dentalum spring/summer 2004

DentalUM Spring & Summer 2004 1

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

Mail letters and updates to: Jerry Mastey, Editor, School of Dentistry, Room 1205, 1011 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078. Or you may send your letters and updates via email to: [email protected].

Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter PolveriniDirector of External Relations andContinuing Dental Education . . . . . Richard Fetchiet Writer & Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry MasteyDesign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris JungPhotography . . . . . . Per H. Kjeldsen, Keary Campbell

Member publication of the American Association of Dental Editors

The Regents of the University: David A. Brandon, Laurence B. Deitch, Olivia P. Maynard, Rebecca McGowan, Andrea Fischer Newman, Andrew C. Richner, S. Martin Taylor, Katherine E. White, Mary Sue Coleman, ex officio.

University of Michigan School of DentistryAlumni Society Board of Governors

Terms Expire 2004:William J. Costello, ‘70, East Lansing, MI (Chair)Susan Carron, ‘77, ‘79, Farmington Hills, MIAnne Diederich Gwozdek, ‘73 DH, Dexter, MIRichard L. Pascoe, ‘70, Traverse City, MITerry Timm, ‘71, Saline, MI

Terms Expire 2005:Joseph T. Barss ‘80, Chicago, ILEli Berger, ‘57, ‘61, West Bloomfield, MI (Vice chair)William E. Brownscombe, ‘74, St. Clair Shores, MIJanet Cook, ‘81 DH, Whitmore Lake, MIThomas P. Osborn, ‘68, Bloomfield Hills, MI

Terms Expire 2006:Danield L. Edwards, ‘97, Ann Arbor, MIGerald L. Howe, ‘61, Monroe, MIGary R. Hubbard, ‘78, Okemos, MIMichel S. Nasif, ‘72, Lansing, MIJanet Souder Wilson, ‘73 DH, Northville, MI

Student Representative: Julian (J.P.) Miller (D3)

Ex Officio Members:Peter Polverini, DeanDr. Thomas C. Pink, ‘69, ‘72, Alumni Association LiaisonSteve C. Grafton , Executive Director, Alumni Assoc.Richard R. Fetchiet, Director of External Relations and Continuing Dental Education

The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or Vietnam-era veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Senior Director for Institutional Equity and Title IX/Section 504 Coordinator, Office for Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109-1432. (734) 763-0235, T.T.Y. (734) 747-1388. For other University of Michigan information, call (734) 764-1817.

DentalUMSpring & Summer 2004 Volume 20, Number 1

Saluting the“Unsung Heroes”

The faces of the people who appear on the cover of this issue of DentalUM may not be familiar to many of you. These individuals, and others like them, are some of our “unsung heroes” who perform the vital tasks that ensure the smooth operation of this School day-in and day-out. Our unsung heroes include individuals like John Squires who makes sure all audio/visual equipment is running properly before administrators and faculty make presentations. Others, like Rob Berg and Jon Sniderman, repair and maintain dental equipment valued at more than $6 million. Nancy Gee provides useful information to patients and prospective patients seeking to schedule appointments in our clinics. Diane Nixon is a crucial link to the School’s clinics, information desks, telephone switchboard operators, patients, insurance companies, and vendors. Mary Gaynor reviews the records of hundreds of students and advises them about their potential eligibility for financial aid. Ed Steinman manages and secures huge amounts of data generated by students, faculty, and staff. Tim Deventer delivers important packages and supplies throughout the School. Jeremy Towler ships and tracks commercial lab work for patients of dental students. Kimberly Smith answers questions patients have at one of our information desks. Two others also featured, Dorothy Smith-Fesl and Georgia Kasko, have been responsible for some of the School’s major renovation projects. I hope you’ll take time to read their stories. They and the other unsung heroes who work behind the scenes help those of us who are administrators and members of the faculty succeed in many of our ventures.

Sincerely,

Peter Polverini, Dean

DentalUM Spring & Summer 20042

COVER STORY

FEATURES

In This Issue . . .

30 Unsung Heroes Every organization has individuals who, without fanfare, work behind the scenes to ensure the smooth operation of that enterprise. The U-M School of Dentistry is no exception. This issue of DentalUM features some of our many “unsung heroes” and how their efforts contribute to the School’s success.

Design by Chris Jung. Photos by Per Kjeldsen and Keary Campbell.

4 New Fundraising Campaign, The Michigan Difference, Begins 4 – Special Committee Completes Campaign Planning 7 – School’s Goal: $35 Million for Top Priorities

11 Up and Running! The Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinic (west wing) A new era in dental education is underway at the U-M School of Dentistry. Because of a generous $2 million dollar commitment from Dr. Roy Roberts (DDS 1932) and his wife, Natalie, students are now using the latest technology that brings dentistry directly to their desktops.

19 Alumnus Profile – Dr. William Costello In high school, he thought about becoming an architect or an engineer. But after observing how his family dentist treated his brother, William Costello decided to pursue a career in dentistry. In the mid-1970s, he improved a product dentists were using and built a multimillion dollar company that now has customers in all 50 states, Canada, and Europe; employs 300; and has sales offices in 13 U.S. cities.

26 Students Give Kids a Smile About 100 dental and dental hygiene students, several predental students, faculty, and staff responded enthusiastically to the Give Kids a Smile program in February.

28 Margaret Gingrich: Fifth Family Member to Receive DDS from U-M School of Dentistry May was not the first time members of the Gingrich family have attended a U-M School of Dentistry graduation ceremony. It was the fifth. Before Margaret Gingrich received her dental degree in May, four other members of her family preceded her.

19

11

26


DEPARTMENTS

Spring & Summer 2004

48 Preparing for the Worst, Hoping for the Best Whether it’s a SARS outbreak, an influenza pandemic, or bioterrorism, Dr. Dennis Lopatin is working with officials throughout Michigan to ensure that the skills and expertise dental professionals have acquired can help public authorities and the public at large in a widespread emergency.

50 Ignelzi Recommendation to ADA Draws Comment Dr. Michael Ignelzi’s recommendation to the American Dental Association that parents take their children to see a dentist when they’re 1 year old has drawn comment, including one letter from an anguished parent.

52 Faculty Profile: Dr. George Taylor Tenacious. An achiever. Focused. These are a few words that can be used to describe Dr. George Taylor. But after talking to him and getting to know him, other words come to mind: realist, adaptable, grateful.

65 2nd Annual Coating Ceremony

69 Then and Now...Serving Near and Far Dr. Dick Nieusma (DDS 1956), Dr. Barbara Emerick (DDS 1980), and third- year dental student Paul Orley vividly demonstrate one person can make a difference in the lives of many and, in the process, gain profesional and personal satisfaction.

57 Faculty News

60 Dental Hygiene 60 – DH Class of ’04 Completes First-Ever Senior Class Pledge Drive 61 – Leading on the Ice – Julie Pitel 62 – Expanding a Great Tradition – Community Service 63 – Fall Homecoming, McGowan Award, Sutton receives Scholarships

81 Department Report: Oral Medicine, Pathology, and Oncology

85 Research News

88 Alumni News

91 In Memoriam: Robert Lorey, Richard Reed, Lireka Joseph, Richard Elias, Kenneth McClatchey, Leon Herschfus, Marvin “Bud” Kanouse, Robert Ellison

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I

New Fundraising Campaign,

Special Committee

The Michigan

t was an extraordinary meeting. Led by the chair of the School of Dentistry’s Campaign Planning Committee, Dr. William Costello, more than a dozen officials from the University and the School of Dentistry met at the School last fall to discuss the University’s new fundraising campaign and the role the School would play in that effort. As this issue of DentalUM was being printed, both the University’s and the School’s campaigns were officially launched. The committee discussed a fundraising goal ranging from $25 million to $45 million. [More detailed information about both campaigns was recently mailed.] Among those present from the University who provided some insights into the new campaign during the day-long meeting were Jerry May, vice president for

development, and Jo Rahaim, director of gift planning. School of Dentistry faculty, including Dean Peter Polverini, staff, and alumni, discussed a number of initiatives the School is launching as a part of the campaign and the funds that will be needed in three major areas — student scholarships, faculty recruiting and retention, and new facilities and renovations. “The fall meeting was the culmination of some very intense work that was done during the preceding months by Diana Neering, our director of development, and Marty Bailey, our assistant director of major gifts,” said Rich Fetchiet, director of external relations. “We also involved our alumni to a greater degree than ever,” he added. “Their insights, experiences, and questions were all crucial in helping us set the stage for the new campaign.”

Per Kjeldsen


School’s Efforts Lauded In addition to reviewing the University’s previous campaign and how the new campaign might shape up, May praised the School of Dentistry’s efforts. “One element that will be very important in this new campaign is having great academic and fundraising leadership,” he said. “Rich, Diana, and Marty are a strong professional team. And you’re also very fortunate to have great academic leadership with Peter Polverini as your new dean.” May praised the work already underway. Noting the key role the dental school played in the University’s previous campaign (1990-1997), May said it would do so again. “This School is one we like to cite as

a model throughout the University to show others how effective leadership and programs can help,” he said. Although May did not announce the University’s fundraising goal during his meeting with the School’s campaign committee, he did say “we want to far exceed what we did during the last campaign.” During the last campaign, the University raised more than $1.4 billion. The public phase of the new campaign will be conducted over the next four-and-a-half years, from May 2004 through December 2008.

Volunteers Needed The success of the new fundraising initiative, May said, will, in part, be based on “finding as many volunteers as possible.” Citing former President Gerald Ford (Class of 1935) as an example, May said most times volunteers become even more effective after giving.

BeginsDifference,

Completes Campaign Planning

Campaign committee members Karl Schettenhelm of the Mette Foundation (left), Dr. Gary Dwight (center), and Dr. Jay Werschky (right) were among those listening to the remarks of Jerry May, U-M vice-president for development.

U-M Vice President for Development, Jerry May, said the School of Dentistry has great academic and fundraising leadership to help make the new fundraising campaign a success.

Per Kjeldsen

Per Kjeldsen


“After he gifted $200,000 to the University, President Ford has been busy calling many other people to get involved. What a difference he’s made. Because he made his gift, he’s an even more effective volunteer,” May said.

Goal Setting Citing estimates of $20- to $30-trillion in wealth being passed from one generation to another during the next 50 years, Rahaim urged volunteers to ask an important question when meeting with colleagues to solicit gifts: Have you considered putting the University of Michigan in your estate plan? “Increasing numbers of our alumni are including Michigan in their estate plans,” she said, “and the School of Dentistry has done quite well in planting that seed among its graduates to do likewise.” Rahaim told the campaign planning committee that bequests can be “a very significant source” of gifts to the University. “On average, 25 percent of the gifts we now receive are bequests,” she said. Although no campaign goal was set during the fall meeting, Richard Fetchiet, director of external relations did tell the group that the School of Dentistry is interested in setting “an aggressive, yet realistic and appropriate fundraising goal.” During the previous campaign, the School set a goal of raising $10 million. With a generous gift from Dr. Roy Roberts and his wife, Natalie, the actual amount of gifts and pledges approached $30 million.

U-M Director of Gift Planning Jo Rahaim

advises members of the School of

Dentistry’s campaign planning committee

to ask potential donors: Have you

considered putting the University of Michigan in your

estate plan?

Rich Fetchiet, director of external

relations, explains several campaign

fundraising goal options

to committee members.

Campaign committee

memberDr. Darnell

Kaigler, Sr. and Diana Neering,

director of development,

enjoy a lighter moment during

the day-long meeting.

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School’s Goal:$35 Million for Top Priorities

Faculty Support A major way of attracting and retaining top-quality faculty members to the School of Dentistry is through endowed professorships. Neering presented the campaign committee with information describing the minimum amounts needed to establish endowed faculty positions, including department chair positions. These professorships and the minimum amounts needed to endow the positions include: •Deanship($5million) •ProfessorshiporChair($2million) •VisitingProfessorship($1.5million) •ResearchProfessorship($1million) •FacultyDevelopmentProfessorship($1million) •CollegiateProfessorship($500,000) With some reports estimating approximately 400 open faculty positions in dental schools across the country, educators can, in many cases, be highly selective about where they want to continue teaching. “Were it not for the endowed faculty positions, it would be impossible to keep some of our key faculty members here,” Fetchiet said.

“These are the major priorities and what will be needed to get the job done.” So said Richard Fetchiet, director of external relations, during a day-long meeting last fall to discuss the School of Dentistry’s priorities and fundraising goals for the campaign that officially began in mid-May. He said the priorities and the dollars needed to meet those priorities were developed following months of intensive discussion and planning with administrators and faculty members in all departments throughout the School as well as alumni. “These plans are aggressive, but we believe they’re realistic and appropriate,” he said. Fetchiet said Diana Neering, the School’s director of development, and Marty Bailey, assistant director of major gifts, have spent hundreds of hours meeting with alumni and faculty to learn more about the School’s pressing needs and to organize the campaign’s priorities. Three major priorities emerged from those discussions. They are: •Facultysupport. •Studentscholarships. •Newandrenovatedfacilities.

• Faculty Support• Student Scholarships• New and Renovated Facilities


Dr. William Costello, chair of the campaign planning committee and Dr. Sondra Gunn, listen to remarks about how financial aid packages to dental students have changed during the past two decades.

Student Scholarships Most recent U-M School of Dentistry graduates have significant levels of debt. Members of the campaign committee were advised that members of the Class of 2003 had debt levels that averaged more than $97,000. With costs rising for tuition, instruments, books, and supplies, today’s dental students have several major obstacles their predecessors did not have. One is that the curriculum is now a full-year program. By comparison, dental students in the past worked three months during the summer so they could meet some of their expenses. In addition, financial aid packages today are typically 70 percent loans and 30 percent grants, the opposite of a generation ago. With in-state costs (tuition, instruments, lab and other fees) for first-year dental students now around $22,750…and the costs for out-of-state students now approximately $36,900…a sustained effort is needed to help dental students meet their expenses. Dr. Marilyn Lantz, associate dean for academic affairs, said “the rising cost of dental education is taking a toll and we’re losing good people to other schools because of costs.” Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for student services, agreed. “The biggest thing I’m hearing is that students are deciding whether to attend based on pocketbook issues. So it’s come down to an issue of affordability,” she said. She said between $15,000 and $20,000 in annual scholarship support could help convince a student to attend the U-M School of Dentistry.

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New and Renovated Facilities Facilities in the School of Dentistry building are more than 30 years old and need major renovations to keep pace with changes in education and technology. Although renovations to the west wing of the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinic Laboratory have been completed, funds to begin renovations to the east wing are also needed. Marty Bailey said between $3.5 million and $4 million will be needed to renovate that facility alone. Dean Peter Polverini also said funds will be needed for the clinical research initiative designed to accelerate the transfer of research from School laboratories to the chairside. “This is a role we have to take if we are to remain competitive and one that we will take,” he said. “It will enable us to directly apply to patients in clinics what is being learned and discovered in laboratories.” Scenarios Presented As the meeting concluded, Fetchiet presented several possible fundraising goals for the new campaign. Although a final goal was not set at the fall meeting, each option the committee reviewed would surpass the amount raised during the 1990-1997 campaign. Funds would be raised from individuals, corporations, foundations, and also include trusts and bequests.

Campaign

committee

member Bruce

Foote reviews

a document

outlining some

of the School’s

needs.

Per Kjeldsen


It’s making a difference in the lives of dental students who are residents of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. That’s the feeling of U-M School of Dentistry dental students who are the recipients of the Upper Peninsula Dental Student Endowed Scholarships. Established in 1995, the scholarships were created to encourage U.P. students interested in dentistry to pursue their studies and then return to communities there to practice. Thirteen individuals have received scholarships. Many have later returned to the U.P. to practice dentistry.

Criteria To be considered for the scholarship, candidates must meet several qualifications. They must: be dental or dental hygiene students at U-M, maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average, be graduates of a high school in the Upper Peninsula or be a current U.P. resident, and must have applied and become eligible to receive financial aid. Each student receives $1,000 annually for four years as long as they remain in good academic standing. The scholarship is awarded by the U-M School of Dentistry’s Office of Academic Affairs. On the next page are comments of six students who were recipients of the scholarship during the 2003-2004 academic year.

Dental Scholarships Helping U.P. Students

• StevenOuwinga(1998),Escanaba

• JasonCook(2002),AnnArbor

• TheodoreFornetii(2000),Norway,Wisconsin

• BradleyHenson(2000),Marquette

• BenjaminLarrabee(2001),Chicago

• KristopherPfotenhauer(2002),Escanaba

• AnthonySarazin(2003),Escanaba

Previous Recipients & Current Hometowns

By now, all DentalUM readers should have received a copy of the School of Dentistry’s new case statement. It explains in detail the School’s fundraising plans for the new campaign known as The Michigan Difference and the many ways you can make a difference. It also contains an accounting of how funds were used during the pre-vious fundraising campaign. If you haven’t received a copy, or would like extra copies to pass along to other interested individuals, please contact Dawn Ford at (734) 763-3315, or e-mail your request to her: [email protected].


Angela AbernathyA second-year dental student, Abernathy, said she chose dentistry as a career because “I love helping and working with people of all ages, enjoy working with my hands, and enjoy the challenges dentistry presents.” The scholarship, she said, has enabled her to buy textbooks for her courses. After graduating from U-M, the Marquette native said she would like “to work for a dentist for a couple of years and then have my own dental practice.” Undecided about where she would like to practice, Abernathy said she “would possibly like to move back to the U.P. because I love the outdoor activities there.”

Gwen BuckFirst-year dental student Gwen Buck said she chose dentistry as a career “because I’ve always wanted to be a scientist, a doctor, and a person who puts smiles on people’s faces.” A 2003 graduate of Northern Michigan University, Buck said that after earning her dental degree she plans to practice general dentistry. “I’d like to be involved in educating children about oral hygiene and occasionally traveling to third world countries providing dental care to those who cannot afford it.”

Jacqueline Coleman“Dental school has been a very good experience and I would like to thank those who have contributed to this scholarship. It’s made a difference in our lives, and we really appreciate it,” said Jacqueline Coleman, a third-year dental student from Negaunee. She said she chose dentistry because it’s challenging and rewarding. “I love working in a team setting and contributing to make a difference in someone’s life,” she said. “I also enjoy working with my hands and felt that dentistry was a good fit for me.” A U.P. resident nearly her entire life, Coleman said she enjoys fishing with her father, hiking, and winter sports.

Angela SantiniA third-year dental student, Santini decided to pursue a career in dentistry while living in Iron Mountain and working at her father’s dental practice. “I found the work interesting and the interaction with different members of the community to be rewarding,” she said. “I want to thank everyone who contributed to this scholarship,” she said. “It’s definitely appreciated and its availability reinforces the camaraderie of professionals in our area.” Santini said that after three years of dental education, “I’m happy to say that my initial instincts were correct. The work is fascinating and interacting with my patients keeps me smiling,” she added. When she graduates next May, Santini said she plans to practice in the Upper Peninsula.

K ristina Santini“I became interested in dentistry after assisting my father, who has been practicing as a general dentist for thirty years,” said first-year dental student Kristina Santini. “He was a great teacher and allowed me to see how fascinating dentistry truly is. Watching him made me decide that this would be a great career for me.” Like her sister, Angela, Kristina graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. “I could not have chosen a better school than the U-M School of Dentistry,” she said. “All of my classmates and professors are extremely helpful and friendly. The work is intense, but I have found time to fit in the activities I enjoy.” They include exercising, playing the piano, reading, and watching movies with friends.

K rista Ison“Even in high school, I knew I wanted to go to dental school,” said Krista Ison, who will earn her dental degree in May. Afterwards, she hopes to work for the National Health Service Corps for several years. Born in northern Wisconsin, Ison moved to Escanaba while she was in grade school. “My future husband is also from Escanaba, so it is important to both of us to return to the U.P.,” she said. With plans to start and raise a family in the Escanaba area, Ison said she’s “looking forward to providing dental services, either in private practice or public health, to Upper Peninsula community residents for many years.”


With renovations to the west wing of the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory completed , facul ty m e m b e r s re c e n t l y began using the new e q u i p m e n t w h i l e students were eager to begin their work in the state-of-the-art facility. There are 110 workstations in the west preclinic, basically, one for each student. Each workstation measures 49 inches in height, from the ground to an elevated platform that holds both a flat-screen monitor and a light. The monitor allows students to watch clinical instructors demonstrate various dental procedures using the Internet, the World Wide Web,DVDs,35mmslides,andothermedia. “With the technology that’s here, this room will be used a lot, and not just by first- and second-year dental students,” said Dr. Merle Jaarda. “This room has more audio/visual capabilities than any other room in the School.” The desktop for each unit, measuring 48 inches by 30 inches, gives the students the elbow room

Up and Running!The Dr. Roberts Preclinical Laboratory

they need to practice their technical skills. Beneath each desktop, in a cabinet on the lower left hand side of each workstation is a mannequin head attached to a platform that can be pulled out. The mannequin head pivots right and left to simulate a patient’s

position for any type of dental procedure. This equipment helps dental students learn correct ergonomic positioning to maximize their dexterity skills. When they’re finished, students can stow their instruments, close a hinged door, and lock their units. The units are connected to a central suction supply and have a water spray to provide for preparation of ivorine teeth using water. Lab benches have a self-contained dry suction system to collect dust and filter out noxious odors, such as acrylic monomer. Along the wall in the back of the room are 220 small lockers students can use for storage.

A new era in preclinical dental education is underway at theUniversity of Michigan School of Dentistry.

DEVELOPMENT

Per Kjeldsen


Work in Progress: the Dr. Roy Rober ts

A dental student at work in the old preclinic.

This is how the west preclinic looked in early July 2003 after all tables, benches, and equipment were removed.

As last summer ended, overhead lights and acoustical ceiling tiles were being installed.

Many workstations had been partially installed by early November.

By December, television monitors and lights had been installed .

Per KjeldsenJerry Mastey

Per Kjeldsen

Per Kjeldsen

Per Kjeldsen


A January 2004 bird’s eye view of the new preclinic.

“NFL commentator John Madden better watch out. One of us may want to compete for his job,” Dr. Merle Jaarda joked as he drew sketches on a telestrator in the new west wing of the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinic. The telestrator (television-based illustrator) is one of many new technical tools that Jaarda and other preclinical instructors can now use. An elevated platform gives an instructor a bird’s eye view of the 110 workstations in the 3,300 square foot facility. On the platform is a desktop that allows instructors to use computers (desktop or laptop), the Internet or World Wide Web, DVDs, 35 mm slides, videotapes, an intraoral camera, and a device resembling a flatbed scanner to demonstrate various dental procedures to first- and second-year dental students. “Each student now has a front row seat to observe these procedures on their own television monitor,” Jaarda said.

Live Demonstrations = Instant Credibility An instructor can use the desktop as a demonstration area for dental models, typodonts, and other items. Nearby, a flat-screen monitor can be used as a chalk board or telestrator to emphasize a particular point. Also nearby are small television cameras that zoom in and out and rotate 360 degrees. The cameras can televise live demonstrations of instructors using mannequin heads to illustrate procedures, such as preparing teeth for restorations, or crown preparation. While one instructor performs the live demonstration, another can use the telestrator to emphasize major points. “As an instructor, this will open up a whole new era for teaching hands-on procedures,” Jaarda said. “Live demonstrations give instant credibility. But even if problems occur, students realize that even for skilled clinicians, nothing is always perfect.” Jaarda said “as we work through these problems, students see we’re real people and, in the process, are better able to relate to us.”

Preclinical Laboratory

Dr. David Traynor (seated) and Dr. Merle Jaarda showcase some of the features of the School’s new state-of-the-art workstations. On the monitor is an example of image an instructor can send to each dental student.

An Instructor’s PerspectivePer Kjeldsen

Keary Campbell


Dr. William Kotowicz, the new Roy Roberts Professor of Dentistry and the former dean of the School of Dentistry, and Diana Neering, director of development, visited Dr. Roberts at his Florida home in late January to show him pictures of renovations to one of the preclinics bearing his name. “He was real pleased to see the progress that was being made and seeing how different things would be,” Kotowicz said. “As he looked at the pictures, Roy talked about some of his experiences as a dental student at Michigan.” K o t o w i c z said he explained some of the major differences in the approach to preclinic education that would be taking place. “Roy thought that the ability to use high-speed handpiece with water and mirrors, while learning cavity and abutment preparation procedures, would be a distinct educational advantage.” “He was especially pleased to know,” Kotowicz continued, “that students would no longer have to crowd around one another and strain to see an instructor demonstrate a particular procedure as they did when he was a student at Michigan.”[Dr. Roberts earned his DDS in 1932.] Neering said “Dr. Roberts was excited to know that his gift to the School of Dentistry would be making a major difference in the lives of so many students for years to come.”

Dr. Roy Roberts Thrilled to SeePictures of Renovations

Dr. Roy Roberts and his wife, Natalie.

Roy Roberts(1907-2004)

Editor’s note: A s t h i s i s s u e o f DentalUM was going to press, we received word that Dr. Roy Roberts passed away June 14 . He was 97. More detailed information about Dr. Roberts will be published in the fall issue of DentalUM.


For the second time in as many years, U-M School of Dentistry Homecoming Weekend activities will be a three-day event. However, unlike previous years when the School’s events occurred in early September, this year’s activities will take place the second weekend of October – the same weekend as the University’s Homecoming. “This is a break in recent tradition for us,” said Richard Fetchiet, director of external relations and continuing dental education. “For the past few years, the School’s Homecoming Weekend activities were held separately from the University’s. Based on feedback from our alumni, we thought having our activities coincide with the University’s this year would give them an opportunity to visit former classmates from other schools and colleges.” Fetchiet also said that in recent years many School of Dentistry alums have expressed a desire to see the Michigan football team play a Big Ten opponent. Homecoming Weekend festivities begin on Thursday, October 7, with an emeritus pinning ceremony and luncheon followed by the Hall of Honor induction ceremony. On Friday, October 8, the Morawa Lecture and class reunions will be held. Saturday, October 9, there will be a tailgate party and the football game. Dental school alums will gather at Elbel Field for the tailgate.

Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony The School will hold its second ceremony inducting new members into its Hall of Honor. At last year’s inaugural ceremony, 18 men and women were inducted. This year, eight will be.

Homecoming WeekendOctober 7, 8, 9

This year’s ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m., several hours earlier than last year’s. “Since fewer individuals are being inducted this year compared to last year, we thought we could better serve our alumni by scheduling all of Thursday’s events relatively close together,” Fetchiet said. “Once the ceremony ends, our alumni will still have plenty of time to visit and enjoy other parts of the campus if they want to.”

Morawa Lecture The speaker at the third annual Morawa Lecture will be Dr. Terry Donovan, an associate professor and executive associate dean at the University of Southern C a l i f o r n i a S c h o o l o f Dentistry. Donovan, who spoke at the Delta Dental-School of Dentistry Symposium in January 1999, has published extensively and has lectured worldwide on restorative dentistry and materials science. He is a past chair of the ADA’s Council on Dental Materials, Instruments, and Equipment. His presentation, Update on Esthetic Restorative Dentistry, will analyze successful and unsuccessful cases to define what procedures are essential for success in restorative dentistry. The Morawa Lecture is an opportunity for dentists and dental hygienists to receive six hours of continuing dental education credit.

Dr. Terry Donovan


CORRECTIONThe photo caption on p. 14, column 1, of the Fall 2003 issue of DentalUM was incorrect. It should have read: Samuel C. Damren (center) and Jane Dziewiatkowski Damren (right), listen to Dr. Gerald Charbeneau read from the plaque that cites some of the achievements of Mrs. Damren’s father, Dr. Dominic Dziewiatkowski. Also on stage in the picture is the Damren’s daughter, Samantha, Dr. Dziewiatkowski’s oldest grandchild.

Thursday, October 7• EmeritusPinningCeremony–11:30a.m.,G390.• EmeritusClassPicture–12:30p.m.• Emeritus/HallofHonorInductionLuncheon 1:00p.m.–SindecuseAtrium• HallofHonorInductionCeremony 2:30p.m.–G390.

Friday, October 8• MorawaLecture.Speaker:Dr.Terry Donovan, associate professor and executive associate dean, University of Southern California School of Dentistry. - Location–YpsilantiMarriottatEagleCrest 1275S.HuronStreet,Ypsilanti,Michigan. - Registration–8:00a.m. - Course–9:00a.m.to4:30p.m.• ClassReunions:1954,1959,1964,1969, 1974,1979,1984,1989,1994.• DentalHygieneAll-ClassReunion: Classesendingin4and9. Class reunions at Kensington Court (formerly Crowne Plaza), 610 Hilton Blvd., Ann Arbor.

Saturday, October 9• TailgateParty–3hoursbeforekick-off. Elbel Field.• FootballGame–UniversityofMichiganvs. University of Minnesota. Kick-off time to be announced.

At-a-Glance: Homecoming Activities

Per Kjeldsen

Keary Campbell


“There is artistry in all professions. It’s not limited to cooking or making jewelry or painting or glass making. We, as dentists, are artists too. And this is our artistry,” said Dr. Ronald Goldstein as he displayed pictures on a screen of patients following esthetic dental procedures during the Kenneth J. Ryan Memorial Seminar. The annual program, presented by the Delta Dental Fund in conjunction with the U-M School of Dentistry, attracted nearly 1,300 dentists from all across Michigan to the Power Center on the U-M campus in January. Goldstein, a co-founder and past president of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, said that while dentists spend most of their time studying

the science of dentistry, they should also try to perfect the artistic side of the profession because,

“in the end, it’s not what we think, it’s what our patients think about

what makes them look good that matters.” While advances in technology play an important role in esthetic dentistry, he said dentists need to focus on how they can use new technology to help their patients. Talking about his experiences on the U-M campus in 1953, Goldstein said “what Michigan did for me was amazing. It opened my mind about the world – meeting new people, learning new concepts, and it hasn’t stopped.” Goldstein praised “the high caliber of dentistry that is typical of this School and practiced in this area.” The annual seminar, now in its 23rd year, is perhaps the largest single-day continuing dental education program in the U.S. It helps dentists fulfill their CDE requirements by offering six hours of continuing education credit.

Dr. Ronald Goldstein Tells Dentists “You Are Artists” at Annual Delta Dental Program

Dr. Ronald Goldstein, a co-founder and past president of the American

Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, urged dentists to try to perfect the artistic

side of the profession for the benefit of their patients.

Per Kjeldsen


BALLOTSchool of Dentistry’s Alumni Society Board of Governors

BALLOTDr.SamuelT.Bander (U-M School of Dentistry, DDS1981) isamemberof theMDA,ADA,WestMichigan District Dental Society, Vedder Crown and Bridge Society, and the Bunting Periodontics Study Club. He is president of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church and past president of the Grand Rapids Jaycees. Dr. Bander resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife and two children.

Dr.SusanH.Carron* (U-M School of Dentistry, DDS1977,MS1979)isaformerclinicalprofessorwho maintains a private practice in Novi, Michigan. A Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, she is a past president of the Michigan Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, western component of the Detroit District Dental Society and the Detroit Alumni Chapter of the Alpha Omega fraternity. Dr. Carron recently served on the board of the Delta Dental Plan of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana and as 1988 MDAannual session chairperson. She is currently on the board of the MDA Foundation and the PRAC Committee for Delta. She is a member of the Alumni Society Board of Governors, and resides in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Dr.RichardPascoe (U-M School of Dentistry, DDS 1970) practices periodontics in Cadillac,Michigan. He completed a twelve month rotating dental internship at the VA Hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas, and after being a staff dentist for a year, finished a two-year residency in periodontics at that hospital in conjunction with the University of Missouri/Kansas CitySchool of Dentistry. After completing his formal training in 1974, he received a certificate inperiodontics from the Leavenworth VA Hospital and a master ’s degree from the University of Missouri. Dr. Pascoe is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, the MDA, the Michigan Periodontal Association, and the Bunting Periodontal Study Cub.

It’s time to vote for new candidates to serve on the School of Dentistry’s Alumni Society Board of Governors. Using the ballot below, please choose four dentists and one dental hygienist to serve a three-year term. Ballots must be postmarked by August 1, 2004.

Ms.SusanPritzel(U-M School of Dentistry, DH 1967;MA)teachesfulltimeattheSchoolandalsopractices one day a week. A member of the State Board of Dentistry, she is also past president of the Michigan Dental Hygienists’ Alumnae Association and board member who served four three-year terms. She was DHAA president (1980-1982) and committee chair; member ofthe Board of Trustees and committee chair of the Michigan Dental Hygienists’ Association;andpastdelegate(1976)oftheAmericanDentalHygienists’ Association.

Dr.WilliamA.Shortt(U-M School of Dentistry, DDS1987)wasaninstructorattheU-MSchoolof Dentistry, has served on the MDA Peer Review Committee, and was a member of Flight 255 forensic team. He currently works for the U-M Sports Information Department. A member of the ADA, Dr. Shortt and his wife, Therese, run a private practice in South Lyon. He is a general partner of Moose Ridge Golf Course in South Lyon, Michigan.

Dr.Terry A.Timm* (U-Tennessee School of Dentistry,DDS1968)earnedabachelor’sdegreefrom the University of Michigan in 1964 and amaster’s degree in orthodontics from the U-M SchoolofDentistryin1971.Aftergraduationheimmediately began teaching in the Department of Orthodontics. In May 1988 he accepted aposition to teach graduate orthodontics students. A current member of the Alumni Society Board of Governors, Dr. Timm retired from teaching two years ago to devote more time to his family. He resides in Saline, Michigan.

Dr. Josephine C.Weeden (U-M School of Dentistry,DDS1996,MS1999),practicesinAnnArbor and Adrian, Michigan. She is a member of the ADA, Washtenaw and Jackson District Dental Societies, American Association of Orthodontics, Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists and the Michigan Association of Orthodontics. Dr. Weeden lives in Saline, Michigan with her husband, Andrew, and their three children.

Ms.AnneDiederichGwozdek* (U-M School of Dentistry, DH 1973) and a 1992 graduatefrom Madonna University, has remained active in clinical practice since graduating from U-M. As past president of the U-M Dental Hygienists’ Alumnae Association, she has worked with dental hygiene program directors, students, and members of the dental and dental hygiene professions. She resides in Dexter, Michigan.

Vote for four dentists:

Samuel T. Bander

Susan H. Carron*

Richard Pascoe

William A. Shortt

Terry A. Timm*

Josephine C. Weeden

Vote for one hygienist:

Anne Diederich Gwozdek*

Susan Pritzel

* Incumbent

Envelope with ballot must bepostmarked by August 1, 2004.

Pleasemailyourballotto:University of MichiganSchool of DentistryOffice of Alumni Relations1011 N. UniversityAnnArbor,Michigan48109-1078


I

Alumnus ProfileAlumnus Profile

n high school, he thought about becoming an architect or an engineer. But after watching the way his family dentist treated his brother, young William Costello decided he would pursue a career in dentistry. “In retrospect, I’m glad I did because it’s been such an incredibly rewarding career,” he said. “I received a first-class education at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry which helped me to succeed as a practitioner and as a businessman.” The son of a salesman and housewife, Costello said what initially intrigued him about dentistry was “the instant gratification of seeing a patient smile or hearing a heartfelt ‘thank you’ after a problem was corrected. You don’t get that kind of immediate feedback in many other professions.”

“A Turning Point in My Life” Costello was one of the last members of the Class of 1970 to gain admission to the School of Dentistry.

“I couldn’t get to Ann Arbor fast enough when I was asked to come in for an interview in 1966,” he said. “I remember talking to Bob Doerr and getting my letter of admission a few weeks later.” Ironically, while Costello was vacationing in Florida two summers ago, he and Doerr crossed paths at a restaurant in Marathon. “After introducing myself, he remembered me and we had a wonderful conversation,” Costello said. “I thanked him for recommending me for admission because, in retrospect, it was a turning point in my life.” One of Costello’s most enduring memories of his days at the School of Dentistry was the first day of class that fall. “All of us were at the Health Building on Fletcher Street waiting to get a health screening,” he said. “What especially impressed me was the caliber of the people who were in my class.” They included Mike Roher, David Johnsen, and Lee Webster. Roher is the head of the division of oral and

DDS 1970Chairman & CEO, Accu Bite Dental Supply

From private practitioner to

creating a company that is a

leading provider of supplies,

equipment, and services to

the dental industry.

Dr. WilliamCostello

Jerry Mastey

Dr. William Costello, chairman and CEO of Accu Bite Dental Supply, is seen at the company’s distribution center in Williamston, Michigan. The firm sells more than 40,000 dental products and supplies to solo dental practitioners and large group dental practices throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada and Europe.



maxillofacial pathology at the University of Minnesota. Johnsen is the dean of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. Webster practices dentistry in the Los Angeles area. Unlike dental students today, Costello worked part-time, as a laboratory medical technician at the U-M Hospital, to help pay for his education. Rohr and Webster worked with him. Costello said among the classes he especially enjoyed included gross anatomy and histology. Several instructors made indelible impressions on him.

Memorable Instructors “I remember Dr. Edward Pliske, a professor of anatomy at the Medical School. He could stand in front of a blackboard and draw intricate pictures of what tissue looked like under a microscope. Sometimes he even used both hands simultaneously to draw diagrams to make a point.” Dr. Ralph Moyer was another. “He was tough. He had high expectations and the School had high expectations. If you didn’t meet them, you were going to have a rough time,” Costello recalled. Recalling the expectations of another faculty member, Dr. James Hayward, Costello said that when the time came to take the oral surgery section of his board exams, “that section was a piece of cake because he prepared us so well.” Costello was studying dentistry at the time the old dental school building was being razed to make room for the present facility. “During the construction, I remember Dr. Louis Schultz would adjust both the timing and the volume of

his lecture remarks so they wouldn’t be drowned out by the noise coming from the pile drivers,” he said with a smile. Other instructors Costello fondly remembered and singled out for praise included Drs. Donald Kerr, Major Ash, Sigurd Ramfjord, and Floyd Ostrander. “It was a thrill to see Don, Sig, and Floyd become members of the first class to be inducted into the School’s Hall of Honor last fall,” he said. Costello participated in the inaugural induction ceremony as chair of the School’s Alumni Society Board of Governors. After receiving his dental degree in 1970 Costello and classmate Dr. Edward Jordan opened a practice in Lansing. But it took them several weeks to find office space. In desperation, Costello one day approached a realtor and told him he needed an office. When the realtor said nothing was available, Costello said, “I want your space. After some negotiations, we got it.” That office was small – about 900 square feet – too small for two dentists to practice simultaneously. So they worked split shifts. “I worked from seven in the morning until two in the afternoon and Ed worked during the afternoon and early evening,” Costello said.

Their business grew significantly when dental benefits were negotiated into a contract between the United Auto Workers union and the automakers. Treatments that had been postponed increased dramatically. The surge in demand enabled Costello to build an office which he opened in 1976 and leased to several other dentists.

A Product that Changed Dentistry During the mid 1970s, Costello began looking for ways to improve a major product dentists were using – impression trays. The ones used at the time had to be rigid because of the dimensional stability limitations of the rubber-based impression materials.

“Both the University of the Michigan

and the School of Dentistry have

been incredibly nourishing,

enabling me to achieve the success

and the quality of life that I have.”

These flexible dental trays dentists use to take accurate impressions of both arches and bite relations simply and easily were first designed and manufactured by Dr. William Costello.

Per Kjeldsen



“The better mousetrap” was about to be developed. Because impression materials with better physical properties were being developed, Costello, in 1977, designed and manufactured the first flexible dental tray. The unique product allows dentists to take accurate impressions of both arches and bite relations simply and easily. Dentists became more efficient and were able to treat more patients since a patient’s chair time was cut in half. The product’s ability to record accurate impressions led to the creation of the company and its name, Accu Bite, which was incorporated in 1978. Costello would run both his new business and his private practice for the next 12 years. A direct marketing plan he created to sell the product to solo practitioners and large group dental practices was so successful that by 1985, Accu Bite had saturated the marketplace. The following year, the firm received one of the business world’s highest honors when Inc. magazine named Accu Bite an “Inc. 500” company. But running a business and a private practice were taking a toll. “There were days when I felt like I was burning both ends of the candle at the same time,” he said. “I’d be practicing from seven in the morning until two in the afternoon, then get into my car, drive across town, and then run my business until nine or ten in the evening.” In 1989, Costello and his family went to California to take three months off to recharge. When he returned to Michigan, Costello knew that if he wanted his business to continue growing that he would have to focus. In 1990, he sold his practice and devoted full time to his business. Today, Accu Bite trays are used in more than half of all dental crown and bridge procedures worldwide. The company’s product line has significantly expanded. It offers over 40,000 dental products, supplies, and equipment that can be shipped from three distribution centers so products are delivered in one or two days.

Measuring Success After selling his private practice and devoting his time and energies to the company he founded, Costello also served three, one-year terms as president of the Dental Dealers of America in 1997, 1998, and 1999. How successful has Dr. William Costello been as

a businessman? Consider this “mini-profile” of his company: •Revenuesandprofitshaverisenatdouble-digit percentage rates annually for the past 25 years. •Customerslocatedinall50statesaswellas Canada and Europe. •Morethan300employees. •ThreedistributioncentersinWilliamston, Michigan; Reno, Nevada; and Memphis, Tennessee. •Salesofficesin13citiesacrosstheU.S. However, Costello is always looking for ways to improve. His company’s use of technology is just one example. About 15 percent of Accu Bite’s business is conducted on the Internet.

Dr. William Costello, chair of the School of Dentistry’s fundraising campaign, enjoys a lighter moment with committee members and officials with the University’s Office of Development during a campaign planning committee meeting held last fall.

What initially intrigued Dr. William Costello about dentistry was “ the instant gratification of

seeing a patient smile or hearing a heartfelt ‘thank you’ after a problem was corrected. You

don’t get that kind of immediate feedback in many other

professions.”

Per Kjeldsen



The Williamston warehouse is a paperless operation. Stockers wear radio frequency computer terminals on their wrists that enable them to send and receive information on more than 40,000 items in stock. Last May, his company created an independent Board of Directors to provide strategic focus to position the company for future growth. There’s plenty of room for that. Adjacent to corporate headquarters, less than two miles north of I-96, are 11 acres of land the company has that can be used for further expansion.

Giving Back “I didn’t achieve all this by myself,” Costello said. “Others played a major role and that’s why I feel an overwhelming need to give something back to my alma mater.” He said that Latin phrase, meaning “fostering mother,” is apt. “Both the University of the Michigan and the School of Dentistry have been incredibly nourishing, enabling me to achieve the success and the quality of life that I have,” he said. “Not a day goes by when I don’t think about what I’ve been able to achieve because of the outstanding education I received at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry,” he said. “That’s one reason I became involved as the campaign chairman of the School’s new fundraising campaign. I want to give something back – to the profession, to the University, and to the School. Being in this position is an incredible blessing…one I’ve always been thankful for.” No, Dr. William Costello never became an architect or an engineer. But the record clearly shows that he is both. He built both a private practice and a company. He also engineered countless successes as a dental practitioner and businessman who has admirably served the needs of dentists and their patients during the past 34 years.

Although there are “ver y different

demands” in running a private practice and

running a business such as Accu Bite, there

are similarities, according to Dr. William

Costello.

He urges dental students to learn as

much as they can, not just about dentistry,

but also about business, marketing, and other

subjects that will help them to succeed.

“When you’re running a practice, you’re

the CEO, the human resources director, the

accountant, the purchasing director, and

person in charge of marketing, so dental

students should try to learn as much as they

can about these and other areas because it

will help,” he said.

Noting that business courses were not

available to dental students when he was a

student, Costello said, “that’s different today.

Students need to learn not just about the

science of dentistry, but about the business

side of the profession as well.”

Dr. William Costello, chairman and CEO of Accu Bite Dental Supply, in his Williamston, Michigan office.

Advice to Young Dentists

Jerry Mastey

Jerry Mastey



School News

Since becoming Dean of the School of Dentistry a year ago, Dr. Peter Polverini has been using two novel methods to communicate with individuals both inside and outside the School. One is a quarterly electronic newsletter, Thought You’d Be Interested… The other is what’s known as the “town hall” meeting. “These two new approaches are not meant to replace any of the traditional ways of communicating, such as committee meetings or face-to-face conversations. If anything, they complement one another,” Polverini said.

E-newsletters The electronic newsletter, Thought You’d Be Interested…, is e-mailed to all School of Dentistry faculty, staff, and students in March, June, September, and December. It is also sent to alumni whose e-mail addresses are on file with the Office of Alumni Relations. Items of interest in the newsletter range from faculty appointments and promotions to announcements about upcoming programs and events. “The title of the newsletter conveys an informal approach to communications,” he said. “It’s short, easy-to-read and basically says ‘these are some of the things taking place

here that I thought you might be interested in knowing about.’ ” Polverini said he used e-newsletters when he was dean in Minnesota and found them “a useful way of communicating, on a regular basis, with everyone throughout the school about important issues we were facing. I thought it would be useful here, and it has been,” he added. Many faculty members, staff, and students, he said, have responded with comments and suggestions on a range of issues and concerns.

Reaching Out to Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni

Dean Using E-Newsletters, Town Hall Meetings

On the List?If you, as an alumnus, have an e-mail

address and are not on the list and

would like to receive future issues of the

Dean’s electronic newsletter, Thought

You’d Be Interested…, please let us

know. Send an e-mail to polverini.

[email protected] asking that

your name be added to the list.


Town Hall Meetings The other communications vehicle Polverini is using is what’s called the “town hall” meeting. He may be the only dean of a school or college on the U-M campus that uses this communications approach.

The town hall meetings are public forums that give faculty, staff, and students an opportunity to hear, first-hand, from Polverini about some of the important issues and challenges facing the School. Held in an auditorium or lecture room, Polverini opens the session with remarks about one or more subjects and then takes questions on just about any topic of concern. “Some of the questions are direct and that’s to be expected,” he said. “Those questions are appreciated because they keep me on my toes. They also give me an opportunity to hear, first-hand, what others who I may not come into contact with on a daily basis are thinking. And it also shows the town hall meeting is not a one-way street.” The town hall meetings are typically held every six months.

School News

Dean Peter Polverini has fielded questions on a range of topics during his town hall meetings. At two meetings last year, he began with a short introduction and then answered questions from faculty and staff. During the fall meeting, for example, more than two dozen questions were posed on subjects ranging from how state budget reductions might affect the School to what individuals might assume leadership roles in various departments. The format of the program changed slightly for the spring town hall meeting held in April. Polverini began the spring program talking in detail about two topics and then answering questions from the audience about the two topics. Later, he answered questions on other issues. On e o f t h e t wo t o p i c s w a s t h e c a m p u s -wide initiative, “Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Science and Engineering Careers.” The University ’s ADVANCE program proposes launching three major initiatives to improve the opportunities of tenure track women faculty in basic science and engineering. Polverini said the 32 recommendations that were included in the study would be presented to faculty members at the School of Dentistry and other schools and colleges on the U-M campus. The second topic focused on the state budget and how funding reductions might affect the School. Emphasizing that no final decisions had been made as of early April by either the legislature or the University, Polverini said the School was preparing for reductions that could range from 2 to 5 percent. However, he emphasized that when a final decision is made, “everyone will share the burden…everyone will be consulted.”

Questions on Various Topics at Town Hall Meetings

The “town hall” meeting is a new way Dean Peter Polverini communicates with students, faculty, and staff. In this forum, he presents information about issues facing the School and answers their questions on matters they consider important.

Per Kjeldsen


Dean’s Faculty members must be willing to teach one-half day a week. They receive no salary. Their appointments are reviewed annually. The charter members of the Dean’s Faculty were: Dr. Donald Briggs (DDS 1954), Dr. William Daines (DDS 1953), Dr. James Schindler (DDS 1953), Dr. Richard Han (DDS 1965), and Dr. Carl Woolley (DDS 1965). A list of the current members of the Dean’s Faculty is listed at left.

Adjunct Faculty Like members of the Dean’s Faculty, the appointments of Adjunct Faculty members are annual and without tenure. However, un l ike the Dean’ s Facul ty, Adjunct Faculty members are paid. I n d i v i d u a l s are appointed as a d j u n c t l e c t u re r, a d j u n c t i n s t r u c t o r, adjunct assistant professor, adjunct associate professor, or adjunct professor. Qualifications at each adjunct rank generally are consistent with those of tenure-track or clinical-track faculty. The School had 218 adjunct faculty members during the 2003-2004 academic year.

Dean’s Faculty, Adjunct FacultyThanked for Service

Addressing Dean’s Faculty and Adjunct Faculty members, Po l v e r i n i s a i d , “ W i t h y o u r p re s e n c e , y o u

enrich the lives and education of our students by

bringing your experience and passion for the profession and the craft of dentistry to us.”

Dean’s Faculty The Dean’s Faculty was created about 11 years ago following a confluence of events and collaboration between Dr. William Love (DDS 1953) and Dean Bernard Machen. Already teaching several hours a week as a volunteer, Love proposed recruiting faculty whose background and interests were similar to his to the chair of the Department of Operative Dentistry, Dr. Joseph Dennison. Dennison was enthusiastic, as was Machen, who strongly supported the idea based on his experiences at the University of North Carolina. The dean gave the name of his office to the group. Membership in the Dean’s Faculty is by invitation only. Positions are not advertised, nor are uninvited applications accepted. Individuals in this group are highly-experienced, dedicated cl inicians with high standards.

Two groups of faculty members who volunteer their time to impart their years of professional experience in clinics and preclinics were publicly thanked by Dean Peter Polverini earlier this year for their service to the School of Dentistry.

All 24 members of the Dean’s Faculty have been recommended by a peer or colleague. After completing an application and submitting a CV and letters of recommendation,they met with a department chair before their name was forwarded to a committee for approval.

Dean’sFacultymembers

Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics• RobertColeman• AnthonyDietz• RichardHan• AllanJacobs• ThomasJohnson• JamesLaidlaw• MichaelLindemann• OscarLink• CharlesMurray• StevenShoba

Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry• DeborahE.Priestap

Department of Periodontics, Prevention, and Geriatrics• MichaelBaity• WilliamBeck• R.CraigDiederich• PhillipDoyle• NicholasGersch• RogerHill• SalahHuwais• JefferyJohnson• LloydLariscy• AlanPadbury,Sr.• MarkSetter• WilliamSorensen• AnthonySpagnuolo


School News

About 100 dental students, predental students, dental hygiene students, faculty, and staff responded enthusiastically to the Give Kids a Smile program that was held at the U-M School of Dentistry in February. The program, sponsored by the ADA, Crest, and other organizations, was a part of National Children’s Dental Health Month. During the local half-day program at the School of Dentistry, parents from Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Southfield, and surrounding communities brought their children to second-floor clinics for oral exams, cleaning, x-rays, sealants, and oral health care advice. For several children, mostly between 4 and 7 years old, it was their first visit to a dentist. Goldie Gibson brought two of her children and two other relatives to the program as a part of the Community Leaning Post’s “Next Step Program.” “I heard about the program from one of the dental students,” Gibson said, “and I thought it would be a great opportunity for my children to receive oral health care and learn more about what goes on here at the dental school. It’s great. I thank you so much.” Another parent, Cynthia Stevens, learned more about proper oral health care for her two children through a sign language interpreter, Rose Hawver. Hawver, an American Sign Language interpreter with U-M Hospital, conveyed oral health care instructions from Dr. Kenneth Stoffers. [See photo, page 27.]

Students: An Opportunity to Serve Among the dental students participating in the program was second-year dental student Bret Johnson. “I love working with kids, so this was a great opportunity for me to help out,” he said. “Besides, I had nothing else to do on a Saturday morning,” he joked.

Brooke Schultz, a first-year dental student, was another participant. “I thought it would be interesting to work with children, so that’s why I participated,” she said. Similar sentiments were echoed by Nisha Punjabi. “It’s a great opportunity to help kids and serve the community,” she said.

Students Give Kids

Dental student Seema Parekh made sure 4-year-old Taylor Le’s first visit to the dentist was a pleasant experience.

Jerry Mastey


Predental Students Also Involved Among those participating in the program were predental students Erin Ealba and Kevin Cook. Ealba, a senior who will become a first-year dental student later this summer, said she participated in the program “because it’s a wonderful cause and a great way to get involved.” Cook, a junior majoring in biopsychology, hopes to become a first-year dental student next summer. “I wanted to get involved,” he said. “It’s a great community service and I wanted to help others.” School of Dentistry dental students, responsible for setting up this year’s program included leaders of the Executive Board, Margaret Gingrich (D4) and Edward Givens, Jr. (D2). Other members included Aunkur Gupta (D4), Jodi Schilling (D1), and Aimee Snell (D2). Anyone interested in planning or volunteering for next year’s program can contact Dr. Hana Hasson via email at [email protected].

a Smile

7-year-old Jaleean Hall and two other youngsters pass time coloring drawings given to them as a part of the Give Kids a Smile program at the School of Dentistry.

Jaleean Hall (center) enjoyed his visit to the dentist and receiving a toothbrush from Courtney Antonio (left) and Joelle Werschky (right).

Dr. Kenneth Stoffers’ oral health care instructions were conveyed in sign language byRoseHawver(left)toparentCynthiaStevens(right).OnherlapisStevens’19montholddaughter,KaylaAnn,and5-1/2montholdBonawu,Jr.

Jerry Mastey

Jerry Mastey Jerry Mastey


School News

ay was not the first time members of the Gingrich family have attended a U-M School of Dentistry graduation ceremony. It was the fifth. Before Margaret Gingrich received her dental degree in May, four other members of her family preceded her. They were: • Hergrandfather,YoungO. Morris, Class of 1937 • Agreatuncle,JosephG. Morris, Class of 1944 • Herfather,ArthurGingrich, Class of 1976 • Acousin,HarryBell,Classof 1993 Although Gingrich has known since she was seven years old that she wanted to become a dentist, the road to earning her dental degree took several interesting twists and turns before her dream became reality. Two took place before she was born in 1978. A third, when she was 10.

The Great Depression and the Road to Dentistry As for the first, which occurred during the 1930s, Gingrich said her grandfather, Young O. Morris, originally a car dealer, lost everything during the Depression. “When his mother learned about what happened, she told him and his brother, ‘I want one of you to become a dentist and the other a doctor so all

Margaret Gingrich the Latest in Family to my dental and medical needs will be taken care of in my old age.’ Both became dentists” she said. Her great uncle Dr. Joseph Morris, was originally accepted to the U-M Medical School, but changed his mind when he saw how much his brother enjoyed dentistry. After earning his dental degree from U-M, Young O. Morris established a practice in Big Rapids, Michigan in 1939. B u t h i s s o n -i n - l a w, A r t h u r G i n g r i c h , w a s more interested in repairing automobiles. Occasionally, he would help his father-in-law fix and maintain dental equipment. The second twist of fate occurred in 1969. “Dad hadn’t even thought about dentistry as a career until after he losta legduringtheVietnamWar,”Margaret said. “My grandfather told dad that since he was good with his hands fixing cars that he should consider becoming a dentist because they too work with their hands.”

Setting a Career Path Early Arthur Gingrich took the advice to heart, became the third member of

the family to earn his dental degree from Michigan, and then practiced with his father-in-law in Big Rapids.During the time they practiced together, Margaret, who was now in elementary school, went to their office after school to tell them about her day with her classmates and teachers.

“I usually did this sitting on a stool while they worked on patients,” she said. “I’d also ask them questions about what they were doing and why. One

day when I was seven or eight, I told them, ‘Someday, I’m going to be a dentist just like

you.’ “ Encouragement followed. Going to college was always a “given” in

the Gingrich family. “They would always tell me, ‘When you go to college,’ not ‘if you go to college’,” she said, “and that had a profound influence on me.” When she was 12, Margaret began helping her father at his office.

Support from Parents The third twist in the road to becoming a dentist occurred when Margaret was 10 years old and learned that she had lost about half of her hearing. She also learned she had dyslexia.

Make it 5! M

This is the articulator Dr. YoungMorrisusedforhisboardexamsin1937.

Photo courtesy of Margaret Gingrich


Support from her parents and her personal fortitude enabled Gingrich to hurdle those challenges. “I had a tremendous amount of support from my parents and grandparents,” she said. “But I also realized it’s a fact of life. You have it, you deal with it, you move on.” Gingrich said she has taught herself sign language. “I know enough to get around and usually don’t need an interpreter,” she said. The night before she arrived in Ann Arbor for her interview at the dental school, Gingrich said her father was more nervous than she was. “I think he was up most of the night,” she said with a laugh. She interviewed, was accepted, and entered the predoctoral program in August 2000. She remembers her first day as a first-year dental student. “Dean Kotowicz and Dr. Marilyn

Woolfolk came up to me and asked me, by name, how I was doing,” she said. Because of her hearing problem, G i n g r i c h w o re both a hearing aid and a microphone. The hearing aid made it easier for her to hear what instructors were s a y i n g i n t h e

classroom; the microphone made it easier for them to hear her questions and comments. However, she forgot to turn the microphone off while Kotowicz and Woolfolk talked to her. “Although I didn’t know anyone at the time, after class 100 other students came up to me and asked me, by name, how I was doing,” she said.

Looking Back…and Ahead Reflecting on the past four years, Gingrich said she enjoyed working with patients, teachers, and coming into contact with many different people. “It’s also been interesting walking down the halls and seeing the pictures on the walls of others in my family who were here before I was,” she said. Noting that between one-quarter to one-half of the patients she has

treated have special needs, Gingrich said her hearing loss and dyslexia have given her insights she hopes to carry with her long after graduation. “I think I can better relate to them which, in turn, will help me become a better dentist.” She said one of her goals as a general practitioner will be training assistants who can help patients with needs similar to hers. This summer, Gingrich begins working with her father at his practice in Big Rapids. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be in a general practice with my dad and I don’t want to pass that up,” she said. “I’ll be able to learn from him and he’ll be able to learn from me, especially when it comes to using new technology,” she said. Her great uncle, Joseph Morris, comes to the office on occasion to offer his advice on running the business and describing how dentistry has changed since he earned his degree sixty years ago. Looking ahead, Gingrich said another goal is to see the family p r a c t i c e c e l e b r a t e i t s 1 0 0 t h anniversary in 2039. If the past is any guide, she will succeed. “I still remember, years after telling my father and grandfather of my decision to become a dentist, what they told me: ‘If I made it through dental school, you can too.’ They were right. I did.”

Receive DDS from U-MPhoto courtesy of Margaret Gingrich

ThreegenerationsofU-Mdentists:Dr.JosephMorris(Classof1944),Dr.MargaretGingrich(Classof2004),andDr.ArthurGingrich(Classof1976).


EHow the Work of “Unsung

very organization has two groups of individuals.

In the first group are those frequently referred to as “the movers and shakers.” These are the high-profile people whose names and titles are instantly known to one and all within…and to many outside…the organization. Those in this group are top ranking administrators, faculty, and other leaders. In the second group are individuals who work behind the scenes. Sometimes, the names and titles of people in this group are not known to everyone inside an organization. In many cases, these individuals are also unknown to the outside world. However, the work of those in the second group…often referred to as “unsung heroes”…is vital to the smooth operation and success of any organization. The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is no exception. The cover story for this issue of DentalUM focuses on some of our “unsung heroes.” Each person plays an important role that contributes to the success of the School. In the following pages you will read about some of them. However, these are not the only ones. There are hundreds of others. Their stories will give you an appreciation of just how important these “unsung heroes” and others like them are to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Making it Work . . .


“Idon’tknowwhatI’ddowithouthim.Youdon’thavetoaskhimtodoanything,hejustdoesit,”saidCarlieSeigel,dental stores manager, as she talked about the zest and enthusiasm Jeremy Towler displays. His responsibilities include shipping and tracking commercial lab work (crowns, bridges, and dentures) for patients of dental students, embroidering students’ lab coats, and working with faculty, students, and staff at the front counter of the Dental Stores. Towler, however, helps in ways that are not a part of his official job description. During last summer’s blackout, for example, he located flashlights and helped lead patients down dark stairwells since elevators weren’t working. The patients were participating in board exams for several dental hygiene students. On other occasions, Towler has helped patients find their cars in the School’s parking garage. He also assisted a woman who suffered a seizure not long after he was hired in May 2000. “That was scary for me,” he said. “Luckily, Dr. David Jacobson and others were there to help.” Towler doesn’t consider what he does unusual. “My job is really a customer service job, so I try to help anyone in any way I can,” he said. “After working in factories before coming here, the dental school is a great place to be. It’s great being around the students and helping them and helping others too. I’m really enjoying myself.”

Jeremy Towler Dispensing Clerk, Dental Stores

Heroes” Helps the School of DentistryPer Kjeldsen


Nancy Gee Switchboard Operator

Every Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., the School of Dentistry receives hundreds of telephone

calls from individuals across Michigan and other parts of the country seeking information on emergency dental care, the costs of

receiving dental care, how to set up an initial appointment, and other matters.

One of five individuals answering those calls in a room in the basement is Nancy Gee. She came to the School 11 years ago

already possessing significant experience as a dental receptionist and assistant.

“CherylQuiney,along-timefriend,urgedmetoconsiderworkinghere,”Geesaid.“Sowhentheopportunityarosein1993,I

applied and was hired. I haven’t regretted it.”

Call volume varies, depending on the day of week and time of year.

“Monday is always a higher-volume call day since we’re closed on weekends,” Gee said. Call volume typically declines during

the summer and sharply increases when classes resume as patients make appointments with their student dentists. During the

summer,monthlyvolumerangesfrom3,100to3,900calls.Bycomparison,theofficehandledbetween4,600and4,800incoming

calls during the winter and spring.

“Everyone helps one another, so it’s seldom that we don’t have an answer to a caller’s question,” Gee said. “There’s always a

procedures manual we can rely on when we need to.”

Gee said Coralie Johnson, who recently retired, “did a great job helping to make the Appointment and Information Office the

success it is. Paul Russeau, who’s taken over for Coralie, is also great to work for. Having a great supervisor to work for and great

colleagues to work with is a combination that’s tough to beat.”

Per Kjeldsen


“I play mom a lot, which means I take care of things students may not even consider or follow-up when they’re applying for f inancial aid,” said Mar y Gaynor. “They’re stressed enough, so I try to do what I can to make the process as smooth as silk for each of them.” It’s not an easy task. At times, Gaynor said she can be helpingasmanyas500students–notonlythe 300 or 400 already in dental school, but also 100 to 200 prospective students. Often, she’s working a year in advance to help a student secure a financial aid package that will allow a student to make a commitment to attend the U-M School of Dentistry. “Considering that the total annual cost of a dental education, including living expenses, is about $40,000 for in-state students and $60,000 for out-of-state students, any amount of financial aid you can get for a student is important,” she said. Gaynor, who began her career at U-M as a senior clerk in the office of financial aid in1976onlyaweekbeforeregistration,hasbeenatthedentalschoolsince1991. S h e k n o w s w h a t s t u d e n t s a r e experiencing. “My parents never went to college and weren’t able to help me financially,” she said. “But they did provide a lot of emotional support and encouragement that helped me to earn my college degree and succeed afterwards. I’m trying to do the same for every student that comes to me for help.”

Mary Gaynor

Senior Financial Aid Officer

Per Kjeldsen


John Squires Chief Media Engineer

Hemakessureallaudio/visualequipmentinclassroomsandlecturehallsworks,installsnewly-purchasedequipment,diagnosesandrepairsA/Vequipmentthatbreaks,andisoneofthefirstpersonscalledwhensomeonehasquestionsabouttheir Apple computer. For nearly 24 years, John Squires has been the “go to” person administrators, faculty, and staff have relied on for technical help for events that range from lectures in a classroom to the Dean’s “town hall” meetings to Hall of Honor ceremonies. “Making it run…and run well,” could be his motto. “I love troubleshooting,” he says. “Give me something that’s not working and let me figure out how to make it work…or give me something that’s new and see if it can be used in a new way…that’s what energizes me.” Although Squires graduated with a degree in psychology and then ran a restaurant for four years, trying to fix a broken television led to a change in his career path. He attended a hands-on electronics class at Washtenaw Community College, landed a part-time job at an Ann Arbor electronics store, and then enrolled in the U-M College of Engineering. While pursuing his U-M degree, Squires learned the dental school needed an engineer in its television studio. “With the hands-on experience I acquired at the community college and the electronics store, I decided this was the opportunity I had been looking for,” he said. About 30 credit hours shy of earning an engineering degree, Squires decided to focus his energies on his new job. Over the years, he assumed even more responsibility, including fixing some early-models of Apple computers used in the School’s computing center. “It’s worked out even better than I expected,” he said. “I’ve got a lot on my plate now, but I enjoy the challenge of trying to fix things so that they work and work well.”

Keary Campbell


Diane Nixon Manager, Clinical Billing Office

Her office handles more than $6.3 million in payment postings annually…receives approximately 750 incoming calls a week from patients who have questions about their bills…makes another 500 outgoing calls weekly to patients who have left voice mail messages seeking clarification about their statements…electronically files more than 350 dental and medicalclaimsdailywithinsurancecompanies…andfollowsuponapproximately400inquiriesand800rejectionseachmonth from insurance companies. Supervising a staff of 18 in offices on the northeast side of Ann Arbor, Diane Nixon’s office resembles the hub of abicycle wheel whose spokes form crucial links to the School’s clinics, information desks, telephone switchboard operators, patients, insurance companies, and vendors. Important as that is, Nixon says her responsibilities transcend her formal job description. “My role is also one of building relationships, being a ‘go-to’ person who can help anyone in this office, throughout the School, or even outside the School when the need arises,” she said. Reflecting on her career, she says “I’m proud to have developed so many informal relationships that do not appear on an organizational chart.” Nixon’s previous experiences as a business education teacher, business owner, administrative assistant, and clinical administrator have contributed to her success. She is also President of the Ann Arbor Maia (named for the Greek goddess of the month of May) Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA). She also chairs the Eastern Michigan Council of ABWA, which comprises 16 chapters. She is now finishing her second two-year term as president of the 43-member group. “Working together, our office continues to refine our self-directed work team structure to meet the increasing demands on our staff,” she said. “We don’t give up in our efforts to collect from insurance carriers or patients who come to our School and receive oral health care. We don’t consider the job done until the patient’s balance is at zero.” Nixon says she’s not just a manager, but also a coach and mentor. “I encourage everyone here to look to each other for solutions to thorny problems. I think that approach energizes them and makes them excited about coming to the office each day,” she said. “But what’s really exciting is to hear them discuss a problem among themselves and come up with solutions that are win-win for everyone.”

Per Kjeldsen


Kimberly Smith Information Desk Clerk

Many patients who check-in when they arrive at the School of Dentistry to receive oral health care are greeted at

one of three information desks with a warm, friendly smile from Kimberly Smith.

One of nine information desk clerks, Smith was hired as a temp three years ago. “I became a full-time employee

on, of all days, Halloween in 2001,” she said. “On that day, the other desk clerks and I were dressed in costumes. They

liked mine so much they gave me the nickname ‘Miss Spitfire’.”

Miss Spitfire is Smith’s stage name when she does stand-up comedy.

Smithstarteddoingstand-upcomedylastfallatchurchesinAnnArbor,Ypsilanti,Inkster,andLansing.Shedresses

as an old lady who hobbles on stage with a cane in hand and reveals a big gold tooth when she smiles. [Photo insert

above.]

“It’s a hobby I enjoy because it gives the sick, elderly, and others who have problems an opportunity to forget them,

even if for only a few moments. My jokes are clean and biblically-inspired too,” she said, “which they appreciate even

more.”

Smith’s up-beat and bubbly demeanor calms many who are in pain when they arrive for treatment. Her attitude is

also soothing.

She recalled a patient who came a week earlier than he should have for his appointment. “We talked about it and

when he realized he made a mistake, he began leaving. As he did, we joked that he now knew his way around and

wouldn’t get lost the next time,” she said. The patient returned the following week as scheduled.

“I love my job. I love my coworkers. I love the patients and students,” she said. “It doesn’t get much better than

this.”

Per Kjeldsen


He’s probably the only person at the School of Dentistry who meets everyone…not just once, but sometimes as often as four times a day. To many, Tim Deventer is affectionately known as “the mailman.” Although he doesn’t deliver the U.S. mail, he does deliver virtually everything else that is del ivered to the School’s shipping docks. Items range from letters sent by express mail to supplies and, yes, even the School’s alumni magazine, DentalUM. When he’s not “making the rounds,” Deventer is taking inventory of dozens of dental materials and supplies stored in the basement. It’s his job to make sure there are ample supplies available for dental students in clinics and the faculty members who supervise them. Employed by the University for about 23 years, the last 13 of which have been at the School of Dentistry, Deventer said change seems to be the primary constant. “There’s always something that seems to be changing, which is one of the things that makes this an interesting place to work,” he said. However, he said the best part of his job “is coming into daily contact with so many different people from all walks of life. After a while, it seems like you’re a member of a big family.” As for those daily rounds throughout the School, Deventer said he wore a pedometer not long after he arrived and learned he was walking about four miles a day. “I haven’t done that recently, but it’s probably the same distance because I’m more efficient at what I’m doing, or at least I hope I am,” he said with a grin.

Tim Deventer

Stock keeper a/k/a“The Mailman”

Per Kjeldsen


He earned his undergraduate degree in zoology at U-M. But for nearly the past two decades, which include 12 years at the School of Dentistry, Ed Steinman’s focus has been computer programming. “Believe it or not, there are some similar it ies between the two,” he said. “Both include research, where you investigate a problem. Both also have a creative component which involves devising novel solutions to those problems.” Steinman and others in the Computing Unit are responsibleforalloftheSchool’sdata–collectingit,storingit, transferring it, analyzing it, and making sure it’s accessible to authorized users while also making it secure from hackers and protected from loss. That’s no small feat considering there are more than 800 desktop units throughout the School’s offices, clinics,and research facilities as well as dozens of others at billing offices on the northeast side of the city and research facilities on the south side of Ann Arbor. Others in the Computing Unit provide desktop support to faculty, staff, and students and maintain the network infrastructure and servers. Steinman said his biggest programming challenge occurred about two years ago when the School switched its software system from one it had been using for nearly a decade to a new system, Axium, which handles appointments, treatment planning, student-faculty clinical assignments, and billing. “It was very complicated, affected the entire School, and involved large amounts of data,” he said. Steinman has also written several applications from scratch that are still used. Asked if he remembered the first computer program he wrote, Steinman said, “No, but it was very painful. It involved using punch cards, sequencing them, and walking over to a computer center. A small change took about half a day. Now, by comparison, that’s done in seconds.” That shortened time frame is replaced by complexity. “It ’s time consuming and there’s a lot of attention to detail,” he said. “Simple changes can take days. But even if you get all that right, sometimes writing the program is not the problem, it’s trying to find ways to maximize the performance and efficiency of the application.” Steinman said he enjoys the challenges that are a part of his job. “But our department’s size and the size of the School also make this an enjoyable environment.”

Ed SteinmanComputer Programming Director

Per Kjeldsen


Jon Sniderman & Rob Berg Dental Equipment Technicians

They’re the men in blue coats. Together, Jon Sniderman and Rob Berg maintain and repair more than $6 million worth of dental equipment. The equipment includes 300 dental chairs, lights, and other gear used in clinics throughout the School; 110 newsimulationunitsinthewestwingoftheDr.RoyRobertsPreclinic;andmorethan150piecesofequipmentinthepreclinic’seast wing. And if that’s not enough, Sniderman and Berg also repair and maintain equipment used at the Community Dental Center in downtown Ann Arbor and equipment dental students use during the summer migrant dental clinic program in the Traverse City area. SnidermancametotheSchoolofDentistryfromtheSpaceResearchDepartmentonNorthCampusinlate1974.“Iwas supposed to be here for only six months, but now I’m going on thirty years,” he said. Berg, who has been at the School for nine years, was a part of a team of tradesmen that covered a certain zone or section of the U-M campus (zone maintenance) until two years ago. “We’re the first line of defense,” Berg said. “If any mechanical problems come up, we’re the first to be called.” On a typical day, Sniderman and Berg respond to 30 to 40 requests for help. They range from something as simple as changing a valve which may have rusted to something more complex like fixing a dental chair or repairing and installing x-ray machines and grinders. During the holidays, Sniderman and Berg focus their attention on preventive maintenance. Sniderman is also a part-time inventor who has received two patents and two design copyrights for his work.

Per Kjeldsen


Dorothy Smith-Fesl & Georgia Kasko

Seeing it Through . . .

As faculty, students, staff, and DentalUM readers know, there have been several major construction and renovation projects that have taken place throughout the School of Dentistry since 1998. They include: •TheKelloggBuildingandSindecuseMuseumandAtrium. •Sterilizationanddispensingfacilities. •ThewestunitoftheDr.RoyRobertsPreclinic. •FacilitiesbetweentheBlueandGreenClinicsonthesecondandthirdfloors. •CentralRecordsrenovationsandrelocationwithintheSchool. In addition to these projects, two others that have occurred outside the School. The first was the renovation and relocation of some researchers and support staff to facilities on the south side of Ann Arbor. The other was the renovation and relocation of nearly two dozen clinical billing and financial staff members to offices just outside the northeast side of Ann Arbor. The construction costs for all seven projects collectively exceeded $20 million, ranging from $165,000 to more than $13 million. What do these projects all have in common? Two women staff members played major roles in seeing these projects come to completion. Dorothy Smith-Fesl, the School’s facility manager, was responsible for overall project management. Georgia Kasko, manager of clinical support services, took on added responsibilities and became the “go-to” person Smith-Fesl turned to for answers to questions on a range of technical and aesthetic issues that affected the layout and design of the second and third floors, Patient Care offices, and Central Records.

Dorothy Smith-Fesl (left) and

Georgia Kasko review blueprints in the west wing

of the Dr. Ray Roberts Preclinical

Laboratory.

Keary Campbell


“I think my family had a big influence on my career,” Smith-Fesl said as she talked about growing up in Millington, not far from Flint. “There were seven of us – five boys and two girls. Taking that into account, and working in an all-male environment since I was 26, you learn how to deal with guys,” she said with a laugh. Smith-Fesl’s career began on a General Motors assembly line at Buick City in Flint in the late 1970s. Her job involved installing bolts into brake shoes. “But after a while it was too repetitive and boring,” she said. A supervisor noticed and suggested Smith-Fesl consider enrolling in a trades program. She took the advice to heart and became an electrical apprentice. “In retrospect, I was so fortunate to be in that spot at that time. I had a supervisor who cared, pointed me in the right direction, and because of him, I’m here,” she said. Her stepfather also supported her decision. “He was thrilled and provided a lot of encouragement,” she said.

Working, Raising a Family, Going to School But it still wasn’t easy. During her four years in the electrical apprenticeship program, Smith-Fesl raised two children and also attended classes four hours a day, two days a week at Mott Community College in Flint. “I worked 10- or 12-hour days, seven days a week, went to school, and raised two children,” she said. “However, after becoming conditioned to the routine, I didn’t think anything of it.” After completing her apprenticeship, Smith-Fesl became a journeyman electrician and, a few years later, a supervisor of trades personnel with GM. Her career at the University of Michigan began in 1989 as a journeyman electrician in the Maintenance Department at U-M Hospital and later as a project manager in the Facilities Services Department. During

that time she also earned her bachelor’s degree in engineering from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan. In 1995, Smith-Fesl was hired as an electrical design engineer with the University’s Architectural and Engineering Services Department.

from Start to FinishDorothy Smith-Fesl Facilities Manager

As facilities manager, Dorothy Smith-Fesl has been responsible for supervising renovations to the Kellogg Building, upgrades to sterilization and dispensing units, and the relocation of some faculty and staff to off-campus locations.

Keary Campbell


“I’ve worked with various contractors and trades people, and spent many hours reading construction blueprints. All that helped me with the projects I later had responsibility for managing here at the dental school,” she said.

Major Project Responsibilities Smith-Fesl has been the School of Dentistry’s facilities manager since 1998. She described her job as comparable to “running a house, but on a more massive scale.” Her responsibilities include construction management, custodial and maintenance support, assessing space needs, and “dozens of other nuts-and-bolts projects that keep the School running smoothly.” Among the major projects she has had supervisory responsibility for include the renovations to the Kellogg Building, upgrades to sterilization and dispensing units, and the relocation of faculty and staff to off-campus locations. And although it doesn’t happen often, sometimes she is called in the middle of the night for emergencies. Smith-Fesl said her biggest challenge was dealing with the blackout that hit Michigan and other parts of the country last August. “I was in a stairwell when the lights went out and thought a circuit breaker had tripped,” she said. “But when I got to the basement floor and saw that it too was pitch black, I knew there were bigger problems.” In that instance, a NERB exam was underway. “I helped round up flashlights and took them to the NERB examiners so everyone could use them to find their way out of the building,” she said. The school later received emergency power from the University’s power plant. But when Smith-Fesl returned the next morning and learned the school was still using that power source, she told those who had already arrived to return home.

“ I think my family had a

big influence on my career,”

Smith-Fesl said as she talked

about growing up in Millington,

not far from Flint. “ There were

seven of us – five boys and two

girls. Taking that into account,

and working in an all-male

environment since I was 26, you

learn how to deal with guys,”

she said with a laugh.

Looking back, Smith-Fesl said, “I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished. I have developed good relations with all types of people, which certainly makes my job as facilities manager easier. The atmosphere here is very positive and uplifting, you feel people need you, and what you do is appreciated. It doesn’t get much better than that.”


Georgia Kasko Manager, Clinical Support Services

When she began working as a temp with the U-M Medical Research Purchasing Department in 1984, Georgia Kasko posted bids on index cards to bulletin boards from companies that submitted bids to supply pharmaceutical products to the University Hospital. Today, as manager of clinical support services, she supervises more than 25 employees in Central Records and the School’s dental store, patient-student monitoring offices, the appointments office, and the patient business office. During the past year, she added some construction oversight responsibilities to her portfolio of experiences. Last year and earlier this year, Kasko supervised construction work in the west wing of the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinic and renovations to facilities between the Blue and Green Clinics on the second and third floors of the School of Dentistry. Until her son entered first grade twenty years ago, Kasko was, as she described herself, “a stay-at-home mom.” Between 1984 and 1992, she developed the purchasing skills that would prove helpful later, not just at the Medical Research Purchasing Department but also at U-M Health Services. When she began working at the School of Dentistry in August 1992, Kasko was Dental Stores manager. Dental Stores handles the purchases of commodities for all of the departments, including the equipment and instruments dental students use in clinics. When renovations to the west wing of the Roberts Preclinic began last spring, Kasko was given the responsibility of ordering the simulators, monitors, benches, and other equipment for each of the 110 units. Later, with help from the four Patient Care Coordinators, Kasko took what some might consider an unconventional approach to the project.

Taping the Floor “We did use measuring tapes, but we also counted the number of cinder blocks that surrounded the windows to see how much space would be available for offices, scheduling rooms, and consulting rooms,” she said. “We even put tape on the floor to help us visualize the physical dimensions of each room.” Kasko said she also learned to read architectural blueprints and construction terminology. “When I needed help, Dorothy Smith-Fesl or Dr. Dennis Turner or Dr. Merle Jaarda were always there to lend a hand,” she said. Now that more than $2-1/2 million of equipment, including lab benches, simulators, audio/visual equipment has been installed, Kasko said the biggest thrill has been seeing the plans finally come to life. “You see a lot of detail on a blueprint, but it doesn’t really come to life until the project has been completed,” she said. “Seeing a dream or an idea finally become a reality, especially something this extensive, is quite a thrill.”

When renovations to the west wing of the Roberts Preclinic began last spring, Georgia Kasko was responsible for ordering simulators, monitors, benches, and other equipment for each of the 110 units. A short time later she assumed oversight responsibility for renovations between clinics on the second and third floors.

Per Kjeldsen


School News

“Wow!” “What a difference!” Those are just some of the comments that have been voiced in recent months by students, faculty, and staff following major improvements to several facilities throughout the School of Dentistry. Among the major improvements drawing enthusiastic response are those that have taken place in the west wing of the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinic. [See story pages 12-13.] Enhancements to facilities between the Blue and Green Clinics on the second and third floors are also receiving praise.

Privacy and Convenience “In the age of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and increased privacy requirements, these improvements are both timely and necessary,” said Georgia Kasko, manager of clinical support services, who coordinated the renovations on the two floors. Four Patient Care Coordinators have their own offices (two per floor) that enable them to meet privately with patients and students when the need arises.

Enthusiastic Response toRenovated Facilities

In addition, the PCCs, who are intermediaries between dental students and patients, are now conveniently located just a few steps away from students or patients needing help. Previously, the PCCs had to take an elevator or walk up several flights of stairs to address the needs of students or patients. Meeting rooms, where as many as eight people can privately converse, are also nearby.

“Lots of Room” Coral Adas, one of the four PCCs, said, “Everyone who comes into my office has been saying how wonderful

Instead of a window, this Patient Care Coordinator’s office once used a photographic mural to convey the feeling of “looking out the window.”

Photo courtesy of Coral Adas

Now, Mary Garrelts, Patient Care Coordinator, and her three colleagues have ample work space, including a table for face-to-face meetings.

Per Kjeldsen


everything looks and how much more room there is. In my office alone,” she continued, “I can meet privately, if I have to, with several people, whereas before that was difficult to do.” Mary Garrelts, another patient care coordinator, described her new office in one word: “wonderful. There’s lots of room for working and having meetings. It’s great.” Both floors also have scheduling rooms that allow students to privately converse with their patients on the telephone.

Other New Features New x-ray rooms are only a few steps away from the Blue and Green Clinics making it quicker for patients to begin their treatment plans and making more time available to dental students to complete their work. Each floor also has a newly renovated wet lab that supports patient care activities in adjacent clinics. Students prepare models and other materials to send to regional laboratories for fabrication of indirect restorations and prostheses (crowns, bridges, and dentures). Both floors have 100 mailboxes, one for each dental student, with more than three cubic feet for storing equipment and receiving mail. Fifty-six smaller mailboxes are also provided on both floors for dental hygiene students.

Keary Campbell

In the old phone room, students were often elbow to elbow as they called patients to schedule appointments.

Now, students have more room in the new phone room to make calls or for storing reference materials on a shelf.

Keary Campbell


School News

It will save time for patients and dentists. It will also help patients who are claustrophobic and provide dentists in the School’s clinics with a wealth of information. Earlier this year, a new miniature CT scanner, dubbed “iCAT,” was installed in the Radiology Clinic. The machine, which the Food and Drug Administration approved for use last fall, is considerably different than conventional CT scanners currently used in hospitals.

Benefits First, iCAT is much smaller. Since its footprint takes up only 20 square feet of space, it’s ideally suited for offices. Secondly, unlike conventional CT scanners that require patients to lie on their back before being pulled into a very narrow tunnel, the iCAT allows a patient to sit upright in a chair in a more open environment. Doses of radiation are significantly lower than those from conventional medical CT scans and x-rays can be taken in one 40-second scan compared to multiple scans that once took minutes using a conventional CT scanner. The cost of the iCAT? Between $150,000 and $185,000. “We expect to use this machine for imaging implant sites, temporomandibular joints, orthodontic jaw relationships, and other pathology in the head region,” said Dr. Sharon Brooks, professor of dentistry in the Department of Oral Medicine, Pathology, and Oncology. She said iCAT will be a time-saver. “Instead of sending patients elsewhere to get 3-D images of their head and neck, we can now do it here, in-house, just steps away from our clinics.”

A Community Resource Dentists and physicians in the community will also be able to refer their patients here for these special scans. They will receive their images either as prints or on a CD for use with other software programs.

Dentists will scan a patient once and using special software will be able to produce many different types of images. Dr. Dav id Sarment , a c l in ica l assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics, Prevention, and Geriatrics, said iCAT will be especially helpful to dentists doing implants. “This machine will also allow us to

better gauge bone density and even do simulations so implants can be placed in precisely the right location,” he said. The iCAT was designed by Xoran Technologies, an Ann Arbor company founded three years ago by a group of U-M biomedical engineers, in collaboration with Imaging Sciences International, a Pennsylvania-based company which has been manufacturing dental imaging devices since 1992.

Novel CT Scanner Installed in ClinicNo More Claustrophobia

Dr. Sharon Brooks and Dr. David Sarment in front of the School’s new mini CT scanner.

Per Kjeldsen


Two residents in the School of Dentistry’s endodontics program say they enjoyed new opportunities to provide oral health care at Mott Children’s Health Center in Flint. Last fall, both the School and Mott’s launched the specialized outreach program to help underserved adolescents in Flint and the Genesee County area. It’s the first time graduate endodontics students have provided oral health care outside the School’s clinics in Ann Arbor. Four residents participate in the program on a rotating basis; that is, only one provides care during any given week.

“A Great Community Service” Two early participants were Drs. Sasan Jafari and Ryan Soden. Both said they were glad to be involved. “It’s a great community service that benefits a lot of people who might not otherwise receive that kind of care,” Jafari said. He also said he was “especially grateful to work with Mott’s well-trained assistants. Because they’re so good working with kids, they made my job easier because I could focus on providing treatment instead of managing behavior.” Soden agreed, adding he broadened his experiences and “saw a few more trauma cases there than here at the School’s clinics.” That point was emphasized by Dr. Neville McDonald, director of the endodontics program. “We want our residents to obtain a broader set of clinical experiences that will help them after they graduate,” he said. Dr. Daniel Briskie, the head of the pediatric dentistry department at Mott Children’s Health Center, said the program “continues a relationship we’ve had with the U-M School of Dentistry for more than 10 years and allows us to better serve residents in Flint and Genesee County.”

Endo Residents Praise Experiences at Mott’s

Briskie said that MCHC handled about 150 endodontics cases in 2002. Of that number, about one-third required extensive work. “This program also fills a pressing need,” he said noting that no endodontists in Genesee County accept Medicaid. “The collaboration between Mott Children’s Health Center and the School of Dentistry will help fill that need, especially among those least likely to be able to afford this type of oral health care,” he said. Jafari said he hopes the program continues to grow. “Dr. McDonald is always looking for new ways for us to broaden our experiences and, in the process, help others. I hope this program continues for a long time.”

Dr. Sasan Jafari, a resident in the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s graduate endodontics program, begins root canal therapy on a 15-year-old patient at Mott Children’s Health Center in Flint. Registered dental assistant Aimee Kula provides assistance.

Keary Campbell


Preparing for the Worst, Hoping for the BestDr. Dennis Lopatin Active in Bioterrorism Preparations

It’s a challenge he’s relishing. It allows him to use his training and experience as a microbiologist to convey important information that leads to developing policies and procedures that may benefit hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people across Michigan and the country. For the past two years, Dr. Dennis Lopatin has devoted a considerable amount of time and effort to a timely issue: making sure that oral health care professionals are uppermost in the minds of local, state, and national officials should a widespread health disaster or emergency occur in southeast Michigan or elsewhere in the state. Whether it’s SARS, the “bird flu,” an influenza pandemic, or even acts of bioterrorism, Lopatin has been telling local and regional public safety and government officials that because of their skills and training, dentists and dental hygienists are in a unique position to help them…and serve the public. “We’re planning for the worst, but obviously hoping for the best,” he said. Lopatin is in charge of the School of Dentistry’s biopreparedness program. Not only is he working with officials throughout

Washtenaw County and the state, he is also the School’s liaison with four other dental schools to develop a model that other dental schools will want to follow. The four other dental schools are: New York University, the University of Florida, the University of New Jersey Medical and Dental School, and University of Southern California.

What Dentists Offer After September 11, 2001, the ADA, the American Dental Education Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Public Health Service organized a conference to determine how dentists, hygienists, and others in oral health care could help government officials should similar catastrophic events, or even acts of bioterrorism, occur in the future. “If we are not called on should bioterrorism occur, then the plans we develop may help in other ways, such as dealing with massive outbreaks of flu or other medical emergencies,” he said. Lopatin said his experiences dealing with public safety officials and other government agencies have been revealing.

School News

Per Kjeldsen


Other Educational Uses of Information Lopatin is also working with the University of Michigan Medical Center and the Michigan Dental Association to develop specific responses that would be taken “for every type of contingency.” As those plans are developed, Lopatin wants to create educational materials for emergency preparedness and incorporate some of that information into the School’s dental and dental hygiene curricula. He is planning to use the information that will be gathered to create continuing dental education courses that will be accessible on the Web so dentists can meet their educational requirements and gain a better understanding of biopreparedness. “I think all of us in this profession have a responsibility to give back, in some way, to the communities we serve,” Lopatin said. “Not only does this allow me to do that, it allows me to use my expertise as a microbiologist to help many in other ways.” The reaction among officials is now much different than what it was two years ago, he added. “When I introduce myself and tell them I’m representing dentistry and why, I’m now greeted with open arms. When they hear what we as oral health care professionals have to offer, they’re very receptive,” he said. “This is turning out to be one of the most upbeat, most positive experiences of my career.”

“When I first attended some of these local meetings and told them who I was and what I do, everyone had a puzzled look on their face,” he said, “because, to many, dentists are people who work with teeth.” “But when I told them what we as oral health professionals have learned, how we’re trained, and what we have to offer, they sit up, take notice, and enthusiastically acknowledge that we can make a major contribution.” The oral health care profession “brings a lot to the table,” he said. “We have experience in dealing with infection control, pharmacology, triage, administering injections, patient management, and record keeping. And when you consider that dentists, as a group, are very civic-minded and know people in virtually all walks of life, we’re a very valuable resource.” With approximately 250,000 dental practices around the country, Lopatin said each dentist and hygienist, literally, has front-line exposure to a patient’s condition. “We’re the proverbial canary in the mineshaft,” he said. “So if there are any adverse conditions out there like SARS, or bird flu, or even bioterrorist attacks, we can play a critical role in disease surveillance.”


dental colleagues have little choice but to take children younger than three into the operating room to repair and extract bad teeth because toddlers simply don’t hold still. With the risks of putting a small child under general anesthesia, and costs in the thousands of dollars, he said it would be much easier to prevent many of those problems through earlier dental checkups.

A Chronic Disease in Children “Many mistakenly bel ieve dental caries are a thing of the past,” Ignelzi said. “But the Surgeon General recently concluded that dental caries is the most common chronic disease in children. About

40 percent of kindergarten children have experienced it,” he said. Infants whose parents are of low socioeconomic status, who consume sugary foods, and whose mothers have low education levels are 32 times more likely to have caries at 3 years of age than those children who do not have these risk factors, he said.

Don’t Wait Ignelzi said building a mutually beneficial relationship between a family and a dentist is easier than waiting until a child is in pain or has a playground accident. “When that happens,” he said, “parents scramble for a dentist and, many times, make the child’s first dental experience a traumatic one.”

A recommendation Dr. Michael Ignelzi presented at the American Dental Association’s annual session last October has drawn comment from parents whose children have been affected by caries at a very early age. C h a l l e n g i n g c o n v e n t i o n a l practice which suggests children should first see a dentist when they’re 3 years old, Ignelzi, an associate professor of pediatric dentistry, said that’s too late. Instead, he urged children visit a dentist at age 1. Parents who take their child to see a pediatric dentist at that age would give dentists the chance to tell parents about appropriate feeding practices and the importance of building good dental hygiene habits early.

Tooth Decay Starts Young He said many parents think they are adequately cleaning baby teeth if they swab their child’s mouth with a washcloth, when they should really be using a toothbrush instead. Many also give their children milk at night, thinking it’s good for teeth and bones, but sugar in milk rots young teeth. “If we spent 20 minutes with the family of every kid who goes to bed with a bottle of milk every night, we could head off a lot of problems,” Ignelzi said. In those cases, Ignelzi said he and many of his pediatric

Ignelzi Recommendation Draws

Urges Children See Dentist

School News

Dr. Michael Ignelzi

Per Kjeldsen


One Parent’s Anguish

Dear Dr. Ignelzi:

I saw the news story about your presentation. … It’s a subject very close to my heart.

I wanted to thank you for wanting to get this message out and I hope the dentists who attend your presentation take it to heart.

I am the mother of a 4-year-old son. We’re educated and have dental coverage. When he was tinier, I read baby books and heard advice about not letting children go to bed with bottles. …We brushed his teeth pretty regularly after he started eating solids, but not before bed.

My son paid dearly for those decisions. Before his second birthday he ended up having his front two teeth pulled (it was the opinion of the dentist that he’d be better off without them rather than risk infection from a repair) and several crowns on his molars.

We now brush and floss his teeth religiously, but are continuing to fight battles with decay. His pediatric dentist has been surprised at how quickly his teeth deteriorate from one visit to the next.

My husband and I have been devastated by this. We feel terrible…I wouldn’t wish our experience on any parents (and obviously, not on any children). . .

I had read mixed advice about when to take kids to the dentist. Some books said do it at one, but most said wait until three. Both my husband and I asked our dentist about it, and his staff emphatically said they weren’t interested in seeing him until he was three.

One day, however, I actually pulled his lip back and was alarmed by what I saw and then we wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. . .

I wish they had encouraged us to bring him in sooner. We would have gotten an earlier warning about his teeth, and may have averted an awful lot of damage.

Sincerely,

A concerned parent.

Named to Pediatric Medicine Experts Panel

Dr. Michael Ignelzi has been appointed to the American Academy of Pediatrics “Bright Futures Early Childhood” experts panel. Ignelzi , whose appointment runs through 2006, is the only dentist of the 10-member group. The panel’s work is significant because its recommendations eventually become the Academy’s official policy which affects the types of health care millions of children receive from pediatricians, family practice physicians, nurses, and other health care providers. The guidelines are also used by insurance companies to determine reimbursement rates medical providers and a child’s parents receive. The 10-member panel is reviewing and will likely revise health recommendations, including behavioral assessments, nutrition counseling, and immunizations for children whentheyare1year,15months,18months,2 years, 3 years, and 4 years of age. Ignelzi’s appointment to the panel comes following a three-year chairmanship of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s Council on Scientific Affairs.

Comment

at Age 1


Faculty Profile

Dr. George Taylor

If you’re looking for the personification of spunk and determination at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, you don’t have to look very far. You’ll find it in abundance on the second floor of the Research Tower in the person of Dr. George Taylor, III. Consider these two examples. During an eight-week break between his third and fourth years of study at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1973, as an oral surgery extern at New York City’s Queens General Hospital, young George Taylor was so captivated by what colleagues told him about the director of dental and oral surgery at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn that he immediately acted. He went to a nearby pay phone, called the director, and asked to meet him in person. A short time later, he did. On a second occasion, before receiving his dental degree in 1974, Taylor spent five hours one snowy day driving from Boston to New York City to be interviewed for a residency at Brookdale. As he waited in a lobby with other candidates, Taylor noticed those who were being interviewed were spending about ten minutes behind closed doors being interviewed. Taylor told himself, “After driving five hours, ten minutes is not enough time. I’m not going to leave the interview until I’m ready!”

By every measure, Dr. George Taylor has not only achieved the dreams he had growing up in Newport News, he surpassed his own expectations.

Keary Campbell


Taylor spent about ten minutes answering questions. However, when the interviewers finished, they were surprised to see him pull out a sheet of paper and tell them, “Now I have a few questions I want to ask you!” Instead of spending 10 minutes behind closed doors, Taylor spent 45. A short time later, he was offered a residency.

Early Fascination with Science Now an associate professor of dentistry, Taylor, an only child, said he has been fascinated with science, and with art, for as long as he can remember. His mother, Lois Taylor, was an elementary school teacher in Hampton and Newport News, Virginia.His father, George W. Taylor, Jr., taught industrial arts in Hampton following a military career. “I always felt I’d have a career in health science,” he said. “In junior high school, I rememberbuying‘TheVisibleHuman’ at a local store, taking it home, putting it together, painting it, and then talking about it.” Taylor was also a good artist. “I could draw characters from comic books, but when I showed classmates my drawings, they didn’t believe they were mine.” At first, Taylor thought about pursuing a career in medicine. After giving it some thought, however, he later turned to dentistry. “Dentistry appealed to me because it was health science and also had an artistic component to it,” he said. “I also thought dentists had more control of their time. But notice I use the word ‘thought,’ ” Taylor said with a laugh. While pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Virginia, Taylor thoughtmoreabout becoming a dentist, especially practicing in an underserved community. But even then, he wasn’t completely sure it was what he wanted to do. Hoping that the results of both a pre-medical and pre-dental exam might help him decide which career to pursue, Taylor said the scores on both exams “were just about the same, so they didn’t help me much.” During his senior year at Virginia, Taylor learned

about the American Fund for Dental Health Scholarship for minority students and submitted an application which was accepted. “That solidified my decision to pursue dentistry,” he said.

Gravitating toward Clinical Dentistry In retrospect, the scholarship would turn out to be a key to his future. Another was his participation in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. That scholarship helped Taylor fund both his final year of college and all four years of his education at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. During his four years at Harvard (1970-1974), Taylor

learned “the curriculum suited me perfectly. I worked with medical students and dental students. During my final year, all my courses were electives, so I was able to take the courses and explore things I was interested in – oral surgery, dermatology, psychiatry, and others. I was in clinics as much as I could be,” he said. Research, however, was not an area of interest. “Research was an alien notion to me. I saw myself as a clinician

interacting and helping the underserved somewhere in the country,” he said. Taylor’s passion for general dentistry and oral surgery was fueled by his experiences in extramural rotations while at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and between his junior and senior years when he spent eight weeks at Queens General Hospital in New York City. When he interviewed…for 45 minutes…for a residency at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Taylor had to decide whether to pursue an oral surgery or general practice residency. He chose the later and hasn’t regretted it. Asanundergraduateat theUniversityofVirginia,Taylor also participated in the Air Force ROTC program thinking that one day he might like to become a pilot. Although he passed a qualifying test, Taylor said after thinking about it some more, he decided not to follow through.

“I always felt I’d have a

career in health science.

In junior high school, I

remember buying ‘The

Visible Human’ at a local

store, taking it home, putting

it together, painting it, and

then talking about it.”


Instead, Taylor asked the Air Force about becoming “a flight dentist.” When he was told that such a position did not exist, Taylor, still in dental school, later applied for a dental position with the National Health Service Corps, expressing a desire to practice dentistry in an underserved part of the country. Initially, his request was approved. However, a year later, it was reversed. Not taking “no” for an answer, Taylor argued that because of his experiences at Harvard and Brookdale that he was in a unique position to help the underserved. The argument was for naught.

The Road to Teaching…and Michigan After earning his DMD in 1974 and completing a one-year residency in 1975 at Brookdale, Taylor spent three years in England as an Air Force general dentist and the final year of his tour of duty providing oral health care at an Air Force base in Maine. In addition to practicing dentistry, Taylor also taught Red Cross volunteers how to be dental assistants. After the training, the volunteers worked with Air Force dentists in the clinics. “It was exciting not only to learn something, but also to be able to pass along to students what I had learned,” he said. T a y l o r s t i l l wanted to help the underserved after he was discharged. He looked at opportunities in Boston and back home in Virginia, buta cousin in Detroit to ld him about an o p p o r t u n i t y t h a t would eventually bring Taylor to Michigan. “He told me the University of Detroit-M e rc y a n d Wa y n e State University were building a 41-chair facility in the Detroit Medical Center,” Taylor said. The more I learned about that, the more excited I became because this was exactly what I wanted to do.”

As he did in 1973 when he picked up the phone and called the director of dental surgery at Brookdale, Taylor, in 1979, took the initiative and wrote a letter to the dental school dean at U-D Mercy. He told him about his background and asked if he could stop in for an interview. His request was honored. A short time later, he was hired as a staff dentist. Although Taylor arrived at U-D Mercy in 1979, the clinic wasn’t ready. It wouldn’t be until March 1981. In addition to being a staff dentist for nine years beginning in 1979, Taylor was a full-time clinical instructor (1979-1982), an assistant professor and director of the dental service in the Detroit Medical Center (1982-1986), and chair of the Department of General Dentistry (1983-1988). In 1980, Taylor began working toward a master’s degree in public health on the U-M campus. “Dr. David Striffler, who was in charge of the dental public health program at the time, was very influential in my decision to earn my master’s degree,” Taylor said. “The program was good for me because I was able to add administration and teaching to build upon the success I acquired clinically.” During his two years of study at the U-M School of Public Health, Taylor was a student in an on job/on-campus program that was a combined medical care organization

and denta l pub l i c health program. “Not only did I learn about dental public health from Dave Striffler, but I was able to learn from three outstanding SPH faculty members – Brian Burt, Stephen Eklund, and Susan Szpunar. It was a great exper ience ,” Taylor said. “While all were h e l p f u l , B r i a n i n particular, as a mentor a n d d i s s e r t a t i o n

supervisor, would be influential in advancing my career. I am truly grateful for all his help and insights during the years we’ve known and worked with each other,” Taylor said. Nearly 20 years later, the two worked on different

Dr. George Taylor was the advisor to Reynaldo Rivera for last year’s Research Table Clinic Day program.

Per Kjeldsen


sections of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health in America. [See sidebar.] After earning his MPH in 1982, and continuing until 1988, Taylor was a nonresident lecturer at the School of Public Health. He was a resident in the dental public health program between 1986 and 1988. In 1988, Taylor and his wife, Gloria, moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor so Taylor could pursue a doctorate at the School of Public Health as a National Research Service Award fellow.

“A Give-Away, not a Garage Sale” However, before moving, George and Gloria disposed of most of their household possessions. “We didn’t have a garage sale,” he said, “we had a give-away. Anyone who stopped by was able to pickup and take home whatever they wanted.” That gesture personifies Taylor, both personally and professionally. Looking back, he has found that, in giving of himself, he has received more than he ever expected. In addition to teaching, Taylor has been a research mentor, an advisor to students pursuing masters and doctoral degrees, has spoken to groups about the interrelationships between oral and systemic health, and more. “I’ve been fortunate to develop some very cherished relationships here at the School of Dentistry and across the University of Michigan campus – with colleagues, students, and others,” he said. In particular, Taylor recalled “the generosity of both Walter Loesche and Paul Lang who invited me to join their research projects when I first joined the faculty. I, of course, accepted the invitations which turned out to be very influential in helping me establish my research career here.” When asked if he considers himself a role model for other African Americans, especially students at the School who are pursuing careers in oral health, or who are considering careers in dentistry, Taylor said, “Yes, I do. I have a special sensitivity to the needs and aspirations of minority students. That’s why I go out of my way to help them as much as I can whenever I can.” By every measure, Dr. George Taylor has not only achieved his dreams when he was growing up in Newport News, he surpassed even his own expectations. “I’ve been tremendously blessed in my career,” he said.

Contributing to a Pioneering Report

Dr. George Taylor (left) and Dr. Brian

Burt (right) were two of three U-M School of

Dentistry faculty members who played major

roles in developing the Surgeon General’s

Report on Oral Health. The other faculty

member was Dr. Amid Ismail.

Issued in May 2000, the groundbreaking

report focused on the state of oral health in the

country. It emphasized the importance of oral

health and its relationship to general health

and well-being.

Taylor, a contributing author, reviewed

literature and prepared the original draft

of one section of the report that focused

on the interrelationship between diabetes

and periodontal disease. Burt drafted the

original section of the report focusing on the

epidemiology of periodontal diseases, along

with a series of graphs. Ismail co-authored a

chapter on dental care and verified the scientific

accuracy of four chapters of information.

“I was honored to be asked to contribute to

that report,” Taylor said. “The best part, though,

was having an opportunity to meet and work

with so many others, not just here in Michigan,

but other parts of the country.”

Per Kjeldsen


Education• DoctorofPublicHealth,UniversityofMichiganSchoolof PublicHealth(1994)• MasterofPublicHealth,UniversityofMichiganSchoolof PublicHealth(1982)• MasterofScience,PublicHealth,UniversityofMichigan SchoolofPublicHealth(1982)• GeneralPracticeResidency,BrookdaleHospitalMedicalCenter, Brooklyn,NewYork(1974-1975)• DoctorofDentalMedicine,HarvardUniversitySchoolofDental Medicine,Boston(1974)• BachelorofArts,sociology,UniversityofVirginia,Charlottesville

AcademicAppointmentsandProfessionalExperience• Associateprofessorofdentistry,withtenure,U-MSchoolof Dentistry (since September 2000)• Assistantprofessorofdentistry,U-MSchoolofDentistry (1993-2000)• Researchassociate,U-MSchoolofPublicHealth,programin dentalpublichealthandU-MSchoolofDentistry(1992-1993)• Adjunctassociateclinicalprofessor,UniversityofDetroit MercySchoolofDentistry(1988topresent)• Nonresidentlecturer,U-MSchoolofPublicHealth(1982-1988)• Director,extramuralaffairs;U-DMercySchoolofDentistry (1986-1988)• Chair,DepartmentofGeneralDentistry;U-DMercySchoolof Dentistry(1983-1988)• Assistantprofessor,U-DMercySchoolofDentistry;director,U-D MercyDentalService,DetroitMedicalCenter(1982-1986)• Clinicalinstructor,U-DMercySchoolofDentistry(1979-1982)

HonorsandAwards• NationalAdvisoryDentalandCraniofacialResearchCouncil Award, National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH (2003)• NationalDentalAssociationFoundation/ColgatePalmolive Faculty Recognition Award (2002)• Diplomate,AmericanBoardofPublicHealthDentistry(2002)• Civil Rights Award,NationalDentalAssociation(1988)• National Research Service Award, National Institute of Dental Research(1988)

Dr. George TaylorProfessional Achievements

Selected Highlights

HospitalAppointments• Staffconsultant,HutzelHospital,Detroit(1989-2003)• Staffconsultant,RehabilitationInstituteofDetroit(1981-2003)• Staffconsultant,DetroitReceivingHospital(1981-present)• Generalpracticeresident,BrookdaleHospitalMedicalCenter (1974-1975)

MembershipsinProfessionalSocieties• AmericanAssociationofPublicHealthDentistry (1980topresent) - ExecutiveCouncilmember(1997topresent) - Co-chair,OralHealthandPublicPolicyCommittee(1998to present) - MembershipCommitteemember(1996-1997)• MichiganDentalAssociationCommitteeonHealthPlanning, HospitalandInstitutionalDentalServices(consultant,1987- 1988;member,1988-1993)• DetroitDistrictDentalSociety,MichiganDentalAssociation (1979topresent) - DelegatetotheMDAHouseofDelegates(1987) - ExecutiveCouncilmember(1986-1987) - PeerReviewCommitteemember(1986-1987) - AlternateDelegatetotheMDAHouseofDelegates(1986)• NationalDentalAssociation(2001topresent)• InternationalAssociationofDentalResearch(1988topresent)• AmericanPublicHealthAssociation(1980topresent)• AcademyofGeneralDentistry(1979topresent)• AmericanDentalAssociation(1975topresent)

EditorshipsandReviewPanels• EditorialBoard,Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice (2001 to present)• Reviewer,Journal of Periodontology; Annals of Periodontology (2000 to present)• Reviewer,Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (1997topresent)• Reviewer,Journal of Public Health Dentistry(1997topresent)• Reviewer,American Journal of Public Health (1997topresent)• ReviewCommitteemember,U.S.PublicHealthService,Health ResourcesandServicesAdministration(1994topresent)



Faculty NEWS

D r. J a m e s M c N a m a r a , t h e T h o m a s M . a n d D o r i s G r a b e r Endowed Professor of Dentistry in the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, is one of four individuals to receive the Edward H. Angle Research Prize. McNamara and three others – Drs. Tiziano Baccetti, Lorenzo Franchi, and Christopher Cameron – recently received the award from the Edward H. Angle Educational and Research Foundation during its 35th biennial meeting. The award is given for the outstanding scientific paper published in the orthodontic journal, The Angle Orthodontist, during the previous two years. The aim of their study was to evaluate differences in both short-term and long-term effects of orthopedically expanding the upper jaw in two groups of subjects treated before and after the peak in

McNamara, 3 Others Win Top Research Prize

skeletal maturation by analyzing the maturation of vertebrae in the neck. Their study found that the group treated before the pubertal peak showed significantly greater increases in the width of the maxilla and in the nasal cavities. The study indicated that expansion treatment prior to the peak in skeletal growth velocity is able to induce more pronounced transverse craniofacial changes at the skeletal level. Baccetti and Franchi are Thomas M.GraberVisitingScholarsinU-M’sDepartment of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry. The two are also faculty members of the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Florence, Italy. The fourth recipient, Dr. Chris Cameron, is a private practice orthodontist in Toronto who graduated from the U-M School of Dentistry’s orthodontics program in 2000.

Dr. Dennis Lopatin has been named to the new position of Senior Associate Dean. A faculty member since 1976, Lopatin previously served as vice chair of the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences and interim chair of the Department of Periodontics, Prevention, and Geriatrics. As senior associate dean, Lopatin will work with Dean Peter Polverini in coordinating the allocation of space, renovations, construction, and related budgets; crafting a school-wide faculty development program; assisting in implementing the School’s strategic plan, and oversee ing personne l ac t ions , including faculty appointments and promotions. I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e s e responsibilities, Lopatin will also continue to serve as director of the School of Dentistry’s biopreparedness program.

Lopatin New Senior Associate Dean

Recipients of the 2003 Edward H. Angle Research Prize were (left to right): Drs. Lorenzo Franchi, Tiziano Baccetti, and James McNamara, the Graber Endowed Professor of Dentistry. A fourth recipient, Dr. Christopher Cameron, was not present.

Photo courtesy of Dr. James McNamara

Per Kjelsden


Several School of Dentistr y faculty members have been appointed to endowed professorships. They include: Dr. William Kotowicz named the Roy Roberts Endowed Professor of Dentistry, Dr. Cun-Yu Wang appointed to the Richard H. Kingery Endowed Collegiate Professorship, Dr. William Giannobile named the William K. and Mary Anne Najjar Professor of Dentistry, Dr. Sunil D. Kapila, the Robert W. Browne Professor in Orthodontics.

Faculty Named toEndowed Professorships

Faculty NEWSDrs. Sunil & Yvonne Kapila Join Dental School

A sugges t ion f rom a predoctoral student led to Dr. David Sarment writing a manual about dental implants. “A l t h o u g h I ’ v e written articles and chapters for books, I’ve done nothing like this until now,” said Sarment, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics, Prevention, and Geriatrics. Sarment said what wound up as a manual began as lesson plans. He changed directions following the predoctoral student’s suggestion. The Manual of Dental Implants, a Reference Guide for Diagnosis and Treatment, is published by Lexi-Comp of Hudson, Ohio. It can be ordered by calling (800) 837-5394 or on the Web at www.lexi.com.

An outstanding husband and wife team are the newest members of the School of Dentistry’s faculty. Dr. Sunil Kapila is the new chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry. His wife, Dr. Yvonne Kapila, is a new associate professor in the Department of Periodontics, Prevention and Geriatrics. Before coming to Michigan, he was an associate professor in the Department of Growth and Development at the University of California in San Francisco and was the first Eugene West Endowed Chair of Orthodontics. He succeeds Dr. Lysle Johnston, Jr., who chaired the department for 12 years. A Fulbright-Hayes scholar who has won several research awards, including the Milo Hellman Award from the American Association of Orthodontists, Sunil is also a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. His research focuses on determining the causes of temporomandibular joint diseases in women, on bioengineering TMJ tissues, and bone regeneration. These studies have applications in orthodontics and periodontics.

Dr. Yvonne Kapila also possesses impressive credentials. In 1986, she earned a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford and a dental degree, certificate in periodontics, and doctoral degree from UCSF in 1990, 1994, and 1997, respectively. Since 1999 she has been an assistant professor at UCSF in the Department of Stomatology and is also active in a clinical practice. Yvonne is principal investigator of two $1 million-plus grants and is the principal investigator of two other research projects, including one totaling $674,000. Her research interests are in cell matrix interactions that govern the repair and regeneration of periodontal tissues and cell survival of squamous cell carcinomas. Sunil and Yvonne will soon arrive in Ann Arbor along with their 6-year-old daughter, Anjuli, and 2-year-old twins, Sahil and Simran.

Sarment Pens Manual

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Dean Peter Polverini and Dr. Hom-Lay Wang, director of the graduate periodontics program, were awarded Fellowships in the American College of Dentists during the group’s annual meeting in San Francisco last October. Polverini is also a Fellow in the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. Wang is also a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, is the author or co-author of 12 book chapters and more than 100 scientific articles and abstracts, and has given more than 200 lectures at professional and scientific congresses around the world during the past 15 years. Fellowship in the American College of Dentists is by invitation only and is based on demonstrated leadership and contributions to organized dentistry, oral health care, dental research, dental education, the profession, and society. Since its founding in 1920, the College has launched and supported many initiatives designed to enhance the quality of dental care and the profess ion’s ser vice to society. Approximately three-and-a-half percent of dentists are Fellows of ACD.

Dr. Sharon Lanning is the first School of Dentistry faculty member selected for a specialized program designed to prepare health care professionals for leadership roles in education. Lanning, a clinical assistant p ro f e s s o r i n t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Periodontics, Prevention, and Geriatrics, is one of 13 health care scholars from across the U-M campus who successfully competed for a spot in the Medical School’s Medical Education Scholars Program (MESP). The one-year program, which begins in the fall, consists of weekly, half-day workshops on topics led by experts in their field. Subjects include basic principles of education and learning, teaching methods, research principles, academic leadership, and educational evaluation and assessment. Experts may be from the Medical School, other schools on campus, or those outside U-M with major national or international credentials. “What’s especially rewarding about the program are the many opportunities to interact with others from outside my own field,” Lanning said. “Their expertise and insights are invaluable, not just in learning more about a particular topic, but also networking.”

Originally d e s i g n e d f o r t h e M e d i c a l School’s faculty m e m b e r s i n 1 9 9 7 , t h e p r o g r a m i n recent years has e x p a n d e d t o include different sectors of the health care profession. Those participating in the program with Lanning include specialists in internal, pediatric, geriatric, emergency, and family medicine; psychiatry; public health, and obstetrics and gynecology. MESP scholars are also expected to develop an educational project they would like to pursue while participating in the program. Lanning said her project features a case-based program aimed at enhancing the consistency of teaching in School clinics. Since arriving at the U-M School of Dentistry two years ago, Lanning has taken a major role in piloting a teaching program for dentistry that’s similar to teaching programs at many medical schools. She has also initiated a case-based program to improve the consistency of teaching in School clinics.

Lanning First Dental Faculty Member in Medical Education Program

Polverini and WangNew ACD Fellows

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DENTAL HYGIENE

B y a n y m e a s u re , t h e i r e f f o r t s w e re outstanding. The 28 students who are members of the Dental Hygiene Class of 2004 completed the first-ever senior pledge drive for dental hygiene students. Their achievements were impressive. Consider these facts: •Ninety-threepercentoftheclasspledged. •Thetargetpledgegoalof$3,000was surpassed by nearly 40 percent! •Thetotalamountpledgedwas$4,195. •Theaverageamountpledgedwas$161. “As a class, you’re awesome,” said Professor Wendy Kerschbaum, director of the dental hygiene program. “You set a high standard for others to follow.” She also stressed the significance of their gifts. “The giving program at any School plays an important role in sustaining a range of programs,” Kerschbaum said. “Your efforts will enable us to continue offering the excellent programs we have which, in turn, makes your dental hygiene degree from the University of Michigan so highly regarded.” Kerschbaum urged the hygiene students to follow through on their pledges and continue giving over the years. Kristen Wilhelm, president of the class, said, “Our decision to give was really not much of a sacrifice. As soon-to-be-alumni, we would like to see this program continue to succeed in the future. We hope our gifts will help the University to exceed the expectations of students in the future, just as it has with us.”

DH Class of ’04 Makes its Mark93% Participation

Kristen Wilhelm (right), president of the Dental Hygiene Class of 2004, and Julie Pitel, class vice president, were instrumental in the success of the fundraising effort.

Seen in this picture of the Dental Hygiene Class of 2004 are: the director of the dental hygiene program, Prof. Wendy Kerschbaum (second row, right) and Dawn Ford (second row, left) from the Office of Development who organized the program.

Keary Campbell

Keary Campbell


She’s coached her synchronized skating team from Wayne, Michigan to three first-place finishes in competitions earlier this year. She also teaches power skating to five- and six-year-olds learning to play ice hockey in nearby Canton. And after she earns her Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene in May, Julie Pitel plans to continue her role as an ice skating coach and instructor. “It’s great exercise, gives me an opportunity to get out with my friends and have some fun, and it’s also helped me to pay for some of my college expenses,” she said.

Beginnings Pitel first put on figure skates when she was seven. She enjoyed herself so much that she took private lessons for the next ten years to help improve her performance in competitions. When she was 11, she joined a synchronized figure skating team in Wayne and participated in competitions in and around the Detroit area and other parts of the country. “I had a good time,” she said. “There were 26 of us on the team, so when I went to college, I thought I’d try it there too.” She succeeded, landing a spot with the synchronized skating team at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. To help her meet some of her educational expenses, she also coached figure skaters. But after one semester, Pitel came to U-M to pursue her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. “This was the best place to do that,” she said.

Coaching About three years ago, Pitel began coaching a group of 14 girls, ages 8 to 12, who belong to a synchronized figure skating team in Wayne. “I’m on the ice with them every Saturday morning and get paid for it, which helps me to meet some of my expenses here,” she said. That role turned out to be a springboard for teaching another group – young ice hockey players – how to skate. A parent suggested she give it a try. One day, the father of one of the synchronized skaters offered the idea. “When I asked why, he said because I

Leading on the IceJulie Pitel: DH Class of ‘04 Vice President & Championship Skating Coach

was so fussy about how I wanted things done that I yelled a lot,” Pitel said with a laugh. “So when an opportunity arose to teach young hockey players, I gave it a try.” Unlike coaching the synchronized skating team, which occurs regularly, Pitel teaches power skating to ice hockey players on a when-needed basis. She teaches them the basics – how to start and stop, how to cross over, skate backwards, and the importance of balance.

Three 1st Place Finishes The first few months of 2004 have been both busy and rewarding. In January, Pitel’s synchronized skating team won first place in a competition in Melvindale, Michigan. Less than a month later, the group earned a first-place finish in a competition in Westland. A third championship followed two weeks later in Southgate. Soon, she will coach a synchronized skating team that will participate in regional competition in Chicago and then a world competition in Minneapolis in late July. “I’ll probably be a nervous wreck then,” she said. “I’m more nervous watching them skate than I was when I was competing.” After receiving her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene, Pitel plans to return to U-M to earn a master’s degree in public health.

Julie Pitel (second from right) has help from co-coach Sarah Dean. They and some of the members of the team paused for this picture after practice last December.

Jerry Mastey


If you know of an opportunity for volunteering, please let us know. The Dental Hygienists’ Alumnae Association will inform its members, and hopefully participation in the event will be even better. Also, if you have an experience you would like to share with fellow alumni, write us. You can e-mail the alumni association at [email protected], or send a letter to the School of Dentistry’s Office of Alumni Relations at 1011 N. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078.

Sincerely,

Jemma Allor, President

DENTAL HYGIENE

Join Today

Your active involvement in the U-M DentalHygienists’ Alumnae Association is encouraged. Among its activities, the organization presents the Pauline F. Steele Award to an outstanding senior during spring graduation ceremonies, as well as the Distinguished Dental Hygienist Alumnae Award. The recipient of that award is recognized at the organization’s annual fall banquet. Annual dues of $15 (July 1 to June 30) help finance these and other activities. Please make your check payable to the U-M Dental Hygienists’ Alumnae Association. You can mail your checkto Amy Reyes at the School of Dentistry, 1011 N. UniversityAvenue,AnnArbor,MI48109-1078.

As alumni of the University of Michigan, we’re already members of an elite group. Our top-notch education has afforded us many privileges in both educational and dental circles. Not everyone is so lucky, however. When we were students, we were exposed to various types of volunteering. These included visits to Hope Clinic in Ypsilanti, the V.A. Hospital, theMaxey Boys School,Native American clinics, nursing homes, and elementary schools, to name a few. Each visit was a unique experience. We learned a great deal about different types of people, and hopefully, ourselves as well. “The more you give, the more you receive” is probably the best way to sum up what these experiences were about. That’s the beauty of volunteer work. In our profession, and when we serve as volunteers, we carry on what we were taught – to treat our patients with respect and kindness. But what about volunteering in the public sector? Many alumni are active and volunteer their time and services in their community and enjoy meeting new types of people and helping them. Whether it is an elderly patient, or someone who is medically compromised, or an underprivileged patient, there is always an opportunity to grow from time spent serving the public. Other activities may also include participating in a fundraising walk, working in a free clinic, or simply donating supplies to the local homeless shelter. The point is, University of Michigan dental hygiene alumni are out there and helping as much as they can. We are very proud of those that continue to give back and hope their efforts will inspire others. Let us continue and expand upon this great tradition of community service.

Expanding a Great Tradition – Community Service


Dental hygiene student Dana Sutton was awarded two scholarships totaling $1,000. The first scholarship of $500, was awarded by the National Dental Hygiene Association during its annual convention last summer. To Sutton’s surprise, the National Dental Association matched the scholarship. After receiving her degree in May, Sutton said she would like to practice dental hygiene in Switzerland. “I got the idea from Kari Gould who told me about her experiences and highly recommended it,” Sutton said. [DentalUM, Spring & Summer 2001, pages 36-38.] Sutton said when she returns, she would like to either go back to school or work in a private practice.

Dr. Joan McGowan received the Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Dentistry International during its meeting in San Francisco last fall. The award is given to an individual to recognize their “significant contributions to the enhancement of the quality of life and the human condition.” McGowan, who has been at the U-M School of Dentistry since 1973, is the Michigan coordinator of the National Spit Tobacco Education Program. The Academy advances dentistry and dental standards worldwide through continuing education. Along with sponsoring dental education and service projects, it directly aids in improving the oral health and well-being of people worldwide.

It’s not too early to begin thinking about being a part of this year’s Homecoming activities. This year’s events begin on Thursday, October 7, and continue through Saturday, October 9. Dental hygiene graduates who graduated in years ending in 4 and 9 will be recognized this year. U-M Dental Hygienists’ Alumnae Association will hold its annual dinner on Friday, October 8, at Kensington Court, formerly the Crowne Plaza, in Ann Arbor. A reception begins at 6:30 p.m. Dinner begins about half-an-hour later. We would like to make this year’s turn-out the best yet. Our annual dinner is an excellent opportunity to catch up on what’s going on in the lives of old friends, exchange ideas with peers, and perhaps even offer to volunteer for an activity. If you are interested in attending or helping with the planning, please send an e-mail to Jemma Allor. Her e-mail address is: [email protected].

Fall Homecoming

Dana Sutton (left), dual scholarship recipient, and Juana Gissendaner (RDH1988).Forthepastthreeyears,Gissendanerhasbeenworkingto attract more minorities to the School’s dental hygiene program.

McGowan Receives Humanitarian Award

Dana Sutton Awarded Scholarships


DENTAL HYGIENE

Executive Board Members: U-M Dental Hygienists’ Alumnae Association (2004-2006)

Term Expires 2004HeatherGoemer,Classof1999ShawntelHale,Classof1999KarenBeckerman,Classof1995LauraRoth,Classof1999

Term Expires 2005Jemma Allor (President), Class of 2000ChristineKlausner,Classof1972SheilaMay,Classof1999MaryStout,Classof1966

Term Expires 2006Kathleen Early-Burk (Secretary), Classof1977Shirley Branam (Treasurer), Classof1998BeverlyGainer,Classof1998KellyDonovanRichter,Classof1995

Ex-Officio MemberWendy Kerschbaum

Dental hygiene students participated in the School’s Research Table Clinic Day program held in February. [See story, page 85.] This year, 29 DH students were involved in 11 table clinics. Their work was displayed on four-foot high tables with tri-fold posters. Poster presentations, by comparison, measured four feet by six feet and are mounted on an easel. Some of the table clinic participants are pictured below.

DH Students inResearch Table Clinic Day

Maria Schuemann (left) and Nicole Maynard.

Alyssa King (left) and Julie Morgan.

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Marking the second year of a tradition established in the fall of 2002, first-year dental students received the white coats they are now wearing in clinics during formal ceremonies last October at Rackham Auditorium. In keynote remarks, the President of the Michigan Dental Association, Dr. Raymond Gist challenged the D1s to put their special talents to work, both during their four years of study at the U-M School of Dentistry and throughout their professional careers.

Memories…and Looking Ahead Gist, who received his DDS from the U-M School of Dentistry in 1966, recalled his days as a dental student. “I’m sure that many of our thoughts, feelings, and concerns are the same,” he said. “We share a common bond. We are all dental professionals. We are just at different stages of our professional growth.” Congratulating the students on being accepted into the predoctoral program, Gist told the students that their education “will be earned, not received.” Reminding them they had “a few short years to earn their degree,” Gist told the students their dedication “will set you apart in today’s society and your community.”

“You’re the cream of the crop, but don’t take anything for granted,” MDA President tells dental students

2nd Annual Coating Ceremony

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Only eight percent of Michigan residents older than 25 have a graduate or a professional degree, he said. “So you will become part of a very small percentage of the population to reap the benefits of higher learning. …You are the cream of the crop, but don’t take anything for granted. Be conscientious, work hard, and utilize the expertise of those within the halls of this fine university.” He also stressed the responsibility of providing ethical service and being self-regulating. “We must be ever vigilant, as we are constantly under scrutiny. Presenting ourselves to the public as a profession beyond reproach is an on-going process,” he said. “We are depending on you to maintain the impeccable status of our profession.”

A Symbol of Respect and Pride Afua Mireku, Dental Class of 2004 president, told students that wearing the white coat “is a privilege and not something to be taken lightly. It is a symbol of respect, honor, and great responsibility.” She reminded students that every patient they treat, whether in School clinics or after graduation, “is an individual who is relying on you, trusting you to provide the best care. You must realize your coat represents your commitment to your patients and your profession. Wear it with pride.”

Like Learning to Ski Dr. Aleco Tujios, who was president of the Dental Class of 2003 for the first white coat ceremony a year earlier, told the D1s that dental school was similar to learning to ski. “You’re all crammed into the same gondola,” he told the 107 students. “Your first two years will be a long, slow, uphill climb,” but that the final two years will be “a quick downhill return to the real world.” Continuing the metaphor, he said that periodically, the gondola would stop to pick up ski instructors. “All of your instructors will teach you something different. Take time to learn all the different techniques. Somewhere along the way, you’ll put it all together and develop your own way of doing things,” he said. Tujios also reminded students that they would be expected to conduct themselves “in a manner consistent with those in your profession, not simply as a student practicing as you learn.” At a reception in the lobby of the Rackham Building, Gist spent time talking to dental students about the profession.

Dr. Raymond Gist, a member of the Class of 1966andPresidentoftheMichiganDental

Association, reminded dental students of their obligations to both the profession and

their patients.

Afua Mireku, president of the Dental Class of 2004, told dental students

that wearing a white coat “is a privilege and not something to be

taken lightly.”

Dr.JayWerschky(Classof1976)urgedfirst-yeardentalstudentsto maintain the School’s long-term tradition of excellence.

Representing the Alumni Society Board of Governors, he told students “you can’t over-prepare for your future.” He urged

students to give some of their time, efforts, and resources back to the profession after earning their degree. His daughter,

Joelle, was among the students receiving a white coat.

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The coating ceremony was especially memorable for some parents and other family members who were able to attend the event to see their first-year student receive a white coat. Some traveled only short distances. Others traveled considerably farther. Courtney Spence said her parents flew in from Seattle. “It was a great opportunity for many of us not only to see our own families, but to meet the families of some of our friends here at the dental school,” she said. Sangmo “Dannie” Yu, said his fiancée traveled to Ann Arbor from Dallas to attend. “She was impressed with the program,” he said. “I too thought it was very well planned and was flattered by the effort the D4s put into it.” Abby Carlson said her parents and grandmother drove from Grand Rapids to attend the ceremony. “They enjoyed themselves and had nothing but positive comments about events of the day.” Richard Koh said his parents didn’t have to fly, nor drive a great distance, since they live in nearby Canton. Erica Frando said she enjoyed the setting and the speakers. “Rackham was the perfect place to have it. It was absolutely gorgeous. The speakers were excellent, especially Dr. Tujios,” she said. “I thought his skiing analogy was true and funny.”

Ceremony Impresses Students and Parents

Some parents were taking pictures of the coating ceremony both during the event . . . and, in the case of Imani Lewis, afterwards.

Members of the White Coat Committee that helped to organize the ceremony included fourth-year dental students Kathryn Swan (left) and Kelly Burgess. Other members included Afua Mireku, Denise Lyons, and Jill Burgess.

Courtney Spence

DannieYu

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The Oath of AspiringDental Professionals

(Drafted by the Class of 2004 - Recited by the Class of 2007)

Dedication to my career goals has earned me an honorable position in the dental community. This is a privilege that comes with considerable responsibility to my patients, my colleagues, and other health professionals.

I will be committed to disciplined academic studies and the competent and knowledgeable practice of dentistry.

I will work with my peers to establish an atmosphere of honesty and collegiality, thereby fostering collaborative learning. I will actively participate in my community and respect the confidence entrusted in me by my patients.

I understand that the foundation of my education built here at the University of Michigan provides the framework for my continued education. I will acknowledge the changes and advancement of the profession over time, recognize my limitations, and be committed to a lifetime of learning.

I will uphold the highest level of professionalism throughout my dental career and enrich the legacy of my predecessors.

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Dick Nieusma is a legend in his own time. Since earning his dental degree in 1956, the 73-year-old Grand Rapids area dentist has become an icon among oral health care professionals in South Korea as well as the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan. [See map on next page.] Last summer, Dick and his wife, Ruth, traveled half a world away to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for the dedication of the “Dr. Dick H. Nieusma Memorial Dental Center.” “I know the word ‘memorial’ is typically used to honor a person after he or she passes away, but I’m glad that, in my case, it wasn’t done posthumously,” he said with a laugh. “Rather, the word ‘memorial’ was used to express affection and appreciation. For that, I’m deeply grateful.”

Then and Now… Serving Near and Far

For more than a century, University of Michigan School of Dentistry graduates and dental students have helped thousands of people in countries near and far. Dr. Dick Nieusma (DDS 1956), Dr. Barbara Emerick (DDS 1980), and Paul Orley, who is finishing the third year of his predoctoral studies, have spent varying amounts of time providing oral health care. Nieusma spent more than 20 years treating patients and educating future dentists and dental hygienists in Korea, as well as in a republic that once was a part of the former Soviet Union. Emerick spent a week last Christmas serving in the Dominican Republic. Orley spent two weeks last summer treating patients, mostly adolescents, in the Philippines. Their experiences show that…regardless of age…one person can make a difference in the lives of many and, in the process, gain professional and personal satisfaction from those efforts.

Dick Nieusma…Honored in Korea and Central Asia

Dr. Dick Nieusma, Dr. Barbara Emerick, and Paul Orley (D3)


How it Began Nieusma’s interest in

Korea began during the two-and-a-half years he was a dentist with the U.S. Army in Tokyo.

During his tour of duty, he and his wife adopted a Korean-born son, Paul, in 1958, now a detective in Ingham County, Michigan. Four years later, they adopted a Korean-born daughter, Mary, now a dental hygienist who’s married to a dental ceramist in Orlando, Florida. In 1961, Nieusma began what would turn out to be nearly a quarter century of training dental residents at a hospital in Kwangju, South Korea, about 200 miles south of Seoul. However, his first two years were devoted to learning the language at Yonsei University in Seoul. Nieusma said that Korean pronunciation was especially difficult to learn. Once when he asked a pharmacist for toothpaste (ch’i-yak), he was given a bottle of “chwi-yak,” which is rat poison! He continued his research on the language, and in 1969, published a dictionary and a verb wheel. The wheel enables a user to form difficult Korean verbs automatically simply by matching colors on the wheel. Nieusma is also working on a revision of the dictionary. “From an oral health care perspective, things were pretty bad, back in 1961,” he said. “There was a lot of periodontal disease and occlusal wear from grit in the rice, but interestingly, very little caries because sugar candies had not yet been introduced on a massive scale.” That soon changed. Nonetheless, Nieusma said he was fortunate to arrive when he did “because modern dentistry was just getting started and the country needed dentists who could not

only help people but also develop education programs that would train future practitioners.” At that time, faculty or residents treated patients while dental students watched. So clinical

residencies were highly sought.

A “First” in South Korea Nieusma achieved a personal and national milestone in 1966 when he became the first foreigner to be issued a license to practice dentistry in Korea. Two translators were provided for the National Board Exam. Relying on what he learned at the U-M School of Dentistry and a rotating internship while in the Army in Japan, Nieusma was able to develop a prosthodontics residency program that was accredited by the Korean Ministry of Health and the Korean military. His graduates entered the military as prosthodontic specialists. “We focused on developing a strong academic program, developing and maintaining high standards of oral health care, and having modern equipment and supplies,” Nieusma said. If equipment was not available, Nieusma designed it himself...something he continues to do even now. “I taught dentistry to the Koreans in their own language and was invited to lecture at a number of dental schools across the country,” he said. He also taught dental materials at the two local dental schools for 10 years. “Over the years, I was thrilled to see some of my students become professors and even deans at some of the dental schools in that country.”

Former Students Now Faculty Between September 1971 and August 1972, Nieusma was a visiting clinical assistant professor at the U-M School of Dentistry. “Merle Jaarda, Ron Heys, and Don Heys were students then. Some students later worked withmeinKwangjuincludingDanVanderMeulen,GaryClague,RayLubberts,JohnVanderKolk,WalterKubinski,and Dave Feick,” Nieusma said.


In 1982, Nieusma helped establish Dental Service International (DSI) to promote dental training and treatment of the less fortunate throughout Asia. His graduates and other Korean dental professionals carried the torch and have established dental centers in China, Mongolia, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and other Asian countries. Dental outreach programs included frequent “extraction clinics” in country villages. Thousands of school-age children were examined and treated each year. Many cleft palate and oral cancer patients were fitted with obturators and speech appliances. A full-service laboratory training program graduated about 50 government-certified lab technicians. A dental hygiene department was founded in a local junior college with the help of an American and a Korean hygienist.

Efforts Recognized His efforts have been acknowledged. Last June, Nieusma and his wife joined a team of Korean members of DSI who traveled to Tashkent for the dedication of the “Dr. Dick H. Nieusma Memorial Dental Center.” He was a part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony that included Uzbekistan’s Minister of Health, the president of the Uzbek Dental Association, and the Korean ambassador to Uzbekistan. Following the ceremony, the group traveled an hour east to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where DSI sponsored a dental symposium for about 250 local dentists. Nieusma was one of the lecturers, as was one of his friends, Dr. Huen-Taik Jhee, who earned a master’s degree in crown and bridge at U-M in 1966, when Nieusma’s classmate Dr. George Myers chaired the department. His work was recognized in another special way.

A Special Exhibit After returning to Seoul, Nieusma visited Seoul National University Dental Museum that had a special exhibit about him – the instruments he used, the Korean dictionary and verb wheel he published, and a copy of his Korean dental license. He also visited the DSI-operated Love Dental Training Center where dentists and

hygienists receive intensive training on cross-cultural communication and dental education to prepare them for overseas service. Nieusma and his wife have been invited to return to Central Asia this fall to participate in another DSI-sponsored symposium at the National Medical Center in Tashkent. “To have trained, challenged, and inspired dentists to provide quality oral health care and now to see them take over and carry on the work I started is a great source of pride and inspiration to me,” Nieusma said. Today, dentistry is vital, both physically and culturally, to the Korean people. So much so, Nieusma said, that having good teeth “is considered one of the five great blessings in life. That’s why Koreans are more interested in dental restorations than extractions,” he said. Nieusma’s work has been recognized in Korea, including becoming an honorary citizen of Kwangju in 1986. In 1992, he received the ADA’s Meritorious Service Award for his work In 2000, Hope College, his alma mater, where he received his bachelor’s degree, awarded him the Hope for Humanity Award for his service in Korea.

Dr. Dick Nieusma was invited to participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony last summer at the Tashkent Dental Center. Also participating in the ceremony were (lefttoright):Dr.Heun-TaikJhee,U-MSchoolofDentistry(1966);Nieusma;theUzbekMinisterofHealth;thepresidentoftheUzbekDentalAssociation;andKorean Ambassador to Uzbekistan. Note the white gloves all are wearing. “It’s a sign of respect in that part of the world and takes place on occasions such as this,” Nieusma said.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Dick Nieusma


She has assembled the information into a database to help determine what kind of follow-up care and treatments might be provided. Emerick hopes an international dental organization might be able to use the information and provide follow-up care. “Because of sugar cane, there’s an incredible amount of tooth decay among all age groups,” she said. Emerick said she and other members of her family felt their week of service “was probably one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done.” The family also established a scholarship fund, which will award $500 annually to a student from that country that will enable them to pursue an education beyond the seventh grade. “To us, $500 isn’t much,” she said, “but in the Dominican Republic it can help an adolescent reach a higher level of education and, hopefully, a better life.” “That one week of service was probably one of the most interesting and rewarding things I’ve ever done,” Emerick said. “I definitely would encourage others to look at doing something like this because it does make a difference.”

Dr. Barbara Emerick checks the teeth of a resident in Mata los Indios in the Dominican Republic last December.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Barbara Emerick

Daughter’s Comment, Online Search LeadDr. Barbara Emerick to Service

It began with a high school-age daughter’s desire to perform a community service project “that was different.” By the time it was over as 2003 was ending, the project so captivated Dr. Barbara Emerick (DDS 1980); her 16-year-old twins, Joe and Jessie; and a 24-year-old son, Jake, that they’re considering returning to the Dominican Republic. Emerick, a research investigator at the School of Dentistry, said her twin daughter, Jessica, a junior at Dexter High School, one day said “she wanted to do a community service project, but one that’s out of the ordinary.” “We’re adventurous,” Emerick said with a laugh, “so we went online and began looking for something different and began considering international volunteering opportunities.” They found one in the Dominican Republic – the Sister Island Project. “It seemed interesting, wasn’t far away, and we checked it out. So we felt confident about what we were doing when we left Michigan on December 19,” she said. “Still, it was a big leap of faith for us because, although we were in contact with people associated with the project, we didn’t know anyone, nor did we know the language.” Translators made the job easier.

500 Toothbrushes Helping residents build a secondary school in Cruz VerdewastheprimarygoalofEmerickandherfamily.But she also used her dental training and experience to provide oral health care to children and their parents in that village and two others, Alta Gracia and Mata los Indios. “I took 500 toothbrushes with me and passed all of them out in the villages,” she said. After instructing children and adults how to use the toothbrushes, Emerick recorded data about the oral health conditions of those she examined.


Following an extraction on other patients, dental student Paul Orley and his assistant place gauze and check for hemostasis on a resident of the Teen Challenge Center in Cebu. The girls in the background have also had extractions and were also checked for hemostasis before leaving the clinic.

Now a third-year dental student, Paul Orley initially had aspirations of becoming a construction manager. But after working construction on the home and office of a dentist in Decatur, Michigan, a town about 20 miles southwest of Kalamazoo, Orley’s plans changed. The dentist, Dr. Richard Moussalli, liked Orley’s work ethic and hired him after he expressed an interest in dentistry and asked for a job as a dental assistant. “One day, Dr. Moussalli said something I’ll never forget, ‘You’re good with your hands, have you ever considered becoming a dentist?’,” Orley said.

“Until then, I hadn’t. But I loved science and had given only passing thought to becoming a physician, but I didn’t want to be on call all the time,” he continued. “But his question made me think. I looked at several dental schools, applied to several and was accepted, and then chose Michigan.”

Teen Challenge Centers Before arriving at the U-M School of Dentistry, Orley spent a week in Peru working with dental missionaries. Last summer, Orley spent nearly two weeks with members

Paul Orley . . . From Construction to Dentistry

Photo courtesy of Dr. Paul Orley


His experiences have enhanced his education at the School of Dentistry. Helping so many patients in the Philippines on a daily basis “taught me a lot about efficiency and delegation,” Orley said. Not expecting to see so many patients each day, the dentists developed a system for treating patients who needed extractions. “I provided the oral health care, but relied on others to talk to the patients, ask them questions about what was wrong, and make records of what was done for any follow-up care that might be needed,” he said. He also said he learned how to be flexible and respond to new situations and challenges as they arose. “I have an even greater love for dentistry than I did before,” Orley said. “When I graduate in 2005, I plan to do this kind of work two weeks or one month every year.”

Third-year dental student Paul Orley administers a local anesthetic at a church in Cebu that was transformed into a dental clinic. His assistant (left) and a translator (partially obscured) look on. In the background on the left hand side of the picture is another patient who has already received an anesthetic and is waiting for an extraction.

“I have an even greater love for dentistry than I did before.

When I graduate in 2005, I plan to do this kind of work two weeks

or one month every year.”

of a church group from Kalamazoo providing oral health care and other help in the city of Cebu on the island of the same name in the Philippines, about 350 miles southeast of Manila. Orley was one of several individuals working under Dr. Moussalli’s direction providing oral health care services for several days in facilities called “Teen Challenge Centers.” The centers provided various rehabilitation services to troubled teens. As part of that program, the group reached out to the city’s poor, including homeless children and adolescents. On other occasions, following a day’s work, Orley and others on the dental team would take the portable equipment down, pack it up, take it to a new location, set it up, and get ready for the next day. “When you’re treating patients from nine in the morning until five or six o’clock in a climate that’s very hot and humid, and then do these other things, you’re drained,” he said. “But it was worth the effort to meet the great dental needs of this community.” Two or three local dentists, Moussalli, and Orley saw and treated about 700 patients during the two weeks he was in Cebu last August, usually about 100 patients a day. On his final day, Orley and the other dentists treated 180 patients. Most had to have one or more teeth extracted because of the severity of caries and level of pain.

Applying Philippines Experiences at Michigan Orley said the patients “were very grateful that someone from the United States would come so far to help them. We tried to meet their physical needs, through dentistry and provide some spiritual assistance as well.”

Photo courtesy of Paul Orley


While the University of Michigan was marking the 17th annual observance of Martin Luther King Day in January, the School of Dentistry also marked the day with a program of its own. The School’s program featured remarks from Dean Peter Polverini, reflections on the life of the late civil rights leader by Dr. Todd Ester, five individuals in a panel discussion talking about their experiences on the U-M campus in the 1970s and 1980s, and the presentation of the Ida Gray Award.

Today’s World More Diverse In remarks to faculty, staff, and students, Polverini reaffirmed the School’s commitment to diversity and multiculturalism. “The ability of our students, faculty, and staff to interact with others of different cultures, races, and income levels in classrooms, clinics, and elsewhere is one way of preparing us for our role as oral health care professionals,” he said. Citing the 2000 U.S. Surgeon General’s report on oral health care that pointed out profound and consequential oral health disparities within the U.S. population, Polverini said the School of Dentistry has been working for a long time to improve the quality of life of everyone. He cited oral health care provided to thousands of patients at the School’s clinics, state-wide community outreach efforts, and the Pipeline and Profiles for Success programs designed to bring underrepresented college students from around the country to help them prepare for admission to dental and medical schools. Saying today’s world is more diverse than it was 50, 25, or even 10 years ago, Polverini said “it will become even more so in the future. We’re moving forward, but there’s still work ahead.”

Martin Luther King Day Observed

Panelists Recall Experiences During the School’s program, several individuals recalled some of their experiences as students. Juana Gissendaner (RDH 1988), who has been working part-time during the past three years to attract more minorities to the

School’s dental hygiene program, and Tina Pryor, human resources officer, talked about some of the obstacles they faced as students during the 1970s and 1980s. One hurdle was not being asked by their peers to participate in group assignments. “I had to be very assertive. If students didn’t ask me to be in their study groups, I basically invited myself to join them,” Gissendaner said. Pryor said when she encountered similar situations as a student, “it made me want to excel that much more.”Both added that what they experienced made them more sensitive to students today, especially those who are introverted and don’t have the support or haven’t gained the acceptance of others.

The Role of Sports Another panelist, Darnell Kaigler, Jr., said that while learning to interact with individuals of other racial and cultural groups is important, “I don’t recall ever feeling as though I did not fit in. In fact, I’ve always considered myself as someone who’s part of the norm.” Kaigler, who is the first African American enrolled in, and hopes to soon complete, the School’s combined DDS/Oral Health Sciences PhD program, said his parents stressed the importance of treating everyone with respect. He also recalled the important role sports have played in his life. “When you’re playing a game or even practicing, you’re interacting with people of different races or different cultures. In those situations, you’re all best

Keary Campbell


MLKfriends. You don’t see color or ethnicity because, for those two or three hours you’re in a game or practicing, you’re working as one toward a common goal, and that’s winning,” he said. Other panelists were professor Wendy Kerschbaum and Dr. Rex Holland.

Katcher, Tyler, Holland Receive Award

Three individuals received the School of

Dentistr y ’s Ida Gray Award during the

School’s observance of Martin Luther King

Day in January. Dr. Gray was the first black

woman in the nation to earn a dental degree.

She received her degree from the U-M School

of Dentistry in 1890 and later practiced in

Chicago. The award, presented annually

by the Multicultural Affairs Committee,

recognizes those who promote diversity

throughout the School.Cheryl Quiney (left) presented an Ida Gray Award to dental student Erika Tyler for Tyler’s commitment to patients with special needs and for her role with the Special Olympics in Mt. Pleasant and Lansing.

Marilyn Woolfolk (left) presented an Ida Gray Award to Patricia Katcher. Katcher received the award for her work with the Pipeline and Profile for Success programs.

Ken May (left) presented an Ida Gray Award to fellow faculty member Rex Holland.

Keary Campbell

Keary Campbell Keary Campbell


“It’s amazing to see how much interest there is in this online publication,” said School of Dentistry librarian, Patricia Anderson. “It’s coming from colleges and universities across the country, those in private practice, and even a faculty member at a dental school in Lima, Peru.” The online publication is Dental Cosmos. It’s available, at no cost, at this Web site: www.hti.umich.edu/d/dencos.

An Influential Publication Dental Cosmos was one of the first national journals for the American dental profession and was also one of the most significant in the early history of American dentistry. For more than 70 years, it was considered the source of information for practitioners. Last fall, the first 33 volumes of Dental Cosmos (from the premier issue of August 1859 through December 1891) were offered online by the University of Michigan. Launched as a publication to encourage dentists to use products manufactured by the magazine ’ s founder, the Samuel S. White Dental Manufacturing Company, Dental Cosmos showcases the birth and evolution of the dental profession in the U.S. from just prior to the start of the Civil War to the years leading up to the start of the 20th Century. In time, it became the first enduring national journal for the American dental profession and one of the most significant in the early history of American dentistry.

Online Publication Offers InsightsInto Early Dentistry

Dental Cosmos Informative, Entertaining

In 1936, the publication merged with the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).

Dentist Walks in with Past Issues “It’s an informative and entertaining publication,” Anderson said. “There’s a wealth of knowledge in it that will interest dentists, specialists, dental hygienists, students, educators, historians, and others.” Copyright protection for issues prior to 1923 expired years ago,

consequently, the early volumes of the publication are now considered to be in the

public domain. A m o n g t h o s e responding to the online

p u b l i c a t i o n w a s a n endodontistinVancouver,

W a s h i n g t o n w h o researched the publication

for information about the history of amalgam.

A facu l ty member from the dental school in Peru

needed original and complete articles from the publication to

complete a thesis. But the icing on the cake

occurred earlier this year when a middle-aged gentleman and his wife

walked into the dentistry library and asked to speak to Anderson.

The dentist, who wished to remain anonymous , said he was talking to a neighbor about some old dental journals in the neighbor’s garage. The anonymous dentist recalled reading an article about Dental Cosmos that appeared in The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association.


Videosdemonstratinganarrayofdentalproceduresthat were recorded in School of Dentistry television studios during the 1970s and 1980s may soon be used in a novel way. The University of Michigan and IBM have teamed up to make it easier for students, faculty, and researchers to find other sources of information – video, images, and film. The effort to improve the access to vast quantities of these images is known as Digital Asset Management System, or DAMS. Basically, DAMS would mimic the approach one uses to search for print information on the Internet. However, in the case of DAMS, instead of entering a keyword or phrase and receiving a list of print publications (newspapers, magazines, etc.), the items that would be searched, retrieved, and delivered to the desktop would be much different — videos, images, and films. The School of Dentistry is involved in DAMS. Dan Bruell, multimedia developer, is directing the School’s participation in the project that involves seven other schools and colleges on the U-M campus: Education, Pharmacy, Literature Sciences and the Arts, Nursing, Social Work, University Library, and Information Technology Central Services. The School is making video demonstrations of various dental procedures online, giving dental students instant and repeated reference to a procedure, such as teeth cleaning. Those procedures are now being delivered to monitors at a student’s workstation in the newly-renovated west wing of the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinic. “Over the past thirty years or so, we’ve produced hundreds, if not thousands, of videotapes in our own studios that could possibly be used for the DAMS project and the refurbished preclinic,” said John Squires, the School’s chief media engineer.

But he also recalled that some of the dental journals in the neighbor’s garage were early issues of Dental Cosmos. After returning to his neighbor, he was given permission to rescue the early issues that were originally destined for the garbage dump and then brought them to the U-M School of Dentistry. “We’re glad he did,” Anderson said with a smile. “Some of those issues had portraits on the cover of our first dean, Dr. Jonathan Taft, and other notables such as G.V.BlackandHoraceWells.”

Types of Information Available Anderson said the online issues contain articles about the origins of some of the clinical techniques that are still used today, what kinds of interventions were used at the time to treat various conditions, discussions about herbal remedies that did and did not work, the importance of the fluoridation of water, and other interesting and fun things about the profession. “Since dental schools were being created in several states, including Michigan in 1875, there is a significant amount of information in Dental Cosmos about what it means to be a dentist, the core competencies students needed to become dentists, how dentists should communicate with patients, and how to encourage parents to have their children treated by a dentist before the children lost their teeth,” she said. “Some of the early founders of the profession, such as Dr. Jonathan Taft, who was the first dean of the Michigan College of Dental Surgery, as it was called at the time, are quoted extensively in these issues.” Transferring the content of the 33 volumes online from print was made possible with the generous support of the Colgate-Palmolive Company in partnership with the University Library Preservation Division, Digital Library Production Services and the U-M Dental Library.

School in Pioneering Digital Video Test

Program


S indecuse Museum Changes

Shannon O’Dell is the new curator of the Gordon H. Sindecuse Dental Museum. O’Dell was named assistant curator last summer and became curator earlier this year when the previous curator, Tammy Szatkowski-Reeves, and her husband moved out of state. O’Dell has worked for U-M since 1995, previously with the University Library’s Preservation Division, as a resource coordinator. Before that, she was curator for 12 years with the DeWitt Historical Society of Tompkins County in Ithaca, New York. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and a master’s degree in anthropology, with concentrations in historical archaeology and museum studies, from the University of Idaho.

Volunteers Needed The School of Dentistry is looking for volunteers who are willing to devote a few hours a week to help identify items in its collection of dental equipment and supplies. Because of the age of many of the items, it is difficult to determine their precise use and function. To volunteer, please e-mail: [email protected] or call Shannon O’Dell, curator, Sindecuse Museum, at (734) 763-0767.

Shannon O’Dell is the new curator of the Gordon H. Sindecuse Museum.

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Sections of a large mural that sparked many conversations between children and parents as children waited for their dental appointments in the Kellogg Building were recently moved in the Sindecuse Atrium. The mural, painted by Francis Danovich, depicts scenes from the life of the legendary lumberjack, Paul Bunyan, and his companion, Babe the Blue Ox. Danovich, an artist from the Michigan Institute of Arts and Crafts (Cranbrook), was commissioned by the U.S. Works Progress Administration in 1939. Danovich painted the scenes directly onto two of the plaster walls in the Children’s Waiting Room of the Kellogg Building. Children were attracted to the mural because of its size, the colors, and the depiction of a gigantic Paul Bunyan. Parents also became involved as they answered their children’s questions about the whimsical life of the legendary lumberman and his friends. Around the time he finished the mural in 1941, Danovich said, “I have tried to convey simply an amusing and light fantasy, using the elements found in real lumber camps. I have tried to avoid incredulity to the degree of normal conception, mainly because the mural was originally planned for children. But since adults too will see it,” he added, “I have attempted to make it acceptable to a varied audience.” By the 1970s, the mural had been covered by wallpaper and was all but forgotten. But it was “rediscovered” when renovations to the Kellogg Building began in 1998. However, by that time, only portions of the mural could be salvaged and eventually framed because several sections of the original mural had been damaged. Some of the larger holes that are visible in the corners of the three sections were made to distribute equally the weight of the mural so that key images could be saved.

Paul Bunyan Mural Moved to Sindecuse Atrium

Themuralasitappearedinthe1940sand1950s.

The mural as it appears now in the Gordon H. Sindecuse Atrium.

A portion of the mural was saved and removed before renovations to the KelloggBuildingbeganin1999.

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h e re h a v e b e e n s e v e r a l interesting and important d e v e l o p m e n t s i n o u r d e p a r t m e n t s i n c e m y

first report to you two years ago. [DentalUM, Spring & Summer 2002, pages 45-48.] As you’re aware from having read that first report, we began developing a novel teaching tool called “the virtual microscope.” Featured prominently in the School of Dentistry’s annual report in 2001 (pages 7 and 8), this tool is designed to make learning oral pathology more interesting and relevant.

Virtual Microscope Project Bolstered Last fall, the program received a boost with a second grant from the Whitaker Foundation. A $25,000 grant will enable us to double, to more than 120, the number of digitized pathology and histology cases that dental students will be able to view using both the Internet and digitalvideodiscs(DVDs). The funds will also be used to develop an interactive workbook and make the Internet and DVDversions of the case-based pathology course available to fourth-year dental students. The interactive workbook will provide instant feedback on each case to help students evaluate their understanding of the material.

The Benefits of Digital Microscopes Second-year dental students use their computer monitors as surrogate microscopes to view images of

T

DEPARTMENT UPDATEOral Medicine, Pathology, and Oncology

Dr. Thomas Carey,Chair

abnormal tissues that have been collected and archived by the School’s Oral Pathology and Biopsy Service. Previously, specimens on glass sides were viewed by students in groups of six or seven under 20-year-old light microscopes. In some instances, the light microscopes broke down, in others, tissue samples faded or the glass slides cracked and the tissue dried out. Instead of spending $2,500 to replace each light microscope, tissue images have been digitized. Now, al l students view the same image at the same resolution. Image qual i ty i s cons iderably sharper and can be shown at various magnifications. Case narratives accompany the digitized images to help students understand pathologic changes in tissues.

Building Upon Earlier Successes “The grant from the Whitaker Foundation will enable us to build upon the success we’ve already had the past two years in converting the microscope-based course to a virtual, case-based learning experience,” said project directors, Drs. Carl Hanks and Nisha D’Silva. They pointed out other benefits: eliminating the need to replace or maintain old light microscopes, students saving two hours of class time, and more effective use of time by faculty members. “Previously, two or three faculty members attended the weekly microscope laboratory for three hours and repeated the same material for

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two consecutive weeks to small groups who used the light microscopes,” Hanks and D’Silva said. “Now just one faculty member spends one hour, every other week, presenting the assigned cases simultaneously to an entire class using projected images from the virtual laboratory.” The second-year dental students can now view approximately 60 images using high-speed Internet connect ions f rom the School ’ s computing center, or from a personal computer that l inks directly to a designated Web site. Students without a high-speed Internet connection can use a DVD to viewimages and complete their virtual laboratory assignment. EachDVDhas a key-sized codeddevice, called a “dongle,” that restricts use to one computer at a time. This approach minimizes any attempts to copy a disk which protects the proprietary software used to record and store the images. Since this information is always available, students can personalize their schedules even more and review the material when their schedules allow. How much a student understands is evaluated after class-based virtual laboratory sessions. Under the supervision of a faculty member, students are divided into groups and are given unknown cases that are similar, but not identical, to cases that are assigned for study. Students review clinical photos, radiographs, histopathology and other material on the Web site and answer questions about possible clinical diagnosis and treatment approaches.

S t u d e n t s c a n a l s o re v i e w lecture notes and textbooks. This comprehensive approach enables them to develop the collaboration and lifelong learning skills they will rely on extensively after graduation. Bacus Laboratories in suburban Chicago digitizes the images for the course that will soon be available to fourth-year dental students. “The fourth-year students will find this course beneficial because it will reinforce the information about lesions that will be so important to them as they enter the world of private practice,” Hanks and D’Silva said. The Internet/DVD approachcould become a continuing dental education course that dentists or dental hygienists might be interested in taking at a later date.

Head, Neck Cancer Program Expands ResearchA collaborative research program now underway between the U-M School of Dentistry, the Medical School, and the

Comprehensive Cancer Center has the potential to improve the lives of patients with oral and other head and neck cancers and eventually decrease the mortality rates associated with those cancers. I t a l so provides numerous opportunities for undergraduate and dental students to become involved in clinically relevant research. Each project must have a translational aspect to it which, I believe, greatly increases the sense of relevance for our students.

Background An $8.5 mil l ion Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research is funding five separate research projects for five years. Projects range from molecular diagnostics to imaging and the biology of tumor progression. The SPORE grant also allows for novel research initiatives.

Second-year dental students can now

view approximately 60 images using

high-speed Internet connections from

the School’s computing center, or

from a personal computer at home

or apartment that links directly to a

designated Web site.


We will take what we learn in research laboratories and apply that knowledge to patients who come to us for treatment in our clinics. I’m co-director of the SPORE grant with Dr. Gregory Wolf, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology. The goal of this research is to improve the chances of survival for patients with oral and other head and neck cancers. The current five-year survival rates for those with advanced oral and other head and neck cancers, range from 90 percent for patients with Stage 1 cancers to only to 20 to 30 percent for those with more advanced, or Stage 4, head and neck cancers. Many patients are unaware of early-stage cancers and do not seek treatment until the tumor becomes symptomatic when it’s more advanced and less easy to cure. We want to improve those survival rates by better understanding what happens at the molecular level and why some patients survive and others don’t.

Novel Research Initiatives The SPORE grant also provides funds for faculty to conduct pilot research programs. One $50,000 grant, awarded to Dr. Jacques Nör, associate professor at the School of Dentistry, seeks to understand how blood vessels grow (angiogenesis), how they contribute to the growth of oral cancers, and what might be done to arrest their development. Another $50,000 grant, to Dr. Nisha D’Silva, an assistant professor in the dental school’s Department of Oral Medicine, Pathology, and Oncology, will study rap1, a small protein highly expressed in oral cancers, for its effects in promoting growth of cancer cells. This protein

Other Faculty EffortsOther faculty members in our department have been involved in various research projects, including:

Dr. Paul Krebsbach has been working on bone regeneration which has potential applications in other areas. It has been the focus of investigation among head and neck cancer fellows and residents, so it is relevant to the oral oncology area of our department.

Dr. Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, along with Drs. Avi Eisbruch and Joseph Helman are collaborating on a research program that’s assessing dental health in patients receiving parotid sparing radiation.

Drs. Preetha Kanjirath and Kitrina Cordell have initiated a project to identify markets of aggressive cancers among the sinonasal cancers of the head and neck. This work is being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Larry Marentette, director of the skull base surgery program of the otolaryngology department. This multi-institutional study is providing opportunities for students to become involved in research with faculty members.

Dr. Sharon Brooks is conducting research to develop newer and more precise CT scans for oral radiology. [See story, page 46.]

Dr. Jack Gobetti’s long-running blood pressure study continues. It ’s also attracting undergraduate dental students, one of whom, Sara Kellogg, recently won an award. [DentalUM, Fall 2003, pages 72 and 73.]

Dr. Brad Henson obtained a Mentored K Award to examine signaling pathways that link galanin receptors to Rap and RhoC in malignant progression. Two years ago, Henson won first prize in the graduate and postdoctorate category during the School’s Research Table Clinic Day. Since then, his work has caught the attention of at least one other dental student who hopes to follow in his footsteps. Drs. Thomas Carey and Nisha D’Si lva are Henson’s mentors.


also induces the secretion of factors that promote the growth of new blood vessels that provide nutrients to the cancer cells. In addition, Drs. Cun-Yu Wang and Brent Ward have each been awarded a $50,000 developmental project from SPORE. Wang’s project will study how and whether a potential cancer therapy compound, PS-341, induces oral cancer cell death and improves the efficacy of chemotherapy. The grants for pilot research p r o g r a m s w i l l a l l o w t h e s e inves t igators to generate the preliminary data that will lead to additional and much larger grants in the years ahead for even more extensive research in these fields. An important goal of the SPORE grant is to translate these new discoveries into new treatments in clinics. We want these new ideas to be applied to save lives and improve a patient’s quality of life.

The Five Major Projects Each of the five main projects funded by the SPORE grant is led by a clinical investigator and researcher. All projects involve laboratory- and patient-based research. Project 1 uses drug treatment to enhance the effects of radiation treatment on patients with head and neck cancers. Project 2 uses molecular markers to predict the response to chemotherapy and radiation treatments among patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers. It also tests the use of a new molecule (BL-193) developed at U-M to overcome resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. Project 3 uses dietary, smoking, and behavioral factors as well as molecule markers to examine a group of patients to determine the risks of

Drs. Nisha D’Silva and Mark Prince examine a cancerous oropharyngeal tissue on a computer monitor as part of a study that seeks to identify proteins and molecular mechanisms that may promote cancer cell growth. Understanding these processes may one day lead to developing oral cancer treatments that are unique for a patient.Astheonlydentist/scientistinthenationalgroup,D’Silva’sexpertiseindentistryandpathologywillbe invaluable in bridging the gap between scientists and clinicians.

recurrence or progression of their tumors. Project 4 examines the role of a secreted protein, galanin, and its receptors in tumor progression. Project 5 uses a novel drug developed at U-M to halt the development or formation of blood vessels that allow oral and other head and neck cancers to grow and spread.

Dental School and Medical School Research Nisha D’Silva and myself, as co-principal investigators of Project 4, are focusing our research on genetic markers that are associated with aggressive tumor behavior in the head and neck. If we can identify the specific markers that cause these lethal tumors, we hope to be able to employ suitably aggressive therapy to help these individuals. We have pinpointed chromosome 18 as an important genetic marker. Segments of the chromosome are rearranged in certain tumors leading to a loss of a part of the chromosome.

These lost segments encode genes, such as the galanin receptor, that help control cell growth. The lack of these genes can result in uncontrolled tumor proliferation which, in turn, diminishes the chances of long-term survival for patients with oral and other head and neck cancers. Eventually, we would like to develop novel strategies that will regulate the physiology affected by the loss of this chromosome so we can improve patient outcomes. D’Silva, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial pathologist, is also the co-director of one of the SPORE’s projects, the tissue core, along with Dr. Mark Prince of the Department of Otolaryngology. They are supervising the development of a patient database and the collection, storage, and distribution of patient tissue and blood samples designed to gain a better understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms behind malignant tumor behavior.

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“A

RESEARCH NEWS

Research Table Clinic Day 2004

celebration of research and discovery” is how Dean Peter Polverini described the School of Dentistry’s annual Research Table Clinic Day program held February 10.Nearly 50 poster presentations and a dozen table clinics marked this year’s exhibition held at the Michigan League Ballroom. This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Ira Lamster, dean of the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery. In remarks to faculty, students, and staff, Lamster said he considered programs like this to be “probably one of the most important days on the academic calendar.” Lamster, who has extensive experience in oral health research, talked about “The Oral Infection-Systemic Disease Link: Of Mouse Models and Clinical Trials.”

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BASIC SCIENCEUndergraduate, Dental Hygiene, Dental, Graduate Specialties

Grand Prize (ADA Dentsply): Trip to American Dental Association’s 145th Annual Session in Orlando, Florida.

RobertYeung:Surface Modification of Biodegradable Polymer Scaffolds and Effect on Cells. Mentor: Peter Ma

1st Place TieAaron Havens, undergraduate: The role of CD164 in the Metastatic Spread of CancerMentor: Russell Taichman

Matthew Pinsky, D3: Development of a Novel in Vivo Model System to Study Oral Cancer ProgressionMentor: Jacques Nör

3rd PlacePatrick Mullally, D3: A Novel Source of Cells for Transplantation Therapy in Parkinson’s DiseaseMentor: Christopher Nosrat

CURRENT TOPICSUndergraduate, Dental Hygiene, Dental, Graduate Specialties

Grand PrizeJeffrey Wessel: C-Reactive Protein: A Systemic Connection Between Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular DiseaseMentor: George Taylor

1st Place TieRenita Beason, D4: Accuracy of DentoCAT® Cone-Beam CT (Alpha Prototype): Dental Implant ImagingMentor: Sharon Brooks

Bryan Nakfoor, D3: Polymerization Shrinkage and Temperature Increase of Provisional MaterialsMentor:PeterYaman

3rd PlaceLouis Whitesman, D3: Induction of Growth Factor Release During Periodontal Wound Repair in HumansMentor: William Giannobile

BASIC SCIENCEDoctoral, Postdoctoral, Staff

1st PrizeSarah Webb, Research Associate: Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Gene Delivery Promotes Periodontal Tissue RepairMentor: William Giannobile Lab

2nd PlaceGlenda Pettway, PhD student, biomedical engineering: Anabolic Actions of PTH: Role of Early Events in Mineralization in a Novel Regeneration ModelMentors: Laurie McCauley, Peter Ma

Tie for 3rd PlaceChampa Jayasuriya, Postdoctoral: Development of Environmentally Responsive Micro Porous poly(lactide-co-glycolide) Scaffolds for Bone Tissue EngineeringMentor: David Kohn Lab

Abraham Schneider, Oral Health Sciences PhD candidate: Increased Bone Turnover Facilitates Prostate Cancer Metastasis to the SkeletonMentor: Laurie McCauley Lab

Award Winners

RobertYeung

Jeffrey Wessel

Sarah Webb

Second-year dental student Rajeev Prasher received the Audience Choice Award for his poster presentation: Effect of Bleaching Agents on Pit and Fissure Staining. His mentor was Dr. James Hamilton.

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Pinsky Wins 3rd Place Award at ADA

Matthew Pinsky won third place in basic sciences during national research competition at last fall’s ADA convention in San Francisco. Pinsky, a third-year dental student, earned the opportunity to participate in the competition after winning the grand prize in basic science research at during the School of Dentistry’s Research Table Clinic Day program last year. His research is trying to determine if disrupting blood vessels that feed oral cancers can lead to the death of cancerous tumor cells. His mentor is Dr. Jacques Nör, associate professor in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics.

Cook Takes 1st in Perio Competition

Dr. Jason Cooke, a graduate periodontics resident, won first place in the Graduate Student Research competition at the Midwest Society of Periodontics in Chicago in February. Cooke’s achievement marks the third time in the last four years that a U-M School of Dentistry graduate perio resident has won the competition. Ricardo Gapski captured first place last year as did Khalaf Al-Shammari in 2001. T h e M i d w e s t S o c i e t y o f Periodontology’s Graduate Student Research competition is open to students from 11 states and two Canadian provinces. Each year, the three highest-score abstracts among the papers that are submitted are invited to compete during the annual meeting.

Cooke’s won first place for his presentation, Induction of Wound Healing Mediators During Periodontal Tissue Repair. His mentor was Dr. William Giannobile.

U-M Research Funding Up 14.3%

Largest Increase since 1987

Research funding at the University of Michigan reached $749 million in FY 2003, an increase of 14.3 percent. That was the largest percentage increase since 1987. For the last 10 years, research at the University has increased every year but one when it was flat. The percentage increase in research expenditures at U-M also continued to outpace the percentage increase in federal research and development. Fawwaz Ulaby, vice president for research, said, “The campus investment in the life sciences is yielding excellent returns. And with two major research facilities coming on line, the Life Sciences Institute and the Biomedical Research Building, the University is in a strong position to increase life sciences research activities even further, and at a faster pace than ever.”

Faculty Involved

In addition to serving as mentors to dental and dental hygiene students for their poster presentations , many members of the School of Dentistry faculty, as the pictures below illustrate, also judge the competition.

Scott Behnan (left) answers questions posed by Dr. Ken Stoffers.

Dr. Laurie McCauley asks Aaron Havens about his work.

Drs.ChristopherFenno(left)andCun-YuWangevaluate projects.

Dr. Rex Holland and Tyra Jefferson discuss her poster presentation

Keary Campbell

Keary Campbell

Keary Campbell

Keary Campbell


Alumni News

2000sDeepa Sreenivasan (DDS 2001) is now practicing in Nevada and Cal i fornia after completing the pediatric dentistry program at the University of Illinois (Chicago).

1990sDavid Charles Mady (DDS 1993) of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, was the subject of a cover story that appeared in the September 2003 issue a popular Windsor magazine, The Drive. Mady practices at Madison Dental (named for his first daughter, Madison), makes house calls, provides oral health care at retirement and nursing homes, participates in career expos, and visits schools to teach youngsters about dentistry. He also writes a column, “Ask the Dentist,” that appears the first Thursday of each month in the Windsor Star. Mady’s articles are available on his Web site: www.drmady.com.

1980sWilliam Pollack (DDS 1989) of Chicago recently received a master’s degree in architecture. “I’m working for a small firm specializing in custom residential architecture and have worked on houses throughout the

Three Alumni Elected to Board

country,” he wrote. He stopped practicing dentistry in 1998 to return to school.

Joel Felsenfeld (DDS 1985) recently accepted a part-time teaching position as adjunct clinical instructor at the Turner Geriatric Center at U-M Hospital. He’s responsible for supervising fourth-year dental students during their rotations at the center. He has a private practice in Keego Harbor, Michigan, with an emphasis on managing medically compromised and geriatric patients.

Dayle Hartgerink (DDS 1980; MS, orthodontics 1986) recently retired from the U.S. Air Force Dental Corps after nearly 23 years of active duty and is now in private practice in Colorado Springs. While in the Air Force she completed assignments in the U.S., Guam, Washington DC, the United Kingdom, and Japan before finishing her career at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. She also received the Meritorious Service Medal and the Outstanding Woman Officer of the Year Award while stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and a member of the College of Diplomates, American Board of Orthodontics.

Three U-M School of Dentistry alumni were recently elected to the Board of Trustees of the Delta Dental Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Delta Dental Plans of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. The three are: Lawrence Crawford (Class of 1974) of Saginaw who was elected secretary; Stephen Eklund (DDS 1973) of Ann Arbor, re-elected member-at-large; and Timothy Gietzen (DDS 1976) of Grand Rapids who was elected immediate past chair. Another School of Dentistry alumnus, George Walkotten (Class of 1957) was re-elected to the board for a one-year term. The Fund supports education and research to advance dental science and promotes public oral health through education and service activities, including an annual continuing dental education program held each January on the U-M campus that attracts hundreds of dentists from across Midwest. [See related story on page 17.]

Class Notes



Alita Marchelletta Marlowe (DH certif icate 1980; BS, dental hygiene, 1981) begins her second year as president of Marlowe & Associates, a Farmington Hi l l s , Mich igan , consulting firm she founded that works with dentists and their staff to increase their efficiency and profitability. Marlowe says her business allows her to combine her academic credentials, professional experiences, and passion for efficient organizing. She also conducts continuing education workshops for dental and dental hygiene organizations and is a member of the ADHA, Business Network International, the National Association of Professional Organizers, and the National Study Group for the Chronically Disorganized.

1970sGeorge A. Smith (DDS 1977), of Portsmouth, Virginia,was recentlyappointed Chief Dentist for the Virginia Department of Corrections.He is responsible for oversight of the Department’s dental program, planning, budgeting, training, and the clinical supervision of dentists employed or contracted by the Department. He is also retired, with the rank of Navy Captain, from the Commissioned Officers Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service.

Yv o n n e S l a y G i l e a d ( D H certificate 1974) is celebrating 30 years in dental hygiene this year. “I never dreamed I’d still be doing this and still enjoying it,” she wrote. “After several detours, including working in life insurance with my husband, home schooling, and working in hospital research, I’m working full time at a dental practice in Southfield, Michigan,” she added.

D. Scott Navarro (DDS 1970), vice president of professional services and dental director with the Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, recently received an award for meritorious service from the American Association of Dental Consultants. The Dr. Israel (Sonnie) Shulman Award for Meritorious Service recognizes AADC members

for outstanding contributions to the organization. Comprised almost entirely of dentists who serve as consultants to dental insurance carriers, AADC has nearly 400 national and international members. Navarro is a past president of AADC.

1960sTerry D. McDonald (DDS 1961, MS orthodontics 1967) of Salem, Oregon received the American Association of Orthodontists James E. Brophy Distinguished Service Award during the organization’s national meeting in Florida in May. The award, the AAO’s highest honor, is named for James E. Brophy and recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to orthodontics. Brophy was AAO’s executive director from 1961 to 1985.

1950sGeorge Eastman (DDS 1959; MS, orthodontics, 1963) received the Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists Distinguished Service Award last fall.

Robert F. Streelman (DDS 1955) recently became the first recipient of an award named in his honor. Presented by the Wyoming (Michigan) Community Foundation, the Robert F. Streelman Community Service Award honors an individual who contributes time and resources that benefit the residents of that community near Grand Rapids. “Bob was the driving force that led to the creation of the organization in the early nineties,” said its president, Tim Newhouse. “In fact, ‘Old Doc Bob,’ as he likes to be called, even drove up from Florida to receive the award when we presented it to him on November 13.”

Robert L. Haag (DDS 1954) is enjoying his retirement in Florida. Although he hasn’t practiced dentistry since 1988, he said, “I’m not having any problems staying busy. I’m reading a lot, swimming, and working around the house. But I had to give up golfing a few years ago after injuring my shoulder while riding a bicycle.” Dr. Haag also said five of his six children all earned degrees from U-M. Three are oral health care professionals. Daughter Kathy Peck earned a certificate in dental hygiene in 1974; another daughter, Heidi Braun, earned her DDS in 1984; and a son, Robert, earned a DDS in 1986.



I nominate

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for consideration to the University of Michigan

School of Dentistry Hall of Honor.

Please provide any professional information you may have about this individual that would help the Nomination Committee. You may use a separate sheet of paper if necessary.

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________________________________________

Your name ______________________________________________________________________________

Your address ____________________________________________________________________________

Your U-M School of Dentistry degree(s) & year(s) ________________________________________________

Your phone number ( _____ )_______________________ E-mail _________________________________

Please return this form to: University of Michigan School of Dentistry Office of Alumni Relations Attn: Debbie Montague 1011 N. University Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078

The envelope with your nomination must be postmarked by November 1, 2004.

University of MichiganSchool of Dentistry

TheHallofHonorwillposthumouslypay

tributetosomeofthelegendsofthedental

professionwhohavebeenassociatedwith

theU-MSchoolofDentistry.

Hall of Honor


In Memoriam

Dr. Robert Lorey(Class of 1957)

Dr. Robert Lorey, whose career with the School of Dentistry spanned nearly 50 years, died on April 9, his 71st birthday. After earning his dental degree in 1957, he served in the U.S. Army Dental Corps for two years before returning to Ann Arbor in 1959 to pursue a master’s degree. While working for his degree in crown and bridge prosthesis, which he received in 1961, Dr. Lorey was also a clinical instructor in the Department of Crown and Bridge Prosthodontics and in the Department of Operative Dentistry. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1962, associate professor in 1967, and professor three years later. He also maintained a private practice between 1960 and 1969. In 1985, he was appointed chair of the Department of Crown and Bridge Prosthodontics. He had served as acting department chair on three previous occasions. In addition to being actively involved in professional organizations, Dr. Lorey also presented hundreds of programs to local, national, and international dental schools and societies. He produced approximately 70 videotapes for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate education and also won many honors for his photography. A memorial service was held for Dr. Lorey on April 21 in Ann Arbor.

Dr. Richard A. Reed(Class of 1949)

Dr. Richard A. Reed, who once persuaded e n t e r t a i n e r G e o r g e Jessel to pay tribute to Dr. Richard Kingery at a retirement dinner for Kingery in the mid-1960s, died March 16. He was 80. Reed earned three degrees from U-M – a BS in zoology in 1945, his DDS in 1949, and a master’s in prosthetics in 1951. After taking over the practice of a dentist in Kalamazoo who was serving in the Armed Forces, Reed himself entered the Air Force in 1953, serving as captain and chief prosthetic officer at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka. After his tour of duty ended in 1955, he went into general practice with two other dentists in Saginaw and was active in many professional organizations and community groups. At the urging of several friends, he began teaching at the School of Dentistry as an assistant professor in 1971. Four years later, was promoted to associate professor. In 1979, he received the Paul Gibbons Award from graduating dental students for his outstanding teaching during their four years of dental education. The following year, he received an award from third-year dental students for teaching excellence. He retired from active faculty status in 1986 and was named a professor emeritus of dentistry that same year. One of the stories Reed enjoyed telling was how he persuaded Jessel to speak at Kingery’s retirement party in 1964. The Summer 1985 issue of Alumni News, the School of Dentistry’s alumni magazine, Reed described how it happened. “Mr. Jessel was in the area to do a benefit and was staying at Weber’s Inn where, coincidentally, the dinner for Dr. Kingery was being held. Spying Jessel in the hall, Dr. Reed greeted him like a long-lost friend. Mr. Jessel not



In Memoriam

only replied, but also graciously spent several minutes conversing with Dr. Reed… “The conversation eventually turned to the dinner and…Dr. Reed asked him to stop by if he had time. Much to his amazement, George Jessel did show up at the dinner a few minutes later and talked for ten minutes about Dr. Kingery – a man he knew even less well than he knew Dr. Reed!”

Lirek a Joseph(DH Class of 1964)

Lireka P. Joseph, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene from the U-M School of Dentistry in 1964 and held two major positions with the U.S. government, died Feb. 17 in Bethesda, Maryland. She was 61. At the time of her death, Joseph was Chief Professional Officer for the Scientist Category of the U.S. Public Health Service. She was also Director of the Office of Health and Industry Programs with the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. After earning her degree from the School of Dentistry, Joseph earned a master’s degree in public health and a doctorate from the U-M School of Public Health. “Lee was my roommate in 1973-74, which was

around the time she was finishing her work on her doctorate,” said Joan McGowan, associate professor of dental hygiene. In 1994, Joseph received the School of Dentistry’s Distinguished Service Award presented by the Dental Hygienists’ Alumni Association. Joseph began her career in 1979 as a medical radiation specialist in the FDA’s Bureau of Radiological Health. She worked in the field of radiological health for most of her career. During the mid-1980s, she guided a panel of experts in developing criteria for prescribing dental radiographs. These clinical practice guidelines are considered the first in dentistry to support consensus recommendations. Dr. Sharon Brooks, a professor of dentistry in the Department of Oral Medicine, Pathology, and Oncology, worked with Joseph at one time. “Although I didn’t see much of her in the last 15 years, I have fond memories of our working together.” Brooks said she and Joseph worked together and wrote a government publication, Basic Concepts in the Selection of Patients for Dental X-ray Examinations (HHS Publication 85-8249). “This was just before the FDA selection criteria panel began their work to develop guidelines for taking dental radiographs. I stayed with Lee for two months while I was on sabbatical, working with the FDA’s Centers for Devices and Radiological Health in 1984,” Brooks added. In 1985, Joseph was selected to guide the review of evidence for non-cancerous health effects of smokeless tobacco. In that role, she was assigned to the Centers for Disease Control under the direction of the Chief Dental Officer and reported to then-Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop. Those conclusions were included in the Surgeon General’s report on smokeless tobacco. About her work, Dr. William Maas (DDS 1973) said, “I was impressed that she was willing to drop everything to guide this effort which was pretty intense over the course of six to 12 months.” Joseph also played a major role in drafting a PHS reports on risks and benefits associated with dental amalgam restorative material. Since 1996, she served as Director of the Office of Health and Industry Programs. She directed a staff of 140 professionals responsible for communicating,

Caption: This picture of Rear Admiral Lireka Joseph, U.S. Public Health Service, with FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan, was taken Feb. 13, 2004 following a public ceremony marking her promotion to Rear Admiral.

Rear Admiral John C. Villforth, USPHS (Ret.)



educating, and interpreting policy. She also administered the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 which certifies and inspects 10,000 mammography facilities throughout the U.S. In October 2000, Joseph was selected by the U.S. Surgeon General as the Chief Professional Officer for the Scientist category. In that role, she provided leadership and coordinated the U.S. Public Health Service’s scientist professional affairs office. She also provided guidance on recruiting, retention, and career development of USPHS scientists. Last November, she was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral/Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. On February 12, Surgeon General Richard Carmona presided over a private ceremony in Bethesda marking Joseph’s promotion. The following day, FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan and Assistant Secretary for Health Christina Beato held a public ceremony and reception. ThedaybeforeValentine’sDay,SecretaryofHealthandHuman Services, Tommy Thompson, called Joseph asking her to be his valentine. Describing Joseph as “one of those humble, but remarkable people,” Maas said “she was very capable and confident, quietly acquiring the respect and admiration of others and eventually was given responsibilities greater than most dentists ever have.” During her career, Joseph received numerous awards including a Meritorious Service Medal, two Outstanding Service Medals, two Outstanding Unit Citations, nine unit commendations, and a Public Health Service citation for her work. Dr. Dushanka Kleinman, chief dental officer for the U.S. Public Health Service, said, “Lee set a standard in life and in her death that will be a challenge and a legacy for all of us. Her strength, her love for all, her humor, and her peace of mind remained to the very end. I know we are all so fortunate to have had her in our lives.”

Dr. Richard Elias(Class of 1933)

Dr. Richard El ias , who ref lected on his days at the U-M School of Dentistry in the late 1920s and early 1930s in the Fall 2001 issue of DentalUM, died January 14, 2004. He was 94. Talking about his life, Elias recalled how his family, when he was 14, decided to move to California. Because his mother had relatives in Grand Rapids, “this was as far as we got,” he said. After earning his DDS in 1933, Elias opened his office above a grocery store on the southeast side of the city. “My dad paid my first month’s rent, $15,” he said. During his early years as a dentist, which coincided with the Great Depression, Elias said he charged patients $2 to clean teeth, $1 for extractions, and between $2 and $6 for fillings. Over the years, about two dozen U-M School of Dentistry dentists got their start working with him. “I found that no one ever succeeded on their own,” he said. “Someone will always push you or encourage you. I wanted to be that someone for others.” Asked to account for his longevity, when he was 91, Elias said, “Follow the Golden Rule. The rules for living a rewarding life have been around a long time – forgive others, don’t make excuses, and don’t blame. We’re quick to forget them, but they work.”



In Memoriam

Dr. Kenneth D. McClatchey(Class of 1968)

The University of M i c h i g a n c e l e b r a t e d the life of Dr. Kenneth McClatchey, a professor of dentistry at the School of Dentistry, a professor of pathology at the Medical School, and one of the world’s leading head and neck pathologists, in January. He died December 21, 2003. He was 61. Born in Detroit, Dr. McClatchey distinguished himself from the time he arrived in Ann Arbor in 1960. He received four degrees from U-M — a Bachelor of Science degree in 1964, a Doctor of Dental Science degree in 1968, a Master of Science degree in oral pathology in 1971, and his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1975. Between 1973 and 1978, he held an appointment at the School of Dentistry as a lecturer in the Department of Oral Pathology. In 1975, he entered the residency training program in the Department of Pathology, completed his training, and was certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and clinical pathology in 1978. He was also certified in oral pathology by the American Board of Oral Pathology in 1973. In 1978, he became an assistant professor in the School of Dentistry’s Department of Pathology, was promoted to associate professor of pathology in 1982, associate professor of dentistry in 1985, professor of pathology in 1988, and professor of dentistry in 1994. While teaching at U-M, Dr. McClatchey also held joint appointments at the School of Dentistry and at the Medical Center’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology. Dr. McClatchey served as associate chair of the Department of Pathology from 1982 to 1991 and was the director of the clinical laboratories from 1987 to 1991. He was also director of the ClinicalMicrobiology/VirologyLaboratory from 1978 to 1996. From 1990 to 1995, he served as associate chief of clinical affairs at University Hospital.

D u r i n g t h e 1 9 8 0 s h e a l s o s e r v e d t h e Pa n American Health Organization and the World Health Organization. Dr. McClatchey was the department’s specialist in oral and forensic pathology and in clinical microbiology/virology. He received numerous awards from the Medical School, the School of Dentistry, and national organizations; was active in the College of American Pathologists, and served on its board of governors between 1993 and 1996. When he retired from active faculty status in 1996, he was named professor emeritus of pathology and professor emeritus of dentistry.

Dr. Leon Herschfus(Class of 1945)

Dr. Leon Herschfus of Southfield, Michigan died November 26, 2003. He was 91. Dr. Herschfus was a member of the School o f Dentistr y ’s Alumni Society Board of Governors from 1999 to 2002, chair o f t h e U - M R e g e n t s A l u m n i S c h o l a r s h i p Committee, former chair of the Michigan Board of Dentistry, member of the Northeast Regional Board of Dental Examiners, chairman of the State Ethics Committee of the MDA (1975-1979), and a member of the Michigan Dental Foundation. Dr. Herschfus also chaired the Board of Health of the City of Southfield, Michigan (1972-1980), a past president of the Detroit District Dental Society (1976-1977), and national president of the American Academy of Oral Medicine (1977-1978). From 1990 to 2003, he wrote a column for the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association, “Abstracts of Interest.”




Dr. Robert Ellison

Dr. Robert Ellison, professor emeritus of endodontics, died May 16. He was 71. Ellison obtained his dental degree in 1960 from Meharry Medical College and obtained his degree in endontics in 1964 from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Medicine. He joined the U-M School of Dentistry as an associate professor in 1971, was promoted to professor in 1979, and retired as professor emeritus in 1997. Known for his dedication to teaching, Dr. Ellison served as a member of more than 30 masters thesis committees while he was at the School of Dentistry. He was an endodontics course director (both undergraduate and graduate courses), published more than 30 articles, co-authored four clinic manuals, and was a member in several professional societies including the ADA, MDA, American and Michigan Associations of Endodontists, and others. He also served on the endodontic programs accreditation commission for the ADA and was an editorial consultant or board member to several journals.

’38 Dr. Sidney A. Sackett New York, New York March 27, 2004

’52 Dr. James Alderisio (Orthodontics)

Sarasota, Florida September 25, 2003

’58 Dr. Conrad Smolarski February 15, 2004

’81 Dr. Barbara Ann Elliott Traverse City, Michigan December 15, 2003

’93 Rita Vencil Holton (Dental Hygiene)

Munith, Michigan April 28,2004

Dr. Marvin “ Bud” K anouse(Class of 1963)

D r. M a r v i n “ B u d ” Kanouse of Grand Rapids died October 9, 2003. He was 67. A f t e r e a r n i n g h i s dental degree in 1963 and a master’s degree in per iodont i c s three years later, both from the University of Michigan, Kanouse opened his dental practice in Grand Rapids in 1968. He retired in 1989 due to an allergic reaction to latex powder and latex gloves. A feature in the Spring & Summer 2002 DentalUM (pages 37-39) focused on Kanouse’s love of the outdoors and his paintings. “I did a lot of pencil sketching as a kid, especially drawing scenes that involved birds or bird hunting or trout fishing,” he said. When he wasn’t painting in his Grand Rapids home, Dr. Kanouse was doing the same in a century-old home in Sheridan, Montana, about 90 miles southwest of Bozeman. Kanouse’s paintings were purchased by museums, corporations, and individuals. They were exhibited at the Detroit Institute of Arts; the U-M Museum of Art; the Grand Rapids Art Museum; the National Park Academy of the Arts in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Christie’s Wildlife Art Auction in London, England; the Sotetsu Gallery in Yokohama, Japan; and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin. Some of his work also appeared in art books including The Best of Wildlife Art, Best of Watercolor, and The Artistic Touch.


What’s New with You?Your Classmates Want to Know!

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Send news about your latest personal or professional achievement, award, or honor, along with a picture (black and white or color) to: Jerry Mastey, editor DentalUM, University of Michigan, School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Avenue, Room 1205, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078.

Thursday, October 7

• EmeritusPinningCeremony–11:30a.m.–G390.

• Emeritusclasspicture–12:30p.m.

• Emeritus/HallofHonorInductionLuncheon–1:00p.m.–SindecuseAtrium

• HallofHonorInductionCeremony–2:30p.m.–G390.

Friday, October 8

• MorawaLecture.Speaker:Dr.TerryDonovan,associateprofessorandexecutiveassociatedean,

UniversityofSouthernCaliforniaSchoolofDentistry.

- Location–YpsilantiMarriottatEagleCrest

1275S.HuronStreet,Ypsilanti,Michigan.

- Registration–8:00a.m.;Course–9:00a.m.to4:30p.m.

• ClassReunions:1954,1959,1964,1969,1974,1979,1984,1989,1994.

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• ClassReunionsatKensingtonCourt(formerlyCrownePlaza)

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Saturday, October 9

• TailgateParty–3hoursbeforekick-off.ElbelField.

• FootballGame–UniversityofMichiganvs.UniversityofMinnesota.

Kick-offtimetobeannounced.

Upcoming Continuing Dental Education Courses

July 29 & 30, 2004 (Thurs. & Fri.)Comprehensive Review of Local Anesthesia & Emergency ProceduresSpeaker: Dr. Stanley Malamed, Professor of Dentistry at the University of Southern California; Professor and Chair, Department of Anesthesia and MedicineLocation: Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest Ypsilanti, MichiganThis two-day course will provide participants with a comprehensive review of medical emergencies and local anesthesia for all members of the dental team.

August 19 & 20, 2004 (Thurs. & Fri.)Medical Emergencies in the Dental OfficeSpeakers: Drs. George Upton & John GobettiLocation: University of Michigan School of DentistryThis course will outline the team approach to managing medical emergencies by office personnel. It will review important aspects of the medical history that may alert the dentist to patients at increased risk and will teach the practitioner to use vital signs as the guide for appropriate emergency management.

For more information about these and other continuing dental education courses, contact:

University of MichiganSchool of Dentistry

Office of ContinuingDental Education

1011 N. UniversityRoom G508Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078Phone: (734) 763-5070Fax: (734) 936-3065www.dent.umich.edu

August 16, 17, 18, 2004 (Mon., Tues., Wed.)Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation for Dental HygienistsSpeakers: Wendy Kerschbaum & Christine KlausnerLocation: University of Michigan School of DentistryThis course is designed to prepare the dental hygienist to safely and effectively administer nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation as a pain control strategy. The course, which meets the educational requirements specified by Michigan law, includes classroom instruction and clinical experiences. Participants will work in groups and administer nitrous oxide/oxygen to each other.

Fall DentalUM in November

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inOctober,theFall2004

issueofDentalUMwillbe

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usual.Insteadofreceiving

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aroundThanksgiving.

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