2007 Archives

January 29, 2007

News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments, story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu Thank you!

Applications to D.M.D. Program Reach Historic High
Applications for the Class of D2011 have surpassed 4,000, the highest number in the school's history. Nationally, the dental school applicant pool is up almost 10 percent. At Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, applications are up 24 percent, representing a 94 percent increase over the last four years.

The Admissions Office expects to have filled the class by early March because the yield on acceptances has exceeded 60 percent.

O. Walter Donnenfeld Dies at Age 83
Dr. O. Walter Donnenfeld, DG54, clinical professor of periodontology emeritus, passed away suddenly in San Diego on January 15. He was 83.

Donnenfeld completed the Tufts postgraduate program in periodontology in 1954. He joined the dental school faculty in 1961 as an assistant professor. He left Tufts in 1965 to serve as professor and chair of periodontology at Northwestern and then went to the University of Florida, where he held the same positions. Donnenfeld rejoined the Tufts faculty in 1974 as a clinical professor and director of the Postgraduate Program in Periodontology. He served as director of the American Board of Periodontology from 1984 to 1990.

Donnenfeld was named clinical professor emeritus in 1994, when he retired from dentistry to pursue painting full-time. On his website, he described his art as "figuratively abstract with emphasis on composition and color."

International Student Dies in Automobile Accident
Edilene Silva Evangelista, DI08, died on December 30, 2006, when the SUV she was driving slid off an icy road in Framingham, Mass. A native of Brazil, Evangelista received her D.D.S. degree from Vale Do Rio Doce University in Brazil. She worked full-time for two years as a dental assistant in the Tufts General Practice Residency Program before entering Tufts' International Student Program in April 2006.

She participated in the career mentoring program and dental outreaches coordinated by the Tufts chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association, directed by Dr. Aidee Herman, associate clinical professor of periodontology.

She is survived by her husband, Sirlei, and daughter, Sarah Jane.

New Finance Director Named
Beth Conant, the dental school's budget and fiscal officer, has been promoted to director of finance and administration.

She holds a bachelor's degree from Babson College and an MBA from Bentley College. Prior to coming to the dental school last May, she held positions of increasing responsibility in the high-tech sector, most recently as senior financial analyst with OpenPages Inc.

In her brief tenure at Tufts, Conant has brought a strong sense of organization, collaboration and accountability to the school's financial operations. She is a team builder, a team player and an excellent communicator.

Faculty Member Publishes Nutrition Text
Dr. Carole Palmer, professor of public health and community service, is the editor of a new textbook, Diet and Nutrition in Oral Health (Prentice Hall, second edition). The book is a "comprehensive text [that] encompasses nutritional implications for dental practice. It contains clinical applications and counseling skills, and outlines goals, objectives and relevancy to dentistry sections within each chapter." Palmer assembled an outstanding team of authors to write the most current, comprehensive resource on diet and nutrition in oral health.

Volunteer Heroes 2006
Dr. Richard Doff, D'72, assistant clinical professor, periodontology and Dr. Vincent Mariano, D'82, assistant clinical professor, prosthodontics and operative dentistry, have been named 2006 Volunteer Heroes by the Massachusetts Dental Society. Dr. Laura Glicksman, D'98, DG'00 was also among those recognized.

A New Face at Tufts Dental
Dr. Lynn Solomon has joined the faculty as an assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology. She completed her dental degree, a residency in oral and maxillofacial pathology and a master's in oral sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine.

In 2002, she joined the faculty of SUNY-Buffalo as an assistant professor in the Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences. During her tenure there, she served as director of the Oral Medicine Clinic, and, most recently, as the director of Oral Radiology. In addition, she was an oral pathology consultant for the Department of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Prosthetics at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo and the Veterans Administration of Western New York Healthcare System. During her time in Buffalo, the Dental Student Association bestowed upon her the infrequently given William M. Feagans Award for displaying the "finest aspects of academic dentistry, an appreciation of the demands of real-life dentistry and recognition of the many challenges of a student's life."

Solomon is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. She has conducted research and published on oral diseases diagnosed with immunofluorescence microscopy, the role of p63 proteins in autoimmune disease and immunoassay diagnostic techniques. Her office is in the oral pathology suite area, Room DHS-646A (ext. 6-3723).

3 Students Receive ADA Scholarships
Marjan Askari, Lauren Castro and Doug Laliberte, all D09, have been awarded scholarships from the American Dental Association in recognition of their academic accomplishments. Askari and Laliberte received the ADA Foundation Dental Student Scholarship and Castro the ADA Foundation Minority Dental Student Scholarship.

Students Recognized at Yankee Dental
Four Tufts Dental students were recognized during the 2007 Yankee Dental Congress in Boston. Ryan Smart, D07, received the American College of Dentists Award; Farbod Parvinjah, D07, and Melissa Bouvier, D07, received the MDS Foundation/GE Healthcare Financial Services Louis J.P. Calisti Scholarship. Caroline Young, D07, received the Massachusetts Dental Society Matthew Boylan Scholarship fund award, given to a Massachusetts resident and dental student who has distinguished service to organized dentistry and the community.

Diplomate Status
Dr. Lokesh Suri, assistant professor of orthodontics, this month achieved diplomate status with the American Board of Orthodontics.

Oral Surgery Residents Profiled in Alumni Magazine
James Kraus, D06, and Mario Lucca, D02, first-year oral and maxillofacial surgery residents, were profiled in the fall 2006 issue of the Saint Michael's College alumni magazine in an article titled "The Art, and Heart, of Health Science: Alumni Go Above and Beyond in the Oral Health Care Field." Both received their undergraduate degrees from the Vermont college.

Senior Promotions
Louis Farrugia, associate professor, Department of General Dentistry
James Hanley, associate professor, Department of Periodontology
Kathryn Ragalis, associate professor, Department of General Dentistry
Paul Trombly, associate clinical professor, Department of General Dentistry

February 27, 2007

Scleroderma and Dentistry

David Leader, D85, assistant clinical professor of general dentistry, has rewritten the "Scleroderma and Dentistry" brochure for the National Scleroderma Foundation. The brochure targets dentists as well as those who suffer from scleroderma, a rare, chronic disease characterized by excessive deposits of collagen in the skin or other organs. Approximately 300,000 Americans have the disease. Dentists who read the brochure will become familiar with the disease and learn what they need to know about scleroderma.

Leader became interested in the condition a few years ago and learned that many dentists do not treat patients who have scleroderma. Often, scleroderma will cause the lips and face to tighten, leading to microstomia. This makes oral health care much more difficult, and trips to the dentist can be complicated and uncomfortable. Scleroderma can also cause xerostomia and temporomandibular joint dysfunction. A key part of Leader's message is that there are no dentists who specialize in the treatment of patients with scleroderma but that all dentists can treat patients with the disease.

Leader has become a regular lecturer at national and regional meetings, including the Yankee Dental Congress, and is the only dentist on the Medical Advisory Board of the New England chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation. The word "scleroderma" comes from two Greek words: "sclero," meaning hard, and "derma," meaning skin. For more information, contact http://www.scleroderma.org

Celebrating Black History Month

The Student National Dental Association (SNDA) at Tufts School of Dental Medicine presented "A Celebration of History, Culture, Fashion and Treating the Underserved" on February 22 in honor of Black History Month. Guest speaker Dr. Leo Whitworth, a dentist who practices in Mattapan, gave a presentation on "Access to Health Care and Treating the Underserved." Students gave presentations on African Americans in dentistry and held a fashion show featuring various garments worn in Africa.

Mission to Serve

Under the leadership of department Chair Catherine Hayes, D87, the directors in the Department of Public Health and Community Service held three retreats to plan strategies for the newly renamed department. Out of the retreats came a new mission statement: "Fostering optimal health and quality of life through good oral health, with a commitment to socially responsible education, patient care, research and community service."

A Master Teacher

Medha Singh, BDS, MS, an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Service, has completed the Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL) in the Health Professions Program for Dental School Faculty. The ITL is a collaborative partnership between the Academy for Academic Leadership in Atlanta and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry.

"The ITL program is designed to help health professions educators who are early in their academic careers become master teachers," said Dr. N. Karl Haden, president of the Academy for Academic Leadership. "We congratulate Dr. Singh on her success in this challenging program. Both her institution and the profession will benefit from her enhanced effectiveness and commitment to academic dentistry."

Clinical Affairs Undergoes Reorganization

To provide enhanced clinic support and service, Clinical Affairs has undergone some changes. Clinical Affairs staff now are grouped according to job functions in four primary areas: Clinic Support, Dental Practice, Patient Finance and Clinic Business.

The Clinic Support group is led by Mary Kyle, who will continue to supervise the Dispensary and Radiology staff, and now, working with Roberto Rios, will be responsible for the central sterilization process and employees.

The Dental Practice group is led by Sherry Wilson-Johnson. The Dental Practice administrators will continue under her supervision, and the Dental Information assistants (first-floor patient registration and record room) will join her group under the guidance of Sean MacDonald.

Diana Jackson-Springer is leading the newly named group Patient Finance. The former Clinic Business Office staff will focus on patient finance and will now include Dawn Lanza and the postgraduate clinic patient finances.

Steve Witkus has been named clinic business manager. Along with infection control and the undergraduate lab, he is responsible for purchasing, financial reporting and materials. Working closely with the school accountants and the Budget Finance Director's Office, he will refine the school's financial focus and find opportunities for growth and increased fiscal responsibility.

Maureen Lombard has been named director of Clinical Affairs, reporting to Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs David Russell and Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs James Hanley. This new position combines the former director of clinic operations position and director of clinic services position to combine the Clinical Affairs staff as one team with the common goals of increasing efficiency, strengthening customer service relationships and increasing Tufts' reputation for excellence.

More News from Yankee Dental

Norman Diamond, associate clinical professor of orthodontics, received the Dr. Frederick Moynihan Memorial Award from the Massachusetts Dental Society at its annual Yankee Dental Congress luncheon on January 26.

Philip Koralishn, associate clinical professor of prosthodontics and operative dentistry, and Timothy Hempton, associate clinical professor of periodontology, presented a course titled "Charting and Documentation Workshop: A Hands-on Course" at the Yankee Dental Congress on January 25.

David G. Stahl, D51, received the 2007 James W. Etherington Award in honor of his many contributions to organized dentistry, including serving as president of the New Hampshire Dental Society. The award was presented during the opening ceremonies of Yankee Dental.

Lecturing 'Down Under' Gerard Kugel, associate dean for research and professor of prosthodontics and operative dentistry lectured this February to the Australian Dental Association in Sydney, to the Melbourne Dental Society and in Auckland to the New Zealand Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Kugel's lectures concentrated on esthetic materials and techniques. He was interviewed by the Australian Dental Association on topics in esthetic dentistry for an upcoming CD from their members.

Mission to Zambia

Gulsun Gul, assistant professor of public health and community service; John Morgan, director of the Tufts Dental Facilities Serving Persons with Special Needs; and Justin Au, D07, along with former members of the Tufts Dental community Patricia Campbell and Kerry Maguire, were in Zambia for the month of December, providing dental care and oral health education at orphanages, community schools and villages. The team was also involved in socioeconomic development in the village of Muchila, bringing in infrastructure for wells, farm cattle, seeds and crops to create a sustainable farm project.

On the Web

Elizabeth Austin has joined Tufts as the web content specialist for the School of Dental Medicine. She earned a B.S. in information design and corporate communication from Bentley College and most recently was the assistant director of web and electronic communication at Lasell College in Newton, Mass. Austin will oversee all content and development projects for the Tufts Dental website: http://www.tufts.edu/dental.

Senior Promotion

Robert Doherty has been promoted to professor, contract track, in the Department of Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry.

March 30, 2007

Bates-Andrews Day 2007

Pamela Yelick, director of the Division of Craniofacial and Molecular Genetics and associate professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology, was the keynote speaker at the 2007 edition of Bates-Andrews Research Day, a celebration of students' research endeavors. Yelick, who earned a Ph.D. in biology from Tufts in 1989, spoke on "Tissue Engineering--The Future Is Here!" at the March 7 event.

The following research projects were recognized:

First Place for Oral Presentation by an M.S. student (tie): Moaz Attar, "In vitro Bonding Strengths Evaluation between Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and Tetric ceram, Compoglass, Vitra-bond and Opti-bond," and Fabio Mazzocco, "Prospective Evaluation of the Use of Motorized Ridge Expanders in Guided Bone Regeneration for Future Implant Sites"
Best Postgraduate Poster Presentation (cash prize donated by Jess Kane, David Tesini and Nancy Jo Soporowski): Shiow-Jiin Jaw (Pediatric Dentistry), "In vitro Disinfection of Primary Teeth Root Canal Utilizing Er,Cr:YSGG Laser vs. 5.25% Sodium Hypochlorite by Measuring the Presence of Enterococcus Faecalis"
Best Scientific Research Presentation by a Fourth-year Student (Andrews Society Award): Justin Au, D07, "Public Heath in Zambia"
Procter & Gamble AADR Traveling Fellowship Award (2 awards): Richard Dickinson, D09, and Sarah Stipho, D08, "Vickers Hardness and Compressive Strength Testing of Silk-based Biomaterial," done with faculty mentors Gerard Kugel, associate dean for research, and David Kaplan, a biomedical engineer at Tufts School of Engineering; and Dean Tiboris, D09, "Gene Expression of Dental Pulp Cells in Three-dimensional Silk Scaffolds," done with faculty mentor Petros Damoulis
ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Award for Best Overall Predoctoral Table Clinic: Michael Hull, D08, "Significance of Autologous Fat Graft Placement following Disk Removal in the Temporomandibular Joint," done with faculty mentor Gerard Kugel in conjunction with Mark Piper (private practice)
Second Place for Pre-doctoral Table Clinic (cash prize donated by Jess Kane, David Tesini and Nancy Jo Soporowski): Sunghwan Ko, D09, "Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Sjogren's Syndrome," done with faculty mentor Driss Zoukhri
Third Place for Pre-doctoral Table Clinic (Jess Kane, David Tesini and Nancy Jo Soporowski): Marjan Askari, D09, "Development of Antibodies in Chicken to Elucidate the Complex Role of WW45 in Rankl-induced Osteoclast Differentiation," done with faculty mentors Paul Leavis and Paloma Valverde
Research Committee Award for Basic Science Research: Winna Goldman, D08, "Tumor Stroma Impact on Progression of E-cadherin-deficient Squamous Cell Carcinoma," done with mentor Jonathan Garlick
Massachusetts Dental Society and ASDA Public Health Award: Amanda Jones, D09, "A Comparative Assessment of Nutrition Status of Patients with Intimate Partner Violence History," done with faculty mentor Gulsun Gul
Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) Hilde Tillman Award: James Patrick Murphy, D09, "Microenvironmental Control of Cell Survival in E-cadherin-deficient Oral Carcinoma Cells," done with faculty mentor Jonathan Garlick

IADR/AADR Meeting

Dental school faculty, students and staff presented a total of 36 papers at the annual IADR/AADR meeting, which took place March 21-24 in New Orleans. Moira Casey, D11, research coordinator for Athena Papas, won the J. Morita Corporation Junior Investigator Award in Geriatric Oral Research for the abstract "Root Caries Prevalence in Hypertensive, Sjögren's Syndrome and Healthy Women."

Medha Singh (public health) was a finalist for the J. Morita Geriatric Award. Singh's study, "Comparison of Periodontal Status in Sjögrens, Hypertensive and Healthy Women," was done in collaboration with Papas and Dr. Robert Gerlach.

TissueEngineering Center Update

The dental school's Center for Integrated Tissue Engineering (CITE) is pursuing 11 different research projects for a variety of industrial partners, including Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Biogen-Idec, Organogenesis and Magen. CITE provides experimental in vitro and in vivo three-dimensional human tissue models that translate discoveries to the clinic as well as test products under development. The center is directed by Jonathan Garlick and Christophe Egles. For more about the center, go to http://www.tufts.edu/dental/CITE.

Garlick has been awarded a new, five-year research grant from the National Institute of Dental Research for the project "Bioengineered Oral Mucosa from Embryonic Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine," research that is exploring the potential use of human embryonic stem cells in the engineering of human oral mucosal tissues.

Garlick was elected a member of the American Academy of Dental Science. He recently presented a lecture to the Academy titled "Engineering Human Oral Mucosa to Treat Oral Disease" as part of a series on "Tissue Engineering: The Future of Dentistry."

Into the Clinics

The Clinical Advancement/White Coat Ceremony for the Class of D09 was held on March 10 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston. Approximately 600 family members, faculty and staff turned out to celebrate the 154 students in the Class of 2009 as they move to the patient-care phase of their dental education. Tufts President Lawrence S. Bacow brought greetings and gave an introductory address.

This annual ceremony formalizes and symbolizes the transition of pre-doctoral students from basic science, biomedical science and pre-clinical education to the responsibilities of delivering patient care in the school's clinics. Tufts faculty and alumni were able to help family members in the class don the traditional white lab coat as part of the ceremony. Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs Mark Gonthier was given his own honorary white coat through a unanimous vote by the class.

Thanks go to the offices of Student Affairs and Admissions for making the event a success.

Missionto Nicaragua

For two weeks in February, David Paul, D89 (general dentistry), worked in Nicaragua, leading the dental component of a 30-member team from Tufts schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine and Engineering. He was joined by three members of the Class of 2007: Ian Fessler, Catherine Kalis and Marcin Jarmoc.

The team lived and worked in the rural community of Tanazda, a village of 200 that has no electricity, running water, bathroom facilities or access to dental care. The team treated hundreds of patients in 90-degree heat, without the aid of proper lighting, running water, suction or radiographs. They gave preventive and oral hygiene instruction and extracted more than 500 teeth. This was the third year of a five-year commitment from Tufts University to this impoverished region of northeast Nicaragua.

Faculty Notes

Joel Pearlman, D74, (public health), authored a chapter titled "Medical Care for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities" for the second edition of Dentistry, edited by I. Leslie Rubin, M.D., and Allen C. Crocker, Ph.D., and published by the Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Charles Rankin, D79, DG86, (endodontics), published "A Case Report of a Patient with Raynaud's Phenomenon Undergoing Multiple Endodontic Procedures" in the Journal of Endodontics (2007, 33:2, 187-190).

Morton Rosenberg, D74, (oral and maxillofacial surgery), directed three courses : "Enteral Sedation for the General Practitioner," "Anesthesia Assistant" and "Update in Pharmacology for Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia" for the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology in Las Vegas February 23-25 for more than 700 participants. He also led a pilot course for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in "High Fidelity Human Simulation for Pediatric Medical Emergencies" in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Pamela Yelick, G89, (oral and maxillofacial pathology) has accepted an invitation from the NIH Center for Scientific Review to serve a four-year term on the Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Study Section.

April 30, 2007

The Tufts Zambia Oral Health Mission

A panel discussion and slide show titled "Can the Mouth Open Your Eyes to the World?" was held April 5 in Merritt Auditorium. This event presented information and discussion on the Tufts Zambia oral health mission. Panelists included John Morgan, program director and assistant professor at Tufts School of Dental Medicine; Maxwell Gallaba, the Zambian dental project coordinator; Kerry Maguire, program volunteer and adjunct associate professor at Tufts; Tom Stossel, program volunteer; Patricia Campbell, program volunteer and former executive associate dean; and Justin Au, D07.

Handcrafted Zambian textiles were sold to help support the project.

Tufts Periodontal Alumni Conference in Barcelona

The Third International Tufts Periodontal Alumni Conference was held at the Catalonian Dental College in Barcelona, Spain, from April 19-21. Speakers representing 11 countries gave a variety of excellent presentations in the fields of periodontology, implantology and interdisciplinary relationships with other specialties. Guest presenters from Tufts included Hiroshi Hirayama (postgraduate prosthodontics) and Lokesh Suri (orthodontics).

The meeting was preceded by a golf tournament at the Club De Golf Terramar. A farewell dinner was held on Saturday night at the Circulo Ecuestre Club and was attended by more than 70 staff, alumni, and spouses. Terrence Griffin (periodontology) thanked all of the participants and attendees, and especially the conference organizing committee: Juan Rumeu, DG89; Wai Cheung, DI06, DG02; Paul Levi, D66, DG71; and John Vrotsos, DG82, for their efforts to ensure the success of the conference.

A Good Citizen

Tomas Ballesteros IV, D07, received the Tufts President's Award for Citizenship and Public Service during ceremonies on April 20 on the Medford/Somerville campus. In his introduction, Dean Lonnie H. Norris praised Ballesteros' "focus on working with local Hispanic communities and leading the student members of the Tufts chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association in providing services, serving as mentors and building access to care for youth make him a stand out for the President's Award for Citizenship and Public Service." Norris added that "Tomas is being recognized for his efforts to empower disadvantaged young people with a sense of options and possibilities."

Memorial Service for Edilene Evangelista

A memorial service for Edilene Evangelista, DI08, was held on March 30 in the Dr. Edward Becker Student Living Room. Evangelista died on December 30, 2006, when the SUV she was driving slid off an icy road in Framingham, Mass. A native of Brazil, Evangelista received her D.D.S. degree from Vale Do Rio Doce University in Brazil. She worked full-time for two years as a dental assistant in the Tufts General Practice Residency Program before entering Tufts' International Student Program in April 2006.

She participated in the career mentoring program and dental outreaches coordinated by the Tufts chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association, directed by Aidee Herman (periodontology). She is survived by her husband, Sirlei, and daughter, Sarah Jane.

Speakers at the memorial service included University Chaplain David O'Leary, Dean Lonnie H. Norris, Herman, Ameeta Nanda, DI08 class president, Michael Hull, D08 class president, and Matthew Wimmer, D09 class president.

Dean 'Rocks the Boat'

Dean Lonnie H. Norris was honored by the Mattapan Community Health Center at its 11th annual "Rock the Boat" fund-raising gala on April 28. Norris received the 2007 Community Health Pinnacle Award for "exemplifying strong leadership in community health care" and for his "outstanding work in community-focused oral health."

The Mattapan Community Health Center is a comprehensive health delivery organization that serves individuals from the Mattapan, Dorchester, Roxbury and Hyde Park neighborhoods of Boston as well as Brockton, Randolph and Stoughton. The center was established in 1972 to improve the quality of life for residents of Mattapan and surrounding communities by providing comprehensive, accessible, affordable and culturally appropriate health-care services. The health center serves more than 7,000 individuals annually through 26,000 patient visits.

Faculty Notes

Emad Abdallah and Silvia Lobo Lobo (both general dentistry) gave a course to the Costa Rican Academy of Orthodontics March 21-24 in San Jose, Costa Rica. The course covered orthodontic management of patients with temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain. Attendees were introduced to phase I management strategies used at the Tufts Craniofacial Pain Center and phase II orthodontic finishing techniques.

Gerard Kugel (prosthodontics and operative dentistry) is first author on the article "Investigation of a New Approach to Measuring Contact Angles for Hydrophilic Impression Materials," which was published in the Journal of Prosthodontics (Vol. 16, No. 2, March/April 2007, pp. 84-92). Other contributors were Thomas Klettke (3M ESPE AG); Jeffrey Goldberg, D07; Jacques Benchimol, D07; and Ronald Perry and Shradha Sharma (both prosthodontics and operative dentistry).

Michael A. Kahn (oral and maxillofacial pathology) has been appointed to the National Board Dental Examination Part 1, Microbiology-Pathology Test Construction Committee for five consecutive one-year terms. Kahn presented a continuing education course with Dr. Craig Fowler titled "Histological Diagnostic Pitfalls and Dilemmas of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology" at the annual meeting of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology in San Diego on March 30. This course was the only one at the meeting taught by non-medical pathologists.

Lynn Solomon (oral and maxillofacial pathology) has been appointed to the ADA Council on Dental Accreditation site visit team for oral and maxillofacial pathology residency programs.

Hilde Tillman (public health and community service) was recognized by Alpha Omega International for "her contributions in the field of geriatric dentistry as a scholar and educator in addition to her dedication to Alpha Omega and the Maury Massler Geriatric Clinic."

May 23, 2007

Commencement 2007

The School of Dental Medicine awarded 161 D.M.D. degrees, including 14 to graduates of the International Student Program and six in the Faculty Track International Student Program, during commencement ceremonies on May 20. Also recognized were nine master of science degree recipients and postgraduate certificate of achievement candidates. Nearly 90 dental school faculty members participated in the ceremony and joined in celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2007.

At the all-university commencement earlier in the day, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg told the graduates, "It's going to be challenging at times--but the world, more than ever, needs your talent, your ideas, your energy, your great enthusiasm. I have no doubt that the amazing experiences you've had at Tufts are really going to help you achieve great things," he said. "My advice to you: Don't worry about your salary or your title right away. As President Bacow will tell you, 'It's a marathon, not a sprint.'

Bloomberg, who grew up in Medford, Mass., continued, "The first job you get should be something that will teach and humble and exhilarate. And don't despair if your career path doesn't follow a straight line. There are plenty of successful people who are doing things that are radically different from where they started."

The university awarded honorary degrees to Bloomberg, Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Anderson, one of the leading composers of his generation and Austin Fletcher Professor of Music Emeritus at Tufts; Lord Alec Broers, a pioneer in nanotechnology and chair of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee; Capt. Frederick H. (Rick) Hauck, A62, the former astronaut who flew on three space shuttle missions; Denise Jefferson, director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center; and Thomas C. Schelling, who shared the 2005 Nobel Prize in Economics.

Best in Class

Eight outstanding faculty members have been recognized with teaching excellence awards: Kanchan Ganda, J00P, M04P, (public health and community service) and Paul Kwan (anatomy and cellular biology), Dean's Award for Excellence in Basic Science Teaching; Charles Rankin, D79, DG86, D08P, (endodontics) and Joanne Falzone, D80, (prosthodontics/operative dentistry), Dean's Award for Excellence in Pre-clinical Teaching; Hernan Quintero, DG05, (prosthodontics/operative dentistry) and Aaron Sheinfeld (prosthodontics/operative dentistry), Dean's Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching; and Donald Hanson (general dentistry), Provost's Award for Outstanding Teaching and Service.

New this year is an award created by the Massachusetts Dental Society. The Massachusetts Dental Society & American Student Dental Association Outstanding Faculty Member Award was given to GardnerBassett, D75, (prosthodontics/operative dentistry).

OKU Convocation

Nineteen students were inducted into the national dental honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon, at a ceremony May 18 at the Radisson Hotel in Boston. This year's guest speaker was Bob Ryan, sports columnist for the Boston Globe.

The students are: Jacques Benchimol, D07; Richard Cameron Bolduc, D07; Nicole Pui-Ming Chiu, D07; Jeong-yeon Choi, D07; Christina Catherine Coppolino, A03, D07; Lee Ann M. Cote, D07; Reema Dhingra, D07; Jared Adam Geller, D07; Jeffrey Alan Goldberg, D07; Marcin Jarmoc, D07; Durgesh A. Kudchadkar, D07; Yen-Tseng Lai, D07; Sachin Rastogi, D07; Justin Stuart Scott, D07; Ryan James Smart, D07; Emilie Mae Troupe, D07; Judy Chia Ling Tsai, D07; Caroline Pronesti Young, D07; and Ning Zhang, D07.

Graduation Dinner

The Graduation Awards Dinner for the Class of D07 was held on May 9 at the Westin Copley Place. Of the 161 graduating seniors, 150 attended this 14th annual recognition dinner. Members of the Class of 2007 received 71 national and alumni awards during the event; two juniors also received awards.

Homecoming and Reunion 2007

Lucky 7! Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2007 was an overwhelming success, with 630 alumni and friends registering for events throughout the weekend. The festivities kicked off on Friday, May 4, with a "casino night" theme party at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Maria Papageorge, D82, DG86, DG89 (oral and maxillofacial surgery) and Catherine Hayes, D87 (public health and community service) both gave Continuing Education lectures at the School on Saturday morning, May 5.

During the Annual Tufts University Dental Alumni Association Luncheon, Roderick Lewin, D57 and Vangel Zissi, D62, DG67, A02P (endodontics) were presented with Alumni Association Awards, and Maureen Lombard, director of clinical affairs, was presented with the 2007 staff award, all for outstanding service and dedication to Tufts University, the School of Dental Medicine, and the dental profession. Provost Jamshed Bharucha spoke of the School of Dental Medicine and its accomplishments as he gave the University update.

The Langham Hotel hosted many of the weekend's events, including the class receptions and dinners on Saturday evening, where each reunion class presented Dean Norris with their class gift to the School.

Reunion gifts made this year to the Tufts Dental Fund reached an all time high - almost $430,000. More than 360 alumni contributed. Four classes, D62, D72, D77 and D87 broke reunion records for giving. Awards for the largest 5-year Class Gift (Golden Crown) and highest rate of participation (Porcelain Bridge) went to D57, the 50th reunion class. D77, the 30th reunion class, won the Cusp of Excellence Award for having raised the most this year in reunion gifts for the Dental Fund.

Strong attendance and impressive fundraising made it a memorable weekend for all.

Magazine Wins Gold Medal

Tufts Dental Medicine magazine has won a Gold Medal for staff writing for external audiences from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in the 2007 national Circle of Excellence contest. The gold medal is the highest award in university and college publishing.

Congratulations go to magazine staff writers Jackie Mitchell and Julie Flaherty, whose extraordinary talents in portraying the art and science of dental medicine and the special people who are part of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine community, have brought this national recognition to the university and the dental school. The magazine stories that garnered this award were: "In Balance," the cover story of the Winter 2006 issue; "Public Health Scourge" (Winter 2006); "Franklin's Tooth" (Summer 2006); "My New Gums," Jackie's first-person account of her gum surgery at the dental school (Summer 2006); and "Head Games" (Summer 2006).

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

For the first time, Tufts School of Dental Medicine celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a live mariachi band. The Tufts student chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association, led by President Tomas Ballesteros, D07; Vice President Claudia Maiolo, D08; Treasurer David Delgado, D09; Secretary Susana Verbis, D08; Immediate Past President Jose Torres, D07; and faculty advisor Aidee Herman, organized a celebration where food was sold from Ana's Taqueria while the Mexamerica Mariachi Band played. More than 150 people attended.

Missionto San Salvador

The dental school's third humanitarian mission to San Salvador took place April 14-21 and was organized by Aidee Herman (periodontology). Herman lectured on "Tobacco and Periodontal Disease" and "How to Incorporate a Smoking Cessation Program into Periodontal Therapy." She also introduced a salt fluoridation program to El Salvador.

In related news, Matthew Navidomskis DO9, traveled with Herman on April 13 to the International Global Health Conference at Stanford University Medical School. They presented a poster on "Salt Fluoridation Program for the Community of El Salvador." A total of 71 posters were presented, only one in dentistry.

Faculty Notes

Virginia Karapanou, DG94, D01, DG07, (endodontics) gave a presentation on her translational research on "Interleukin-8 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Levels in Gingival Crevicular Fluid of Teeth with Acute Pulpitis" at the annual meeting of the American Association of Endodontics in Philadelphia on April 27. She argued that Interleukin-8 could be a strong biomarker for irreversible pulpitis. She plans to pursue further research in this area to identify and quantify the key substances involved in the pathogenesis of pulp pain and inflammation in a non-invasive manner for accurate diagnosis of the pulp status. Identification of such substances might help clinicians foresee the outcome of the inflammatory response for appropriate treatment.

Paul Aaron Levi, Jr., D66, DG71, (periodontology) received the 2007 Educator Award of The American Academy of Periodontology, "in recognition of outstanding teaching and mentoring in periodontics".

Cheen Loo (pediatric dentistry) has achieved diplomate status with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Carole Palmer, G69, (public health and community service) gave a lecture on "Methods of Diet Research in Dentistry" at Boston University dental school's Department of Pediatric Dentistry on April 17. Palmer is also a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts.

Morton Rosenberg, D74, A08P, (oral and maxillofacial surgery) presented a 2 1/2-day course on "Sedation for the General Dentist" at the 52nd annual meeting of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology in Monterey. The meeting was dedicated to the men and women of the federal services, and more than 135 military and Veterans Administration health professionals attended, including Lisa Nielsen, D06. Rosenberg also participated in the fourth annual Advanced Initiatives in Medical Simulation (AIMS) Conference that was held in Washington, D.C., on May 7-9. AIMS serves as a national advocate for the importance of medical simulation for public policymakers and the public on issues related to patient safety, medical errors and health-care costs, as well as private policymakers who are seeking successful risk management strategies and ensuring high-quality patient care. The second day of the conference took place on Capitol Hill and was hosted by 142 members of Congress.

Senior Promotions

Flaviano DiFalco (prosthodontics and operative dentistry) to Associate Clinical Professor
Ronald Kulich (general dentistry) to Associate Professor
John Morgan (public health and community service) to Associate Professor

June 29, 2007

News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at
mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu. Thank you!

Collaborating on Oral Health Informatics

On June 22 and 23, the School of Dental Medicine hosted the first dental school consortium for informatics, the Collaboration for Oral Health-Related Informatics (COHRI). The consortium's goal is to develop standardized electronic health records to facilitate data sharing for research purposes. All of the schools that sent representatives to the meeting--University of California at San Francisco, Creighton, Detroit-Mercy, Harvard, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon Health & Science University, SUNY at Stony Brook, University of Texas at Houston and Tufts--use the AxiUm electronic health record system developed by Exan Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia. Approximately 35 dental schools in North America and one in Europe use this system, and that number is expected to increase to 45 by the end of 2008. Because of the ease of developing common data within the AxiUm system, it is expected that membership in COHRI will be reach 30 schools by this time next year.

The consortium keynote speaker was Dr. Isabel Garcia, deputy director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. She discussed the need for greater and more specific clinical research data in dentistry, and strongly encouraged the members of this COHRI to continue to work toward the important goal of creating and sharing common data.

The short-term goal of the consortium is to develop common record entries for medical and dental histories, diagnosis, treatment plans, daily records of treatment, treatment outcomes and administrative services. As the first step in this process, members agreed upon a modification of the ADA Health History Form for shared data collection. Within the year, the consortium plans to agree upon diagnostic codes, case note coding, treatment plan and treatment outcome codes and a common patient informed consent for research. The second meeting of the consortium will be held in Vancouver in late February 2008.

The consortium and its program were conceived and led by Dr. Robert Chapman, professor and chair of prosthodontics and operative dentistry and director of informatics at Tufts; Dr. David Russell, associate dean for clinics and associate director of informatics; and Dr. Paul Stark, head of biostatistics at Tufts school of dental medicine and associate director of informatics.

Memorial Service for Dr. Cyril Gaum

It was standing room only for a memorial service in Merritt Auditorium on June 8 for Dr. Cyril Gaum, clinical professor emeritus of endodontics and the first formally trained endodontist in New England. He passed away on March 2 in Stuart, Fla., of complications from a stroke. He was 84.

Among those who attended the service were Gaum's widow, Esther, relatives from his native Nova Scotia, Tufts President Lawrence S. Bacow, university trustee emeritus William Sellers, trustee Thomas F. Winkler III and dental school overseer Lloyd Miller. Dr. Vangel Zissi, Gaum's longtime business partner, was selected by Esther Gaum to lead the service.

Golden Crown Award Luncheon

Carvelle McAlpin (dental clinic registration) and Patricia Morrow (endodontics) were chosen by their colleagues to receive this year's Golden Crown Award for outstanding performance by a staff member. The criteria for the annual award, now in its 12th year, includes expertise, exceptional interaction with others, continuous improvement, resourcefulness and results and leadership.

The School of Dental Medicine and its satellite facilities employ about 200 non-faculty staff members. Whether supporting student or faculty activities or maintaining the facility, each staff member--in his or her unique way--makes an important contribution to the school's success. The administration, at both the school and university levels, recognizes the value of each individual and demonstrates appreciation of staff members' contributions to the school's mission through a benefits package, annual merit increases and years-of-service awards.

About 100 staff members attended the Golden Crown luncheon on June 18 in the Becker Alumni Center--another way the school thanks all staff for their service. Serving on the Golden Crown Committee are Janet Markell (chair), Maureen Lombard, Tanya Lungelow, Mary-Ellen Marks, Kevin O'Dea, David Paul and Sherry Wilson-Johnson.

Defibrillators installed on the Boston campus

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed throughout the Boston health sciences campus. The purchase of these units has been made possible through a fiscal year '07 budget allocation. Using an AED in conjunction with CPR has been shown to increase survival rates for victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

The AED units are located in strategic places throughout the Boston campus. Most of the AEDs are housed in cabinets that, once opened, will send an alarm signal into the university police, initiating an emergency medical response. A phone call from a rescuer or other involved person should also be made to the University Police, informing the dispatcher of the exact location of the incident and the apparent nature of the emergency.

The University Police will be offering CPR/AED training to members of the Tufts community. The classes will be given on the first and third Wednesday of each month and last approximately four hours. Interested parties should contact Officer Michael P. Fontana via email for scheduling information at michael.fontana@tufts.edu.

At the dental school at One Kneeland Street, AEDs can be found in the first-floor lobby by the elevators, seventh floor outside the student lounge and in the eighth floor hallway across from the dispensary.

Benefit Run

A team from Tufts Dental participated in the Larry Kessler 5K Road Race on June 3 in Boston, raising $1,246 to support the services and prevention programs of the AIDS Action Committee. The race is named for the AIDS Action Committee's founding director.

Mike Brown, D09, won the race in a time of 17 minutes, 31 seconds. Other Tufts team members includedDavid Chan, Michael Butera, Lisa Higgs, Shannon Holer, Samir Patel, Peter Shin and Laleh Sotoodeh, all D10, and Associate Dean Mark Gonthier.

July 31, 2007

News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu. Thank you!

Note from Dean Norris
Another academic year has (nearly) come to an end, and we can look back on it with tremendous satisfaction. Our successes during the year are due in large part to the support of our alumni, faculty, students, staff and friends, working together toward the goals outlined in our strategic plan. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone and wish you a wonderful vacation. I look forward to seeing everyone in September re-energized for the new academic year. --Lonnie H. Norris, Dean

Second Annual Oral Cancer Symposium
Michael Kahn (oral pathology) was the course director for the second annual Oral Cancer Symposium, which was sponsored by Tufts School of Dental Medicine on June 15. Kahn gave presentations on "Liquid Brush Cytology in the Oral Cavity" and "Update on Oral Cancer Screening Aides." Six other oral cancer clinicians and researchers gave presentations, including Jonathan Garlick (oral and maxillofacial pathology), who discussed "Engineering Three-dimensional Tissues to Study Oral Cancer" and Richard Wein (otolaryngology, T-NEMC) "Management of Oral Cancer".

Dean Norris Honored by The National Dental Association
Dean Lonnie H. Norris received a Presidential Citation during the 94th annual convocation of the National Dental Association in Atlanta on July 29. The citation was presented "for selfless service to the NDA and immeasurable support of the President's initiatives, the Strategic Plan and the Mission".

Headed for the Clinics
The Clinical Advancement or White Coat Ceremony for the Class of DI2009 was held July 25 in the Becker Alumni Center. The 24 members of the class and guests, faculty and staff members attended. Dean Lonnie H. Norris, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs David Russell, Dr. Robert Doherty, director of the International Student Program, and Dr. Iqbal Singh, director of pre-clinical studies, gave introductory remarks. Associate Dean David Russell led the recitation of the Oath of the Dental Student. This ceremony formalizes and symbolizes the transition of pre-doctoral dental students from basic science, biomedical science and preclinical education to the responsibilities of delivering patient care in the School's clinics. Thanks go to the offices of Admissions and Student Affairs for making the event a success.

Gordon Research Conference
Jinkun "Jake" Chen and two of his assistants, Quisheng Tu and Jin Zhang, attended the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) "Bones and Teeth" from July 15 to 20, 2007 in Biddeford, Maine. Prestigious GRC represents one of the highest levels of research in the field. Through a formal application eligible attendees present their unpublished research data and exchange their research ideas in GRCs. Dr. Chen's Lab presented two studies of their current work. Zhang presented an abstract of "Roles of SATB2 Overexpression in Regulating Tooth Development and Osteoblast Differentiation" and won a prize of Outstanding Poster with a cash award of $400. Tu's presentation was "Targeted Overexpression of BSP in Osteoclasts Promotes Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer".

The Mouth That Roared
It's not every day that your patient happens to be the King of the Jungle. Shannon Griffin, D96, treated an 11-year-old, 400-pound male lion at the Oklahoma City Zoo on July 10. The veterinarian for the lion, named Asian, noticed a smell coming from his mouth and excessive drooling, and called in Griffin to take a look.

After making the lion "comfortable," Griffin removed a 3-inch piece of bone stuck in the roof of his mouth. And while he was sleeping, she also cleaned the lion's teeth to protect him from further dental disease.

Second Annual Tooth Day at Fenway
It was baseball and "Tooth Day" at Fenway Park on July 17, as the Tufts chapter of Alpha Omega international dental fraternity teamed up with the Boston Red Sox to strike out oral cancer. After the success of last year's inaugural event, outgoing chapter president Heidi Birnbaum, D08, was determined to make Tooth Day bigger and better this season. "Last year, we handed out hundreds of samples and brochures, but I wanted to do something to make the event stand out," said Birnbaum, who also got to toss the inaugural pitch to start the game against the Kansas City Royals. Birnbaum came up with the idea of organizing a mass oral cancer screening with the help of the Red Sox almost two years ago, and since then, she has been meeting regularly with the team to plan out a series of events to make the public aware of the dangers of smokeless tobacco.

"The Red Sox front office expressed some initial hesitation at the idea of doing an oral cancer screening, worrying that fans would not want to think about cancer while enjoying a ballgame," Birnbaum said. "We decided to set up a booth to let fans come to us if they were interested in getting screened."

Fifteen members of the Gamma chapter of AO participated in the event, along with faculty advisor Charles Rankin, oral pathology chair Michael Kahn and practice coordinator Karen Wallach. As soon as the gates opened at 5:05 p.m., hundreds of fans streamed into the park and were greeted by students handing out toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss, all provided by Tufts. Meanwhile, instructors and students performed oral cancer screenings using three chairs set up in the new concourse area. Students also held up signs that invited fans to "Ask a Dentist."

"We weren't sure if people would be interested in getting screened, but we were pleasantly surprised," said Birnbaum, who estimated that 100 oral cancer screenings were performed by game time. "A lot of these people may never have been screened otherwise or weren't even aware of the dangers of chewing tobacco. We even found some pre-malignant lesions, so we know we really made a difference."

Just before the Red Sox took the field, Alpha Omega was honored in a pre-game ceremony. Birnbaum, Rankin, chapter co-presidents Jonathan Albaugh and Eric Appelin and outreach chairs Lindsey McElligott and Amanda Kopacz were joined on the field by Red Sox Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Charles Steinberg, who is also a dentist and a member of Alpha Omega. While the Red Sox went on to lose the game to the Kansas City Royals, Alpha Omega and Tufts came out big winners on Tooth Day.

BU Dental Dean to Step Down
Spencer Frankl, DG61, dean of the Boston University School of Dental Medicine, will be stepping down on July 1, 2008, or as soon as a successor is named. He is the longest-serving dental school dean in the United States, having been associated with the BU dental school since 1964.

Frankl completed his undergraduate studies and earned his D.D.S. at Temple University in Philadelphia. He became an Abbe Francis Lawton Fellow in pediatric dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, from which he received his M.Sc.D. in 1961.

In 1964, Frankl was recruited by Henry M. Goldman, the founding dean of BU's dental school, to create the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, which he chaired from 1964 to 1976. He was named assistant dean in 1970, and in 1973, became the associate dean, during which time he established the D.M.D. program. He was appointed dean in 1977.

Patricia Campbell to Return to Tufts University
After a national search, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees has voted to appoint Patricia Campbell as Tufts' new Executive Vice President. Patricia was the Executive Associate Dean at the School of Dental Medicine from May 1996 until January 2005 when she left to become Vice President for Finance and Administration at WGBH.

Alaskan Native-Run Dental Therapist Program Allowed to Continue
A Superior Court judge has ruled that a Native-run dental therapist program, designed to make up for the lack of dentists in rural areas of Alaska, will be allowed to continue.

In a decision issued on June 27, Judge Mark Rindner rejected a request by the American Dental Association and the Alaska Dental Society, among others, to stop the dental therapist program. His ruling means the therapists, who undergo two years of special training and work under a licensed dentist often not on site, can continue operating in rural villages, said Valerie Davidson of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. "The fact our local solution to a local problem is going to make a difference in oral health care delivery for Alaska Natives is really exciting," she told the Anchorage Daily News. "It's great to have validation from the court."

At least eight dental therapists are currently doing fillings, simple tooth extractions and other procedures in villages where few dentists operate and where rates of tooth decay are among the nation's highest. The therapists receive narrower training than dentists but do not perform complex procedures, such as root canals, Davidson said. In their suit, the dental organizations and four individual dentists argued that the therapists should be required to have a state dental license to practice. Requiring licensure, Rindner said, would hinder federal goals to reduce tooth decay in rural Alaska.

Orientation Reminder
Orientation for Tufts University School of Dental Medicine will be held on Tuesday, September 4, at the Loew's Theater. Located at 175 Tremont St. in Boston directly across from the Boston Common, Loew's Theater is a five-minute walk from the dental school. The easiest way to get there is to go left as you exit the dental school building, walk up Kneeland Street one block to Tremont Street, turn right onto Tremont (you will see the marquee for the Majestic Theater on your left). Loew's Theater is a block and a half up the street on your right. A formal letter with agenda will be sent out in the next week. You may contact Gerard Cedrone at 617-636-6666 for more information.

August 15, 2007

Tufts Schweitzer Fellows Announced
Allan Pang and Parita Patel, both D2008, were among nine Tufts University students named Schweitzer Fellows for 2007-08. Each fellow will devote more than 200 hours of service to area communities that lack access to adequate health services.

"By being a Schweitzer Fellow, I will gain fellowship, mentorship, cultural awareness and the opportunity to effectively set up a project that directly aids an underserved community," Patel said.

Pang and Patel's community service project is at Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which serves homeless, high-risk and runaway youth. They hope to increase the youths' awareness of the importance of good oral health by developing an oral health education program for Bridge's residential facilities, performing oral health screenings and providing treatment.

Faculty Recognition
More than 200 guests attended the School of Dental Medicine's eighth annual Faculty Recognition and Service Awards Luncheon August 3 at the Boston Harbor Hotel. The annual event is designed to recognize the entire faculty for their contributions to the school and to specifically honor faculty with awards for years of service at five-year intervals. Retiring faculty members were also recognized.

Dean Lonnie H. Norris gave the welcoming remarks; Thomas F. Winkler III, A62, D66, a Tufts trustee and chair of the Board of Overseers to the dental school, gave the faculty toast, and Associate Dean Nancy Arbree served as emcee.

Special recognition was given to Sigmund Fleck and Gardner Bassett on the occasion of their retirements from the university and to Samer Kastali who is leaving the dental school after nine years on the faculty. Special acknowledgement was given to Christine Robertson for arranging the event.

The 2008 luncheon will be held on Friday, August 1. Faculty members are asked to save this date in their calendars.

Those honored at this year's luncheon included:

Five Years: Karen Anderson, J86, D92, Public Health/Community Service; Abhayjit Bedi, DG00, DI02, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Pasquale Calvani, DG91, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Wai Cheung, DG02, DI06, Periodontology; Dean B. Cohen, D85, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Jose E. Colon De Jesus, Public Health/Community Service, Ali Alper Comut, DI06, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Susana Ferreira, DG01, Prosthodontics /Operative Dentistry; Charles E. Hawley, Periodontology; Michael Kahn, Oral/Maxillofacial Pathology; David Leader, D85, General Dentistry; Wai Kee Lee, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Howard I.A. Lieb, D73, General Dentistry; Silvia Lobo Lobo, DG01, DG02, DI07, General Dentistry; Konstantinos Michalakis, DG93, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Aram Mirigian, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Nooruddin Pradhan, DG93, DG94, DI06, Pediatric Dentistry; Jack Rosenberg, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Allen Schneider, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Shradha Sharma, DG01, DI07, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Mabi Singh, General Dentistry; Paul Vankevich, D81, General Dentistry; Eric Weinstock, D00, DG02, General Dentistry; and Gui Hua Zhang, DI99, DG01, Orthodontics.

Ten Years: Murry Awrach, Periodontology; Dhirendra Bana, General Dentistry; Gardner Bassett, D75, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Joanne Falzone, D80, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Margaret Howard, D81, General Dentistry; Albert Intonti, D83, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Meletia Laskou, DG95, DI01, Pediatric Dentistry; Susan Lo, General Dentistry; Tracy Maloney, J84, D88, DG93, Orthodontics; Walter Meinzer, DG82, Periodontology; Charles Millstein, D62, Endodontics; Rory O'Neill, DG78, Periodontology; Aikaterini Papathanasiou, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; and Deborah Tung, DG97, Endodontics.

Fifteen Years: David Bardwell, D85, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Carlos Castro-Barrera, DG83, DG91, Periodontology; Harold Gelb, D47, A78P, J83P, General Dentistry; Judith Goldstein, DI90, A99P. G04P, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Richard Green, D73, General Dentistry; John Hsu, DI84, General Dentistry; George Maloney, A81P, General Dentistry; and Samantha Yamamoto, DG90, Periodontology.

Twenty Years: Barry Briss, D66, DG70, D95P, DG97P, Orthodontics, and Parviz Daryabegi, DG77, D97P, DG00P, Periodontology.

Twenty-five Years: Carl Carlamere, Orthodontics, and Henry Markowitz, D63, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry.

Thirty Years: Martin Barrett, D75A, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Eugene Eagles, D65, Orthodontics; Albert Forgione, General Dentistry; Ralph Fowler, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Roger Galburt, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Robert Kaplan, D76, Public Health/Community Service; Joseph O'Donnell, DG74, Pediatric Dentistry; Andre St. Germain, D63, Public Health/Community Service; and David Tesini, D75, DG77, G79, Pediatric Dentistry.

Thirty-five Years: Noshir Mehta, DG73, DI77, J01P, A07P, General Dentistry.

Forty Years: Maurice H. Martel, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Richard Sorbera, DG65, Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery; and Vangel Zissi, D62, DG67, A02P, Endodontics.

Alumnus Recognized by AAED
Dental Overseer Lloyd Miller, A54, D58, is the 2007 recipient of the Charles L. Pincus Award, the highest honor of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (AAED). Named for the co-founder of the AAED, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement of esthetic dentistry.

September 28, 2007

Toast to Tufts 2007
On September 7, 2007, alumni, faculty and friends joined Dean Lonnie H. Norris, DG80, M99P, A01P at the annual Toast to Tufts at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common to celebrate the past year's fundraising achievement and current volunteers. Dean Norris, Jess Kane, D74, DG76, AG78, DG79, D04P, DG06P, Beyond Boundaries Campaign Committee Vice-Chair, and John Ficarelli, D73, D10P, Chair of the Dental M Club, extended their appreciation to the group for their hard work as volunteers and support as donors. Patricia Campbell, Tufts new Executive Vice President, and former Executive Associate Dean at the Dental School, shared her excitement about both being back at Tufts and the plans for the vertical expansion of the Dental School. A Dean's Medal was presented to consummate volunteer Lloyd Miller, A54, D58, by Dean Norris and Trustee Thomas Winkler, A62, D66, D10P in recognition of his many accomplishments and lifelong commitment to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the profession. Also, flowers and a crystal clock were given to Dr. Miller's wife, Ann Donaldson, for her loyalty and support. The Dean's Medal is awarded to honor those who have demonstrated loyalty, generosity or service and who exemplify the ideals Tufts seeks to instill in its students.

Volunteer Summit
On Friday, September 7 participants from the School of Dental Medicine Campaign Committee, Dental Board of Overseers, M Club Executive Committee, Alumni Association Executive Board and members of the academic community joined together at the Dental Alumni Volunteer Summit, an educational forum designed for sharing ideas and strengthening the partnership with Dean Norris for our future success in Beyond Boundaries; The Campaign for Tufts. Volunteer leaders Jess Kane and Tom Winkler welcomed the group in the morning. A motivating and educational session lead by Walt Edwards of Advancement Resources was the focus of the day. Alan Solomont, A70, University Trustee and Campaign Chair joined the group for lunch to share his personal experiences and the evolution of his own engagement as a volunteer with the university.

25th Annual Tournament Raises Nearly $24,000 for the Student Loan Fund
Over 100 alumni and friends of the Dental School gathered at Mount Pleasant Country Club on September 17th to participate in the 25th annual Wide Open Golf and Tennis Tournament. The tournament, which is supported by dental alumni and corporate sponsors, raised a record breaking $23,567 for the Student Loan Fund bringing the 25 year cumulative total to $243,036. Wide Open founders Joseph DiPietro, D54, D81P, A86P, D87P, and Thomas Swift, A59, D63, both attended the day's events and were recognized at this quarter-century celebration with founder's awards. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the tournament on this milestone year!

Destination: Port Au Prince
David Paul (general dentistry) led a team of students and faculty on a mission to Haiti from August 21st through September 1st. Over 1,000 patients were treated. Paul gives a great deal of credit to Marjorie Brisard, D'08 for taking the initiative and doing the majority of the planning and logistics for this mission to her native Haiti. The team consisted of nine D'08 students: Pamela Abraham, Marjorie Brisard, Guimy Cesar, Dilshan Gunawardena, Sophana Hem, Ann Hua, Warren Jones, Claudia Maiolo, and Quan Nghiem plus Renald Joseph from the 8th floor Dispensary and Leopoldo Correa (TMJ). The team spent six days working in the Max Cadet Foundation Dental Clinic seeing over 150 patients per day. The students performed Restorative, Periodontal, and Surgical procedures. The team was also able to get in a day of Prevention at the Leon Baptiste Orphanage in the rural town of Jacmel, along with a second day of Preventive services at the Gheskio HIV Clinic + Research Center in Port Au Prince. This is Paul's fourth mission trip to Haiti since 2001.

Mission to Ecuador
Aidee Herman (periodontology) and seven dental students completed Tufts third humanitarian mission to Ecuador, August 11th-21st. The team provided dental care to 449 children between the ages of 2 and 16 in Quito-Sur, one of the poorest areas in Ecuador. The participants were: Matthew Navidomskis and Marjan Askari, both D09 and Nastela Babo, Sanjeet Chaudhary, Kathrina Delima, Susannah Mitchell and Alan Pang, all D'08 and Piro Leno, DI09. Also joining the group was John-Cleeve Soter from the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene.

Komen Race for the Cure
TUSDM gave another outstanding performance at the 2007 Komen 5K Run/Walk for the Cure event on September 23rd. The Tufts Dental team featured over 45 runners/walkers and raised over three thousand dollars in the fight against breast cancer. This is an achievement of which the entire Tufts community can be proud.

Top Finishers for the Tufts Dental Team include: Michael Brown Dowling D09 ran the 5k in 17:42 min. for 6th overall, Nick Sotak D11 ran 19:21 for 19th overall, Richard Dickinson D09 ran 20:08 for 29th overall, Samir Patel D10 ran 20:16 for 32nd overall, and Liz Turner D11 finished the course in 21:59 for 67th overall!!

Three faculty members/administrators also ran the course: Associate Dean Mark Gonthier ran it in 23:03, David Leader ran it in 24:58, and Sheldon Sullaway finished the course in 48:16.

Program on Human Subject Research
Petros Damoulis (periodontology) organized and led an all day program titled "The Nuts and Bolts of Human Subject Research" September 25 in Posner Lecture Hall. The program started with Damoulis giving a brief overview of ethical considerations in clinical research and continued with the following topics and speakers: "Why on Earth Would You Want To Do Clinical Research?" Patricia Hibberd, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Public Health and Family Medicine and Director, Center for Global Health Research, TUSM; "Navigating the Institutional Review Board for Dental Research Projects", David Chelmow, M.D. Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology, IRB Chair T-NEMC; "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) at TUSDM", Jennifer A. Graf, B.A., IRB Administrative & Operations Manager, T-NEMC; "I Want To Do Clinical Research at Tufts Dental What Do I Need To Do?" Petros D. Damoulis, D.D.S., D.M.Sc. Director of Advanced & Graduate Education, Associate Professor of Periodontology , TUSDM. The program concluded with an afternoon session of case-based discussions in small groups led by IRB staff and committee members. Approximately 60 postgraduate students attended.

Charles W. Finley Visiting Scholar Lecture
The Department of Periodontology hosted a lecture titled "The Periodontal/Prosthetic Connection" featuring speakers Arnold Weisgold and Cyril Evian, on September 26th. All faculty and postdoctoral residents were invited to this lecture, sponsored by The American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, 3i and Hu-Friedy. Appreciation is given to Paul A. Levi, Jr. (periodontology) for organizing the event.

Proposed New Guidelines on Sedation and Anesthesia
Morton Rosenberg, (oral and maxillofacial surgery ) addressed the General Assembly of the American Association of Dental Examiners in San Francisco on September 26th on the New ADA Proposed Guidelines on Sedation and Anesthesia and their impact on State Regulations.

Career Mentoring
On September 14th, Dean Norris welcomed 50 children from the Health Careers Academy at Northeastern University. The children were here to visit the Simulation Clinic and learn more about a career in dentistry. The Health Careers Academy or HCa , is a small high school on the campus of Northeastern University. The Academy prepares minorities to enter the health professions by providing strong health sciences and health careers courses as well as internships, community service, work experience and summer programs. Aidee Herman (periodontology) coordinated with administrators at HCa to initiate this mentoring opportunity.

Senior Promotions
Aruna Ramesh to Associate Professor, General Dentistry
Tannaz Shapurian to Associate Clinical Professor, Periodontology

October 29, 2007

News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks atmary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu. Thank you!

Boston Mayor Announces BRA Approval of Tufts Expansion Project
On October 3, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved Tufts University's proposal to add five floors to the top of the dental school building at One Kneeland Street. "The Tufts Dental School expansion is not only good for Tufts, but it's good for the community and city as a whole," Mayor Thomas Menino said. "In addition to improved services for students and patients, Tufts is making a real commitment to employ Boston residents and promote dental medicine as a career for Boston youth."

The dental school building was envisioned back in 1973 as a 16-story building, but the university had only enough funding to construct a 10-story building, consisting of approximately 286,000 square feet of space. It was decided that the building should be constructed in two phases. Based on the vision of previous administrations in planning the original building, current engineering evaluations support the addition of 5 floors for a total of 93,000 square feet of usable space. The construction is scheduled to initiate March 2008.

The expansion plans, which will be presented to Tufts' Board of Trustees in November, will encompass additional space for teaching, undergraduate and postgraduate clinics, continuing education and offices and conference rooms.

Town Meetings on Accreditation Process
Dean Lonnie H. Norris, Executive Associate Dean A. Joseph Castellana, accreditation coordinators Associate Dean Nancy Arbree and Associate Dean David Russell and Nicole Durante, accreditation program manager, hosted a series of town meetings in October to discuss the upcoming accreditation of the school as well as the five-story vertical expansion of the Dental Tower. The meetings took place at lunchtime on October 3, 4, 5, 9 and 15 to give everyone in the dental community the opportunity to attend.

Buchanan Visit and Reception
"Meet the man behind the statue" was the theme for a reception on September 27 in the Becker Alumni Center, organized to express appreciation to Robert Buchanan, D46, one of the school's most important benefactors.

Buchanan provided the funding for the school's renovated first floor entrance and lobby, and a bronze statue of him "greets" people as they enter One Kneeland Street. He also endowed a professorship in operative dentistry at the school and recently committed $1 million for the vertical expansion of the Dental Tower.

Alumnus Elected to the Institute of Medicine
Bruce J. Baum, D71, a dental overseer, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in medicine and health, recognizes people who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health.

Baum is chief of the Gene Transfer Section of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Md.

Established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the IOM has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on human health issues. With their election, members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of volunteer time as members of IOM committees, which engage in a broad range of studies on health policy issues.

Faculty News
Effective October 1, James Hanley was promoted from assistant dean for clinical affairs to associate dean for clinical services. Congratulations!

Leslie Will has joined the faculty as a professor and director of the Advanced Education Program in Orthodontics. She previously was director of the advanced education program in orthodontics at Harvard School of Dental Medicine for nine years and was also associate chair of the Department of Developmental Biology.

Louis Farrugia, D66, (general dentistry) was inducted as the Supreme Grand Master of the Delta Sigma Delta international professional dental fraternity during the fraternity's 125th annual meeting in San Francisco. Delta Sigma Delta is the oldest professional dental fraternity, with 30,000 members worldwide. It has graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States and graduate chapters in Europe and Australasia. The MU chapter of Delta Sigma Delta was chartered at Tufts University in 1897.

Students Represent Tufts at ASDA Meeting
Three undergraduates, Jenny Liang, D08; T.C. Hardy, D09; and Stuart McKenzie, D10, represented the School of Dental Medicine at the annual meeting of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA), which took place in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., over Labor Day Weekend.

At the meeting, Liang was elected District One Trustee and will represent dental students from Tufts, Boston University, Harvard and the University of Connecticut at the national level.

During the annual session, goals for the upcoming year, as well as bylaws and other resolutions, were discussed, debated and voted upon. ASDA National's new website (www.asdanet.org ) is up and running, a major goal for the organization to enhance communication.

There also was discussion on incorporating into school curricula information about methamphetamine and its effects on oral health. Issues related to dental licensure were also discussed. It is ASDA's goal to work with the ADA, state boards and testing agencies to come up with an exam that is beneficial for both students and patients.

Hispanic Dental Association 15th Annual Meeting
The H.D.A. held its 15th annual meeting in Miami from October 25-27th under the leadership of President Sarita Arteaga and Executive Director Becky Jeppesen. At the opening ceremonies, Francisco Ramos-Gomez, DG82 (pediatric dentistry) was appointed President-Elect. TUSDM faculty member Aidee Nieto-Herman (Past-President H.D.A. 1996) served on the Planning Committee. Herman was also moderator for "Diversity in Dental Medicine - Deans' Panel" that included Robert Uchin, Nova Southeastern University, R.L. MacNeil, University of Connecticut, Teresa Dolan, University of Florida and Lonnie H. Norris, TUSDM.

Jump on the Recycling Bandwagon
The dental school is a good green citizen-but it could do more-according to a recycling audit conducted by the university.

Hai Son, A09; Laura Fisher, A08; and campus recycling coordinator Dawn Quirk sorted through 730 pounds of dental school waste, both trash and recycled materials. The audit revealed a big improvement in recycling contamination: Just 1.3% of the recycling was contaminated with trash, down from 16% in 2005. However, of the 571 pounds of trash sorted, 140 pounds was recyclable material, a 13% improvement from 2005. In total, 25% of the audited trash was recyclable material. Recycled materials in the trash brought down the percentage of waste recycled to 21.6%.

While much of the school's trash is disposable clinical waste, if the paper and containers found in the trash were recycled instead of being thrown away, the recycling rate would have been 41%. The most common recyclables found in the trash were bottles and cans, paper and files.

Recently, Tufts University was named one of America's Top 10 "Coolest Schools" by Sierra Magazine for its efforts to combat global warming. We encourage the entire dental community to help the university maintain its leadership in environmentalism by participating in the campus recycling program.

Questions? Contact the Tufts Recycles! program at recycle@tufts.edu or call 617.627.3947 or 617.627.3810. Information about recycling at Tufts can be found at www.tufts.edu/tuftsrecycles.

November 29, 2007

Carnival of Learning
Shannon Barry Vasconcelos, assistant director of financial aid, Cindy Leung, D08, and Joey Chang, D08, participated in the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators' (MASFAA) Carnival for Learning on November 6 in Newton, Mass., which provides middle school students with early awareness of educational and career opportunities. Vasconcelos is a member of MASFAA and serves on the organization's Early Awareness and Outreach Committee.

Leung and Chang spoke with participants about healthy oral hygiene. In addition to exposing the kids to a number of oral health and hygiene issues and giving them each a bag of dental goodies to take home, Leung and Chang taught each of the kids how to do fillings on plastic teeth (which they got to keep!).

About 50 seventh graders from Lowell, Mass., attended the Carnival.

Student News
Julia (Jeong-Yeon) Choi, a postgraduate student in orthodontics, presented a research poster titled "A Cephalometric Evaluation of Anatomical Correlations between Cervical Vertebral Development with Facial Development" at a meeting of the Northeastern Society of Orthodontists in Boston.

Winna Goldman, D08, won the 2007 President's Award for Excellence in Dental Research from the American Association for Dental Research National Student Research Group (AADR NSRG). Her presentation, Tumor Stroma Impact on Progression of E-Cadherin-Deficient Squamous Cell Carcinoma, was selected by the AADR NSRG officers as the best presentation during the Hinman Dental Meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, November 2 - 4, 2007. The symposium is a national meeting that features oral and poster presentations of research studies by dental students and graduate trainees from dental schools across North America.

Michael Hull, D08, represented Tufts at the 48th annual ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Research Awards Program and Reception on September 29 that took place in San Francisco during the 2007 annual session of the American Dental Association. Hull received the ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Award for Best Overall Pre-doctoral Table Clinic at Tufts' 2007 Bates-Andrews Research Day on March 7.

Sunghwan Ko, D09, and Marjan Askari, D09, represented Tufts at the Greater New York Dental Meeting Student Table Demonstration Competition on November 25. Ko and Askari received the second and third place Pre-Doctoral Table Clinic awards, respectively, at the 2007 Bates-Andrews Student Research Day.

William S. McKenzie, D10, won the student essay content of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (ADSA) for his paper, "Z-Sedatives for Procedural Sedation." The paper focused on the use of nonbenzodiazepine drugs, originally created for the treatment of insomnia (Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata), for sedation in the dental office. McKenzie will receive his award, which includes a cash stipend of $1,000, at the annual meeting of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology May 1-3, 2008, in Puerto Rico. This is second time in the last three years that a Tufts student has won this award.

Faculty News
Jonathan Garlick, professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology and director of the division of cancer biology and tissue engineering, presented the annual Dr. J. Murray Gavel Clinical Research Lecture on November 5. Presented at The Forsyth Institute, the topic of his lecture was "Embryonic Stem Cells and the Future of Dentistry". Garlick presented an overview of the state of stem cell sciences and discussed how the political process is impacting the progress of research focused on the development of new craniofacial therapies from stem cells.

Paul A. Levi Jr., associate clinical professor of periodontology, is a 2007 recipient of the American Academy of Periodontology's (AAP) Fellowship Award. The annual fellowship recognizes individuals who have provided distinguished service to the AAP. Levi has served on multiple AAP committees, including Membership and Awards, Professional Partnership Programming and Nominating. He is president of the nonprofit AAP Foundation, which serves the community of periodontal caregivers and patients. He was moderator, assistant and head assistant at the organization's annual meetings from 1971 to 2000. He also served as a District 1 trustee for AAP, which has 8,000 members.

Noshir Mehta, professor and chair of general dentistry and director of the Craniofacial Pain Center, was featured on the cover of the October 2007 research issue of the Journal of Craniomandibular Practice. It is the official publication of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain and is distributed worldwide. He was also quoted in the New York Times, November 13, 2007, in an article about sleep bruxism.

Lloyd Miller, A54, D58, clinical professor of prosthodontics and operative dentistry, passed away on November 11 after a lengthy illness. Miller was an extraordinary alumnus of and ambassador for Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. He would have celebrated 50 years on the faculty in August 2008, and was a member of the school's Board of Overseers. A loyal member of the Dental M Club, he supported Tufts Dental students by creating a scholarship fund, the Lloyd Miller Postgraduate Prosthodontic Scholarship. He gave much of himself and inspired others to do the same. Most recently, Miller received the Dean's Medal on September 7.

Aidee Nieto-Herman (periodontology) traveled to the annual Hispanic Dental Association meeting in Miami on October 24-27, with Claudia Maiolo, D08; Susana Vervis, D08; Zuzana Mendez, IS08; and Matthew Navidonmskis, D09. The Tufts delegation presented two posters: "Leadership and Mentorship: It Makes a Difference in the Dental Field" and "International Salt Fluoridation Program for the Community of El Salvador."

Carole Palmer, professor of general dentistry, has been appointed director of the master's degree program affiliated with the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts-New England Medical Center and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, where she has an appointment as professor of nutrition. Palmer brings more than 30 years' experience at Tufts University to this position.

Morton Rosenberg, D'74, professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery, has been reappointed to the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure's Committee on Anesthesiology.

Samuel Shames, D75, has been appointed the new director of practice management after more than 10 years working with the students on the clinic floor. Shames is one of the founding members of Gentle Dental Partners and has developed and is managing 24 multi-specialty group practices in Massachusetts.

Leslie Will, professor of orthodontics, has been named president-elect of the Northeastern Society of Orthodontists.

Senior Faculty Promotions
Carolyn Cottrell, Associate Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry
David Hern, D'61, Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry
Dongwoo Park, Associate Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry J
Jose Camilo Segura, Associate Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry
William Sylvia, D'75, Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry

December 19, 2007

Note from Dean Norris
The holiday season is officially here, and we are keeping busy with travel, parties, shopping and sending greetings and, of course, waiting in traffic or shoveling snow. In all of this holiday rush, I hope each of us finds time to reflect and be grateful for all we have in our lives and in our nation. I hope each of us also finds time to share our blessings with others and offer encouragement and support when needed. Wishing you peace, happiness and fulfillment in the New Year. -Lonnie H. Norris, D.M.D., M.P.H.

Another Accolade for Arbree
Nancy S. Arbree, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, became 2008 President of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics on December 1 at the dinner meeting held at the Metropolitan Club in New York City, NY. Arbree became the first female president and the 4th Boston president (previous Boston presidents: Al Yurkstas, Kenneth Malament and Gary Rogoff). From the 50th commemorative journal dedication: "The GNYAP was founded in 1954 by 13 visionary dentists seeking to promote the art, science and clinical practice of prosthodontics. From its inception, a scientific session was established each December. It was designed as a showcase for clinical research findings and unencumbered discussions on prosthodontic topics. Today, the Academy remains the epitome of camaraderie and education."

Accreditation Update
The final accreditation materials are available in the Accreditation folder on TUSK http://tusk.tufts.edu/ There you can view the predoctoral and postdoctoral self study reports, as well as site visit schedules for January and March. There is a course titled "Accreditation" on TUSK. Please click on that to see an expanded list of materials. You will then see the following options: Postgraduate Programs, Third Party Comments, Town Meeting Presentation, Competency Statement/Competency Exam Chart, Frequency Citing Document, Self-Study Report Standards 1-6, Accreditation Site Visit Schedules, Outcomes Assessment - Table 2. You can click on any of the options to view content.

Student Research
Congratulations to Sunghwan Ko (D'09) for his First Place award at the Greater New York Dental Meeting Student Table Demonstration Competition, held Sunday, November 25th in New York City. Sunghwan's poster was entitled, "Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Sjogren's Syndrome", and he did his research with Driss Zoukhri, PhD, in the General Dentistry department. Sunghwan's trip to the Greater NY Dental Meeting was a part of his second place award at the 2007 Bates-Andrews Day.

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	v News @ Tufts Dental > 2010 Archives > 2009 Archives > 2008 Archives > 2007 Archives > 2006 Archives	Home » About » News/Events » News @ Tufts Dental » 2007 Archives 2007 Archives January 29, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments, story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu Thank you! Applications to D.M.D. Program Reach Historic High Applications for the Class of D2011 have surpassed 4,000, the highest number in the school's history. Nationally, the dental school applicant pool is up almost 10 percent. At Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, applications are up 24 percent, representing a 94 percent increase over the last four years. The Admissions Office expects to have filled the class by early March because the yield on acceptances has exceeded 60 percent. O. Walter Donnenfeld Dies at Age 83 Dr. O. Walter Donnenfeld, DG54, clinical professor of periodontology emeritus, passed away suddenly in San Diego on January 15. He was 83. Donnenfeld completed the Tufts postgraduate program in periodontology in 1954. He joined the dental school faculty in 1961 as an assistant professor. He left Tufts in 1965 to serve as professor and chair of periodontology at Northwestern and then went to the University of Florida, where he held the same positions. Donnenfeld rejoined the Tufts faculty in 1974 as a clinical professor and director of the Postgraduate Program in Periodontology. He served as director of the American Board of Periodontology from 1984 to 1990. Donnenfeld was named clinical professor emeritus in 1994, when he retired from dentistry to pursue painting full-time. On his website, he described his art as "figuratively abstract with emphasis on composition and color." International Student Dies in Automobile Accident Edilene Silva Evangelista, DI08, died on December 30, 2006, when the SUV she was driving slid off an icy road in Framingham, Mass. A native of Brazil, Evangelista received her D.D.S. degree from Vale Do Rio Doce University in Brazil. She worked full-time for two years as a dental assistant in the Tufts General Practice Residency Program before entering Tufts' International Student Program in April 2006. She participated in the career mentoring program and dental outreaches coordinated by the Tufts chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association, directed by Dr. Aidee Herman, associate clinical professor of periodontology. She is survived by her husband, Sirlei, and daughter, Sarah Jane. New Finance Director Named Beth Conant, the dental school's budget and fiscal officer, has been promoted to director of finance and administration. She holds a bachelor's degree from Babson College and an MBA from Bentley College. Prior to coming to the dental school last May, she held positions of increasing responsibility in the high-tech sector, most recently as senior financial analyst with OpenPages Inc. In her brief tenure at Tufts, Conant has brought a strong sense of organization, collaboration and accountability to the school's financial operations. She is a team builder, a team player and an excellent communicator. Faculty Member Publishes Nutrition Text Dr. Carole Palmer, professor of public health and community service, is the editor of a new textbook, Diet and Nutrition in Oral Health (Prentice Hall, second edition). The book is a "comprehensive text [that] encompasses nutritional implications for dental practice. It contains clinical applications and counseling skills, and outlines goals, objectives and relevancy to dentistry sections within each chapter." Palmer assembled an outstanding team of authors to write the most current, comprehensive resource on diet and nutrition in oral health. Volunteer Heroes 2006 Dr. Richard Doff, D'72, assistant clinical professor, periodontology and Dr. Vincent Mariano, D'82, assistant clinical professor, prosthodontics and operative dentistry, have been named 2006 Volunteer Heroes by the Massachusetts Dental Society. Dr. Laura Glicksman, D'98, DG'00 was also among those recognized. A New Face at Tufts Dental Dr. Lynn Solomon has joined the faculty as an assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology. She completed her dental degree, a residency in oral and maxillofacial pathology and a master's in oral sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. In 2002, she joined the faculty of SUNY-Buffalo as an assistant professor in the Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences. During her tenure there, she served as director of the Oral Medicine Clinic, and, most recently, as the director of Oral Radiology. In addition, she was an oral pathology consultant for the Department of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Prosthetics at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo and the Veterans Administration of Western New York Healthcare System. During her time in Buffalo, the Dental Student Association bestowed upon her the infrequently given William M. Feagans Award for displaying the "finest aspects of academic dentistry, an appreciation of the demands of real-life dentistry and recognition of the many challenges of a student's life." Solomon is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. She has conducted research and published on oral diseases diagnosed with immunofluorescence microscopy, the role of p63 proteins in autoimmune disease and immunoassay diagnostic techniques. Her office is in the oral pathology suite area, Room DHS-646A (ext. 6-3723). 3 Students Receive ADA Scholarships Marjan Askari, Lauren Castro and Doug Laliberte, all D09, have been awarded scholarships from the American Dental Association in recognition of their academic accomplishments. Askari and Laliberte received the ADA Foundation Dental Student Scholarship and Castro the ADA Foundation Minority Dental Student Scholarship. Students Recognized at Yankee Dental Four Tufts Dental students were recognized during the 2007 Yankee Dental Congress in Boston. Ryan Smart, D07, received the American College of Dentists Award; Farbod Parvinjah, D07, and Melissa Bouvier, D07, received the MDS Foundation/GE Healthcare Financial Services Louis J.P. Calisti Scholarship. Caroline Young, D07, received the Massachusetts Dental Society Matthew Boylan Scholarship fund award, given to a Massachusetts resident and dental student who has distinguished service to organized dentistry and the community. Diplomate Status Dr. Lokesh Suri, assistant professor of orthodontics, this month achieved diplomate status with the American Board of Orthodontics. Oral Surgery Residents Profiled in Alumni Magazine James Kraus, D06, and Mario Lucca, D02, first-year oral and maxillofacial surgery residents, were profiled in the fall 2006 issue of the Saint Michael's College alumni magazine in an article titled "The Art, and Heart, of Health Science: Alumni Go Above and Beyond in the Oral Health Care Field." Both received their undergraduate degrees from the Vermont college. Senior Promotions Louis Farrugia, associate professor, Department of General Dentistry James Hanley, associate professor, Department of Periodontology Kathryn Ragalis, associate professor, Department of General Dentistry Paul Trombly, associate clinical professor, Department of General Dentistry February 27, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments, story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu Thank you! Scleroderma and Dentistry David Leader, D85, assistant clinical professor of general dentistry, has rewritten the "Scleroderma and Dentistry" brochure for the National Scleroderma Foundation. The brochure targets dentists as well as those who suffer from scleroderma, a rare, chronic disease characterized by excessive deposits of collagen in the skin or other organs. Approximately 300,000 Americans have the disease. Dentists who read the brochure will become familiar with the disease and learn what they need to know about scleroderma. Leader became interested in the condition a few years ago and learned that many dentists do not treat patients who have scleroderma. Often, scleroderma will cause the lips and face to tighten, leading to microstomia. This makes oral health care much more difficult, and trips to the dentist can be complicated and uncomfortable. Scleroderma can also cause xerostomia and temporomandibular joint dysfunction. A key part of Leader's message is that there are no dentists who specialize in the treatment of patients with scleroderma but that all dentists can treat patients with the disease. Leader has become a regular lecturer at national and regional meetings, including the Yankee Dental Congress, and is the only dentist on the Medical Advisory Board of the New England chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation. The word "scleroderma" comes from two Greek words: "sclero," meaning hard, and "derma," meaning skin. For more information, contact http://www.scleroderma.org Celebrating Black History Month The Student National Dental Association (SNDA) at Tufts School of Dental Medicine presented "A Celebration of History, Culture, Fashion and Treating the Underserved" on February 22 in honor of Black History Month. Guest speaker Dr. Leo Whitworth, a dentist who practices in Mattapan, gave a presentation on "Access to Health Care and Treating the Underserved." Students gave presentations on African Americans in dentistry and held a fashion show featuring various garments worn in Africa. Mission to Serve Under the leadership of department Chair Catherine Hayes, D87, the directors in the Department of Public Health and Community Service held three retreats to plan strategies for the newly renamed department. Out of the retreats came a new mission statement: "Fostering optimal health and quality of life through good oral health, with a commitment to socially responsible education, patient care, research and community service." A Master Teacher Medha Singh, BDS, MS, an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Service, has completed the Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL) in the Health Professions Program for Dental School Faculty. The ITL is a collaborative partnership between the Academy for Academic Leadership in Atlanta and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. "The ITL program is designed to help health professions educators who are early in their academic careers become master teachers," said Dr. N. Karl Haden, president of the Academy for Academic Leadership. "We congratulate Dr. Singh on her success in this challenging program. Both her institution and the profession will benefit from her enhanced effectiveness and commitment to academic dentistry." Clinical Affairs Undergoes Reorganization To provide enhanced clinic support and service, Clinical Affairs has undergone some changes. Clinical Affairs staff now are grouped according to job functions in four primary areas: Clinic Support, Dental Practice, Patient Finance and Clinic Business. The Clinic Support group is led by Mary Kyle, who will continue to supervise the Dispensary and Radiology staff, and now, working with Roberto Rios, will be responsible for the central sterilization process and employees. The Dental Practice group is led by Sherry Wilson-Johnson. The Dental Practice administrators will continue under her supervision, and the Dental Information assistants (first-floor patient registration and record room) will join her group under the guidance of Sean MacDonald. Diana Jackson-Springer is leading the newly named group Patient Finance. The former Clinic Business Office staff will focus on patient finance and will now include Dawn Lanza and the postgraduate clinic patient finances. Steve Witkus has been named clinic business manager. Along with infection control and the undergraduate lab, he is responsible for purchasing, financial reporting and materials. Working closely with the school accountants and the Budget Finance Director's Office, he will refine the school's financial focus and find opportunities for growth and increased fiscal responsibility. Maureen Lombard has been named director of Clinical Affairs, reporting to Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs David Russell and Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs James Hanley. This new position combines the former director of clinic operations position and director of clinic services position to combine the Clinical Affairs staff as one team with the common goals of increasing efficiency, strengthening customer service relationships and increasing Tufts' reputation for excellence. More News from Yankee Dental Norman Diamond, associate clinical professor of orthodontics, received the Dr. Frederick Moynihan Memorial Award from the Massachusetts Dental Society at its annual Yankee Dental Congress luncheon on January 26. Philip Koralishn, associate clinical professor of prosthodontics and operative dentistry, and Timothy Hempton, associate clinical professor of periodontology, presented a course titled "Charting and Documentation Workshop: A Hands-on Course" at the Yankee Dental Congress on January 25. David G. Stahl, D51, received the 2007 James W. Etherington Award in honor of his many contributions to organized dentistry, including serving as president of the New Hampshire Dental Society. The award was presented during the opening ceremonies of Yankee Dental. Lecturing 'Down Under' Gerard Kugel, associate dean for research and professor of prosthodontics and operative dentistry lectured this February to the Australian Dental Association in Sydney, to the Melbourne Dental Society and in Auckland to the New Zealand Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Kugel's lectures concentrated on esthetic materials and techniques. He was interviewed by the Australian Dental Association on topics in esthetic dentistry for an upcoming CD from their members. Mission to Zambia Gulsun Gul, assistant professor of public health and community service; John Morgan, director of the Tufts Dental Facilities Serving Persons with Special Needs; and Justin Au, D07, along with former members of the Tufts Dental community Patricia Campbell and Kerry Maguire, were in Zambia for the month of December, providing dental care and oral health education at orphanages, community schools and villages. The team was also involved in socioeconomic development in the village of Muchila, bringing in infrastructure for wells, farm cattle, seeds and crops to create a sustainable farm project. On the Web Elizabeth Austin has joined Tufts as the web content specialist for the School of Dental Medicine. She earned a B.S. in information design and corporate communication from Bentley College and most recently was the assistant director of web and electronic communication at Lasell College in Newton, Mass. Austin will oversee all content and development projects for the Tufts Dental website: http://www.tufts.edu/dental. Senior Promotion Robert Doherty has been promoted to professor, contract track, in the Department of Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry. March 30, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments, story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu Thank you! Bates-Andrews Day 2007 Pamela Yelick, director of the Division of Craniofacial and Molecular Genetics and associate professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology, was the keynote speaker at the 2007 edition of Bates-Andrews Research Day, a celebration of students' research endeavors. Yelick, who earned a Ph.D. in biology from Tufts in 1989, spoke on "Tissue Engineering--The Future Is Here!" at the March 7 event. The following research projects were recognized: First Place for Oral Presentation by an M.S. student (tie): Moaz Attar, "In vitro Bonding Strengths Evaluation between Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and Tetric ceram, Compoglass, Vitra-bond and Opti-bond," and Fabio Mazzocco, "Prospective Evaluation of the Use of Motorized Ridge Expanders in Guided Bone Regeneration for Future Implant Sites" Best Postgraduate Poster Presentation (cash prize donated by Jess Kane, David Tesini and Nancy Jo Soporowski): Shiow-Jiin Jaw (Pediatric Dentistry), "In vitro Disinfection of Primary Teeth Root Canal Utilizing Er,Cr:YSGG Laser vs. 5.25% Sodium Hypochlorite by Measuring the Presence of Enterococcus Faecalis" Best Scientific Research Presentation by a Fourth-year Student (Andrews Society Award): Justin Au, D07, "Public Heath in Zambia" Procter & Gamble AADR Traveling Fellowship Award (2 awards): Richard Dickinson, D09, and Sarah Stipho, D08, "Vickers Hardness and Compressive Strength Testing of Silk-based Biomaterial," done with faculty mentors Gerard Kugel, associate dean for research, and David Kaplan, a biomedical engineer at Tufts School of Engineering; and Dean Tiboris, D09, "Gene Expression of Dental Pulp Cells in Three-dimensional Silk Scaffolds," done with faculty mentor Petros Damoulis ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Award for Best Overall Predoctoral Table Clinic: Michael Hull, D08, "Significance of Autologous Fat Graft Placement following Disk Removal in the Temporomandibular Joint," done with faculty mentor Gerard Kugel in conjunction with Mark Piper (private practice) Second Place for Pre-doctoral Table Clinic (cash prize donated by Jess Kane, David Tesini and Nancy Jo Soporowski): Sunghwan Ko, D09, "Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Sjogren's Syndrome," done with faculty mentor Driss Zoukhri Third Place for Pre-doctoral Table Clinic (Jess Kane, David Tesini and Nancy Jo Soporowski): Marjan Askari, D09, "Development of Antibodies in Chicken to Elucidate the Complex Role of WW45 in Rankl-induced Osteoclast Differentiation," done with faculty mentors Paul Leavis and Paloma Valverde Research Committee Award for Basic Science Research: Winna Goldman, D08, "Tumor Stroma Impact on Progression of E-cadherin-deficient Squamous Cell Carcinoma," done with mentor Jonathan Garlick Massachusetts Dental Society and ASDA Public Health Award: Amanda Jones, D09, "A Comparative Assessment of Nutrition Status of Patients with Intimate Partner Violence History," done with faculty mentor Gulsun Gul Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) Hilde Tillman Award: James Patrick Murphy, D09, "Microenvironmental Control of Cell Survival in E-cadherin-deficient Oral Carcinoma Cells," done with faculty mentor Jonathan Garlick IADR/AADR Meeting Dental school faculty, students and staff presented a total of 36 papers at the annual IADR/AADR meeting, which took place March 21-24 in New Orleans. Moira Casey, D11, research coordinator for Athena Papas, won the J. Morita Corporation Junior Investigator Award in Geriatric Oral Research for the abstract "Root Caries Prevalence in Hypertensive, Sjögren's Syndrome and Healthy Women." Medha Singh (public health) was a finalist for the J. Morita Geriatric Award. Singh's study, "Comparison of Periodontal Status in Sjögrens, Hypertensive and Healthy Women," was done in collaboration with Papas and Dr. Robert Gerlach. TissueEngineering Center Update The dental school's Center for Integrated Tissue Engineering (CITE) is pursuing 11 different research projects for a variety of industrial partners, including Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Biogen-Idec, Organogenesis and Magen. CITE provides experimental in vitro and in vivo three-dimensional human tissue models that translate discoveries to the clinic as well as test products under development. The center is directed by Jonathan Garlick and Christophe Egles. For more about the center, go to http://www.tufts.edu/dental/CITE. Garlick has been awarded a new, five-year research grant from the National Institute of Dental Research for the project "Bioengineered Oral Mucosa from Embryonic Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine," research that is exploring the potential use of human embryonic stem cells in the engineering of human oral mucosal tissues. Garlick was elected a member of the American Academy of Dental Science. He recently presented a lecture to the Academy titled "Engineering Human Oral Mucosa to Treat Oral Disease" as part of a series on "Tissue Engineering: The Future of Dentistry." Into the Clinics The Clinical Advancement/White Coat Ceremony for the Class of D09 was held on March 10 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston. Approximately 600 family members, faculty and staff turned out to celebrate the 154 students in the Class of 2009 as they move to the patient-care phase of their dental education. Tufts President Lawrence S. Bacow brought greetings and gave an introductory address. This annual ceremony formalizes and symbolizes the transition of pre-doctoral students from basic science, biomedical science and pre-clinical education to the responsibilities of delivering patient care in the school's clinics. Tufts faculty and alumni were able to help family members in the class don the traditional white lab coat as part of the ceremony. Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs Mark Gonthier was given his own honorary white coat through a unanimous vote by the class. Thanks go to the offices of Student Affairs and Admissions for making the event a success. Missionto Nicaragua For two weeks in February, David Paul, D89 (general dentistry), worked in Nicaragua, leading the dental component of a 30-member team from Tufts schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine and Engineering. He was joined by three members of the Class of 2007: Ian Fessler, Catherine Kalis and Marcin Jarmoc. The team lived and worked in the rural community of Tanazda, a village of 200 that has no electricity, running water, bathroom facilities or access to dental care. The team treated hundreds of patients in 90-degree heat, without the aid of proper lighting, running water, suction or radiographs. They gave preventive and oral hygiene instruction and extracted more than 500 teeth. This was the third year of a five-year commitment from Tufts University to this impoverished region of northeast Nicaragua. Faculty Notes Joel Pearlman, D74, (public health), authored a chapter titled "Medical Care for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities" for the second edition of Dentistry, edited by I. Leslie Rubin, M.D., and Allen C. Crocker, Ph.D., and published by the Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Charles Rankin, D79, DG86, (endodontics), published "A Case Report of a Patient with Raynaud's Phenomenon Undergoing Multiple Endodontic Procedures" in the Journal of Endodontics (2007, 33:2, 187-190). Morton Rosenberg, D74, (oral and maxillofacial surgery), directed three courses : "Enteral Sedation for the General Practitioner," "Anesthesia Assistant" and "Update in Pharmacology for Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia" for the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology in Las Vegas February 23-25 for more than 700 participants. He also led a pilot course for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in "High Fidelity Human Simulation for Pediatric Medical Emergencies" in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pamela Yelick, G89, (oral and maxillofacial pathology) has accepted an invitation from the NIH Center for Scientific Review to serve a four-year term on the Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Study Section. April 30, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments, story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu Thank you! The Tufts Zambia Oral Health Mission A panel discussion and slide show titled "Can the Mouth Open Your Eyes to the World?" was held April 5 in Merritt Auditorium. This event presented information and discussion on the Tufts Zambia oral health mission. Panelists included John Morgan, program director and assistant professor at Tufts School of Dental Medicine; Maxwell Gallaba, the Zambian dental project coordinator; Kerry Maguire, program volunteer and adjunct associate professor at Tufts; Tom Stossel, program volunteer; Patricia Campbell, program volunteer and former executive associate dean; and Justin Au, D07. Handcrafted Zambian textiles were sold to help support the project. Tufts Periodontal Alumni Conference in Barcelona The Third International Tufts Periodontal Alumni Conference was held at the Catalonian Dental College in Barcelona, Spain, from April 19-21. Speakers representing 11 countries gave a variety of excellent presentations in the fields of periodontology, implantology and interdisciplinary relationships with other specialties. Guest presenters from Tufts included Hiroshi Hirayama (postgraduate prosthodontics) and Lokesh Suri (orthodontics). The meeting was preceded by a golf tournament at the Club De Golf Terramar. A farewell dinner was held on Saturday night at the Circulo Ecuestre Club and was attended by more than 70 staff, alumni, and spouses. Terrence Griffin (periodontology) thanked all of the participants and attendees, and especially the conference organizing committee: Juan Rumeu, DG89; Wai Cheung, DI06, DG02; Paul Levi, D66, DG71; and John Vrotsos, DG82, for their efforts to ensure the success of the conference. A Good Citizen Tomas Ballesteros IV, D07, received the Tufts President's Award for Citizenship and Public Service during ceremonies on April 20 on the Medford/Somerville campus. In his introduction, Dean Lonnie H. Norris praised Ballesteros' "focus on working with local Hispanic communities and leading the student members of the Tufts chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association in providing services, serving as mentors and building access to care for youth make him a stand out for the President's Award for Citizenship and Public Service." Norris added that "Tomas is being recognized for his efforts to empower disadvantaged young people with a sense of options and possibilities." Memorial Service for Edilene Evangelista A memorial service for Edilene Evangelista, DI08, was held on March 30 in the Dr. Edward Becker Student Living Room. Evangelista died on December 30, 2006, when the SUV she was driving slid off an icy road in Framingham, Mass. A native of Brazil, Evangelista received her D.D.S. degree from Vale Do Rio Doce University in Brazil. She worked full-time for two years as a dental assistant in the Tufts General Practice Residency Program before entering Tufts' International Student Program in April 2006. She participated in the career mentoring program and dental outreaches coordinated by the Tufts chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association, directed by Aidee Herman (periodontology). She is survived by her husband, Sirlei, and daughter, Sarah Jane. Speakers at the memorial service included University Chaplain David O'Leary, Dean Lonnie H. Norris, Herman, Ameeta Nanda, DI08 class president, Michael Hull, D08 class president, and Matthew Wimmer, D09 class president. Dean 'Rocks the Boat' Dean Lonnie H. Norris was honored by the Mattapan Community Health Center at its 11th annual "Rock the Boat" fund-raising gala on April 28. Norris received the 2007 Community Health Pinnacle Award for "exemplifying strong leadership in community health care" and for his "outstanding work in community-focused oral health." The Mattapan Community Health Center is a comprehensive health delivery organization that serves individuals from the Mattapan, Dorchester, Roxbury and Hyde Park neighborhoods of Boston as well as Brockton, Randolph and Stoughton. The center was established in 1972 to improve the quality of life for residents of Mattapan and surrounding communities by providing comprehensive, accessible, affordable and culturally appropriate health-care services. The health center serves more than 7,000 individuals annually through 26,000 patient visits. Faculty Notes Emad Abdallah and Silvia Lobo Lobo (both general dentistry) gave a course to the Costa Rican Academy of Orthodontics March 21-24 in San Jose, Costa Rica. The course covered orthodontic management of patients with temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain. Attendees were introduced to phase I management strategies used at the Tufts Craniofacial Pain Center and phase II orthodontic finishing techniques. Gerard Kugel (prosthodontics and operative dentistry) is first author on the article "Investigation of a New Approach to Measuring Contact Angles for Hydrophilic Impression Materials," which was published in the Journal of Prosthodontics (Vol. 16, No. 2, March/April 2007, pp. 84-92). Other contributors were Thomas Klettke (3M ESPE AG); Jeffrey Goldberg, D07; Jacques Benchimol, D07; and Ronald Perry and Shradha Sharma (both prosthodontics and operative dentistry). Michael A. Kahn (oral and maxillofacial pathology) has been appointed to the National Board Dental Examination Part 1, Microbiology-Pathology Test Construction Committee for five consecutive one-year terms. Kahn presented a continuing education course with Dr. Craig Fowler titled "Histological Diagnostic Pitfalls and Dilemmas of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology" at the annual meeting of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology in San Diego on March 30. This course was the only one at the meeting taught by non-medical pathologists. Lynn Solomon (oral and maxillofacial pathology) has been appointed to the ADA Council on Dental Accreditation site visit team for oral and maxillofacial pathology residency programs. Hilde Tillman (public health and community service) was recognized by Alpha Omega International for "her contributions in the field of geriatric dentistry as a scholar and educator in addition to her dedication to Alpha Omega and the Maury Massler Geriatric Clinic." May 23, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments, story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu Thank you! Commencement 2007 The School of Dental Medicine awarded 161 D.M.D. degrees, including 14 to graduates of the International Student Program and six in the Faculty Track International Student Program, during commencement ceremonies on May 20. Also recognized were nine master of science degree recipients and postgraduate certificate of achievement candidates. Nearly 90 dental school faculty members participated in the ceremony and joined in celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2007. At the all-university commencement earlier in the day, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg told the graduates, "It's going to be challenging at times--but the world, more than ever, needs your talent, your ideas, your energy, your great enthusiasm. I have no doubt that the amazing experiences you've had at Tufts are really going to help you achieve great things," he said. "My advice to you: Don't worry about your salary or your title right away. As President Bacow will tell you, 'It's a marathon, not a sprint.' Bloomberg, who grew up in Medford, Mass., continued, "The first job you get should be something that will teach and humble and exhilarate. And don't despair if your career path doesn't follow a straight line. There are plenty of successful people who are doing things that are radically different from where they started." The university awarded honorary degrees to Bloomberg, Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Anderson, one of the leading composers of his generation and Austin Fletcher Professor of Music Emeritus at Tufts; Lord Alec Broers, a pioneer in nanotechnology and chair of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee; Capt. Frederick H. (Rick) Hauck, A62, the former astronaut who flew on three space shuttle missions; Denise Jefferson, director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center; and Thomas C. Schelling, who shared the 2005 Nobel Prize in Economics. Best in Class Eight outstanding faculty members have been recognized with teaching excellence awards: Kanchan Ganda, J00P, M04P, (public health and community service) and Paul Kwan (anatomy and cellular biology), Dean's Award for Excellence in Basic Science Teaching; Charles Rankin, D79, DG86, D08P, (endodontics) and Joanne Falzone, D80, (prosthodontics/operative dentistry), Dean's Award for Excellence in Pre-clinical Teaching; Hernan Quintero, DG05, (prosthodontics/operative dentistry) and Aaron Sheinfeld (prosthodontics/operative dentistry), Dean's Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching; and Donald Hanson (general dentistry), Provost's Award for Outstanding Teaching and Service. New this year is an award created by the Massachusetts Dental Society. The Massachusetts Dental Society & American Student Dental Association Outstanding Faculty Member Award was given to GardnerBassett, D75, (prosthodontics/operative dentistry). OKU Convocation Nineteen students were inducted into the national dental honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon, at a ceremony May 18 at the Radisson Hotel in Boston. This year's guest speaker was Bob Ryan, sports columnist for the Boston Globe. The students are: Jacques Benchimol, D07; Richard Cameron Bolduc, D07; Nicole Pui-Ming Chiu, D07; Jeong-yeon Choi, D07; Christina Catherine Coppolino, A03, D07; Lee Ann M. Cote, D07; Reema Dhingra, D07; Jared Adam Geller, D07; Jeffrey Alan Goldberg, D07; Marcin Jarmoc, D07; Durgesh A. Kudchadkar, D07; Yen-Tseng Lai, D07; Sachin Rastogi, D07; Justin Stuart Scott, D07; Ryan James Smart, D07; Emilie Mae Troupe, D07; Judy Chia Ling Tsai, D07; Caroline Pronesti Young, D07; and Ning Zhang, D07. Graduation Dinner The Graduation Awards Dinner for the Class of D07 was held on May 9 at the Westin Copley Place. Of the 161 graduating seniors, 150 attended this 14th annual recognition dinner. Members of the Class of 2007 received 71 national and alumni awards during the event; two juniors also received awards. Homecoming and Reunion 2007 Lucky 7! Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2007 was an overwhelming success, with 630 alumni and friends registering for events throughout the weekend. The festivities kicked off on Friday, May 4, with a "casino night" theme party at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Maria Papageorge, D82, DG86, DG89 (oral and maxillofacial surgery) and Catherine Hayes, D87 (public health and community service) both gave Continuing Education lectures at the School on Saturday morning, May 5. During the Annual Tufts University Dental Alumni Association Luncheon, Roderick Lewin, D57 and Vangel Zissi, D62, DG67, A02P (endodontics) were presented with Alumni Association Awards, and Maureen Lombard, director of clinical affairs, was presented with the 2007 staff award, all for outstanding service and dedication to Tufts University, the School of Dental Medicine, and the dental profession. Provost Jamshed Bharucha spoke of the School of Dental Medicine and its accomplishments as he gave the University update. The Langham Hotel hosted many of the weekend's events, including the class receptions and dinners on Saturday evening, where each reunion class presented Dean Norris with their class gift to the School. Reunion gifts made this year to the Tufts Dental Fund reached an all time high - almost $430,000. More than 360 alumni contributed. Four classes, D62, D72, D77 and D87 broke reunion records for giving. Awards for the largest 5-year Class Gift (Golden Crown) and highest rate of participation (Porcelain Bridge) went to D57, the 50th reunion class. D77, the 30th reunion class, won the Cusp of Excellence Award for having raised the most this year in reunion gifts for the Dental Fund. Strong attendance and impressive fundraising made it a memorable weekend for all. Magazine Wins Gold Medal Tufts Dental Medicine magazine has won a Gold Medal for staff writing for external audiences from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in the 2007 national Circle of Excellence contest. The gold medal is the highest award in university and college publishing. Congratulations go to magazine staff writers Jackie Mitchell and Julie Flaherty, whose extraordinary talents in portraying the art and science of dental medicine and the special people who are part of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine community, have brought this national recognition to the university and the dental school. The magazine stories that garnered this award were: "In Balance," the cover story of the Winter 2006 issue; "Public Health Scourge" (Winter 2006); "Franklin's Tooth" (Summer 2006); "My New Gums," Jackie's first-person account of her gum surgery at the dental school (Summer 2006); and "Head Games" (Summer 2006). Celebrating Cinco de Mayo For the first time, Tufts School of Dental Medicine celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a live mariachi band. The Tufts student chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association, led by President Tomas Ballesteros, D07; Vice President Claudia Maiolo, D08; Treasurer David Delgado, D09; Secretary Susana Verbis, D08; Immediate Past President Jose Torres, D07; and faculty advisor Aidee Herman, organized a celebration where food was sold from Ana's Taqueria while the Mexamerica Mariachi Band played. More than 150 people attended. Missionto San Salvador The dental school's third humanitarian mission to San Salvador took place April 14-21 and was organized by Aidee Herman (periodontology). Herman lectured on "Tobacco and Periodontal Disease" and "How to Incorporate a Smoking Cessation Program into Periodontal Therapy." She also introduced a salt fluoridation program to El Salvador. In related news, Matthew Navidomskis DO9, traveled with Herman on April 13 to the International Global Health Conference at Stanford University Medical School. They presented a poster on "Salt Fluoridation Program for the Community of El Salvador." A total of 71 posters were presented, only one in dentistry. Faculty Notes Virginia Karapanou, DG94, D01, DG07, (endodontics) gave a presentation on her translational research on "Interleukin-8 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Levels in Gingival Crevicular Fluid of Teeth with Acute Pulpitis" at the annual meeting of the American Association of Endodontics in Philadelphia on April 27. She argued that Interleukin-8 could be a strong biomarker for irreversible pulpitis. She plans to pursue further research in this area to identify and quantify the key substances involved in the pathogenesis of pulp pain and inflammation in a non-invasive manner for accurate diagnosis of the pulp status. Identification of such substances might help clinicians foresee the outcome of the inflammatory response for appropriate treatment. Paul Aaron Levi, Jr., D66, DG71, (periodontology) received the 2007 Educator Award of The American Academy of Periodontology, "in recognition of outstanding teaching and mentoring in periodontics". Cheen Loo (pediatric dentistry) has achieved diplomate status with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Carole Palmer, G69, (public health and community service) gave a lecture on "Methods of Diet Research in Dentistry" at Boston University dental school's Department of Pediatric Dentistry on April 17. Palmer is also a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. Morton Rosenberg, D74, A08P, (oral and maxillofacial surgery) presented a 2 1/2-day course on "Sedation for the General Dentist" at the 52nd annual meeting of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology in Monterey. The meeting was dedicated to the men and women of the federal services, and more than 135 military and Veterans Administration health professionals attended, including Lisa Nielsen, D06. Rosenberg also participated in the fourth annual Advanced Initiatives in Medical Simulation (AIMS) Conference that was held in Washington, D.C., on May 7-9. AIMS serves as a national advocate for the importance of medical simulation for public policymakers and the public on issues related to patient safety, medical errors and health-care costs, as well as private policymakers who are seeking successful risk management strategies and ensuring high-quality patient care. The second day of the conference took place on Capitol Hill and was hosted by 142 members of Congress. Senior Promotions Flaviano DiFalco (prosthodontics and operative dentistry) to Associate Clinical Professor Ronald Kulich (general dentistry) to Associate Professor John Morgan (public health and community service) to Associate Professor June 29, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu. Thank you! Collaborating on Oral Health Informatics On June 22 and 23, the School of Dental Medicine hosted the first dental school consortium for informatics, the Collaboration for Oral Health-Related Informatics (COHRI). The consortium's goal is to develop standardized electronic health records to facilitate data sharing for research purposes. All of the schools that sent representatives to the meeting--University of California at San Francisco, Creighton, Detroit-Mercy, Harvard, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon Health & Science University, SUNY at Stony Brook, University of Texas at Houston and Tufts--use the AxiUm electronic health record system developed by Exan Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia. Approximately 35 dental schools in North America and one in Europe use this system, and that number is expected to increase to 45 by the end of 2008. Because of the ease of developing common data within the AxiUm system, it is expected that membership in COHRI will be reach 30 schools by this time next year. The consortium keynote speaker was Dr. Isabel Garcia, deputy director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. She discussed the need for greater and more specific clinical research data in dentistry, and strongly encouraged the members of this COHRI to continue to work toward the important goal of creating and sharing common data. The short-term goal of the consortium is to develop common record entries for medical and dental histories, diagnosis, treatment plans, daily records of treatment, treatment outcomes and administrative services. As the first step in this process, members agreed upon a modification of the ADA Health History Form for shared data collection. Within the year, the consortium plans to agree upon diagnostic codes, case note coding, treatment plan and treatment outcome codes and a common patient informed consent for research. The second meeting of the consortium will be held in Vancouver in late February 2008. The consortium and its program were conceived and led by Dr. Robert Chapman, professor and chair of prosthodontics and operative dentistry and director of informatics at Tufts; Dr. David Russell, associate dean for clinics and associate director of informatics; and Dr. Paul Stark, head of biostatistics at Tufts school of dental medicine and associate director of informatics. Memorial Service for Dr. Cyril Gaum It was standing room only for a memorial service in Merritt Auditorium on June 8 for Dr. Cyril Gaum, clinical professor emeritus of endodontics and the first formally trained endodontist in New England. He passed away on March 2 in Stuart, Fla., of complications from a stroke. He was 84. Among those who attended the service were Gaum's widow, Esther, relatives from his native Nova Scotia, Tufts President Lawrence S. Bacow, university trustee emeritus William Sellers, trustee Thomas F. Winkler III and dental school overseer Lloyd Miller. Dr. Vangel Zissi, Gaum's longtime business partner, was selected by Esther Gaum to lead the service. Golden Crown Award Luncheon Carvelle McAlpin (dental clinic registration) and Patricia Morrow (endodontics) were chosen by their colleagues to receive this year's Golden Crown Award for outstanding performance by a staff member. The criteria for the annual award, now in its 12th year, includes expertise, exceptional interaction with others, continuous improvement, resourcefulness and results and leadership. The School of Dental Medicine and its satellite facilities employ about 200 non-faculty staff members. Whether supporting student or faculty activities or maintaining the facility, each staff member--in his or her unique way--makes an important contribution to the school's success. The administration, at both the school and university levels, recognizes the value of each individual and demonstrates appreciation of staff members' contributions to the school's mission through a benefits package, annual merit increases and years-of-service awards. About 100 staff members attended the Golden Crown luncheon on June 18 in the Becker Alumni Center--another way the school thanks all staff for their service. Serving on the Golden Crown Committee are Janet Markell (chair), Maureen Lombard, Tanya Lungelow, Mary-Ellen Marks, Kevin O'Dea, David Paul and Sherry Wilson-Johnson. Defibrillators installed on the Boston campus Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed throughout the Boston health sciences campus. The purchase of these units has been made possible through a fiscal year '07 budget allocation. Using an AED in conjunction with CPR has been shown to increase survival rates for victims of sudden cardiac arrest. The AED units are located in strategic places throughout the Boston campus. Most of the AEDs are housed in cabinets that, once opened, will send an alarm signal into the university police, initiating an emergency medical response. A phone call from a rescuer or other involved person should also be made to the University Police, informing the dispatcher of the exact location of the incident and the apparent nature of the emergency. The University Police will be offering CPR/AED training to members of the Tufts community. The classes will be given on the first and third Wednesday of each month and last approximately four hours. Interested parties should contact Officer Michael P. Fontana via email for scheduling information at michael.fontana@tufts.edu. At the dental school at One Kneeland Street, AEDs can be found in the first-floor lobby by the elevators, seventh floor outside the student lounge and in the eighth floor hallway across from the dispensary. Benefit Run A team from Tufts Dental participated in the Larry Kessler 5K Road Race on June 3 in Boston, raising $1,246 to support the services and prevention programs of the AIDS Action Committee. The race is named for the AIDS Action Committee's founding director. Mike Brown, D09, won the race in a time of 17 minutes, 31 seconds. Other Tufts team members includedDavid Chan, Michael Butera, Lisa Higgs, Shannon Holer, Samir Patel, Peter Shin and Laleh Sotoodeh, all D10, and Associate Dean Mark Gonthier. July 31, 2007 *News@TuftsDental* is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu. Thank you! Note from Dean Norris Another academic year has (nearly) come to an end, and we can look back on it with tremendous satisfaction. Our successes during the year are due in large part to the support of our alumni, faculty, students, staff and friends, working together toward the goals outlined in our strategic plan. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone and wish you a wonderful vacation. I look forward to seeing everyone in September re-energized for the new academic year. --Lonnie H. Norris, Dean Second Annual Oral Cancer Symposium Michael Kahn (oral pathology) was the course director for the second annual Oral Cancer Symposium, which was sponsored by Tufts School of Dental Medicine on June 15. Kahn gave presentations on "Liquid Brush Cytology in the Oral Cavity" and "Update on Oral Cancer Screening Aides." Six other oral cancer clinicians and researchers gave presentations, including Jonathan Garlick (oral and maxillofacial pathology), who discussed "Engineering Three-dimensional Tissues to Study Oral Cancer" and Richard Wein (otolaryngology, T-NEMC) "Management of Oral Cancer". Dean Norris Honored by The National Dental Association Dean Lonnie H. Norris received a Presidential Citation during the 94th annual convocation of the National Dental Association in Atlanta on July 29. The citation was presented "for selfless service to the NDA and immeasurable support of the President's initiatives, the Strategic Plan and the Mission". Headed for the Clinics The Clinical Advancement or White Coat Ceremony for the Class of DI2009 was held July 25 in the Becker Alumni Center. The 24 members of the class and guests, faculty and staff members attended. Dean Lonnie H. Norris, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs David Russell, Dr. Robert Doherty, director of the International Student Program, and Dr. Iqbal Singh, director of pre-clinical studies, gave introductory remarks. Associate Dean David Russell led the recitation of the Oath of the Dental Student. This ceremony formalizes and symbolizes the transition of pre-doctoral dental students from basic science, biomedical science and preclinical education to the responsibilities of delivering patient care in the School's clinics. Thanks go to the offices of Admissions and Student Affairs for making the event a success. Gordon Research Conference Jinkun "Jake" Chen and two of his assistants, Quisheng Tu and Jin Zhang, attended the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) "Bones and Teeth" from July 15 to 20, 2007 in Biddeford, Maine. Prestigious GRC represents one of the highest levels of research in the field. Through a formal application eligible attendees present their unpublished research data and exchange their research ideas in GRCs. Dr. Chen's Lab presented two studies of their current work. Zhang presented an abstract of "Roles of SATB2 Overexpression in Regulating Tooth Development and Osteoblast Differentiation" and won a prize of Outstanding Poster with a cash award of $400. Tu's presentation was "Targeted Overexpression of BSP in Osteoclasts Promotes Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer". The Mouth That Roared It's not every day that your patient happens to be the King of the Jungle. Shannon Griffin, D96, treated an 11-year-old, 400-pound male lion at the Oklahoma City Zoo on July 10. The veterinarian for the lion, named Asian, noticed a smell coming from his mouth and excessive drooling, and called in Griffin to take a look. After making the lion "comfortable," Griffin removed a 3-inch piece of bone stuck in the roof of his mouth. And while he was sleeping, she also cleaned the lion's teeth to protect him from further dental disease. Second Annual Tooth Day at Fenway It was baseball and "Tooth Day" at Fenway Park on July 17, as the Tufts chapter of Alpha Omega international dental fraternity teamed up with the Boston Red Sox to strike out oral cancer. After the success of last year's inaugural event, outgoing chapter president Heidi Birnbaum, D08, was determined to make Tooth Day bigger and better this season. "Last year, we handed out hundreds of samples and brochures, but I wanted to do something to make the event stand out," said Birnbaum, who also got to toss the inaugural pitch to start the game against the Kansas City Royals. Birnbaum came up with the idea of organizing a mass oral cancer screening with the help of the Red Sox almost two years ago, and since then, she has been meeting regularly with the team to plan out a series of events to make the public aware of the dangers of smokeless tobacco. "The Red Sox front office expressed some initial hesitation at the idea of doing an oral cancer screening, worrying that fans would not want to think about cancer while enjoying a ballgame," Birnbaum said. "We decided to set up a booth to let fans come to us if they were interested in getting screened." Fifteen members of the Gamma chapter of AO participated in the event, along with faculty advisor Charles Rankin, oral pathology chair Michael Kahn and practice coordinator Karen Wallach. As soon as the gates opened at 5:05 p.m., hundreds of fans streamed into the park and were greeted by students handing out toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss, all provided by Tufts. Meanwhile, instructors and students performed oral cancer screenings using three chairs set up in the new concourse area. Students also held up signs that invited fans to "Ask a Dentist." "We weren't sure if people would be interested in getting screened, but we were pleasantly surprised," said Birnbaum, who estimated that 100 oral cancer screenings were performed by game time. "A lot of these people may never have been screened otherwise or weren't even aware of the dangers of chewing tobacco. We even found some pre-malignant lesions, so we know we really made a difference." Just before the Red Sox took the field, Alpha Omega was honored in a pre-game ceremony. Birnbaum, Rankin, chapter co-presidents Jonathan Albaugh and Eric Appelin and outreach chairs Lindsey McElligott and Amanda Kopacz were joined on the field by Red Sox Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Charles Steinberg, who is also a dentist and a member of Alpha Omega. While the Red Sox went on to lose the game to the Kansas City Royals, Alpha Omega and Tufts came out big winners on Tooth Day. BU Dental Dean to Step Down Spencer Frankl, DG61, dean of the Boston University School of Dental Medicine, will be stepping down on July 1, 2008, or as soon as a successor is named. He is the longest-serving dental school dean in the United States, having been associated with the BU dental school since 1964. Frankl completed his undergraduate studies and earned his D.D.S. at Temple University in Philadelphia. He became an Abbe Francis Lawton Fellow in pediatric dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, from which he received his M.Sc.D. in 1961. In 1964, Frankl was recruited by Henry M. Goldman, the founding dean of BU's dental school, to create the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, which he chaired from 1964 to 1976. He was named assistant dean in 1970, and in 1973, became the associate dean, during which time he established the D.M.D. program. He was appointed dean in 1977. Patricia Campbell to Return to Tufts University After a national search, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees has voted to appoint Patricia Campbell as Tufts' new Executive Vice President. Patricia was the Executive Associate Dean at the School of Dental Medicine from May 1996 until January 2005 when she left to become Vice President for Finance and Administration at WGBH. Alaskan Native-Run Dental Therapist Program Allowed to Continue A Superior Court judge has ruled that a Native-run dental therapist program, designed to make up for the lack of dentists in rural areas of Alaska, will be allowed to continue. In a decision issued on June 27, Judge Mark Rindner rejected a request by the American Dental Association and the Alaska Dental Society, among others, to stop the dental therapist program. His ruling means the therapists, who undergo two years of special training and work under a licensed dentist often not on site, can continue operating in rural villages, said Valerie Davidson of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. "The fact our local solution to a local problem is going to make a difference in oral health care delivery for Alaska Natives is really exciting," she told the Anchorage Daily News. "It's great to have validation from the court." At least eight dental therapists are currently doing fillings, simple tooth extractions and other procedures in villages where few dentists operate and where rates of tooth decay are among the nation's highest. The therapists receive narrower training than dentists but do not perform complex procedures, such as root canals, Davidson said. In their suit, the dental organizations and four individual dentists argued that the therapists should be required to have a state dental license to practice. Requiring licensure, Rindner said, would hinder federal goals to reduce tooth decay in rural Alaska. Orientation Reminder Orientation for Tufts University School of Dental Medicine will be held on Tuesday, September 4, at the Loew's Theater. Located at 175 Tremont St. in Boston directly across from the Boston Common, Loew's Theater is a five-minute walk from the dental school. The easiest way to get there is to go left as you exit the dental school building, walk up Kneeland Street one block to Tremont Street, turn right onto Tremont (you will see the marquee for the Majestic Theater on your left). Loew's Theater is a block and a half up the street on your right. A formal letter with agenda will be sent out in the next week. You may contact Gerard Cedrone at 617-636-6666 for more information. August 15, 2007 *News@TuftsDental* is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu . Thank you! Tufts Schweitzer Fellows Announced Allan Pang and Parita Patel, both D2008, were among nine Tufts University students named Schweitzer Fellows for 2007-08. Each fellow will devote more than 200 hours of service to area communities that lack access to adequate health services. "By being a Schweitzer Fellow, I will gain fellowship, mentorship, cultural awareness and the opportunity to effectively set up a project that directly aids an underserved community," Patel said. Pang and Patel's community service project is at Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which serves homeless, high-risk and runaway youth. They hope to increase the youths' awareness of the importance of good oral health by developing an oral health education program for Bridge's residential facilities, performing oral health screenings and providing treatment. Faculty Recognition More than 200 guests attended the School of Dental Medicine's eighth annual Faculty Recognition and Service Awards Luncheon August 3 at the Boston Harbor Hotel. The annual event is designed to recognize the entire faculty for their contributions to the school and to specifically honor faculty with awards for years of service at five-year intervals. Retiring faculty members were also recognized. Dean Lonnie H. Norris gave the welcoming remarks; Thomas F. Winkler III, A62, D66, a Tufts trustee and chair of the Board of Overseers to the dental school, gave the faculty toast, and Associate Dean Nancy Arbree served as emcee. Special recognition was given to Sigmund Fleck and Gardner Bassett on the occasion of their retirements from the university and to Samer Kastali who is leaving the dental school after nine years on the faculty. Special acknowledgement was given to Christine Robertson for arranging the event. The 2008 luncheon will be held on Friday, August 1. Faculty members are asked to save this date in their calendars. Those honored at this year's luncheon included: Five Years: Karen Anderson, J86, D92, Public Health/Community Service; Abhayjit Bedi, DG00, DI02, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Pasquale Calvani, DG91, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Wai Cheung, DG02, DI06, Periodontology; Dean B. Cohen, D85, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Jose E. Colon De Jesus, Public Health/Community Service, Ali Alper Comut, DI06, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Susana Ferreira, DG01, Prosthodontics /Operative Dentistry; Charles E. Hawley, Periodontology; Michael Kahn, Oral/Maxillofacial Pathology; David Leader, D85, General Dentistry; Wai Kee Lee, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Howard I.A. Lieb, D73, General Dentistry; Silvia Lobo Lobo, DG01, DG02, DI07, General Dentistry; Konstantinos Michalakis, DG93, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Aram Mirigian, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Nooruddin Pradhan, DG93, DG94, DI06, Pediatric Dentistry; Jack Rosenberg, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Allen Schneider, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Shradha Sharma, DG01, DI07, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Mabi Singh, General Dentistry; Paul Vankevich, D81, General Dentistry; Eric Weinstock, D00, DG02, General Dentistry; and Gui Hua Zhang, DI99, DG01, Orthodontics. Ten Years: Murry Awrach, Periodontology; Dhirendra Bana, General Dentistry; Gardner Bassett, D75, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Joanne Falzone, D80, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Margaret Howard, D81, General Dentistry; Albert Intonti, D83, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Meletia Laskou, DG95, DI01, Pediatric Dentistry; Susan Lo, General Dentistry; Tracy Maloney, J84, D88, DG93, Orthodontics; Walter Meinzer, DG82, Periodontology; Charles Millstein, D62, Endodontics; Rory O'Neill, DG78, Periodontology; Aikaterini Papathanasiou, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; and Deborah Tung, DG97, Endodontics. Fifteen Years: David Bardwell, D85, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Carlos Castro-Barrera, DG83, DG91, Periodontology; Harold Gelb, D47, A78P, J83P, General Dentistry; Judith Goldstein, DI90, A99P. G04P, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Richard Green, D73, General Dentistry; John Hsu, DI84, General Dentistry; George Maloney, A81P, General Dentistry; and Samantha Yamamoto, DG90, Periodontology. Twenty Years: Barry Briss, D66, DG70, D95P, DG97P, Orthodontics, and Parviz Daryabegi, DG77, D97P, DG00P, Periodontology. Twenty-five Years: Carl Carlamere, Orthodontics, and Henry Markowitz, D63, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry. Thirty Years: Martin Barrett, D75A, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Eugene Eagles, D65, Orthodontics; Albert Forgione, General Dentistry; Ralph Fowler, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Roger Galburt, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Robert Kaplan, D76, Public Health/Community Service; Joseph O'Donnell, DG74, Pediatric Dentistry; Andre St. Germain, D63, Public Health/Community Service; and David Tesini, D75, DG77, G79, Pediatric Dentistry. Thirty-five Years: Noshir Mehta, DG73, DI77, J01P, A07P, General Dentistry. Forty Years: Maurice H. Martel, Prosthodontics/Operative Dentistry; Richard Sorbera, DG65, Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery; and Vangel Zissi, D62, DG67, A02P, Endodontics. Alumnus Recognized by AAED Dental Overseer Lloyd Miller, A54, D58, is the 2007 recipient of the Charles L. Pincus Award, the highest honor of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (AAED). Named for the co-founder of the AAED, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement of esthetic dentistry. September 28, 2007 *News@TuftsDental* is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu . Thank you! Toast to Tufts 2007 On September 7, 2007, alumni, faculty and friends joined Dean Lonnie H. Norris, DG80, M99P, A01P at the annual Toast to Tufts at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common to celebrate the past year's fundraising achievement and current volunteers. Dean Norris, Jess Kane, D74, DG76, AG78, DG79, D04P, DG06P, Beyond Boundaries Campaign Committee Vice-Chair, and John Ficarelli, D73, D10P, Chair of the Dental M Club, extended their appreciation to the group for their hard work as volunteers and support as donors. Patricia Campbell, Tufts new Executive Vice President, and former Executive Associate Dean at the Dental School, shared her excitement about both being back at Tufts and the plans for the vertical expansion of the Dental School. A Dean's Medal was presented to consummate volunteer Lloyd Miller, A54, D58, by Dean Norris and Trustee Thomas Winkler, A62, D66, D10P in recognition of his many accomplishments and lifelong commitment to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the profession. Also, flowers and a crystal clock were given to Dr. Miller's wife, Ann Donaldson, for her loyalty and support. The Dean's Medal is awarded to honor those who have demonstrated loyalty, generosity or service and who exemplify the ideals Tufts seeks to instill in its students. Volunteer Summit On Friday, September 7 participants from the School of Dental Medicine Campaign Committee, Dental Board of Overseers, M Club Executive Committee, Alumni Association Executive Board and members of the academic community joined together at the Dental Alumni Volunteer Summit, an educational forum designed for sharing ideas and strengthening the partnership with Dean Norris for our future success in Beyond Boundaries; The Campaign for Tufts. Volunteer leaders Jess Kane and Tom Winkler welcomed the group in the morning. A motivating and educational session lead by Walt Edwards of Advancement Resources was the focus of the day. Alan Solomont, A70, University Trustee and Campaign Chair joined the group for lunch to share his personal experiences and the evolution of his own engagement as a volunteer with the university. 25th Annual Tournament Raises Nearly $24,000 for the Student Loan Fund Over 100 alumni and friends of the Dental School gathered at Mount Pleasant Country Club on September 17th to participate in the 25th annual Wide Open Golf and Tennis Tournament. The tournament, which is supported by dental alumni and corporate sponsors, raised a record breaking $23,567 for the Student Loan Fund bringing the 25 year cumulative total to $243,036. Wide Open founders Joseph DiPietro, D54, D81P, A86P, D87P, and Thomas Swift, A59, D63, both attended the day's events and were recognized at this quarter-century celebration with founder's awards. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the tournament on this milestone year! Destination: Port Au Prince David Paul (general dentistry) led a team of students and faculty on a mission to Haiti from August 21st through September 1st. Over 1,000 patients were treated. Paul gives a great deal of credit to Marjorie Brisard, D'08 for taking the initiative and doing the majority of the planning and logistics for this mission to her native Haiti. The team consisted of nine D'08 students: Pamela Abraham, Marjorie Brisard, Guimy Cesar, Dilshan Gunawardena, Sophana Hem, Ann Hua, Warren Jones, Claudia Maiolo, and Quan Nghiem plus Renald Joseph from the 8th floor Dispensary and Leopoldo Correa (TMJ). The team spent six days working in the Max Cadet Foundation Dental Clinic seeing over 150 patients per day. The students performed Restorative, Periodontal, and Surgical procedures. The team was also able to get in a day of Prevention at the Leon Baptiste Orphanage in the rural town of Jacmel, along with a second day of Preventive services at the Gheskio HIV Clinic + Research Center in Port Au Prince. This is Paul's fourth mission trip to Haiti since 2001. Mission to Ecuador Aidee Herman (periodontology) and seven dental students completed Tufts third humanitarian mission to Ecuador, August 11th-21st. The team provided dental care to 449 children between the ages of 2 and 16 in Quito-Sur, one of the poorest areas in Ecuador. The participants were: Matthew Navidomskis and Marjan Askari, both D09 and Nastela Babo, Sanjeet Chaudhary, Kathrina Delima, Susannah Mitchell and Alan Pang, all D'08 and Piro Leno, DI09. Also joining the group was John-Cleeve Soter from the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene. Komen Race for the Cure TUSDM gave another outstanding performance at the 2007 Komen 5K Run/Walk for the Cure event on September 23rd. The Tufts Dental team featured over 45 runners/walkers and raised over three thousand dollars in the fight against breast cancer. This is an achievement of which the entire Tufts community can be proud. Top Finishers for the Tufts Dental Team include: Michael Brown Dowling D09 ran the 5k in 17:42 min. for 6th overall, Nick Sotak D11 ran 19:21 for 19th overall, Richard Dickinson D09 ran 20:08 for 29th overall, Samir Patel D10 ran 20:16 for 32nd overall, and Liz Turner D11 finished the course in 21:59 for 67th overall!! Three faculty members/administrators also ran the course: Associate Dean Mark Gonthier ran it in 23:03, David Leader ran it in 24:58, and Sheldon Sullaway finished the course in 48:16. Program on Human Subject Research Petros Damoulis (periodontology) organized and led an all day program titled "The Nuts and Bolts of Human Subject Research" September 25 in Posner Lecture Hall. The program started with Damoulis giving a brief overview of ethical considerations in clinical research and continued with the following topics and speakers: "Why on Earth Would You Want To Do Clinical Research?" Patricia Hibberd, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Public Health and Family Medicine and Director, Center for Global Health Research, TUSM; "Navigating the Institutional Review Board for Dental Research Projects", David Chelmow, M.D. Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology, IRB Chair T-NEMC; "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) at TUSDM", Jennifer A. Graf, B.A., IRB Administrative & Operations Manager, T-NEMC; "I Want To Do Clinical Research at Tufts Dental What Do I Need To Do?" Petros D. Damoulis, D.D.S., D.M.Sc. Director of Advanced & Graduate Education, Associate Professor of Periodontology , TUSDM. The program concluded with an afternoon session of case-based discussions in small groups led by IRB staff and committee members. Approximately 60 postgraduate students attended. Charles W. Finley Visiting Scholar Lecture The Department of Periodontology hosted a lecture titled "The Periodontal/Prosthetic Connection" featuring speakers Arnold Weisgold and Cyril Evian, on September 26th. All faculty and postdoctoral residents were invited to this lecture, sponsored by The American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, 3i and Hu-Friedy. Appreciation is given to Paul A. Levi, Jr. (periodontology) for organizing the event. Proposed New Guidelines on Sedation and Anesthesia Morton Rosenberg, (oral and maxillofacial surgery ) addressed the General Assembly of the American Association of Dental Examiners in San Francisco on September 26th on the New ADA Proposed Guidelines on Sedation and Anesthesia and their impact on State Regulations. Career Mentoring On September 14th, Dean Norris welcomed 50 children from the Health Careers Academy at Northeastern University. The children were here to visit the Simulation Clinic and learn more about a career in dentistry. The Health Careers Academy or HCa , is a small high school on the campus of Northeastern University. The Academy prepares minorities to enter the health professions by providing strong health sciences and health careers courses as well as internships, community service, work experience and summer programs. Aidee Herman (periodontology) coordinated with administrators at HCa to initiate this mentoring opportunity. Senior Promotions Aruna Ramesh to Associate Professor, General Dentistry Tannaz Shapurian to Associate Clinical Professor, Periodontology October 29, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks atmary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu. Thank you! Boston Mayor Announces BRA Approval of Tufts Expansion Project On October 3, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved Tufts University's proposal to add five floors to the top of the dental school building at One Kneeland Street. "The Tufts Dental School expansion is not only good for Tufts, but it's good for the community and city as a whole," Mayor Thomas Menino said. "In addition to improved services for students and patients, Tufts is making a real commitment to employ Boston residents and promote dental medicine as a career for Boston youth." The dental school building was envisioned back in 1973 as a 16-story building, but the university had only enough funding to construct a 10-story building, consisting of approximately 286,000 square feet of space. It was decided that the building should be constructed in two phases. Based on the vision of previous administrations in planning the original building, current engineering evaluations support the addition of 5 floors for a total of 93,000 square feet of usable space. The construction is scheduled to initiate March 2008. The expansion plans, which will be presented to Tufts' Board of Trustees in November, will encompass additional space for teaching, undergraduate and postgraduate clinics, continuing education and offices and conference rooms. Town Meetings on Accreditation Process Dean Lonnie H. Norris, Executive Associate Dean A. Joseph Castellana, accreditation coordinators Associate Dean Nancy Arbree and Associate Dean David Russell and Nicole Durante, accreditation program manager, hosted a series of town meetings in October to discuss the upcoming accreditation of the school as well as the five-story vertical expansion of the Dental Tower. The meetings took place at lunchtime on October 3, 4, 5, 9 and 15 to give everyone in the dental community the opportunity to attend. Buchanan Visit and Reception "Meet the man behind the statue" was the theme for a reception on September 27 in the Becker Alumni Center, organized to express appreciation to Robert Buchanan, D46, one of the school's most important benefactors. Buchanan provided the funding for the school's renovated first floor entrance and lobby, and a bronze statue of him "greets" people as they enter One Kneeland Street. He also endowed a professorship in operative dentistry at the school and recently committed $1 million for the vertical expansion of the Dental Tower. Alumnus Elected to the Institute of Medicine Bruce J. Baum, D71, a dental overseer, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in medicine and health, recognizes people who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. Baum is chief of the Gene Transfer Section of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Md. Established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the IOM has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on human health issues. With their election, members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of volunteer time as members of IOM committees, which engage in a broad range of studies on health policy issues. Faculty News Effective October 1, James Hanley was promoted from assistant dean for clinical affairs to associate dean for clinical services. Congratulations! Leslie Will has joined the faculty as a professor and director of the Advanced Education Program in Orthodontics. She previously was director of the advanced education program in orthodontics at Harvard School of Dental Medicine for nine years and was also associate chair of the Department of Developmental Biology. Louis Farrugia, D66, (general dentistry) was inducted as the Supreme Grand Master of the Delta Sigma Delta international professional dental fraternity during the fraternity's 125th annual meeting in San Francisco. Delta Sigma Delta is the oldest professional dental fraternity, with 30,000 members worldwide. It has graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States and graduate chapters in Europe and Australasia. The MU chapter of Delta Sigma Delta was chartered at Tufts University in 1897. Students Represent Tufts at ASDA Meeting Three undergraduates, Jenny Liang, D08; T.C. Hardy, D09; and Stuart McKenzie, D10, represented the School of Dental Medicine at the annual meeting of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA), which took place in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., over Labor Day Weekend. At the meeting, Liang was elected District One Trustee and will represent dental students from Tufts, Boston University, Harvard and the University of Connecticut at the national level. During the annual session, goals for the upcoming year, as well as bylaws and other resolutions, were discussed, debated and voted upon. ASDA National's new website (www.asdanet.org ) is up and running, a major goal for the organization to enhance communication. There also was discussion on incorporating into school curricula information about methamphetamine and its effects on oral health. Issues related to dental licensure were also discussed. It is ASDA's goal to work with the ADA, state boards and testing agencies to come up with an exam that is beneficial for both students and patients. Hispanic Dental Association 15th Annual Meeting The H.D.A. held its 15th annual meeting in Miami from October 25-27th under the leadership of President Sarita Arteaga and Executive Director Becky Jeppesen. At the opening ceremonies, Francisco Ramos-Gomez, DG82 (pediatric dentistry) was appointed President-Elect. TUSDM faculty member Aidee Nieto-Herman (Past-President H.D.A. 1996) served on the Planning Committee. Herman was also moderator for "Diversity in Dental Medicine - Deans' Panel" that included Robert Uchin, Nova Southeastern University, R.L. MacNeil, University of Connecticut, Teresa Dolan, University of Florida and Lonnie H. Norris, TUSDM. Jump on the Recycling Bandwagon The dental school is a good green citizen-but it could do more-according to a recycling audit conducted by the university. Hai Son, A09; Laura Fisher, A08; and campus recycling coordinator Dawn Quirk sorted through 730 pounds of dental school waste, both trash and recycled materials. The audit revealed a big improvement in recycling contamination: Just 1.3% of the recycling was contaminated with trash, down from 16% in 2005. However, of the 571 pounds of trash sorted, 140 pounds was recyclable material, a 13% improvement from 2005. In total, 25% of the audited trash was recyclable material. Recycled materials in the trash brought down the percentage of waste recycled to 21.6%. While much of the school's trash is disposable clinical waste, if the paper and containers found in the trash were recycled instead of being thrown away, the recycling rate would have been 41%. The most common recyclables found in the trash were bottles and cans, paper and files. Recently, Tufts University was named one of America's Top 10 "Coolest Schools" by Sierra Magazine for its efforts to combat global warming. We encourage the entire dental community to help the university maintain its leadership in environmentalism by participating in the campus recycling program. Questions? Contact the Tufts Recycles! program at recycle@tufts.edu or call 617.627.3947 or 617.627.3810. Information about recycling at Tufts can be found at www.tufts.edu/tuftsrecycles. November 29, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu . Thank you! Carnival of Learning Shannon Barry Vasconcelos, assistant director of financial aid, Cindy Leung, D08, and Joey Chang, D08, participated in the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators' (MASFAA) Carnival for Learning on November 6 in Newton, Mass., which provides middle school students with early awareness of educational and career opportunities. Vasconcelos is a member of MASFAA and serves on the organization's Early Awareness and Outreach Committee. Leung and Chang spoke with participants about healthy oral hygiene. In addition to exposing the kids to a number of oral health and hygiene issues and giving them each a bag of dental goodies to take home, Leung and Chang taught each of the kids how to do fillings on plastic teeth (which they got to keep!). About 50 seventh graders from Lowell, Mass., attended the Carnival. Student News Julia (Jeong-Yeon) Choi, a postgraduate student in orthodontics, presented a research poster titled "A Cephalometric Evaluation of Anatomical Correlations between Cervical Vertebral Development with Facial Development" at a meeting of the Northeastern Society of Orthodontists in Boston. Winna Goldman, D08, won the 2007 President's Award for Excellence in Dental Research from the American Association for Dental Research National Student Research Group (AADR NSRG). Her presentation, Tumor Stroma Impact on Progression of E-Cadherin-Deficient Squamous Cell Carcinoma, was selected by the AADR NSRG officers as the best presentation during the Hinman Dental Meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, November 2 - 4, 2007. The symposium is a national meeting that features oral and poster presentations of research studies by dental students and graduate trainees from dental schools across North America. Michael Hull, D08, represented Tufts at the 48th annual ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Research Awards Program and Reception on September 29 that took place in San Francisco during the 2007 annual session of the American Dental Association. Hull received the ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Award for Best Overall Pre-doctoral Table Clinic at Tufts' 2007 Bates-Andrews Research Day on March 7. Sunghwan Ko, D09, and Marjan Askari, D09, represented Tufts at the Greater New York Dental Meeting Student Table Demonstration Competition on November 25. Ko and Askari received the second and third place Pre-Doctoral Table Clinic awards, respectively, at the 2007 Bates-Andrews Student Research Day. William S. McKenzie, D10, won the student essay content of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (ADSA) for his paper, "Z-Sedatives for Procedural Sedation." The paper focused on the use of nonbenzodiazepine drugs, originally created for the treatment of insomnia (Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata), for sedation in the dental office. McKenzie will receive his award, which includes a cash stipend of $1,000, at the annual meeting of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology May 1-3, 2008, in Puerto Rico. This is second time in the last three years that a Tufts student has won this award. Faculty News Jonathan Garlick, professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology and director of the division of cancer biology and tissue engineering, presented the annual Dr. J. Murray Gavel Clinical Research Lecture on November 5. Presented at The Forsyth Institute, the topic of his lecture was "Embryonic Stem Cells and the Future of Dentistry". Garlick presented an overview of the state of stem cell sciences and discussed how the political process is impacting the progress of research focused on the development of new craniofacial therapies from stem cells. Paul A. Levi Jr., associate clinical professor of periodontology, is a 2007 recipient of the American Academy of Periodontology's (AAP) Fellowship Award. The annual fellowship recognizes individuals who have provided distinguished service to the AAP. Levi has served on multiple AAP committees, including Membership and Awards, Professional Partnership Programming and Nominating. He is president of the nonprofit AAP Foundation, which serves the community of periodontal caregivers and patients. He was moderator, assistant and head assistant at the organization's annual meetings from 1971 to 2000. He also served as a District 1 trustee for AAP, which has 8,000 members. Noshir Mehta, professor and chair of general dentistry and director of the Craniofacial Pain Center, was featured on the cover of the October 2007 research issue of the Journal of Craniomandibular Practice. It is the official publication of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain and is distributed worldwide. He was also quoted in the New York Times, November 13, 2007, in an article about sleep bruxism. Lloyd Miller, A54, D58, clinical professor of prosthodontics and operative dentistry, passed away on November 11 after a lengthy illness. Miller was an extraordinary alumnus of and ambassador for Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. He would have celebrated 50 years on the faculty in August 2008, and was a member of the school's Board of Overseers. A loyal member of the Dental M Club, he supported Tufts Dental students by creating a scholarship fund, the Lloyd Miller Postgraduate Prosthodontic Scholarship. He gave much of himself and inspired others to do the same. Most recently, Miller received the Dean's Medal on September 7. Aidee Nieto-Herman (periodontology) traveled to the annual Hispanic Dental Association meeting in Miami on October 24-27, with Claudia Maiolo, D08; Susana Vervis, D08; Zuzana Mendez, IS08; and Matthew Navidonmskis, D09. The Tufts delegation presented two posters: "Leadership and Mentorship: It Makes a Difference in the Dental Field" and "International Salt Fluoridation Program for the Community of El Salvador." Carole Palmer, professor of general dentistry, has been appointed director of the master's degree program affiliated with the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts-New England Medical Center and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, where she has an appointment as professor of nutrition. Palmer brings more than 30 years' experience at Tufts University to this position. Morton Rosenberg, D'74, professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery, has been reappointed to the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure's Committee on Anesthesiology. Samuel Shames, D75, has been appointed the new director of practice management after more than 10 years working with the students on the clinic floor. Shames is one of the founding members of Gentle Dental Partners and has developed and is managing 24 multi-specialty group practices in Massachusetts. Leslie Will, professor of orthodontics, has been named president-elect of the Northeastern Society of Orthodontists. Senior Faculty Promotions Carolyn Cottrell, Associate Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry David Hern, D'61, Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry Dongwoo Park, Associate Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry J Jose Camilo Segura, Associate Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry William Sylvia, D'75, Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry December 19, 2007 News@TuftsDental is distributed each month via e-mail to dental school faculty, staff, students and friends. We welcome suggestions, comments and story ideas. Contact Editor Mary-Ellen Marks at mary-ellen.marks@tufts.edu . Thank you! Note from Dean Norris The holiday season is officially here, and we are keeping busy with travel, parties, shopping and sending greetings and, of course, waiting in traffic or shoveling snow. In all of this holiday rush, I hope each of us finds time to reflect and be grateful for all we have in our lives and in our nation. I hope each of us also finds time to share our blessings with others and offer encouragement and support when needed. Wishing you peace, happiness and fulfillment in the New Year. -Lonnie H. Norris, D.M.D., M.P.H. Another Accolade for Arbree Nancy S. Arbree, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, became 2008 President of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics on December 1 at the dinner meeting held at the Metropolitan Club in New York City, NY. Arbree became the first female president and the 4th Boston president (previous Boston presidents: Al Yurkstas, Kenneth Malament and Gary Rogoff). From the 50th commemorative journal dedication: "The GNYAP was founded in 1954 by 13 visionary dentists seeking to promote the art, science and clinical practice of prosthodontics. From its inception, a scientific session was established each December. It was designed as a showcase for clinical research findings and unencumbered discussions on prosthodontic topics. Today, the Academy remains the epitome of camaraderie and education." Accreditation Update The final accreditation materials are available in the Accreditation folder on TUSK http://tusk.tufts.edu/ There you can view the predoctoral and postdoctoral self study reports, as well as site visit schedules for January and March. There is a course titled "Accreditation" on TUSK. Please click on that to see an expanded list of materials. You will then see the following options: Postgraduate Programs, Third Party Comments, Town Meeting Presentation, Competency Statement/Competency Exam Chart, Frequency Citing Document, Self-Study Report Standards 1-6, Accreditation Site Visit Schedules, Outcomes Assessment - Table 2. You can click on any of the options to view content. Student Research Congratulations to Sunghwan Ko (D'09) for his First Place award at the Greater New York Dental Meeting Student Table Demonstration Competition, held Sunday, November 25th in New York City. Sunghwan's poster was entitled, "Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Sjogren's Syndrome", and he did his research with Driss Zoukhri, PhD, in the General Dentistry department. Sunghwan's trip to the Greater NY Dental Meeting was a part of his second place award at the 2007 Bates-Andrews Day.
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