate about engaging with individuals in the local community, Berenblum co-founded Penntorship in 2020, a mentorship program between Penn Dental Medicine students and local West Philadelphia High School students. The goals of the program are to foster meaningful relationships to enhance personal growth, academic success, and engagement in post-secondary exploration and to serve as an outlet for Penn Dental Medicine students to connect with others and engage in community activities. Since creating Penntorship, over 100 Penn Dental Medicine students have served as mentors.

Berenblum is also part of the Community Honors program, “First Five,” treating pediatric patients and educating them and their caregivers on the importance of dental health. As part of the program, she conducted research to assess parents’ willingness to receive systemic health advice from their child’s dentist and to

figure out how to provide families the essential knowledge that will allow them to manage their dental health.

After graduation, she will be pursuing a General Practice Residency program at the Manhattan VA, treating a diverse patient population in a hospital setting.

JENNA PANEK (D’23)

Panek recalls the first time she considered a dental career was during a service trip to the Dominican Republic while in high school. She saw first-hand the lack of oral hygiene in the local community, returning the following year and organizing oral health promotion activities.

“I facilitated tooth brushing exercises and the children’s level of excitement could not be matched,” she recalls. “In that moment, I recognized that it is my life’s mission to advance oral healthcare in underserved communities.”

Panek is a National Health Service Corps Scholar, who will practice in an underserved community after graduation. In addition, she

has been part of the Community Oral Health Honors Program, working with children and parents as part of the “First Five” program and at Philadelphia FIGHT. She too has been involved with Penntorship, the mentorship program to engage with West Philadelphia High School students.

In addition, Panek is this year’s LEND Fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, gaining interdisciplinary training in working with children and adolescents with developmental disabilities.

She will be pursuing a Pediatric Dental Residency at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where she plans to further develop her knowledge and understanding of pediatric dental care, while placing special emphasis on the treatment of children and adolescents with special healthcare needs.

AYESHA KHAN (D’23)

Khan first experienced community-based dental care when volunteering as a Spanish interpreter at a medical and dental clinic before entering dental school. “Watching patients’ lives change because of preventive measures in dentistry made it clear to me then that I needed to heavily incorporate preventive, community-based dentistry into my work,” she recalls.

Her activities at Penn Dental Medicine have also included the “First Five” honors program, conducting oral health exams and prophylaxis on children under 5 years old and providing guidance and nutritional counseling to parents. Khan also participated in a pop-up clinic for recently settled Afghan refugees.

In addition, she has been active in the student chapter of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD), serving as Chair of Public Relations as well as President, working with board members to increase awareness of the issues plaguing the U.S. healthcare system.

After graduation, Khan will be pursuing a Pediatric Dental Residency at One Brooklyn Health, where she is looking forward to working with children in a hospital setting and learning to tackle disparities in access to healthcare. “I truly admire and enjoy the aspect of pediatric dentistry that prevents disease and educates children and parents on how to improve their oral health status,” she says.

(Left to right: Jenna Panek (D'23), Ayesha Khan (D'23), and Julie Berenblum (D'23))

Save the Date: Upcoming CDE Programs

Save the date for two upcoming continuing education programs — the first in June with a focus on innovation in dentistry, and in July, the return of the biennial Penn Periodontics Conference, providing a forum to exchange the latest research in the field of periodontics.

DENTISTS, SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS TRANSFORMING ORAL HEALTH

June 1, 2023

(In person and live streaming)

To be held at the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD) Annual Symposium will feature plenaries by Dr. Maria Ryan (Colgate, Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer), Dr. Knut Drescher (University of Basel, Head Research Group), and Dr. Chris Fox (IADR, CEO), who will discuss advances in precision oral health, biophysics, and dynamics of multicellular microbial communities and opportunities to address unmet oral health needs.

The program will present the latest research by CiPD faculty, trainees, and fellows, sharing emerging applications, from craniofacial and tissue regeneration to oral infections using advanced materials, nano/biotechnology, mRNA, AI, and robotics.

Learn more and register at www.dental.upenn.edu/CiPDSymp

6TH PENN PERIODONTICS CONFERENCE 2023

July 24-28, 2023

(In person and live streaming)

This year’s program will include speakers in the areas of cellular and molecular mechanisms of periodontal disease pathogenesis, host-microbe interactions and inflammation, bioengineering and tissue regeneration, new treatment modalities, and the connection of periodontitis to systemic comorbidities.

The program is structured to encourage interaction among participants and a poster presentation session is an integral part of the conference, providing the opportunity for participating researchers to share their work and talk one-on-one with each other.

Learn more and register at www.dental.upenn.edu/pennperio2023

New Dual Degree in Nutrition Science

Checkout the full CDE schedule at www.dental.upenn.edu/cde.

Penn Dental Medicine has launched a new dual-degree with Penn Nursing, enabling interested and qualified students to earn a Master of Science in Nutrition Science (MSNS) along with their DMD. This new offering brings the total number of dualdegree options to nine, including six funded programs and three self-funded.

“This type of training can significantly enhance the dentist’s ability to successfully address oral health issues for nutrition plays a vital role in both systemic and oral health,” says Dr. Uri Hangorsky, Associate Dean for Student Affairs. He notes that due to the intensity of the DMD curriculum, nutrition cannot be taught in great depth as part of students’ dental education.

The MSNS is a unique asynchronous online format consisting of 10 courses and a capstone project. DMD students who pursue the MSNS can get credit for two of their dental school courses toward the 10 required for the program and are eligible to apply to the MSNS in the spring of their first year.

“The diversity of coursework offered in the MSNS allows students to build a practical evidence-based foundation to promote nutrition-focused public heath as it relates to oral health and disease,” adds Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Assistant Dean for Academic Initiatives, who was instrumental in establishing the dual-degree opportunity.

In addition to the new MSNS, the other dual-degree opportunities include a Master of Bioethics, Master of Science in Bioengineering, Master in Law, Master of Science in Higher Education, Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Translational Research, Master of Business Administration, and Juris Doctor Degree in Law.

A Desire to Make a Difference

Eleven years ago, with a civil engineering degree from Catholic University in hand, Christopher Hudson-Boyd (D’25) landed a prime position at the United States General Services Administration in Washington, DC, planning and building workspaces for government agencies. His future looked bright. Yet, after several years on the job, he couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was missing.

“I was doing well at work and moving up,” says the New Jersey native. “But I was constantly asking myself, ‘How is my work helping the average person?’ ”

After talking with a friend in dental school, Hudson-Boyd had an epiphany: his engineering skills, his love of working with his hands, and his problem-solving mindset would all be assets in dentistry, a field that offered the personal connections and the opportunity to help others that he craved.

“I realized that long-term patient-provider relationships could be just what I was looking for,” he says.

The pivot was neither quick nor easy. Unable to commit to a formal post-baccalaureate program due to other responsibilities, Hudson-Boyd created his own, taking night classes in biology and chemistry after a full day at the office. After two and a half years, including summers, he was ready to take the DAT and apply to dental school.

Penn Dental Medicine, with its reputation for excellence in faculty, curriculum, and research and its proximity to home and family, was his clear choice.

BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

Transitioning to a full-time academic environment—especially the pervasive digital technology on campus and the large volume of information to digest—was challenging at first, but faculty and fellow students were friendly and supportive. Along with his classmate Riley Russell (D’25), Hudson-Boyd was soon elected a class representative to the Committee of Cultural Growth, a school-wide initiative of students, faculty, and staff who work to magnify the voices of underrepresented groups on campus.

“The Committee rallies behind all minorities here, and brings people together to focus on shared experiences rather than differences,” he explains.

Last year, Committee members HudsonBoyd and Russell worked with Dr. Beverley Crawford, Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion at Penn Dental Medicine, on a special event to celebrate Juneteenth, the new federal holiday marking the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The celebration convened a panel of Penn experts on diversity for a lively “Lunch and Learn” discussion. Currently, Hudson-Boyd and Russell are helping plan a second Juneteenth roundtable, this time focusing on public policy in dentistry.

In February, Hudson-Boyd, who is treasurer of the Student National Dental Association (SNDA) chapter at Penn Dental Medicine, served as a moderator on another panel promoting campus diversity — “Black Voices at Penn,” a Black History Month event. The program featured former Penn Dental Medicine Board of Advisors member Dr. Lewis

STUDENT PROFILE:

CHRISTOPHER HUDSON-BOYD (D’25)

“To alter someone’s smile or address skeletal deformities would be amazing, but ultimately, my biggest goal is to be able to improve lives in any way I can.”

— CHRISTOPHER HUDSON-BOYD: (D’25)

A career pivot from engineering to dentistry is bringing Christopher Hudson-Boyd closer to the people he serves.

Proffitt (D’73, WG ’80), a founder of the SNDA and its first president, who spoke on Black voices in dentistry.

“It was an honor to have Dr. Proffitt with us and to hear his thoughts on fostering an environment of inclusion and acceptance on campus and in our field,” he says.

Occasionally, Hudson-Boyd also works with the Penn Dental Medicine Office of Admissions, welcoming prospective students at open houses, giving tours, and sitting on panels about student life.

“When I visited campus, the one-on-one interaction I had with current students was key,” he says. “I wanted to pay it forward by giving future students an honest account of my own experiences.”

His advice to other nontraditional students? “If I can do this, you can do this!”

IMMERSING IN DENTISTRY

For the past two years, Hudson-Boyd has worked with Dr. Hyeran Helen Jeon, Assistant Professor of Orthodontics, and Brianna Tucker (GD’24), a second-year orthodontics resident, on research using cephalometric tracing to track skeletal changes and growth patterns in patients using various types of orthodontic headgear and appliances. Although this work, which includes collecting data from Penn Dental Medicine faculty members, has sparked an interest in orthodontics, he isn’t yet sure if he will pursue a specialty, or if so, what it might be.

“I’m taking time to engage and immerse in all aspects dentistry,” says Hudson-Boyd, who is looking forward to exploring general dentistry in clinic this summer. “To alter someone’s smile or address skeletal deformities would be amazing, but ultimately, my biggest goal is to be able to improve lives in any way I can.”

Book a Day Partnership Promoting Literacy Along with Oral Health

This school year, children in two of Penn Dental Medicine’s community care programs have been getting a new book along with their dental exams thanks to a new partnership with A Book a Day, a nonprofit based in West Philadelphia. The books, donated by A Book a Day, are being distributed through the School’s PennSmiles mobile clinic to children at all the schools and nonprofits where care is provided, including Henry Lea and Locke Public Schools in West Philadelphia, and within the Penn Dental Medicine care center at Puentes de Salud at 17th and South Streets.

“We are thrilled with our continued partnership with A Book a Day,” says Dr. Shabnam Sedgahat, a PennSmiles faculty member who coordinates the partnership with the nonprofit. “Helping to promote literacy goes hand-in-hand with our goal of helping to promote overall health and well-being for the children we serve.”

A Book a Day curates a selection of new, hard-bound books appropriate for children from kindergarten through eighth grade. To date, Penn Dental Medicine has distributed hundreds of books through the program.

His [Christopher's] advice to other nontraditional students? “If I can do this, you can do this!”

MAKING A SOCIAL IMPACT

ALUMNI, STUDENTS, AND FACULTY ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO EDUCATE, CONNECT, AND INSPIRE

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNA DR. HELEN MO (D’16), a pediatric dentist in San Francisco, had built a robust Instagram audience of about 22,000 by July 2020 when it caught the eye of a “Good Morning America” producer, leading to an invitation to share expert advice on helping parents navigate the challenges of baby teeth.

With the exposure from that appearance and subsequent media interviews, her Instagram account, @the.dentistmom, quickly reached a following of 100,000 within its first year and has since grown to 256,000 followers, who find wide-ranging information on children’s oral care as well as relatable posts about being a working mom of two young children.

“I started my Instagram page as a way to use my knowledge as a pediatric dentist to educate and empower other new moms like me,” says Mo. “The experience has far exceeded my expectations. I never expected things to have grown in the ways they have.”

Indeed, the growth and reach of social media is undeniable. According to the latest data from the Pew Research Center, in 2021, 72% of U.S. adults reported using at least one social media platform, up from

50% a decade earlier. While YouTube and Facebook are reported to be the most popular platforms (with 81% and 69% usage among U.S. adults, respectively), Instagram garners 40%, LinkedIn 28%, Twitter 23%, and TikTok 21% (though 48% of those aged 18-29 use the latter platform). For many people, social media is part of their daily routines, with Pew reporting that seven-in-ten Facebook users and around six-in-ten Instagram users visit these sites at least once a day.

In this era of digital connectivity, we asked a number of Penn Dental Medicine alumni, students, and faculty to share how they are using social media, offering a snapshot of amplifying everything from oral healthcare information and life in dental school to research findings and health equity issues.

OPPOSITE, L TO R, TOP TO BOTTOM: @the.dentistmom @opera.dental @drbrigittewhite

@dr_erin

@dentin_w_kevin

@determined-dentalstudent

ABOVE: @profmarkusblatz

BUILDING A ROBUST FOLLOWING

Mo launched her Instagram account in November of 2019 when her daughter Olivia, now four, was starting to get baby teeth. Even as a pediatric dentist, she and her husband Dr. Allan Wang (D’15, also a Penn Dental Medicine alumnus), struggled to brush their own squirming baby’s teeth, and she decided to take to Instagram to help other parents get the job done and build awareness of the importance of oral health from a very early age.

“Brushing was not easy for us and it hit me that so many other moms must be struggling too,” says Mo. “So I started my page and named it @the.dentistmom to show both the “dentist” and “mom” perspectives of oral health.”

In that first year, she posted regularly and amplified her messages — and built an audience—in large part by connecting with the accounts of other professionals in the parenting arena, such as pediatricians, general dentists, sleep consultants, and nutrition experts. “Just like building relationships in real life, building relationships on Instagram takes connection,” says Mo, who works part-time at two pediatric dental practices in the Bay Area and is a volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Dentistry, where she created a clinic for children with autism and other neuro-developmental disorders.

Since starting her Instagram account, Mo has learned a lot about using the platform effectively. “You need to have relatable, useful content and you have to be on there a lot,” she says. “The more time you’re on, the more people will discover you and share with others.”

Followers of @the.dentistmom find a depth of practical, graphically engaging content on everything from tooth eruption and baby tooth trauma to pacifier weaning and a host of brushing tips and tutorials, many featuring video and photo demonstrations with her daughter Olivia. All presented with the personal tone of a mother and the professional guidance of a clinician. The brushing

@the.dentistmom

tutorials are some of the most popular posts — one demonstrating how to brush the different quadrants of her toddler’s teeth got more than 309,000 views.

“The first step is to create content you’re passionate about, rather than worrying about the follower count,” says Mo, when asked about tips for building a following. “Stay true to yourself and show who you are beyond your content. There is a niche for everyone, and it can be really rewarding to become part of a community.”

Mo’s Instagram account also caught the attention of the White House Office of Public Engagement, for which she then served as a healthcare advocate to share social media messages on important healthcare issues, such as resources for families during the infant formula shortage last year. And she is currently working with USA Today on an upcoming oral health initiative.

FROM DENTAL ADVICE TO ADVOCACY

Some other Penn Dental Medicine alumni say their social media messaging has evolved recently to address more general wellness and health equity issues in addition to oral health information.

Dr. Erin Issac (D’11), who opened Winning Smiles Pediatric Dental Care in Pittsburgh in 2015, uses both Facebook and Instagram to share dental tips for parents as well as advice for other pediatric dentists establishing boutique practices. “There’s so much misinformation, especially in pediatric dentistry, and this is a platform to get accurate information out there,” she says. “It’s also a way for people to see there is a person behind the dentist, especially for pediatric dentists it helps parents get to know you.”

On her office Facebook page, @winningsmilespgh (with 1,300 followers), Issac focuses on dental information and hosts a monthly “Live with Dr. Erin” series on a variety of topics, including recent talks on tongue and lip ties and foods that promote dental health. The presentations, which can range from about 15 to 30 minutes, are posted on the site after airing live, and upcoming topics are promoted beforehand so viewers can send in questions in advance.

“Brushing was not easy for us and it hit me that so many other moms must be struggling too. So I started my page to show both the “dentist” and “mom” perspectives of oral health.”

— DR. HELEN MO (D’16)

However, her social media approach has broadened over time to reflect her personal priorities as well as her diverse audience, which includes parents, friends, family, dentists, other healthcare providers, dental companies, dental students, and postdoctoral residents (she teaches at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine).

She tends to use her Instagram account, @dr_erin, to communicate more personally

to her 6,500 followers, and some of her most popular posts are inspirational, wellnessrelated, or advocating for issues important to her, including workplace equity for women and diversity in the dental profession.

Similarly, Dr. Brigitte White (D’07), who opened her practice BrightWhites Dental in Alexandria, Va. in 2017, started out using a number of social platforms when she first ventured into social media, educating viewers on oral health topics and products as well as her practice. Over time her approach to social media has evolved. Currently, White primarily uses Instagram, @drbrigittewhite (with 6,500 followers), as her bully pulpit to promote not just oral health, but also personal growth, lifestyle, and social justice issues, such as meeting the needs of marginalized groups, addressing healthcare inequities, and advocating for a more diverse dental workforce. In May 2022, she also began conversations on Instagram Live — 10- to 20-minute talks with a guest on topics related to living a balanced and abundant life.

“Social media is an important tool to address disparities in healthcare,” says White, who returned to Penn Dental Medicine as a part-time faculty member during 2021, working one day a week as a clinical instructor of restorative dentistry as a way to support racial diversity on the clinical faculty. “Penn Dental prioritizes cultural competence and I really value that inclusion,” she says.

“Many parents, especially women of color, reach out to me, saying ‘my daughter wants to be an orthodontist, what do you recommend, how do I apply to dental school,’” adds White. “I’m so glad I can use my voice as a healthcare provider and as a Black woman in America to encourage, promote, and recruit more Black dentists.”

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

Follow Penn Dental Medicine across social platforms to stay up-to-date on School programs, news, and activities.

@PennDentalMed (10,745 followers)

@PennDentalMed (6,494 followers)

@PennDentalMed (3,746 followers)

Penn-Dental-Medicine (2,606 followers)

Numbers as of 4/10/2023

“There’s so much misinformation, especially in pediatric dentistry, and this is a platform to get accurate information out there.”

— DR. ERIN ISSAC (D’11)

“I’m so glad I can use my voice as a healthcare provider and as a Black woman in America to encourage, promote, and recruit more Black dentists.”

— DR. BRIGITTE WHITE (D’07)

@dr_erin

@drbrigittewhite

PROMOTING A NONTRADITIONAL PATH TO DENTAL MEDICINE

Second-year student Kendra Domotor (D’25, MBE’25) is using her social media presence to promote the pursuit of a dental education as well, focusing much of her content on inspiring and supporting prospective students along with her peers.

Domotor took an unusual path to Penn Dental Medicine and uses Instagram (@opera.dental) to share her journey with nearly 8,200 followers. In college, she majored in opera performance (see a video on her account of her singing “Infelice” by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy) and started her post-undergraduate life as a fitness instructor.

As Domotor considered a career in dentistry, the path was daunting. She had to complete a post-baccalaureate program to take math and science prerequisites even before applying to dental school. Once in the post-bacc program at Harvard University, it took her four years, instead of the usual two, because she ended up needing additional math courses.

“I wanted to share that I was a nontraditional student with a unique path to dental school,” says Domotor, who started her Instagram account after she got her acceptance to Penn Dental Medicine, the first post showing her beaming in a Penn sweatshirt and holding a Typodont teeth model she bought on Amazon.

Her posts continue to document her journey as a dental student and inform and encourage others considering the same path. Followers find posts that range from advice for first-year students and those thinking about dental school to updates on her classes and community service and extracurricular activities. Domotor, a National Health Service Corps scholar who is also pursuing a Master’s in Bioethics dual degree, is particularly interested in encouraging others who are on a nontraditional route to dentistry.

“I wanted others to know that if I could go from opera to dentistry, they could do it from other backgrounds too,” she says.

@opera.dental

As a savvy digital native, Domotor has grown her audience and influence in part by connecting and sharing posts with other relevant sites, such as @studentsofdentistry and Penn Dental Medicine’s Instagram account @penndentalmed. She also uses hashtags frequently so people exploring specific topics might see her account. “The rule of thumb is that once you pass 10,000 followers, it’s easier to grow,” adds Domotor.

A WINDOW INTO DENTAL PROGRAMS

Alexandra Schroeder (D’25, MPH’25), also in her second year at Penn Dental Medicine, says student social media accounts were a valuable resource when she was researching dental programs.

“Hearing about other people’s experiences through social media gave me the best perspective on what the culture of a school was, the workload and different opportunities,” says Schroeder, who is also pursuing a Master’s of Public Health dual degree. “I’m taking a less-known path pursuing a dual degree, and I wanted to share that with others.”

She now uses Instagram (@determineddentalstudent, with nearly 1,500 followers) and TikTok (@determineddentalstudent, with more than 3,600 followers) to share her own day-in the-life-of-a-dental-student moments and her dental school experiences, from becoming a National Health Service Corps Scholar and conducting public health research to getting involved in leadership roles with the American Student Dental Association.

In February, for instance, in conjunction with national children’s dental health month, Schroeder created videos for both Instagram and TikTok on sugary drinks and tooth decay with her TikTok post going viral, getting 2.5 million views and garnering more than 79,000 likes and 2,000 comments.

On the lighter side, Schroeder loves when a classmate tells her, “My mom saw your post and started following you because she had no idea what I do all day.” And, indeed, she says laughing, “quite a few moms are following me.”

While Schroeder notes that keeping actively engaged with social media involves a time commitment, she expects to keep it up throughout her career as a public health dentist. “It can be a valuable tool on a variety of levels,” she says. “It provides a platform to not only inform and connect with patients, but also to engage in political advocacy for important issues like student loan reform and expanding health benefits.”

“I wanted others to know that if I could go from opera to dentistry, they could do it from other backgrounds too.”

— KENDRA DOMOTOR (D’25, MBE’25)

COUNTERING MISINFORMATION

For Dr. Markus Blatz, Professor and Chair of Preventive and Restorative Sciences and Assistant Dean for Digital Innovation and Professional Development at Penn Dental Medicine, the motivator for him to embrace social media was simple: to provide sound, research-based, clinically relevant, educational content that would help counter the flow of misinformation he was seeing.

He recalls that when he first started using Instagram, he saw a post from a dentist “that was so fundamentally wrong” and yet had 3,000 likes. “How,” he wondered, “could there be 3,000 dentists who thought this was true?”

Blatz established his Instagram account (@profmarkusblatz) in 2019, but he only began creating content in earnest and posting regularly during the early, lockdown days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when he and many others spent more of their time online. Now, just three years later, his following has grown to 115,000, with 90% from outside the U.S. and 54% under 35 years old.

In 2021, his account was recognized as the Most Educational Instagram Account for Comprehensive Restorative Dentistry by Course Karma, a web resource for continuing dental education courses.

Blatz has refined his posts (usually 5–10 images) to be strong visually with concise yet informative text, highlighting key points with additional information and published study references in the caption. Topics cover the full gamut of restorative dentistry often with a series of posts on a particular issue in response to questions posed by followers. One post citing a study that found the use of rubberdams helped increase enamel bond strength got more than 12,550 likes and 300-plus comments and prompted seven additional follow-up posts.

A self-taught social media influencer, Blatz says he has “carved out a niche, which I don’t think any other dental-related account is doing at this level.”

The rapid growth of Blatz’s audience shows demand is high for the type of evidence-based information he provides. Many of his followers are dentists, researchers, and other healthcare professionals, who interact with his posts by asking questions or adding their own experiences.

With his robust following, his account also helps to amplify Penn Dental Medicine research and programs, including continuing education. When his department launched a weekly online restorative lecture series, his Instagram account was the key means of promoting it. “We had 400 to 500 people from all over the world every single week,” he says.

“As educators at Penn, we should be a guiding light in the profession,” says Blatz.

“My goal is to help make dental care better for the benefit of our patients, and I’m floored by how much impact we can have through this medium.”

A CONSCIOUS COMMITMENT

While cultivating larger audiences increases the potential for beneficial impact, it also brings added responsibility, stresses Mo.

“Social media is a place with a lot of contrasting opinions, and you have to be conscientious about what you’re posting,” she says, noting for instance, that viewers have different parenting styles and cultural customs. “You need to consider that the information you’re posting will have an internet footprint and try to ensure it is a positive one.” n

“I’m taking a less-known path pursuing a dual degree, and I wanted to share that with others.”

— ALEXANDRA SCHROEDER (D’25, MPH’25)

"I’m floored by how much impact we can have through this medium.”

— DR. MARKUS BLATZ

@determineddentalstudent

ACADEMICUPDATE DEPARTMENT/FACULTY

NEWS & SCHOLARSHIP

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES

NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

A selection of recently published work (Aug.-Dec. 2022) by department faculty/ researchers (indicated in bold).

Bawazir M, Amponnawarat A, Hui Y, Oskeritzian CA, Ali H Inhibition of MRGPRX2 but not Fc eRI or MrgprB2mediated mast cell degranulation by a small molecule inverse receptor agonist. Front Immunol. 2022;13:1033794. Epub 20221006. doi: 10.3389/ fimmu.2022.1033794.

Duran-Pinedo AE, Solbiati J, Teles F, Frias-Lopez J. Subgingival host-microbiome metatranscriptomic changes following scaling and root planing in grade II/III periodontitis. J Clin Periodontol. 2022. Epub 20221025. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.13737.

Gandy LA, Canning AJ, Lou H, Xia K, He P, Su G, Cairns T, Liu J, Zhang F, Linhardt RJ, Cohen G, Wang C. Molecular determinants of the interaction between HSV-1 glycoprotein D and heparan sulfate. Front Mol Biosci. 2022;9:1043713. Epub 20221107. doi: 10.3389/ fmolb.2022.1043713.

Jeon HH, Kang J (Co-author Dept. of Endodontics), Li JM (Co-Author Dept. of Orthodontics), Kim D (Co-Author Dept. of Orthodontics), Yuan G, Almer N (Co-Author Dept. of Orthodontics), Liu M (Co-Author Dept. of Periodontics), Yang S The Effect of IFT80 Deficiency in Osteocytes on Orthodontic Loading-Induced and Physiologic Bone Remodeling: In Vivo Study. Life (Basel). 2022;12(8). Epub 20220729. doi: 10.3390/life12081147.

Dr. George Hajishengallis, Thomas W. Evans Centennial Professor, was named on the Highly Cited Researchers™ 2022 list from Clarivate in the crossfield category. This is the third year in a row that he has been included in this recognition. The annual list identifies researchers who demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade.

Dr. Myra Laird has joined the department faculty as an Assistant Professor. Prior to joining Penn Dental Medicine, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. She is an early career editorial board member with the American Journal of Biological Anthropology and has served as a guest editor for the Philosophical Transactions B Theme Issue

Dr. Laird is a member of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists, the American Association of Anatomists, and the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology.

Chavakis T, Wielockx B, Hajishengallis G Inflammatory Modulation of Hematopoiesis: Linking Trained Immunity and Clonal Hematopoiesis with Chronic Disorders. Annu Rev Physiol. 2022;84:183-207. Epub 20211006. doi: 10.1146/annurevphysiol-052521-013627.

Chinipardaz Z, Liu M (Co-author Dept. of Periodontics), Graves DT (Co-author Dept. of Periodontics), Yang S Role of Primary Cilia in Bone and Cartilage. J Dent Res. 2022;101(3):253-60. Epub 20211108. doi: 10.1177/00220345211046606.

Chinipardaz Z, Zhong JM, Yang S Regulation of LL-37 in Bone and Periodontium Regeneration. Life (Basel). 2022;12(10). Epub 20220930. doi: 10.3390/life12101533.

Daniele LL, Han JYS, Samuels IS, Komirisetty R, Mehta N, McCord JL, Yu M, Wang Y, Boesze-Battaglia K, Bell, BA, Du J, Peachey NS, Philp, N. J. Glucose uptake by GLUT1 in photoreceptors is essential for outer segment renewal and rod photoreceptor survival. Faseb j. 2022;36(8):e22428. doi: 10.1096/ fj.202200369R.

Daniell H, Nair SK, Esmaeili N, Wakade G, Shahid N, Ganesan PK, Islam MR, Shepley-McTaggart A, Feng S, Gary EN, Ali AR, Nuth M, Cruz SN, GrahamWooten J, Streatfield SJ, Montoya-Lopez R, Kaznica P, Mawson M, Green BJ, Ricciardi R, Milone M, Harty RN, Wang P, Weiner DB, Margulies KB, Collman RG. Debulking SARS-CoV-2 in saliva using angiotensin converting enzyme 2 in chewing gum to decrease oral virus transmission and infection. Mol Ther. 2022;30(5):196678. Epub 20211111. doi: 10.1016/j. ymthe.2021.11.008.

Gonzalez-Visiedo M, Li X, Munoz-Melero M, Kulis MD, Daniell H, Markusic DM. Single-dose AAV vector gene immunotherapy to treat food allergy. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2022;26:30922. Epub 20220716. doi: 10.1016/j. omtm.2022.07.008.

Grant MB, Bernstein PS, BoeszeBattaglia K, Chew E, Curcio CA, Kenney MC, et al. Inside out: Relations between the microbiome, nutrition, and eye health. Exp Eye Res. 2022;224:109216. Epub 20220827. doi: 10.1016/j. exer.2022.109216.

Hersh EV (Co-author Dept. of Oral/ Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology), Wolff M (Co-author Dept. of Restorative Dentistry), Moore PA, Theken KN (Co-author Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery & Pharmacology), Daniell H A Pair of “ACEs”. J Dent Res 2022;101(1):5-10. Epub 20211023. doi: 10.1177/00220345211047510.

Hu L, Xu Z, Fan R, Wang G, Wang F, Qin X, Yan L, Ji X, Meng M, Sim S, Chen W, Hao C, Wang Q, Zhu H, Zhu S, Xu P, Zhao H, Lindsey K, Daniell H, Wendel JF, Jin S. The complex genome and adaptive evolution of polyploid Chinese pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum and Zanthoxylum bungeanum) Plant Biotechnol J. 2023;21(1):78-96. Epub 20221007. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13926.

Kalafati L, Hatzioannou A, Hajishengallis G, Chavakis T. The role of neutrophils in trained immunity. Immunol Rev. 2022. Epub 20221003. doi: 10.1111/imr.13142.

Kolkhir P, Ali H, Babina M, Ebo D, Sabato V, Elst J, et al. MRGPRX2 in drug allergy: What we know and what we do not know. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022. Epub 20220909. doi: 10.1016/j. jaci.2022.09.004.

ane A, Hunter K, Lee EL, Hyman D, Bross P, Alabd A, Betchen M, Terrigno V, Talwar S, Ricketti D, Shenker B, Clyde T, Roberts BW. Clinical characteristics and symptom duration among outpatients with COVID-19. Am J Infect Control. 2022;50(4):3839. Epub 20211113. doi: 10.1016/j. ajic.2021.10.039.

Li Y, Yang S, Yang S Rb1 negatively regulates bone formation and remodeling through inhibiting transcriptional regulation of YAP in Glut1 and OPG expression and glucose metabolism in male mice. Mol Metab. 2022;66:101630. Epub 20221104. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101630.

Nuth M, Benakanakere MR, Ricciardi

RP Discovery of a potent cytotoxic agent that promotes G(2)/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a malignant human pharyngeal squamous carcinoma cell line. Int J Oncol. 2022;60(4). Epub 20220225. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2022.5331.

Occhialini A, Pfotenhauer AC, Li L, Harbison SA, Lail AJ, Burris JN, Piasecki C, Piatek AA, Daniell H, Stewart Jr. CN, Lenaghan SC. Mini-synplastomes for plastid genetic engineering. Plant Biotechnol J 2022;20(2):360-73. Epub 20211024. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13717.

Ribeiro AA, Jiao Y, Girnary M, Alves T, Chen L, Farrell A, Wu D, Teles F, Inohara N, Swanson KV, Marchesan JT. Oral biofilm dysbiosis during experimental periodontitis. Mol Oral Microbiol 2022;37(6):256-65. Epub 20221019. doi: 10.1111/omi.12389.

Shenker BJ, Walker LP, Zekavat A, Korostoff J (Co-author Dept. of Periodontics), Boesze-Battaglia K Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Cytolethal Distending Toxin-Induces Cell Cycle Arrest in a Glycogen Synthase Kinase (GSK)-3-Dependent Manner in Oral Keratinocytes. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(19). Epub 20221005. doi: 10.3390/ ijms231911831.

Thapaliya M, Amponnawarat A, Tesmer JJG, Ali H GRK2 inhibitors, paroxetine and CCG258747, attenuate IgE-mediated anaphylaxis but activate mast cells via MRGPRX2 and MRGPRB2. Front Immunol 2022;13:1032497. Epub 20221006. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1032497.

Uriarte SM, Hajishengallis G Neutrophils in the periodontium: Interactions with pathogens and roles in tissue homeostasis and inflammation. Immunol Rev. 2022. Epub 20221022. doi: 10.1111/imr.13152.

Wang H, Ideguchi H, Kajikawa T, Mastellos DC, Lambris JD, Hajishengallis G Complement Is Required for MicrobeDriven Induction of Th17 and Periodontitis. J Immunol. 2022;209(7):1370-8. Epub 20220826. doi: 10.4049/ jimmunol.2200338.

Yuan G, Yang S, Yang S Macrophage RGS12 contributes to osteoarthritis pathogenesis through enhancing the ubiquitination. Genes Dis. 2022;9(5):135767. Epub 20210826. doi: 10.1016/j. gendis.2021.08.005.

Zhu G, Chen W, Tang CY, McVicar A, Edwards D, Edwards J, Wang J, McConnell M, Yang S, Li Y, Chang Z, Li YP. Knockout and Double Knockout of Cathepsin K and Mmp9 reveals a novel function of Cathepsin K as a regulator of osteoclast gene expression and bone homeostasis. Int J Biol Sci 2022;18(14):5522-38. Epub 20220829. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.72211.

ENDODONTICS

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A selection of recently published work (Aug.-Dec. 2022) by department faculty/ researchers (indicated in bold).

Aminoshariae A, Azarpazhooh A, Fouad AF, Glickman GN, He J, Kim SG, Kishen A, Letra AM, Levin L, Setzer FC. Tay FR, Hargreaves KM. Insights into the November 2022 Issue of the JOE J Endod 2022;48(11):1349-51. doi: 10.1016/j. joen.2022.09.009.

Aminoshariae A, Azarpazhooh A, Fouad AF, Glickman GN, He J, Kim SG, Kishen A, Letra AM, Levin L, Setzer FC. Tay FR, Hargreaves KM. Insights into the October 2022 Issue of the JOE J Endod 2022;48(10):1229-31. doi: 10.1016/j. joen.2022.08.007.

Aminoshariae A, Azarpazhooh A, Fouad AF, Glickman GN, He J, Kim SG, Kishen A, Letra AM, Levin L, Setzer FC. Tay FR, Hargreaves KM. Insights into the December 2022 issue of the JOE J Endod 2022;48(12):1455-7. doi: 10.1016/j. joen.2022.11.001.

Aminoshariae A, Azarpazhooh A, Fouad AF, Glickman GN, He J, Kim SG, Kishen A, Letra AM, Levin L, Setzer FC. Tay FR, Hargreaves KM. Insights into the September 2022 Issue of the JOE J Endod 2022;48(9):1089-91. doi: 10.1016/j. joen.2022.08.001.

Aminoshariae A, Azarpazhooh A, Fouad AF, Glickman GN, He J, Kim SG, Kishen A, Letra AM, Levin L, Setzer FC. Tay FR, Hargreaves KM. Insights into the August 2022 Issue of the JOE J Endod 2022;48(8):973-4. doi: 10.1016/j. joen.2022.06.011.

Atlas AM (Co-Author Dept. of Restorative Dentistry), Janyavula S, Elsabee R, Alper E, Isleem WF (CoAuthor Dept. of Periodontics), Bergler M (Co-Author Dept. of Restorative & Preventive Sciences), Setzer FC Comparison of loupes versus microscopeenhanced CAD-CAM crown preparations: A microcomputed tomography analysis of marginal gaps. J Prosthet Dent 2022. Epub 20220525. doi: 10.1016/j. prosdent.2022.04.008.

Lee SM Regenerative Endodontic Procedures: Management of Immature Necrotic Permanent Teeth Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2022;43(4):238-9. PubMed PMID: 35380859.

ROOTSOF WISDOM

INTERVIEW SERIES

VIEW SCHEDULE:

Lee SM, Yu YH, Karabucak B Endodontic treatments on permanent teeth in pediatric patients aged 6–12 years old. Journal of Dental Sciences. 2022. doi: 10.1016/j. jds.2022.11.003.

Setzer FC, Kratchman SI Present status and future directions: Surgical endodontics Int Endod J. 2022;55 Suppl 4:1020-58. Epub 20220704. doi: 10.1111/iej.13783.

ORAL MEDICINE

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A selection of recently published work (Aug.-Dec. 2022) by department faculty/ researchers (indicated in bold).

Alamoudi WA, Sollecito TP, Stoopler ET, France K Oral manifestations of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: an update and narrative review of the literature. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2023 Mar;135(3):372384. doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2022.11.013. Epub 2022 Dec 5.

Almasri B, Gustafson KS, Husson MA, Shanti RM, France K Asymptomatic bilateral facial swelling J Am Dent Assoc 2022. Epub 20220324. doi: 10.1016/j. adaj.2022.01.010.

Ashshi RA, Stanbouly D, Maisano PG, Alaraik AF, Chuang SK, Takako TI, Stoopler ET, Le AD, Sollecito TP, Shanti RM. Quality of life in patients with oral potentially malignant disorders: oral lichen planus and oral epithelial dysplasia. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2023 Mar;135(3):363-371. doi: 10.1016/j. oooo.2022.11.006. Epub 2022 Nov 17.

Davila A, Magee R, France K A retrospective, single-center cohort study on complications after dental extractions in patients taking biologic agents J Am Dent Assoc. 2022;153(11):1060-9. e5. Epub 20220915. doi: 10.1016/j. adaj.2022.07.009.

France K, Yogarajah S, Gueiros LA, Valdez R, Mays JW, Posey R, Payne AS, Setterfield J, Sollecito TP, Woo SB, DeRossi S, Greenberg MS, Carey B. World Workshop on Oral Medicine VII: Oral adverse effects to biologic agents in patients with inflammatory disorders. A scoping review. J Oral Pathol Med. 2023 Jan;52(1):1-8. doi: 10.1111/jop.13389. Epub 2022 Dec 13.

Kulkarni R, Caster JM, Robin A, Hajishengallis E (Co-Author Pediatric Dentistry), Stoopler ET, Tanaka TI Dental management of a pediatric patient with Kohlschutter-Tonz syndrome: A case report. Spec Care Dentist. 2022;42(3):308-11. Epub 20211112. doi: 10.1111/scd.12674.

Lopez Lloreda C, Chowdhury S, Ghura S, Alvarez-Periel E, Jordan-Sciutto K HIV-Associated Insults Modulate ADAM10 and Its Regulator Sirtuin1 in an NMDA Receptor-Dependent Manner Cells. 2022;11(19). Epub 20220922. doi: 10.3390/cells11192962.

Mahajan R, Davila A, Alawi F, Tanaka TI, Stoopler ET, Sollecito TP Oral involvement of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: A rare entity. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2022 Dec 23:S22124403(22)01304-9. doi: 10.1016/j. oooo.2022.12.006. Epub ahead of print.

Mupparapu M, Kulkarni R Assessment of radiology baseline knowledge of freshman North American dental students prior to any formal instruction Eur J Dent Educ 2022;26(3):563-8. Epub 20211221. doi: 10.1111/eje.12732.

Pezacki AT, Matier CD, Gu X, Kummelstedt E, Bond SE, Torrente L, Jordan-Sciutto KL, DeNicola GM, Su TA, Brady DC, Chang CJ. Oxidation state-specific fluorescent copper sensors reveal oncogene-driven redox changes that regulate labile copper(II) pools Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022;119(43):e2202736119. Epub 20221017. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2202736119.

Robijns J, Nair RG, Lodewijckx J, Arany P, Barasch A, Bjordal JM, Bossi P, Chilles A, Corby PM, Epstein JB, Elad S, Fekrazad R, Fregnani ER, Genot MT, Ibarra AMC, Hamblin MR, Heiskanen V, Hu K, Klastersky J, Lalla R, Latifian S, Maiya A, Mebis J, Migliorati CA, Milstein DMJ, Murphy B, Raber-Durlacher JE, Roseboom HJ, Sonis S, Treister N, Zadik Y, Bensadoun RJ. Photobiomodulation therapy in management of cancer therapyinduced side effects: WALT position paper 2022. Front Oncol. 2022;12:927685. Epub 20220830. doi: 10.3389/ fonc.2022.927685.

Smith AS, Ankam S, Farhy C, Fiengo L, Basa RCB, Gordon KL, Martin CT, Terskikh AV, Jordan-Sciutto KL, Price JH, McDonough PM. High-content analysis and Kinetic Image Cytometry identify toxicity and epigenetic effects of HIV antiretrovirals on human iPSC-neurons and primary neural precursor cells. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods. 2022;114:107157. Epub 20220208. doi: 10.1016/j. vascn.2022.107157.

ORAL SURGERY / PHARMACOLOGY

NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

Dr. Brian Ford, Assistant Professor, was recognized by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) as a recipient of its 2022 Faculty Educator Development Award (FEDA).

Dr. Joseph Foote (D’10, GD’22) and Dr. James Gates have joined the faculty as Assistant Professors of Clinical Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A selection of recently published work (Aug.-Dec. 2022) by department faculty/ researchers (indicated in bold).

Ashshi RA, Stanbouly D, Maisano PG, Alaraik AF, Chuang SK, Takako TI, Stoopler ET, Le AD, Sollecito TP (Coauthor Dept. of Oral Medicine), Shanti RM. Quality of life in patients with oral potentially malignant disorders: oral lichen planus and oral epithelial dysplasia. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2022. Epub 20221117. doi: 10.1016/j. oooo.2022.11.006.

Chang CP, Poomkonsarn S, Giannakopoulos H, Ma Y, Riley R, Liu SY. Comparative Efficacy of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Undergoing Multilevel Surgery Followed by Upper Airway Stimulation Versus Isolated Upper Airway Stimulation J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2022. Epub 20221217. doi: 10.1016/j. joms.2022.11.015.

Francois K, Moon HS, Panchal N Cervicofacial hidradenitis suppurativa: A case report and literature review. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2022. Epub 20220730. doi: 10.1016/j. oooo.2022.07.016.

Kou X, Liu J, Wang D, Yu M, Li C (Co-Author Dept. of Orthodontics), Lu L, Chen C, Liu D, Yu W (Co-Author Dept. of Orthodontics), Yu T, Liu Y (Co-Author Dept. of Restorative Dentistry), Mao X, Naji A, Cai T, Sun L, Shi S Exocrine pancreas regeneration modifies original pancreas to alleviate diabetes in mouse models. Sci Transl Med. 2022;14(656):eabg9170. Epub 20220803. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed. abg9170.

Lee AE, Choi JG, Shi SH, He P, Zhang QZ, Le AD DPSC-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Rat Jawbone Regeneration. J Dent Res 2022:220345221133716. Epub 20221108. doi: 10.1177/00220345221133716.

Moon HS, Wang TT, Caughey JA, Queenan MB, Ford BP Large mandibular mass in a newborn. J Am Dent Assoc 2022;153(11):1090-5. Epub 20211014. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2021.07.010.

Nadella S, Asi A, Sheridan O (Co-Author Dept. of Restorative Dentistry), Wolff M (Co-Author Dept. of Restorative Dentistry), Panchal N Strategies for managing dental care for refugee patients. Spec Care Dentist. 2022. Epub 20221030. doi: 10.1111/scd.12794..

Rekawek P, Henry A, Moe J, Schlieve T, Panchal N The COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for the oral and maxillofacial surgery residency application process. J Dent Educ. 2022;86(12):1559-61. Epub 20200722. doi: 10.1002/jdd.12310.

Wang R, Hao M, Kou X, Sui B, Sanmillan ML, Zhang X, Liu D, Tian J, Yu W (Co-Author Dept. of Orthodontics), Chen C, Yang R, Sun L, Liu Y (CoAuthor Dept. of Restorative Dentistry), Giraudo C, Rao DA, Shen N, Shi S Apoptotic vesicles ameliorate lupus and arthritis via phosphatidylserine-mediated modulation of T cell receptor signaling Bioactive Materials. 2022. doi: 10.1016/j. bioactmat.2022.07.026.

Wang S, Ford BP, Cimba MJ, Dazen CM. Response to Letter to the Editor J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022;80(2):2056. Epub 20211107. doi: 10.1016/j. joms.2021.10.002.

Wang TT, Nadella S, Lee CC, Hersh EV, Tannyhill RJ, Panchal N Do Patterns of Opioid Prescriptions to Medicare Beneficiaries Differ Between Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Practicing in Urban and Rural Settings? J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2022;80(4):614-9. Epub 20211105. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.10.018.

Zhang X, Tang J, Kou X, Huang W, Zhu Y, Jiang Y, Yang K, Li C, Hao M, Qu Y, Ma L, Chen C, Shi S, Zhou Y. Proteomic analysis of MSC-derived apoptotic vesicles identifies Fas inheritance to ameliorate haemophilia a via activating platelet functions. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles. 2022;11(7). doi: 10.1002/jev2.12240.

ORTHODONTICS

NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

the microbiology category. The annual list identifies researchers who demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A selection of recently published work (Aug.-Dec. 2022) by department faculty/ researchers (indicated in bold).

Barrero C, Vu G, Kosyk M, Humphries L, Jeon HH, Boucher N, Taylor J, Nah HD. Postoperative Changes in the Upper Airway Following Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis in Pediatric Hemifacial Microsomia J Craniofac Surg. 2022;33(2):534-8. doi: 10.1097/ scs.0000000000008327.

Griswold O, Li C, Orr JC, Boucher NS, Shah SR, Chung CH Lip Bumper Therapy Does Not Influence the Sagittal Mandibular Incisor Position in a Retrospective CBCT Study J Clin Med. 2022;11(20). Epub 20221013. doi: 10.3390/jcm11206032.

Ha P, Liu TP, Li C, Zheng Z. Novel Strategies for Orofacial Soft Tissue Regeneration Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2022. Epub 20220705. doi: 10.1089/wound.2022.0037.

Huang Y, Hsu JC, Koo H, Cormode DP Repurposing ferumoxytol: Diagnostic and therapeutic applications of an FDAapproved nanoparticle. Theranostics 2022;12(2):796-816. Epub 20220101. doi: 10.7150/thno.67375.

Kim D, Ito T, Hara A, Li Y, Kreth J, Koo H Antagonistic interactions by a high H(2) O(2) -producing commensal streptococcus modulate caries development by Streptococcus mutans Mol Oral Microbiol 2022;37(6):244-55. Epub 20221011. doi: 10.1111/omi.12394.

Kreth J, Koo H, Diaz PI. The functional oral microbiome: Biofilm environment, polymicrobial interactions, and community dynamics. Mol Oral Microbiol 2022;37(5):165-6. doi: 10.1111/omi.12390.

Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Professor, and Co-Founding Director of the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD), was named on the Highly Cited Researchers™ 2022 list from Clarivate in

Krueger SB, Lanzendorf AN, Jeon HH, Zimmerman SC. Selective and Reversible Ligand Assembly on the DNA and RNA Repeat Sequences in Myotonic Dystrophy. Chembiochem 2022;23(17):e202200260. Epub 20220719. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202200260.

Lai C, Nguyen A, Ye L, Hao J, Koo H, Mante F (Co-Author Dept. of Restorative Dentistry), Ozer F (Co-Author Dept. of Restorative Dentistry). Antibacterial and Physical Properties of PVM/MA CopolymerIncorporated Polymethyl Methacrylate as a Novel Antimicrobial Acrylic Resin Material Molecules. 2022;27(24). Epub 20221213. doi: 10.3390/molecules27248848.

Lee YJ, Jeon HH, Boucher N, Chung CH Inclination of Mandibular Molars and Alveolar Bone in Untreated Adults and Its Relationship with Facial Type. Applied Sciences (Switzerland). 2022;12(19). doi: 10.3390/app12199834.

Li C, Dimitrova B, Boucher NS, Chung CH Buccolingual Inclination of Second Molars in Untreated Adolescents and Adults with Near Normal Occlusion: A CBCT Study J Clin Med. 2022;11(22). Epub 20221108. doi: 10.3390/jcm11226629.

Lin JH, Li C, Wong H, Chamberland S, Le AD (Co-author Dept. of Oral/ Maxillofacial Surery/Pharmacology), Chung CH Asymmetric Maxillary Expansion Introduced by Surgically Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion: A Systematic Review J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2022;80(12):1902-11. Epub 20220819. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2022.08.008.

Nam SJ, Kim BC, Chang HJ, Jeon HH, Kim J, Kim SY. Risk Factors for Lymph Node Metastasis and Oncologic Outcomes in Small Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumors with Lymphovascular Invasion Gut Liver 2022;16(2):228-35. doi: 10.5009/ gnl20364.

Negrini TC, Ren Z, Miao Y, Kim D, Simon-Soro Á, Liu Y, Koo H, Arthur RA Dietary sugars modulate bacterial-fungal interactions in saliva and inter-kingdom biofilm formation on apatitic surface. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022;12:993640. Epub 20221109. doi: 10.3389/ fcimb.2022.993640.

Orr JC, Li C, Shah S, Backstrand MR, Chung CH, Boucher NS Mandibular transverse dentoalveolar and skeletal changes associated with lip bumper and rapid maxillary expander: A conebeam computed tomography study Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2022. Epub 20221212. doi: 10.1016/j. ajodo.2021.12.026.

Wang J, Zou M, Syverson A, Zheng Z, Li C Maxillary Sinus Dimensions in Skeletal Class I Chinese Population with Different Vertical Skeletal Patterns: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Study. Diagnostics (Basel). 2022;12(12). Epub 20221213. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics12123144.

PERIODONTICS

NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

Dr. Dennis Sourvanos (GD’23, GR’23) was awarded the 2022 American Society for Photobiology (ASP) Frederick Urbach Student Travel Award, enabling him to present his research at the ASP Biennial Meeting, He presented on photobiomodulation treatment after dental surgery, with an emphasis on calculating dose and related mechanisms to induce tissue regeneration.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A selection of recently published work (Aug.-Dec. 2022) by department faculty/ researchers (indicated in bold).

Bergamo ET, de Oliveira PG, Jimbo R, Neiva R, Gil LF, Tovar N, et al. The Influence of Implant Design Features on Bone Healing Pathways: An Experimental Study in Sheep Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 2022. Epub 20221213. doi: 10.11607/prd.5438..

de Arruda JAA, Corrêa JD, Singh Y, Oliveira SR, Machado CC, Schneider AH, Medeiros JD, Fernandes GR, Macari S, Barrioni BR, Santos MS, Duffles LF, Nakaya HTI, Fukada SY, Graves DT, Cunha FQ, Silva, TA. Methotrexate promotes recovery of arthritis-induced alveolar bone loss and modifies the composition of the oral-gut microbiota. Anaerobe. 2022;75:102577. Epub 20220428. doi: 10.1016/j. anaerobe.2022.102577.

Guo Y, Xu F, Thomas SC, Zhang Y, Paul B, Sakilam S, Chae S, Li P, Almeter C, Kamer AR, Arora P, Graves DT, Saxena D, Li X. Targeting the succinate receptor effectively inhibits periodontitis Cell Rep 2022;40(12):111389. doi: 10.1016/j. celrep.2022.111389.

Ko KI, Merlet JJ, DerGarabedian BP Zhen H., Suzuki-Horiuchi Y, Hedberg ML, Hu E, Nguyen AT, Prouty S, Alawi F (Co-author Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences), Walsh MC, Choi Y, Millar SE, Cliff A, Romero J, Garvin MR, Seykora JT, Jacobson D, Graves DT NF-κB perturbation reveals unique immunomodulatory functions in Prx1(+) fibroblasts that promote development of atopic dermatitis. Sci Transl Med. 2022;14(630):eabj0324. Epub 20220202. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed. abj0324.

PennPeriodontal C ONFERENCE 2023

Qali M (Co-Author Dept. of Orthodontics), Chang YC, Teixeira H, Sabir M, Fiorellini J Evaluation of Long-Term Efficacy of Forced Erupted Teeth for Restorative Purposes: A Clinical Retrospective Study Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 2022;42(6):809-15. doi: 10.11607/prd.5928.

Zhou M, Graves DT Impact of the host response and osteoblast lineage cells on periodontal disease Front Immunol 2022;13:998244. Epub 20221011. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.998244.

PREVENTIVE & RESTORATIVE SCIENCES

NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A selection of recently published work (Aug.-Dec. 2022) by department faculty/ researchers (indicated in bold).

Ahmad P, Hussain A, Carrasco-Labra A, Siqueira WL. Salivary Proteins as Dental Caries Biomarkers: A Systematic Review Caries Res. 2022;56(4):385-98. Epub 20220920. doi: 10.1159/000526942.

Almalki A, Conejo J, Wünsche A, Anadioti E, Blatz MB Digital Smile Design and Fabrication of CAD/CAM Restorations in a Complex Esthetic Case. Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2022;43(10):664-8. PubMed PMID: 36516868.

Alves LMM, Rodrigues CDS, Ramos NC, Buizastrow J, Campos TMB, Bottino MA, Zhang Y, Melo RM. Silica infiltration on translucent zirconia restorations: Effects on the antagonist wear and survivability Dent Mater. 2022;38(12):208495. Epub 20221126. doi: 10.1016/j. dental.2022.11.015.

Anadioti E, Kane B, Zhang Y, Bergler M, Mante F, Blatz MB Accuracy of Dental and Industrial 3D Printers J Prosthodont 2022;31(S1):30-7. doi: 10.1111/jopr.13470.

Dr. Markus Blatz, Professor and Chair (left above), has been named a Fellow of the Foundation for Oral Rehabilitation in recognition of professional standing and commitment to science, education, and humanity in improving the quality of treatment available in oral rehabilitation.

Dr. Robert Frare has joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Restorative Dentistry.

Azab M, Ibrahim S, Li A, Khosravirad A, Carrasco-Labra A, Zeng L, et al. Efficacy of secondary vs primary closure techniques for the prevention of postoperative complications after impacted mandibular third molar extractions: A systematic review update and meta-analysis J Am Dent Assoc. 2022;153(10):943-56. e48. Epub 20220825. doi: 10.1016/j. adaj.2022.04.007.

CAVITY CAUSING SUPERORGANISMS

A study from the lab of Dr. Michel Koo showed bacteria and fungi can form a “superorganism” with unusual strength and resilience. Found in the saliva of toddlers with severe childhood tooth decay, these assemblages can effectively colonize on teeth and sprout “limbs” that propel them to “walk” and “leap” to quickly spread on the tooth surface. Dr. Zhi Ren, an NIDCR R90 postdoctoral trainee within the CiPD, was awarded the 2022 American Society for Microbiology Early Career Symposium Best Presentation Award for this study. See the following article:

Ren Z, Jeckel H, Simon-Soro A, Xiang Z, Liu Y, Cavalcanti IM, Xiao J, Tin NN, Hara A, Drescher K, Koo, H Interkingdom assemblages in human saliva display group-level surface mobility and disease-promoting emergent functions Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022;119(41):e2209699119. Epub 20221003. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2209699119.

Bashary N, Kaizer MR, Tashkandi A, Fan Y, Özcan M, Al Haj Husain N, Zhang Y Evaluating the Bond Strength of a Polymer Infiltrated Ceramic Network to Zirconia Using the Crossbeam Push-Off Method Eur J Prosthodont Restor Dent 2022;30(3):207-13. Epub 20220830. doi: 10.1922/EJPRD_2348Bashary07.

Bergler M, Korostoff J (Co-author Dept. of Periodontics) Torrecillas-Martinez L, Mante FK Ceramic Printing - Comparative Study of the Flexural Strength of 3D Printed and Milled Zirconia Int J Prosthodont 2022;35(6):777–83. Epub 20210219. doi: 10.11607/ijp.6749.

Blatz MB, Conejo J, Alammar A, Ayub J Current Protocols for Resin-Bonded Dental Ceramics Dent Clin North Am 2022;66(4):603-25. Epub 20220911. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2022.05.008.

Conejo J, Han S, Atria PJ, Stone-Hirsh L, Dubin J, Blatz MB Full digital workflow to resolve angled adjacent dental implants: A dental technique J Prosthet Dent 2022. Epub 20220913. doi: 10.1016/j. prosdent.2022.07.012.

Conejo J, Miravete S, Jean KH, Ayub JM, Blatz MB Digital Implant Therapy for the Edentulous Patient. Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2022;43(10):670-3. PubMed PMID: 36516869.

da Silva SEG, de Araújo GM, Souza KB, Moura DMD, Aurélio IL, May LG, Vila-Nova TEL, Zhang Y, de Assunção E, Souza RO. Biaxial flexure strength and physicochemical characterization of a CAD/CAM lithium disilicate ceramic: effect of etching time, silane, and adhesive applications Clin Oral Investig 2022;26(11):6753-63. Epub 20220818. doi: 10.1007/s00784-022-04635-2.

Dhall A, Tan JY, Oh MJ, Islam S, Kim J, Kim A, Hwang G A dental implant-on-a-chip for 3D modeling of host-material-pathogen interactions and therapeutic testing platforms Lab Chip 2022;22(24):4905-16. Epub 20221206. doi: 10.1039/d2lc00774f.

Falacho RI, Marques JA, Palma PJ, Roseiro L, Caramelo F, Ramos JC, Guerra F, Blatz MB Luting indirect restorations with resin cements versus composite resins: Effects of preheating and ultrasound energy on film thickness. J Esthet Restor Dent 2022;34(4):641-9. Epub 20211213. doi: 10.1111/jerd.12851.

Falacho RI, Melo EA, Marques JA, Ramos JC, Guerra F, Blatz MB Clinical in-situ evaluation of the effect of rubber dam isolation on bond strength to enamel J Esthet Restor Dent. 2022. Epub 20221102. doi: 10.1111/jerd.12979.

Frantsve-Hawley J, Abt E, Carrasco-Labra A, Dawson T, Michaels M, Pahlke S, et al. Strategies for developing evidencebased clinical practice guidelines to foster implementation into dental practice J Am Dent Assoc. 2022;153(11):104152. Epub 20220917. doi: 10.1016/j. adaj.2022.07.012.

Glick M, Ackerman M. (Co-author Dept. of Oral Medicine) Words and concepts matter Quintessence Int. 2022;53(9):7412. doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b3405125.

Lawn BR, Huang H, Lu M, Borrero-López Ó, Zhang Y Threshold damage mechanisms in brittle solids and their impact on advanced technologies Acta Materialia. 2022;232. doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2022.117921.

Lim CH, Vardhaman S, Reddy N, Zhang Y Composition, processing, and properties of biphasic zirconia bioceramics: Relationship to competing strength and optical properties Ceramics International 2022;48(12):17095-103. doi: 10.1016/j. ceramint.2022.02.265.

Mykhaylyuk N, Mykhaylyuk B, Blatz MB Digital and microscopic tools for ultimate esthetics and precision J Esthet Restor Dent. 2022;34(1):252-8. Epub 20220125. doi: 10.1111/jerd.12872.

Ozer F, Anadioti E, Mack YY, Sen D, DiRienzo J (Co-Author Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences), Blatz MB Influence of Surface Modifications on Bacterial Adherence to Implant Abutment Materials Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 2022;42(5):657-63. doi: 10.11607/ prd.5961.

Paravina RD, Blatz MB, Chu SJ. Editorial J Esthet Restor Dent. 2022;34(1):6. doi: 10.1111/jerd.12887.

Sato TP, Arata A, de Miranda LM, Bottino MA, de Melo RM, Zhang Y, et al. Effect of Porcelain-to-Zirconia Ratio and Bonding Strategy on the Biaxial Flexural Strength and Weibull Characteristics of a Stress-Free Bilayer CAD/CAM Ceramic System Int J Prosthodont. 2022;35(4):469-79. doi: 10.11607/ijp.7551.

Souza MA, Corralo DJ, Gabrielli ES, Figueiredo JAP, Cohen S, Wolff M, Steier L Oral bacterial decontamination using an innovative prototype for photocatalytic disinfection Clin Oral Investig 2022;26(3):3005-10. Epub 20211113. doi: 10.1007/s00784-021-04282-z.

Tartsch J, Blatz MB Ceramic Dental Implants: An Overview of Materials, Characteristics, and Application Concepts Compend Contin Educ Dent 2022;43(8):482-8; quiz 9. PubMed PMID: 36170627.

Urquhart O, DeLong HR, Ziegler KM, Pilcher L, Pahlke S, Tampi MP, O’Brien KK, Patton LL, Agrawal N, Hofstede TM, Kademani D, Lingen MW, Treister NS, Tsai CJ, Carrasco-Labra A. Lipman RD. Effect of preradiation dental intervention on incidence of osteoradionecrosis in patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis J Am Dent Assoc. 2022;153(10):931-42. e32. Epub 20220818. doi: 10.1016/j. adaj.2022.06.003.

Walsh T, Macey R, Ricketts D, Carrasco Labra A, Worthington H, Sutton AJ, et al. Enamel Caries Detection and Diagnosis: An Analysis of Systematic Reviews J Dent Res 2022;101(3):261-9. Epub 20211012. doi: 10.1177/00220345211042795.

Wang Y, Devji T, Qasim A, Hao Q, Wong V, Bhatt M, Prasad M, Wang Y, Noori A, Xiao Y, Ghadimi M, Lozano LEC, Phillips MR, Carrasco-Labra A, King M, Terluin B, Terwee CB, Walsh M, Furukawa TA, Guyatt GH. A systematic survey identified methodological issues in studies estimating anchor-based minimal important differences in patient-reported outcomes J Clin Epidemiol. 2022;142:14451. Epub 20211106. doi: 10.1016/j. jclinepi.2021.10.028.

Yassmin F, Blatz MB The Impact of Digital Dentistry in Interdisciplinary Esthetic Treatment Compend Contin Educ Dent 2022;43(9):571-6; quiz 7. PubMed PMID: 36227130.

Zhang Y, Lawn BR. Dental Ceramics: From Science and Technology to Clinical Application International Journal of Prosthodontics. 2022;35(3):257-8. doi: 10.11607/ijp.2022.3.e.

Zhang YQ, Jiao RM, Witt CM, Lao L, Liu JP, Thabane L, Sherman KJ, Cummings M, Richards DP, Kim EA, Kim TH, Lee MS, Wechsler ME, Brinkhaus B, Mao JJ, Smith CA, Gang WJ, Liu BY, Liu ZS, Liu Y, Zheng H, Wu JN, Carrasco-Labra A, Bhandari M, Devereaux PJ, Jing XH, Guyatt G. How to design high quality acupuncture trials-a consensus informed by evidence. Bmj 2022;376:e067476. Epub 20220330. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2021-067476.

Zhang YQ, Lu L, Xu N, Tang X, Shi X, Carrasco-Labra A, et al. Increasing the usefulness of acupuncture guideline recommendations. Bmj 2022;376:e070533. Epub 20220225. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2022-070533

STUDENTPERSPECTIVE

VIEWS ON THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Lessons, Rewards of Serving the Youngest of Pediatric Patients

Contributed by Tiana Piscitelli (D’23)

Every week, I delight in the symphony of sounds that fill the First Five Dental Clinic: a toddler singing along to the catchy tunes of Disney's Encanto, his sister confidently counting her teeth in the dental chair, the boisterous cries of infants experiencing their first-ever dental checkup. With a smile, our courageous clinic leader and hygienist, Deanne Wallaert, refers to these sounds as "the music of our people." And she couldn't be more correct — it’s the perfect harmony of working with these wonderful children that makes this clinic so special.

Through the Pediatric and Community Oral Health Honors Programs, I have the privilege of working in The First Five Dental Clinic,

a program dedicated to providing high-quality and accessible dental care to Philadelphia’s youngest population. Our primary objective is to establish a dental home early on for our patients and encourage routine preventative care, ensuring that children ages zero to five receive a comprehensive start to their dental health journey. Children ages zero to five remain a greatly underserved population, as more than half of surrounding counties in Pennsylvania are without a pediatric dentist. This honors program exposes me to the many pediatric dentistry-based public health initiatives that exist, and the important role we play as pediatric dentists to engage with and impact the communities we treat.

After working in the First Five Clinic the past two years, I recognize the importance of taking a holistic approach to dental care. I work closely with parents to provide age-appropriate oral hygiene instruction and nutritional counseling, while understanding that various social determinants of health can play a vital role in a child's overall well-being. Providing personalized ‘anticipatory guidance’ to parents, particularly those in culturally and economically diverse areas such as West Philadelphia, is critical in establishing healthy habits and preventing future dental concerns. My work in the First Five Clinic also inspired an exciting research project spearheaded by Dean Mark Wolff that is aimed to establish a correlation between Early Childhood Caries and dental fear among parents or guardians. Dentistry, for me, represents the intersection of science and art. Pediatric dentistry, specifically, requires a high level of improvisation and creativity, making it one of the most demanding, yet rewarding fields. Working with children ages zero to five requires a pediatric dentist’s mastery in behavioral management, as dental visits can present unique and unpredictable challenges. We learn to perform lap examinations for the youngest patients, to identify and address fears that may be present in toddlers, all while remaining flexible and prepared to adapt to any situation that may arise. Pediatric dentistry is a way for me to express my creativity, as I leave the First Five Clinic feeling inspired by the children and families I have the privilege of treating.

I am extremely fortunate to have had the chance to work in the First Five Clinic as part of my honors programs. As I continue my training beyond Penn Dental Medicine, I will remain dedicated to treating underserved pediatric communities and will incorporate the learned skills and experiences from this program in my future career as a pediatric dentist. I hope to inspire and empower my future patients just as they have encouraged the creative and imaginative dreamer in me.

PARTNERING TO ADVANCE EVIDENCE-BASED CARE

THE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED COCHRANE ORAL HEALTH COLLABORATING CENTER AT PENN DENTAL MEDICINE PLACES THE SCHOOL AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE ORAL-HEALTH-EVIDENCE-SYNTHESIS FIELD GLOBALLY

EARLIER THIS YEAR, Penn Dental Medicine’s Center for Integrative Global Oral Health (CIGOH) partnered with Cochrane Oral Health to form the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine.. The new Center marks a significant step in helping to expand evidence-based knowledge to inform practice and oral health policy worldwide.

Cochrane Oral Health, headquartered at The University of Manchester in the UK, is one of over 50 review groups within Cochrane, a global independent not-for-profit network that produces systematic reviews across all areas of medicine. Since its inception, Cochrane has defined the methodological standards for conducting systematic reviews around the world and is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information and methods.

“We are thrilled to be joining with Cochrane Oral Health and our colleagues at The University of Manchester to help move

oral healthcare practice and policy forward through this new Center,” says Dr. Michael Glick, the Executive Director of CIGOH, the School’s first policy center, where the Collaborating Center is based.

The Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine will build upon the work of Cochrane Oral Health, engaging researchers from around the globe in systematic reviews summarizing the best available evidence on oral health topics to help patients, caregivers, clinicians, and policymakers, make well-informed decisions. Currently, Cochrane Oral Health has a curated collection of more than 200 systematic reviews

“The primary focus of the Center is to help make decisions related to health outcomes evidence based. That means we need to produce documents that are easy to read, high quality, and trustworthy.”

— DR. ALONSO CARRASCO-LABRA

Dr. Michael Glick (left), Executive Director of CIGOH, and Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra.

and meta-analyses of over 34 clinical areas of dentistry.

Leading the new Collaborating Center as Director is Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, who joined Penn Dental Medicine in November of 2021 and brings a depth of experience in health research and evidence-synthesis methods to this role. Prior to coming to Penn Dental Medicine, Carrasco-Labra was Senior Director of the Department of Evidence Synthesis and Translation Research at the American Dental Association Science and Research Institute. He has also worked with governments and healthcare agencies around the world, facilitating guideline and

policy creation for the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization, the World Bank, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the American Gastroenterological Association. Along with a D.D.S. from the University of Chile, he holds a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology and a Ph.D. from McMaster University in health research methodology.

Soon after the establishment of the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine, we sat down with Carrasco-Labra for a conversation on the goals and vision for the Center moving forward.

ABOVE: Leading the new Collaborating Center as Director is Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, who joined Penn Dental Medicine in November of 2021 and brings a depth of experience in health research and evidence-synthesis methods to this role.

HOW DID THE COLLABORATION WITH COCHRANE ORAL HEALTH EVOLVE?

The COVID-19 pandemic made the need to base healthcare decisions on scientific evidence very clear to many stakeholders — not only scientists, but also the public in general. So, the timing is right; there is growing interest on a global level for summaries of the best available scientific evidence to answer policy and clinical questions. The organization that has been providing this type of information for a very long time is Cochrane, and more specifically as it relates to dentistry, the Cochrane Oral Health Group. The rising demand for systematic reviews combined with our goals for CIGOH and the long-term relationship I’ve had with Cochrane led to formalizing our work with them through this partnership. Now, we will be collaborating directly with our colleagues at the University of Manchester, where Cochrane Oral Health is based, on these reviews.

WHY DO YOU SEE THIS AS AN IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP?

There is a large need for this type of evidence to inform guidelines and policies for clinical practice. We can do so much with Cochrane’s available resources, and this is a way for us at Penn Dental Medicine to continue leading this field.

WHAT IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE CENTER?

The primary focus of the Center is to help patients and clinicians make decisions related to health outcomes using pre-appraised, trustworthy evidence. That means we need to produce reports that are easy to read, high quality, and trustworthy — free from financial and intellectual conflict of interest that can provide an objective perspective on what is available to inform a decision.

A secondary goal of the Center is capacity building and the training of future researchers and clinicians who are interested in producing these types of documents with the standards that Cochrane has established. Cochrane is distinguished for the rigor of its reviews — it is among the best in the world. It is a commitment to high quality methods, including transparency and engagement

with patients and other consumers. They read the reports and help us to clarify and simplify certain language that at times is too technical and creates barriers to accessibility. We want anyone who wants to know about a particular issue to read a document that is accessible and that is why those partnerships are so important.

Cochrane has worked extensively to create consumer/patient networks and platforms to request input from members of the public. It is a well-organized group within Cochrane, and we will be able to tap into that resource for the reviews we manage.

HOW DO YOU SEE SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS OF THIS SORT IMPACTING ORAL HEALTHCARE DELIVERY AND POLICY?

We calculated that between the moment a new intervention is developed to the point that it becomes mainstream and available to patients can be between 15 to17 years. That

is a very long time and some people who could benefit from that intervention won’t simply because clinicians, policymakers, and the health system need to deal with issues of summarizing the evidence – who makes the case that a new intervention creates more good than harm? That is where these types of reviews can play a key role in helping to accelerate the process of translating research findings into practice and improved outcomes.

We recently published a systematic review (non-Cochrane) on acute dental pain that suggests clinicians would need to find and read more than 86 studies before they could reach a full conclusion on what to do. With a systematic review, investigators look at every one of those studies very closely, summarize the findings, and put it in a simple format that is high quality and trustworthy. Systematic reviews simplify the clinician’s life — she just needs to read that one document, not the 86 published studies.

“There is a large need for this type of data to inform guidelines and policies for clinical practice. We can do so much with Cochrane’s available resources, and this is a way for us at Penn Dental Medicine to continue leading this field.”

— DR. ALONSO CARRASCO-LABRA

HOW DO YOU SEE OUR CENTER FILLING ANY VOID IN THIS AREA?

Currently, there is an underutilization of systematic reviews for high-level decision-making. One specific goal for our Center is to be able to connect these reviews with policymakers and other stakeholders. We would bring the data, and we will partner to produce policies and clinical practice guidelines. Then, when the policy or guideline needs to be updated as new evidence emerges, we take that burden from the policymakers, collecting and updating the data to inform those policy or guideline documents. Currently, that partnership is still suboptimal and needs to be improved to truly make policies and guidelines evidence based, which is the ultimate goal.

HOW WILL THE ORAL HEALTH TOPICS STUDIED AT OUR CENTER BE DETERMINED?

In 2020, Cochrane Oral Health’s team in Manchester ran its most recent prioritization exercise to set the agenda of review topics for 2021-2024. They look at current reviews and emerging topics and did extensive stakeholder engagement asking for input on the topics that are priorities. It is a very participatory process, and they solicit a global perspective. So the Cochrane Oral Health agenda of topics is set through 2024, but which of those our Center will conduct de novo or will be an update of a previous review is not yet determined.

HOW LONG DOES A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW TAKE TO PRODUCE?

Depending on the number of primary studies, a novel review involves a one- to two-year process with a multidisciplinary group of statisticians, methodologists, clinical experts, and consumers. When it is an update of an existing review, the process is shorter.

ARE GUIDELINES AND CLINICAL RECOMMENDATIONS ALWAYS PRODUCED WITH A REVIEW?

No. A systematic review informing the effects of healthcare interventions (i.e., balance between benefits and harms) and the certainty of the evidence is one piece when producing a clinical practice guideline.

NEW MASTER’S IN ORAL, POPULATION HEALTH

In a related initiative, Penn Dental Medicine has launched a new master’s program — a Master of Science in Oral & Population Health (MOPH). “The program is developed to answer a critical need for public and population health leaders who can inform, develop, implement, and evaluate policies that address current and future challenges in oral health,” says Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, Director of the program.

A full-time online program (synchronous and asynchronous), the MOPH covers a diversity of disciplines in creating, synthesizing, and disseminating evidence to inform clinical practice and policies at all levels of the healthcare system and the research enterprise. Through elective courses, students can develop a curriculum of their preference in one of three streams — oral and population health research; health services research, management, and policy in oral health; and starting in the fall of 2024, community and population-based oral health promotion.

The first cohort of students will begin the program starting September 2023. Learn more at www.dental.upenn.edu/MOPH.

There are other important factors involved as well — patients’ values and preferences, issues of equity, issues of feasibility, issues of stakeholder acceptability, and implementation considerations — that are not addressed in systematic reviews of interventions. For example, a panel may say based on this Cochrane review everyone should get some intervention, but the health system may say wait a minute, we don’t have people trained, we don’t have the resources, this is not covered by insurance, so the body producing the guideline needs to also address those aspects. That is why we say systematic reviews should not provide clinical recommendations, yet systematic reviews are the cornerstone to inform clinical practice guidelines.

WHO WILL BE INVOLVED IN CONDUCTING THE REVIEWS?

We will be gathering investigators from all over the world to produce these reviews.

Currently, Cochrane Oral Health has over 1,600 members and over 900 review authors from more than 40 different countries. Then, our Center works primarily as a coordinating group — coordinating investigators’ access to the available resources, from statisticians to the primary studies. We also make sure that throughout the process methodological standards that are necessary to secure trustworthy results are being met at every stage.

HOW CAN THE REVIEWS PRODUCED BY OUR CENTER BE ACCESSED?

All reviews produced through our Center will become part of the Cochrane Library (www.cochranelibrary.com). The library has a very intuitive search engine where anyone can access the abstracts and plain language summaries of the reviews.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER INITIATIVES OF THE CENTER?

Training investigators and clinicians in the systematic review process is also part of our mission. We will be presenting in-person conferences and developing online resources. Our first conference it set for June 5-9 on how to conduct and publish systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Colleagues from Cochrane Oral Health at the University of Manchester UK will be presenting along with faculty from the Center for Integrative Global Oral Health at Penn Dental Medicine. I encourage alumni to join us as we begin our work to help advance evidence-based care. n

OPPOSITE: Olivia Urquhart joined CIGOH in September 2022, coming to Penn Dental Medicine from the Department of Evidence Synthesis and Translation Research at the American Dental Association’s Science & Research Institute where she was a lead data analyst and a clinical practice guideline methodologist.

TRANSLATING SCIENCE TO PRACTICE RESEARCHSPOTLIGHT

Advancing Science & Practice

The Penn Dental Medicine research enterprise spans scientific disciplines to translate new knowledge into clinical therapies that are expanding our understanding of disease and advancing patient care. In 2022, faculty and research staff continued to move scholarship forward across their respective fields and beyond. On the pages that follow, we highlight some of these research and scholarly activities for 2022.

Funding by Investigators

Among the Penn Dental Medicine faculty, following are the total funds (direct and indirect, above $10K) spent by each principal investigator in the 2022 calendar year.

Scholarly Impact

The impact of faculty publications measured by the h index* is presented for a selection of faculty within both the clinical departments and the Department of Basic & Translational Sciences for the past five years. Career h-indexes are also included.

RESEARCHSPOTLIGHT

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES

2022 New Grant Awards

In 2022, the following new grants of $30,000 and above were awarded to Penn Dental Medicine faculty.

Diabetes-enhanced Experimental Periodontitis

Principal Investigator: Dr. Dana T. Graves, Periodontics (NIH; Total Award $2,234,302, 5 years)

Targeted inhibition of elF5Ahpu suppresses tumor growth and M2-like TAM polarization in oral cancer

Principal Investigator: Dr. Anh Le, Oral Surgery (NIH; Total Award $2,190,903, 5 years)

The role of solitary chemosensory cells in periodontal homeostasis

Principal Investigator: Dr. Marco Tizzano, Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH; Total Award $1,880,149, 3 years)

Trained innate immunity and periodontitis-associated comorbidities

Principal Investigator: Dr. George Hajishengallis, Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH; Total Award; $1,868,750, 5 years)

Targeting mechanical regulation of monocyte fate in head and neck cancer

Principal Investigator: Dr. Kyle Vining, Preventive & Restorative Sciences (NIH; Total Award $858,217, 3 years)

L-arginine impact on interkingdom biofilm development and tissue infection using mouth-on-a-chip (MoC) technology

Principal Investigator: Dr. Hyun Koo, Orthodontics/Community Oral Health/Pediatrics (Colgate Palmolive Company; Total Costs: $761,300, 2 years)

mRNA-LNP vaccine platform

Principal Investigator: Dr. Gary Cohen, Basic & Translational Sciences (BioNTech; Total Award $584,255, 1 year)

Treatment of chondrosarcoma by YAP siRNA nanoparticles in a novel chondrosarcoma mouse model

Principal Investigator: Dr. Shuying Yang, Basic & Translational Sciences (Department of Defense; Total Costs: $568,750, 3 years)

Cytolethal distending toxin mediated modulation of phagocytic function.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Taewan J. Kim, Periodontics (NIH; Total Award $483,825, 5 years)

Producing an Optimized Stapled Peptide that specifically targets HSV-1 to Treat herpes ocular Keratitis

Principal Investigator: Dr. Robert Ricciardi, Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH through Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center; Total Award $459,999, 1 year)

* The h-index was developed by J.E. Hirsch, Department of Physics, UCSD and attempts to measure the impact of an individual’s publications. As an example, an h-index of 20 means there are 20 publications that have 20 citations or more each in journals covered by the Scopus database.

Microsomal Transfer Protein Modulates Lipoprotein Metabolism and Retinal lipid Homeostasis

Principal Investigator: Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Basic & Translational Sciences

(NIH; Total Award $454,319, 2 years)

Viral dynamics of rebound and reservoir HIV species in IPSC-derived myeloid cells

Principal Investigator: Dr. Espinoza Akay, Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH; Total Award $431, 250, 2 years)

Role of solitary chemosensory cells in irritant avoidance and protection of olfactory sensation

Principal Investigator: Dr. Marco Tizzano, Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH; Total Award $363,964, 1 year)

mRNA-LNP vaccine platform

Principal Investigator: Dr. Gary Cohen, Basic & Translational Sciences (BioNTech; $259,673, 1 year)

Treatment of chondrosarcoma by YAP siRNA nanoparticles in a novel chondrosarcoma mouse model

Principal Investigator: Dr. Temitope Omolehinwa, Oral Medicine (NIH; Total Award $259,208, 1 year)

Collaborative Research: Smart Dental Implant for Ambulatory Dental Care

Principal Investigator: Dr. Geels Hwang, Preventive & Restorative Sciences (National Science Foundation; Total Award $249,999, 3 years)

Dental Reimbursement Program- Part F

Principal Investigator: Dr. Miriam Robbins, Oral Medicine (Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA); Total Award $216,056, 1 year)

Development of a Peptide-Drug Conjugate for Topically Treating the Viral Skin Disease Molluscum Contagiosum

Principal Investigator: Robert P. Ricciardi, Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH through Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center; Total Award $174,600, 2 years)

A Phase 2/3, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Safety and Efficacy Trial of BHV-3000 (Rimegepant) Orally Disintegrating Tablet (ODT) for the Acute Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

Principal Investigator: Dr. Eric Granquist, Oral Surgery (Biohaven Pharmaceuticals; Total Award $146,051, 1 year)

Elucidating the spatiotemporal control of MRGPRX2 function 2.0

Principal Investigator: Dr. Hydar Ali, Basic & Translational Sciences (United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation; Total Award $141,000, 4 years)

Oligodendrocyte damage and dysfunction in HIV associated neurocognitive disorder

Principal Investigator: Dr. Kelly L. Jordan Sciutto, Oral Medicine (NIH; Total Award $110,367, 1 year)

Penn mental health AIDS research center

Principal Investigator: Dr. Kelly L. Jordan Sciutto, Oral Medicine (NIH; Total Award $106,706, 1 year)

Exploring caregivers’ experiences related to the use of a smart toothbrush by children with autism spectrum disorder

Principal Investigator: Dr. Katherine A. France, Oral Medicine (Colgate Palmolive Company; Total Award $105,696, 1 year)

Impact of pet contact on antimicrobial-associated dysbiosis and Clostridioides difficile infection

Principal Investigator: Dr. Yu Wang, Periodontics (NIH; Total Award $87,975, 5 years)

Assessment of Medial Arterial Calcification Detected on CBCT: A Sensitive Marker of Vascular Complications

Principal Investigator: Dr. Adeyinka F. Dayo, Oral Medicine (NDAF; Total Award $ 60,000, 1 year)

Overall: Resource-based Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders Research

Principal Investigator: Dr. Chider Chen, Oral Surgery (NIH; Total Award $48,750, 1 year)

Understand biological factors underlying early childhood caries disparity from the oral microbiome in early infancy

Principal Investigator: Dr. Hyun Koo, Orthodontics/Community Oral Health/Pediatrics (NIH through Louisiana State University; Total Award $47,500, 5 years)

In-vitro comparative loading capacity of CAD/CAM implant-supported crowns with different materials and prosthetic designs

Principal Investigator: Dr. Julian Conejo, Preventive & Restorative Sciences (Prosec; Total Award $45,298, 1 year)

The Role of NF-kB in Mesenchymal Stem Cell during Mx Expansion

Principal Investigator: Dr. Hyeran H. Jeon, Orthodontics (American Association of Orthodontists Foundation; Total Award $30,000, 1 year)

$27.92M Awarded for research in FY22

RESEARCHSPOTLIGHT

Selected 2022 High Impact Original Articles: Basic & Translational Sciences

Within the School’s Department of Basic & Translational Sciences, following is a selection of original research articles with Penn Dental Medicine faculty as first or senior authors published in 2022 in journals of high impact.

AUTHORS

Li, X., Wang, H., Yu, X., Saha, G., Kalafati, L., Ioannidis, Maladaptive innate immune training Cell

66.9 C., Mitroulis, I., Netea, M.G., Chavakis, T., Hajishengallis, G. of myelopoiesis links inflammatory comorbidities

Daniell, H., Nair, S.K., Guan, H., Guo, Y., Kulchar, R.J., Debulking different Corona (SARS-CoV-2 Biomaterials

15.3 Torres, M.D.T., Shahed-Al-Mahmud, M., Wakade, G., delta, omicron, OC43) and Influenza Liu, Y.-M., Marques, A.D., Graham-Wooten, J., Zhou, W., (H1N1, H3N2) virus strains by plant viral Wang, P., Molugu, S.K., de Araujo, W.R., de la Fuente-Nunez, trap proteins in chewing gums to C., Ma, C., Short, W.R., Tebas, P., Margulies, K.B., decrease infection and transmission Bushman, F.D., Mante, F.K., Ricciardi, R.P., Collman, R.G., Wolff, M.S.

Li, X., Yang, S., Yuan, G., Jing, D., Qin, L., Zhao, H., Yang, S. Type II collagen-positive progenitors are Bone Research

13.4 important stem cells in controlling skeletal development and vascular formation

Ganesan, P.K., Kulchar, R.J., Kaznica, P., Montoya-Lopez, R., Optimization of biomass and target protein Plant Biotechnology

13.3 Green, B.J., Streatfield, S.J., Daniell, H. yield for Phase III clinical trial to evaluate Journal Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 expressed in lettuce chloroplasts to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission

Deepak, V., Yang, S.-T., Li, Z., Li, X., Ng, A., Xu, D., Li, Y.-P., IFT80 negatively regulates osteoclast Proceedings of the 12.8 Oursler, M.J., Yang, S. differentiation via association with Cbl-b National Academy to disrupt TRAF6 stabilization and activation of Sciences of the United States of America

Selected 2022 High Impact Review Articles

Following is a selection of review articles with Penn Dental Medicine faculty as first or senior authors published in 2022 in journals with high impact.

AUTHORS

DEPARTMENT ARTICLE

JOURNAL IMPACT FACTOR*

Chavakis, T., Wielockx, B., Hajishengallis, G. Basic & Translational Inflammatory Modulation of Annual Review

22.2 Sciences Hematopoiesis: Linking Trained of Physiology Immunity and Clonal Hematopoiesis with Chronic Disorders

Albuquerque-Souza, E., Sahingur, S.E. Periodontics Periodontitis, chronic liver Periodontology 12.2 diseases, and the emerging 2000 oral-gut-liver axis

Teles, F., Collman, R.G., Mominkhan, D., Wang, Y. Basic & Translational Viruses, periodontitis, Periodontology 12.2 Sciences and comorbidities 2000

Chinipardaz, Z., Liu, M., Graves, D.T., Yang, S. Basic & Translational Role of Primary Cilia in Bone Journal of Dental 8.9 Sciences and Cartilage Research

Xi, R., Zheng, X., Tizzano, M.

Basic & Translational Role of Taste Receptors in Innate Journal of Dental 8.9 Sciences Immunity and Oral Health Research

Selected 2022 High Impact Original Articles: Clinical Sciences

Within the School’s clinical departments, following is a selection of original research articles with Penn Dental Medicine faculty as first or senior authors published in 2022 in journals of high impact.

AUTHORS

Vining, K.H., Marneth, A.E., Adu-Berchie, K., Preventive & Mechanical checkpoint

Grolman, J.M., Tringides, C.M., Liu, Y., Restorative Sciences regulates monocyte

Wong, W.J., Pozdnyakova, O., Severgnini, M., differentiation in fibrotic niches

Stafford, A., Duda, G.N., Hodi, F.S., Mullally, A., Wucherpfennig, K.W., Mooney, D.J.

Ko, K.I., Merlet, J.J., DerGarabedian, B.P., Periodontics NF-?B perturbation reveals Science Translational 19.3

Zhen, H., Suzuki-Horiuchi, Y., Hedberg, M.L., unique immunomodulatory Medicine

Hu, E., Nguyen, A.T., Prouty, S., Alawi, F., functions in Prx1+ fibroblasts

Walsh, M.C., Choi, Y., Millar, S.E., Cliff, A., that promote development

Romero, J., Garvin, M.R., Seykora, J.T., of atopic dermatitis

Jacobson, D., Graves, D.T.

Oh, M.J., Babeer, A., Liu, Y., Ren, Z., Wu, J., Orthodontics Surface Topography-Adaptive ACS Nano 18.0 Issadore, D.A., Stebe, K.J., Lee, D., Steager, E., Robotic Superstructures for Koo, H. Biofilm Removal and Pathogen Detection on Human Teeth

Lawn, B.R., Huang, H., Lu, M., Borrero-Lopez, O., Preventive & Threshold damage mechanisms Acta Materialia 9.2 Zhang, Y. Restorative Sciences in brittle solids and their impact on advanced technologies

Li, W., Huang, X., Yu, W., Xu, Y., Huang, R., Oral and Activation of Functional Somatic Journal of 8.9 Park, J., Moshaverinia, A., Arora, P., Chen, C. Maxillofacial Surgery Stem Cells Promotes Endogenous Dental Research Tissue Regeneration

FY22 Patent Awards

The following patents were awarded to Penn Dental Medicine faculty in fiscal year 2022 as part of their research activities.

PATENT TITLE

INVENTOR

Dr. Henry Daniell in Chloroplasts of Higher Plants

Codon Optimization and Ribosome Profiling for Increasing Transgene Expression

Compositions and Methods for Inhibiting Biofilm Deposition and Production

Compositions and Methods Useful In Treating Stargardt Disease and other Ocular Disorders

Modified mRNA Vaccines Encoding Herpes Simplex Virus Glycoproteins and Uses Thereof

Oral Delivery of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) or Angiotensin-(1-7)-Bioencapsulated

in Plant Cells Attenuates Pulmonary Hypertension, Cardiac Dysfunction and Development of Autoimmune and Experimentally Induced Ocular Disorders

Dr. Henry Daniell and Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo

Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia

Dr. Gary Cohen

Dr. Henry Daniell

journal is cited in a particular year. This number can be used to evaluate or compare a journal’s relative importance to others in the same field. Journal impact factors are reported in Clarivate Analytics InCites™ Journal Citation Reports®. The JCR, 2017, was used for these figures.

“It’s been challenging to operate in a new institution and build partnerships during a very disruptive pandemic, but it’s so rewarding, both to see our students succeeding and to work with my research team to keep advancing science.”

— DR. SINEM ESRA SAHINGUR

ADVANCING RESEARCH, EDUCATION & PATIENT CARE

SINCE JOINING PENN DENTAL MEDICINE IN 2019, DR. ESRA SAHINGUR

HAS LAUNCHED TWO NEW MASTER’S PROGRAMS, EXPANDED STUDENT RESEARCH, AND CONTINUED TO PURSUE HER OWN RESEARCH PROGRAM ON IMMUNE REGULATION

DR. SINEM ESRA SAHINGUR CAN’T RECALL A TIME when academia wasn’t the road she planned to follow. Her father was a physician and an academician who died when Sahingur was 11. “I was always inspired by him and his legacy,” she says. “But my mom was the heart and driving force both for me and my sister. Her unconditional love, caring, and guidance instilled in us to be resilient and not to be afraid to chase our dreams.”

Not only did Sahingur fulfill those dreams— she is a board-certified periodontist and Associate Professor of Periodontics at Penn Dental Medicine with a rigorous research program—but she has also taken her career on a parallel path, helping lead the next generation of scientists- and clinicians-to-be in pursuing their professional goals.

With nearly 20 years of experience as an accomplished scientist, academic leader, and exemplary educator, Sahingur joined Penn Dental Medicine faculty as the school’s first Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

and Student Research in 2019. Since then, she has launched two master’s programs, initiated centralized online admissions for graduate programs, implemented the first hybrid on-line curriculum, and significantly expanded student research participation and scholarly output.

“It’s been challenging to operate in a new institution and build partnerships during a very disruptive pandemic, but it’s so rewarding, both to see our students succeeding and to work with my research team to keep advancing science,” she says.

OPPOSITE, ABOVE: Dr. Esra Sahingur joined Penn Dental Medicine as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research in 2019. Since then, she has launched two master’s programs, initiated centralized online admissions for graduate programs, implemented the first hybrid on-line curriculum, and significantly expanded student research participation and scholarly output.

University Communications

STORY PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Sucar,

ADVANCINGRESEARCH

LAUNCHING NEW OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to providing oversight and strategic vision for the already existing graduate-degree programs in Penn Dental Medicine, Sahingur was charged upon arriving at Penn Dental Medicine with getting new programs off the ground. Within two years of her appointment and working with multiple stakeholders, she successfully led the efforts to launch two new programs — the Master of Oral Health Sciences (MOHS) and the Master of Advanced Dental Studies (MADS).

The MOHS program can be thought of as two distinct entities. One track caters to college graduates who want to enhance their applications to dental school or other healthcare career tracks. A second is offered for dentists trained outside the United States to bolster their applications to U.S. dental schools. The MOHS predental track launched in fall 2020, with the first students admitted in fall 2021. The first class of MOHS non-U.S. trained dentist track was admitted in fall 2022.

“Dental and medical school admission is very competitive so students pursue advanced educational opportunities to enhance their knowledge base and overall candidate profile,” Sahingur says. In both tracks within the MOHS program, distinct curricula are integrated with that of the current dental students and include both classroom learning and clinical experiences, culminating in a rigorous capstone research project.

“We are thrilled to hear about the success stories of our MOHS inaugural class,” says Sahingur. “Of the three in the first MOHS predental cohort, all have been admitted to dental schools.”

Rachel Wade, for example, who was a member of the inaugural class of the MOHS predental track, is now a first-year dental student at Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. She says the program was “a great way to bridge the gap between undergraduate and dental school education.”

The second program Sahingur launched, MADS, is a first-of-its-kind hybrid offering among dental schools that gives dentists the chance to deepen their knowledge of a particular clinical discipline, from pediatric dentistry to prosthodontics. Composed of both online instruction and in-person clinical experience on Penn Dental Medicine’s campus, students in the program include dentists applying for residency programs, internationally trained dentists whose home countries require a master’s degree to recognize their specialty, or other dentists hoping to refresh their knowledge of their chosen field. MADS launched in spring of 2022, admitting the first class in August, with a second cohort recently welcomed into the program in January 2023.

“With the pandemic, we have all become more open to the idea of online and hybrid education,” she says. “MADS helps us reach a wide range of students globally and provide a quality education without the need for them to be fully on-campus. Synchronous offerings allow the students to join our residents in classes and seminars and be part of the Penn community. The asynchronous online component makes it convenient and effective too. So far, the student and faculty experiences have been positive.”

Moving these new initiatives forward required working with different groups and offices within the school and across the campus. The pandemic made this more challenging, especially as Sahingur was

“With the pandemic, we have all become more open to the idea of online and hybrid education. MADS helps us reach a wide range of students globally and provide a quality education without the need for them to be fully on-campus.”

— DR. SINEM ESRA SAHINGUR

only a few months into her tenure at Penn when many of the campus operations were suspended in March 2020. Yet, she was able to build an effective communication line and organizational structure to get the programs up and running.

“I am happy that, as a team, we have been able to expand our educational offerings, attract diverse groups of students into our community, and increase Penn Dental’s presence globally. We continuously monitor student and faculty experiences in all our graduate programs and implement changes as needed.”

GROWING OUTLETS FOR RESEARCH

Simply keeping up with coursework and clinical requirements can present a full plate for dental students, yet many also take advantage of Penn’s prowess in research while they are here. In addition to her responsibilities on the administrative side for graduate education, Sahingur also oversees student research programs that are available to dental students during their training.

Through seeking more fundraising to support student research, implementing new strategies for making students aware of research and mentorship opportunities, and providing continuous guidance, she’s seen a rapid and multiple-fold increase in participation, publications, and success in receiving awards and fellowships among dental students.

“We’re trying to inspire our students with the excitement of research and innovation and the pursuit of academic careers,” she says.

Sahingur has worked with faculty and students to find ways for them to engage in the research process, writing reviews and presentations instead of being in the lab. Students are back in labs and clinics, actively participating in research and presenting and publishing on their findings.

OPPOSITE, ABOVE: Dr. Sahingur, students, and a member of her lab discussing a project. In her lab, they are continuing to advance studies in host-microbiome interactions and immunology, interested in how inflammation is initiated, regulated, and resolved.

“We also provide stipends to go to conferences to present their data,” she says. “We want to do everything we can to encourage our students to continue with research that interests them.”

Support from alumni has been instrumental in advancing student research. In the summer of 2021, working closely with the institutional advancement team and building strong relationships, Sahingur established Penn Dental Medicine’s first funding stream dedicated to support student research programs, the Dr. Gail Schupak Fund.

“Certainly, all these initiatives would not come to fruition without the vision and support of our dean, Dr. Mark Wolff,” stresses Sahingur.

RACKING UP NEW INSIGHTS IN THE LAB

True to her early love of science and the pursuit of new knowledge, Sahingur has not let her own research and lab’s work fall to the wayside as she pours time into her administrative duties. When she came to Penn from Virginia Commonwealth University, she brought with her three lab members, who have continued advancing studies in host-microbiome interactions and immunology. They, along with new students from across all levels of Penn have begun contributing to the group’s output.

“We’re interested in how inflammation is initiated, regulated, and resolved,” Sahingur says.

“I am happy that, as a team, we have been able to expand our educational offerings, attract diverse groups of students into our community, and increase Penn Dental’s presence globally.”

— DR. SINEM ESRA SAHINGUR

More specifically, her research clarifies the cellular and molecular mechanisms increasing susceptibility for periodontal diseases and the links between oral and systemic health issues. Periodontal diseases are chronic inflammatory conditions of the gums that result from an inappropriate response to microbial invasion. If not treated, they can lead to destruction of bone and soft tissue, eventually causing tooth loss. Persistent oral inflammation is also associated with several other conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, pregnancy complications, arthritis, and cancer.

“The World Health Organization Global Oral Health Status Report estimated that severe periodontal diseases affect around 19% of the global adult population, representing more than 1 billion cases worldwide,” Sahingur says. She and her team aim to find ways to prevent and cure these diseases, potentially improving the lives of millions.

Sahingur and her lab have done pioneering work in elucidating the workings of nucleic acid sensors, which can interact with other molecules in the cell to trigger inflammation. A second focus is the process of ubiquitination, whereby certain cellular

products are tagged, or untagged, setting them up to either be degraded or to again, foster more inflammation.

Both are involved in the pathology of the oral disease periodontitis, which involves inflammation in the gums and leads to bone loss. And tying all this work together, Sahingur has begun to embark on investigations of how these processes intersect in aging.

In a recently published study in the Journal of Dental Research, Sahingur and colleagues reported on the findings of some of this area of work, specifically zeroing in on the contribution of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), one of a class of receptors known for recognizing and instigating a defense against nucleic acids that may pose a threat to the body.

Using a mouse strain lacking TLR9, Sahingur’s group was able to examine its role closely, finding that animals lacking this sensor did not display the same ageassociated inflammatory response (and associated bone loss) as a result of periodontal disease compared to mice with intact TLR9. Findings in human patients supported this discovery, as older patients

with gum disease had higher expression of TLR9 compared to health controls.

“We know there’s a relationship between aging and periodontal disease, but we don’t know the mechanistic link,” she says. “We’ve found that engagement of TLR9 with nucleic acids can act as ‘danger signals’ to potentiate the inflammatory response. Now we’re working on therapeutics that might be able to obviate that inflammation.”

Working with both plant-based products and small molecules, Sahingur has done work to try to ameliorate some of these signs of inflammation and aging by blocking the activity of these signals. Through this translational approach, she hopes to improve not only oral health but overall well-being as well.

Penn’s reputation as a research University was a big draw for Sahingur, and she’s hoping to continue growing connections.

“Future research success and innovation will depend on developing interdisciplinary collaborations,” Sahingur says.

Another direction for her lab’s research, in the connection between periodontal and liver diseases, has prompted her to form new connections with faculty in the Perelman School of Medicine. She’s also working with School of Engineering and Applied Science scientists on novel nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems.

“Penn is a world-renowned institution,” she says. “I’m excited to be supporting the incredible work being done here, in both the education and research missions. It is especially gratifying to interact and provide mentorship and opportunities for the next generation to reach their goals.”

n

— By Katherine Baillie

“Future research success and innovation will depend on developing interdisciplinary collaborations”

— DR. SINEM ESRA SAHINGUR

The work of Dr. Sahingur’s lab clarifies the cellular and molecular mechanisms increasing susceptibility for periodontal diseases and the links between oral and systemic health issues. Her lab has done pioneering work in elucidating the workings of nucleic acid sensors, which can interact with other molecules in the cell to trigger inflammation.

FACULTYPERSPECTIVE

VIEWS ON DENTAL TOPICS & TRENDS

Investing in Dental Faculty: Current Challenges and Opportunities

Contributed by: Dr. Alina O'Brien, Assistant Director, Postdoctoral Pediatric Dentistry Program, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry

Challenges in recruiting and retaining faculty are well known among dental institutions and acknowledged by many organizations, including the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). The rise in dental faculty position vacancies is largely driven by faculty retiring or transitioning to private practice. To create a robust pool of dental faculty, we must focus on mentoring students, providing financial support to faculty, and giving educational support to our existing faculty.

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Oral Health Workforce 2017-2030 report projects deficits in the dental workforce, particularly primary care dentists. Studies demonstrate that faculty mentors and strong interpersonal relationships with faculty role models are a factor in career choice and the decision to pursue a career in primary care dentistry. Bearing that in mind, one can imagine that with dwindling numbers of primary care faculty in dental schools, fewer graduates will consider a career in primary care dentistry. Workforce shortages in primary care dentistry will impact the number of dental health professional shortage areas, which currently include 70 million people.

Strengthening the primary care dental faculty workforce is critical for training the next generation of dental students and improving access to dentistry, particularly among vulnerable populations. Penn Dental Medicine is leading the way in this realm and has several initiatives in place. We are a participating institution in the ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program, which will give students and residents hands-on exposure to dental academia through a mentored project. Recent surveys of dental school graduates

reflect that only a small number of graduates plan to enter a full-time career in dental academics. According to ADEA’s survey of dental school faculty, in 2011-12, 7% of faculty started directly after dental school graduation, whereas in 2018-2019, that percentage had dropped to just 4%. To address the dental faculty workforce shortage, it is critical that we support our students who are interested in exploring an academic career and provide them with information to succeed.

An additional challenge dental schools face in attracting faculty is salary limitations, which may inhibit candidates with a high student debt burden. Penn Dental Medicine is a current recipient of HRSA’s competitive Faculty Loan Repayment Program award, which has resulted in the retention of six faculty who are currently receiving loan repayment. HRSA continues to prioritize faculty loan repayment nationwide and has recently released another series of competitive awards.

After recruiting students interested in academic careers and providing them with financial support as faculty, there is still a remaining

challenge to retaining and promoting faculty: many candidates lack adequate training and support to face challenges of succeeding in an academic career. In fact, 2018-2019 data from ADEA identifies the inability to meet the requirements of the position as the leading factor influencing the ability to fill positions. Penn Dental Medicine partnered with the Academy for Advancing Leadership to create an online course, “Fundamentals in Clinical Education,” available to dental school faculty nationwide. In addition, the Center for Teaching and Learning at Penn is an excellent resource for Penn Dental Medicine faculty and offers programs on numerous topics, including active learning strategies, inclusive and equitable teaching, and integrating new technology in teaching. Other programs, such as the ADEA Emerging Leaders Program, the ADEA Leadership Institute, and the Academy of Advanced Leadership Institute for Teaching and Learning, can support faculty at various stages in their career.

Lastly, HRSA has established a first-of-itskind primary care dental faculty development center in collaboration with Eastman Institute for Oral Health to support the academic careers of junior dental faculty and promote clinical education in primary care settings. I am currently one of five fellows in the program, and as such receive support to have time and mentorship dedicated to professional development. The program curriculum includes courses in health professions education, scholarship and project development, program evaluation, and selected topics in primary care dentistry, including interprofessional collaboration and the care of patients in vulnerable populations.

Recruiting and retaining dental school faculty is a critical priority to ensure the training of the future of dentistry. Cultivating student interest in academic careers, providing financial support to new and existing faculty with high student loan debt burdens, and encouraging faculty development initiatives are essential activities to address the current national workforce shortage among dental faculty.

PROFILES, GATHERINGS & ENGAGEMENT ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS

2023 Alumni Awards

The Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society is pleased to honor the accomplishments and dedication of alumni with its annual awards. The awards will be presented as part of Alumni Weekend 2023 at a special reception on Friday, May 12, 4 p.m., in Fonseca Courtyard. The 2023 Alumni Award recipients include the following.

THOMAS EVANS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Thomas Evans Achievement Award is Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society’s highest award of recognition, honoring alumni who have shown innovation, excellence, and leadership in the profession of oral healthcare nationally and internationally. This year’s recipient is: Thomas R. Tempel (D’63)

Upon graduation from Penn Dental Medicine in 1963, Dr. Thomas R. Tempel entered the U.S. Army Dental Corps as a Captain. He served as the division dental surgeon for the 8th Infantry Division and Clinic Chief, Colman Dental Clinic between 1964-1967. In 1971, he completed his residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as a clinical periodontist and guest scientist at the National Institutes of Health. Advancing through the grades, he was ultimately promoted to Major General in 1990 and shortly thereafter appointed to the position of Chief of the U.S. Army Dental Corps from 1990 to 1994. From 1994 through his retirement in 1996, he also served as Deputy Surgeon General (the first non-physician to fill this position) under the U.S Army Medical Command. In total, Dr. Tempel provided more than 33 years of leadership, during which he had the opportunity to work with the Office of the Surgeon General Staff, the Department of Army, the Department of Defense, Congress and the civilian community in the U.S. and abroad in Germany.

During his military professional career, Dr. Tempel was recognized as an accomplished clinician, educator, administrator, and dental scientist. He contributed numerous articles to various professional journals and gave many presentations on sensory physiology of teeth, immunological aspects of inflammatory disease, periodontal disease pathology, clinical periodontics, preventive dentistry, professional fitness, military topics, and leadership.

“I believe we received a first class education in the art and science of dentistry at Penn Dental Medicine. I loved and appreciated my classmates, teachers, instructors, administrators, clinical staff, maintenance staff, and my clinical and research mentors,” shared Dr. Tempel. “I met Elaine Gardner (DH’62), a dental hygiene student, my second year, and we were married two days after I graduated; we soon will celebrate 60 years together. I never felt I ever did anything by myself; it was always a team effort with my family and classmates. I am happy and proud to receive this award.”

ALUMNI AWARD OF MERIT

The Alumni Award of Merit recognizes love for and loyalty to Penn Dental Medicine, excellence in the profession of dentistry, and community involvement. The award acknowledges graduates who have maintained their ties with the School through their support of alumni activities, demonstrated leadership in the dental profession, and fostered and maintained the ideals of the School. This year’s recipients include: Howard

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD OF MERIT

The Young Alumni Award of Merit recognizes Penn Dental Medicine alumni one to 15 years from graduation who have maintained their ties with the School through their support of alumni activities, demonstrated leadership in the dental profession, and fostered and maintained the ideals that the School of Dental Medicine has stood for since its founding. This year’s recipient is Kari Hexem (D’15).

HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD

The honorary alumni awards are presented to individuals who are not graduates of Penn Dental Medicine, but have demonstrated a strong commitment to Penn Dental Medicine through their service to and involvement with the School. This year’s recipient is:

P. Fraiman (D’91, GD’93, GD’94)

Gail E. Schupak (D’83)

Kari Hexem (D’15)

Syngcuk Kim, DDS, PhD, Louis I. Grossman Professor, Dept. of Endodontics, Penn Dental Medicine

Dental Hygiene Yearbook Collection

Alumni of Penn Dental Medicine’s Dental Hygiene program now have a nearly complete archive of yearbooks to explore in the Penn Dental Medicine library. The extensive collection chronicles the history and activities of the program that ran from the first graduating class in 1922 through 1985. The only missing yearbooks in the archive are those from 1925 and 1950 (the first dental hygiene yearbook was published in 1923).

“We are thrilled to have this record of this important group of alumni who have done so much to represent Penn Dental Medicine and advance oral care,” says Elizabeth Ketterlinus, Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement.

The collection of the Hygieana yearbooks was developed through the donation of copies from dental hygiene alumni. Visitors to Penn Dental Medicine who wish to browse a past issue can request it at the service desk in the School’s library.

CALL FOR MEMORABILIA

The School is beginning to gather additional memorabilia from the Dental Hygiene program to develop a permanent display on the history of the program within the School. Dental Hygiene alumni willing to donate items for the exhibit, such as pins, graduation programs, caps, and kits, should contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at alumni@dental.upenn.edu — please be sure to contact the School before sending any items.

Pursuing Dual Dreams

A successful oral surgeon and former NFL player remembers how he kicked off two careers at once.

Since high school, Dr. Ken MacAfee (D’83, GD’86) knew he wanted to be an oral surgeon. Then, during his senior year in college, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arose—the chance to play professional football.

A top English and pre-professional studies student at the University of Notre Dame, Dr. MacAfee had a stellar run as a tight end for the Fighting Irish, who won the NCAA championship in 1977, his senior year. A three-time All American, Dr. MacAfee was a contender for the Heisman trophy and, in 1978, became a first-round draft pick, selected by the San Francisco 49ers.

He had been accepted to several dental schools, but only one of their deans thought professional football and dental school could work together: Dean D. Walter Cohen (C‘47,D’50) of Penn Dental Medicine. (Dr. Donald Kreuzer ( D’70 GD’72) was instrumental in helping convince Dean Cohen to take a chance on Dr. MacAfee, and would be the best man at Dr. MacAfee’s wedding several years later.)

“The other schools wanted me to choose, but Dr. Cohen said he thought I could attend dental school for six months and play football for six months, so that’s what I did for the next three years,” remembers Dr. MacAfee.

While in Philadelphia, he threw himself into classes and clinics, running at Franklin Field and working out alongside the Penn football team whenever he could. During football season, he played his heart out in San Francisco, with a career total of 46 receptions, 471 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.

In 1981, injuries and coaching changes helped him decide to return to school full-time. An original member of the Class of ’82, he graduated in 1983, only one year later than his classmates.

A DEDICATED TEACHER AND RESEARCHER

The NFL’s loss was Penn Dental Medicine’s gain: Dr. MacAfee would stay on at Penn for 11 more years, as an oral surgery resident (eventually head resident), a lecturer and clinic director, and, eventually, as Assistant Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. In 1990, he was awarded the School’s Earl Banks Hoyt Award for excellence in teaching.

“I loved giving back what I’d learned to the next generation,” he says. “Some of my best memories are of just sitting and talking with my students over pizza and beer.”

Dr. MacAfee was also a prolific researcher, authoring and co-authoring dozens of publications on topics that included temporomandibular joint (TMJ) reconstruction and the use of anesthesia and pain relief during oral surgery.

LIFE-CHANGING MENTORS

In addition to Dean Walter Cohen and Dr. Kreuzer, two other men were critical in shaping Dr. MacAfee’s dental career. One was Dr. Bil Moncevicz (D’75) a family friend who was in dental school when Dr. MacAfee was in high school and encouraged him to become an oral surgeon.

“I was honored to have a chance to work alongside Dr. Quinn. His brilliant work built the reputation of oral surgery at Penn, and he remains one of the smartest people I know.”

— DR. KEN MACAFEE

ABOVE: Since 2002, Dr. Kenneth MacAfee (D'83, GD'86) has worked as a solo oral surgery practitioner in Waltham, Mass.

ALUMNI PROFILE: KENNETH MACAFEE (D’83, GD’86)

The other was Dr. Peter Quinn (‘D’74, GD’78), Schoenleber Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology, who led the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from 1986 to 2008, and, through his groundbreaking work in TMJ reconstruction and replacement, established the department as a world leader in oral surgery and TMJ care. After Dr. MacAfee graduated, it was Dr. Quinn who offered him a job on the faculty.

“I was honored to have a chance to work alongside him,” Dr. MacAfee says. “His brilliant work built the reputation of oral surgery at Penn, and he remains one of the smartest people I know.”

A DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN

In 1992, the University of Notre Dame presented Dr. MacAfee with its Distinguished American Award. A few years later, Dr. MacAfee and his wife Kathy returned to their home state of Massachusetts to raise their family. Dr. MacAfee became a clinical associate professor at Harvard while working with a partner in private practice. Since 2002, he has worked as a solo practitioner, seeing 12-20 patients a day and performing extractions, implants, bone grafts, and exodontia at his Waltham office, where Kathy helps with the books.

In 2016, Notre Dame named Dr. MacAfee one of their 25 greatest football players of all time.

While he continues to follow professional football—and rooted for the Eagles in the last Super Bowl—his sports interests over the years have focused on his athletic children: son Dalton, who was captain of his ice hockey team at West Point, and daughter Keeley, who was captain of her lacrosse team at Harvard. They have provided him with years of enjoyment as a parental spectator, his favorite role of all.

ALUMNUS’ $100K GIFT CREATES VETERANS FUND

Veterans coming to Penn Dental Medicine for dental care now have a new resource to help cover the costs of their treatment –the Penn Dental Medicine Veterans Dental Care Fund. This new Veterans Fund was recently established through a $100,000 gift from a Penn Dental Medicine alumnus and his wife with hopes that it will inspire fellow alumni to support the Fund and help it continue to grow.

“This generous donation will have a far-reaching impact on the lives of the Veterans we serve,” says Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark S. Wolff. “We are tremendously grateful to have this Fund as an ongoing resource to help those Veterans in need.”

Veterans will be eligible to benefit from the Fund depending on their treatment plan needs and financial limitations.

Having served as an Army officer himself, the alumnus who made the donation (who wishes to remain anonymous) shares that he has seen first-hand through his service and years of practicing dentistry the need among many Veterans for help with their oral healthcare.

“Veterans often have limited dental coverage through the VA,” he says. “We felt that by starting this Fund, it was a way we could support them in appreciation of their service and help improve their quality of life. Better oral health will help them live healthier, happier, and more secure lives.”

He recalls that his earliest experience caring for a Veteran had a profound effect on him. As a dental student, one of his full denture patients was an Army Veteran – a man in his 40s who had lost all his teeth due to a combination of poor oral hygiene, substance abuse, and limited financial resources. “He was so appreciative of the dental care we provided,” he says, “and we hope this Fund can not only aid similar Veterans in desperate need of dental care, but also inspire current dental students to help the Veterans who risked their lives for our country.”

According to the 2020 census, there are approximately 56,000 Veterans in Philadelphia County alone, and in recent years, Penn Dental Medicine has expanded its effort to reach Veterans in need of a dental care home. The Fund’s donors hope that with grassroots support from other alumni, the Fund will expand to provide even greater support for Veterans coming to the School for care.

“Donations to this fund will go directly to servicemen and women who otherwise would not be able to afford urgently needed dental care,” notes Penn Dental Medicine

Vice Dean for Institutional Advancement Elizabeth Ketterlinus. “Everyone benefits from the selfless services of these veterans. They deserve not only our gratitude, but our ongoing support in times of need.”

Gifts to the Penn Dental Medicine

Veterans Dental Care Fund can be made online at www.dental.upenn.edu/VetFund and for more information on supporting the Fund, contact Elizabeth Ketterlinus, Vice Dean for Institutional Advancement, ekett@upenn.edu

ABOVE: A former Penn Dental Medicine student and Veteran at the School’s Veterans New Patient Fair in 2019. This annual fair provides free oral health screenings and x-rays to Veterans and welcomes them to make Penn Dental Medicine their dental care home. The new Penn Dental Medicine Veterans Dental Care Fund will support Veterans coming to the School for care and needing financial assistance for their treatment plans.

Alumni Gatherings

GREATER NEW YORK DENTAL MEETING RECEPTION

On November 28, alumni and friends gathered with Dean Wolff in the heart of New York City to reconnect and make new connections with Penn Dental Medicine.

ANNUAL ALUMNI BRUNCH IN FLORIDA

A group of 38 alumni and guests gathered in West Palm Beach, Fla., for brunch to catch up with old classmates and meet other alumni in the area. While together, they learned about new initiatives, programs, and research going on at Penn Dental Medicine.

ALUMNI-STUDENT NETWORKING

On March 2, over 200 students, residents, and alumni came together at The Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia to make meaningful connections at the annual Alumni-Student Networking Event

ALUMNI SKI TRIP

The annual Alumni Ski Trip took place March 8-12 in Vail, Colo. Alumni were offered continuing dental education from four guest speakers in the mornings and enjoyed the slopes in the afternoons.

CLASSNOTES NEWS FROM FELLOW ALUMNI

1950s

Dr. Bernard Zeldow (D’56) was profiled in the American Association of Endodontics (AAE) monthly email publication Communiqué on his life and career as an endodontist. At almost 96 years old, he is one of the organizations oldest members.

Evelyn McQueeney (DH’59) is living life in North Carolina and enjoying every second of it!

Dr. Lloyd Shaver (D’57) retired from the United States Army and practiced as a prosthodontist until retirement. He now enjoys playing golf twice a week with his friends.

The late Jay I. Glat (D'59), who recently passed, is remembered for his love of Penn Dental Medicine and his active engagement in organized dentistry. Among his leadership roles, he was a past president of the New York County Dental Society and the New York State Dental Association and served as General Chairman of the Greater New York Dental Meeting.

1960s

Dr. Anastassios Koussis (D’61) celebrated his 89th birthday and enjoys volunteering his time at Caridad Medical Center in Florida. While volunteering, he treats low-income patients and feels an enormous sense of satisfaction when he sees his patients walk out with a smile on their faces. He says he is forever grateful to Penn Dental Medicine for allowing him to pursue his life’s dream of becoming a dentist.

Dr. Myron Allukian Jr. (D’64) was presented with the Massachusetts Public Health Association’s highest honor, the Paul Revere Award for Lifetime Achievement, in recognition of his unwavering commitment to public health. He is the first dentist to have received the award which was presented during the Association’s 150th Anniversary Meeting in November 2022.

Dr. Robert Hall (D’64) spent several years in Germany training as a U.S. Army Dental Officer after graduating from Penn Dental Medicine. Upon moving back to the States after his service, he spent time as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Connecticut’s School of Dental Medicine and participated on the admissions committee. He is now retired and enjoying a quieter life.

1970s

Dr. Allen Crawford (D’71) retired in September after working in the field for over 50 years.

Dr. Jeffrey Ingber (GD’71, GD’72) and Dr. Harold Baumgarten (D77, GD’82) were recently inducted as Life Fellows of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics, an honor for those who have demonstrated accomplishments and proficiency in prosthodontics and made meaningful contributions to the discipline. Drs. Ingber and Baumgarten currently practice at Amsterdam Dental Group with fellow alumni Dr. Howard Fraiman (D’91, GD’93, GD’94), Dr. Caleb Cross (D’11, GD’15), Dr. Brian Kasten (D’13, GD’17), and Dr. Thomas Yoo (D’18, GD’22)

Dr. Richard Brogadir (D’73) has been practicing dentistry for almost 50 years though retired from full-time practice back in 2016. Although semi-retired, he works twice a week and says he is blessed to still have the skills to necessary practice dentistry.

Dr. Roger Lacoste (D’74) retired from endodontic practice in Southeastern Massachusetts leaving his four practices to his two daughters, Dr. Katherine Suprenant (D’00), Dr. Danielle Kilmartin (D’99, GD’00), nephew Dr. Mark Doherty (D’03), and son of Dr. Mark Doherty Sr. (D’74).

Dr. Edward Rossomando’s (D’64) non-profit, The Center for Research and Education in Technology (CRET) Inc, recently opened its fifth Innovation Center at Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Dental School. He was surprised and honored to have the Center at LMU dedicated to him in honor of his contributions to dental education. The photo included shows Dr. Rossomando and Ms. Susan Ferrante CRET's COB at the dedication ceremony.

Dr. Joseph Greenberg (D’72, GD’75, GD’76) retired in October but continues to follow his passion for oral health and has been working with the non-profit Kids Smiles and the Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders.

Dr. Edwin Slade (D’74) recently was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. During their 2022-2023 term, the Board of Directors will advocate for patient safety, provide strategic guidance on program development and administration, and share ideas to ensure the continued success of the organization.

Dr. Howard Kantrowitz (D’76) retired from his long-time general practice in Franklin Square, NY, and is now enjoying time with his four children and six grandchildren.

Dr. David Fenster (D’77, GD’80) released a song titled Paradise in a Cloud with Tom Marshall of Phish and recorded with Anthony Krizan of the Spin Doctors. The song is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.

Dr. Douglas Reich (D’78) retired from his private practice of 40 years but is keeping himself busy as the Chairman of the Division of Dentistry at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.

1980s

Dr. Donald Rebhun (D’80) recently retired from his private practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery and left the practice in the hands of his son, Chad. He’s still teaching once a week at Penn Dental Medicine in the OMFS clinic and is enjoying the rest of retirement with his wife, Dr. Francine BraunsteinRebhun (D’82) and their grandchildren.

Dr. Richard Oshrain (D’81) has been appointed the Chairman of the Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM) for 2022-2023. The GNYDM is the largest dental meeting in the United States.

Dr. Wilferd (Wil) Vachon (D’81) is working as a clinical associate at Penn Dental Medicine and enjoys working with the various faculty members and students at the school.

Dr. Michael Yasner (C’79 D’83 GD’84 GD’86) and Dr. Valerie Yasner (C’79, D’83, GD’86) met Dr. Steven Baron (D’67) by happenstance while walking through the streets of Tel Aviv. Dr. Baron warmly welcomed them and spent time talking about his Penn experience. He has been living and practicing in Tel Aviv since 1983!

Dr. Wayne Maibaum (D’84) is now retired from dentistry and living in Danbury, CT. He now spends some of his time helping his daughter run her marmalade company, Maytree Marmalade.

Dr. Laurel Adrian-Termini (D’85) and her friend Pia de Girolamo are jointly hosting an art collaboration exhibit at the Pandemic Flower Show at the Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery in Philadelphia from May 4-24, 2023, celebrating floral beauty.

Dr. James Patrick Murphy’s (D’88) daughter, Maggie, was recently accepted to Penn’s undergraduate Class of 2027!

Dr. Stuart Hoffman (D’89) is celebrating 30 years in private practice at Calabasas Orthodontics. Recently he was inducted into the American College of Dentists, The International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy of Dentists. He continues to serve as an adjunct faculty professor, in the Division of Orthodontics at USC’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry going on 18 years. Dr. Hoffman enjoys keeping in contact with many of his Penn Dental Medicine colleagues as well.

Dr. Gerald Herman (D’82) wrote and published his first book of original photography titled “Eidetic Imagery/ Photography and Words.”

Dr. Lyn Allee (D’83) recently retired after working in pediatric dentistry for over 30 years

Dr. George Feldman (D’83, GPR’91) currently has a joint faculty appointment as an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Research and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University. His lab is currently trying to find a treatment and early diagnostic test for medicationrelated osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Dr. Sheppard Webb (D’84) recently retired from his cardiothoracic surgery practice but is still engaged in general surgery didactics at Stony Brook Southampton Medicine and Flushing Hospital. He is also participating in COVID-19 research and stays in touch with his D’84 classmates despite his career taking a different path.

Dr. Ofer Sarne (GD’93) graduated from the Faculty of Dental Medicine, the Hebrew University and Hadassah, Jerusalem, in 1989. In 1993 he joined the international specialty program in the Orthodontic Department at the Goldschlager School of Dental Medicine, Tel-Aviv University (TAU) and since 2014 he has led the orthodontic post-graduate program at TAU. Dr. Sarne maintains a private practice limited to adolescent and adult Orthodontics in Ramat Hasharon, Israel. In October, he welcomed Dean Wolff during Penn Dental Medicine’s visit to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Dr. Kalindi Patwa (D’94) has been running her practice for the last 15 years in San Jose, California. Her son is currently an undergraduate student at Penn.

2010s

Dr. Tony Saito (D’95) recently established the new Penn Club of Worcester, located in Central Massachusetts. Penn alumni in the local area are welcome to join the new club!

Dr. Jacob Britt (D’15) and Dr. Jordan Murphy (D’15) welcomed their newborn son, Murphy James Britt on October 3. Both are currently residing and practicing in Northern Kentucky.

Dr. Christine Chen (D’16) recently welcomed her first child, Henry! Just before having Henry, she opened North Potomac Orthodontics, which just celebrated its first anniversary! Henry is already helping at community events and enjoying speed crawling and swim class.

Dr. Heather Lenker (D’16) married Cameron Stevens at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia in October. The wedding had several Penn Dental Medicine Alumni in attendance, with the wedding being officiated by Dr. Melanie Martel (D’17, GD’19)

Dr. Thomas Yoo (D’18, GD’22) along with Dr. Harold Baumgarten (D’77, GD’82), Dr. Jeffrey Ingber (GD’71, GD’72), Dr. Howard Fraiman (D’91, GD’93, GD’94), Dr. Caleb Cross (D’11, GD’15), and Dr. Brian Kasten (D’13, GD’17) were all added by the National Foundations of Ectodermal Dysplasias to their network of dental professionals working to help treat those suffering from the genetic disorder ectodermal dysplasia (ED).

2020s

Dr. Sara Gholam (D’17) recently welcomed her son, Cooper, with husband, Brad! They moved to Lancaster in September where they are currently practicing.

Dr. Sarah Karron (D’20), Dr. Bonolo Odirile (GD’16), and Dr. Jennifer Sullivan (D’03, GD’04) caught up for lunch. They are currently the only Penn Dentists practicing in Midland and Odessa, Texas!

Dr. Ashley Swan (D’20) and Dr. Joshua Cho (D’20) got married on September 6 in Banff, Alberta, Canada!

Dr. Blair Feldman (D’99, GED’99) retired from clinical practice to focus on two companies he cofounded to help offices bring online services to their patients. Retainer Club focuses on post-orthodontic care, and Mouthguard Club focuses on athletic mouthguards.

INMEMORIAM

REMEMBERING MEMBERS OF THE PENN DENTAL MEDICINE COMMUNITY

Norma Stumpf Zimmer (DH’40) Pompano Beach, FL; January 4, 2023

Richard B. Reinhard (C’45, D’46) Morristown, NJ; December 11, 2022

Virginia K. Ostrander (DH’52) Trent Woods, NJ; September 16, 2022

Florence Kozik Washko (DH’52) Bensalem, PA; January 6, 2023

Silvia Sirica Conroy (DH’53) Andover, PA; May 29, 2022

Alan M. Gordon (D’53) New Haven, CT, February 25, 2023

Charlotte Yingling McCleaf (DH’53) Hanover, PA; June 21, 2022

Barbara Scheu Mikula (DH’53) Twinsburg, OH, January 1, 2018

Virginia K. Ostrander (DH’53) Trent Woods, NC; September 16, 2022

Mary Whiting Winner (DH’54) Denver, PA; September 8, 2022

Albert J. Anderson, Jr (C’52, D’55) Old Saybrook, CT; December 26, 2022

Valerie V. Davidson (DH’55) Powell, OH, February 24, 2023

Salvator J. Defuria (D’56) Peoria, AZ; June 25, 2022

Harold B. Ginsberg (D’56) Beacon, NY; April 8, 2023

G. Robert Lange (D’56) Mc Lean, VA; August 9, 2021

Leonard A. Cole (D’57) Ridgewood, NJ; September 18, 2022

Charles W. Matchett (D’57) Reading, PA; September 9, 2022

Francis A. Defrino (D’58) New Milford, CT; May 18, 2022

Daniel P. Ditaranto (D’58) Lavallette, NJ; May 5, 2022

Edward J. Strow, Jr (D’58) Haddon Heights, NJ; November 11, 2022

Alfred S. Tong (C’55, D’58) Honolulu, HI; March 6, 2022

Minnie Cotler Zack (DH’58) Boca Raton, FL; November 7, 2022

Chris T. Armen (D’59) Lebanon, NH, March 19, 2023

Jay I. Glat (D'59) Boca Raton, FL; March 26, 2023

Harry M. Hoffman (D’59) Jenkintown, PA; December 30, 2021

John P. Hruby (GD’59) Pueblo, CO; May 21, 2020

Clifton E. Crandell (GD’61) Chapel Hill, NC; December 30, 2022

Bernard G. Park (D’61) Colchester, CT, March 22, 2023

James E. Pumphrey (GD’61) Tallahassee, FL, February 22, 2020

Cynthia Johnson Lantz (DH’62) Cambridge, MD, March 5, 2023

Jack E. Jordan (GD’63) Urbana, IL; February 11, 2023

Victor J. Krym (D’63)

Pittsford, NY; January 29, 2022

Robert H. Williams (CHE’59, D’63)

Newtown Square, PA; December 9, 2022

Joseph R. Zaientz (D’65)

Haddam Neck, CT, March 11, 2023

John F. Sinclair (D’66)

Old Orchard Beach, ME; December 14, 2022

Stephen M. Fisher (D’66, GD’67)

Mount Dora, FL; January 10, 2023

Stephen H. Halem (D’66)

Newtown, MA; February 13, 2023

Ronald R. Kresge (D’68)

Naples, FL, March 17, 2023

Craig W. Fischer (D’70)

Naples, FL, November 28. 2021

Judith A. Williams (DH’72)

Southamption, PA; December 30, 2022

Robert N. Arm (D’72, GD’73)

Wilmington, DE; July 1, 2020

Robert E. Day, Jr. (D’73)

Swedesboro, NJ; July 25, 2020

Sanford M. Roth (D’73)

Huntingdon Valley, PA; June 17, 2022

Mark J. Doherty (D’74)

Lakeville, MA; October 7, 2022

William R. Colite (D’75)

Middletown, CT; December 17, 2022

James L. Pearlstein (D’78)

Beverly Hills, CA; August 31, 2022

Richard Stanley Tobey, Jr. (D’75, GD’80, GR’81)

Rock Hall, MD; August 26, 2022

Charles E. Graper (GD’81)

Gainesville, FL, February 1, 2021

David M. Emanuel (D’91)

Framingham, MA; February 4, 2023

Brian M. Schwab (D’06)

Temple, PA; January 4, 2023

2023CALENDAR

UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS

MAY

MAY 9

Senior Farewell

The Bellevue, Philadelphia

MAY 10

Advances in Clinical Care & Education (ACCE Day)

Penn Dental Medicine

MAY 11

Research Day

Penn Dental Medicine

MAY 12-13

Alumni Weekend

Penn Dental Medicine

MAY 13

AAC Spring Webinar

Live Webinar

MAY 15

Commencement

Irvine Auditorium

University of Pennsylvania

MAY 23

Dean’s Lecture Series:

Dr. Joe Nguyen

Hybrid: PDM and Live Webinar

MAY 26

S. Gary Cohen Conference Series: Dr. Abrar Sabeh

Live Webinar

MAY 27

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Reception

Orlando, FL

JUNE

JUNE 1

2nd CiPD Symposium

Penn Dental Medicine

JUNE 5

Penn Orthodontic Department

Lecture Series: Dr. Nipul Tanna

Live Webinar

JUNE 5-9

Systematic Review Course

Penn Dental Medicine

JUNE 26

CIGOH Roots of Wisdom

Interview Series: Dr. Tim Ricks

Live Webinar

JULY 14

Quarterly Combined TMJ Lecture

Live Webinar

JULY 24–28

Penn Periodontal Conference

Penn Dental Medicine

JULY 31

CIGOH Roots of Wisdom

Interview Series:

Correspondent Julia Belluz

Live Webinar

AUGUST

AUGUST 10

White Coat Ceremony

University of Pennsylvania

AUGUST 28

CIGOH Roots of Wisdom

Interview Series: Dr. Brian O’Connell Live Webinar

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 20-24

Advanced Esthetics Week

Penn Dental Medicine

SEPTEMBER 21

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Reception

San Diego, CA

SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 1

Perio Symposium: The Evolution of a Paradigm Ripalimosani, Italy

OCTOBER

OCTOBER 20

Quarterly Combined TMJ Lecture Live Webinar

OCTOBER 26

American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) Reception

San Diego, CA

OCTOBER 27

Ortho Alumni Day

Philadelphia, PA

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 10

American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Reception

Austin, TX

NOVEMBER 13

CIGOH Conference: IDEA Africa

Kenya, Africa

NOVEMBER 27

Greater NY Alumni Reception New York, NY

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNI SOCIETY 2022-2023 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Scott Chanin, D'83

President

Alyssa Greenberger, D'02 Vice-President

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Deena Alani, D'13

Abdalla Asi, D’22

Pam Alberto, D'80

Judy Bendit, DH'81

Carolyn Izu Bergmann, D’83

Larry Chacker, D'85

Sooji (Cindy) Choi, D'20

Gail Spiegel Cohen, C'76 D'80

Milan Doshi, D'07

Lee Durst, D'83

Keith Dunoff, D'84

Caryn Siegel Finley, C'95 D'99

Katherine France, D'16 GR'16 GD'18

Joel Frankel, C'02 D'06, GD’10

Andrew Fraser, D'16

Maria Perno Goldie, DH'71

Wendy Halpern, D'99 GD'02 GD'03

Andrew Henry, D’12 M’15 GD’18

Stephen Howarth, D'16

Ken Ingber, D'71

Donna Jankiewicz, D’88

JV Kracke, D'17 GD'19

Daniel Kubikian, D'01 GD'04 GD'05

Roopali Kulkarni, D’19 GR’19 GD’21

Bernard Kurek, D'73 WMP'03

Kristen Leong, C'16 GED'20 D'21

Bret Lesavoy, D'19

Rachel Levarek, D'11

Mel Mupparapu, D'96

Ngozi Okoh, D'12

Nimesh Patel, D’09

Lindsay Pfeffer, D’08 GR’08

Morrie Rosen, D’92

Steven Ryoo, D'20

Trevan Samp, D'14

Lisa Schildhorn, DH'75

Shabnam Sedaghat, D'06

Neel Shah, D'21

Janet Shear, D’22

Josh Simpson, D'16

Matt Sones, D'12

Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, DH'82

Ben Truong, D'19

Gary Wegman, D'83

Michael Yasner, C'79 D'83 GD'84 GD'86

Brigitte White Zinkovic, CGS'04 D'07

BOARD OF ADVISORS

David Tai-Man Shen, DMD, D’79, GD’81, Chair

Nancy L. Baker, Esq.

Stanley M. Bergman - Emeritus

Dirk Brunner, MSC, MBA

Julie Charlestein

William W. M. Cheung, DMD, D’81, GD’82 - Emeritus

Joanne Chouinard-Luth, DMD, D’79

Terry Dolan, DDS, MPH

Matthew J. Doyle, PhD

Patrik Eriksson

Allen Finkelstein, DDS

Ruchi Goel, WG’04

C. Mitchell Goldman

Steve Kess

Anne Koch, DMD, D’77, GD’93

Vincent Mosimann

Kate O’Hern Lyons

Joan O’Shea, MD

Daniel W. Perkins

Garry Rayant, DDS, GD’77

Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD

Tony Saito, DMD, D’95

Alfred L. Spencer, Jr.

Thomas Schwieterman, MD

Heather Trombley

Larry Turner, Esq.

Joerg Vogel

Robert Zou, WG’94

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Martin D. Levin, DMD, D’72, GD’74, Chair, Dean’s Council

Scott Chanin, DMD, D’83, President, Alumni Society

DEAN’S COUNCIL

Martin D. Levin, D’72, GD’74, Chair

Robert Brody, C’80, D’84

Stefani Cheung, C’08, D’11

Egidio Farone, D’84

Charlene Jennings Fenster, DH’75

Joseph P. Fiorellini

Howard P. Fraiman, D’91, GD’93, GD’94

Joseph E. Gian-Grasso, C’67, D’71

Jeffrey N. Grove, D’04

Elliot Hersh

Anil J. Idiculla, C’98, GD’06

Christopher Joy, DMD, D’80

Meetu Kohli, D’02, GD’05

Brian Lee, D’00, GD’04

Richard Levitt, DMD, C’68, D’72, GD’77

Daniell J. Mishaan, D’03

Saul M. Pressner, D’79

Daniel Richardson, D’02

Howie Rosa, D’82

Louis Rossman, D’75, GD’77

Derek Sanders, D’06

Gail E. Schupak, D’83

Tara Sexton, D’88

Robert Stern, D’87

Susan Stern, C’77, D’81

Arnold Weisgold, GD’65

PDMJ ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Beth Adams

Director of Publications

Dr. Faizan Alawi

Associate Professor, Basic & Translational Sciences

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Dr. Markus Blatz

Professor of Restorative Dentistry

Chair, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences

Sarah Burton Flynn

Director of Strategic Development & Alumni Relations

Maren Gaughan

Associate Dean for Leadership Giving

Dr. Joan Gluch

Division Chief and Professor of Clinical Community Oral

Health, Associate Dean for Academic Policies

Dr. Dana Graves

Professor, Department of Periodontics

Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship

Elizabeth Ketterlinus

Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement

Dr. Robert Ricciardi

Professor, Acting Chair,

Department of Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Thomas Sollecito

Professor of Oral Medicine

Chair, Department of Oral Medicine

Margaret Yang

Director of Student Affairs & Engagement

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Elizabeth Ketterlinus, ekett@upenn.edu

Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement

Maren Gaughan, gaughan@upenn.edu

Associate Dean for Leadership Giving

Sarah Burton Flynn, sburton@upenn.edu

Director of Strategic Development & Alumni Relations

Lindsay Murphy, lhonzak@upenn.edu

Associate Director of Annual Giving

Jennifer Pacitti, jpacitti@upenn.edu

Special Events Coordinator

Domenic Gaeta, dtgaeta@upenn.edu

Development Coordinator

Beth Adams, adamsnb@upenn.edu

Director, Publications

Pam Rice, pamrice@upenn.edu

Senior Director of Continuing Education

Rachel Dager, rdager@upenn.edu

Associate Director of Continuing Dental Education

Julia Zhu, hezhu97@upenn.edu

Continuing Education Program Coordinator

Office of Institutional Advancement: 215–898–8951

The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to the Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Sansom Place East, 3600 Chestnut Street, Suite 228, Philadelphia, PA 19104–6106; or (215) 898–6993 (Voice) or (215) 898–7803 (TDD).

Robert Schattner Center University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

240 South 40th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104–6030

Some Certainty in Uncertain Times

When planning a gift to Penn Dental Medicine, consider a Charitable Gift Annuity. This safe and reliable vehicle can be a great way to set aside valued assets today, for guaranteed payments tomorrow—knowing that every time you receive a payment, you’re reminded that your gift will strengthen the future of Penn Dental Medicine.

Plan a gift and commit today’s financial resources to ensure tomorrow’s stability.

Benefits:

Fund your annuity with cash, appreciated assets, and in some cases, real estate.

•

• Receive an immediate income tax deduction, and a portion of each annuity payment may be income-tax free.

Count on a reliable payment stream for you or a loved one, guaranteed by the assets of the University.

• Enhance retirement income with immediate payments or choose to defer to a later date with a Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity

SAMPLE RATES FOR