DentalUM Spring/Summer 2008 by University of Michigan School of Dentistry

From the Laboratory to the Dental Office… September 12-13, 2008

New Dental Symposium to Highlight Cutting-Edge Research Research is underway in laboratories that may soon affect dentists and their patients. For more information about this and other continuing dental education courses contact: University of Michigan School of Dentistry Office of Continuing Dental Education 1011 N. University Avenue Room G508 Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078 www.dent.umich.edu

If you’re a dentist or dental educator or researcher, you will want to attend this inaugural symposium September 12 and 13 on the University of Michigan Central Campus. Symposium speakers will address issues and answer questions on subjects that include: • What are some of the cutting-edge innovations in dentistry? • How might they benefit patients, dentists, and other oral health care providers? • Are there any breakthroughs that may occur that will affect how dentistry is practiced? • How will discoveries in the laboratory lead to innovations in clinical research and in dental practice? • What will these innovations mean to practicing clinicians and the future of dentistry? More details about the program, including a list of speakers and topics, are available on pages 72 and 73.

DentalUM

Spring & Summer 2008

Volume 24, Number 1

DentalUM magazine is published twice a year by the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Office of Alumni Relations and Continuing Dental Education. Mail letters and updates to: Jerry Mastey, Editor, School of Dentistry, Room G532, 1011 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078. Or you may send your letters and updates via email to: jmastey@umich.edu. Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Polverini Director of External Relations and Continuing Dental Education . . . . . . Richard Fetchiet Writer & Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry Mastey Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Jung Contributing Photographers . . . . . . . . . Jerry Mastey, Per Kjeldsen, Karel Barton, Anne Gwozdek

Member publication of the American Association of Dental Editors

The Regents of the University: Julia Donovan Darlow, Laurence B. Deitch, Olivia P. Maynard, Rebecca McGowan, Andrea Fischer Newman, Andrew C. Richner, S. Martin Taylor, Katherine E. White, Mary Sue Coleman, ex officio. University of Michigan School of Dentistry Alumni Society Board of Governors Terms Expire 2008: William E. Brownscombe, ‘74, St. Clair Shores, MI John R. McMahon, ‘82, Grand Rapids, MI George M. Yellich, ‘72, Los Gatos, CA Harold Zald, ‘79, West Bloomfield, MI Jemma Allor, ‘00, Dental Hygiene, Mt. Clemens, MI Terms Expire 2009: Charles Caldwell, ‘77, Grand Rapids, MI Daniel Edwards, ‘97 DH, Ann Arbor, MI (Chair) Gary Hubbard, ‘78, Okemos, MI Metodi Pogoncheff, ‘76, Lansing, MI Janet Souder Wilson, ‘73, Dental Hygiene, Northville, MI Terms Expire 2010: Samuel Bander, ’81, Grand Rapids, MI Kerry Kaysserian, ’81, Traverse City, MI Jerry Booth, ’61 DDS, ’64 MS, Jackson, MI Josephine Weeden, ’96 DDS, ’MS, Saline, MI (Vice Chair) Kathleen Early Burk, ’77 DH, Lakeland, MI Student Representative: Jamie Luria (D3) Ex Officio Members: Peter Polverini, Dean Janet Souder Wilson, ‘73, DH, Northville, MI Alumni Association Liaison Steve C. Grafton , Executive Director, Alumni Assoc. Richard R. Fetchiet, Director of External Relations and Continuing Dental Education The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, or Vietnam-era veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Senior Director for Institutional Equity and Title IX/Section 504 Coordinator, Office of Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432, (734) 763-0235, TTY (734) 647-1388. For other University of Michigan information call (734) 764-1817.

Homecoming Weekend

2008 Thursday, October 2 Emeritus Medallion Ceremony

Time: 11:30 a.m. Location: Room G390

Emeritus Class Picture Time: Noon Location: Foyer staircase outside the Sindecuse Museum

Emeritus Reunion and Hall of Honor Luncheon

Time: 1:00 p.m. Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony

Time: 2:00 p.m. Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Friday, October 3 Morawa Lecture: Hot Topics in Restorative Dentistry

Time: Registration - 7:30 a.m. Course - 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Location: Kensington Court Hotel, 610 Hilton Boulevard, Ann Arbor Speakers and Topics: See page at left

Homecoming Gala Celebration Honoring Dental and Dental Hygiene classes with graduation years ending in 3 and 8

Doors open and registration begins: 6:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception: 6:00 p.m. Dinner: 7:00 p.m. Location: Kensington Court Hotel, 610 Hilton Boulevard, Ann Arbor

Saturday, October 4 Alumni Association Go Blue! Tailgate

Time: 12:30 p.m. Location: Track and Tennis Building

Football Game - University of Michigan vs. Illinois

Time: 3:30 p.m. Location: The Big House

DentalUM

Spring & Summer 2008

Volume 24, Number 1

DentalUM magazine is published twice a year by the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Office of Alumni Relations and Continuing Dental Education.

Leading the Way in Community-Based Research

Mail letters and updates to: Jerry Mastey, Editor, School of Dentistry, Room G532, 1011 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078. Or you may send your letters and updates via email to: jmastey@umich.edu. Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Polverini Director of External Relations and Continuing Dental Education . . . . . . Richard Fetchiet Writer & Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry Mastey Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Jung Contributing Photographers . . . . . . . . . Jerry Mastey, Per Kjeldsen, Karel Barton

Member publication of the American Association of Dental Editors

For nearly seven years, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry has been leading an effort that could have significant implications for the dental profession. Under the direction of Dr. Amid Ismail, the Detroit Dental Health Project has been investigating reasons for oral health disparities. His group is trying to determine why some AfricanAmerican children, who are six years old and younger, and their primary caregivers, have much better oral health than others who live in the same neighborhoods and possess similar social, economic, and cultural traits. The scope of that community-based research and some of the major findings are the subjects of this issue of DentalUM. In addition to the work that has already been conducted, the research is worth mentioning for another reason. It’s a superb example of the major collaboration that is taking place among various U-M schools and colleges, other institutions of higher learning in Michigan, the Detroit Department of Health, and numerous community organizations who are all working as a team to reach a common goal. DDHP is trying to understand the reasons for the oral health disparities and then design programs that are tailored to the needs of the community to try to reduce those disparities. It’s a huge undertaking. But, as Dr. Ismail notes, “we’re also trying to empower families and give them important information they need about oral health that will allow them to make a major difference in the lives of their children.” The results of this work, I believe, will give the State of Michigan an opportunity to lead the nation in addressing issues of access to care and reducing oral health disparities that so many of our children and their caregivers face today. Sincerely,

Peter J. Polverini, Dean

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 1

In This Issue ...

COVER STORY 6

Community Research, Community Service…the Detroit Dental Health Project & the U-M School of Dentistry

This 3-year-old is representative of thousands of youngsters his age who were seen by community researchers investigating the reasons for oral health disparities in Detroit. For the past seven years, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s Detroit Dental Health Project has been investigating the reasons for oral health disparities in the Motor City.

13 – Screening for Oral Cancer 15 – Video Emphasizes, Illustrates Good Oral Health Care Habits 16 – Significant Findings

Design by Chris Jung. Photos by Jerry Mastey.

FEATURES 4

Dean Polverini: Next 5 Years Crucial for School.

Dental Scholar Begins Work to Establish 1st Dental School in Liberia

Third-year dental student and Dental Scholar Nejay Ananaba has taken the first steps to realize a lifelong dream of establishing the first dental school in her native country of Liberia.

Students, Residents, Faculty, Staff “Give Kids a Smile”

From Football to Dentistry

Dental students Ross Ryan and David Schoonover hope to join a list of former U-M football players who have earned a dental degree or specialty degree.

Helping Around the World

In recent months, students and faculty from the School of Dentistry have used their expertise to help in other countries. Read about dental students David Lipton and Katrina Baeverstad who were in Honduras as a part of U-M’s Honduras Medical Relief program, and Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum who traveled to Kenya and Uganda as a part of Operation Smile.

Faculty Profile — Dennis Lopatin, Senior Associate Dean

Growing up in the Chicago area, he initially planned to go into industrial research and work for a pharmaceutical company. But when fog cancelled a flight that was to take him to a job interview, Dennis Lopatin was later offered a postdoctoral fellowship and began pursuing a new career path that eventually led to Ann Arbor.

Turning “Stuff” into Art

In recent years, Dr. Eugene Buatti has been applying the skills he used as a dentist to create sculptures from an eclectic list of objects that include pliers, chains, hooks, wood, and even baseball bats.

53 DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 2

Spring & Summer 2008 60 Alumna Profile — Dr. Joanne Dawley

A phone call from one dentist and comments from another led to a career that Dr. Joanne Dawley didn’t imagine when she was studying for her dental degree at U-M. This spring, she became the first African American woman to serve as president of the Michigan Dental Association.

DEPARTMENTS 32

XX – Faculty News

Alumni Relations 44 – Remarks of Dental School Leaders Lauded by Board of Governors Led by Dean Peter Polverini, top School of Dentistry administrators and program directors talked to members of the School’s Alumni Society Board of Governors about a range of topics and answered questions during a Board meeting last fall. 48 – Emeritus Alumni Honored, Tour Preclinic 49 – Jarabak, Gibbons Inducted into Hall of Honor

55 Development

55 – Dental School Reaches $35 Million Fundraising Goal

Dental Hygiene

63 – E-Learning Online Program Begins Offered for the first time in January, the online degree completion e-learning program is attracting interest. 64 – Class of 1957 Reunites 65 – Dental Hygiene “Still in Its Infancy” in Poland and Russia Christine Klausner and 51 other dental hygienists from the U.S. where surprised with what they learned saw and heard during conversations with colleagues in the two counties. 68 – Balancing Studies and Swimming In addition to her studies, third-year dental hygiene student Michelle Uhlig is busy as a member of the U-M swim team.

Research News

72 – 1st Dental Symposium to Highlight Cutting-Edge Research Dentistry is experiencing some major changes that will affect dentists, their patients, dental education, and researchers. Those will be discussed by renowned experts at a new symposium to be held in September. 76 – Understanding & Detecting Diseases or Cancers Before They’re Apparent

Alumni News

In Memoriam

x 68

76 x DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 3

DENTISTRY

Dean Polverini: Next 5 Years Crucial for School Transformation, innovation, leadership all vital

“W

Visit the Web for More Information To see Dean Peter Polverini’s complete presentation and to read his remarks, visit the School of Dentistry’s Web site: www.dent. umich.edu.

hat we do in the next five years will define our future. We will either continue as a leader among dental schools nationally and internationally, or we will lose our relevance and run the risk of becoming pedestrian.” Dean Peter Polverini delivered that frank assessment to faculty, staff, and students at a town hall meeting March 24 as he unveiled his vision for the School’s future and presented a list of strategic imperatives to help reach that vision. [See Strategic Imperatives at right.] “I am determined that this School remains a leader among dental schools and continues to provide much needed leadership for our profession,” he said. Saying the dental school has both an opportunity and an obligation to further its reputation and that of the University of Michigan, Polverini said “major changes must take place without further delay. It is imperative we act now.” “Bold Steps” Needed

“Our vision is clear,” he said. “The School of Dentistry will transform itself in a way that ensures that it continues to be recognized as a leader in interdisciplinary health care, continues to be acknowledged as a center of excellence in interdisciplinary learning and teaching, leads as an innovator

in research and academic leadership, and is exemplary in providing access to the highest quality of oral health care for the local, regional, and global communities.” Reaching those goals, Polverini said, would require taking “bold steps” that include: • Transforming dental education and dental practice. • Innovations in research that advance science, dentistry, and the public’s health. • Educating students and dentists whose practice in oral health care is based on science who aspire to be leaders in academic dentistry. • Educating students to become dentists who will continue to make a difference in local, regional, and global communities. • Working to eliminate barriers to quality health care and oral health disparities. • Positioning graduates and the dental profession to lead in creating a better and more patient-centered integrated health care system. “What we do will be bold and risky,” Polverini said. “But this is precisely what visionary organizations do, they lead.” The benefit of taking bold action, he said, would be that the School of

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 4

DENTISTRY

Strategic Imperatives

of Dentistry to continued success Dentistry “will be more fully integrated into the future of the University of Michigan community and will play a central role in the University’s decisions, discoveries, and contributions to academe and society.” A Three-step Process

The new vision statement and list of imperatives are the latest steps in the three-part strategic assessment process that began in March 2005. At that time, a 21-member Strategic Assessment Facilitating Committee began conducting a self-assessment. That involved taking a critical look at the School and soliciting opinions and ideas from faculty, staff, students, and alumni and then developing a list of ideas about what the School’s future could be. Afterwards, the report was submitted to U-M Provost Teresa Sullivan and was also evaluated and discussed by a team of internal and external reviewers. The self-assessment process was completed in late 2007. The second step was the vision statement and set of strategic imperatives that Polverini just presented. The third step will involve developing a set of “action steps” to make the vision a reality. Polverini invited everyone to submit his or her ideas.

The Core of Our Strategic Plan

1. To engage our predoctoral educational program more fully and invest deeply in its quality and success we will: • Develop, test and implement new models of dental education and oral health care. • Use the most up-to-date evidence based on outcomes from research on learning and teaching to advance our educational programs. • Support our DDS students in accessing substantive research opportunities. 2. To develop the premier, patient-centered clinical education program we will: • Make decisions on clinical education that support and advance patient-centered oral health care that addresses the needs of underserved patients. • Establish a fully integrated relationship with other academic units in the University of Michigan in education, research, patient care and service. • Develop our predoctoral educational program to enable all health care professional students to become fully integrated into collaborative health care teams. • Employ the most advanced technology to enhance the quality and efficiency of our patient care programs. 3. To expand our collaborative research and discovery mission, both within the SOD, across the campus, nationally and internationally we will: • Organize and support our research in thematic groups. • Make research resource and space decisions that acknowledge and support thematic research groups. • Insure that faculty recruitment decisions incorporate thematic research group needs. 4. To deepen our School’s commitment to live and thrive in a multicultural community we will. • Foster a culture where everyone is valued and supported for his or her contribution to the whole. • Devote resources to programs that prepare students from underserved and educationally, socially, and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and succeed in the oral health care professions. 5. To implement new models for enriched and highly relevant collaborations within the School and with the University we will: • Make decisions about faculty development that capitalize on the strengths and needs of individual faculty as well as the needs and priorities of the School. • Support and enable all faculty members in their scholarly pursuits. • Foster the development of interdisciplinary learning communities that prepare our faculty and students to more fully participate in research and discovery at the University of Michigan.

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 5

Detroit Dental Health Project

Addressing Oral Health Disparities...

How the School of Dentistry’s Detroit Making a Difference in the Lives of

Per Kjeldsen

Dr. Amid Ismail A professor in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, Dr. Amid Ismail has been active in researching caries, the epidemiology of fluorosis, and other oral conditions. In 2001, he received the H. Trendly Dean Memorial Award from the International Association for Dental Research for distinguished achievements in behavioral science, epidemiology, and public health. In 2004, he received the University’s Distinguished Public Service Award from U-M Regents for his work.

he problem is even bigger and much deeper than we envisioned when we began our work.” That’s the assessment of Dr. Amid Ismail as he discussed the results of an ambitious Detroit oral health community research program he heads that began in the fall of 2001. Funded with a $9.25 million grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Ismail’s team is documenting the extent of oral health disparities among lowincome African-Americans in Detroit and is using the findings to develop approaches designed to eliminate those differences. Those efforts are a follow-up to a major finding of the U.S. Surgeon General’s report on oral health, issued in May 2000, which identified “a silent epidemic” of dental and oral diseases that disproportionately affect the nation’s poor, especially children. A professor at the School of Dentistry and the School of Public Health, Ismail is the director of the Detroit Dental Health Project. The Detroit Dental Health Project is one of five research centers in the U.S. to receive funding from NIDCR, the nation’s leading supporter of research on oral, dental, and craniofacial

health, to conduct the disparities study. [See page 6.] Initially known as the Detroit Center for Research on Oral Health Disparities, Ismail said the name was changed to the Detroit Dental Health Project “because our mission is more than research. We’re also trying to empower families and give them important information they need about oral health that will allow them to make a major difference in the lives of their children.” DDHP is a collaborate effort that includes various U-M schools and colleges, other academic institutions in Michigan, the Detroit Department of Health, and numerous community organizations. [See list on next page.] Major Findings

“We know there are oral health disparities,” said William Ridella, deputy director of the Detroit Health Department. “But Dr. Ismail and the Detroit Dental Health Project made all of us even more aware of just how extensive the problem is in this community because they quantified their findings.” Some of the major ones, according to Ismail, include: • Caries is a major problem and

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 6

DDHP

Dental Health Project is Children and their Caregivers

CARIES PREVALENCE IN DETROIT 60% 50%

children get them much earlier than thought. More than one-third of children in the city have significant caries by age 3. The figure rises to more than 50 percent by age 5. • Many parents or caregivers consider caries an “inevitable” part of childhood that they can do little or nothing about. • Much of a child’s diet consists of eating too many processed foods and drinking too many sugary beverages. An abundance of convenience stores and lack of traditional food stores that sell highly nutritious foods with fiber and vitamins amplify the caries problem. • Many children whose parents or caregivers receive Medicaid do not visit a dentist on a routine basis (every six months). • A broad-based approach is needed to solve the oral health disparities problem. “ O u r re s e a rc h s h o w s t h a t solving these problems will require a comprehensive approach and that these efforts must be conducted at a grass roots level in Detroit involving just about everyone,” Ismail said. “This can’t be done piecemeal. And it can’t be done from Ann Arbor. If we want to resolve oral health disparities

among children, there has to be active engagement among community organizations and city departments, parents or caregivers, health providers, and others.” A more detailed list of other major findings appears on page 13.

40% 30% 20% 10%

Birth Age 1 Age 2 Age 3 Age 4 Age 5

Initial Meetings with City and Community Groups

Before attempting to learn more about the extent of the oral health disparity problem, Ismail and others with DDHP reached out to city and community organizations ask for their support and ideas. “Amid approached us at the Detroit Health Department in 2000 to talk to us about an idea he had to try to determine the extent of the oral health disparities among children in Detroit,” Ridella said. “We have worked with many organizations in the past, including the University of Michigan, and saw this as an opportunity to be a major participant in addressing an issue that is important to the community.” Ridella, who has been with the Detroit Health Department for 27 years, said the project “was intriguing because of what DDHP was trying to measure, that trained community survey specialists would be going

According to DDHP statistics, caries among children in Detroit is a major problem. By age 3, one-third of the city’s children have significant caries.

Participating Organizations Among the dozens of groups and organizations that have worked with the Detroit Dental Health Project to assess the extent of oral health disparities in Detroit include: University of Michigan schools and colleges: • School of Dentistry • School of Public Health • Medical School • Institute for Social Research Detroit Community Advisory Committee: • Voices of Detroit Initiative • Advantage Health Center • Detroit Community Health Connection • Westside Mothers • Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion • Michigan Department of Community Health University of Detroit-Mercy Wayne State University Michigan State University

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 7

Detroit Dental Health Project

Dr. William Ridella, deputy director of the Detroit Health Department.

One of Five Centers Nationwide Stepping up efforts to address oral health disparities, NIDCR awarded grant money to five universities to establish research centers in the fall of 2001. Communities are partnering with academic health centers, state and local health agencies, and other institutions that serve targeted patient populations. Detroit was selected as one of five cities for the study. Four other university-led centers are conducting similar research in their respective parts of the country: Boston University, New York University, the University of California at San Francisco, and the University of Washington.

door to door, and that they would assess family dental needs and make appropriate referrals.” Another organization that was approached was the Voices of Detroit Initiative (VODI), a community-based coalition of health care providers whose mission is to address the needs of the uninsured and the underinsured. Lucille Smith, VODI executive director who has worked for more than 10 years to help improve access to health care in Detroit, was enthused from the start. “We were ver y pleased that DDHP was going to talk to parents or caregivers of the children, so we helped tailor some of their approaches so they could obtain the information they were looking for as well as identify the needs in the households,” she said. Selma Goode, coordinator of Westside Mothers, a 500-member organization “whose membership

includes about 25 percent men and a few grandmothers too,” she said, has been helping families for more than four decades. When she publicized the news of DDHP’s plans for a door-to-door oral health survey in the organization’s monthly newsletter, “the response was so overwhelming that I’m sure they were busy for a long time,” she said with a laugh. However, before others went to homes to talk to residents, Goode said she spent “a lot of time” reviewing the questionnaire and suggested wording changes. “I was amazed at how open Dr. Ismail and his group were in listening to us and hearing so many different ideas from people in the community,” she said. “I never met a professional person in the last forty years who really heard us and really understood what we were really saying.” By comparison, Goode said, “we previously worked with other professionals and had to tell them how to listen to us and how to treat us, as I would tell them, ‘as million dollar clients.’ Dr. Ismail and his team did that with us.” 10,000 Homes and 3,000 Examinations

Using data from the 2000 census, DDHP conducted door-to-door surveys of children and parents or caregivers (aunts, uncles, grandparents) in 39 census tracts in Detroit with the largest proportions of households with African-American children where

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 8

DDHP

annual incomes were less than $29,025 for a family of two and less than $44,125 for a family of four. These amounts, 2000 figures, are 250% above the federal government’s official poverty levels. However, most families in the DDHP studied reported income of less than $10,000 annually. An individual extensively involved in gathering data in Detroit neighborhoods of the 2000 census played a major role in helping DDHP gather its data. Charity Hicks, project coordinator and clinical research associate, was extensively involved as leader of the “Wave One,” or recruiting phase effort. Responsible for reaching out to community organizations, organizing focus groups, sample recruitment, and tracking, she also supervised and coordinated the efforts of researchers who went door to door to learn more about the oral health of children from birth to age five. They also assessed the oral health knowledge and attitudes of parents or caregivers. “Because of the work I did with the 2000 census in Detroit, where I canvassed many households in many neighborhoods, I got to know the city like the back of my hand,” she said with a smile. “I was able to use that knowledge and experience with this project.” Between September 2002 and August 2003, Hicks said she and other trained interviewers “probably knocked on the doors of about 10,000 homes and apartments and examined about 3,000 children ranging in age

from newborn to five years old.” Hicks said she thought the project was exciting “because it offered an opportunity to talk to families and caregivers and be proactive.” Research assistant Nikia Banks agreed, saying, “I liked the way community research could help families.” “I was one of those who went door to door,” said Charles Jackson, treasurer with the Krainzwood Neighborhood Organization, a community group of about 1,500 families on the northeast side of Detroit. The group researched an area on the southeast side of the city bounded by Gratiot, Cadieux, E. Jefferson, and Grosse Pointe. “We probably went to fifty or one hundred homes, and we were welcomed with open arms,” he said. “But I found that, in many cases, parents or caregivers didn’t know what they could do to improve their children’s oral health.” Jackson said he and members of the organization “got a lot of satisfaction being able to help because it’s just as disturbing for a child to go to school with a toothache as it is to go to school hungry.” During the one-on-one interviews, which sometimes lasted three hours, information was gathered about an adult’s oral health care knowledge and beliefs, dietary habits, access to health care, and more. Later, children whose parents participated in the initial survey were examined at a nearby health center or clinic. The examination included

Waves I, II, III Detroit Dental Health Project community research was conducted in three phases or “waves.” An outline of what happened and when is below. Wave I (September 2002 to August 2003) • Parents or caregivers interviewed about their oral health care habits, knowledge, and beliefs. • Gather information and document needs. • 9,781 occupied housing units contacted and screened. • 3,000 children examined. • 1,021 children selected to receive follow-up care. Wave II (October 2004 to August 2005) • Wave I data used to create informational DVD that targeted beliefs and behaviors and illustrated proper oral health care techniques. • Conduct follow-up interviews and examinations of children and caregivers in 791 families. Wave III (March 2007 to September 2007) • After viewing video, parents/ caregivers now in control. They decide what to do to enhance the oral health of their child(ren). • Tailor oral health care education for families to improve the quality of life.

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Detroit Dental Health Project

“We’re trying to empower families and give them important information they need about oral health that will allow them to make a major difference in the lives of their children.” Dr. Amid Ismail

a detailed oral health assessment, screenings for diabetes, plaque bacteria, and caries treatment. During those 12 months, individuals in 9,781 occupied housing units were contacted and screened. A total of 1,021 children and caregivers completed interviews and examinations. “I have to compliment Dr. Ismail and his team because going door to door isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do,” Ridella said. “But that was one reason the Detroit Health Department wanted to get involved, because those asking the questions were properly trained and were gathering critical community data.” Ismail said that one of the “good news findings” from the door-to-door surveys “was that we found about 20 percent of families in the same neighborhood were totally healthy. But what’s frustrating,” he continued, “is that it seems that percentage isn’t increasing.” Educating Parents and Caregivers

The information gathered at homes and apartments helped researchers document the magnitude of the oral health problem in Detroit as well as learn more about the oral health habits of children, parents, and caregivers. B u t t h e v i s i t s a l s o o f f e re d something more – an opportunity to educate. “We talked to adults about the direct role they have in making sure their child gets the best oral health care possible,” Hicks said. “We wanted to empower them by giving them

important and useful information that would make a difference in a child’s life.” That was especially true, she said, talking to parents with very young children, usually four, five, and six months old. “We alerted parents about when baby teeth might erupt and what to expect when they do, how to avoid baby bottle decay, the importance of rinsing and wiping an infant’s mouth, and other important oral health concerns,” she said. The information gathered during Wave I was a stepping stone that led to the creation of a DVD that demonstrated good oral health care habits and practices. [See story, page 11.] Motivational Interviewing

But before a script was written and filming began, more questions were asked of those participating in the oral health survey. The technique involved “motivational interviewing.” In essence, the motivational interviews were designed to put parents in direct control of a child’s oral health by asking them about a particular problem or concern and then learning what to do about it. “We asked the adults, point blank, ‘what do you need to know, or what would it take, to get you to provide better oral health care for your child’?” said Lucille Smith of the Voices of Detroit Initiative. “It was extremely important for parents and caregivers to buy-in to

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DDHP

the idea that they have a major role in the oral health of their children,” she said. “We showed them some simple things they should do, including how to care for baby teeth, how to check an infant’s mouth every day, showing their children how to brush their teeth, or watching their children to make sure they brushed properly, and praising them for a job well done.” Those efforts paid off. Information from these encounters was then used to write a script for a video about why proper oral health care is so important. After filming and editing, more than 1,000 DVDs were produced and given to adults. In follow-up interviews, Ismail and those involved in the research learned something interesting. Parents and caregivers who participated in the motivational interviews and who also watched the video were almost twice as likely to follow through and apply what they saw than those who did not.

“We’re hopeful that the parents and caregivers of these children have been actively seeking out dental care.” [Editor’s note: As this article was being written, the results of the third wave of studies were still being reviewed.] Other Notable Findings

In addition to some of the major findings noted earlier, there were some other discoveries about other reasons Photo courtesy of Lucille Smith

Parents in Control

During the third wave of studies (March 2007 to September 2007), parents and caregivers used the information from the video to take greater control of their child’s oral health. That included closely monitoring a child’s consumption of food and sugary drinks, supervising their teeth brushing and regularly visiting a dentist. “The children we saw initially back in 2002 are now between five and eleven years old,” Hicks said.

Smith, of VODI, said that attitudes are often passed down from generation to generation that have a detrimental effect on the oral health of children and, ultimately, their offspring. Another notable discovery was a factor Hicks refers to as “religiosity.” “People who go to church or have strong faith seem more likely to have better oral health than those who don’t,” she said. That was clear when a group of men were encouraged by one church’s educator to get an oral cancer screening at the DDHP clinic on West Grand Blvd. [See story, page xx.] Hicks said social support networks among church members may help to reinforce good behavior while rejecting bad ones. Smith, of VODI, said the role of faith-based organizations in oral health “may seem to be relatively new, but is probably an outgrowth of other things they do such as providing day care services or offering free blood pressure screenings.” What’s Next?

Lucille Smith

for oral health disparities. Sometimes they exist within a neighborhood, according to Hicks, because of the beliefs, behaviors, and diets of parents or caregivers. Included in that category is a fatalistic view of oral health some adults expressed that “cavities in baby teeth don’t matter since they fall out anyway.” [DentalUM, Fall 2007, pages 68-69.] Dental phobia may also play a role.

Hicks said she hopes some of the findings will encourage more oral health care providers in Detroit to help children. “The issue is one of access, access, access,” she said. “There’s a need for more providers and more clinics, especially those that can treat patients during the evening or on weekends because we found many parents can’t take off from work to take a child to a dentist while, for other parents, keeping a child in school to learn and

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Detroit Dental Health Project

Jerry Mastey

Among those involved with the Detroit Dental Health Project are (left to right): Dr. James Betz; Nikia Banks, research assistant; Charity Hicks, project coordinator; and Patricia Piechowski, research associate.

get an education takes precedence over oral health.” Ismail hopes to learn by this fall whether NIDCR will renew DDHP’s funding to conduct additional studies. Those involved with the Detroit D e n t a l H e a l t h P ro j e c t s a y t h e contributions of the group to the city and its residents are important. “DDHP has brought an awareness of the oral health care gaps we have in this community,” Ridella said. “But it has also offered an opportunity to try to alleviate them with access to care and education.” Dr. Lorelei Claiborne, a dentist at the Community Health and Social Services dental clinic who talked about oral health in the DVD, agrees. “Before the Detroit Dental Health Project began its work, the phrase ‘oral health disparities’ seemed to

be something of an abstract concept to many. But because of the group’s work, we now have numbers, hard data if you will, that state exactly what the problems are. From there, we can try to address them.” VODI’s Lucille Smith said “DDHP has been a catalyst that brought the community and many organizations together around the need for better oral health. My hope is that what’s been learned can be used to develop more comprehensive approaches to addressing the problem.” Ridella agrees. “Because of the Detroit Dental Health Project, we have seen just how important the issue of oral health disparities is, and if we are to effectively address this problem, it must be as a partnership that involves universities, the city, community organizations, dental providers and others.” He also cited “a critical need” to develop more facilities that provide access to care along with more providers to make sure the needs of children are addressed. Ismail admits the challenge is formidable. But he’s optimistic. “The children of Detroit are very energetic and very intelligent,” he said. “We may not be able to solve all the problems, but I think we should at least make an effort to try to solve some of them, not only for their sake, but also for the sake of their children.”

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DDHP

Significant Findings...Detroit Dental Health Project 3Children • To o t h d e c a y i s h i g h l y prevalent. By age 2, 20% o f c h i l d re n h a d e a r l y childhood tooth decay. • C o n s u m p t i o n o f s o d a beverages was associated with developing severe early childhood tooth decay.

3Caregivers • Over 90% of adults (ages 14-70) had at least one early tooth decay (precavity) lesion, and 82% had at least one cavity. • Cavities presence was directly associated with age, poorer oral hygiene status, being worried about teeth, a recent visit to the dentist, and the number of grocery stores in neighborhoods. • The number of cavities was inversely associated with preventive health care, positive ratings of oral health, and the number of dentists in a community.

3Dental Insurance • Children whose caregiver visited a dentist for preventive care were five times more likely to have visited a dentist for the same kind of care compared to children whose caregiver did not have such visits.

3Foods and Drinks • Among adults, the frequency of soft drink consumption and the presence of gingival p l a q u e d e p o s i t s w e re significantly associated with tooth decay. • Adults obtained 47% of their total calories from carbohydrates. Fifteen percent of their caloric intake came from added sugars. • Only 7.4% of adults reported eating two or more servings of vegetables daily and only 7.8% of adults reported eating two or more servings of fruit per day. • A m o n g a d u l t s , p o t a t o chips were the third most commonly consumed item after tap water and sugared soda.

3Other Important Findings

• Three-quarters of caregivers were either overweight or obese. • Fifty-nine percent of men (5% of the caregivers) and 41% of women were smokers. • Mother’s oral hygiene knowledge was significantly and positively associated with frequent brushing. • From 2000 to 2006, 77.6% of Medicaid enrolled children in the DDHP project visited a dentist at least once. • O f 1 2 , 0 0 0 p ro c e d u re s performed, the most frequently provided services to children were diagnostic (47.6%), preventive (36.1%), and restorative (13.1%).

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Detroit Dental Health Project

Making it Easy to Educate...and Empower “I was a bit nervous initially when Dr. Ismail asked me to appear in the video. But after reading the script, my anxiety disappeared because I felt very strongly about the message of empowerment this video conveys to parents and caregivers in Detroit,” said Dr. Lorelei Claiborne as she discussed making the video. “We also wanted to offer some simple, yet effective, things they can do to help their children achieve better oral health.” Claiborne, who appears in the video and whose voice is heard off-camera offering tips and suggestions, was an undergraduate at U-M. Following her junior year, she enrolled in dental school at Georgetown University and earned her DDS in 1990. Since 1992, she has been practicing at the Community Health and Social Service (CHASS) dental clinic in Detroit. “My parents always emphasized the importance of getting a good education,” she said. “I enjoyed math and science in school, but our family dentist in Detroit, Dr. Jeffrey McMillian, sparked my interest in dentistry. He was an incredibly nice person who enjoyed what he was doing because he was helping others.” Making it Easier “to get the message out”

Claiborne was among those who screened children during the wave 1 of the Detroit Dental Health Project’s

Jerry Mastey

Dr. Lorelei Claiborne at the Community Health and Social Service dental clinic in Detroit.

assessment program. “So participating in the video was an extension of those efforts,” she said. “Parents, caregivers, and children can better relate to me both as an African-American woman and as a health care professional,” Claiborne said. “That makes it easier to get the message out that they can make a difference and that there are things they can do to improve the oral health of their children.” It took two Saturdays to film the 17-minute video. “Now that I’ve had some experience on what’s involved in producing a movie or television program, I don’t watch them the same way because I

know there’s a lot of behind the scenes work that’s involved,” she said with a laugh. Discussing the video, Claiborne talked about a popular genre of programs on television today – extreme makeovers. “We seem to be so focused on extreme makeovers, for whatever reason, that we have forgotten that there are a lot of basic things we can do to improve oral health, be it watching the foods we eat or the sugary drinks we consume or how to care for teeth,” she said. “When we do those basic things on a regular basis for children, they benefit because they can live better lives,” she said.

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DDHP

Video Emphasizes, Illustrates

Good Oral Health Habits

“You can keep your child free from tooth decay.” That is both the title and central message of a video produced for the Detroit Dental Health Project given to more than 1,000 parents and caregivers of Detroit children. During the 17 minutes, parents and caregivers are told they play a major role and can make a significant difference in the oral health of their children. “As a parent or caregiver, you have the most important role in stopping tooth decay in children,” Dr. Lorelei Claiborne says. A dentist and children’s oral health specialist in Detroit for 16 years, Claiborne gives important tips…and repeats them several times...on simple, yet effective steps that can be taken at any age to minimize the risk of decay and improve oral health. She emphasizes that caring for a child’s teeth begins shortly after birth. Subjects covered include how to avoid baby bottle decay; how to brush a baby’s teeth, and later, a toddler’s teeth; the role of good nutrition in a child’s diet; minimizing sugary soft drink consumption, and more. Some of the most important points are summarized on the right.

Video’s Key Oral Health Care Messages • Parents or caregivers can make a difference in a child’s oral health. • Cavities can be prevented. • Caring for baby teeth is important. • Develop good brushing habits early. • Brush twice daily, including once before bedtime. • Monitor a child’s consumption of sugary drinks and foods. • Visit a dentist regularly.

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Detroit Dental Health Project

Screening for Oral Cancer Jerry Mastey

Screening for oral cancer is another important mission of the Detroit Dental Health Project. Although these screenings are not a part of the disparities project, the School of Dentistry has received a five-year grant from NIDCR to conduct a fiveyear study in Detroit. Oral cancer is a major health issue in southeast Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health. Scope of Problem

Between 1990 and 1998, according to the state health department, nearly 4,500 new cases of oral cancer were reported in the tri-county area of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. That number was 48 percent of all new oral cancer cases reported throughout Michigan. In Wayne County alone, the number of new oral cancer cases diagnosed during the same time period was about 2,600 and the number of deaths attributed to oral cancer was about 700. The death rate from oral cancer among African-Americans in Detroit was one of the highest in the nation, 4.1 deaths per 100,000. Bill Ridella, deputy director of health with the Detroit Health Department, said, “The Detroit Dental Health Project has made the community aware of just how significant the oral health cancer problem is in the city because of the community outreach and other education they have done.” Last fall, a group of men from a

After completing a questionnaire about his oral health history, that included frequency of tobacco use, a patient discusses his oral health habits with Dr. James Betz (DDS 1976) at the DDHP Clinic.

Detroit church traveled to the DDHP clinic on West Grand Boulevard and were screened by Dr. James Betz (DDS 1976), a clinical instructor at University of Detroit-Mercy. Trying to Quit

The men learned of the free screening from the church’s health education coordinator, Toni McIlwain, who is also a member of the DDHP community advisory committee. “People don’t know a lot about oral cancer, but it is a problem,” she said. “I told them that the oral screening was painless and free, and that they owed it to themselves and those close to them to get checked before it’s too late.” Among those responding was David Johnson, who works for the church as a self-described “jack of all trades.” “I’m glad I went,” he said. “I

acquired this bad habit (smoking) when I was fifteen and have been trying to quit for a couple of months, but without much success.” He said he tried to quit several months earlier, “but I succeeded for about thirty days. When I quit, I found I was constantly eating, so I resumed smoking.” Johnson said he wanted to learn if he had early signs of oral cancer. He was encouraged with the good news he heard that he did not have any sign of oral cancer. “But I also wanted to learn what I could do to quit smoking for a longer period of time,” he said. Betz said that it’s not unusual for individuals wanting to turn their lives around to begin by focusing on health issues, such as smoking. Long-term smokers, he said, often try several times to quit before they eventually succeed. “I keep advising patients not to give up, to keep trying,” he said. Betz said the group of men that DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008

DDHP

Jerry Mastey

Following an oral cancer screening, a patient listens to Charity Hicks and takes notes as she describes some of the things he can do after leaving the DDHP Clinic to improve his oral health.

came in for screening “made a great start by deciding to come here. They’re certainly more health conscious, and the desire to quit smoking can be a powerful motivator,” he said. “Fortunately, I didn’t see signs of oral cancer in any of them. I didn’t even need to do a brush biopsy, which is something that is fairly common.” Walking out of the clinic following his appointment, Johnson thanked Betz and clinic staff. “You’re helping to save a lot of people’s lives doing this,” he said.

Billboards, Ads, Web Video Focus on Oral Cancer Dangers Billboards and advertisements throughout Detroit urge residents to “Get Checked Before It’s Too Late.” A toll-free telephone number is also available to call for more information about oral cancer: 1-877-7-CHECKED. Online, a course offered by the U-M School of Dentistry helps dentists and other oral health care professionals to recognize oral cancer, identifies sites in the mouth where those cancers are likely to develop, provides information about oral cancer screenings and brush biopsies, and advises patients on what they can do. Oral health care professionals who want to take the course and receive a continuing education credit letter from the School of Dentistry will pay a $15 fee to take the online course at www.detroitoralcancer.org. However, there is no cost to view the entire program, including the 10-minute video. Click the link labeled “Continuing Dental and Medical Education Online Course.” Then click the link that reads, “Start the Course.”

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DENTISTRY

Dental Scholar Begins Work to Establish 1st Dental School in Liberia Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood… Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical idea once recorded will not die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistence.

“What I especially remember was when I was in classrooms talking to students, most of them weren’t aware of what dentistry is. They had no idea of what a dentist is or what a dentist does. And they knew very little about how to take care of their teeth.”

Daniel Burnham, visionary Chicago architect, 1910

U-M School of Dentistry Dental Scholar has taken the first steps toward realizing her lifelong dream and professional goal of establishing the first dental school in her native country of Liberia. Last summer, third-year dental student Nejay Ananaba returned to her homeland to spend two weeks conducting oral health research, talk to junior and senior high school students and their teachers about dentistry, and meet with officials in academia and government to discuss her dream. “I was well received and my idea was enthusiastically embraced by those I talked to, especially Dr. Tabeh Freeman, the dean of the medical school at the University of Liberia,” Ananaba said. Photo courtesy of Nejay Ananaba

She also talked to an official from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Moses Pewu, about her plans. A hoped-for meeting with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf did not occur. However, Ananaba later met the president’s son, a banker, told him about her dream, and asked that he share her dream with his mother. Work on the summer trip began months earlier, in December 2006, when Ananaba briefly returned to Liberia during the University’s winter break. While there, she enlisted the help of her father, Charles, an insurance executive, and met with teachers and administrators at several schools in and around Monrovia, the nation’s capital. Only 13 Dentists

About the size of Tennessee,

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DENTISTRY

Photo courtesy of Nejay Ananaba

During visits to classrooms in Liberia, Nejay Ananaba demonstrated flossing to students. In this photo, students hold up several fingers on one of their hands and use crocheting yarn as a surrogate for dental floss.

Liberia, which means “land of the free,” was founded by free slaves who emigrated from the U.S. in 1822. Until the 1980s, the country was noted for its academic institutions and iron mining and rubber industries. However, a coup in the 1980s and a 14-year civil war (1989-2003) devastated Liberia’s economy and led to a sharp decline in living standards. Ananaba and her family fled the country for a year in 1990 and then returned, only to flee again in 1996 and return the following year. Since January 2006, a democratically elected government led by Liberia’s and Africa’s first female president has been trying to rebuild the nation’s economy where annual per capita income is approximately $120 and life expectancy is about 40

years. Currently, the country of 3.3 million has only 13 dentists, according to the World Health Organization. Ananaba saw the effect of that scarcity everywhere she went. During one of two nationwide radio interviews in August, she said that when she returned in December 2006, “As I looked at people’s mouths and their teeth when I was talking to them, I noticed a lot of gum disease,” she said. “No Idea What a Dentist Is or What a Dentist Does”

The country’s lack of dentists was noticeable when Ananaba visited classrooms. “What I especially remember was when I was in classrooms talking to

students, most of them weren’t aware of what dentistry is. They had no idea of what a dentist is or what a dentist does. And they knew very little about how to take care of their teeth,” she said. During her visits to nine elementary and junior high schools in and around Monrovia during the summer, Ananaba asked about 3,000 students about their oral health habits. Among the 31 questions she asked included: Have you ever been to a dentist? Do you feel your teeth and gums are healthy? How often do you brush your teeth? Do you own a toothbrush and toothpaste? How do you clean your teeth? Ananaba said that when she asked the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders how they cleaned their teeth, most said they used chewing sticks. “But others said they used baking soda, and some even wrote ‘salt’ and ‘charcoal’,” she said. When they had problems, especially chronic toothaches, Ananaba said that most went to see a medical doctor who extracted the teeth but knew little else about oral health. Others with similar problems who were more affluent, she added, “went to Ghana or another nearby country to receive dental care.” With that information in hand, Ananaba used every classroom visit as an opportunity to tell students and teachers about simple things they could do to develop and maintain good oral health. She repeated those tips in radio interviews.

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DENTISTRY

In the classrooms, she also handed out toothbrushes and toothpaste and then demonstrated proper brushing techniques. Flossing was another story. “None of the students knew what flossing was,” Ananaba said. “But I came prepared and brought some crocheting yarn with me. When I got to each school, I had the students hold up several fingers on one of their hands and then demonstrated how to floss by moving the yarn between their fingers.” Ananaba talked to the students about dentistry and answered their questions about how she became interested in the profession. She said they were amused to hear her interest in the profession began following a roller skating accident where she chipped several teeth and that, as she was leaving the dentist’s office, she told the dentist that she wanted to become his dental helper. However, as she talked to the students, Ananaba was surprised to learn something else. None of them had heard about the Internet or how it could be used to find information about dentistry or oral health care. “As I was describing what the Internet is and the information that’s available, I thought if I answered their questions as best I could and showed enthusiasm about dentistry and how dentists help people, then maybe some of them might begin thinking about it seriously as a career,” she said.

As she left the schools, Ananaba told students, “Someday, I hope to see you studying dentistry at a dental school here in Liberia.” They responded. “When I arrived at the schools, most said they wanted to become medical doctors, nurses, or lawyers. Not one mentioned dentistry,” she said. “But by the time I was leaving, four or five said they wanted to become dentists.” She also encouraged the youngsters to become ambassadors of dentistry. “I told them, ‘go home and tell your mothers, fathers, and friends about dentistry and how to care of your teeth. Have your own Show and Tell program and demonstrate the correct way to brush your teeth and to floss’,” she said. “A Duty to Give Back to My Country, My Society”

Ananaba’s preliminary research at the schools was well received by academic and government officials. She said Freeman, the dean of the medical school at the University of Liberia, liked her idea about establishing a dental school in Liberia. “He added that a pharmacy school was recently established and that it’s expanding the knowledge base of those in the medical profession,” she said. “He thought a dental school could do the same and encouraged me to pursue my idea.” Currently, Liberians studying to become a dentist do so at a college or university in a neighboring country

and don’t return. Ananaba wants that to change. During one of two nationwide radio interviews, Ananaba explained why she thinks it’s important to establish a dental school in her country. “We cannot always rely on other countries, or other people, to do things for us. We have to make things happen for ourselves,” she said. “I see it as my duty to give something back to my country and my society.” In April, Ananaba spoke to the Liberial Medical Association in Albama about her desire to establish a dental school. This summer she plans to return to Liberia. “My dental studies here at Michigan and the Dental Scholars program are keeping me busy,” she said. “But I would like to, and build on the success of the meetings that I had,” she added. As she discussed her experiences, Ananaba said, “I don’t think any of this would have happened had I not been here at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry or been accepted into the Dental Scholars program. What I have learned about dentistry and the dental profession by being at this School, and talking to others across campus, including those at the Business School, the School of Public Health, and the School of Public Policy, has helped me tremendously.”

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DENTISTRY

Students, Residents, Faculty, Staff Team Up to Give Kids a Smile

bout 90 dental and dental hygiene students, pediatric residents, faculty, and staff from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry teamed up the first Saturday of February to Give Kids a Smile. The annual event, a cornerstone of national Children’s Dental Health Month since 2002, involves members of the oral health community working together to provide dental care and education to children from families who do not have access to care or who are unable to pay for treatment. Sixty dental students, 15 dental hygiene students, 6 pediatric residents, a pediatric resident, and 26 predental students participated, according to Andrea Fraser, a third-year dental student who organized the dental school’s efforts. Dental and dental hygiene faculty were also involved as were staff who helped with registration, dispensing, and records. “The Amount of Work… Our Most Ever”

Fifty-seven children received oral exams, Fraser said. Most needed additional care which included 23 fluoride treatments, 19 fillings, 9 extractions, 9 stainless steel crowns, and 7 sealants. “The amount of work we did was, by far, our most ever,” she said. Whether they participated in previous years, or for the first time, students said they enjoyed themselves.

“This is my third year helping out, and I’ve enjoyed it every time,” said dental student Phyllis Odoom who added “this year’s program was very well organized.” First-time participants shared those sentiments. “I thought this would be a great experience and a great chance to give something back to the community and interact with the kids,” said secondyear dental student Brittany Mailloux. Another second-year dental student, Katie Knauf, echoed those sentiments. “I wanted to help in any way I could. This was a great way to give back to those who are in need,” she said. Fraser said several youngsters who were patients last year returned this year to receive the follow-up care or treatment that was recommended a year earlier. “Fortunately, their needs were not urgent, so we were able to help them when they returned,” she said. Some parents and guardians began arriving an hour before the students began their work. When it ended, they expressed their appreciation. “This is a great thing the dental school is doing, and we appreciate everything that’s being done to help those in need,” said Jaami Muhammad whose two daughters were among those present. Another parent, Amanda Edwards, said this was the first time her 6-yearold son, Tie’von Johnson, had been to a dentist. “When I asked him what he liked most, he told me, ‘the coolest part was the ride on the dental chair and

Jerry Mastey

Second-year dental student Michael Thomas pauses during his treatment of 6-year-old patient.

being on it as it moved up and down’,” she said with a laugh. Besides the care, Fraser said education was another important mission for students. “Hopefully, both the kids and the parents or guardians, left with a higher level of understanding about the importance of good oral health and the ways to achieve it,” she said. According to the American Dental Association, more than 758,000 children have been treated nationally at more than 2,250 locations since the Give Kids a Smile program began. This year’s program at the School of Dentistry was made possible with gifts from Colgate, the Michigan Dental Association, and the Washtenaw District Dental Society.

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Pre-dents Lend a Hand Jerry Mastey

Brittany Mailloux, a second-year dental student, gives 7-year-old Medina Muhammad a mirror to hold and instructs her on the correct way to brush her teeth. Jerry Mastey

“She’s curious about everything, so I’m not surprised she asked if she could see her x-rays,” Lori Peterson said of her daughter, Morgan, who is looking at the x-rays and listening to explanations from dental student Nicole Beadle (left) and Christine Klausner, clinical assistant professor of dental hygiene. Jerry Mastey

“He was a great patient,” dental student Phyllis Odoom tells Amanda Evans, the mother of 6-year-old Tie’von Johnson following his dental examination.

For 26 U-M undergraduates, the Give Kids a Smile program was an opportunity to work with dental and dental hygiene students and faculty and to learn more about the profession before applying to dental school. Zach Miller, double major in biochemistry and anthropology/zoology, said he’s been thinking about dentistry for some time and hopes to be admitted after he graduates. “I have been working in the laboratory of Dr. Elliott Hill and my experiences there and being able to help the dental students here, have been great,” he said. Renee O’Brien, a junior majoring in biopsychology, helped at the checkout desk. “I’d like to get into the profession,” she said. “I enjoy working with my hands and think dentistry would give me a great opportunity to do that and, more importantly, make a difference in the lives of kids by doing work that makes them smile again.” Puneet Rangi, a sophomore majoring in neuroscience, and a member of the pre-dental club, said she has been considering dentistry for some time. “My cousin in New Jersey is a dentist and I shadowed a dentist in Owosso, Michigan, when I was in high school. I enjoyed it. Being at the Give Kids a Smile program gives me an opportunity to see students in action and see the results of their work,” she said. Jerry Mastey

Puneet Rangi (left) and Renee O’Brien were among several U-M undergraduates, who are considering dentistry as a career, who participated in the Give Kids a Smile program.

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DENTISTRY

“Superbly Organized” – Preparing a Year in Advance “This program was superbly organized. It’s amazing,” said Dr. Stephen Stefanac, associate dean for Patient Services, during the Give Kids a Smile program. Andrea Fraser, a third-year dental student who directed the School’s efforts, said she started working on this year’s program “the day after last year’s event. I went over things that worked and things that needed to be different. I also compiled suggestions given to me by those who participated last year.” Fraser said preparation for Give Kids a Smile received a boost when she and another third-year dental student, Lauren Johnson, went to the ADA’s Give Kids a Smile symposium in Chicago. “This gave us a chance to learn more about how other events across the country, as well as those at other dental schools, were organized,” she said. Series of Small Steps Over Time Instead of trying to do everything all at once a week or even a month before the February event, Fraser took a series of small steps over an extended period of time. Jerry Mastey

That included requesting supplies from the ADA Web site; meeting with Stefanac and others in the office of patient services – Jean Thompson, Georgia Kasko, and Jane McDougall – to review details of the event and discuss the support that would be needed; coordinating advertising with the Washtenaw District Dental Society (which donated $1,000 to cover costs); and advising students and faculty to “save the date,” Feb. 2, for the program. In early January, she sent out letters and flyers to elementary schools in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Two first-year dental students, members of the Taft Society, displayed flyers at local businesses. Simultaneously, Fraser worked with three of her classmates – Lauren Johnson, Piper Huber, and Christian Groth – to determine the best way to prepare everyone (patients, parents, and volunteers) to efficiently handle up to 100 children. Two days before the event, Fraser met with students and other volunteers to make sure they understood what would occur. She also distributed a clinic flow chart that was displayed in all of the cubicles and distributed to all faculty and pediatric residents. Dental and dental hygiene students and the pediatric residents were all given a 15-step “to do” list. The first step was setting up the cubicle. The final step was resetting it. The day of the event, students arrived early to place direction signs in hallways and next to elevator doors. Inside elevators, were hand-made signs that noted where activities were occurring. “Listening to suggestions from the registration and dispensing staff was critical to the organization and success of this year’s event,” Fraser said. Third-year dental student Andrea Fraser began preparing for this year’s Give Kids a Smile program at the School of Dentistry the day after last year’s program ended.

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DENTISTRY

Dental Scholars Return to Perry Nursery School Photo courtesy of Dental Scholar Erica Scheller

Eight members of the School of Dentistry’s Scholars Program in Dental Leadership returned to the Perry Nursery School in Ann Arbor during mid-winter break in late February to talk about oral health care to a group of about 100 youngsters between the ages of 2 and 5. Last summer, more than a dozen of the Dental Scholars participated in a community service initiative at Perry that included painting classrooms, cleaning facilities, and scrubbing cots. [DentalUM, Fall 2007, pages 9-11.] Helping to Ease Fears

“We went in pairs into each classroom and gave the kids some useful information about how and when to brush,” said Erica Scheller. “We also gave them an opportunity to try brushing the teeth of our dog, Chompers, or try to brushing using a large typodont.” Heavenly Jackson, development director, and other administrators told the Dental Scholars that many children that age have varying degrees of dental phobia. To help lessen the problem, Dental Scholars took turns being patients while another student wore dental attire and performed an oral exam. Afterwards, several children volunteered to sit in an improvised dental chair. A dental bib was placed on their chest and the dental students asked the children to open their mouths and stick out their tongues. “Amazingly, even the kids who were

With an oversized cardboard typodont on a tabletop, Dental Scholars Stephanie Munz (left) and Darlene Guttridge watch a youngster at the Perry Nursery School practice her brushing technique on a stuffed animal, Chompers.

hesitant later volunteered to come up after watching their classmates,” Scheller said. The youngsters were also taught a song about brushing their teeth and had their questions answered by the Dental Scholars. When the program ended, each child received a bag with a toothbrush, dental coloring book, crayons, and a small toy to take home. One of the reasons the visit by the Dental Scholars succeeded, she said, was the help the group received from Dr. Marita Inglehart, a psychologist

and associate professor of dentistry. Inglehart has also developed a Web site that helps kindergarten and elementary school teachers educate their students about oral health care. For more information, visit www. dent.umich.edu/teachoralhealth. “Our goal is to reach more underserved populations in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti,” Scheller said. “Any help we could receive from interested sponsors would be appreciated.” For more information, e-mail SPDLkidsdentistry@umich. edu.

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White Coat “Must Fit Your Soul” D1s Told One hundred five men and women were welcomed into the dental profession last fall during the School of Dentistry’s annual White Coat ceremony. In welcoming remarks at the Michigan Union, Dean Peter Polverini spoke of “the great responsibility and high expectations that go along with wearing this coat.” Keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Dater (DDS 1984), president of the Michigan Dental Association, told students, “the white coat is a symbol of integrity and ethics in our profession. It’s up to each of you to maintain a high level of integrity.” Why the Dental White Coat is Different

However, Dr. James Boynton (DDS 2002, MS 2004), clinical assistant professor of dentistry in the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry,

Photo by Call Photography

Douglas Cabell receives his white coat during the annual ceremony welcoming first-year dental students into the dental profession.

told students individuals in other professions wear similar coats. Noting that his wife’s hairdresser wears a white coat, Boynton described

similarities and a major difference. “Hairdressers have years of training, use potentially dangerous instruments to amputate human tissue, have the power to make people feel good about themselves, and bad results can be devastating for everyone involved. So what separates your new white coat from the white coat my wife’s hairdresser wears?,” he asked rhetorically. “In a word, it’s ‘science.’ That’s what sets you apart, your scientific training,” he continued. “With comprehensive understanding of science and research, you have powers to heal, to take away pain, to take away suffering, and to make people smile,” he added. “This white coat must not just fit your shoulders. It must fit your soul. When your white coat becomes a part of your soul, you earn the title of ‘doctor’,” he said. Photo by Call Photography

Dr. Jack Gobetti, representing the International College of Dentists, U.S.A. section, congratulates first-year dental students and reminds them of the importance of life-long learning.

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From Football to Dentistry…

Ross Ryan, David Schoonover Making the Transition

orm Betts. Tom Slade. Bryan Williams. Gary Weber. Rodney Feaster. These are a few School of Dentistry alumni who once played football for U-M and later earned a dental degree or specialty degree from U-M. History appears to be repeating itself. Currently, two former U-M football players are in the School’s predoctoral program – Ross Ryan and David Schoonover. Per Kjeldsen

Ross Ryan was a punter for the U-M football team from 2002-2006.

Ross Ryan Ryan, a first-year dental student, was on the Michigan football team from 2002 to 2006. As an undergraduate who majored in biopsychology and cognitive science, he was twice-named to the Academic All-Big Ten (2005, 2006) and five times a U-M Athletic Academic Achievement recipient. “I didn’t get to play during my first three years, but I wasn’t disappointed,” he said. “Just being around guys like Braylon Edwards, Chris Perry, John Navarre, and so many others, including the coaching staff, was quite a thrill.” Asked to describe what it was like on game day to come out of the tunnel onto the playing field for the very

first time, surrounded by more than 100,000 fans, Ryan said, “I really got an adrenaline rush. I didn’t realize, until then, just how big the Big House is.” Ryan did get to play during his senior year and as a fifth-year senior. As a punter, he was on the team that played in five bowl games, including three Rose Bowls, played in 25 games, and averaged 37 yards a kick. A two-year letterman, Ryan was voted by the coaching staff as Michigan’s special teams Most Valuable Player in 2005. Although he was officially entered in the 2007 NFL draft as a punter, Ryan was not drafted. Only three punters were.

NFL Draft or Dentistry? “Last spring, when I had to make a decision whether to pursue the NFL as a free agent, or officially accept my spot in the 2011 dental class, my decision was an easy one,” he said. “Even though football had been my passion since I was a child, I had matured enough to see that I would make a much larger impact in peoples lives as a dentist and that a dental career is more secure than that of a professional football player.” Ryan said his interest in oral health care was sparked by his family dentist, Dr. Doug Thompson (DDS 1996), of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. “During one of my visits he answered my questions about dentistry and told me that possibilities the profession offered,” Ryan said. As an undergraduate, he worked one summer in Thompson’s lab and also shadowed several other dentists. After taking his DAT exam and being accepted as a member of the Class of 2011, Ryan said two important lessons he learned playing football apply to his dental studies. “You must have a ‘work hard’ ethic and be a good time manager because both football and dentistry are so demanding, each in their different ways,” he said. Although he attended U-M football games last fall, Ryan admitted that being in the stands, in the student section, for the first time after being on the playing field, “was a bit strange. I miss playing the game and the camaraderie. But I’m finding I’m just about as busy now with my dental studies as I was back then.”

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David Schoonover A freshman walk-on in 2001, David Schoonover did not see game-day action until his junior year when he made his debut as an offensive lineman. He played in five games as a guard and center during his five years on the team. Growing up, Schoonover said he wanted to not only play football but also get a good education. He succeeded on both counts. As an undergraduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, Schoonover received the U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award five times, was a member of the Academic All-Big Ten Conference (2005), and shared the Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Scholarship Award as the top student-athlete on the football team (2005). Dentistry is a tradition in the Schoonover family. His father, William, earned his dental degree from the U-M School of Dentistry in 1977. A brother, Andrew, earned his DDS in 2005. Now a second-year dental student, Schoonover said his decision to pursue a dental career was inspired by his father. “He’s been such a big influence because of the way he lives his life,” he said. “Twice he took me to Central America, Honduras in 2006 and Nicaragua in 2001, to watch him help those in need. His demeanor and the way he helped the truly needy made lasting impressions on me.” Football Lessons and Dental Studies Although he played in just five

Per Kjeldsen

David Schoonover did not see game-day action with the U-M football team until his junior year when he made his career debut as an offensive lineman. During his five years on the team, he played in five games as a guard and center.

This tongue-in-cheek photo of dental student David Schoonover shows him preparing to work on a mannequin head surrounded by a Florida Gators football helmet following U-M’s 41-35 victory over ninth-ranked Florida in the Capital One Bowl on New Year’s Day.

games Schoonover said he was not disappointed seeing limited action. “Participating in practices everyday was a privilege and an honor,” he said. “I had an important role to play. My job was to give it everything I had, so that the starting players were in top condition to play the opposing team,” he added. “It takes an entire team to make it to a championship game, including bowl games. And if you love the game, you practice and play with all your heart.” Recalling the first time he emerged with his teammates from the tunnel at the Big House onto the playing field, Schoonover said “it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was flying high when I heard 110,000 people cheering for us as we ran onto the field. It’s something I’ll never forget.” Although he didn’t play much, Schoonover said he made friendships with players “that will last a lifetime.

We’re one big family that shares a common bond, playing for the Maize and Blue.” One common bond was the team’s weekly visits to Mott Children’s Hospital. “Those visits helped me realize what life is really all about,” he said. “To see so many children who don’t have what I have puts life in perspective. It helped me to realize even more why I want to become a dentist – to help people and to give back.” Asked what lessons he learned on the practice field and playing field that have helped him during his predoctoral studies, Schoonover said “hard work, perseverance, and time management.” “As a walk-on, I had to work harder to prove myself to my teammates and my coaches. But I realized that if I persevered, worked hard, and managed my time, I could do anything,” he said.

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Dentistry in Honduras . . .

Two Dental Students Volunteer to Photo courtesy of David Lipton

“It seemed that everywhere we went, people were lined up waiting for dental care,” Baeverstad said. “Sometimes there were one hundred or two hundred people, ranging in age from three or four to seventy or eighty, waiting as the bus with all the health care professionals arrived.” Challenging Conditions

Making a balloon with a face from a dental glove brought a smile to at least one young girl’s face after fourth-year dental student David Lipton checked them for caries at a makeshift dental clinic last summer in Honduras.

Fourth-year dental student David Lipton will always remember the mariachi bands that greeted him and other health care providers last summer as they arrived at several remote villages in Honduras. “It was practically a holiday when we came to town,” he said. “Since people in remote parts of the country don’t have access to care, a visit by dentists, physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals was a rare experience and a reason to celebrate.” Lipton and third-year dental student Katrina Baeverstad were the only School of Dentistry students who provided oral health care as a part of the University of Michigan’s Honduras Medical Relief program. Working in collaboration with a Honduran charity organization, U-M HMR is a group of about 40 physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and undergraduates who volunteer to provide services in villages where care is unavailable or people lack funds to take a bus to a clinic in a city. Last year was the third year the U-M group took the trip. Both Lipton and Baeverstad participated in one-week programs in the country of 7-1/2 million. Honduran residents are among the poorest in the Western Hemisphere with an annual per capita income of approximately $2,800.

Lipton agreed, adding that since the villages were in the jungle, “it often took between one to three hours to get to some of the sites. So, after a long day of providing care, part of our evening was spent preparing for the next day.” Each workday began around six o’clock in the morning Photo courtesy of Katrina Baeverstad

Dental student Katrina Baeverstad checks an adolescent during her visit to a clinic at a village in Honduras. In the background you can see youngsters holding onto the ironwork in the window while she works.

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Help in Central American Country and didn’t end until eleven o’clock at night. D e n t a l c a re w a s l i m i t e d t o extractions. No restorative work was performed. Care was provided at public sites, such as schools or village halls. However, in one instance, Baverstad said, the mayor of one village allowed his home to serve as a temporary clinic. “When we arrived, it was apparent many were in pain,” Baeverstad said. “I usually had to ask them to point to the area of their mouth that was hurting. When I looked, I could tell which tooth was probably causing the pain.”

In addition to the heat and humidity, conditions were challenging for other reasons, Lipton said. “We had no electricity, so we had to use flashlights and sometimes sunshine, to see inside a person’s mouth.” Baeverstad said about 3,000 people were seen in the four villages during her one-week trip. That number included between 30 and 40 patients who received oral health care daily. One day, a record number of patients, 60, received dental care. Lipton said about 3,300 patients were treated in the villages during his trip. Of those, about 265 patients received oral health care that included more than 340 tooth extractions.

“It was a tiring trip, but worthwhile,” Lipton said. “I enhanced my dental skills, especially in oral surgery.” When he graduates this spring, Lipton plans to participate in either an AEGD or GPR program. Baeverstad said her technical and organizational skills improved. “I was able to make the most of challenging situations as they arose because there were a lot of those,” she said with a smile. “All of us made a difference in the lives of these people, and they were so grateful. That was the most rewarding part of the trip,” she said.

Photo courtesy of David Lipton

Children, adolescents, and adults waited in line for hours to have a chance to receive dental care at a makeshift clinic in Honduras.

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U-M Dentist Helps in Kenya and Uganda Photo courtesy of Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum

At a hospital in Kenya, Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum (right) listens to an interpreter who relays information conveyed to him about a familiy’s oral health needs.

Although it was his first trip to Africa to provide oral health care, Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum says his experiences helping children and young adults in villages in Kenya and Uganda were different in both countries. Last November, he traveled with a group of 40 other health care providers from North America and Kenya on a mission to Kisumu, Kenya marking the 25th anniversary of Operation Smile, an international organization of dental and medical professionals who travel around the world to treat children with facial deformities, typically cleft lip and palate. Afterwards, he went to a rural village in Uganda that has poor access to dental care. A clinical assistant professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surger y and Hospital Dentistr y and director of the General Practice Residency in the Hospital Dentistry program, Zwetchkenbaum said during his first two days in Kisumu, on the shores of Lake Victoria, he provided dental screenings for about 250 people

ranging in age from six months to 30 years. 138 Patient Surgeries in 5 Days

“They came from near and far in hopes of having life-changing surgery because they heard doctors from the U.S. were available,” he said. “I imagined things would be rudimentary compared to the U.S., but was surprised by the lack of basic equipment and basic supplies, even in established clinics. I also saw significant pathology, with some cases much more involved than what I recalled seeing in our oral pathology textbooks.” During the five days in Kenya, Zwetchkenbaum was part of a team that spent full days performing surgeries on 138 patients at a local hospital. He performed extractions of decayed and nonrestorable teeth, particularly when they were in the area of the cleft or could be a potential source of infection. He manufactured several obturators and other prostheses for those with cleft palate who were not selected for

surgery. “I didn’t have to make as many as I thought I might have to,” he said. However, when Zwetchkenbaum returned to the U.S., he finished making a nasal prosthesis for a young girl that he sent to Dr. Ben Omondi, a prosthodontist he worked with who teaches at the dental school in Nairobi, to deliver to the patient. Photo courtesy of Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum

During the 10 days he was at a hospital in Kenya to help Operation Smile, Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum worked to improve the lives of children with facial deformities. Here, he makes a dental cast that will be used to fabricate an obturator.

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1st “Turner’s Trot” Raises $2K for Scholarships

Dental Clinic in Ugandan Community

Following his work in Kenya, Zwetchkenbaum traveled to a small village in eastern Uganda to visit a small Jewish community called the Abayudaya. There he performed extractions for two days for community members and their neighbors, and talked with community leaders about the possibility of including a dental clinic in a planned health center. “I learned about this community while attending services at my local synagogue,” he said. “I sent an e-mail to a leader there who informed me that there is only one dentist in a region of about 250,000 and he only performs extractions.” Zwetchkenbaum said he would like to see preventive and restorative care provided in this community and plans to work with others who are interested in developing a sustainable program. He hopes to return to Africa in a few years.

More than 250 dental and dental hygiene students, faculty, and staff turned out last September to honor the memory of a classmate and raise money for a scholarship in Ryan Turner’s name. Turner, a dental student, died unexpectedly in January 2007. Fourth-year dental student Jessica Groth who participated in the Turner’s Trot event, said, “We thought a 5K run and walk would be a fun and active way to show our support and remember Ryan. The wonderful turnout was truly a testament to how much Ryan meant to so many.” Turner’s mother, Kim Humble, traveled from Oregon to attend. “When we told her that we were planning to make this an annual event, she said she’d be sure to attend every year,” Groth said. The event, which was sponsored by the Michigan Chapter of ASDA, raised more than $2,000 for the Ryan Turner Scholarship. The run/walk began at Ingalls Mall outside the Michigan League and continued through the Arboretum, and ended at Ingalls Mall. Photo courtesy of Jessica Groth

Dental and dental hygiene students signed a photo of Ryan Turner and presented it to his mother, Kim Humble (center), following the 5K run/walk. Presenting the framed picture were Jessica Groth (left) and Nitin Raju (right).

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Lynn Johnson 1 of 10 Nationwide To Receive New Award Dr. Lynn Johnson, director of Dental Informatics and Information Technology and professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistr y, is among ten persons nationwide who recently received a new award from Apple. The Apple Award for Innovation in Science recognizes a very select and distinguished group of individuals in academia who have developed new ways to use technology that enhance education and research. The award also offers opportunities for recipients to publicly promote their ideas and insights about those novel uses of technologies. A Major Shift in How Technology is Used Johnson received the award for her pioneering efforts that led to the U-M School of Dentistry and Apple entering into a partnership in September 2005 that allows students at the dental school to listen to classroom lectures on their iPods or other portable listening devices virtually anywhere and at any time. The venture, the first of its kind with any professional school in the U.S., marked a major shift in how technology is used to support and enhance learning. Dental, dental hygiene, and graduate students at the U-M School

Keary Campbell

Dr. Lynn Johnson was one of 10 individuals nationwide to receive a new award from Apple Computer for her work that allows students at the dental school to listen to classroom lectures on their iPods or other portable listening devices. The initiative has been featured in publications worldwide.

of Dentistry use their valid U-M names and passwords to log on to a special Web site, “Learning via iTunes U,” to locate and download the lectures. They can then listen to them in their apartments, automobiles, while walking on campus, or even working out, at their convenience. Since course lectures have been available for downloading, School of Dentistry students have been to the Web site approximately 30,000 times to download and listen to lectures.

Interest Across Campus and Around the World In a story about the initiative that appeared in the spring and summer 2006 issue of the School of Dentistry’s alumni magazine, DentalUM, Johnson said the School’s collaboration with Apple has led to many benefits. “In technology, we have more visibility, not just across the University, but also in the field of dental education,” she said. “The University is now launching a campus-wide application of what we are doing with the iPods in dental education. …It’s gratifying to know U-M intends to share the campus-wide iPod application with over 45 other colleges and universities across the country.” Apple said that each year it will select 10 academics for their innovative use of Apple technology in science, research, and education. Recipients of the award will receive benefits that include a pass to Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference; up to eight one-on-one development support consultations with Apple engineers, without charge; participating in the annual meeting of Apple’s Science Innovators; and the ability to participate in the annual “Communities” meeting at the Apple campus in Cupertino, California. Johnson, who arrived at the U-M School of Dentistry in June 2002, earned a PhD in instructional design and technology from the University of Iowa in 1993.

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Jerry Mastey

Clarkson New AADR President The first abstract he submitted was rejected. Now, 40 years later, Dr. Brian Clarkson is the president of the organization that rejected his research summary, the American Association for Dental Research. “How’s that for irony?” he asked rhetorically. In April, Clarkson became president of the 4,000-member organization whose goal is to advance research that improves oral health in the U.S. AADR is the largest component of the International Association for Dental Research. Now serving a one-year term as president, Clarkson said he’s been preparing for the role for the past two years, first as vice president, and then as president-elect. “However, when I become past president next spring, I will still have an opportunity to serve in a leadership role and try to influence the direction of the organization,” he said. Presenting “the best science” As president, Clarkson said one of the primary issues he wants to address is expanding how information is conveyed about new research discoveries that are taking place across the country. “Ver y good science is being

Dr. Brian Clarkson, now president of the American Association for Dental Research, stands by the Alumnus of the Year Award for 2007 he received from his alma mater, the University of Rochester (New York). Clarkson was honorred for his cariology research.

presented at our meetings,” he said. “However, I believe we need to find ways to have all the best science presented at our sessions.” Because dental research is such a vast field, in recent years, news about research in many “niche” areas has been missing. “Findings in these niche areas need to be brought to the attention of a larger group of scientists,” Clarkson said. “For example, discoveries in microbiology not only appeal to microbiologists, but I believe, could be of interest to a larger group of dental researchers which, in turn, could ultimately help patients.” Continuity and Student Participation Clarkson said one issue he wants to address as president is continuity. “I hope we can establish better links between our plenary sessions and symposia that follow,” Clarkson

said. “I would like for us to use the momentum and enthusiasm that’s generated during these sessions to ultimately develop a continuous flow of information that can be used, for example, at regional or local conferences or seminars.” He also hopes to increase interaction among organization members. “AADR offers students many opportunities to talk to their colleagues from around the country about what they’re doing as well as opportunities to talk to senior investigators who are engaged in novel dental and craniofacial research,” he said. “I also think that when you put these two items together, you can enhance your own career.” Discussing his career, Clarkson said the encouragement he received from his mentor following the rejection of his research abstract was important to his professional growth and development.

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As a student at the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York, Clarkson said “I was quite nervous about breaking the rejection news to my mentor, Dr. Basil Bibby, the director of the dental center and the father of modern cariology.” “But after I told Dr. Bibby, he told me not to worry because his first abstract was also refused. He then advised me to keep trying because, ultimately, I would succeed. His calm demeanor and advice made a big difference, and I hope that’s something I can do when I have to tell students that their abstracts won’t be used at one of our sessions,” Clarkson said.

Gregory, Peters Honored by Academy of Operative Dentistry Drs. William Gregory and Mathilde Peters were honored earlier this year by the Academy of Operative Dentistry during the organization’s 37th annual meeting in Chicago. Gregory was presented with the Award of Excellence. Established i n 1 9 8 6 , t h e a w a rd re c o g n i z e s outstanding contributions to operative dentistry in areas that include service to AOD, teaching at academic and continuing education levels, and promotion of excellence nationally or internationally. Peters received the Hollenback Memorial Prize. Established in 1975 as a memorial to the late George Hollenback for his research and leadership, this

award recognizes researchers who have substantially contributed to restorative dentistry in areas from fundamental to applied, prevention of dental disease, and developing improved materials and techniques. Jerry Mastey

William Gregory Gregory earned his DDS from the U-M School of Dentistry in 1953 and an advanced degree in restorative

dentistry in 1983. After earning his dental degree, Gregory practiced with the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and then returned to private practice with his father, Robert, who earned his dental degree from Michigan in 1923. After running a private practice until 1981, Gregory retrained at U-M and remained with the School after graduation to mentor dental students. In addition, he has traveled to Central and South America to provide oral health care, lectured on operative dentistry and dental caries in the U.S. and Europe, published many peerreviewed articles, and contributed to two books. In presenting the award, the Academy said that Gregory “has established a legacy of clinical service and excellence.” “The U-M School of Dentistry affected me very early in my life because my father was trained here,

and then I earned my dental degree here in 1953 and a master’s degree thirty years later,” Gregory said. “I’m proud to be a part of this great School.” Per Kjeldsen

Mathilde Peters

Dr. Tilly Peters, a professor of dentistry in the Department o f C a r i o l o g y, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, has been at the U-M School of Dentistry since 1997. I n p re s e n t i n g h e r w i t h t h e Hollenback P rize, the Academy said she “is at the forefront of new innovations and concepts in operative dentistry.” The Academy noted that “in addition to being an international authority on biomechanical aspects of restorations, restored teeth, and operative procedures,” she also has been “a champion of minimally interventive techniques in operative dentistry.” Peters, who chairs the Academy’s Research Committee, has lectured extensively in Europe, Asia, and South America. Four years ago, she was one of 10 U-M women researchers to receive a Crosby Research Award from the National Science Foundation. The award is designed to foster collaboration, advance the careers of women faculty members in the sciences, and introduce graduate female students to research. [DentalUM, Fall 2004, page 72]

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A “Michigan Moment”

McNamara Receives ABO’s Highest Honor Photo courtesy of Dr. James McNamara

Dr. Preetha Kanjireth I was fortunate to attend the AOD program in Chicago where I displayed and discussed my poster presentation about minimally invasive dentistry. During a conversation about the subject with a group of distinguished delegates from around the world, I heard hands clapping and a voice behind me exclaiming, “Michigan!” “Michigan!” When I turned around, I saw a woman who said she was a U-M graduate and was excited for our School and our University. Being at the conference where Drs. Peters and Gregory were publicly recognized for their work, knowing that others from around the world were also present, and hearing this excited alum was an experience unlike any other. For me, it truly was “a Michigan moment.” The way these events happened all at once made me better understand why so many are so proud of this great university.

D r. J a m e s McNamara re c e i v e d t h e prestigious K e t c h a m Award from the American Board of Orthodontics during its annual session in Denver in May. Named for Dr. Albert Ketcham, one of the pioneers in orthodontics, the award is presented annually to an individual who has made a notable contribution to the art and science of orthodontics. Previous U-M School of Dentistry recipients of the Ketcham Award include Drs. Lysle Johnston (2001), Robert E. Moyers (1988), and Joseph R. Jarabak (1983). During his career, McNamara, the Thomas M. and Doris Graber endowed professor of dentistry, has received several prestigious awards including the Milo Hellman Research Award given by the American Association of Orthodontists (1973), the Research Recognition Award of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (1983), the Jacob Salzman Award from AAO (1994), and the James E. Brophy Distinguished Ser vice Award, the highest award given by AAO (2001). A professor of cell and

developmental biology with the U-M Medical school and research scientist with the Center for Human Growth and Development, McNamara has published over 225 scientific articles in refereed journals; has written, edited, or contributed to 63 books; and has presented courses and lectures in 34 countries. He is also the author of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.

AAP Honors to Oh and Pirih Two faculty members in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine recently received major awards from the American Academy of Periodontics Foundation. T.J. Oh was awarded the Bud and Linda Tarrson Fellowship, and Flavia Pirih was awarded the AAP’s Educator Scholarship.

T.J. Oh Oh, clinical associate professor, re c e i v e d t h e $ 3 0 , 0 0 0 B u d a n d Linda Tarrson Fellowship, a career development award for academic periodontologists. The fellowship was established to encourage gifted periodontal clinicians who have demonstrated teaching excellence to pursue an academic career. Oh, who has been at the School of Dentistry since 1996, codirects the predoctoral implant program and

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NEWS Jerry Mastey

Drs. T.J. Oh and Flavia Pirih

directs the periodontal surgical therapy course. At the end of the course, he takes 8 to 10 third-year dental students, interested in specializing in periodontics, to an annual periodontal conference. Previous recipients of the award from the School of Dentistry include Dr. William Giannobile and Dr. Keith Kirkwood.

Flavia Pirih Pirih, a second-year resident, re c e i v e d t h e $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 E d u c a t o r Scholarship that is awarded to a periodontal resident who wishes to pursue a full-time academic career in the U.S. “Since the beginning of my dental education, I have enjoyed the biological aspects of dentistry, especially trying to understand the molecular mechanisms of oral and periodontal diseases, and then trying to use that information in devising treatment strategies for patients,” she said.

After completing her graduate training, Pirih said she plans to pursue a full-time academic career as a professor at a dental school. “I want to combine a research career with clinical teaching at both the pre- and post-doctoral levels,” she said. Pirih earned a dental degree at Universidade Federal do Parana (Brazil) and later a PhD in oral biology at UCLA where she studied the role of primary response genes inducted by parathyroid hormones.

Polverini, McCauley New AAAS Fellows Dean Peter Polverini and Dr. Laurie McCauley have been elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. They were among 471 scientists nationwide to be awarded the distinction for their efforts to advance scientific applications that

are considered scientifically or socially distinguished. Chosen by their peers, Polverini and McCauley were honored in February at a Fellows Forum during the 2008 AAAS annual meeting in Boston. Polverini, also a professor of dentistry and a professor of pathology, was recognized for his contributions to the field of vascular biology and the role of angiogenesis in tumorigenesis, and for his efforts to incorporate science into dental education. McCauley, the William K. and Mary Anne Najjar Professor of Periodontics, professor of pathology, and chair of the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, was recognized for her contributions to the field of skeletal physiology, particularly delineating the mechanisms of parathyroid hormone action during bone regeneration and the pathophysiology of skeletal metastases. The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, leader, and professional association. Founded in 1848, AAAS serves 262 affiliated societies and academies of science serving 10 million individuals. In addition to organizing membership activities, AAAS publishes the journal Science as well as scientific newsletters, books, and reports, and leads programs that raise the bar of understanding of science worldwide.

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McCauley Receives Two Major Honors Dr. Laurie McCauley recently became only the second dentist in the 30-year history of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research to be elected to the organization’s Council. The nine-member Council, also referred to as the Board of Directors, is responsible for managing the property and business of the group as well as determining its policies. Three members of the group are elected annually for a three-year term. In January, McCauley also became the only dentist to serve as associate editor of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Established in 1986, the publication is the official journal of the Society and is the largest and most cited of specialized journals devoted to bone and mineral research. It’s the primary source for news in all areas of bone biology and physiology, hormones that regulate bone and mineral metabolism, and the pathophysiology and treatment of disorders of bone and mineral metabolism, such as osteoporosis.

Burt Receives Award for Dental Public Health

Students Thank Clarkson

Per Kjeldsen

Dr. Brian Burt, professor emeritus at both the School of Dentistry and the School of Public Health, w a s re c e n t l y honored for his distinguished career in dental public health. During the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting last November, Burt received the John Knutson Distinguished Service Award. The award has been presented annually since 1982 to honor an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to improve oral health in the U.S. The APHA award noted, “Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Burt has worked actively to improve the quality of life through improved oral health for millions of people around the world.” Burt is the lead author of The Dentist, Dental Practice, and the Community, a textbook used by students, educators, and practitioners in dentistry, medicine, and public health. He drafted the original section of the Surgeon General’s pioneering report, Oral Health in America, in 2000. Since 1997, he has been editor of Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. He also was president of the American Board of Dental Public Health.

Every year for the past 13 years, Dr. Brian Clarkson has volunteered to mentor a group of dental students during their four years of study in the School’s predoctoral program. This past summer, a group of students came to Ann Arbor and thanked him for his time and mentoring with a reception at an Ann Arbor restaurant and a celebration at his home the following evening. A scholarship fund was also established in his name that will allow students to travel to learn at other universities. To make a gift to the scholarship fund, please contact Jeff Freshcorn at (734) 647-4394 or Marty Bailey at (734) 615-2870.

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FA C U LT Y

NEWS

New Web Site Offers Teachers Help about Good Dental Health Useful Information, Lesson Plans, and Activities Featured A n e w We b s i t e t h a t h e l p s kindergarten and elementary school teachers educate their students about ways to prevent dental problems such as caries (cavities) and achieve better oral health has been unveiled by the U-M School of Dentistry. Led by Dr. Marita Inglehart, a psychologist and associate professor of dentistry, a team of researchers and clinicians collected Web-based resources focusing on oral health designed to support teachers’ efforts to educate their students. Resources are organized into groups of lesson plans and activities, such as class demonstrations, word puzzles, coloring pages, and games. Information is presented in an easy-tounderstand manner that is both useful and entertaining. The Web site, www.dent.umich. edu/teachoralhealth, was developed following an extensive two-year investigation (2004-2006) into the oral health of more than 8,000 students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds at 35 kindergarten and elementary schools in Genesee County, Michigan, including Flint. The National

Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research funded the study. Assisted by Dr. Daniel Briskie, head of pediatric dentistry at Mott Children’s Health Center in Flint, the study revealed that many children have major oral health problems that affect their quality of life and their ability to learn in the classroom. Briskie is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry at the dental school. The results of the study surprised many teachers, Inglehart said, “because many of them thought that if a child doesn’t complain or say something in the classroom, then nothing is wrong. But we learned that’s not always true.” One of the major findings was that nearly half of the students had untreated caries and that about 12 percent had painful dental abscesses and very deep and painful cavities. In addition, about 13 percent of students reported a toothache sometimes keeps them home from school, while another 26 percent of children reported having a toothache that hurt them when they

were in the classroom. “We used that information to help teachers recognize how children’s oral health problems can affect learning in the classroom,” she said. “During the past year, we conducted focus groups with teachers to learn more about ways they could teach their students about the importance of good oral health. The Web site is the result of those efforts.” Dental school librarian Patricia Anderson, who worked with Inglehart, assisted in collecting the Web-based resources. Others at the dental school were involved in developing the site, including Chris Jung, who designed the Web pages and Emily Springfield who, as Webmaster, worked on the behindthe-scenes coding that makes the site operational. Inglehart encourages teachers to visit the Web site and see which lesson plans, activities, and other information they can use. “If they have any questions or an idea about a lesson plan or topic, they can always send me an e-mail,” she said. Inglehart can be reached by e-mail at: mri@umich. edu.

w w w.dent.umich.edu/teacoralhealth.edu

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FA C U LT Y P R O F I L E

Jerry Mastey

Dennis

Lopatin, MS, PhD Senior Associate Dean

As Senior Associate Dean, Dennis Lopatin works closely with Dean Peter Polverini in areas that include faculty affairs, dental informatics, budgeting and finance, facilities, human resources, and strategic planning.

“I enjoy making things happen.”

rowing up in the Chicago area, he initially planned to go into industrial research and work for a pharmaceutical company. One day, however, as fog in Chicago led to the cancellation of a flight that would have taken him to a job interview at a pharmaceutical company, Dennis Lopatin’s career path changed. A short time later, he was offered a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University Medical Center in Chicago and instead chose to pursue a career in transplantation and cancer research that would eventually bring him to Ann Arbor. “Having earned a PhD in both microbiology and immunochemistry at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, I wound up working as a post-doc at Northwestern, first in the Department of Surgery, and then in microbiology,” Lopatin said. “I was happy with my research focus and had no intentions of changing. Then, one day, Don Clewell, who was chairing the search for an immunologist at the School of Dentistry, called to ask if I would be interested in coming to Ann Arbor to interview for a position in the School’s Dental Research Institute.” “When I asked him where he got my name, Don said he was a classmate of my research advisor at Illinois who recommended me.” Lopatin turned Clewell down saying he wasn’t interested in dental research. But Clewell called back a week later.

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FA C U LT Y P R O F I L E

Dorothy Smith-Fesl, School of Dentistry facilities manager, and Dennis Lopatin discuss a new fire alarm system that was recently installed.

“This time he asked me to at least come to Ann Arbor and take a look at the School. So I did.” Walking across the Diag from the Michigan Union where he was staying, to the dental school on the first day of his visit, Lopatin said, “I knew I was home and that this is where I wanted to be.” Having lived near the University of Illinois for more than eight years, Lopatin enjoyed the setting and lifestyle. “The University of Michigan was a breath of fresh air after commuting to downtown Chicago during my two-year postdoc,” he said. After his interview, he was offered a position as an assistant research scientist at DRI. “I started working there, no fooling, April 1, April Fool’s Day, in 1976.”

During his thirty-plus years at Mi c h iga n , L o pa t in h a s b e e n involved in research, teaching, and administration.

Doing the Most Good “I thrive on serving the School in almost any capacity,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s in a classroom where I’m teaching, or in a lab doing research, advising a student, serving the dean, or representing the School. I love being here.” As senior associate dean since 2004, Lopatin works closely with Dean Peter Polverini in numerous aspects of the School’s missions. “The position was one that was created years ago by Bernie Machen when he was dean of the School,” Lopatin said. “But when Pete returned as dean, he reactivated the position to

help him meet the new challenges he was facing.” During the past five years, the scope of Lopatin’s job responsibilities as senior associate dean has evolved. Originally, he focused on faculty affairs, dental informatics, and the School’s facilities. “But now it includes budget and finance, human resources, and strategic planning. We want to maintain the excellence that has been a part of this School for more than one hundred years, while also being flexible enough to meet current and future challenges.” Lopatin also manages the School’s All Hazards Planning Group which is responsible for preparing for an array of potential hazards and has devoted considerable time to ensuring oral health care professionals are uppermost in the minds of local, state, and

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national officials should a widespread health disaster or emergency occur in southeast Michigan or another part of the state. [DentalUM, Spring & Summer 2004, pages 48-49.]

Being Prepared He has lectured and delivered continuing education courses on preparedness planning for the oral health profession. That includes emphasizing to those in private practice that they must be prepared for emergencies that occur in their practices and they must serve in a leadership role in emergencies that may affect their community, the state, or beyond. “Preparedness is a hot topic, not just in terms of what it means for the country, the state, or the county, but also in terms of what it means for the individual dentist,” Lopatin said. It’s more than knowing what to do during a biological or chemical threat. “It has to do with preparing for events that could affect every dental office. That could include anything from a tornado to a widespread and prolonged power outage,” he said. “That includes knowing what to do in terms of maintaining and backing up patient records, recovering lost data, and a host of other issues.” Oral health care professionals, he said, need to devote more time to preparing for those kinds of emergencies. “Probably fewer than fifty percent of dentists are prepared for many common disasters. They’re so busy

taking care of running their businesses that, for the most part, they don’t take time to anticipate risks that could affect them,” he said. He cited other reasons. “Sometimes it’s the cost, but more often than not, they usually don’t know what to do, how to do it, or who to contact. In my view, preparedness is a critical part of any dental business plan.”

Early Adaptor: Technology Lopatin enjoys dabbling in new technology and looking for ways to use it in a research laboratory, classroom, or office. “I’ve always been involved in new technology in one way or another,” he said. That started by learning to program computers using FORTRAN and BASIC in the 1970s to analyze data. “I was an early adopter of Apple computers and wrote mountains of software to analyze laboratory data,” he said. However, Lopatin said he “got hooked even more” when the School’s graphic artist, Chris Jung, introduced him to the Macintosh computer. The year was 1984. “It wasn’t long before I purchased several for my laboratory,” Lopatin said with a laugh. Given that background and interest in technology and how it could be used, it came as no surprise when Lopatin was approached by Dr. Lynn Johnson, director of Dental Informatics, in 2004 and asked if he would be willing to be a “guinea pig” for a student-suggested innovation – podcasting.

Now very popular at the School of Dentistry, podcasting involves recording classroom lectures and then transmitting them to an Apple’s iTunes U Web site where students, using their U-M password, can later download the lectures to their iPods or other portable listening devices. Students listen to the lectures any time and anywhere. Last year, the number of dental and dental hygiene classroom lectures recorded and available as podcasts surpassed 1,000. [DentalUM, Fall 2007, page 75.]

The Science of Bowling When he has time, Lopatin enjoys bowling with his wife of 25 years, Connie. Between them, they share about two dozen bowling balls. “I used to belong to three or four leagues,” he said. “But in recent years, I haven’t had much time.” Although he has never rolled a perfect score, he has played in a number of state tournaments and a few pro/am tournaments, and is a member of the Ann Arbor 700 Club. For Lopatin, bowling is not just a sport. It’s science and research. As he talks about the sport, he waxes eloquently about the different cover stocks on bowling balls, how weights inside a bowling ball make it rotate to travel down a lane, and even the viscosity of oil that’s applied to a lane. “Yes, my calendar is full from morning until night, so there’s always something going on. But I enjoy that because I’m a part of making things happen.”

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Dennis Lopatin, MS, PhD Professional Achievements Selected Highlights Education • PhD, Microbiology, University of Illinois (1974) • MS, Microbiology, University of Illinois (1972) • Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University and Veteran’s Administration Research Hospital, Lakeside, Chicago (1974-1976) Academic Appointments • Senior Associate Dean, U-M School of Dentistry (2004 to present) • Interim Chair, Department of Periodontics, Prevention, and Geriatrics, U-M School of Dentistry (2001-2002) • Vice Chair, Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, U-M School of Dentistry (1998-2001) • Professor, Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, U-M School of Dentistry (1990 to present) • Research Scientist, Dental Research Institute, University of Michigan (1986-1990) Professional Memberships • American Association for Immunologists (1975 to present) • American Society for Microbiology (1977 to present) • International Association for Dental Research (1977 to present); President, Microbiology and Immunology Group (2002-2004) • Periodontal Research Group, International Association for Dental Research (1977 to present) • Charter member, American Association of Oral Biologists (1989 to present) • Charter member, Oral Immunology and Microbiology Research Group (1991 to present) • American Dental Education Association (2003 to present) • National Dental Association

Editorial Board Memberships & Peer Review • Associate editor, Odontology (2000 to present) • Member, editorial board, Journal of Periodontology (2000 to present) • Member, editorial board, Journal of Dental Research (1998-2001) • Member, editorial board, International Journal of Oral Biology (1996 to present) • Member, editorial board, Journal of Periodontal Research (1992-1996) Regional Preparedness Committees • Advisory committee, Region 2 Medical Biodefense Network (2003 to present) • Campus-Wide Epidemic Health Response Planning Team, University of Michigan (2003 to present) • Advisory board, Bioterrorism Preparedness Initiative, University of Michigan (2003 to present)

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Making Sure the School of Dentistry Continues to be One of the World’s Best Dear Alumni,

Dr. Daniel Edwards Chair, Alumni Society Board of Governors

As Chair of the School of Dentistry’s Alumni Society Board of Governors, I’m starting something new…a letter from me to you. Many of you may have served, or know someone who has served on this Board which consists of 15 alumni from the dental and dental hygiene programs. We also have a U-M Alumni Association liaison, a dental student representative, and staff. We meet twice annually, in the spring and fall, typically in the afternoon, and discuss various issues and concerns that are of interest to you. Those are then presented in the following issue of our School’s alumni magazine, DentalUM. Some of our discussions are fairly vibrant. The issue that generated the most interest among our board last November was the appearance of School of Dentistry leaders. [See story pages xx to xx.] Our bylaws state that one purpose of the Board is “to furnish an avenue through which its membership may become familiar with the progress of the School of Dentistry and thus be better able to assist in advancing the program of dental education.” We couldn’t think of a better way than to have our questions on a range of subjects answered by the administration, faculty, and staff. I wish to personally thank the Board of Governors, Dean Polverini, the associate deans, and other faculty and panel members for participating, giving us an outline of what is taking place, and answering our questions. We learned a lot from each other and, in the process, reaffirmed our commitment to keeping the University of Michigan School of Dentistry one of the world’s top dental schools. If you are interested in serving on the Board or would like to share ideas with us, please contact me by e-mail (dedwards@umich.edu) or Rich Fetchiet (plateman@umich.edu). GO BLUE! Sincerely,

Dr. Dan Edwards, ’97 DDS

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Board of Governors Laud Appearance and Remarks Jerry Mastey

and our community outreach program is an important part of our mission to provide care and have a presence in communities across Michigan,” he said. Patient Care

Among the administrators and program directors participating were (left to right): Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for student services; Dr. Stephen Stefanac, associate dean for patient care; Dean Peter Polverini; Dr. Marilyn Lantz, associate dean for academic affairs; Dr. Charlotte Mistretta, associate dean for Research and PhD Training; Dr. Lynn Johnson, director of dental informatics and information technology; and Ms. Jayne Nyman, director of budget and finance. Also present, but not in the photo were Dr. Ronald Heys, associate professor of dentistry, and Dr. Bill Piskorowski, Director of Outreach Programs.

“This has been the best board meeting of all the ones I have attended.” Dr. George Yellich (DDS 1972, MS 1977)

“I really enjoyed this meeting and think it should be done on a regular basis, perhaps every third or fourth meeting we have.” Dr. William Brownscombe (DDS 1974)

or the first time in a long time, or perhaps the first time ever, top School of Dentistry administrators and program directors appeared before the School’s Alumni Society Board of Governors during their meeting last fall. Led by Dean Peter Polverini, who has previously appeared before the group, nine top officials (see page xx) gave the 15-member Board an update on developments in their departments and answered a range of questions. In his opening remarks, Polverini said the dialogue with Board members was appreciated “because we want to make sure that we continue to remain one of the most competitive dental schools in the country. We need your input to do that,” he said. “Our graduate programs are strong, our clinical research program is getting stronger, our oral health disparities program with partners in Detroit is one of the premier programs in the country,

Dr. Stephen Stefanac, associate dean for patient care, who is also on an ADA committee that visits other dental schools around the country, told Board members that “patient populations are an issue at the other dental schools I’ve visited. Here at Michigan, we’re screening about thirty percent more patients than we were just a year and a half ago.” He said that since the School is an educational institution that also provides oral health care, “we are looking at what we can do” in terms of treating more patients, but that may be a problem given the number of patients currently seen, the state of the local economy, and the distance patients travel to receive care at the School. “What we’re doing and what we hope to do in the future is a continual work in progress,” he said. Staying in Michigan after Graduating

In response to a question from one Board member, Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for Student Services, noted that approximately 105 dental students graduate each year. “However, of that number, roughly one-third remain in Michigan,” she said. “That’s what we’ve been seeing for the last five or so years.”

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of Dental School Leaders Woolfolk said that students consider a number of factors before they make a final decision. She pointed out that sometimes students return to communities where they grew up, but in many other instances, they relocate to be with a spouse who may have an opportunity outside the state. “Highly Regarded” Research

“We are highly regarded for our research,” said Dr. Charlotte Mistretta, associate dean for Research and PhD Training. Citing research awards to the School since 1996, she said the School “consistently ranks in the top five or six in the nation” in research funds from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research. [See Figure 1 and Figure 2 at right.] The small numbers at top of each bar chart in both illustrations notes where U-M School of Dentistry ranked vs. other dental schools each year. “These dollars for research are a measure of our School’s excellence,” Mistretta said. “That brings a sense of pride because our research and teaching programs reinforce and reinvigorate each other.” Board member Dr. George Yellich agreed. “Although I graduated from dental school in 1972, I recall that when I was here many in clinical dentistry were involved in research. That’s one of the great things about this University and this School, its research,” he said.

Rankings

In response to a question about dental schools participating in annual rankings by U.S. News & World Report, Polverini said Michigan and other dental school across the country have not been doing it for some time. The last time dental schools were ranked by the magazine was in 1993. [DentalUM, Spring & Summer 2000, page 40.] “None of the dental schools participate because not all dental schools have a similar mission,” Polverini said. Pointing to some schools that focus mostly on clinical education while others focus on both clinical education and research, he said “in these cases, it’s an apples and oranges situation. … There is no objective criteria to evaluate schools that are different with their approach.” NERB Results

In response to a question about the percentage of students successfully completing the NERB examinations in their first attempt, Dr. Marilyn Lantz, associate dean for academic affairs, said the number “has varied between 90 and 95 percent during the past five years. However, by the time a student graduates, the number is about 97 or 98 percent.” In the past, according to Stefanac, dental student graduation and the NERB examination for licensure occurred simultaneously. Students often waited three to four weeks for their test results and then had to apply for a state license before being able to practice.

14 12

NIH Funding to the School of Dentistry 2

Millions of Dollars 6

8 6

4 2 0

‘96 ‘97 ‘98 ‘99 ‘00 ‘01 ‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06

Figure 1

NDCR Funding to the School of Dentistry 12 10

Millions of Dollars

8 6

6 5

4 2 0

‘97 ‘98 ‘99 ‘00 ‘01 ‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06

Figure 2 Today it is different. The NERB examination has been divided into three sections. D r. Ro n a l d H e y s , a s s o c i a t e professor of dentistry and director of the 2 Green Clinic, said students sit take mannequin portion of the exam in September of their final year in dental school. The clinical portion occurs in March. A written exam may be taken anytime between September and April at a local testing center. “To prepare them for their examinations, we give them mock simulations that will give them an idea of what to expect,” he said. Students know their results from the examination before graduation and are also able to apply for a dental license in advance. As a result, they

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A LU M N I R E L AT I O N S Jerry Mastey

During a break, Board of Governors student representative, Jamie Luria (D3), discussed his clinical and classroom experiences with Board member, Dr. George Yellich.

can begin to practice immediately after graduation, Stefanac said. Dental Ethics

The subject of dental ethics drew a significant amount of interest from participants. Lantz, who is president-elect of the American Society for Dental Ethics, told Board members that she teaches a course to first-year dental students and that content from that course “is of interest to other dental schools.” Pointing out that the School has an Honor Code, Lantz mentioned that there have been cases where students were dismissed for violations. “It’s only a small number, and it doesn’t happen a lot,” she said. Lantz mentioned that ethics is of concern to the dental profession in general and cited differences in the way violations are handled. “There’s a big difference, which we try to take into account, between a dentist who is suspended by a state board for an infraction and later reinstated, and a dental student who violates the Honor Code,” she said. “When a student violates the Honor Code, that’s it for them, but that’s not necessarily the case in the profession. So when we’re faced with an Honor

Code violation, we need to look at the whole picture of the dental profession and not just what may have taken place in school,” she said.

“But the mix at this School is better than those numbers because about 60 percent of our students are Michigan residents,” she said. Dr. Lynn Johnson, director of dental informatics and information technology, said advances in technology is a factor that’s fueling the rise in the cost of dental education. She mentioned some of the improvements taking place, including electronic simulations in education and a transition from paper records to electronic records.

The Cost of Dental Education

Director of Budget and Finance, Jayne Nyman, spent some time talking about the cost of dental education today and how it’s closely tied to what happens at the state level when it comes to educational appropriations for the University of Michigan. “We have had to increase tuition in recent years because of declines in funding from the state during the past five or six years,” she said. Noting that there are some indirect costs recovered from NIH and NIDCR funding, as well as an increase in clinical revenues, “we’ve been fortunate, but we’re walking a tightrope currently,” she said. In response to a question from a Board member, Nyman said the School of Dentistry is doing better in terms of its mix of in-state and out-of-state students. “If you look at the Ann Arbor campus, about 35 percent of the students are from out of state,” she said “while the professional schools have a 50/50 or 40/60 in-state versus out-of-state mix.”

Community Outreach

“We have a very solid program,” said Dr. Bill Piskorowski, director of Community and Outreach Programs. “The foundation of our outreach program is very strong. In fact, we’re looking to expand the program in the future,” he added. “But if we do, we want to do so in such a way that we maintain the quality of the program.” Dental Student Perspectives

Third-year dental student Jamie Luria, student representative on the Board, delivered an enthusiastic report. “I’m proud to be a part of this School and I’m sure there are many other members of my class who feel the same way I do,” he said. “To be a success, you have to be selfmotivated which means you have to pursue opportunities to become strong in areas where you are weak and even stronger in areas where you are strong. That’s part of what being a professional is all about,” Luria said.

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Alumni Society Board of Governors Please take a moment to vote for the candidates who will serve on the School of Dentistry’s Alumni Society Board of Governors. On the ballot on this page, choose four dentists and one dental hygienist who will serve a three-year term beginning in September. Then clip and mail your ballot to the School of Dentistry at the address on the ballot. Ballots must be postmarked by August 1, 2008. Dr. Michael Cerminaro is a 1986 graduate of the School of Dentistry. Serving Muskegon as a general dentist for 22 years, “Dr. Mike” also serves his community as a volunteer dentist at the Hackley Community Care Center and chairs several local boards, including the Muskegon Sport Fishing Association and Muskegon Lake Research Foundation. Dr. Mike is past president of the Muskegon District Dental Society, a Fellow of the American and International Colleges of Dentists, and a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr. Dave Cramer is a 1978 graduate of the School of Dentistry and completed a MS in orthodontics in 1980 at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Cramer is a board certified orthodontist with practices in Grandville and Allegan. He has been a board member and president of the Kent County Dental Society, member of the West Michigan Dental Society Ethics Committee, and is currently treasurer of the Michigan Association of Orthodontists and an adjunct professor in graduate orthodontics at Michigan. Dr. Sondra Gunn is a 1978 graduate of the School of Dentistry and completed a MS in orthodontics at Michigan in 1980. Dr. Gunn was a member of the School of Dentistry faculty from 1979 through 2001 while practicing orthodontics part time. Now retired from U-M, she continues to practice in southeastern Michigan. Dr. Gunn is an active member of the American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists. She is also serving on the School’s Michigan Difference Campaign Committee. Dr. John McMahon* is a 1982 graduate of the School of Dentistry and practices general dentistry in Jenison, southwest of Grand Rapids. He has been involved with the West Michigan District Dental Society, including serving on the Insurance Committee. He is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry and an alumni member of the Pride Institute. Dr. Ray Sanai is a 1991 graduate of the School of Dentistry. His experience includes an OMFS internship, private practice, and teaching at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry. He attained his periodontics certification at UIC and is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. Dr. George Yellich* is a 1972 graduate of the School of Dentistry. After serving two years as a general dentist in the U.S. Navy, he entered U-M Medical School and in 1977 received his MS and certificate in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He currently practices in Santa Cruz and San Jose, California, specializing in dental implants and corrective jaw surgery. Dr. Yellich is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is a past president of the Northern California Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, is a Diplomate of the American Board of OMS, and has lectured on various health care topics. Ms. Jemma Allor* graduated from the dental hygiene program in 2000. As a student, she was an Angell Scholar and inducted into Sigma Phi Alpha. A past-president of the U-M Dental Hygiene Alumni Association, she is currently working in private practice, is an ADHA member, and participates in the ADA’s annual Give Kids a Smile program. Ms. Alita Marlowe Bluford graduated from the dental hygiene program in 1981. After working in clinical and non-clinical dental hygiene positions for several years, she founded Marlowe & Associates, Inc., Efficiency Consultants. Her business specializes in helping businesses with time and data management. She teaches clients to understand their learning style and how to apply it to develop skills needed to maintain an organized, effective and efficient office.

BALLOT Vote for 4 dentists:

Dr. Michael Cerminaro

Dr. Dave Cramer

Dr. Sondra Gunn

Dr. John McMahon *

Dr. George Yellich*

Dr. Ray Sanai

Vote for 1 hygienist: Ms. Jemma Allor* Ms. Alita Marlowe Bluford * Incumbent

Envelope with ballot must be postmarked by August 1, 2008. Please mail your ballot to: University of Michigan School of Dentistry 540 E. Liberty, Suite 204 Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2210

* Incumbent

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Homecoming Weekend 2007 Emeritus Alumni Honored, Tour Preclinic Call Photography

Dean Peter Polverini welcomes and congratulates emeritus alumnus Fred Gerhardt.

“We were treated like royalty.” “Everyone made us feel so welcome.” Those were some of the comments heard from School of Dentistry alumni who returned to Ann Arbor last October for three days of Homecoming Weekend activities. Among the honored guests were 24 graduates from the Dental Class of 1957 who received emeritus medallions, had their class pictures taken, toured the Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory, participated in the Hall of Honor Luncheon, and attended the Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony. Marking the start of three days of events, Dean Peter Polverini welcomed dental and dental hygiene alumni and their spouses to the School of Dentistry

and into the University of Michigan Emeritus Club on Thursday, October 11. “As graduates of this distinguished School, you mean a great deal to us. We’re glad you could be here today,” he said. As part of the emeritus recognition ceremony, each alumnus received a special medallion. Each was called by name and walked to a stage to receive a gold medallion that was placed around their neck by Jeff Freshcorn, the School’s director of development. As they walked off stage, each received a box with an emeritus pin and a stand for their medallion from Marty Bailey, development officer. Dean Peter Polverini congratulated each alumnus before they returned to their seat.

Commenting about the demonstration a short time later, Dr. Charles McGary, another emeritus alumus who toured the preclinic, said, “When I was a student, we used 5,000 rpm belt-driven hand pieces, didn’t have mannequin heads, and were using carbon-steel burs.” McGary, who said he ranked first in his dental class during his years at U-M, also talked about a major advantage today’s dental students have that he didn’t. “With the television cameras, students get to see, close-up, what an instructor is doing. But in the fifties, we had ninety-four guys who would crowd around an instructor, which made it difficult for those in back to see what was going on,” he said. “Some of the guys in front would observe, and then turn around to classmates in the back and describe what he was doing.”

Touring the “High Tech” Preclinic

“Is this a little different than when you were in dental school?” Dr. Merle Jaarda rhetorically asked emeritus alumni as they toured the Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory and talked to dental students. “Sure is. We didn’t even have electricity then,” replied Dr. Marshall Hershon. After the laughter from the emeritus alumni and their spouses subsided, Jaarda demonstrated and talked about how technology is being used to educate dental students today.

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Dental Class of 1957 Emeritus Alumni Gary Baker Eli Berger Morris Brown Eugene Buatti Chee Chan Robert Cotner Loren Daniels M. Kenneth Dickstein Stuart Falk Radford Fisher Irving Friedman Frederick Gerhardt Arnold Hartz Roy Hawkinson Marshall Hershon John Heyde Charles McGary Blair Munns Robert Newman William Rahn Ronald Shaffer Raymond Shegos Ralph Smith Horace Ward

Jarabak, Gibbons Inducted into Hall of Honor Drs. Joseph Jarabak and Paul Gibbons were inducted into the School of Dentistr y’s Hall of Honor, bringing to 36 the number of men and women who have been inducted into the Hall of Honor since it was established in 2003. The Hall of Honor posthumously honors some of the legends of the dental and dental hygiene professions who have been associated with the U-M School of Dentistr y.

Joseph R. Jarabak

(below) Second-year dental student Jane Stieber answers questions from emeritus alumus Dr. Charles McGary about how she is using technology in dental education. Next to McGary is his wife, Jan. (right) Drs. Lysle Johnston, Gerald Charbeneau, and William Brown reminisce prior to Hall of Honor induction ceremonies in the Sindecuse Atrium. Jerry Mastey

Describing Jarabak “as one of the true giants in orthodontics,” Dr. Lysle Johnston said Jarabak was “a tough guy who grew up near Chicago (Valparaiso, Indiana). Although he was considered by some to be a ‘forceful’ person by today’s standards,” Johnston added, “he had a soft spot in his heart for Michigan.” He recalled in 1968, when the dental school building that was constructed in 1919 was being razed, Jarabak asked for permission to take the numbered seat where he sat when he was a dental student. Evidence of Jarabak’s generosity, Johnston continued, included gifts to the School of Dentistry that established the Jarabak Library, the annual Jarabak Lecture, and the Jarabak Award for research. Jerry Mastey

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University of Michigan

Hall of Honor

School of Dentistry

Paul Gibbons Drs. Gerald Charbeneau and William Brown recalled their friendship with Gibbons. “Paul was a classmate of mine and had a personality that attracted people,” Charbeneau said. “He was also the best man when my wife and I were married.” Brown said he knew Gibbons as a student, a teacher, and a friend. “He was a remarkable person, cheery, who was very good to his students and motivated them well,” Brown said. “Paul never talked down to a student, and I learned a lot from him about how to be a teacher. …I haven’t seen a teacher with the skills he had. He deserves to be in the Hall of Honor.” Six months before his death in November 1964, at the age of 44, Gibbons was presented with the Senior Class Faculty Award. The following year, the award was renamed in his honor. Although the name of the award changed, its focus remains – annual recognition by graduating dental students of a faculty member who, in their opinion, contributed the most to their learning.

I nominate

The Hall of Honor posthumously honors some of the legends of the dental profession who have been associated with the U-M School of Dentistry.

__________________________________________________________ for consideration to the University of Michigan

School of Dentistry Hall of Honor. Please provide any professional information you may have about this individual that would help the Selection Committee. You may use additional pages if necessary. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Your name __________________________________________________ Your address ________________________________________________ Your U-M School of Dentistry degree(s) & year(s) ____________________ Your phone number ( _____ )_______________________ E-mail _________________________________________ Please return this form to:

University of Michigan School of Dentistry Office of Alumni Relations & CDE Attn: Debbie Montague 1011 N. University Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078

The envelope with your nomination must be postmarked by November 1, 2008.

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Reunions at Homecoming Gala Celebration More than 420 dental and dental hygiene alumni and their guests were at the Homecoming Gala Celebration. In addition to emeritus alumni (members of the Class of 1957), and their spouses, other alumni whose graduation years end in 2 and 7 also attended. All photos Call Photography

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120 Enjoy Annual Alumni Golf Classic “It was great. We had a lot of fun,” said Dr. Arnie Winchell (DDS 1955) following the School of Dentistry’s annual golf classic last September. It wasn’t hard to see why. “It couldn’t have been a better day,” said Richard Fetchiet, director of alumni relations. “The weather was perfect – a cloudless day, temperatures in the low eighties, and our 120 alumni thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to not only get out on the course, but reconnect with many of their former classmates.”

All photos Karel Barton

The winning team, at 15 under, included (left to right): Tom Pinnavaia, Paul Elder, and Mike Marderosian. Not pictured is the fourth member of the team, Dave Heinderich.

Although he didn’t bring his clubs, Dr. Dean Millard stopped by to say hello to colleagues.

The second-place winning team, at 14 under, included (left to right): Scott Hodges (DDS 1986), Jeff Dwan (endodontics 1994), and Jeff Dulude (DDS 1986). Not pictured is the fourth member of the team, Terry Dobbs.

2008 Golf Outing:

September 18

SEPTEMBER 1

9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 30

20 27

Location: U-M Golf Course Registration: 9:30 a.m. Shotgun start: 10:30 a.m. Reception immediately following outing.

The winning team, at 15 under, included (left to right): Tom Pinnavaia, Paul Elder, and Mike Marderosian. Not pictured is the fourth member of the team, Dave Heinderich.

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Turning “Stuff ” into Ar t Dr. Eugene Buatti Applying Earlier-Learned Skills in a New Way Some of his creations are in his home. Others are outdoors. Creation for 50-Year Reunion

During last fall’s emeritus reunion luncheon in the Sindecuse Atrium, Dr. Eugene Buatti poses in front of the sculpture he created.

A closer look shows the sculpture was created from dental instruments Dr. Buatti used as a dentist.

t’s happened to all of us. A collection of “stuff ” in a garage or basement has been gathering dust for months or, in some cases, years. Eventually, there comes a time when you ask yourself, “What do I do with it?” Sometimes it’s saved. Or it’s sold at a garage sale. Other times, it’s thrown away. But Dr. Eugene Buatti (DDS 1957, MS 1961) knows what to do with “stuff ” when he sees it. He turns it into art. For the past seven years, Buatti has made somewhere between 40 and 50 sculptures from an eclectic list of “stuff ” – pliers, chains, hooks, wood, and even baseball bats. He also works with a variety of media including steel and exotic woods to make wall hangings, copper to make flower arrangements, and clay that is made into models and then cast in bronze.

About a year ago, his classmates suggested he put something together that could be displayed during Homecoming Weekend to commemorate the 50th year of graduation from the U-M School of Dentistry. After thinking about it for a while, Buatti, who is 76 years old, put his creation together. During Homecoming Weekend activities, he became somewhat of a celebrity among his classmates. Using general dentistr y and orthodontic instr uments, Buatti conceived and created a sculpture that has been arranged to resemble a human head with eyes, ears, and a quirky smile. He gifted his creation to the School which is on display in the Sindecuse Atrium. After treating patients at his Ann Arbor practice for 40 years, Buatti retired in 2001. Now an adjunct professor in the Department of Orthodontics, he teaches at the School one half-day a week. “But I began thinking about other things I might be able to do about seven years ago because I needed something else to do with my spare time,” he said. At first, Buatti took a painting class, “but I didn’t like it. I couldn’t get the hang of coordinating colors so they caught your attention.” So he tried his hand (yes, the pun is intentional), at sculpting. He discovered his niche.

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Applying Earlier-Learned Skills in a New Way

“I was working on projects for sculpting classes I was taking at Eastern Michigan University, sometimes five or six hours at a time without taking a break, that’s how much I enjoyed myself,” Buatti said. “Time goes fast when you’re enjoying what you’re doing. So I stuck with sculpting.” Many of the skills he learned and used as a student and later as a practitioner are now being used in much the same way. “As a dental student I learned the lost wax casting technique and as an orthodontic student, I learned to weld and solder. I also enjoyed fixing things,

so sculpting is a logical extension of that,” he said. Unlike artists who sketch their plans and then begin their work, Buatti takes a different approach. “I like to have all the pieces in front of me. Then I arrange and rearrange them before I finally come up with something that’s both fun to create and interesting to look at,” he said. “My fingers continue to function very well and I enjoy using my hands as much now as when I was a student,” Buatti said. Nearby are photographs of some of his creations. His comments about his work are italicized. More information is at: www.dent.umich.edu/museum/ buatti.html.

Self Portrait: Look closely and you’ll see the nose is

Ropeskipper: This piece was first sculpted in clay and

a J-hook, the eyes are hex wrenches, and the hair is a chain.

then cast in bonze. I like the elongated form. She looks quite athletic, doesn’t she?

Circulator y System: I had two aortic aneur ysms about eleven years ago and spent about three weeks in intensive care, so this was my way of turning those negatives into a positive. The angled pieces at the top represent what my aorta probably looked like after I had the aneur ysms. Instead of being a gradual cur ve, it was probably distorted. The egg-shaped object on the left represents a healthy heart. I also had a collapsed lung, which is the long, elliptical object on the right. The small piece of metal at the bottom on the right sags because it represents the kidney failure I also had. The piece was made from sheet steel and square steel tubing welded together.

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Alumni Pledge for Dental Scholarships

School Reaches $35 Million Fundraising Goal!

R In mid-Febr uar y, our School surpassed its ambitious goal to raise $35 million during the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Michigan Difference campaign. By mid-February, we had received $35,133,108 in gifts and confirmed pledges. When our fundraising efforts began in the spring of 2004, we announced the funds would be used in four areas: merit- and need-based student scholarships, endowed professorships to recruit and retain outstanding faculty, improved facilities, and program support.

aising $10 million for scholarships for U-M dental students is one of the major priorities of the Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to raise $35 million during the Michigan Difference fundraising campaign. As the chart below illustrates, costs of tuition, fees, instruments, materials, books, and supplies now surpasses $26,400 annually for in-state students and exceeds $41,300 for out-of-state students. Those figures are about double what they were for the 1995-1996 academic year. In the past, financial aid packages typically consisted of 70 percent grants and scholarships. The remaining 30 percent were loans. Today, those figures are reversed and students continue to graduate from dental school with staggering debt loads. The average debt load for graduates from the Class of 2006 was more than $143,200, according to Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for student services.

Annual Dental Education Costs $42 $38

Thousands $

$34 $30 $26

NonResidents

$22 $18 $14 $10

Michigan Residents

$6 1990- 1992- 1994- 1996- 1998- 2000- 2002- 2004- 20061991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007

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$70,000 for Grad Perio Scholarships from Drs. Hom-Lay Wang & Holly M. Lin Photo courtesy of Dr. Hom-Lay Wang

Drs. Hom-Lay Wang and Holly M. Lin

“I wanted to set a good example. It’s that simple,” said Dr. Hom-Lay Wang as he talked about why he and his wife are gifting $70,000 for scholarships for residents in the School of Dentistry’s graduate periodontics program. “I also want to do everything I can to maintain a good program and attract top-quality students here to Michigan,” he added. “This is a step in that direction.” Wang, director of the School’s graduate periodontics program, said that both he and his wife, Holly, who earned her dental degree from U-M in 1994, hope their gift will ultimately result in a scholarship for every student who enters the graduate periodontics program at U-M. Four or five students are admitted to the three-year program each year.

“It’s sad to see many of them struggle because of the cost of an education. But it’s even sadder to know that many students who are qualified to be here don’t come to Michigan because they are offered free tuition or some stipend support elsewhere,” he said. The cost of the graduate periodontics program at Michigan, according to Wang, is about $20,000 annually for in-state students and $38,000 annually for out-of-state students. “That’s double compared to about ten years ago and costs are continuing to rise,” he said. The gift for scholarships from the Wangs will be matched with a gift of $35,000 in matching funds from U-M President Mary Sue Coleman’s Donor Challenge program, bringing the total value of their gift to $105,000. The program leverages gifts of up to $1 million with a contribution of 50 cents for every dollar gifted. Pledges must be made before December 31, 2008. In addition to encouraging alumni from the periodontics program to gift for scholarships, Wang also said he’s trying to generate corporate support.

Dr. Samuel & Mrs. Penny Nagel Gift $75,000 for Scholarships

To Honor Memory of His Parents, Ben & Ethel Nagel

“We lived above my parents’ grocery store in Detroit when I was growing up during the Depression, and the experiences I had working in that store had a big impact on my life, including my decision to get a good education and, ultimately, this decision to gift funds for scholarships for dental students,” said Dr. Samuel Nagel (DDS 1954). “They worked from seven o’clock in the morning until midnight, seven days a week so I could get a good education,” he said. “They also taught me about treating people kindly and gave me some important lessons about life.” The gift from the Nagels, who have been married for 50 years, will be bolstered with matching funds from U-M President Mary Sue Coleman’s Donor Challenge program. The program leverages gifts of up to $1 million with a contribution of 50 cents for every dollar gifted. Pledges must be made before December 31, 2008. The Nagels’ $75,000 gift will be matched with $37,500 in Donor Challenge funds, bringing the total gift value to $112,500. As he talked about his dental

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Photo courtesy of Dr. Samuel Nagel

Dr. Robert & Mrs. Bellva Abraham Pledge $50,000 Estate Gift for Orthodontics Scholarships

Dr. Samuel and Mrs. Penny Nagel

education, Nagel said, “the cost back then was nothing compared to what the costs are today. I want our gift to make a difference.” He said he had been considering gifting and “wanted to give back to an organization that was especially good to me.” His 50-year reunion with his School of Dentistry classmates in the fall of 2004 spurred him along. “As I toured the preclinic with some of my former classmates, I was impressed with how technology is being used today and the caliber of the dental students I had a chance to talk to,” he said. Nagel said the School of Dentistry “was a good environment. It was competitive, stimulating, and kept me focused. Dentistry gave me the opportunity to make a living and meet many different people, in much the same way I did when I worked for my parents in their grocery store.”

“I have a soft spot in my heart for students today because I can still remember how important financial assistance was during the four years I was studying at Michigan for my dental degree and the two years I was in the orthodontics program there,” said Dr. Robert Abraham (DDS 1964, MS 1966). “It was a tight time, financially, for me and my wife, Bellva, who was a third-grade teacher at the time,” he said. “But the financial aid I received from Michigan allowed me to complete my studies and enjoy the career I had.” A private practitioner in Lansing for 35 years, Abraham retired in 2001 and lives in Naples, Florida during the winter and in Oregon the rest of the year not far

from other members of his family. The Abrahams are making a $50,000 gift from their estate that will be used for scholarships for residents in the orthodontics program. “I have always wanted to give something back to Michigan and the School of Dentistry, especially to residents in the orthodontics program, because the cost of an education today is so much higher than when I was there,” he said. “Now it seems most graduates have so much more debt than I had after I graduated.” As he talked about his two years in the orthodontics program, Abraham spoke highly of Dr. Robert Moyers and Dr. James Harris. “Both were very fine people. I respected them a lot and learned much from them.” Photo courtesy of Dr. Robert Abraham

Dr. Robert and Mrs. Bellva Abraham

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Abraham worked in Moyers’ craniofacial growth and development research laboratory to help pay for some of his expenses. But he also met a colleague who would later become chair of the orthodontics department, Dr. Lysle Johnston. “During the time we were students and worked in that lab, I got to appreciate Lysle’s sharp sense of humor and his great brain,” Abraham said. “He had quite an impact on me, even as a student.” Abr aham , who was a pa rttime instructor in the orthodontics department for about two years, said he doesn’t return to Ann Arbor as often as he did when he ran his private practice in Lansing. “I frequently returned for some wonderful continuing education courses and monthly meetings of the Ann Arbor Orthodontic Study Club,” he said. “Hopefully, one of these days I will get back to campus.”

School of Dentistry Office of Development 540 E. Liberty, Suite 204 Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2210

Richard Fetchiet, Director (734) 647-4016 Jeff Freshcorn, Director of Devel. (734) 647-4394 Martin Bailey, Major Gift Officer (734) 615-2870 Thalia Jaimez, Annual Gift Officer (734) 615-2870

$35,000 for Scholarships from Dr. Metodi Pogoncheff Photo courtesy of Dr. Metodi Pogoncheff

Dr. Metodi Pogoncheff (DDS 1976) says he didn’t have to think very long about gifting $35,000 for scholarships for U-M dental students. “My wife, Marcia, and I made a gift for the preclinical laboratory renovations a few years ago, and with two sons now in dental school at Michigan and a daughter hoping to be admitted next year, we’re very familiar with how much it costs to educate dental students today,” he said. One son, Carl, is now a thirdyear dental student at Michigan. Another, John, is finishing up the first year of his dental education at U-M. Daughter Anna Marie is completing her undergraduate education at U-M and hopes to apply next year. “My parents brought us up to value education, so I have always given something back to schools I attended, both Michigan and Albion College,” he said. Pogoncheff earned a bachelor’s degree from Albion College and has been a general practice dentist since earning his dental degree from U-M more than 30 years ago.

Dr. Metodi and Marcia Pogoncheff

“Marcia is a librarian in the Grand Ledge public school system and both of us realize the importance of education in today’s world,” he said. “I was fortunate to receive grants and scholarships when I was in dental school, so I didn’t have to worry about repaying a lot of debt after I graduated,” he added. “But for dental students today, it’s a much different situation.” Pogoncheff said he hopes other dentists will reflect on how much they have benefited from their U-M School of Dentistry education and help today’s dental students with gifts for scholarships.

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Dentists Told to Expect Medical Emergencies in Their Offices Photo courtesy of Dr. Stanley Malamed

Dr. Stanley Malamed

“M

edical emergencies can and do happen in the practice of dentistry. You need to be prepared.” That was the message given to more than 1,120 dentists from across Michigan who packed the auditorium at the Rackham School of Graduate Studies on the U-M campus in early January for the annual day-long Kenneth J. Ryan, DDS Memorial Seminar. Dr. Stanley Malamed, professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesia and Medicine at the USC School of Dentistry, was the speaker at the event cosponsored by the Delta Dental Foundation and the U-M School

of Dentistry. The author of three widely used textbooks, Malamed has also written more than 135 scientific papers and 17 chapters for medical and dental journals and textbooks and has produced two popular interactive DVDs. The lecture began with a riveting 8-minute video that showed what could go wrong in a dental office. As an elderly gentleman waited in the lobby for his grandson to be treated by a dentist, the man suffered a fatal heart attack despite the efforts of office staff and an emergency medical services crew. In the background, a voice is heard saying, “It didn’t have to be like this.” During his presentation, Malamed said that 75 percent of medical emergencies in a dental office are due to stress and anxiety. He told dentists it was vital that they, and everyone on their staff, be trained in CPR and know what to do should an emergency arise. In addition to basic CPR training, he also advised dentists to purchase an AED or Automated External Defibrillator, as well as make sure they had other equipment, such as an oxygen tank, and emergency drugs available.

Detecting Oral Cancer Vital “Despite advances in dentistry, the mortality rate for oral cancer has not changed in the past forty years. We need to do something about that, and we can,” Dr. Jed Jacobson told dentists. Jacobson, Delta Dental’s senior vice president and chief science officer and former School of Dentistry assistant dean, said that approximately 31,000 Americans will get oral cancer this year. About 9,000 of them will die. “The mortality rate has not improved since we were students in dental school,” he said. However, if oral cancer is detected early, he said, the survival rate is high, about 81 percent. “As students, you probably recall being taught that oral cancer was an old man’s disease,” Jacobson said. Young individuals and women are the two groups that are seeing growing risks for developing oral cancer, he advised. “In fact, 25 percent of all oral cancer patients are nonsmokers and nondrinkers, the two groups who have been at the highest risk,” he said. Jacobson encouraged dentists to use the brush biopsy as a front-line tool to diagnose potential malignant lesions. “The brush biopsy allows us to change our behavior in our office because we can not only notice something when a patient is in the chair, but we can also do something about it,” he said.

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Alumna Profile

Joanne Dawley, DDS 1980

Photo courtesy of the Michigan Dental Association

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Michigan Dental Association in 2005, Dr. Joanne Dawley, who was chair of the Michigan section of the American College of Dentists at the time, presented a plaque to Dr. Josef Kolling who was then MDA. Kolling is an adjunct associate professor at the U-M School of Dentistry.

She didn’t realize it at the time. But a telephone call that Dr. Joanne Dawley received in 1989 from the chair of the Membership Committee of the Detroit District Dental Society reinvigorated her career and opened new doors of opportunity. In May, she became the first black woman to serve as president of the Michigan Dental Association. Dawley, a member of the MDA since 1987, has served in other leadership roles with the MDA. Last summer she was elected president-elect of the 5,800-member organization. In 2001, she was elected to the organization’s Board of Trustees. She has also served a one-year term as vice president and three years as secretary. Talking about that 1987 phone call, Dawley recalled sitting in an office in the Wayne County dental clinic, where she was working at the time, “thinking to myself that dentistry was

not the profession I thought it would be nine years after graduating from Michigan.” She said she felt professionally isolated because she didn’t have any close colleagues she could talk to about dental matters or where she could go to learn more about the profession. “Probably the Best Thing That Happened to Me Professionally”

“But Dr. Joseph B. Harris changed that,” she said. Harris, a former State Board of Dentistry member, was calling nonmembers to encourage them to join organized dentistry. “He asked me why, as a practicing dentist, I wasn’t involved in organized dentistry,” she said. Dawley said she let her ASDA (American Student Dental Association) membership lapse shortly after receiving her DDS from U-M in 1980.

“I offered several reasons,” she continued, “but he would have none of it. He didn’t accept any excuse. In retrospect, it was probably the best thing that happened to me professionally because I then began to participate in organized dentistry.” Later, another dentist, Dr. Edward Hirsch, a retired U.S. Army colonel and former Detroit District Dental Society president, offered his encouragement and suggested Dawley seek leadership positions in organized dentistry. She also listened to Hirsch’s advice. “I’m glad I listened to both Dr. Harris and Dr. Hirsch because, as it turned out, they had a major impact on my career and my decision to become involved with organized dentistry,” she said. In addition to the leadership roles noted earlier, Dawley has served on the MDA’s executive committee, chaired its public relations and communications committees. She has been past president of the Detroit District Dental Society, a delegate to the ADA’s House of Delegates, and chaired the American College of Dentists Michigan section. Born in Detroit, Dawley lived with her parents in Grand Rapids for four years before they returned to southeast Michigan. “There were no dentists in our family, but one of my cousins was a physician,” she said. “I knew, since I was about fourteen, that I wanted to be in health care and help people. But after listening to him, I decided being a physician was not for me.” Dawley said her mother liked the

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idea. “My dad was just very happy to have me going to college,” she said. Rejection and Motivation

“I offered to work for nothing at a dental laboratory just to get some experience, but that didn’t pan out,” she said. “I didn’t perceive the rejection to be race-related. Rather, it was just that female dentists were practically unheard of at the time, which I think is another reason I think I didn’t receive a lot of encouragement from others when I told them about my plans.” Asked what kept her motivated, Dawley said that she “didn’t want to disappoint my mother, and I wanted to do something positive with my life.” Arriving at U-M to pursue her undergraduate studies, Dawley said one of the first things she did was talk to Dr. Lee Jones (DDS 1961), a member of the School of Dentistry’s faculty as an adjunct lecturer and director of the Office of Minority Affairs for 25 years. “Dr. Jones gave me some great advice about courses I needed to take while I was working for my bachelor’s degree in English, and what I had to do to gain admission to the dental school,” she said. “He was probably the biggest influence on me as an undergraduate student.” Once in dental school, Dawley said the curriculum “was a very intense experience and also very regimented. I think all of us kept a low profile and did what we needed to do to succeed.” Dawley said she “looked up to every instructor because I found each one to be an incredible source of information.” In particular, she mentioned Dr. Daniel

Snyder “who was especially tough. But I learned a lot from him because he was so demanding.” After graduation, Dawley practiced with another dentist for about three years before she began working for the Wayne County Health Department for nine years. While practicing public health dentistry, Dawley returned to private practice dentistry, this time on a part-time basis, before opening her own practice in 1987. “When I opened my practice, I didn’t have any patients,” she said. “Fortunately, I had family and friends who referred patients to me.” Dawley said she hopes to continue practicing at her Southfield, Michigan, office at least another ten years before considering retirement. Issues of Concern

Her practice and serving as MDA president will keep her busy. During her one-year term, Dawley said she would like MDA members to focus on issues and concerns they want her and other MDA leaders to address. Admitting there are countless issues to address, Dawley thinks she can be effective focusing on two or three issues in particular. One is access to care. “Whether you live in the city or in the country, access to oral health care is a major concern. It’s a geographic issue because it affects those in cities and small towns, and it’s also a financial issue. We’re in a profession that’s perceived as caring and if we’re not helping our patients, regardless of

geography or finances or anything else, then we’re not doing our job.” Another issue is how oral health care may fit any potential national health care program. “Do dentists in Michigan want to be a part of a national health care program if there is one?,” she asks. “Should we be involved? If so, how?” Finally, Dawley said, “dentists today need to be able to speak and interact with legislators, not just through the MDA, but one-on-one because it’s those personal relationships that make a difference.” “Incredibly Rewarding”

Citing her personal experiences, Dawley emphasizes to dental students the importance of being involved in organized dentistry both in college and once they receive their dental degree. “When you’re a part of organized dentistry, you belong to a group of professionals with similar interests and concerns. But you also have opportunities to mentor others and receive advice on so many issues that affect you, your patients, your staff, and your community. Some you may not have even considered,” she said. “Being involved is incredibly rewarding, and I encourage all dental students to become involved and stay involved.” Reflecting on her decision to get involved and participate in organized dentistry, including the MDA, Dawley said, “It’s an honor to become president of the Michigan Dental Association. But it’s not my organization. It’s theirs, the members.”

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Dr. Joanne Dawley

Professional Achievements Selected Highlights Education • DDS, University of Michigan (1976-1980) • BA, University of Michigan (1971-1975) Professional • Private practice, Southfield, Michigan (1987 to present) • Wayne County Health Department, general dentist (1981-1989) • Associate dentist (1980-1983) • Preclinical instructor, University of Detroit-Mercy (1980-1981) Professional Organization Leadership • Michigan Dental Association - President (2008-2009) - President-elect (2007-2008) - Executive Director Search Committee chair (2006-2007) - American College of Dentists, Michigan section, chair (2004-2006) - Secretary, Board of Trustees (2003-2005) - Board Liaison to Peer Review Dental Care Committee (2002-2003) - Finance Committee (2002-2003) - Board of Trustees (2001 to present) - Committee on Public Relations, chair (2000-2001) - House Communications Committee, chair (1996-1997) - Legislative Contact Dentist (1994-1997) - House of Delegates: Delegate (1994-2001), Alternate Delegate (1992-1993) • American Dental Association - Delegate (2003 to present) - Alternate Delegate (2000-2002) - Action Team Leader (2001 to present)

(professional organization leadership continued) • Detroit District Dental Society - President (1999-2000) - President-elect (1998-1999) - Vice President (1997-1998) - Executive Board (1995-2000) - Secretary (1995-1997) - Executive Council (1993-1995) • Central Branch, Detroit District Dental Society - President (1994-1995) - President-elect (1993-1994) - Treasurer (1991-1993) Memberships • American Dental Association (1987 to present) • Michigan Dental Association (1987 to present) • Detroit District Dental Society (1987 to present) • Academy of General Dentistry (1990 to present) • Wolverine District Dental Society (1994-1995, 2002 to present) • Pierre Fauchard Academy (1995 to present) • Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics (1999 to present) • National Dental Association (2007 to present) Civic and Community Memberships • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (1972 to present) • Delta Dental Board of Directors (1997-2001) • Delta Dental Corporate Board (2001-2004) • St. Mary Mercy Hospital Quality Committee (2006 to present) Honors and Awards • Academy of Dentistry International (1996 to present) • American College of Dentistry (1997 to present) • International College of Dentists (2004 to present) • Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry (1997)

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DH E-Learning Program Begins Drawing Interest from University and Others Per Kjeldsen

The first class of U-M dental hygiene students who will complete online courses leading to a Bachelor of Science degree met at the School of Dentistry late last year for orientation, met with dental hygiene faculty members, and received their laptop computers they are using. The members of the first class who will receive their degrees in December 2009 are, left to right (top row): Jenny Dennings, Kelly Jackson, Veronika Stiles, and Natalie Thomas. Bottom row: Jennifer Stanley, Nicole Kulas, Kathleen Yee, and Sarah Thornley.

he School of Dentistry’s d e n t a l h y g i e n e d e g re e completion e-learning program is underway and is attracting interest across the U-M campus and from other colleges and universities across the country. The new program, which leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene, was offered for the first time in January. [DentalUM, Fall 2007, pages 51-52.] The program is the only online program offered by the University of Michigan that leads to a bachelor’s degree.

Meeting Each Other, Faculty Members

Before the course began, the eight women enrolled in the program came to the School of Dentistry last

December to meet each other and dental hygiene faculty and learn more about the University and the School of Dentistry. “To build their relationships with each other and instructors here at Michigan, we thought it was important that all eight of them met not just with each other, since they will be collaborating on projects, but also the faculty members they would be interacting with during the two years they are a part of this new program,” said Anne Gwozdek one of the course instructors who was extensively involved in developing the online curriculum. “Before leaving the School at the end of their two-day orientation, we made it a point to try and build their ties and appreciation for the University of Michigan by delivering their laptop

computers and giving them several functional artifacts, including U-M protective covers for their computers,” she added. Still in its infancy, the online degree completion program has already attracted attention. Gwozdek said U-M administrators, and those from other U-M schools and colleges, have called seeking more information. “I think it’s fair to say that, once again, the School of Dentistry is again exemplifying that phrase ‘leaders and best’,” she said. For more information about the program, visit the School of Dentistry Web site: www.dent.umich.edu/ depts/pom/hygiene/dconline.html. Jerry Mastey

Anne Gwozdek (left) Carrie Ghaname, a member of the E-Learning faculty, discuss one of the online courses Ghaname is teaching.

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DH Students, Faculty Help Give Kids a Smile

Class of 1957 Reunites

“This was the first time I participated in the Give Kids a Smile program, and I’m glad I did,” said DH3 Jaclyn Tinsley. “I’m thinking about working in a pediatric dental office after graduating, so this gave me some idea about what I might expect.” Tinsley said another reason she participated was to help youngsters avoid some of the oral health problems she had when she was growing up. “I had plenty of cavities when I was growing up,” she said. “My hope is that with my dental hygiene education and experiences like this one, that I can teach kids to avoid the mistakes I made so they have healthier teeth and fewer problems,” she added.

Eight members of the dental hygiene class of 1957 returned to Ann Arbor last fall to take part in the School’s annual Homecoming Weekend activities. During ceremonies marking the 50-year anniversary of their graduation, each alumna was called to a stage to receive a gold medallion that was placed around their neck by Jeff Freshcorn, director of development. As they walked off stage, each received a box with an emeritus pin and a stand for their medallion from Marty Bailey, development officer. Dean Peter Polverini congratulated each dental hygiene alumnus before she returned to her seat.

Jerry Mastey

Call Photography

Susan Pritzel, assistant professor of dental hygiene, checks a patient to verify a student’s treatment plan during the Give Kids a Smile program at the School of Dentistry in early February.

Emeritus Ceremony

Sally Gustke receives congratulations from Dean Peter Polverini during the School’s emeritus ceremony during Homecoming Weekend.

Emeritus alumnae of the Dental Hygiene Class of 1957 gathered in the lobby of activities at the School of Dentistry. Jerry Mastey

Following a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of their graduation, dental hygiene alumnae toured the School’s Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory. Emeritus alumna Ann Sterling Fusco (center) asked secondyear dental student Eric Skulsky how students are using technology in their preclinical education.

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D E N TA L H YG I E N E DH Class of ’57 Emeritus Alumni Honored Dianne Cowall Ann Sterling Fusco Benita Greenspan Sally Gustke Barbara Johnstone Joann Meinberg Rita Stegehuis Jeanette Bednarsh

Dental Hygiene “Still in Its Infancy” in Poland and Russia DH Instructor Says Call Photography

the Kellogg Building for a group photo during Homecoming Weekend Call Photography

The Homecoming Dinner Celebration welcomed dental hygiene and dental classes whose graduation years ended in 2 and 7. Seen here with dental hygiene program director Wendy Kerschbaum (second from left) were members of the Dental Hygiene Class of 1982 (left to right): Marie Vela, Kerschbaum, Shelly Sperling, Julie Fattore, and Leslie Menzies.

“I saw some major differences in how the professions of dental hygiene in particular and dentistry in general are practiced in Poland and Russia when I was there, compared to this country,” said Christine Klausner, clinical assistant professor of dental hygiene. “In those two countries, it seems to me that dental hygiene is still in its infancy, in terms of the role and responsibilities of the dental hygienist and how dental hygiene is practiced. So it was an exciting opportunity for me and others to share our knowledge with oral health care professionals from that part of the world,” she added. Klausner was one of 52 licensed dental hygienists from the U.S. invited by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and the People to People Citizens Ambassador Program to travel to Russia and Poland as a member of the professional delegation. Established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, the program is a private citizen effort to enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural, and humanitarian activities among people in different countries. Oral Health Information Exchanged

During their 10-day trip to the two countries last summer, Klausner and other ADHA members visited health

ministries, colleges and universities, public clinics, and private clinics. The exchange provided opportunities in St. Petersburg, Russia and Warsaw, Poland to talk about the Russian, Polish, and American health care systems; how the educational systems are designed to prepare and train oral health professionals, including dental hygienists; and public health measures for disease prevention and health promotion. They also shared knowledge of successful techniques and strategies a b o u t p ro f e s s i o n a l e d u c a t i o n , regulation, standards of dental hygiene practice, and the integration of oral health services with the general health of targeted populations. Major Differences

In both Warsaw and St. Petersburg, Klausner said the facilities she and the others visited “appeared to be more advanced and state-of-the-art than what we often see in similar facilities in the U.S. It seemed just about every clinic was using the latest technology and digitizing their information, including radiographs.” However, Klausner said she was surprised to see that dental hygienists in the two countries have roles that are more similar to dental assistants in this U.S. “Although dental hygienists there provided occasional teeth

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Photo courtesy of Christine Klausner

Stratz, Taylor Launch By Anne Gwozdek

Dental hygiene instructor Christine Klausner shows a girl at an orphanage in Warsaw, Poland, the proper way to hold a toothbrush to get the best results when cleaning her teeth.

cleaning in the clinics we visited, by and large they don’t get the clinical experiences and practice opportunities to provide comprehensive preventive and therapeutic care typically provided by licensed dental hygienists in the U.S.,” she said. “Most of the time, they do what they are directed to do by a dentist.” Klausner added that with Poland becoming a member of the European Union four years ago, education requirements have changed, and a baccalaureate degree is the minimum requirement to become a dental hygienist. Dentistry in Poland and Russia, Klausner added, tends to be more reactive than pro-active, “so many oral health concerns aren’t immediately addressed until they become a bigger problem for a patient,” she said. Making matters worse, she continued, is that practice standards are lacking for oral health care professionals to

follow in given situations. The visit also included an exchange of professional textbooks and electronic materials, including CD-ROMs. The delegates also presented helpful information about oral cancer detection and tobacco cessation that could be given to patients. Members of the group also conducted limited oral health screenings during visits to two orphanages in Poland. They also held one-on-one instructional sessions with children on tooth brushing, flossing, and general nutrition and distributed toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss to about 75 children. However, Klausner said orphanages in Poland are typically for children whose parents are unable to care for them. “The experience was a unique opportunity for a professional exchange in a part of the world that is advancing the profession of dental hygiene as well as encouraging ways to share information and technologies,” she said.

Dental hygiene students Audrey Stratz and Nikia Taylor recently launched their Capstone Project for the Dental Scholars program. Established in 2006, the Scholars Program in Dental Leadership, as it’s formally known, is a leadership program that brings together a select number of exceptional dental and dental hygiene students with diverse backgrounds to help them develop a leadership mindset and skills they can use to foster change in dentistry, dental hygiene, education, research, or academia. The Capstone Project, where students investigate a major issue and then develop a program that attempts to address that issue, is a concluding effort that encompasses everything students learned while they were involved in the Dental Scholars program. Communication, Networking Vital

Last spring, Stratz and Taylor learned from a survey of their dental hygiene classmates that they wanted communication and networking among the three classes enhanced. The Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA) was identified as the professional association that offered the framework for addressing those issues. To make that wish a reality, Stratz and Taylor, who are also SADHA and DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008

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Anne Gwozdek

Capstone Project senior class officers, began a “Building Our Community” program. “The most difficult part was trying to get everyone to understand what we were trying to do and why,” Stratz said. During a kickoff program last fall, Taylor said, “We are a community within the dental school and we want Anne Gwozdek

Leaders of dental hygiene team building activities were, in the front row (L to R): Jessica Novak, Mallory Sherwood, Rachel Knorr, and Audrey Stratz; and in the back row (L to R): Courtney Fisette, Cheryl Hewison, Aferdita Dauti, Lindsey Sullivan, Crystal Vernier, Chelsie Stromski, Michelle Comber, and Nikia Taylor.

Nikia Taylor and Audrey Stratz developed a communication and networking program for dental hygiene students for their Dental Scholars “Capstone Project.”

to foster a greater sense of community among all of you in the three dental hygiene classes. We want this to be the start of greater interaction, not just among your fellow classmates, but with others in the other dental hygiene classes.” She emphasized it was important “that we begin building a sense of community, including building personal and professional relationships among each other because these will be important with our careers after we graduate.”

With Bob the Builder as the mascot, student teams were identified by tools such as a shovel, saw, hammers, etc. They were led by the SADHA reps and class officers who donned hard hats. Several ice breaking and team building activities took place in the Sindecuse Atrium. “Better Connected”

Linking the students to the professional dental hygiene community, Danie Furgeson, manager of student relations with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), commended students for their enthusiasm and assuming leadership roles and described some of the ways ADHA supports students. Following Friday’s events, Michelle Comber, president of the Dental Hygiene Class of 2008, said, “I wish we had this event several years ago when I began. Now, I have a greater understanding

of SADHA, professional resources, and feel better connected with members of all three classes.” The following day, leaders had an opportunity to attend a SADHA Leadership Workshop hosted by Furgeson. She engaged students in exploring their roles as change agents, focusing on topics that included negotiations, advocacy, fiscal responsibility, public speaking, and professional writing. Both Taylor and Stratz were pleased with the outcome of the program. “This was a wonderful opportunity for my fellow classmates to demonstrate they are change agents, as students,” Taylor said. “We can take this energy and what we learned and apply it in our personal lives and professional careers.” Both are confident that other dental hygiene students will assume leadership of the program after they graduate this spring.

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- Michelle Uhlig Balancing Dental Hygiene and Swimming Photo courtesy of Michelle Uhlig

my race is going to be – the mechanics of my strokes, how I will perform, and things like that,” she said. Asked about crowd noise, Uhlig said she is aware of it, but focuses her concentration and efforts on her coaches and competitors. “Occasionally I hear the noise,” she added, “but generally that’s only for a brief moment as I get to the end of the lane, rolling over, and making a transition from one stroke to another. Sometimes the excitement from the crowd really gets your adrenaline going!” Lessons Learned

Third-year dental hygiene student Michelle Uhlig, a member of the U-M swim team, swims the 200-yard individual medley.

Besides her classroom studies and clinical activities, third-year dental hygiene student Michele Uhlig has plenty to keep her busy. She’s also a member of the U-M swim team. Uhlig, who hails from Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, Penn State territory, was a member of her high school’s varsity swim team. Then, and now, she swims the 200-yard individual medley that consists of the 50-yard butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. “I like to swim the four different strokes because I like the variety in the race and in the training needed to compete in the individual medley,” she said. Arriving on the U-M campus in the fall of 2002, Uhlig enrolled in the dental hygiene program after two years in

kinesiology. “I thought I’d enjoy dental hygiene more, and I have,” she said. Training Schedule

An early riser, Uhlig is typically in the pool from 6:00 o’clock in the morning until 7:30 every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. she is in class or clinic at the dental school before returning to the pool for more practice from 2:30 until 5:00. “If we don’t have a weekend swimming meet, I’m usually back in the pool at seven o’clock Saturday morning,” she added. Describing herself as a “middle of the pack finisher,” Uhlig said she prepares for competition by stretching and visualizing. “I imagine everything about what

Uhlig said competitive swimming has taught her the importance of being a good time manager and being well organized. “I know that I can’t do everything all at once. So it’s important that I pace myself, both in the water and with my studies,” she said. Time management and organization also involves looking ahead. Uhlig said she tries to finish her studies and complete her assignments ahead of time, especially when she knows she has to travel to a swim meet or if other team obligations arise. “Everyone in dental hygiene has been very helpful trying to schedule my rotations around my practices and meets,” she said. “Although my schedule can be hectic at times, I would not want to change my field of study. I enjoy the dental hygiene program so much, and my interest in what we are studying keeps me focused and striving to do my best.” DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008

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Ruppert, Clisham Honored by MDHA The House of Delegates of the Michigan Dental Hygienists’ Association honored two School of Dentistry alumni during the organization’s annual meeting last fall. Both served as past presidents of the U-M Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association. Rebecca Ruppert (BSDH 2006) was named Outstanding Dental Hygienist of the Year by the Washtenaw District Dental Hygienists’ Society. Now beginning a two-year term as MDHA trustee, Ruppert was a delegate to MDHA and vice president of WDDHA. Brandi Clisham (BSDH 2007) received MDHA’s Springboard Award in recognition for her involvement in professional association leadership activities as a student. She is currently serving as WDDHS Vice President.

U-M SADHA Honored by March of Dimes Photo courtesy of Anne Gwozdek

Photo courtesy of Anne Gwozdek

Sharing smiles after receive the Distinguished Organization Award from the March of Dimes are third-year dental hygiene student Cheryl Hewison, U-M SADHA vice president, and Mary Layher, SADHA advisor.

Rebecca Ruppert

Sharon Libich (left), president, Washtenaw District Dental Hygienists’ Society and Brandi Clisham.

Gissendanner NDHA President-Elect

The Ann Arbor chapter of the March of Dimes presented its Distinguished Service Award last fall to the U-M Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association for its long-term participation in the March of Dimes/U-M Health System Health Walk. For the last five years, SADHA has hosted a booth providing educational information on the link between periodontal disease and preterm, low birth-weight babies. Fourth-year dental hygiene student Rachel Knorr has co-chaired the SADHA effort the last two years along with advisor Mary Layher.

Juana Gissendanner has been elected National Dental Hygienists’ Association president-elect for a two-year term that began in 2007. After completing the term next year, she automatically becomes the organization’s president. Gissendanner was elected during the group’s annual convention last summer in Atlanta.

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Drug to Fight Virus in Transplant Patients Begins Phase 3 Trials A drug that has been jointly developed by U-M School of Dentistry and College of Pharmacy professors and scientists from pharmaceutical companies is now undergoing Phase 3 testing at several sites across the nation, including the U-M Medical Center. Following more than 20 years of research by School of Dentistry Professor John Drach and College of Pharmacy Professor Leroy Townsend, the antiviral drug maribavir recently moved to Phase 3 clinical trials in transplant patients after it was found to be safe and effective against cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in Phase 2 studies. The drug has been designed and developed to prevent CMV infections in patients who undergo bone marrow and liver transplants. Maribavir is being produced by ViroPharma, Inc. under the name Camvia™, a combination of “CMV” and “via,” for life. “This is an exciting development,” said Drach, a biochemist and virologist at the dental school, “but there’s still a way to go before maribavir can be marketed. It’s amazing to see a compound that came from studies Leroy and I did for more than two decades has made it to this point in human testing. Equally exciting is that the development of the drug, which started in our labs, is being completed

Keary Campbell

Maribavir Developed by Profs. Drach and Townsend

A drug developed by Profs. Leroy Townsend (left) and John Drach is now in Phase 3 testing.

at the U-M Medical Center.” Townsend, a professor of medicinal chemistry and professor of chemistry at the College of Pharmacy, said, “this is an excellent illustration of how interdisciplinary research enhances the drug design and development process. Our initial discovery that a specific class of compounds possessed unique antiviral properties was followed by ten more years of collaborative research in our laboratories here at the University of Michigan.” But for the drug’s development and design to continue “we needed

to involve others in important collaborations, including several pharmaceutical companies, which ultimately led to maribavir moving to the final phase of testing,” he added. Importance of University-Industry Collaboration Noted

“The development of Camvia underscores the global importance of collaboration between universities and industry in drug development, said Will Roberts, director of communications for ViroPharma, a Pennsylvaniabased company that commercializes

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and develops products that address serious diseases treated by physician specialists and in hospital settings. “Camvia is one of the most important transplant drugs in development today. We hope to file for approval in both the U.S. and Europe in 2009,” he said. “Generally, about 45,000 patients in the U.S., and a similar number of patients in Europe undergo bone marrow or solid organ transplants each year. Those numbers have been growing about two to three percent annually in recent years. All of these patients are at increased risk for CMV disease,” Roberts added.

received bone marrow transplants; the second, about 300 who received liver transplants. “These 900 patients are a significant number because this will allow us to develop a sizable safety database that will reveal the efficacy of the drug in this important population,” Roberts said.

CMVs Effects

CMV is part of the herpes virus family, which also includes the viruses that cause chicken pox, mononucleosis, cold sores, and genital lesions. In most people with intact immune systems, CMV causes little or no apparent illness. However, in those with weakened immune systems, such as individuals who have received organ transplants, AIDS patients, and the newborn, CMV can lead to serious complications or death. The Phase 3 studies involve two groups of patients in a doubleblind study. The first group includes approximately 600 patients who have

Study Results Later

It may not be until later this year that the results of the Phase 3 studies are known. How soon it would become publicly available would be determined by reviews by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European regulatory agencies. Results of Phase 2 tests that were conducted last year were positive. They showed that the drug was well

tolerated and that none of the 111 patients who were randomly selected to receive maribavir developed CMV disease while 11 percent of patients receiving a placebo developed the disease. In addition, all patients receiving maribavir had clinically relevant reductions in CMV reactivation compared to the placebo. In most cases, the reductions were statistically significant. “ That was ver y good news, because transplant patients and physicians need a new and improved way to prevent this insidious disease,” Roberts said. An exclusive license for U-M technology underlying maribavir was originally granted to Glaxo Wellcome, which then licensed the rights to ViroPharma, said Mark Maynard, marketing manager of the Office of Technology Transfer. If commercialization efforts are successful and drugs for fighting cytomegalovirus become available, U-M, in accordance with the licensing agreement, will stand to receive royalty payments, a portion of which will go to Profs. Drach and Townsend and their co-inventors, Maynard added.

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Dental Symposium to Highlight Cutting-Edge entistry is experiencing some significant changes that will affect dentists, their patients, dental education, and researchers in the not too distant future. The scope and magnitude of those changes will be discussed by national and internationally renowned experts in oral health care and education at a symposium to be held this fall on the University of Michigan campus. The inaugural symposium, Clinical Research to Clinical Practice: Managing Challenges at the Cutting Edge, is a two-and-a-half-day program designed to inform oral health care professionals about many innovative developments now underway in research laboratories that, ultimately, may become a part of everyday clinical practice, according to Dr. William Giannobile, director of clinical research for the School of Dentistry. The symposium will be held Friday, September 12, and Saturday, September 13, at Rackham Auditorium. A presymposium is also scheduled for Thursday, September 11, and will be held at the Michigan Union. The symposium is cosponsored by the U-M School of Dentistry and the Delta Dental Research and Data Institute, the research division of Delta Dental of Michigan.

Focus: From the Laboratory to the Keary Campbell

Dr. William Giannobile is director of clinical research for the School of Dentistry and head of the MCOHR.

Topics to be discussed include: • What are some of the cutting-edge innovations in dentistry? • How might they benefit patients, dentists, and other oral health care providers? • Are there any breakthroughs that may occur in the future that will affect how dentistry is practiced? • How will discoveries in the laboratory lead to innovations in clinical research and in dental practice? • What will these innovations mean to practicing clinicians and the future of dentistry?

What’s Taking Place; How it Could Affect Dentists and Patients

“Dentistry, dental research, dental education, and patient care are at an exciting crossroads,” Giannobile said. “This symposium will bring together researchers, practitioners, and educators who will give a ‘big picture’ perspective about what’s taking place, why it will be important, and what it will mean in the future to the typical dentist and his or her patient.” Giannobile directs the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research which uses knowledge discovered in laboratories and applies it to help patients. Opened in the fall of 2003, the Center provides patient services related to clinical research including oral exams, oral surgeries, and major restorative procedures. It builds on many of the School’s major strengths including a long history of clinical trial research and international prominence in basic science research. The cost to attend is $125 for dentists and $95 for auxiliaries (dental hygienists, office staff, and others). In addition, oral health care professionals will receive 12 continuing dental education credits for attending the program after they register with the School of Dentistry’s Office of Continuing Dental Education. To register, call (734) 763-5070 or (734) 763-5171 or e-mail the Office of Continuing Dental Education: cde.umich@umich.edu.

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Research Dental Office Updates on the Web Additional information about the symposium will continue to appear as it becomes available. Visit the School of Dentistry’s Web site www.dent.umich.edu to learn more.

Program Schedule Thursday, September 11 – Pre-symposium (Michigan Union) 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Concurrent sessions on topics (program chairs in parentheses): • Tissue Engineering and Regeneration (Paul Krebsbach, William Giannobile) • Cancer and Oral/Systemic Health (Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, Jacques Nör) • Information Technology, the Digital Revolution, and Dental Education (Lynn Johnson) Students in the U-M School of Dentistry’s dental and graduate training programs in clinical research and specialty training will also exhibit poster presentations describing their research. Friday, September 12 – Symposium (Rackham Auditorium) 8:15 a.m. Registration at Rackham Auditorium 9:00 a.m. Welcome and introductions 9:30 a.m. Keynote Speaker – Dr. Harold Slavkin, Dean, USC School of Dentistry The Future of Oral Health Research 10:30 a.m. Break 11:00 a.m. Keynote Speaker – Dr. David Sackett, Trout Research and Education Center, Markdale, Ontario, Canada Problems and Pitfalls of Human Trials Noon Lunch 1:30 p.m. Session 1: Dr. David Wong, Chair, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry Novel Saliva Diagnostics for Oral Cancer Detection 2:30 p.m. Break 3:00 p.m. Dr. Robert Nerem, Director, Emory Center for the Engineering of Living Tissues; Georgia Institute of Technology Tissue Replacements in the Orofacial Complex Dr. Kenneth Malament, Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry, Tufts University Future Perspectives in Esthetic Dentistry 5:00 p.m. Adjourn. Reception follows.

Saturday, September 13 – Symposium 8:30 a.m. Dr. Robert Genco, Vice President, Director of Science, Technology Transfer, and Economic Outreach; University at Buffalo Connection of Oral Infection and Cardiovascular Risk 9:45 a.m. Dr. Vincent Kokich, Professor, Department of Orthodontics, University of Washington-Seattle; private practice, Tacoma, Washington Interdisciplinary Esthetics: Do We Need to Make Everybody Perfect? 10:45 a.m. Break 11:15 a.m. Dr. Bob Kerbel, Senior Scientist, Molecular and Cell Biology; Sunny Brook Health Sciences Center, Toronto New Approaches to Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers 1:00 p.m. Adjourn

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Research Day

Award Winners

Grand Prize Nejay Ananaba (D3) Mentors: Marilyn Woolfolk & Marita Inglehart Liberian Middle School Students’ Oral Health and Quality of Life

Dental and dental hygiene students, graduate and doctoral students, and post-doctoral fellows presented summaries of their research during the School of Dentistry’s annual Research Day on Feb. 12. Sixty-nine posters outlining multiple areas of research were displayed in the Grand Ballroom at the Michigan League. Grand Prize winner was third-year dental student Nejay Ananaba for her research on the oral health and quality of life of middle school students in her home country of Liberia. As Grand Prize winner, Ananaba, who is also a Dental Scholar, will represent the School of Dentistry at the ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Research Program in San Antonio, Texas, in October. Other winners are listed below, as well as the titles of their research and mentors. Thirtyfour judges evaluated the poster presentations. Twenty-nine exhibitors also participated.

Undergraduate, DDS, DH, MS/Certificate - Clinical Application and Techniques

Undergraduate, DDS, DH, MS/ Certificate - Basic Science and Research

1st Prize: Maciej Dolata (D2) Mentor: Woosung Sohn Community-Based Dental Clinics in Michigan: Their Role and Barriers in Providing Oral Health Care

1st Prize: Jason Schrotenboer (D3) Mentor: Hom-Lay Wang Effect of Microthreads on Platform Switching: A Finite Element Analysis

2nd Prize: Natasha Feller, Erin Gilmore, Chelsie Stromski (DH4) Mentor: Janet Kinney Ultrasonic Scalers and Hearing Loss

2nd Prize: Jamie Scot Luria (D3) Mentor: Paul Krebsbach Effects of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins on Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells

3rd Prize: (Tie) April Patterson (D4) Mentor: George Taylor Diabetes and Tooth Loss: Exploring the Role of Dental Insurance in U.S. Adults

3rd Prize (Tie): William Love (D1) Mentor: Jacques Nör G-CSF Enhances the Angiogenic Potential of Endothelial Cells

Jeniebelle Timacdog, Miranda Szasz (DH4) Mentor: Woosung Sohn Effects of Chewing Gum Containing Xylitol on Dental Caries

Jonathan Miller (Undergraduate) Mentor: Mathilde Peters Novel Handheld Device to Determine the Physical Properties of Hydrated Dentin

Special Hygiene awards 1st Prize: Natasha Feller, Erin Gilmore, Chelsie Stromski Mentor: Janet Kinney Ultrasonic Scalers and Hearing Loss 2nd Prize: Jeniebelle Timacdog, Miranda Szasz Mentor: Woosung Sohn Effects of Chewing Gum Containing Xylitol on Dental Caries 3rd Prize: Allison Cragun, Nikia Taylor Mentor: Paul Edwards Noma: Ulcer of Extreme Poverty PhD/Postdoctoral Fellow/Staff 1st Prize: Kathleen Neiva (PhD student) Mentor: Jacques Nör Endothelial Cells Induce STAT3, AKT, ERK Signaling in Tumor Cells

2nd Prize (Tie): Jan Berry (Staff) Mentor: Laurie McCauley JunB as a Potential Mediator of PTHrP Actions: New Gene Targets Jinhui Liao (Postdoctoral Fellow) Mentor: Laurie McCauley PTHrP Enhances Prostate Cancer Skeletal Progression 3rd Prize: Shelley Brown (PhD student) Mentor: Paul Krebsbach Derivation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells Audience Choice Award Jenny Ha (D4) Mentor: Juliana Barros Bactericidal Effect of Er,CR:YSGG Laser on Caries-Affected Dentin

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U-M Research Spending Tops $800 Million Research expenditures by the University of Michigan surpassed $800 million in fiscal year 2007, a 3.3 percent increase over the previous year and an all-time high, Vice President for Research Stephen Forrest told Regents during a January meeting. The federal government provided 72.4 percent of the $823 million total. Investments by the University, industry, foundations, and the state accounted for most of the rest. While Forrest said he considers last year’s 3.3 percent increase satisfactory, continued growth of the U-M’s world-class research enterprise will require “a new funding model.” Because federal research funding is likely to remain nearly stagnant for the foreseeable future, the University must begin to rely more heavily on partnerships with businesses and industry, he said. By strengthening ties with the private sector, the University can secure its future as a research powerhouse while helping to revive Michigan’s struggling economy. It is time “to give back to a state that has so generously supported us for nearly 200 years,” Forrest said during his annual research report to Regents. “We cannot delude ourselves into imagining that we will remain competitive in such a depressed regional economy,” he said. “The University of Michigan, which is one of the most effective knowledge- and skill-generating machines in the world, can and must play a central role in the inevitable transformation from a manufacturing- to a knowledge-based economy.” U-M consistently ranks among the nation’s top four research universities, based on R&D expenditure statistics compiled by the National Science Foundation. It ranks 19th on NSF’s most recent list of industry-financed R&D at U.S. universities. Those industry numbers must change, and some indicators suggest the shift has already begun, Forrest said. U-M funding from industry was up 14.9 percent last year – from $33.6 million to $38.6 million – though it’s too soon to say whether the increase reflects a yearto-year fluctuation or a trend. At the same time, disclosures of new technologies to the U-M Office of Technology Transfer rose 14 percent, and royalty revenues increased 18 percent. “While we face a very challenging landscape in FY08 – from an uncertain base of government funding to a state economy that is in urgent need of restructuring – I believe that we are entering a period of unprecedented opportunity,” Forrest said. “Our university has the possibility to leverage this situation to become the undisputed leader in academic research connected to industry.”

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Understanding & Detecting Diseases or Cancers Before They’re Apparent Research being conducted in Dr. Yvonne Kapila’s laboratory may one day lead to developing new tools to diagnose and treat periodontal disease and perhaps cancer as well. An associate professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, Kapila is researching how the extracellular matrix regulates the life and death of cells in conditions such as inflammation, which is encountered in periodontal disease, and during the process of cancer progression in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Why the matrix? As the name implies, the matrix is the all important “mother” or center of life for cells. Whether the matrix is broken down because of a bacterial assault (as in periodontal disease), or whether it is altered by repair or a cancer process, dictates whether cells in this environment live, die, or get sick. So the state of the matrix is critical in determining whether cells and tissues are healthy or beginning their demise. Jerry Mastey

Dr. Yvonne Kapila and Pachiyappan Kamarajan, a postdoctoral fellow in her laboratory, discuss an image on the monitor showing an extracellular matrix that induces apoptosis in oral cancer cells.

Trying to Predict, Not React

Although there is a normal turnover of matrix, keeping its formation and breakdown in fine balance is critical. By examining the status of the matrix, scientists get a mirror that reflects the relative state of health of the resident cells and tissues. How is that information of help? “The tools we in the oral health care profession are using and have been using for some time to detect and measure the progression of periodontal disease, such as radiographs and clinical DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 76

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measurements, only tell us what has already happened,” Kapila said. “What we are interested in knowing is how we can use these microscopic substances around cells in the matrix that have broken down to tell us that disease is about to occur before the actual onset of clinically perceptible bone loss or attachment loss in an oral or clinical setting.” One of the research projects Kapila leads is investigating if matrix and cell death (apoptotic) fragments or biomarkers could be used to predict the likelihood of periodontal disease before it occurs. The presence of high levels of matrix fragments or apoptotic proteins sampled around the teeth of patients suggest that Jerry Mastey

Nam Joo, a postdoctoral fellow talks to Dr. Yvonne Kapila about his paper for the prestigious journal Cell Death & Differentiation that will soon be published.

the matrix is breaking down and cells are dying. Cells that have no firm ground on which to sit and survive simply shrivel up and die, in essence, causing the tissue

to die. A stable matrix is essential to maintaining the life and health of cells. A broken down matrix and its fragments signals inflammation and an impending onset of clinical disease progression or bone and attachment loss. Fibronectin fragments that Kapila and members of her research team are studying are usually found in inflammatory fluids associated with diseases such as periodontitis or arthritis. Several grants from the National Institutes of Health are funding her research team to try to better understand the signaling cues induced by the fibronectin fragments that cause cells to die or undergo apoptosis. A Cell’s “Grand Regulator”

In terms of oral cancer, the matrix is also crucial for regulating cell survival, migration, and the ability to establish itself in other parts of the body in the form of invasion or metastasis. One of the important signaling cues the matrix uses to regulate these important processes in cancer is the p53 molecule. “p53 is the grand regulator of cells,” she said. “In essence, it’s a sensor that tells a cell everything that is taking place around it and inside of it.” It’s a way the matrix on the outside of the cell communicates messages to the inside of the cell. It’s not surprising that in many cancers the p53 molecule has mutated, so the regulation of normal life and death of cells runs amuck and leads to a survival advantage for certain cells and the beginning of cancer. Once there’s an understanding

about how the matrix regulates the p53 molecule in inflammation and cancer, this could one day lead to potentially new diagnostic therapeutic targets. “It’s possible that what we learn in this area could, ultimately, be transferable in other areas where inflammation occurs, such as arthritis,” she said. But applying this to cancer cells could be more of a challenge Kapila said because, until now, it seems they have been adept at escaping cell death. Cancer cells, unlike other cells in the body, detach from the matrix and have an ability to survive. “How do they do it?” “Why do they do it?,” she asked. “We don’t have answers to those questions, but we are trying to learn what the intracellular signals are that make this occur.” Kapila said one thing that she has learned from the research is that when oral cancer cells detach from the matrix, they link up with one another and create their own environment that allows them to survive. The presence of fibronectin enables them to do that. This is only one important piece of the puzzle. There are many more questions to answer to try and learn how oral cancer cells refuse to die and continue to grow, thrive, and aggressively invade local tissues or metastasize. “The matrix holds many critical secrets that will help us discover better ways to treat oral cancer,” Kapila said. “Understanding the process will play an important role in determining the progression of a disease and possible therapies.”

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RESEARCH

Dental School to Participate in NIH Grant The School of Dentistry is a participant in a $55 million grant that has been awarded to the University of Michigan by the National Institutes of Health. The NIH grant is the third largest it has ever awarded to U-M. The Clinical and Translational Service Award (CTSA) is a national health research initiative that is designed to encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary research to improve human health. Much of this collaboration will occur at our School’s Michigan Center for Oral Health Research which will work with scientists and researchers from other units across campus (medicine, public health, Life Sciences Institute, etc.) in developing novel therapies that enhance oral health. U-M joins 23 other institutions around the country who are members of the expanding CTSA consortium.

Robinson Takes 1st Place at SNDA Photo courtesy of Dr. Kenneth May

Third-year dental student Allen Robinson won first place for his research and a research presentation he delivered at a national meeting. During the National Dental Association/Student National Dental Association Table Clinic last summer, Robinson took top honors for his work: Are children’s oral health and general Third-year dental student Allen Robinson (right) won first place health related? during the National Dental Association/Student National Dental The answer appears to be “yes,” Association Table Clinic for his research that focused on children’s based on his research conducted during oral and general health. With him Robinson are Dr. Kenneth May the summer of 2006 at pediatric dental (center) and Dennis Lopatin, senior associate dean. clinics in Ann Arbor and Flint. Eighty-two parents, whose children ranged in age from 4 to 12, answered questionnaires about a child’s oral health, general health, and quality of life. Also analyzed were the medical history and dental visits of the 82 children. Conducted at Mott Children’s Health Center in Flint and the U-M School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor, Robinson’s research results showed both children and their parents observed a significant correlation between oral and general health. One of the recommendations from the study is that dentists and dental hygienists provide more information to parents. Another is that pediatricians and dentists should strengthen their collaborative efforts.

Crosby Research Award to Member of Dentistry Team A member of the School of Dentistry’s Diabetes Education and Health Literacy Team has received the Crosby Research Award from the National Science Foundation’s Advance Program. Melissa Valerio, an assistant professor at the School of Public Health, received the award for her work on functional health literacy research. Together with dental school researchers Dr. Tilly Peters, Dr. Preetha Kanjirath, and Christine Klausner, Valerio is investigating the understanding, processing, and use of diabetes and oral health information among minority and underserved patients with diabetes. The team plans to use the information to enhance their diabetes and oral health education module. The Crosby Research Award is given to tenure-track faculty members in science, engineering, and related disciplines to help them meet their career goals. Recipients can use the funds to develop and support research, purchase needed laboratory equipment, or for travel to conferences. Peters received the award in 2004. Dr. Nisha D’Silva, a professor in the Department of Pathology and Oral Medicine, received the award in 2005.

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RESEARCH

Grand Rapids Sculpture Celebrates Water Fluoridation The benefits water fluoridation has had on the oral health of millions of people in Michigan, the U.S., and the world was celebrated last fall when a new 33-foot tall sculpture, “Steel Water,” was dedicated in downtown Grand Rapids. In January 1945, Grand Rapids became the first community in the world to add fluoride to its water supply to help reduce tooth decay and tooth loss. Years before that, however, fluoride’s benefits were cited in research conducted by the U-M School of Dentistry’s Dr. Philip Jay, a pioneer who devoted his life’s work to the cause and prevention of dental caries. Because of his work and its impact on the public and the oral health care profession, Dr. Jay was one of 18 alumni and faculty members posthumously inducted into the School of Dentistry’s Hall of Honor in the fall of 2003. Among those attending ceremonies celebrating the dedication of the sculpture were Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell; Dr. Amy DeYoung, president, West Michigan District Dental Society; Dr. Thomas Harmon, president, West Michigan Dental Foundation; Dr. James Wieland, chair, Fluoride Commemorative Committee; U.S. Congressman Vern Ehlers; and Cyril Lixenberg, a sculptor from Amsterdam who was commissioned to design and build “Steel Water.”

Jerry Mastey

“Steel Water,” a 33-foot sculpture on the banks of the Grand River in Grand Rapids, commemorates the city’s pioneering role when it became the first city in the world to add fluoride to its water supply in 1945.

The Surgeon General’s Report Water Fluoridation & Oral Health Considered to be one of the most effective public health measures of the 20th Century, water fluoridation was cited as a major oral health benefit in the U.S. Surgeon General’s report on oral health issued in 2000. The report noted (p. 18) that during the 1930s researchers discovered that people living in communities with naturally fluoridated water supplies had fewer cases of dental caries than people living in communities who drank unfluoridated water. “Although this measure has not been fully implemented, the results have been dramatic,” the report noted. “Dental caries began to decline in the 1950s among children who grew up in fluoridated cities, and by the late 1970s, declines in decay were evident for many Americans. “The application of oral science to improved diagnostic, treatment, and prevention strategies has saved billions of dollars per year in the nation’s annual health bill. Even more significant, the result is that far fewer people are edentulous (toothless) today than a generation ago.”

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DENTISTRY

New Use for Dentistry Library? Per Kjeldsen

he growing use of and demand for electronic access to information coupled with advances in technology is prompting changes at many libraries on the U-M campus, including the School of Dentistry library. In short, the need for physical facilities to archive printed materials such as books and journals is decreasing. Recently, the University Library System and the School of Dentistry agreed that the physical space occupied by the dental school library will no longer be needed to store printed materials. According to Dean Peter Polverini, with the increasing demand for electronic access to information, the need to maintain physical space and the cost of storing printed information can no longer be justified. “This issue is not unique to dentistry or to the University of Michigan, and is manifesting itself in nearly all disciplines, and in most, if not all, institutions worldwide,” he said. Future Use to be Evaluated

A timetable for removing the print publications from the dental school library and how the space will be used in the future once it’s been vacated has yet to be determined. A joint School of Dentistry and Health Sciences Library task force is working on a plan that will address those issues. However, services including electronic document delivery and print materials delivery will be maintained. The role and even the title of “librarian” will change to a new name, “informationist.” The informationist will have an office in the dentistry building and will work with faculty, staff, and students on teaching, research, grants, informatics, community outreach, and special projects. Polverini expressed his appreciation to dental school librarian Patricia Anderson for “the essential role she has played in the dental school and her contributions to its teaching and research.” Anderson, now at the Taubman Library, is assessing the impact of emerging technologies and information storage and retrieval.

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New with You?

Please clip

Your Classmates Want to Know!

and mail

Send news about your latest personal or professional achievement, award, or honor, along with a picture (black and white or color) to: Jerry Mastey, editor DentalUM, University of Michigan, School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Avenue, Room G532, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078. Name ___________________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________ City ___________________________________ State ______ Zip Code __________________ Telephone ____________________________Fax (if available) _____________________________ e-mail __________________________________________________________________ Can we use your email address in our publications? ____Yes ____ No Is this an address change? What type of address change?

____ Yes ____ Home

____ No ____ Office

(Please list only University of Michigan degrees and the year earned.) DDS ________ DH Certificate ________ BS ________ MS ________ PhD ________ Specialization ______________________________________________________________ News: ___________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Get Involved! _____ I would like to help plan my next reunion. _____ I would like to be considered for the Alumni Society Board of Governors.

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 81

A LU M N I

News Photo courtesy of Dr. Tim Gietzen

Katie Graber (DDS 2002) of Deerfield, Illinois, is practicing dentistry with her father, Dr. Lee Graber (DDS 1971) in nearby Vernon Hills, Illinois. Katie and her husband, John Evarts, welcomed a son, Michael, into the world in December 2006. Recently married, Scott Szotko (DDS 1999) and Kimber Sherlock (DH 2000) are each working in private practices in LaJolla, California. Scott is the president of the San Diego Young Dentists organization and is active with many state-level committees. He and Kimber are also active in the San Diego U-M Alumni Club. Photo courtesy of Dr. KLJ Stewart

Karen-Lee Jones Stewart (DDS 1994) of Ann Arbor, Michigan, recently completed the ADA’s Institute for Leadership and Diversity Program. Her project was Oral Health Literacy, Working with the Public Libraries. Stewart donated and developed a dental area for each of the public libraries in Washtenaw County. Michael “Reggie” VanderVeen (DDS 1976) of Grand Rapids, Michigan, received the West Michigan District Dental Society’s Silent Bell Award during the group’s annual banquet last December. Presented annually since 1981, the award is the Society’s highest honor that recognizes a member of the organization, active or retired, for his

Among those offering congratulations to Dr. Reggie VanderVeen (center) was Dean Peter Polverini (right) and Dr. Michael Jandernoa, VanderVeen’s roommate during their undergraduate years and co-chair of the Michigan Difference Campaign.

or her service to the dental profession and the community. Before receiving the award, VanderVeen was described as one who “was involved in all aspects of organized dentistry at local, state, and national levels.” Citing his involvement in professional and community organizations and the U-M School of Dentistry, where he’s a member of the campaign committee, the tribute noted that he would continue “to be passionately engaged in helping the public, mentoring young dentists, and making a difference in his community.” Photo courtesy of Dr. Donald Carlsen

Donald Carlsen (DDS 1958) of Midland, Michigan, was inducted into that community’s Junior Achievement Hall of Fame last fall. The annual event honors leaders there with a long-term record of outstanding achievement and who have made significant contributions to their profession or the organization.

A retired orthodontist who practiced in Midland from 1960 to 1993, Carlsen was a former board member of JA and has been extensively involved in community activities. During induction ceremonies, he was described by Terry Moore, MidMichigan Health president and CEO as an individual who “has done so much for so many for so long.” Moore said that Carlsen is “one of a very small group of people who are always willing to do things for others…on a daily basis and who do it cheerfully.” Among his many community activities, Carlsen has worked with dentists with the Midland County Dental Society to provide free dental care to the needy under the auspices of Midland’s “Adopt a Child’s Smile” program…been a mentor for a co-op program that encouraged senior high school students to become dentists (35 did, including Dr. Norman Betts, former department chair at the School of Dentistry)…and is active on the board of directors of the “Hidden Harvest” drive that collects food and delivers it to local food pantries to help feed the needy in the Midland, Saginaw, and Bay City area. Last year, approximately 1.6 million pounds of food were collected. “I didn’t seek the award and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be of service to a community that has been very good to me for so long,” Carlsen said. “For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to give back in a meaningful way. That’s why I have tried to live my motto which is ‘learn, earn, and return’,” he said.

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A LU M N I

In Memoriam ’48 Dr. Bernard Smith MS, pediatric dentistry San Francisco, California January 2008 ’51 Dr. L. James Wies Hendersonville, North Carolina October 13, 2007 ‘52 Dr. Robert Buehrer Pompano Beach, Florida April 24, 2006 ’55 Dr. Clifton Rautiola Okemos, Michigan November 4, 2007 ’67 Dr. Robert Northrop Redmond, Washington October 6, 2007 ’67 Dr. Carl Gingles Ann Arbor, Michigan March 20, 2008 Dr. Gingles, who earned a master’s degree in prosthetics in 1967 from U-M, taught part time at the dental school and maintained a private practice on State Street for more than 40 years. He and his family helped many international students adjust to college life while also hosting inter-national students in the family’s home so they could attend U-M. ’80 Dr. Benjamin Duff Grand Blanc, Michigan March 27, 2008 Dr. Duff, who also earned a master’s degree in periodontics from the School of Dentistry in 1988, served on the Board of the Michigan Dental Association from 2002 to early 2006. ’48 Dr. Bernard Smith MS, pediatric dentistry San Francisco, California January 2008

Dr. Jonathan Ship (1959-2008) By Dean Peter Polverini The University of Michigan School of Dentistry lost a colleague and a friend, Jon Ship, DMD, when he lost a courageous battle with cancer on April 18. He was 49 years old. Born in Washington D.C., Jon attended the University of Pennsylvania for both his undergraduate and dental school education. Jon was very much his father’s son. Like his father, Irwin, Jon was a force in oral medicine. He studied under Dr. Bruce Baum at NIH where he received his formal training in oral medicine. In July 1992, Jon was hired as an associate professor in our School’s Department of Oral Medicine, Pathology, and Surgery. He was also chief of the Section of Oral Medicine and Hospital Dentistry. During his eight years at Michigan, Jon advanced to professor and, at various stages of his career, was director of the Department of Hospital Dentistry at the Medical Center, was a faculty associate with the Institute of Gerontology, and director of the General Practice Residency program. He was a gifted speaker, an energetic teacher, and a mentor to many. Jon provided guidance and support to countless students and colleagues. He was the consummate caregiver, compassionate counselor, and a loving and caring father and husband. For those of us who had the privilege of knowing Jon, we not only liked and respected him, we loved him. He was the friend you always wanted around when you were in a tight spot. He was a confidant and trusted advisor. For others, he was the brother one never had. While we were sad when Jon left U-M for New York University in 2000, we knew this was important to him and his family. At NYU, he blossomed professionally and enjoyed the fruits of many years of hard work. In many ways the success Jon experienced there as a scholar and academic leader validated what we already knew. Jon’s absence from the University of Michigan community only strengthened his friendship with us. I will miss the reunions we celebrated at annual AADR meeting and his trips to Ann Arbor with his sons Zach and Max to watch Michigan-Ohio State football. Last November his disease had taken its physical toll, but for the sake of his sons, Jon would not be dissuaded from keeping his promise to attend that game. This was the last time many of us saw Jon who fought to the very end. We will miss him terribly.

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2008 83

in Restorative Dentistry Four University of Michigan School of Dentistry faculty members will explore an array of timely topics in restorative dentistry during the morning and afternoon sessions.

October 3, 2008 (Friday - Homecoming Weekend) Restorative Dentistry 2012 New breakthroughs in restorative materials and biological engineering are beginning to have an influence on how restorative dentistry is practiced. This course focuses on a dozen transitions occurring in general practices. Stephen Bayne, MS, PhD; Chair, Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics

CAD/CAM Update This presentation will address developments in technology and how they are being used in advanced ceramic restorations. Dennis Fasbinder, DDS; Clinical Professor of Dentistry; Director, Advanced Education in General Dentistry program

Dental Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells This course will review recent advances in dental tissue engineering and discuss a potential role for stem cells in restorative dentistry and endodontics. Advances in dental tissue engineering suggest a future where enamel might be used to restore enamel lesions and dentin possibly replacing dentin lost as caries progresses. The practice of contemporary restorative dentistry and endodontics will require an increasing understanding of tissue engineering and stem cell biology. Jacques Nor, DDS, MS, PhD; Professor of Dentistry

Tooth Whitening, Cements, and Laminates Among the questions that will be answered include: Are lights necessary for whitening procedures in a dental office? Which cements should be used with certain ceramic materials? Are porcelain laminates a reliable option for conservative anterior esthetic restorations? Peter Yaman, DDS, MS; Clinical Professor of Dentistry

Visit our website at: www.dent.umich.edu/alumni/cde or call us at (734( 763-5070 for details and registration information.

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From the Laboratory to the Dental Office… September 12-13, 2008

DentalUM

Spring & Summer 2008

Volume 24, Number 1

Member publication of the American Association of Dental Editors

Homecoming Weekend

2008 Thursday, October 2 Emeritus Medallion Ceremony

Time: 11:30 a.m. Location: Room G390

Emeritus Class Picture Time: Noon Location: Foyer staircase outside the Sindecuse Museum

Emeritus Reunion and Hall of Honor Luncheon

Time: 1:00 p.m. Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony

Time: 2:00 p.m. Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Friday, October 3 Morawa Lecture: Hot Topics in Restorative Dentistry

Time: Registration - 7:30 a.m. Course - 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Location: Kensington Court Hotel, 610 Hilton Boulevard, Ann Arbor Speakers and Topics: See page at left

Homecoming Gala Celebration Honoring Dental and Dental Hygiene classes with graduation years ending in 3 and 8

Doors open and registration begins: 6:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception: 6:00 p.m. Dinner: 7:00 p.m. Location: Kensington Court Hotel, 610 Hilton Boulevard, Ann Arbor

Saturday, October 4 Alumni Association Go Blue! Tailgate

Time: 12:30 p.m. Location: Track and Tennis Building

Football Game - University of Michigan vs. Illinois

Time: 3:30 p.m. Location: The Big House