2006 Archives

 

January 27, 2006

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!

 

Dr. Harold Berk: An Appreciation
Dr. Harold Berk, clinical professor emeritus of pediatric dentistry, passed away Monday, January 9, 2006 after a lengthy illness. He had been a member of our faculty since 1946. The following is an appreciation from one of his former students, Dr. Joseph P. O’Donnell, DG’74.

In his best selling novel, Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom posed the question, “Have you ever really had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back.”

And, so it was for five of us who were students of Dr. Harold Berk… John Ficarelli, Dave Tesini, Jess Kane, Nick Senzamici and myself. Harold had three wonderful sons; but he always referred to us as “His Boys.” Every year for eighteen years, I would get a phone call from him with my orders, “Call the ‘Boys’ and arrange our Annual Dinner.” This was a tradition that went all the way back to the time when we were fortunate enough to be his graduate students in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Tufts. On Fridays, after working all morning with this remarkably gifted and knowledgeable teacher and learning the latest techniques in pulp therapy and restorative dentistry, he would insist on taking us to lunch. Not just any lunch….we’re not talking sub sandwiches or pizza…we were his guests at any one of the finer restaurants in Boston at that time, including Locke-Ober, or Maison Robert. During lunch he would tell us about his exciting travel experiences, his art collection, his love of fine dining, or his plans to support research and education at Tufts. Not only did he teach us how to be good pediatric dentists, he showed us how to celebrate life and how to be generous to our school and our profession.

So every year, our Annual Dinner of Harold and his Boys would take place in the elegant surroundings of the Le Matin Dining Room of the Four Seasons Hotel with an unrivaled view of the Boston Public Gardens. We would sit around the dining table --- five guys of very humble backgrounds who had become successful in their specialty --- each with a large, prosperous private practice and all influenced and inspired by the same mentor, Harold Berk. Our dinners were a chance for him to look proudly upon what we had become. And, he used every dinner as an opportunity to teach us his latest techniques, or tell us about a fabulous new material. No matter how many years of experience we had, he was always our teacher and we were the students. He wanted us to be innovative and creative… to come up with ideas….to become leaders in our field. He would tell us, “Do not follow where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail.”

A wise man once said, “A teacher affects eternity; no one can tell where his influence stops.” Harold Berk’s teaching and his wonderfully creative, scientific mind have left an indelible imprint on his students, his friends, and his profession of dentistry. The thousands of children who are treated by us, his students at Tufts University, are the beneficiaries of his legacy and his memory will live on.
- Joseph P. O’Donnell, DMD, MS, Associate Clinical Professor, Pediatric Dentistry

 

Jake Chen Appointed to Study Section of NIH
Dr. Jinkun “Jake” Chen (general dentistry) has been appointed to the Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Sciences Study Section, Center for Scientific Review, of the National Institutes of Health. His term began January 10, 2006 and ends June 30, 2009. Members are selected on the basis of their demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline. Study section members review grant applications submitted to the NIH, make recommendations on these applications and survey the status of research in their fields of science.

 

Nancy Arbree Elected VP of Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics
Associate Dean Nancy Arbreewas elected Vice President of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics at their fall meeting December, 2005. Dr. Gary Rogoff is President-Elect.

 

GRASP Center Makes 2006 Pilot Project Awards
The Executive Committee of Tufts-NEMC’s Center for Digestive Diseases Research (GRASP) will award $88,000 to five Tufts-NEMC and Tufts University Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine researchers. These projects competed for pilot/feasibility awards against a number of other highly meritorious proposals.

The 2006 Pilot Project Award-winning researchers and their projects are:
· Rachel Buchsbaum, Ph.D., Studies on Tiam1 signaling in colorectal cancer
· Jonathan Garlick, Ph.D., Optimization of in vitro, three-dimensional, human tissue models for normal and Barrett’s esophagus
· Philip Hinds, Ph.D., The RB-cdk5 pathway in intestinal development
· Mircea Ivan, Ph.D., Hypoxia regulation of microRNAs; implications for colon cancers
· Orian Shirihai, Ph.D. & Daniel Ortiz, Ph.D., ABCB10 a new ABC transporter in liver

GRASP’s Executive Committee is comprised of Tufts-New England Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine scientists in gastroenterology research. The Pilot Project Awards are intended to provide early support for innovative scientific ideas, so that data can be developed to support full funding from federal sources such as the National Institutes of Health.

In addition to the GRASP award, Dr. Jonathan Garlick has been invited to the Annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science as a guest speaker to be held in St. Louis on February 18, 2006. The title of his talk will be “Reconstructed Human Skin to Study Early Skin Cancer Development and Wound Healing”. He will be an invited speaker in an Educational Session of the American Association for Cancer Research to be held in Washington D.C. on April 1, 2006. Garlick will speak on the topic “The 3rd Dimension: Mechanistic Studies of Tumorigenesis in Context.” He will also be Chair of a Symposium of the upcoming IADR meeting titled “The Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression.” The symposium will be held on March 11, 2006. In addition, Garlick has been appointed as Chairperson of the Special Emphasis Panel on Oral Cancer, National Institute of Dental Research.

 

Tufts Chapter of OKU Receives National Recognition
The Xi Xi Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon has been selected as this year's recipient of the OKU-Chapter Award given by the Supreme Chapter for its “exemplary programs that promote excellence at the local level”. The Chapter Award Committee cited the following activities and programs which include: a biannual newsletter to keep members abreast of chapter activities; a newly created mentoring program for incoming freshman and second year students; the annual Bates Day OKU Award which provides an expense paid trip to the AADR meeting for the student with the winning research project; the annual Xi Xi Chapter Scholarship presented to a second year student based on scholarship, character and leadership; an annual Basic Science award given to a third year student with the highest GPA in the basic sciences and; an annual Dental Science Award given to a third year student with the highest GPA in the dental sciences.

The award will be presented at the annual business meeting on Wednesday, March 8 in Orlando, Florida and accepted by Dr. Cynthia Yered on behalf of TUSDM.

 

Toys for Tots Appreciation
The following is excerpted from a letter to the Class of D2009 from Sean P. Donlon, President, Tufts Police Association:

“I would like to thank the class of 09 for the great donation you made to Toys for Tots this year. For the last ten years, the Tufts community has responded generously to this holiday collection of toys.”

Donna Carey Promoted to Director of Student Affairs
Donna Carey was recently promoted to Director of Student Affairs, recognizing exemplary years of service as Associate Director, and leadership in providing enhanced student technical services and well- regarded student events. Donna joined the Office of Student Affairs in 1998. Congratulations Donna!

 

Community Open House at the Metropolitan Building
On January 9, 2006 members of the Tufts student chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association presented tooth brushes, floss, and information to Chinatown residents during a community open house at the Metropolitan building, 38 Ash Street, near the Dental School. TUSDM students who participated are: John Govostes, D06; John Lo, D07; Eric Appelin, D08; Eunice Delgado, D09; Jose Torres, D07; Alejandro Munoz, D09; Jason Slomovitz, D09; David Gomez, D09;David Delgado, D09; Felipe Salinas, D07. Faculty volunteers were Drs. Laura Camacho-Castro (pediatric dentistry), Luis Del Castillo (prosthodontics and operative dentistry) and Aidee Herman (periodontology). Staff volunteers were Virginia Burns, RDH (pediatric dentistry) and Tefta Kaceli (dental assistant).

The Metropolitan is a new 23-story mixed income housing complex that also houses the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.

 

February 28, 2006

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 Continues to Impress
Bates-Andrews Day 2006, a showcase of our pre-doctoral and postgraduate students’ research activities, was held February 22. This year’s event featured David Kaplan, professor and chair of biomedical engineering in Tufts School of Engineering. His keynote speech addressed “Designing Tissues: Engineering a Cellular Framework.” We were also fortunate to have presentations by Dr. Robert Gerlach of Procter & Gamble, Dr. David Felton from the University of North Carolina and Jennifer Graf of Tufts-New England Medical Center’s Institutional Review Board.

Students selected for special recognition were:
First-Place Award for Oral Presentation by a M.S. student: Daniel Engler-Hamm, “Prospective Evaluation of Hard- and Soft-tissue Remodeling after Ridge Preservation with and without Primary Wound Closure”

Second-Place Award for Oral Presentation by a M.S. student: Eeman Dajani, “Using Three-dimensional Computed Tomograms to Study the Growth Vector of the Nasomaxillary Complex in Relation to the Anterior Cranial Base”

Best Postgraduate Poster Presentation (cash prize donated by Drs. Kane, Tesini and Soporowski): Drs. Yaritza Vazquez, Alykhan Kherani and Jan Ortiz, all general practice residents, “Efficiency of New Technology in Special Needs Patients”

Best Scientific Research Presentation by a Senior (Andrews Society Award): Wesley Chiang, D06, “Altered Passive Eruption—A Cross-sectional Study of Changes in Clinical Crown Length from Ages 10 to 14 years.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Lokesh Suri

ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Award for Best Overall Pre-doctoral Table Clinic: Winna Goldman, D08, “Stromal Cross-talk Influences Malignant Progression of E-cadherin-deficient Carcinoma Cells.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Jonathan Garlick

Second-Place Award for Pre-doctoral Table Clinic (cash prize donated by Drs. Kane, Tesini and Soporowski): Charles Chung, D08, “Relationship of Craniofacial Morphology to Second Molar Development.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Lokesh Suri

Third-Place Award for Pre-doctoral Table Clinic (cash prize donated by Drs. Kane, Tesini and Soporowski): Michael Hull, D08, “Significant Pain Reduction with Autologous Fat-graft Placement in Temporomandibular Joint.” Faculty mentors: Dr. Gerard Kugel and Dr. Noshir Mehta in conjunction with Dr. Mark Piper (private practice)

Research Committee Award for Basic Science Research: Lauren Gulka, D08, “Evaluation of Individual Taste Sensitivity: Caveats for Clinical Applications.” Mentor: Dr. Brian Green (Yale University)

Massachusetts Dental Society and ASDA Public Health Award: Ryan Smart, D07, “Methamphetamine Abuse: Medical and Dental Considerations.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Morton Rosenberg

Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) Hilde Tillman Award went to two students this year: Ryan Smart, D07, “Methamphetamine Abuse: Medical and Dental Considerations.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Morton Rosenberg and Wesley Chiang, D06, “Altered Passive Eruption—A Cross-sectional Study of Changes in Clinical Crown Length from Ages 10 to 14 years.” Faculty mentor: Dr. Lokesh Suri

More Award-Winning Students
Ryan Smart, D07, was just named the winner of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Student Essay Award Contest—the first Tufts dental student to win this national award. He will be the society’s guest at its annual meeting in Santa Fe, N.M., in May and receive a plaque and check for $1,000.

Jeffrey Goldberg, D07, was selected as one of the recipients of the 2006 ADEA/Listerine Preventive Dentistry Scholarships. He will accept the award on March 8 at the ADEA annual session and exhibition in Orlando, Fla.

Just Published
Dr. Albert Forgione, professor of general dentistry at Tufts; Dr. David Mostofsky, professor of psychology and director of the Laboratory for Experimental Behavioral Medicine at Boston University; and Dr. Donald Giddon, professor of developmental biology at Harvard and founder and former president of Behavioral Sciences and Health Services Research, have edited a new book, Behavioral Dentistry (Blackwell Munksgaard, 2006). Forgione said the book provides dental students, practicing dentists and dental professionals with an entrée into the fascinating and important study of the interaction between people’s behavior and the status of the oral cavity. The text contains 21 papers written by those prominent in the field of behavioral dentistry. Topics covered include stress and saliva production, anxiety, fear and pain, a biobehavioral perspective of chronic orofacial pain, stress and periodontal disease, biofeedback and the treatment of myofascial pain disorder and TMJ joint pain.

Another Author
Sandra Pearson, director of financial aid, participated in writing a chapter on “Financing Dental Education” in the ADEA’s Official Guide to Dental Schools, 2006-07, 44th edition.

Black History Month
The School of Dental Medicine held a dinner on February 27 in the Edward Becker Student Lounge in recognition of Black History Month. The guest speaker was Dr. Patricia Brown, an orthodontist from Harvard and former assistant clinical professor at Tufts. Jazz music was provided by the Benny Sharoni Band. This event was coordinated by the Tufts chapter of the Student National Dental Association under the leadership of President Marjorie Brisard, D08; Vice President Uchenna Nweze, D08; Secretary Michelle Ray, D08, and Treasurer Renee Crittendon, D08.

Medical Pathology Lecture
Dr. Michael Kahn, professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology, and Dr. Craig Fowler, an Air Force oral pathologist at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, gave a three-hour continuing education course on February 16 at the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology meeting in Atlanta, Ga. The title of the course was “Histologic Diagnostic Pitfalls and Dilemmas of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology” and was designed for medical pathologists to learn more about oral pathology. It was the only C.E. course at the meeting taught by non-physicians.

Oral Sedation for the General Practitioner
Dr. Mort Rosenberg, professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery, directed a three day comprehensive course on Oral Sedation for the General Practitioner for the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on Feb 24 - 26. Rosenberg said it was “a real treat to have TUSDM graduates Peter Chien and Miki Suetsugu in attendance”.

Alumnus Serves as Dentist in Iraq
Charley Cheney, D04, a captain in the U.S. Army Dental Corps is stationed at a hospital clinic in Iraq. The Vicksburg Post profiled Cheney and other Mississippians serving in Iraq in its February 14 edition. Cheney called the clinic “well-staffed and equipped” and says while “most patients have acute needs—broken teeth, infections, extractions, occasionally cancers—there are also fillings to replace and root canals to initiate.” He said that the clinic is “not markedly different from a health-care facility anywhere…just more compact.”

 

 

March 29, 2006

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!

 

Into the Clinics
The Clinical Advancement or White Coat Ceremony for the Class of D08 was held March 25 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston. Approximately 500 family members, faculty and staff turned out to celebrate the 153 students in the Class of 2008 as they move to the patient-care phase of their dental education. Jamshed Bharucha, provost and senior vice president, welcomed the audience with inspirational remarks about students’ responsibility as active citizens in providing access to care.

This annual ceremony at the dental school 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. In a new tradition this year, Tufts faculty and alumni were able to help family members in the class don the traditional white lab coat as part of the ceremony.

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

 

What’s It Like Out There?
Eighteen alumni and professional guests and more than 50 second-, third- and fourth-year dental students attended the seventh annual Student/Alumni Networking Session on March 14 in Merritt Auditorium. The Tufts Dental Alumni Association sponsors the annual session to give students a glimpse of what they can expect from their chosen profession.

Sam Shames, D75, welcomed the guests and panelists John Ficarelli, D73; Cherie Bishop, D94; Matthew Ginsburg, D02; and Babak Gogjini, A96, D00, offered advice on what students should think about as they prepare to begin their professional careers or pursue specialty degrees.

The panelists and students had the opportunity to participate in one of four break-out sessions: “Associating in a Practice,” “Specializing: What Field Best Suits Me?,” “Buying a Practice or Starting from Scratch” and “Non-Clinical Career Alternatives.” A reception followed to give students additional time to network with Tufts Dental alums.

 

A Crowd in Orlando
The School of Dental Medicine was well-represented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) in Orlando, Fla., March 8-11. The following students are to be congratulated for their presentations: Melanie Arruda, D07; Charles Chung, D08; Adam DiVincenzo, D08; Winna Goldman, D08; Brian Green, D08; Lauren Gulka, D08; Michael Hull, D08; Azita Khanbodaghi, D06; Claudia Maiolo, D08; Kevin Oliveira, D06; Sarah Stipho, D08; and Nermine Zaki, D08.

Chung was selected as a finalist in the AADR Caulk/Dentsply Student Research Group Award Competition, and Goldman was awarded an AADR Student Research Fellowship, which will support her research in the coming year. She was mentored by Jonathan Garlick, professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology and director of the dental school’s Division of Cancer Biology and Tissue Engineering.

Faculty who gave presentations at the meeting included Athena Papas, Simone Deliperi, Ayman Aboushala, Ronald Perry, Jonathan Garlick, Aruna Ramesh, Susana Ferreira, Mabi Singh, Gerard Kugel, Jake Chen, Eleni Gagari, Gunjan Dhir and Mehda Singh.

 

Missionto Nicaragua
David Paul, practice coordinator, and Mina Blandon, pediatric resident, were part of a 20-member Tufts team that went to rural northeast Nicaragua in February to treat patients who have no access to health care.

The team included Brian Lisse, clinical assistant professor of public health and family medicine at Tufts School of Medicine, as well as Tufts medical