Explorer SPRING 2021 . VOLUME 8
PENN DENTAL MEDICINE VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
A MESSAGE FROM VBRS
CONTENTS 2 Executive Board VRBA Proposal Writing Workshop Mentor/Mentee Speed Dating Event
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Research Day 2021
4 IADR/AADR Memberships
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Honors & Awards
6 Dr. Temitope
Omolehinwa Q&A
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Dr. Yu Zhang Q&A
8 Aerosols in Dentistry Amid Sars-COV-2
10 Student Interviews
Dear Penn Dental Medicine, It is with great excitement and pride that I introduce the Spring 2021 edition of PDM Explorer by the Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS). As the primary student research organization at Penn Dental Medicine, VBRS has been dedicated to improving access, interest, and participation of dental students in basic science and clinical research. This newsletter, the eighth edition of the PDM Explorer, is the manifestation of our passion for research and our desire to share the highlights of student research at PDM. Despite having limited in-person activities, we have found innovative ways to continue engaging students in research. The virtual platform allowed VBRS to host a new event called “Research Speed Dating.” We invited incoming dental students from all corners of the country to meet our student mentors. Over 40 students participated in one-on-one breakout sessions and small group discussions. We were delighted to receive so much interest and positive feedback from both mentees and mentors, and we hope to maintain this as an annual event. Research day was held virtually for the second time this year, and it has brought more than 250 students and faculty researchers together to share their research activities and spotlight the depth of the school’s research. Student and junior investigator research was recognized, and award recipients will be presenting their work at the 2022 AADR Meeting in Atlanta, GA. In addition, VBRS presented the AADR student membership awards to three outstanding dental students. I hope you enjoy reading about the exceptional research that is ongoing at PDM. This issue includes student and faculty research spotlights, spring event highlights, and a special interview segment on COVID-19-related research at PDM. It is our hope that you find this publication as a useful tool in exploring the world of research at PDM and what you read excites you for the future of the dental field. I would like to take this opportunity to say what an honor and pleasure it has been to serve as a Co-President of VBRS. Since joining this remarkable organization in 2017, I have enjoyed working with excellent board members and our wonderful faculty advisor Dr. Francis Mante, and I thank everyone for your support and eagerness to engage with VBRS. I look forward to seeing VBRS continue to build upon the school’s rich history of leadership in dental research. Sincerely, ALISA E. LEE VBRS Co-President
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Vernon Brightman Research Society Executive Board The Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS) Executive Board members for the current academic year include the following individuals. They invite students with an interest in research to join VBRS. CO-PRESIDENT: Kailin Baechle D’22 (1) CO-PRESIDENT: Alisa Lee D’22 (2) TREASURER: Noor Rehman D’22 (3) SECRETARY: Rachel Kogan D’23 (4) EVENTS DIRECTOR: Julia Jeong D’23 (5) OUTREACH COORDINATOR: Yilan Miao D’23 (6) NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Camille Banson D’23 (7) D1 REPRESENTATIVES: Matthew Hershberger D’24 (8), Wendy Lei D’24 (9), Chintan Thakore D’24 (10), Gloria Wan D’24 (11)
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See listing below identifying the Board members.
VBRS is the primary student research organization at Penn Dental Medicine. Named in honor of Dr. Vernon J. Brightman, a former PDM faculty member and proponent of student research, VBRS has created opportunities and gathered resources for students to help find their niche in research. The society promotes interest, participation, and appreciation of basic and clinical oral health research that keeps dentistry a science and research-based profession. VBRS is PDM’s chapter of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) National Student Research Group. Dr. Francis Mante, Associate Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, is the VBRS faculty advisor. This newsletter highlights students’ research accomplishments, past and upcoming events, and student and faculty interviews.
Mentor/Mentee Speed Dating Event On Saturday, May 15, the Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS) hosted its first-ever virtual research mentors speed dating event at Penn Dental Medicine. Seventeen PDM students, ranging from second- to fourth-year dental students, attended as ‘mentors’ to connect with approximately 25 members of the incoming class of 2025. Members of VBRS presented a short overview of the various research opportunities at the school, which was followed by small-group breakout sessions where incoming students were able to meet and ask questions to the current student mentors. The VBRS is very excited to meet all of the incoming students in person this fall and help them embark on their research and dental careers.
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VBRS PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP In February, VBRS hosted the annual proposal writing workshop to aid students applying to the Summer Research Program and Research Honors. Dr. Kang Ko explained the different components and requirements of the proposal. The event was well attended by D1s and has continued to be a beneficial resource for those interested in research.
2021
EVENTS
Despite the challenges and restrictions of COVID-19, this year’s virtual Research Day on May 13, 2021, continued its tradition of bringing faculty and students together to share and present their current findings and progress. The day included a program of presentations by faculty and invited speakers, along with poster presentations presenting DMD, junior investigator and faculty research. It provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their depth and diversity of research across discipline. Poster competition winners were selected from all the participating students and junior investigators, and they are recognized with the 2021 AADR Travel Grants. The recipients will have an opportunity to present their work at the 2022 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session held in Atlanta, Georgia, March 23-26, 2022. To see the full list of presentations, please visit: www.dental.upenn.edu/research-day
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STUDENT NEWS
IADR/AADR MEMBERSHIPS For the first time, VBRS sponsored IADR/AADR memberships for three dental students. Membership benefits include IADR CE on demand, awards and fellowships opportunities, National Student Research Group (NSRG) activities, discounted IADR meeting registration, and access to JDR and JDR Clinical & Translational Research.
Hilary Wong D’24 “I applied for the AADR membership because I wanted to join a community of student researchers passionate about expanding our body of knowledge in order to advance the healthcare field.”
Chintan Thakore D’24 “Thanks to VBRS, I can use this membership to connect to a larger research community and stay current on what my peers across the nation and globe having been working on.”
Dana Lee D’23 “I applied for the VBRS-sponsored AADR membership to stay up to date on the latest research related to dental medicine and to stay connected to a greater community of those passionate about research.”
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HONORS & AWARDS Honors & Awards COMMUNITY HONORS Kylie P. Schlesinger Penntorship
MCC HONORS Julia Y. Cheung Single site prevalence of depression among HIV patients on ART Faculty advisor: Temitope Omolehinwa
STUDENT COMPETITION FOR ADVANCING DENTAL RESEARCH AND ITS APPLICATION (SCADA) AWARD Jiahui (Madelaine) Li The seroepidemiology of SARS-COV-2 in dental practitioners: a prospective study Faculty advisor: Kira Nightingale and Patricia M. Corby
AADR TRAVEL AWARDS PEDIATRIC HONORS Jennifer K. Chou Assessing perceived impact of behavior guidance tools on cooperation during pediatric dental visits for patients within the autism spectrum disorder Faculty advisor: Maria Velasco
PERIODONTICS HONORS Raul Alberto Isturiz Blanco Clinical evaluation of laser assisted periodontal phase I treatment with ER:YAG laser: case report Faculty advisor: Yu Cheng Chang
CLINICAL HONORS Matthew J. Sun The digital “clone” — integrating intraoral scans and CBCT for virtual diagnosis and treatment planning Faculty advisor: Julián Conejo
AADR STUDENT RESEARCH DAY AWARD Matthew Rose An epidemiologic survey of 3,247 traumatic maxillofacial injuries: a retrospective analysis. Faculty advisor: Brian Ford
CLINICAL HONORS Matthew J. Sun The digital “clone” — integrating intraoral scans and CBCT for virtual diagnosis and treatment planning Faculty advisor: Julián Conejo
Michael Cimba Analysis of the clinical impact of COVID-19 on an oral and maxillofacial program: a retrospective study Faculty advisors: Brian P. Ford, Helen E. Giannakopoulos Nitika Gupta The effect of twitter on academic dentistry Faculty advisor: Sinem E. Sahingur Alisa E. Lee Dental pulp stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles promote rat maxillofacial bone regeneration Faculty advisors: Qunzhou Zhang, Anh D. Le Nicole A. Levine Parent knowledge and attitude regarding primary teeth Faculty advisor: Evlambia Hajishengallis Faizan I. Motiwala GMSCS encapsulated in soft 3D-scaffolds enable nerve regeneration via immunomodulation and neurite outgrowth stimulation Faculty advisors: Qunzhou Zhang, Anh D. Le
Dennis Sourvanos A review and dose analysis of photobiomodulation for dental extraction, alveolar ridge preservation, in preparation for endosseous implant osseointegration. Faculty advisors: Joseph Fiorellini and Hector Sarmiento, James Carroll, Patricia M. Corby Andres Davila Complications after dental extractions in patients taking biologic agents Faculty advisors: Rogan Magee, Sidney Kimmel, Katherine France Mohammad Taqi Qali Evaluation of long-term efficacy of forced erupted teeth for restorative purposes – a clinical retrospective study Faculty advisors: Yu Cheng Chang, Manal Sabir and Joseph Fiorellini, Hellen Teixeira Zhi Ren Composite organism-like interkingdom interactions during biofilm initiation in human saliva Faculty advisor: Hyun Koo Hye-Eun Kim Enzymatic targeting of mannans to disrupt cross-kingdom cariogenic biofilms Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang Atul Dhall Biophysical quantification of cross-kingdom interactions between streptococci and different morphotypes of candida albicans Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang
Min Kyung Shin Osteoblast lineage cells and periodontal ligament fibroblasts regulate orthodontic tooth movement that is dependent on nuclear factor kappa b(NFκB) activation Faculty advisor: Hyeran H. Jeon Asad A. Siddiqi FDG‑PET/CT for global assessment of the maxillary sinus in head and neck cancer patients undergoing photon/proton radiotherapy Faculty advisor: Yu Cheng Chang
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FACULTY Q&A How did you get involved in research? I started in my oral medicine residency at Penn. We, as part of American Association of Oral Medicine, were encouraged to submit an original research project for a Lester Burket award. I had a senior resident that I worked with who was in his second year while I was in my first year. He won the Lester Burket, and he said I could do it. I hadn’t done research before, but I was inspired to try out the DScD program. So, I applied to it. And in order to apply for the Lester Burket award, I had to be involved in original research. I asked Dr. Akintoye if I could join his lab and carry out some research projects and he agreed. That’s what got me interested in research: I had the oral medicine residency program, and I won the Lester Burket award the next year, and then in my second year, I applied for the DScD program.
DR. TEMITOPE OMOLEHINWA Director Medically Complex Care (MCC) Clinic Medically Complex Patient Care Fellowship Program Director Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine
“Mentorship is really important in research. You might have ideas, but if you’re not able to put them together, it does not really make sense. Having ideas, getting proper mentorship, and just applying yourself. Don’t limit yourself.”
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Can you explain more about your current project and its significance to patient care? I believe in research, because I am a clinician at heart. I don’t see the purpose in doing anything that would not translate to clinical care so from the get-go I was interested in translational research: something that you can take from the lab and apply to clinical practice. My first research project was on using stem cells to treat osteoradionecrosis, which I closely worked with Dr. Akintoye. I saw common trends with HIV patients both medically and dentally. I then looked at mechanisms and cytokines involved with oral and systemic conditions in patients with HIV. We took blood and saliva samples and looked at immune and cytokine markers and their association with dental caries.
What has been the greatest challenge so far? Recruiting patients and COVID. Many people who got funding at the same time as me, whose projects deal with patient care, have not been able to start anything. So, I think that has been the greatest challenge. I like when things run very quickly. Patient recruitment has been slower. I was supposed to start in November. It didn’t happen until February. Apart from that, it is going well. Having a great team is really important and that has really helped.
Do you have any advice for dental students interested in pursuing research? Widen your horizon. People say the sky is the limit, I tell myself the sky is my starting point. If I have any aspirations or ideas, I run with it. All the great research has started with sometimes stupidly looking ideas. I remember when I started looking at associations, I really felt like I was looking for things happening when they were not there, but doing my retrospective study, I saw that associations really do exist. So, if you have any questions on your mind, pursue it. Get answers. Don’t limit yourself. Collaborate. Mentorship is really important in research. You might have ideas, but if you’re not able to put them together, it does not really make sense. Having ideas, getting proper mentorship, and just applying yourself. Don’t limit yourself.
FACULTY Q&A
DR. YU ZHANG
Professor, Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences Director for Restorative Research, Penn Dental Medicine
What is your area of research? What are some of the current projects that you are working on? My main research area is dental materials, more specifically ceramic-based dental materials. Here are some of the current projects we are working on: 1 D esigning next-generation graded materials with improved damage resistance and functionalities 2 D eveloping nanostructured materials for dental and biomedical devices 3 Imaging through radiopaque zirconia dental restorations 4 E lucidating competing damage modes in all-ceramic restorations under mastication 5 C haracterizing the wear and fatigue behavior of dental ceramics 6 I mproving the fracture resistance of veneered prostheses through the reduction of deleterious residual tensile stresses
How and why did you get involved in research? After completing my bachelors in physics, I taught physics and electrical engineering in technical schools and subsequently worked at Pacific Dunlop for several years. I later realized that this type of work was not my true calling, and I could not envision myself running this route for the foreseeable future. I decided to go back to school, pursuing a Master’s of Science in condensed matter physics at La Trobe University in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. My very first research project was to grow II-VI semiconductor thin films for blue-green laser diodes using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technology. It was very cool; we were depositing zinc and selenium layers of thicknesses in the angstrom range.
What do you enjoy most about the process? • I dentifying the research question. • P roviding solutions to a research problem; these days, it is often a collaborative effort that is efficient, engaging, and fruitful. • A cquiring new knowledge and wisdom through this process not just from our lab results, but also by seeing data through different team members’ eyes. • F inally, we love having an excuse to celebrate when it all pays off.
What qualities do you think are important to have as a researcher? • • • • •
I nitiative Persistence C ommitment A ttention to detail O pen mindedness
What advice would you give students who are interested in research? • • • •
P lan experiments carefully C onduct a pretest C arefully document experimental procedures and results R emain calm when unexpected events and results occur
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AEROSOLS IN DENTISTRY AMID SARS-COV-2 The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused a considerable amount of apprehension in dental practitioners and patients alike. Since dental procedures generate aerosols, increased infection risk is at the forefront of dentist’s concerns. Dr. Dana Graves
Dr. Dana Graves, Professor of Periodontics and Vice Dean for Research & Scholarship, and Dr. David Hershkowitz, Division Chief of Restorative Dentistry led a study aimed to establish risk of Covid-19 in a dental setting in which aerosols are generated. Through the prospective observational study, they wanted to determine if a dental office was a safe environment when proper PPE was implemented. Faculty, staff, and students who practiced dentistry only at PDM, had 10 or more hours of direct patient exposure, and had no confirmed past Covid-19 infections were qualified for the study. Enrolled participants completed study visits once every two months at which time venous blood was drawn for serologic analysis to detect the presence of antibodies to SARSCoV-2. Launched in partnership with the Perelman School of Medicine, the study began in September 2020 and terminated early in January 2021 due to the emergence of vaccines.
Dr. David Hershkowitz
There was a high level of collaboration throughout the process. The Center for Clinical and Translational Research spearheaded the study with the help of Dr. Joseph Fiorellini, Professor of Periodontics, who assembled a team of residents who were trained to perform the blood collection as per the research protocol. The Dean’s office was instrumental in providing funding, and Dr. Jordan-Sciutto’s lab prepared the blood samples. Dr. Scott Hensley’s lab at the Dept of Microbiology, PSOM was in charge of the antibody analysis. “I thought it was an extraordinarily high level of cooperation. We couldn’t have pulled this off without the contribution of everyone involved. And that includes subjects who volunteered, the Clinical Research Center, including Pat Corby, Kira Nightingale, Rosa Urbina, and the team of research assistants and residents who contributed to the overall study conduct. Although we believed the study was an important step in assessing PDM practices to prevent spread of Covid-19 during patient contact, this would never have gotten off the ground if it were not for the team.” —Dr. Graves
Dr. Pat Corby
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The study found that the infection rate at PDM was 5.5%, and that all of the positive antibody cases were traced to exposure outside of PDM. Therefore, infectious risk outside
of PDM was much higher than inside PDM treating patients. In addition, the PPE guidelines and practices were proven to be effective in our study. The study also found that working as a student or faculty in one clinic or another did not significantly affect the infection rate of SARS-CoV-2. Symptomatic subjects had a higher infection rate than asymptomatic subjects, which stresses the importance of daily screening questions as a necessary component of transmission control. Overall, the guidelines implemented by PDM were very effective in minimizing risk.
“In some ways you can look at this and say science has advanced, but society has not in dealing with public health issues during a pandemic.” —Graves.
“We cannot take shortcuts on PPE. PPE, just like during the HIV epidemic, is the key to preventing transmission.” —Hershkowitz
Founded two years ago, The Center for Clinical and Translational Research has become an integral resource to clinical researchers at PDM as they provide services that span the full spectrum of a study, from conceptualization to closeout, for industry, federal, and foundation sponsors. Madelaine Li, one of the first students in the Clinical and Translational Research Honors program, played an active role in the study and won the Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and its Application (SCADA) Award this year. Her experience at the Center for Clinical and Translational Research has supported her growth in becoming a confident and independent team member who can conduct study visits in a well-calibrated manner. She further promoted students’ involvement in the center saying, “This journey is truly the highlight of my life in dental school and my career in the future.”
Knowing what we know now, the dental field will be better equipped in addressing respiratory virus outbreaks. The two main issues that led the CDC to mandate closure of dental clinics was the 1) lack of knowledge of how the virus was transmitted and 2) concerns about PPE effectiveness and supplies. The implications of this study support that the ramp up of patient treatment is acceptable if appropriate PPE practices are followed. This information is valuable in keeping dental practices open. There is no doubt that research was paramount in mitigating the pandemic. From discovering the modes of transmission to developing a vaccine, science has never been more relevant to the public than today. In the past, we have seen a similar urgency placed on research during the AIDS epidemic as so much was unknown about the virus. Science has advanced tremendously, in the past few decades, allowing researchers to act quickly, generate results, and develop therapies and protocols in response to a contagion. Interestingly, politics have played a more considerable role in the perception of science and healthcare through conflicting media outlets that makes universal safe practices more difficult to implement. “The trust that the layperson has in the scientific community has diminished because of media and politics and so forth, leaving the layperson asking, ‘Are they telling me the truth?’” —Hershkowitz Although science has progressed significantly, there have been several obstacles that stand in the way of implementing knowledge.
Thus, the way we critically evaluate news, how we educate our patients, and reassure them of their safety is of utmost importance. This study has illustrated the tremendous value that collaboration holds in research as well as the significance that clinical research has on our everyday lives.
For students interested in the Center for Clinical and Translational Research, please visit: www.dental.upenn.edu/research/center-forclinical-and-translational-research/
There is no doubt that research was paramount in mitigating the pandemic. From discovering the modes of transmission to developing a vaccine, science has never been more relevant to the public than today. VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 9
STUDENT INTERVIEWS Andrew Tsai D’23
Summer Research Student My name is Andrew Tsai and I’m a D2 student who participated in the Summer Research Program last year. As a member of the Seven-Year Bio-Dental Program, I had my first research experience in undergrad where I worked with Dr. Takako Tanaka in the Department of Oral Medicine on a project that examined the relationship between emergency departments and dental school emergency clinics. For my summer research, I worked with Dr. Helen Jeon in the Orthodontics Department on a critical review titled “Mechanistic Insight into Orthodontic Tooth Movement Based on Animal Studies”. While the two projects may have little in common besides the field of dentistry, they were valuable to me because they exposed me to interesting different facets of the research process. As someone entered dental school with little research experience, I learned that, although research may seem daunting or one-dimensional, there are many ways to contribute and derive value from projects. From project inception and conceptualization to data collection to the literature review, my experience so far allowed me to discover and develop my areas of strength in research. Moreover, my positive experiences built upon one another, and even opened the door to new opportunities. For one, my exposure to clinical research in undergrad was instrumental in helping me secure my next research opportunity – the Clinical Research Honors program. I am tremendously excited to see where this next project takes me, or maybe, even where I take this next project.
Matthew Rose D’22
AADR Student Research Day Award Recipient If you would have told me one year ago I would be where I am today, I would have said you have the wrong guy. In my undergraduate education, I distanced myself from research, and carried that same attitude into dental school. It was not until I began speaking with Dr. Panchal and Dr. Ford of the OMS department that they painted research in a different light. They suggested that research at its purest form was contributing to the field they love for the benefit of their friends, colleagues and most importantly the patients. From there I began reaching out to upperclassmen for advice and searching for projects to contribute to in any capacity. As I grew to know the rhythm and style of academic research I began taking on projects of my own. The first paper I wrote independently was a case report, which on the hierarchy of academic research is on the lower end of the spectrum. This first paper however served as a jumping-off point for my further works as I gained confidence in scientific writing and the publication process. Penn Dental has made high-level research incredibly accessible and achievable to any and all students looking to explore the world of dentistry through the lens of creativity, innovation and discovery.
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Jiahui Li D’22
SCADA Award Recipient COVID-19 has definitely taught me to appreciate research more than I already do, not only because all the information we know about this novel virus comes from research, but it also made me realize that being able to conduct in-person research project is such a luxury. When the pandemic first happened, I was not expecting to have any in-person research experience in 2020. Luckily, Penn Dental has done an amazing job restarting its research operations since we re-opened, and has been super supportive of students coming back to not only clinical operations but research activities as well. I know this is a tough decision and requires a lot of regulations and caution. So I really appreciate this opportunity to interact with research subjects and our lovely research team in-person.
Nitika Gupta
AADR Travel Award Recipient One of the largest factors that motivates me to continue research is my mentor, Dr. Sahingur. Although Dr. Sahingur has an abundance of responsibilities, she never forgets about her mentees. She has encouraged me to seize opportunities I would have never imagined such as applying for fellowships and participating in conferences. Dr. Sahingur invested her time in enhancing my education so that I become a well-rounded researcher and clinician. I am thankful to have a caring, inspiring, and successful mentor like Dr. Sahingur.
Michael Cimba
AADR Travel Award Recipient My favorite aspect of research would be the collaborative aspect. Being someone who played many team sports, working in a tight-knit group and being able to bounce ideas off one another makes the entire process more enjoyable. Some projects may take months to see the light of day, but knowing that my peers and I put countless hours in allows for a very rewarding process. The most challenging aspect of research would have to be the brainstorming of ideas. Some ideas may appear to be stronger than others, but you truly do not know if a topic is worth digging into until you fully immerse yourself in it. When the topic is interesting and yields significant data, however, the process becomes extremely rewarding.
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QUESTIONS? CONTACT US AT: PDMVernonBrightman@dental.upenn.edu
