May 2015 by UTSD ASDA

The

The University of Texas School of Dentistry - Houston, Texas

Houston

FILL 10th Issue - May 2015

UTSD HOUSTON

UT HOUSTON President | Andrew Naeger ’17 President elect | Tanya Sue Maestas ’18 Immediate Past President | Graham Reed ’16 Class Delegate | Andrew Naeger ’17 & Tanya Sue Maestas ’18 Treasurer | Francisco Nieves ’16 Advocacy Chair | Glennis Katzmark ’17 Legislative Liason | Kyle Hale ’16, Glennis Katzmark ’17, & Samin “Huck” Huque ’18 Pre-Dental Chair | Alex Edgerly ’17 Pre-Dental Coordinator | Paola Salazar ’16, Chris Thorburn ’16, & Anthony Tran ’18 Communication & Media Chair | Michelle Boecker ’17 Publications Editors | Laura Nelson ’16 & Macey Cartrite ’16 Social Media Chair | Kaylea Orsak ’18 Website Editors | Matthew Franzen ’17 & Allison Haynie ’18 Events Chair | Mary Becker ’17 Events Coordinator | Marisa McKee ’16 Lunch and Learn Coordinator | Mariangela Arata ’18 Social Chair | Bonner Morren ’17 Community Service Chair | Clara Yoo ’17 Community Service Coordinators | Shivani Patel ’16 & Sarah Woernley ’18 Leadership Development Chair | Ryan Hyde ’17 Gold Crown Award Chair | Andrea Sauerwein ’16 & Adrien Lewis ’16 Historian | Hieu Pham ’17 Golf Tournament Chair| Austin Green ’17 & Larson Wayman ’18

ASDA NATIONAL LEADERS Chair, Council on Communications | Laura Nelson ’16 Chair, Council on Professional Issues | Andrew Naeger ’17

ASDA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President | Christian Piers, Colorado ’16 Vice-presidents | Adrien Lewis, Houston ’16; Niveditha Rajagopalan, Midwestern-Illinois ‘16 Speaker of the House | Paula Kohen, Florida, ’17 District 9 Trustee | Kyle Larsen, Colorado ’17

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If you are interested in writing for the next edition of The Houston Fill, email: utsd.asda.newsletter@gmail.com

Welcome As the semester comes to an end, we would like to thank all of our membership for making this one of the most successful years for our chapter. We have increased our amount of events with the focus of keeping the quality of those events high. We have been recognized on the national level as one of these strongest chapters within ASDA and look forward to maintaining that reputation. Our leadership team has been restructured to provide more opportunities for members to get involved as committee members and chairs. Currently, 57 students serve in an ASDA leadership role. We have sent more students to national meetings and continue to raise money through sponsors to aid in our ability to partly fund interested members. Our team is already hard at work thinking of new ideas and putting them into action for the fall. We promise to remain member-focused to ensure that this planning aligns with our mission to serve the entire student body. We will be welcoming in the Class of 2019 and doing everything we can to educate them on organized dentistry and the importance of being involved. We would love your support in that effort. As a chapter we have a lot to offer and I hope you can find your interest and role with us. Please contact me at any time with suggestions, questions, or concerns. We are here to serve you!

Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2015! We wish you all of the best and thank you for all you have done for UTSD. Good luck on the next step!

Andrew Naeger UTSD Houston ASDA President Issue 10

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“Oral Care for Special Needs Patients” Ileana Lozano

ASDA Pre-Dental Member Finding and going to the dentist is an easy task for the majority of people but for some this is extremely difficult. Such is the case with adults and children which are categorized as having special needs. As stated by the ADEA “Special care patients have more dental disease, missing teeth and difficulty in obtaining dental care than the rest of the population.”(ADEA Policy Statement on Health Care Reform: Oral Health Care: Essential to Health Care Reform) Consequently, this may be because some dentist do not feel they have had enough exposure or training with the special needs population so they usually refer them to a pediatric dentist if they are children and if they are adults they usually ask them to find a better equipped clinic or university. According to the UCLA Dental School website “Today, the need for improved health services, including general dentistry for special needs patients that have a developmental disability couldn’t be more apparent.” (Specialized Care for Special Needs) As future oral care practitioners setting the trend of care for future patients it is important to be exposed to special needs cases. That being the case, special needs cases vary greatly in their oral care needs and treatments due to the fact that the term special needs is a broad term for various conditions and disabilities. It includes such a broad range of conditions as those which

are acquired through trauma such as physical disabilities to genetic conditions such as Down syndrome. These patients oral care needs also vary greatly due to some needing special diets which have a negative impact on oral health while others not having the required dexterity to brush their own teeth. Although their needs vary there are steps which can be taken to have more efficient appointments. Furthermore, for the majority of cases only small changes are needed to be made to allow for the comfortable and safe treatment of special

needs patients. Such small changes include removing all unnecessary equipment and tools which can be hazardous. Making the treatment room and all surrounding area wheelchair accessible. Having a pre-interview appointment with the caregiver to address such concerns as what condition does the patient have, taking a medical history, and addressing any behavioral or physical concern. The most important thing with special needs patients is to ask about allergies to medications or sedations. As well as what medications they are currently taking to find the possible side effects which can attribute to oral problems. Such as some medications are given in the

form of sugary syrups which can contribute to oral problems. During the pre-interview also asking if there are any particular things which put the patient at ease such as listening to certain music or the presence of their caregiver during the appointment. It is also wise to ask the caregiver if there is a particular time of day in which the patient is more alert and cooperative. Placing these appointment at the earliest or latest appointments allow for the flexibility of time which will allow for a better appointment for both dentist and patients. It is important when treating special needs patients to remember, they are aware of what is going on so explain to them the procedures. For some patients the noises which the dental instruments make are frightening so it might be beneficial to tell them what a few of the tools do which are going to be used. Remember after finishing up with appointments to provide the caregiver or parent resources on how to continue caring for their loved ones oral health. In conclusion, while in dental school take advantage of the opportunity to work with special needs patients to learn how to treat them. It will be something which will be useful once you have your own clinic. Organizations such as Special Care Dentistry Organization and other Continuing education courses are offered to make the transition to working with special needs patients easier and more efficient. Photo taken from: http://www.nyfamilypediatricdentistry.com

May 2015

Dental Therapy Dogs: a doggone great idea Patient anxiety is a long-standing challenge that every dentist will have to grapple with at some point in their careers. Different tactics to combat patient anxiety have surfaced over the years, but today the latest trend is that of the dental therapy animal. These trained and certified animals, usually dogs, are being featured at an increasing number of dental practices across the country, providing a sense of ease and comfort to the anxious dental patient, children and adults alike. Applewood Family Dental in Woodbury, MN, is one such practice that currently offers the services of a dental therapy dog. Molly, a 5-yearold cocker spaniel, has served as their resident dental therapy dog since July of last year.

Issue 10

By: Alyson Ilustre

Molly completed her special training through Pet Partners, a national program founded in 1977, after finding strong evidence in research that animal companionship helped “reduce blood pressure, lower stress and anxiety levels, and stimulate the release of endorphins which make people feel good.” Molly is able to do all of this for many anxious patients at Applewood Family Dental. Patients are invited to pet Molly, or even have her sit in their laps to help them feel soothed, happy, and relaxed. She is great with children, which is very inspiring, says Dr. Brian Kraby. “It helps create a lifelong change about dentistry,” he says,

Photo taken from: http://www.adogsdayout.com

as kids may often develop fears about the dentist at a very early age. Molly is favorited among adults, as well, which is of even greater importance to Dr. Kraby. As many Retrieved From: adults have developed deep-seated http://applewoodfamilydental.com/2013/08/18/minneapoli s-‐star-‐tribune-‐features-‐molly-‐the-‐dental-‐therapy-‐dog/ issues or dental phobias over decades, Dr. Kraby believes the “Hospitals have been doing most significant benefit that this for years,” he says. “If “Dental Molly has brought to his therapy dogs hospitals can do it, why can’t practice is a new found may very dental offices?” willingness and openness in well be adult patients. Despite sweeping the Dr. Kraby, along with an whole knowing that they are in increasing number of doggone need of care, many patients dentists across the country, are often “so phobic that nation in the are on the verge of next few they don’t see the dentist years!” something big. With the help for an extended period of of therapy dogs like Molly, time,” he says. “Sometimes we more patients may potentially have a need to think out of the box in (cute and furry!) alternative to IV order to give patients the treatment sedation or nitrous oxide to they need,” Dr. Kraby explains. relieve their anxiety in the dental chair. Reprinted with permission from ASDA Mouthing Off, July 25th, 2014, Alyson Ilustre Oklahoma ’17, associate, chapter activities committee

May 2015

Update on Advocacy Mayleen Lee ‘17

On April 13-14, 380 dental students around the nation converged on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to advocate on behalf of ASDA as a part of the 2015 National Dental Student Lobby Day. Among them, thirteen students from UT Houston canvassed across offices of more than 30 Congressional members for two important bills that would have significant impact on oral health and the profession of dentistry: • The Student Loan Refinancing Act • The Action for Dental Health Act Issue #1 – The Student Loan Reality A classic post on an online dental student forum begins, “I will be graduating from school in May and all I can think of is my $200,000 debt and $75,000 interest.” To many students who have accumulated loans at school, being forced to “chase big bucks in big cities” seem almost inevitable. According to the American Dental Education Association, the average dental student graduates with upwards of $241,000 of student loan debt – an increase of over 66% in the last decade and an amount vastly exceeding the national average [1]. With debts so massive, any financial missteps or career miscalculations can induce significant or even lifelong consequences. The reality that many graduates report of having to take the high-paid job instead of a job that provides the best patient care further validates a need for action. The Student Loan Refinan cing Act (H.R. 649) would allow new dentists to refinance their existing federal student loans at any tim e during the life of the loan.

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Dentists are granted the choice to refinance their student loan

at a lower interest rate in the future, should such occasion arise. This would help tremendously by reducing the burden of student debt, thereby permitting graduates more freedom to choose their preferred career path.

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http://www.cqrcengage.com/asda/home Issue #2 – Access to Care The second bill students lobbied for was the Action for Dental Health Act (H.R. 539), which allows organizations to qualify for oral health grants administered by t he Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

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It is estimated that between 2009 and 2011,

over one-third of Americans fell below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and yet only 3 percent of dentists practice in Federally Qualified Heath Centers. Access to care is an urgent and serious social issue. The Action for Dental Health Act bill would redirect existing federal funds to oral healthcare projects that have a proven impact on dental access disparities, such as Give Kids a Smile and Missions of Mercy. Among student, support and love for these service projects are prevalent. GKAS and MOM break down barriers to care by providing free or discounted dental services to over 400,000 children and adults every year. As we know, early diagnosis and preventive treatments can stop the progress of most oral diseases; by diagnosing and preventing dental disease at an early stage, these programs would also contribute to the communities by reducing unnecessary future healthcare costs. The Action for Dental Health Act allocates funds to extend GKAS and MOM programs, as well as other projects that aim at tackling barriers to care. Supporting it would further our efforts in creating healthier communities. Actions that the legislators take have lasting ramifications for our dental education as well as the practice of dentistry. This is why student advocacy plays an essential role in securing results that directly affect the future of our profession. A dental student’s narrative can be highly influential. Our personal stories and experiences honed in dental clinic are invaluable resources that would paint the most realistic picture and elicit authentic connections with the lawmakers. As a unified front, we have the power to enact change; this unique experience permits students the opportunity to prove this true. May 2015

PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST JOB Dr. Jolie Relyea The Dentists at Town and Country Village As a new dentist, there are a few nuggets that I learned while searching for my first position that I would like to now share with you. The first is to research the practice before stepping foot into the office. Look up the practice website and read about the doctor/s in the office, verify that they are in good standing with the Texas Dental Board, and read a few online patient reviews. During your interview, ask about the technology in the office. For example, you may be interested to know if the office is using digital X-rays or film, if there is a PANO machine, and if the practice currently owns or has future plans in purchasing a CEREC. Take some time to really way the pros and cons of the practice. Ask yourself, “would this office be a good fit for me, is the patient schedule too light or too heavy, will I be supported by the dental team, and what could I contribute to this particular practice?” These are tough questions to answer after just one interview. In order to get to know the practice better, I recommend spending 3-4 days observing the doctor in the office. This is a great way to see first-hand how the office is run, whether or not the staff get along, and allow you to grasp the doctor’s practice philosophies. Once you have received an offer, I want you to go home and “sleep on it” for at least 24 hours. No matter how much you love an office, I want you to take some time to discuss the offer with your spouse/family. I also highly recommended having an attorney look over the contract prior to signing on the dotted line. There are multiple aspects to a dental contract that you are most likely unfamiliar with and thus can truly benefit from a professional eye. Once you have accepted an offer and congratulations have been made, I must admit to you that transitioning from dental school to private practice is difficult. Not only will you miss those long lab hours with your classmates, the bur you were told you had to use, and the instrument you used to smooth a margin—you will truly miss your faculty. No longer will they be there to answer your questions or help bail you out of a tough procedure. It is all you. Thus, one of the best pieces of advice I can offer you is to join the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). There is a great group, called the AGD Houston New Dentist Study Club which meets once a month to discuss various topics. Not only does the group consist of new dentists, practicing anywhere from zero to seven years, but it also has mentors there to guide us as we begin our career. I am not only appreciative that I have this supportive group of individuals, whom I am able to call with questions or concerns about procedures throughout my work week, but am also excited to have new friends with similar values in the dental profession. Best of luck to all of you!

Dr. Jolie Relyea Issue 10

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Community Dental Health Centers: Why They Might Be For You Patricia M. Lopez, ‘16 What makes dentists stick around for longer than their loan repayment service term? Dr. Dent explained that salary at a community dental clinic is oftentimes fixed regardless of production, and you are never forced to take on an extremely challenging procedure. She added that in contrast to a private practice setting, there is no room for selling procedures to these patients. Although esthetic cases such as veneers will never be the “breadand-butter” in this type of clinic model, there is still a variety of procedure types offered. Furthermore, the generous paid vacation time that Dr. Dent in particular enjoys after 8 years of service includes up to 7 weeks vacation plus holidays off and 1 week for CE course attendance. If your experience is anything like Dr. Dent’s, then you might enjoy it and decide to stay there for a long time!

If you have ever volunteered at any dental site that is considered disadvantaged, then you have experienced what it is like to treat genuinely appreciative patients. One of the volunteer clinic sites associated with the Hispanic Student Dental Association at UTSD is El Centro de Corazon here in Houston. My volunteer experiences there have always been enriching and have raised the idea of working with patients who have difficulty with access to care and whom I truly feel I am making a difference for. Inspired by Dr. Dent, I realized that this could be a good starting point for some of us after graduation. The relatively easier work/life balance that community health centers provide for clinicians could potentially make it a good longterm fit for females and mothers in particular. The dentist in charge of the dental clinic is Dr. Heather Dent, who has been working there since 2007. Her welcoming character made it easy for me to ask questions regarding dentistry, both in general, and specifically about dental public health. I was prompted to interview Dr. Dent to find out more about the field.

I asked Dr. Dent: “But what would entice a new dentist to work in a largely disadvantaged and often rural site?” First, she explained that there are numerous programs available that are willing to pay a student’s stipend

while they still attend school, and following graduation will even pay for their relocation costs and school loans in exchange for their temporary service at these sites. This is one of the greatest initial attractions about practicing at any of these public health dental clinics across the country. It could prove to be a good growing opportunity due to the fact that there is no pressure for producing a certain number of procedures or treating a minimum number of patients per day.

If you are interested in finding out more and applying to a loan repayment program, a number of websites offer information on the subject including: NNOHA. org , NHSC (nhsc.hrsa.gov), and TACHC.org & NACHC.com. NHSC (nhsc.hrsa.gov), and TACHC.org & NACHC.com.

May 2015

National

DENTAL Congratulations to our very own

Glennis Katzmark , for receiving ASDA’s 2015 National Legislation Liason of the year award! Glennis has made a great impact on our local ASDA chapter, and has re created the position of Legislative Liason! Go Glennis!

”A couple of my favorite things about Lobby were meeting all of the other dental students from around the country and also getting to know a little bit about the men and women that represent us in congress. I met many students while I was there but what made me so proud to be from Houston was the fact that we brought more passionate students than any other school in the country. The other, more humbling, part of my trip that made it so great was learning how many of our representatives have served our country in their lifetimes. This was especially true for Dr. Brian Babin who was a military dentist. There is no greater form of service than serving those that serve and protect our country. It was truly an honor meeting him.” -Justin Odette ’17

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STUDENT Lobby Day

"ASDA National Dental Student Lobby Day was a very unique experience! I had no previous history of lobbying or meeting with Congressman. ASDA's training on understanding Congress and "how to lobby" was comprehensive and informative. Whether we met with Congressman or their health aides, the opportunity to advocate on behalf of all dental students about issues affecting our profession was amazing!" - Adrien Lewis ‘16 “I had an amazing time at National Dental Student Lobby Day. I had seven scheduled meetings with the representative's aids, but we were so pumped that we continued to drop by the offices of all those representatives that had not replied to our meeting requests. This way we, the students of Texas, were able to drop by all 36 of the Texas representatives' offices! We had a great structure because of Glennis's leadership; everyone came into the meeting with a specific role. They could do either the introduction of the bill, provide some compelling stats, tell their heart warming story, or be the one to conclude and ask

the representative to co-sponsor the bills. Our representatives on Capitol Hill can feel so far away, but this helped us realize that they are normal people just like us and are very approachable. We were there making a difference. We conveyed the magnitude of our student debt and urged the congressmen to pass HR 649 to allow students to take advantage of lower interest rates. Since taxpayers are wasting 3 billion dollars every year on unnecessary and unfruitful visits to the emergency room, we urged the congressmen to pass HR 539 which would have patients diverted to a dentist and allow programs like Give Kids a Smile and Texas Mission of Mercy to apply for funds already with CDC. After those ten meetings on Tuesday I felt emboldened. The experience impassioned me with renewed purpose to get through dental school and serve my patients, community, and country. I strongly recommend that everyone express interest about joining us for National Dental Student Lobby Day next year. This trip was not just about having fun, but real hard work, and it was completely worth the experience!" - Huck (Samin Huque) ‘18 May 2015

EXAMINE

MORE THAN YOUR PATIENT’S TEETH Laura Nelson ‘16

I believe there is a very important part of the mouth that is often forgotten in dentistry. We always check the teeth, the gingival and mucosa, behind the tongue, but how often does someone really look at a person’s lips? A patient’s lips can be a window into their attitude, dental health and even systemic wellness. I recently came across an article entitled “What lips say about your health” by Lucy Elkins at DailyMail.com. The article discusses certain conditions that dentists identify and possibly even treat. When a patient sits in your dental chair, perform a thorough medical and dental evaluation but also look for more subtle clues. For example, cracked lips could indicate diabetes or anemia. Chapped or red lips could be signs of an allergy. Crohn’s disease is a possibility if the patient has overly swollen lips. There are many signs to look for and dental professionals should always be observant for the benefit of the patient. Dental related diseases that may be apparent outside the mouth include burning mouth syndrome, Herpes cold sores and cleft lip. You may need to ask your patient other questions such as: “Have you noticed any changes in your mouth or lips?” or “Do you sense an altered taste or xerostomia?” to get a better idea of what is going on. If you are unsure of how to proceed, you should obtain a medical consult. Not only do the lips indicate overall health but they are also an important part of the treatment planning process. Are they thin or thick? How high is the smile line? Do they line up with the midline? How much of the buccal corridor can be seen when the patient smiles? The attentive dentist will ask many questions and include this information in their overall plan. The lips can be an essential element in an esthetics case or even a denture case when phonetics are concerned. Next time you treat a patient, try to remember the features of the face that play a role in your treatment. The lips, facial muscles and cheeks can considerably affect the success of your dental care and the patient’s happiness. You might also be able to change someone’s life by diagnosing a disease that manifests on the lips. Something that seems insignificant may be giving you a clue to your patient’s health and well-being!

-Laura Nelson, Houston ’16, chair, Council on Communications Reprinted with permission from ASDA Mouthing Off, March 23th, 2015 Issue 10

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The Caveman Comeback: A Review of the Paleo Diet Michelle Boecker ‘17 According to the Center for Disease Control, a survey of the American public found that 69% of Americans who are over twenty years of age were considered overweight or obese in the year 20112012. As result of this alarming statistic, fad diets, health promotions, and miracle weight loss pills have flooded the American market. Key words such as low fat, sugar free, and diet are all terms we have been taught to look for when browsing through the grocery store. Appearance is usually the reason why people are motivated to lose weight. People try to change by making short-term goals with diets that are a temporary solution to a life long problem. Essentially the Paleolithic diet replicates a diet of our caveman ancestors. Consumers are charged to think, “What would the caveman do?” The premise for this diet includes eating natural fats, vegetables, nuts, oils (coconut or olive), and meat. This doesn’t mean that going through the McDonalds drive through line, ordering a big Mac, minus the cheese and bun, deems you Paleo. The meat has to be high grade, preferably from animals that live in their natural setting (i.e. in fields with grass and vast amounts of space with no cages, synthetic animal feed, or hormone injections). Say goodbye to legumes, dairy products, grains, refined/processed foods, vegetable oils, and artificial sweeteners. At first glance this diet seems expensive, uptight, and demanding. Yet the recent published book, “Eat the Yolks” by Liz Wolfe, gives readers a detailed and biological explanation of why this type of lifestyle is so beneficial. By using over one hundred accredited sources, Wolfe shows how the Paleo Diet is not so much a diet as it is a lifestyle. By mimicking the middle age diets, one will consume nutrient dense and energy rich foods. Eating Paleo can be seen as a movement to revert back

to the days before the agricultural revolution, which created problems in the human diet due to the introduction of a mass-produced crop, based diet. The ultimate goal of Paleo is to choose foods that optimize your body’s internal machinery, which metabolizes, stores, and excretes. Difficult to digest foods such as legumes are avoided as well as foods that are mass produced, have unnatural additives, or have little nutritional value. An article written in August of 2009 from the European Journal of Nutrition titled “Metabolic and Physiologic Improvements from Consuming a Paleolithic, Hunter-gatherer Type Diet” written by Frassetto, LA et al., has demonstrated that individuals who follow the Paleolithic diet for only ten days have shown to have statistically significant reductions in blood pressure, improved arterial distensability, significant reductions in cholesterol, and a decrease in insulin spikes. Literature published on November 2009 in the Academic Pediatric titled “The Contribution of Dietary Factors to Dental Caries and Disparities in Caries” by Connie Mobley et al. states that the increased frequency of caries in todays society is strongly correlated to the industrialization of agriculture, the presence of high fructose corn syrup, processed foods, and simple sugars. This is due to the fact that Streptococcus mutans, the carcinogenic bacteria that is the contributor to tooth decay, thrives in a sugary environment. Another piece of literature published on July 2013 titled “Historical and Geographical Parallelism between the Incidence of Dental Caries, Streptococcus mutans and Sugar Intake,” by Raoult et al. compared the dental health of skeletons using PCR amplification between those who lived during the middle ages and present patients. Findings were such that the middle age skeletons had better tooth health (less S. mutans), and had a lower incidence of caries. The article also states that England was the first country to industrialize the production of sugar, and ironically was also the first country to experience an increase in the proportion of dental caries. Mimicking the dietary habits of the middle ages, which cuts out sugar, processed food, and high fructose corn syrup may sound rough but it’s worth it. The Paleolithic diet may not only help with weight loss, energy, and cholesterol, but it may be the answer to lowering caries risk in dental patients. Photo taken from wordpress.com

Reprinted with permission from ASDA Mouth, Spring edition 2015 May 2015

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The Corps Experience

Alex Barrera ‘17 The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is a part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service. Since 1972, the program has offered financial support and mentorship to primary care providers who have committed to practice in an area of the country that is underserved in health care. These providers are given either loan repayment or a scholarship throughout their medical or dental education. The scholarship program provides complete financial support for the students’ reasonable education expenses including: tuition, books, uniforms, and health insurance. Once the student graduates, they are required to apply for preapproved positions in underserved areas of the country. The loan repayment program works similarly, however, students apply to this program once completing their education The NHSC has thousands of approved sites located in urban, rural and frontier communities across the U.S. While serving, scholars earn a competitive salary, which is paid by the NHSC-approved site. UTSD is currently home to three students who are participating in the NHSC Scholarship Program. Students include: Alex Barrera (DS2), Tanya Maestas (DS1), and Heather Hartline (DS1). "I have learned that the availability of affordable clinics is many times directly related to the quality of life experienced by those living in a particular area,” says 2nd year student, Heather Hartline. “I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity to learn about dentistry without the staggering weight of debt, and am anxious to see what we Scholar’s will accomplish in the lives of the people in underserved communities.”

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The NHSC Scholarship application process is highly competitive. In 2014, the program received nearly 2,000 applications from more than 400 schools from across the country. Only about 10% of the applicants received the scholarship award.

The next NHSC Scholarship Program application period is scheduled to open in April 2015. For more information on the NHSC, visit: http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/.

Chocolate Peanut Butter

CAKE RECIPE Ingredients Dry ingredients: • 1 cup white flour • 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp salt • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • ½ tsp cinnamon (optional) Before mixing liquid ingredients, melt peanut butter for 15-20 seconds in microwave until slightly soft.

Liquid ingredients : • 1/4 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt • 3/4 cup water • 1/4 cup peanut butter • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract Frosting ingredients: • 1 Tbs of peanut butter (or butter or margarine if desired) • 3 Tbs cocoa • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (or to taste) • 1 tsp vanilla • ¼ tsp of mint extract (opt) • 2-4 Tbs Water (to desired thickness) Double this recipe if you like thick (or extra) frosting.

Mix liquid and dry ingredients separately, then add the liquid mix to the dry ingredients. The mixture will be relatively thick, but you should still be able to pour it into the pan. Grease an 8x8 cake pan and bake for 23-28 minutes at 350 degrees. Check the edge of the cake with a toothpick to see if it’s done, because the middle will still seem a bit undercooked. Let it cool for around 10 or 15 minutes, then frost and serve. Modified by Kristen Ackerman from chocolatecoveredkatie.com.

“As dental students, sometimes it’s hard to find time to eat healthily, and we all want sweets at some point. Peanut butter is a good source of protein and has almost ½ the calories of oil or butter. Yogurt also has protein, and 1 cup of plain greek yogurt has about the same calories as 1 Tbs of oil! Despite all of these “health benefits,” I have gotten many compliments about (and requests for) this cake. With this recipe, you can have your cake and eat it too!”- Kristen Ackerman May 2015

HOUSTON WINNERS

Issue 10

UTSD HOUSTON

RECAP

A Special Thanks…

Our chapter is proud to bring in vendors on a weekly basis to educate our members in business models, finances, new technology, dental supplies, and much more! We would like to thank the hard work of our Events Committee (Marisa Zitterich, Mary Becker, and Mariangela Arata). This is a team that operates like a machine. It takes a lot of effort to make a Lunch & Learn happen - from soliciting vendors, scheduling, communicating with Student Affairs, ordering food, setting up, cleaning up, and handling finances. These hardworking ASDA officers give up a lot of their time to serve our members in this big way! We are grateful for all that they do.

May 2015

UTSD HOUSTON

University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston 7500 Cambridge Street Houston, Tx 77054 www.houstonasda.com