dentalum spring/summer 2011

DentalUM magazine is published twice a year by the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Send comments and updates to: [email protected] or Director of Communications, School of Dentistry, Room 1218, 1011 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078

Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter PolveriniDirector of Communications . . . . . . Sharon Grayden Writer & Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry MasteyDesigner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Jung

Editorial Review Board: Member publicationDennis Lopatin - Chair of the AmericanRichard Fetchiet Association ofErica Hanss Dental EditorsLynn JohnsonSharon Grayden - ex officio

The Regents of the University: Julia Donovan Darlow, Laurence B. Deitch, Denise Ilitch, Olivia P. Maynard, 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 2011:Jemma Allor, ‘00 DH, Mt. Clemens, MISondra Moore Gunn, ‘78 DDS, ‘80 MS, Ann Arbor, MIGeorge Yellich, ‘72 DDS, ‘77 MS, Los Gatos, CAMichael Cerminaro, ‘86 DDS, Muskegon , MIJohn McMahon (President), ‘82 DDS, Grand Rapids, MI

Terms Expire 2012:Metodi C. Pogoncheff, ’76 Lansing, MIWayne Olsen (Secretary/Treasurer), ’81 Traverse City, MISheree Duff (President-Elect), ’80 BSDH, Grand Blanc, MIDavid O. Cramer, ’93 Grand Rapids, MIScott Schulz, ’96 Traverse City, MI

Student Representative: Anh Pham (D3)

Terms Expire 2013:Kathleen Early, ‘77 DH, Lakeland, MIKerry Kaysserian, ‘81 DDS, Traverse City, MIJeff Smith, ‘82 DDS, ‘85 MS, Grand Rapids, MIJerry Booth, ‘61 DDS, ‘64 MS, Jackson, MIJanis Chmura Duski, ‘89 DDS, Gaylord, MI

Ex Officio Members:Peter Polverini, DeanJanet Souder Wilson, ‘73 DH, Northville, MIAlumni Association LiaisonSteve C. Grafton , Executive Director, Alumni Assoc.Richard R. Fetchiet, Director of Alumni Relations, Development, 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. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or 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/ADA Coordinator, Office of Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432, (734) 763-0235, TTY (734) 647-1388. For other University of Michigan information call (734) 764-1817.

Copyright © 2011 The Regents of the University of Michigan

ur curriculum has generated much interest from alumni and peer institutions. We are excited about the enhancements we’ve made and pleased to offer

our students many new options, but always with a focus on the primary reason they are here – to learn the practice of clinical dentistry. We recognize that the profession needs dentists who will practice in the traditional private practice model. We also recognize that other practice models are emerging and the profession needs dentists who can serve the profession and the public in many roles – as leaders of the dental health care team, in academia and research, industry, business, public health, government and public policy. Thus, we’ve introduced Pathways into the curriculum. Pathways are designed to provide additional insights, training, exposures, and opportunities for professional growth and development in one focus area: research, leadership, or health care delivery. Time for Pathways has been added to the curriculum each semester of the four years. We’ve also extended the academic calendar to 42 weeks per year. This allows for earlier clinical experiences, closer faculty supervision, and better prepares students to provide comprehensive care when they get to clinic. Flexibility and fluidity have been built into the Pathways model. Approximately 80% of the students chose the Health Care Delivery Pathway this year selecting options such as a clinical specialty, alternative practice models, and teaching. Students are assigned a faculty guide, from our full-time faculty, who helps them navigate through their Pathways and select a project mentor chosen from our faculty in the dental school and other units on campus, dentists in the community, and U-M alumni with special expertise who will support them as they complete their capstone project. The important take away message is that, for U-M dental students, the career path is dentistry and Pathways is simply a way to give them additional insights, training, and opportunities within new and emerging areas that are a part of the broadening scope of dentistry.

Sincerely,

Peter J. Polverini, Dean

Spring & Summer 2011 Volume 27, Number 1

D E A N ’ S M E S S A G E

Leaders in Learning

Thursday, October 27Emeritus Medallion and Pinning Ceremony Dental & Dental Hygiene Classes of 1961Time: 11:30 a.m.Location: Room G390

Emeritus Class Pictures (invitation only)Time: 12:30 p.m.Location: Kellogg Building Steps

Emeritus Hall of Honor and Alumni Awards Luncheon (invitation only)Time: 1:00 p.m.Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Hall of Honor Induction & Alumni Awards PresentationTime: 1:45 p.m.Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Saturday, October 29Alumni Association Go Blue! TailgateTime: 3 hours before kickoffLocation: To Be Announced

Football Game: University of Michigan vs. Purdue Kickoff: To Be Announced

Friday, October 28Morawa Lecture - Continuing Education Course (P300)That Thing You Do…Why Do You Do It? - John Molinari, PhDTime: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Location: Kellogg Building Auditorium

Dental & Dental Hygiene Homecoming Gala Honoring Dental and Dental Hygiene classes with graduation years ending in 1 and 6.

Cocktail Reception: 6:00 p.m.Dinner: 7:00 p.m.Location: The Michigan League

For more stories, the latest news and CE offerings go to Current News on our Web site: www.dent.umich.edu

New Ticket Request GuidelinesThe School of Dentistry does not have an allocation of tickets for athletic events.

Effective this year, new guidelines allow us to submit ticket requests to the U-M Office of University Development for donors to the School of Dentistry with a lifetime giving of $25,000 or more. However, School of Dentistry Homecoming Reunion ticket purchases are exempt from this policy.

Our requests are pooled with donor requests from other units across campus. Since there are a limited number of available tickets, there is no guarantee that all requests will be approved.

Once a request is submitted and approved, the ticket recipient must reimburse the School of Dentistry the face value of the tickets with a check made payable to the U-M School of Dentistry.

The School’s Office of Alumni Relations & Development has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of U-M athletic ticket requests in recent years. This increased demand, changes in U-M Athletic Department ticket policies, and a commitment to fiscal responsibility throughout the School of Dentistry makes these new guidelines necessary.

For further U-M ticket information please visit :www.mgoblue.com.

FEATURES

1 Dental Curriculum Changes Begin Cariology courses teach students to use evidence to support treatment decisions.

5 Stay in Michigan?

11 Faculty Profile Dr.ScottConley

15 New Dentistry Exhibit

23 Outreach Dentistry at State Prison

27 Alumna Profile Dr. Bonita Davis Neighbors

29 Dental Videos Enhance Dental Care in Afghanistan

DEPARTMENTS7 AlumniRelations9 Development13 Faculty17 Research21 Dental Hygiene23 Students29 Alumni

C O N T E N T S :

Cover photo:Drs. Carlos González-Cabezas and Margherita Fontana teach the introductory cariology courses and engagestudentsthroughactivelearning, problem solving, and evidence-based decision making.

Photo by Per Kjeldsen

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For more stories and the latest news go to Current News on our Web site:

www.dent.umich.edu

Hear moreon the Web

DentalUM SPRING & SUMMER 201111

A significant change is underway in the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s predoctoral curriculum. It is reflected in how cariology is taught to first-year dental students. The change is led by two faculty members who came to Ann Arbor two years ago bringing with them a passion for seeking innovative ways to integrate classroom and clinical education that would enhance student learning and improve patient care. For Drs. Carlos González-Cabezas and Margherita Fontana, both associate professors in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics (CRSE), their arrival at U-M in the fall of 2009 was perfect timing…for them and for the School of Dentistry. Only a few months earlier, in December 2008, Dean Peter Polverini gave the Vision Implementation Steering Committee a mandate to create the dental school of the future. Key elements of the directive included continuing the School’s tradition of excellence while developing innovative approaches to classroom education, clinical training and instruction, research, and outreach. “The Dean’s directive fit nicely with our approach to education, and the School was receptive to many of our ideas, so it’s been a perfect fit for everyone,” Fontana said.

Why the New Approach? González-Cabezas and Fontana soon began working with Dr. Mark Fitzgerald, associate chair of CRSE and associate professor of dentistry; Dr. Tilly Peters,

Jerry Mastey


professor of dentistry; and others in CRSE on significant content revisions and a new approach to teaching cariology – risk based prevention. Risk based prevention and disease management are cornerstones of modern caries management. However, two important questions in practice and teaching need to be considered — How much evidence is needed to start making changes in how dentistry is practiced? How can existing evidence be used to improve the health of patients? The new cariology curriculum, specifically Cariology I (Dent 532) and Cariology II (Dent 542), is designed to address those questions as well as enhance and promote active learning, critical thinking, and problem solving. Both courses use evidence-based information for dental caries detection, diagnosis, risk assessment, prevention, and management. The courses stress a student’s ability to apply knowledge, in a variety of circumstances, rather than repeating facts. “Our objective is to improve the understanding and application of cariology to clinical care,” Fontana said. “We want students to understand how they can use the best available evidence to help maintain and restore the health of their patients.” She said active learning experiences are crucial, and treatment plans and clinical decisions must be justified based on evidence. Both courses are interrelated. They also lay the groundwork for other courses dental students will take in the four-year predoctoral curriculum.

Fewer Lectures, More Active Learning Fewer lectures and more active learning in classrooms, clinics, and in laboratories are the core elements of Cariology I launched last July. Content

“Iwouldn’thavemissedthatclassforanything,”saidfirst-yeardental student Leslie McGarvey who said she always sat in a front row seat for the Cariology I (Dental 532) course that debuted last summer. “Drs.FontanaandGonzález-Cabezasaresopassionateaboutwhat they are teaching that I had to be there, even on Friday at eight o’clock in the morning,” she said with a laugh. Hersentimentsaresharedbyotherfirst-yeardentalstudents. JamiBallantine said shebegandental schoolwithpreviousexposuretodentalpublichealthvolunteeringforSeattle-KingCountyDentalSocietyandcommunityclinics.“Iknewaboutpolicyissues,“she said, “but little about cariology.” But she learned quickly. Ballantine said the cariology course “involved very active learning. You weren’t just sitting and taking notes. You were engaged in discussions with other students and the instructors. The learning wasdynamic,andyouwereputtingknowledgeintopractice.” “Itwasa verypractical class,” saidanotherfirst-yeardentalstudent,DougFujawa,whosaidheenjoyed“the interdisciplinaryapproach”of theCariology I course. “Weexperiencedhowbasicscience,clinicalpractice,andpublichealthareall interrelatedandaffecteachother,”hesaid. Pointing to fluoride, as anexample, Fujawa said classroomlectures focused on the effects of fluoride on teeth. Clinical experiences centeredonevaluatingfluoride-basedproductsandanalyzingdataaboutthoseproductstoseehowtheycouldbenefitpatients. Thepublichealthbenefitsoffluoride inmunicipalwatersuppliesthathelpminimizecarieswerealsodetailed. TheblendingofclassroomlearningandclinicalexperienceswasapparenttoChristianaGriswold,adentalhygienist(BS1993)whoisnow working on her dental degree. “Thevisualdetectionofcariesisheavilyemphasizedinthisclass,”she said. “That’s quite a change from earlier caries education, and evenpractice,wherethetendencyistouseanexplorertodetectandassessthelevelofcariesinapatient.” Griswold added that “classroom and clinical education nicely complementedoneanother inmanyareas” that include cariesdetection,riskassessmentandsalivaryflow,tonameafew. Reflectingonherexperiences,first-yeardentalstudentSamanthaGarber said, “Cariology I was by far one of my favorite classes, if not myabsolutefavorite.IlearnedalotthatIwillbeabletoapplyinmyclinicalexperiences.”

Putting Knowledge into PracticeStudents Praise Drs. Fontana

and González-Cabezas


is presented face-to-face and online. Students work with both real patients and virtual patients, applying what they have learned in various scenarios. Summative assessments, as well as midterm and final examinations, evaluate clinical competence. This approach parallels the dental board examination that recently changed from a multiple choice format to patient-focused, case-based scenarios. Cariology II, launched in the winter, takes a similar approach. The success of both courses may ultimately influence how other predoctoral courses are designed and taught. González-Cabezas and Fontana said the new teaching approach is important. “New knowledge is being discovered and published online and in print, technology is rapidly changing, and students want more interaction, not just with faculty, but among themselves as well,” González-Cabezas said. “These two courses do that. But, more importantly, they also establish a knowledge base the students need.” Fitzgerald agreed. “These are not ‘take it or leave it’ courses,” he said. “Integrating evidence-based principles of caries diagnosis and management with active learning creates the foundation upon which other courses can build on as the curriculum evolves.” Core elements of the redesigned cariology courses include:• Developingclinicalfoundationknowledgeandskillsthat

can be successfully applied in clinics.• Constantreading,evaluating,anddiscussingscientific

literature and information about dental products.• Greaterinteractionamongdentalstudentsandfacultyin

classrooms and clinics.

Assessing & Evaluating It’s eight o’clock on a Friday morning in January. Students inDr.MargheritaFontana’sCariology II(Dental 542) course have taken their seats and begin openingtheirlaptopcomputers. Following brief remarks, the lights in the lecture hall dim as she begins the class showing a two-minuteproductvideothatfeaturesahandhelddigital scanner dentists can use to measure caries levelsinpatients. As the video ends, the lights brighten and Fontanaasks,“Areyousold?Soundsprettygood,right?” Thetwoquestionsareaspringboardtoalively discussion that follows. Fontana tells students they will learn more that morning about four other caries detection devices on themarket. Shewill link classroomcontentwithclinicalexperiences,tellingstudentsthattheinformationsheispresentingthatmorningwillbeappliedthefollowingweekwhenstudentsusethedevicesinSchoolofDentistryclinics. Showingthevideoservesanotherpurpose. Fontana advises students that when they become dentists they should not shy away from askingsales representatives importantquestionsaboutadentalproduct.Thequestionsinclude:Cantheresultsofusingadevicebereproducedeverytime it is used? How accurate are the results when using the device? Is it easy to use? Can it be used on most tooth surfaces? How much does it cost? “Theanswersyougettothesequestionswillhelpyouproperlyevaluatethebenefitstoyouandyourpatientsofaproduct,”shesays. As theclass continues,Fontanaemphasizestheimportanceofvisualdetectionofcaries.Usingphotographs of cavitated teeth removed frompatients atSchoolofDentistry clinics, sheasksstudents to assess what they are seeing. Lively discussions follow. Somestudentsquickly raisetheir hands toask followupquestions. Othersmakeadditionalobservationsthatpromptfurtherdiscussion. Throughout the morning, Fontana frequently reinforcesinformationpresentedthepreviousfallinCariology I andemphasizeshow informationfrom that course and the Cariology II course will be importanttothedentalstudentsinotherclasses,clinics, and after they earn their dental degree.

D2 Christiana Griswold (DH 1993) examines an extracted tooth and makes a preliminary visual diagnosis for possible caries.

Jerry Mastey


• Anopeninvitationtochallengeconventionalthinkingprovided a new hypothesis is backed up by sound scientific data.

• Usingtechnology,includingtheInternet,videos,photographs, and electronic patient records and histories to detect, diagnose, and assess risk to develop customized treatment plans that enhance patient care.

“We want students to know that dental caries is not just about a hole in a tooth and that restorative dentistry is not just filling the hole with amalgam,” González-Cabezas said. “It’s more than that. Because several caries treatment options may be available, students will need to take many factors into account developing a treatment plan for their patients.”

Creating a Solid Foundation “Students today know how to find important information, but we are focusing on teaching them how to evaluate what they find so they can ultimately apply what they have learned when they are in a clinic,” Fontana said. “The last thing I want to hear a student say is that they developed a treatment plan for a patient because ‘Dr. Fontana said this is what we should do’,” she said with a smile. “We’re insisting every dental student become a critical thinker and problem solver because those skills will remain with them long after they graduate.” Fontana was emphatic on another matter. “These changes to the curriculum were not made because earlier methods of education were incorrect or bad,” she said. “These changes were made because students today learn differently than students did even ten years ago. The pace of change has rapidly accelerated in the last five years.” She cited new discoveries and scientific findings, innovations in technology offering new options to dentists and patients, more oral health care products being marketed, and more evidence-based dentistry showing some methods of treatment work better than others. González-Cabezas and Fontana praised the entire cariology faculty for their contributions and support. “This team effort is an important reason the course has been so well received by the students,” he said. Fontana agreed, adding Fitzgerald’s contributions were significant. “His insights and strong support for what we wanted to convey in the cariology courses were crucial,” she said. “Mark provided an added dimension of how the content from these courses is interrelated to what is taught in other courses in the curriculum. His efforts were magnificent. His planning was brilliant,” she said.

PerKjeldsen

MargheritaFontana

DDS, PhDAssociate Professor

Dr. Fontana received her dental degree from theUniversidadCentraldeVenezuela in 1990and was a research assistant for two years while also working in privatepractice. Aftermoving to theU.S. in1992, she completedafour-yearPhDprogramin dental sciences at Indiana University inIndianapolisandservedas a full-time facultymember until the fall of 2009. Recognized forher work in cariology, Dr. Fontanahas spoken togroupsworldwideaboutcaries management. F r om 2 0 0 7 - 2 0 0 8 ,she was president ofthe cariology groupof the International Association for Dental Research. ShecametoU-M in 2009. During2010-2011, she chairsthe newly approvedcariology section of the American Dental Education Association. Dr. Fontana’s research f o c u s e s o n c a r i e s management in children.

Carlos González-Cabezas

DDS, MSD, PhDAssociate Professor

A f t e r r e c e i v i n g h i s dental degree from the UniversidadCentral deVenezuela in 1991,Dr.González-Cabezaswasa research collaborator at his alma mater and wo r ke d i n p r i v a t epractice. A year later,he entered the dental sciences PhD programat Indiana Universityand received his PhD in 1997. A tenure-tracka s s i s tan t p ro fesso rat the I-U School ofDentistry beginning in 1998,healso servedasvicepresidentand laterpresidentof the IndianaSectionoftheAmericanAssociation for Dental Research. He obtained a two-year certificatein graduate operativedentistryin2002,aDDSin 2004, and inMarch2009,amaster’sdegreeinoperativedentistry,allfrom IndianaUniversity.InSeptember 2009 hejoinedtheU-MSchoolofDentistry. His research focuses on dental caries and erosion and their clinical management.


hy do some dental students leave Michigan after receiving

their dental degree from the University of Michigan? Why

do others stay? What, if anything, can be done to encourage more to remain after graduation? Those were among the questions raised during a wide-ranging discussion last November during a meeting of the School’s Alumni Society Board of Governors. Participants in the lively two-hour discussion that sought answers to the questions and possible approaches to enticing more students to remain in Michigan included dental students, faculty, dental consultants, an official from the Michigan Dental Association, and Board members.

Multiple Factors Cited Participants learned that a multitude of factors influence a student’s decision to stay in Michigan or leave. Many are economic. Others are generational. Sometimes family or other considerations are involved. “Staying or leaving is becoming increas ing ly impor tant because approximately 55 percent of the state’s 6,500 licensed dentists are at least 55 years old,” said Josh Lord, director of membership and student affairs for the MDA. He said MDA surveys show the primary reason new dental graduates leave Michigan to practice elsewhere is because of better job opportunities. “But other factors also play a role, including the climate, the economy, and being close to family,” Lord said.

Dr. Mark Fitzgerald, associate chair of the School’s Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, said informal surveys he’s conducted bear that out. “When I recently asked some of my students about their future plans, about 60 percent said they planned to leave Michigan, while the other 40 percent said they would stay,” he said. Fitzgerald said that many planned to leave “because they thought there were better opportunities outside of Michigan, while some said they would leave to pursue graduate studies elsewhere, and others would leave to fulfill a military commitment or be closer to family. By comparison, times were different when many of us graduated in the 1980s and began a practice.” The generational change in student attitudes and perceptions was “a significant change,” according to Ms. Randy Daigler, transition manager for Dental Business Services in Bay City, Michigan. “In the last few years, we have seen that fewer young dentists are entrepreneurial and want to start their own business,” she said. “From what we are seeing, today’s young dentist is more interested in having a better quality of life. They may participate in a group practice and work fewer hours.” The Michigan economy, she added, is another major factor. “In the minds of many students, other states, rightly or wrongly, seem to be doing a much better job of conveying their good news. Michigan, however,” she continued, “seems to be ‘woe is me’ by comparison. Yet, from my national

affiliations, I know many other states are experiencing similar trends in dentistry.” Daigler said because of the downturn in the Michigan economy, dentists are holding onto their practices longer than planned. “When the financial markets went south, their portfolios went south big time,” she said. “So many dentists who planned to retire aren’t because they don’t have the financial resources to do so at a time when life expectancies are rising.”

Phillip Stark, president of Peak Performers, a dental consulting firm, agreed. “Many practitioners calling us are looking for ways to supplement their dental practice income, and many practitioners today are holding onto their practice longer,” he said. “The average retirement age of today’s practitioner is 67-1/2 years compared to 61-1/2 thirteen years ago.”

Financial Considerations Student debt is another big factor. Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for student services, said that according to figures from the American Dental Education Association, the average debt level of dental school graduates nationwide is $170,000. She said that

PerKjeldsen CourtesyofDentalBusinessServices

Brent Medema (left), D3 student and Randy Daigler of Dental Business Services.


amount mirrors School of Dentistry graduates who, in 2010, averaged $168,790 in debt compared to $143,206 in 2006. “These are not trivial amounts,” she said. High cost is another factor influencing the decisions of young dentists to shun solo practice for “corporate dentistry,” Daigler said. “When you add the total amount of higher educational debt, the cost of acquiring a practice, and tighter bank lending policies, you’re looking at significant hurdles new dentists face,” she said. Dr. Connie Verhagen (DDS 1986, MS 1988), president-elect of the MDA, said efforts have been made to pass legislation that would encourage dental students to

remain in Michigan by forgiving some of their loans if they practice in underserved areas. “But we’ve been told that since the state, in essence, is short of funds, that proposal didn’t go anywhere.” However, the MDA’s Josh Lord noted the Michigan Student Loan Repayment Program provides loan repayment assistance to dental, medical, and medical health care professionals who are willing to serve in a Health Professional Shortage Area at a not-for-profit health clinic for two or more years. Annual awards of up to $25,000 are available. Fitzgerald added that federally qualified health centers and the Indian Health Service, with many facilities in Michigan, also offer opportunities for loan forgiveness. The role of the area’s climate cannot be ignored either, according to Alumni Board member Dr. George Yellich (DDS

1972, MS 1977), who practices in San Jose, California. “If you want to get dental students to remain in Michigan, one thing that should be considered is selling the state and all it has to offer in terms of educational opportunities, recreation, and more,” Yellich said. “When you sell the state and what it has to offer, I believe that students will stay and others who may not have considered Michigan will come here.” Lord said equally important is developing a mentoring program that involves dental students and practitioners. “You’ve got to get involved with students and students need to get involved with you in a one-on-one partnership,” he said. “I’m not just talking about online message

boards. There has to be a personal bridge between students and dentists.”

Dental School to Dental Practice Transition Third-year dental student Brent Medema, president of the School’s chapter of the American Student Dental Association, liked that idea. “Face to face conversations are important,” he said. “But any interaction or mentoring should take both a high-tech and high-touch approach.” “It was a great discussion that shed light on the perspectives of all parties about the transition from dental school to dental practice,” said Alumni Board member Jerry Booth (DDS 1961, MS 1964). Especially noteworthy, he continued, was that many baby boomer dentists have been practicing for up to 10 years longer than they intended

because the retirement accounts of many have not increased. Booth also noted “many of these practices have grown stale because owners are simply treading water and desperately need new blood at a time when general dentistry is rapidly advancing.”

School of Dentistry Online Jobs Board But Booth thinks there may be other ways to bring dental students and dental school alumni together. He cited an east coast business school where only about two-thirds of students had received a job offer by the end of February 2010. The director of the business school’s jobs center was concerned and asked their best-known

faculty to send an e-mail to alumni describing the severity of the problem. Within three months, the number of students at the business school who received job offers jumped to 87 percent. “Maybe we can try something similar here at the dental school, or take other approaches that will help both our graduates and current practitioners,” Booth said. Help may be on the way. The School of Dentistry recently unveiled a new Web site allowing dental students to search for job opportunities and a ls o of fer ing pract i t ioners opportunities to advertise practices for sale, according to Sharon Grayden, communications director. She also said a new category, mentoring, could be added to the site http://sitemaker.umich.edu/careers.dent/home if the Board thought that would be helpful.

Why did you decide to remain in or leave Michigan?

Dentalstudentswhograduatedbetween2000and2011areinvitedtoe-mailtheircommentsthatmaybecomepartofastoryforafutureissueofthismagazine,DentalUM,andourWebsite.Ifyousubmityourcomments,pleaseincludeatelephonenumberwhereyoucanbereachedifwewishtotalktoyouformoreinformation.Pleasee-mailyourcommentsandphonenumberto:[email protected].


ALUMNI RELATIONS

Emeritus Alumni Honored Twenty-two members of the dental and dental hygiene classes of 1960 returned to the School of Dentistry last October to receive an emeritus medallion and pin marking the fiftieth anniversary of their graduation. Nineteen were dental graduates; three were dental hygiene graduates. Alumni and their spouses also visited the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory to see how technology is being used to teach dentistry at Michigan. The give-and-take between alumni and dental students was mutually enjoyable. “They were fascinated with how we are using computers and technology in our dental education and how technology enhances our learning,” said second-year dental student Bryan Greenwood. “I described and demonstrated, with the technology we’re using here, how we can retrieve notes, re-listen to podcasts of lectures, and do so much more to advance our dental education.” The emeritus alums were impressed with what they saw and heard. “It’s changed a lot since we were students,” said Dr. David Winograd with a laugh. “I remember we had to furiously write when taking notes, and even then we didn’t get everything down that we should have. But with podcasting and the other technology being used here, this is a superb way to teach dentistry.”

Second-year dental student Bryan Greenwood shows Drs. Robert Coleman (left), Robert Card (center), and David Winograd (right) how he uses technology in his clinical and classroom education.

Jerry Mastey


Dr. Ray Gist Receives

He assumed the presidency of the American Dental Association in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, October 13. After only a few hours of sleep, he traveled to Ann Arbor to receive the School of Dentistry’s Distinguished Service Award the following afternoon. Despite what was almost a nonstop schedule those two days, Dr. Raymond Gist (DDS 1966), savored the experiences and was enthusiastic about returning to his alma mater. Presenting the award, Dr. Joanne Dawley (DDS 1980), a past president of the Michigan Dental Association, said the award “is most appropriate considering Ray’s notable achievements” as she listed his many leadership roles in organized dentistry that began as a member of the Board of Directors of the Genesee District Dental Society in 1976. “I’m proud and deeply honored to receive this award,” Gist said. “I thought I reached the top of the ladder becoming ADA president. But receiving this award is the next rung, one step higher,” he said with a smile. The Distinguished Service Award, from the School’s Alumni Society Board of Governors, recognizes and honors a living person who has made outstanding contributions to the U-M School of Dentistry, the dental profession, or the Alumni Society.

ADA President Dr. Raymond Gist and Dr. Joanne Dawley, a past President of the MDA.

Dr. John Kelsey and Mrs. Jean Ann Kelsey hold a replica of the plaque honoring the late Dr. Charles Kelsey.

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Dr. Charles Kelsey Inducted into Hall of Honor

Dr. Charles Kelsey, who taught at the U-M School of Dentistry for 35 years and was affectionately known as the School’s historian, was inducted into the Hall of Honor during Homecoming Weekend. Celebrating Kelsey’s induction, Dr. James Harris, School of Dentistry faculty member for 18 years and chair of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry for 16 years, said, “I can’t think of anyone who better represented the spirit of the true academic who demonstrated outstanding clinical skills and was dedicated to teaching and mentoring his students, colleagues, and scholars. In all these activities he excelled.” Harris added that Kelsey’s former students remembered his remarkable clinical skills, but perhaps even more memorable was the way he treated them with respect and patience. “His five awards as Teacher of the Year give testimony to this accomplishment,” Harris added. Speaking for the family, Kelsey’s son, Dr. John Kelsey (DDS 1987), said the induction of his father into the School’s Hall of Honor “means a great deal to our family. He loved the School of Dentistry and the history of the School in particular. He would be honored to know he was appreciated.” The Hall of Honor posthumously honors some of the legends of the dental profession who have been associated with the School of Dentistry.

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DEVELOPMENT

he School of Dentistry is inaugurating an endowed professorship named for a pioneer in the dental specialty of periodontics. The Major M. Ash Collegiate Professorship in Periodontics honors the memory of Dr. Major McKinley Ash, a world leader and icon in dentistry who died in March 2007 at the age of 85. Generous gifts from School of Dentistry friends and several alumni who were students of the late Dr. Ash funded the professorship. The first School of Dentistry faculty member to be named to the Ash Professorship is Dr. Russell Taichman. A professor of dentistry in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, Taichman also directs the School’s Scholars Program in Dental Leadership and is an adjunct professor at the College of Literature, Sciences, and the Arts. “To be named the first Ash Professor is unbelievably humbling and a great honor,” Taichman said. “He was such an enormous influence in dentistry that there is hardly a practitioner in the country, and indeed the world, who has not been influenced by his work.” Taichman earned a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1986 and a DMSc from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine four years later. He came to Michigan in 1992. His research niche focuses on how bone cells regulate stem cell function and development. Closely related to that is his research that seeks to understand how prostate cancer cells thwart stem cell development and function. Dr. Laurie McCauley, chair of the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, said, “Professor Taichman’s work is at the leading edge of stem cell and bone biology with broad impact in the fields of hematopoiesis, skeletal biology, and oncology. His work is highly cited, highly regarded and epitomizes the excellence in scholarly work that Major Ash was known for worldwide.”

Jerry Mastey

NAMED MAJOR ASH COLLEG IATE PROFESSOR


The University of Michigan School of Dentistry has received $300,000 from the Dr. Roy and Natalie Roberts Family Foundation for 2011. The gift consists of $120,000 that will be added to the Foundation’s endowed scholarship fund and $80,000 to an expendable scholarship fund. Both funds are designated for deserving dental students. This year, the family also made a $100,000 gift to establish a new fund, The Roberts Family Foundation Predoctoral Education Innovation Fund. Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to faculty to develop innovative educational programs for the predoctoral curriculum. Endowed scholarship funds are awarded from interest and/or capital gains from investments that are managed as part of the University’s $6.6 billion endowment fund. The Roberts Family Foundation endowed scholarship provided $20,650 to dental students in 2010. The expendable scholarship fund disperses $80,000 annually to dental students depending on their financial needs. Scholarship support is significantly important to the School and to student recipients.

The Roberts Legacy Dr. Roberts (DDS 1932) was one of the School’s most generous benefactors prior to his death in 2004. In 1997, he and Mrs. Roberts gifted what is believed to be the largest single commitment ever made to a dental school, $10 million. Another $3 million was gifted to the School in 2001 and 2002. One million dollars was used to help renovate the west preclinic, now named The Roy H. Roberts Preclinical Laboratory, and the other $2 million to establish an endowed professorship that bears his name. The Roberts Family Foundation was created from the estate of Dr. Roy and Mrs. Natalie Roberts. The Foundation is a major benefactor at the University of Michigan, supporting both the School of Dentistry and the Medical School.

Endowed ProfessorshipsTheUniversityofMichiganSchoolofDentistryhas several typesofendowedprofessorships that canbesetupwithgiftsof$500,000ormore.Collegiateprofessorships, suchas theMajorAshCollegiateProfessorship, areoften fundedwithendowmentgifts from many individuals who wish to honor a former facultymember. Others include facultydevelopmentprofessorships,researchprofessorships,visitingprofessorships,facultyprofessorships,andanendoweddeanship. Theseprofessorshipsareoneofthemosteffectiveways to ensure that the best scholars are attracted to theU-MSchoolofDentistryandremain.“Endowedprofessorshipsareextraordinarystatementsthattellaneducator,‘Wewanttorewardyourachievementsand encourage your future growth here at the UniversityofMichiganSchoolofDentistry’,” saidRichard Fetchiet, director of alumni relations, development,andcontinuingdentaleducation.

Endowed professorships are awarded to faculty members who have demonstrated a sustained high level of achievement and are meant to empower the faculty member to make further significant contributions to his or her field. “The Major Ash Professorship brings honor and recognition to Professor Taichman as well as highlighting the respect that Dr. Ash garnered and his impact in periodontics,” McCauley added. During a distinguished 53-year career with the U-M School of Dentistry, Dr. Ash established a global reputation as a clinical researcher, prolific writer, mentor, and professor extraordinaire. He was posthumously inducted into the School’s Hall of Honor in 2008. Established in 2003, the Hall of Honor acknowledges some of the legends of the dental and dental hygiene professions who, during their careers, were associated with the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.


FACULTY

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P R O F I L Eomeone took a chance on me when I was in residency. Now, I’m trying to return the favor,” said Dr. Scott Conley. “It wasn’t long ago that I was an unproven person who thought teaching would be

fun and rewarding, and it has been,” he continued. “But I think more of us in dental education should take a chance with our promising dental students and graduate students and do what we can to attract them to academic dentistry.” A clinical associate professor of dentistry and graduate clinic director in the School’s Robert W. Browne Orthodontics Clinic, Conley said he owes much of his professional success to his first mentor and chair, Dr. Harry Legan. “I don’t think I would be here at Michigan or have the career that I have had if it had not been for him,” Conley said. “Dr. Legan’s honesty, caring, and guidance when I was a resident at Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center helped me tremendously. He did this selflessly, knowing that I would eventually leave if I followed his advice.”

Musician or Teacher? Growing up in New Jersey, Conley considered two possible careers. One was earning a doctorate in chemistry and becoming a teacher. The other was becoming a percussionist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. “After realizing it would take twenty or thirty years to even have a chance to audition for that job, I chose to earn a degree in chemistry which later became my steppingstone into dentistry,” he said. However, there were other diversions along Conley’s career path and he said he almost didn’t earn his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1996 or his orthodontics certificate from Vanderbilt three years later. The son of a purchasing agent, Conley said he was fascinated with the stories his father told at the dinner table describing how he saved his company significant sums of money by looking for ways to get the best products and services at the lowest cost. After earning his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 3-1/2 years, Conley found a job with a company as a quality control chemist. “That job, in some ways, resembled what my dad did,” Conley said. “I had to ensure that truckloads of materials met appropriate specifications and were safely transported from one place to another. I also had to provide accurate documentation for each shipment, which required attention to detail, because each shipment had slightly different specifications,” he said. Sending inferior material, Conley added, could have led to him and the company being held liable for the cost of the materials and any finished products that contained those materials. “It was a great job, and I enjoyed what I was doing,” he said.

“Serious Soul Searching” However, when he returned to school to start work on his dental degree, Conley said he almost quit because dental school did not provide the


same level of responsibility or rewards. “I did some serious soul searching,” he said. Realizing he would face challenges no matter where he was or the profession he was in, Conley said he evaluated his circumstances, thought about his long-term future, and also recalled the memories of his experiences with his family’s orthodontist. “He was both a clinician and a teacher to all of his patients,” Conley said. “I learned a lot listening to him explain what work he was doing for me and the reasons for doing it. His approach to patient care, in retrospect, has influenced how I interact with my students and patients.” Conley’s interest in teaching began as a fourth-year dental student. “I discovered I enjoyed teaching second-year dental students some of what I learned only a short time earlier,” he said. During the third year of his residency at Vanderbilt, Conley was asked to do more teaching and was then asked to join the faculty as an instructor. He was later promoted to assistant professor. As a junior faculty member, he told Dr. Legan about his new passion for teaching. Conley said, “Dr. Legan gave me some great advice, which included seeking opportunities for professional growth beyond where I was employed. For that I will always be grateful.”

The Lure of Michigan Aware of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s reputation in orthodontics, Conley said attending the Graduate Orthodontics Residents Program in 1996 and the Moyer’s Symposium led him to seriously consider Michigan as the next step in his professional development. “Michigan seemed to offer a good balance between clinical practice and teaching. Now that I’ve been here for

five years, I can say that it has,” he said. Conley said the U-M School of Dentistry also offered something else he desired – opportunities for growth. “To grow professionally and even personally, you have to be willing to change,” he said. “Change can be paralyzing or it can lead to growth. I wanted to grow. I wanted to be with people who could push me to be even better than I was and to achieve more than I ever thought I could.” He hasn’t been disappointed. Conley has a faculty practice in the graduate orthodontics clinic, supervises graduate students and directs the graduate orthodontics clinic, co-directs the predoctoral orthodontic curriculum, and teaches a course in surgical orthodontics. In 2007, he won a prestigious Angle Research Prize from the Edward Angle Research Foundation as author of the most outstanding research paper that was published during the previous two years in The Angle Orthodontist. His clinical research interests include orthognathic surgery, obstructive sleep apnea, distraction osteogenesis, and orthodontic biomechanics. Conley said his interactions with students and patients are focused not only on the present but also the future.

Dr. Sunil Kapila (right), chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, and Dr. Scott Conley discuss a patient treatment plan.

“My professional legacy will be the students I teach and the quality of care they give to their patients. I will consider myself a successful teacher if my students pass along to their patients a small piece of the caring that was instilled in me and the caring that I, hopefully, have been able to instill in them.”

“An Exceptional Addition” Dr. Sunil Kapila, chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, said Conley “has been an exceptional addition to our orthodontics program, the department, and the School of Dentistry.” Kapila said that Conley’s teaching and clinical expertise, especially as clinic director of the graduate and undergraduate programs, “are tasks he has performed very well.” Conley, Kapila also noted, worked with the School’s technology department to establish the first totally paperless clinic in the School. “Doing this in our orthodontics clinic provided the School with insights that were needed that helped other clinics in the School with their transition to an all-electronic environment.” Kapila said Conley’s contributions in these and other areas “have made him a highly valuable faculty member.”

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Dr. Berna Saglik, a clinical assistant p r o f e s s o r i n t h e Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences and Prosthodontics, received the ADEA/

ADEA Council of Students, Residents and Fellows/Colgate-Palmolive Co. Junior Faculty Award. The award recognizes outstanding junior faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching, research, and service and a commitment to dental education.

Dr. Marita Inglehart, associate professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, became the new associate editor of ADEA’s Journal of

Dental Education on April 1. During her three-year term, she will review as many as 500 articles submitted for publication each year. Based on recommendations

FACULTY

from a team of reviewers she will select articles for both the print and online journal. The JDE is recognized as one of the premier publications for academic dentistry in the U.S. “I hope this will inspire more educational research here at the School of Dentistry,” she said. Inglehart has been the senior author of 20 articles that have appeared in JDE since 1997.

Dr. Marilyn Lantz, p r o f e s s o r i n t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Pe r i o d o n t i c s a n d Oral Medicine and former associate dean for academic affairs,

was one of nine leaders from across the nation who recently received a Presidential Citation for her service to ADEA. For three months she worked with staff in the ADEA Center for Educational Policy and Research on projects that addressed important issues in dental education.

ADEA Recognition

The American Dental Education Association recognized three faculty members from the School of Dentistry during the organization’s recent annual meeting in California. They were:

Tae-Ju Oh in ADEA Leadership InstituteDr. Tae-Ju Oh, a clinical associate professor and co-director of the predoctoral implant program at the School of Dentistry, will participate in the American Dental Education Association’s Leadership Institute. He was selected for the 12-month program in March. Created in 2000, the Leadership Institute is designed to develop the nation’s most promising dental faculty to become future leaders in dental and higher education. Institute Fellows

participate in sessions that emphasize leadership, team building, communications, managing change, public and educational policy, research, budgeting and financial management.

Hu New Director of OHS/PhD Program

D r . J a n H u , t h e S a m u e l D. Harris Collegiate P r o f e s s o r o f Dentistry in the D e p a r t m e n t o f B i o l o g i c a n d

Materials Sciences at the School of Dentistry, is the new director of the School’s Oral Health Sciences/PhD program. She succeeds Dr. Charlotte Mistretta, associate dean for research, who directed the program from its inception.

Building on Success “With the outstanding support the School’s OHS/PhD program has received from Dean Polverini and program faculty, I will continue finding ways to integrate clinical dentistry and basic science research as well as enhance the visibility of the program nationally and internationally,” said Hu. She added that she wants to build on program successes achieved by Mistretta. “Because of Dr. Mistretta’s efforts, the School’s OHS/PhD program is one of the best in dentistry,” Hu said. “Among its many achievements is graduating 23 individuals, 15 of whom are academicians teaching in universities and conducting research in the U.S. or their home country.” Hu joined the faculty at the U-M School of Dentistry as an associate professor with tenure in 2002. Her research is focused on developing strategies to improve oral reconstruction using gene therapy.


Dr. Stephen Bayne, chair, Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, Wilmer Souder Award. This is the oldest of the IADR science awards. It confers the highest honor in

the field of dental materials research upon the recipient who, through research in his field, has brought about outstanding advances in dental health.

Dr. Laurie McCauley, chair, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, Basic R e s e a r c h i n B i o l o g i c a l Mineralization Award. This award is designed to stimulate, encourage, and recognize

basic research in biological mineralization. This includes research on the mechanism of mineralization in biologic systems, including teeth, bone, ectopic deposits, or model systems with evidence of original thought and accomplishment in the field of calcification.

D r . J a c q u e s N ö r , (senior author) professor, Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, IADR/AADR William J. Gies Award. This award is given for the best

paper published in the Journal of Dental Research during the preceding year for the article “Dentin-derived BMP2 and odontoblastic differentiation of SHED.”

IADR, AADR Awards to Faculty

Three School of Dentistry faculty received awards from the International and American Associations for Dental Research during the annual meeting of the organizations in March in San Diego.

Dr. Brad Hudson to Receive AAO’sMilo Hellman Award

A graduate of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s graduate orthodontics program is the recipient of a major research award from the American Association of Orthodontists. Dr. Brad Hudson received the 2011 Milo Hellman Award during the AAO’s annual session May 14-17 in Chicago. The prestigious award is given by the AAO for

the most meritorious research paper submitted by a resident in a graduate orthodontics program in the U.S. and Canada. Hudson’s paper was titled: Local Delivery of Recombinant Osteoprotegerin Protein Prevents Post-Orthodontic Relapse. “I am honored that my thesis was chosen by the AAO for the Milo Hellman Award,” Hudson said, “and am excited to bring this award back to Michigan.” Citing the School of Dentistry’s strong tradition of clinical and research success, Hudson noted that two of his professors, Drs. Sunil Kapila and James McNamara, won the award, in 1995 and 1973, respectively.

“Improving Understanding of Orthodontic Relapse” Relapse is a significant orthodontic problem following treatment with braces. Believing patients and clinicians would prefer to rely less on removable retainers because they can be lost or broken, and using knowledge of cellular bone biology, Hudson designed a research initiative to test whether the local application of an important regulator of bone metabolism, osteoprotegerin (OPG), could enhance stability following orthodontic treatment. Hudson said his research revealed that by using OPG, orthodontists may be able to keep a patient’s teeth stable and prevent the teeth from moving back to a crooked position following orthodontic treatment. “This is a significant discovery,” Hudson said, “because it improves our understanding of orthodontic relapse and opens the door to the possibility of using pharmaceuticals to enhance orthodontic retention.” “I am very proud of the caliber and depth of work that Dr. Hudson performed in his research and congratulate him for his accomplishment,” Kapila said. “This award is yet another in a string of research successes by our students and faculty in this highly competitive research environment.” Kapila, chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, and Dr. Nan Hatch, assistant professor, mentored Hudson’s research. Hudson earned his dental degree from the University of Tennessee in 2007 and a master’s degree in orthodontics from the University of Michigan in 2010. He is now in private practice in New York City and Long Island.


entistry experienced profound changes from the mid 19th through the early 20th centuries that had a dramatic impact on the

profession and ultimately the health and well-being of the public. The University of Michigan School of Dentistry, established by the state legislature in 1875, was in the vanguard of many of those changes. A new exhibit at the School’s Sindecuse Museum depicts and describes many of those transformations — the rise of dental education and professionalism, the advent of scientific discoveries, the application of innovations in technology, the growth of dental hygiene, the introduction of equipment sterilization techniques, the impact of fluoridation on public health dentistry, and others. Inside the Dental Practice: 1860-1940 showcases the evolution of dentistry from a trade initially practiced by barbers, blacksmiths, and occasionally quacks to a profession that required higher education and the ability to apply new scientific discoveries and breakthroughs in technology for the benefit of dental patients. The exhibit is accompanied by narratives, historical photos from the Sindecuse Museum and the Bentley

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Museum ScheduleTheSindecuseMuseumisopenMondaythroughFridayfrom8:00a.m.to6:00p.m.Thereis no cost to tour the Museum. For further information, contact theMuseumbyphoneat(734)763-0767orbye-mail:[email protected].


Historical Librar y, dental office equipment gifted by U-M School of Dentistry alumni, along with letter and journal entries written by dentists and faculty members to colleagues and friends, including Dr. Gordon Sindecuse, for whom the Museum is named. The exhibit, which spans 80 years, highlights four eras: 1860-1890, 1890-1915, 1915-1930, and 1930-1940. Each era features some of the equipment dentists used in their offices including upholstered dental chairs, ivory-handled dental instruments, overhead lamps, brass spittoons, and wooden cabinets, many with small pullout drawers. Different flooring – rugs, wood, black and white square tiles, and linoleum – and partitions that angle slightly outward also provide other visual cues that distinguish each era.

U-M’s Important Role “Our new exhibit vividly shows how dentistry in this country evolved to become the respected profession it is today and the role the University of Michigan School of Dentistry played in helping to shape the education students

received before they could become dentists who were licensed to practice,” said Shannon O’Dell, museum curator. “At Michigan, students were becoming grounded in science so they could apply their knowledge and information about new discoveries to help their patients.” During the 19th centur y, for example, O’Dell said it was common for those who practiced dentistry not to have a dental degree. “The exhibit shows how the College of Dental Surgery at the University of Michigan, as it was called when it was created, played a significant role in advancing the profession with its emphasis on education,” she said. “In fact, W.H. Jackson, a practicing dentist in Ann Arbor, thought it was so important to set an example for others who were practicing dentistry that he enrolled and was one of our first graduates in 1876.” A l s o i n c l u d e d a r e t w o complementary displays, The Dental Laboratory and X-rays in Dentistry. Both are prominently showcased on the ground floor lobby of the Kellogg Building. Innovations in making dentures and restorations also affected dental

This lab bench, used by Dr. Marcus Ward, who was dean of the School of Dentistry from 1916 to 1934, makes its first public appearance since its last use, probably in the 1930s. Dentists made dentures, bridges, crowns, and other devices adjoining their offices until around the 1950s.

laboratories between 1860 and 1940. Materials, tools, and equipment that were used by dentists in the 19th century were antiquated by 1940. With growing pressure to see more patients, many dentists outsourced their orders to a new service, commercial dental laboratories, which were becoming increasingly popular. X-ray technology, on the other hand, remained in the dental practice and, over time, was standardized and streamlined so it became a key diagnostic tool used in every dental office. Work on the new exhibit began nearly two years ago. O’Dell enlisted the support of a local exhibit specialist, Brynn Raupagh, who has worked extensively with curators at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Automotive Hall of Fame, Charles Wright Museum, and The Henry Ford. “I thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to showcase some very interesting dental history,” Raupagh said. Simultaneously, O’Dell was working with so many other contractors “that it reminded me of building a house because there were so many people doing so many different things at the same time,” she said with a smile.

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RESEARCH

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Dental Student Wins Clinical Research Award & Research Day Grand Prize

GRAND PRIZE ADA Dentsply Award

Courtney Grady (D3) Mentor:SamuelZwetchkenbaum

Patient-reported oral health-related quality of life and the impact of oral GVHD:

Does it worsen over time?(NIDCR007057)

Undergraduate, DDS, DH, MS/Certificate – Clinical Application

and Technique

First PrizeAnjaHoffstrom,ElizabethBrown,

Brandi Johnson (DH4)Mentor:AnneGwozdek

Addressing hunger and health: Assessment of a garden initiative at the

Huron Valley Boys and Girls Club(U-MGinsbergCenterProfDev FundADHAR.WallCommunitySpiritGrant)

Second PrizeMeghan Dubois (D4)

Mentor:WilliamGiannobileDevelopment of a clinical research rotation

for third year dental students(NCRRULRR000042)

Third PrizeMirandaMarion,MichelleUekihara,

SabrinaWilliams(DH4)Mentors:ErinRelich&CarrieB.Ghaname

Barriers preventing Ann Arbor dentists from volunteering at the Washtenaw Children’s

Dental Clinic

third-year dental student received the Most Outstanding Presentation in Clinical Research during a national dental student research symposium.Courtney Grady won the award last fall during the Hinman Student Research Symposium in Memphis, Tennessee. The symposium

featured oral and poster presentations of research by dental students and graduate students from dental schools across North America. She also won the Grand Prize at this year’s Research Day at the School of Dentistry. Grady’s research focuses on the oral manifestations of graft versus host disease (GVHD), a common complication following allogenic (from a donor) bone marrow transplants. These transplants, for example, are a common treatment for certain forms of leukemia. Complications frequently occur when immune system cells of the transplanted tissue attack the tissue of the host and can have a particular effect on oral mucosa and salivary gland tissue. The controls for this study were patients who had autologous (from self) bone marrow transplantation since they do not develop GVHD. In comparing oral health outcomes to the control group, Grady discovered that patients who developed GVHD had poorer oral health and quality of life concerns. The different outcomes, she theorizes, were likely due to reduced saliva flow. These findings indicate the importance of increasing patient and health care team awareness regarding possible oral complications associated with GVHD and available treatment outcomes. This will hopefully improve the oral health related quality of life for patients suffering from GVHD. Grady’s research was mentored by Dr. Samuel Zwetchkenbaum, a clinical associate professor and director of the General Practice Residency program, and Dr. Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, associate dean for academic affairs and clinical associate professor, both with the School’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry.


Undergraduate, DDS, DH, MS/Certificate – Basic Science and

Research

First PrizeHsung-LiangChan(MS/Certificate)

Mentor:JanHu

Characterization of periodontal structures in Enamelin null mice

(NIDCRDE011301)

Second PrizeAlexandra Plonka (D2)

Mentor:WilliamGiannobile

Nanofibrous scaffolds incorporating microspheres for periodontal tissue

engineering(NIDCRDE007057)

Third PrizeLindsay Harbron (D2)

Mentor:PetrosPapagerakis

The circadian clock of amelogenesis(AADRFellowship&SODSRP)

Dental Hygiene

First PrizeAnjaHoffstrom,ElizabethBrown,

Brandi Johnson (DH4)Mentor:AnneGwozdek

Addressing hunger and health: Assessment of a garden initiative at the Huron Valley Boys and Girls Club(U-MGinsbergCenterProfDevFundADHAR.WallCommunitySpiritGrant)

Second PrizeMirandaMarion,MichelleUekihara,

SabrinaWilliams(DH4)Mentors:ErinRelichand

Carrie B. Ghaname

Barriers preventing Ann Arbor dentists from volunteering at the

Washtenaw Children’s Dental Clinic

Third PrizeKateVinslauski,StacieKupka,

CorrineSilvernail(DH4)Mentor:JanetKinney

What is the role of a clinical dental hygienist for salivary diagnostics in

periodontal disease detection?

PhD/Postdoctoral Fellow/Staff

First PrizeElizabeth Van Tubergen

(PhD student)Mentor:NishaD’Silva

Control of oral cancer-derived cytokines by Tristetraprolin

(NIDCRDE021305)

Second PrizeMarcosDosSantos

(Postdoctoral Fellow)Mentor:AlexandreDaSilvaDelayed analgesic effects of

non-invasive brain stimulationin chronic migraine

(NIHK23NS062946,CTSAHigh-techfundingUL1RR024986,&CAPES-Brazil)

Third PrizeYugangWang(PostdoctoralFellow)

Mentor:PeterPolveriniThe unfolded protein responserelieves stress in tumor cells by

stimulating angiogenesis(Daniels Fund for Cancer Research)

Audience Choice AwardJanetZalucha(DH3)

Mentor:RussellTaichmanDetermining the role of osteoclastsin metastasis based on their ability

to participate in hematopoieticstem cell mobilization

(NCICA093900&SODSRP)


RESEARCH

Researchers Connect Specific Proteinto Head & Neck Cancers

Laura Bailey, U-M News Service

The discovery that a certain protein is over-expressed in patients with oral cancer may give new treatment hope to people suffering from the particularly aggressive, localized forms of head and neck cancer. Researchers at the U-M School of Dentistry found that when they inhibited the expression of that protein, called SIRT3 or Sirtuin-3, in oral cancer cells in a petri dish, the cells did not proliferate and more of them died. Further, when researchers suppressed the protein in the cancer cells and combined that with radiation or chemotherapy treatment, the prohibitive effect on cancer cells was even greater, said Yvonne Kapila, associate professor of dentistry and lead author of the study. Mice that were injected with SIRT3-inhibited oral cancer cells had about a 75 percent reduction in tumors compared to the mice injected with regular oral cancer cells, said Kapila, whose research team began looking at the Sirtuin group of proteins because some studies suggest they are key regulators for cell integrity and survival. “We thought that maybe cancer cells, because they are very crafty, may also use one of these proteins to their advantage to extend their own survival,” Kapila said. “With oral cancer, often the problem is the difficulty of early detection, thus

when diagnosed at a late stage the cancer becomes very aggressive. If one can find a way to tailor treatments to those aggressive situations obviously you have a far better case of survival.” She added that oral cancer survival rates haven’t changed in decades, so there’s a great desire in the scientific community to find more effective treatments. Oral cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide, and oral squamous cell carcinoma accounts for 90 percent of all malignancies. The five-year survival rate for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma is 34 percent to 62.9 percent, according to the study. Kapila said some research has shown that SIRT1 and SIRT3 proteins may suppress, rather than support, tumor growth, so it’s important to remember that each case is different. “If people do find that in breast cancer it’s a suppressor and we go in and treat patients with an additional suppression of SIRT3, we may do more harm than good,” Kapila said. Kapila stressed that the results are very preliminary. “We are nowhere near having any kind of treatment at this point.” The next step is to look at the SIRT3 in larger animals and then proceed to human trials.

For more on these stories visit Current News at

www.dent.umich.edu

Dr. Yvonne Kapila

Jerry Mastey


A drug marketed to grow bone in osteoporosis patients also works to heal bone wounds in gum disease patients, a U-M School of Dentistry study suggests. “ This new approach for the treatment of periodontal disease could allow us to rebuild some of the bone that is lost due to periodontal disease, which until this point has been very difficult to achieve,” said Jill Bashutski, clinical assistant professor and first author on the study. “Current treatments to re-grow bone around teeth affected with gum disease have limited success rates.” The findings are significant because gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults and is also associated with a host of other health problems. Periodontal disease results in loss of teeth and can be devastating because it compromises speaking as well as eating, which can in turn contribute to poor nutrition. The generic name of the drug is teriparatide and it is marketed by Eli Lilly and Co. under the trade name Forteo. It’s a type of parathyroid hormone and the only anabolic (meaning it grows bone) osteoporosis drug approved on the market in the United States. Typically, osteoporosis drugs work by preventing bone loss.

Significant Improvements Noted The study took place at the School of Dentistry’s Michigan Center for Oral Health Research, where patients with severe chronic gum disease received the traditional treatment for gum disease, which is periodontal surgery on one-quarter of the mouth. Half of the patients took a six-week course of teriparatide by injection into the skin over the abdomen or

Osteoporosis Drug Builds Bone in Patients with Gum DiseaseLaura Bailey, U-M News Service

stomach, plus calcium and vitamin D supplements, while the other half received a placebo. After one year, researchers saw a 29 percent improvement in bone-level measurements on X-rays in the teriparatide group, versus a 3 percent improvement in the placebo group, a 10-fold increase. “I think one really interesting aspect of this study is that even a short dosing

of this drug had benefits that lasted a year,” said Laurie McCauley, professor of dentistry and chair of the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, and principal investigator on the study. McCauley’s research lab has spent nearly two decades studying how parathyroid hormone works. Animal models suggest that it works even better in certain bone wound-healing situations, such as those that involve surgery, than in osteoporosis, which is a diminishing of the bone rather than a wound. “There was speculation that the bone that forms in a wound like a fracture or inflammatory disease condition might be more responsive to being built back than other bone,” said McCauley, who noted that this proved true in the experimental group. She said the next step is for U-M researchers to test whether the treatment could be delivered locally to target site-specific bone healing. Forteo is not FDA approved for uses other than osteoporosis, but another possible application could be to help grow bone around dental implants. The study, “Teriparatide and Osseous Regeneration in the Oral Cavity” was printed in the New England Journal of Medicine last October. The study was presented in Toronto at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Dr. Jill Bashutski

Jerry Mastey


DENTAL HYGIENE

fun we had learning about each other helped us to win the competition,” she said. “We didn’t know each other when the contest began, but we were friends when it ended.” Paul Mackovjak, a fourth-year U-M dental hygiene student and U-M Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA) vice president, said that although he could not participate in the competition because he was tallying results, he said he was “able to meet new students and have fun interacting with them.” During the one-day conference, faculty members also participated in a workshop focusing on providing effective feedback that enhances clinical learning. Led by Chad Hershock, PhD, assistant director of the U-M Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, participants were asked to role play and reflect on their responsibilities as clinical instructors. They were also asked to consider the background of dental hygiene students in developing subsequent action plans designed to enhance the effectiveness of subsequent interactions. Janet Kinney, assistant professor of dentistry, said she enjoyed the opportunity educators from around the state had to role play, either as students or clinical instructors, during a mock patient care appointment. “As educators, it was valuable and fun to hear and reflect on what the student actors did during the role playing exercise,” she said. “That made us realize, even more, that it’s not just the words we use when we talk to our students, but how we talk to our students, our tone of voice, and even the nonverbal elements we display such as body positioning and gesturing that affect our messages.”

(left to right) Kathleen Inman (MDHA president), Prof. Wendy Kerschbaum, and Ann Battrell (ADHA executive director).

BobKerschbaum

bout 700 dental hygiene faculty and students from across Michigan met in Ann Arbor to discuss the future of the profession, including possible career

opportunities for new graduates. Each year, one of 13 dental hygiene programs hosts the annual Michigan Association of Dental Hygiene Educators conference. Last fall, it was U-M’s turn. The Oct. 29 conference featured a mix of traditional and novel approaches that engaged and educated participants. Faculty and students were challenged to reach their full potential as oral health care providers by the executive director of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, Ann Battrell. She said dental hygiene students are taking an important step in that direction by pursuing a baccalaureate education and being receptive to exploring possible new opportunities. Noting that access to care is a challenge in many parts of the country, Battrell said dental hygienists can be both providers and advocates and, in the process, make important contributions that address that vital issue.

Education and Involvement However, being involved is also critical, Battrell said, citing her education and subsequent career as an example of how both can help make a difference. Battrell holds a certificate in dental hygiene and earned a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from Northwestern University, was ADHA president in 1996-1997, and has been the organization’s executive director since 2005. She said education and involvement in ADHA at local, state, and national levels enabled her and other dental hygienists to have more impact collectively than they might individually. Battrell later emceed a contest that enhanced camaraderie and learning in a game called “Are You Smarter Than Ann Battrell?” Twenty questions were posed in the contest that covered important concepts in the dental hygiene curriculum. Fifty-two teams competed, with each team consisting of students from different dental hygiene programs across Michigan. Second-year U-M dental hygiene student Kristen Koltuniak said the game was an opportunity for her and colleagues from other schools to connect. “I think the

U-M Dental Hygiene Program Hosts Statewide Conference


In addition to her classroom and clinical education, third-year dental hygiene student Elizabeth Easter is taking time to blog (write about her experiences online) for the School of Dentistry’s Web site. For those not familiar with blogging, the word “blog” is a combination of the words “web” and “log.” A modern-day version of personal diaries, online blogs typically include a person’s descriptions of events, commentary on a wide range of topics, photos, videos and links to other Web sites. Earlier this year, Easter blogged about mentoring a group of Ypsilanti High School students on Saturday mornings. http://umdental.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/community-health-a-dh3-leads-in-high-schoolers/

“This was the first time I blogged about anything,” she said with a laugh. “I never wrote anything for a high school or college newspaper, so this was an interesting first-time experience for me. I enjoyed it and will keep doing it.” After her blog was posted on the School of Dentistry Web site, Easter said many of her classmates told her how much they enjoyed her descriptions of her volunteer activities. She also said her mother “read the blog and liked it.” “I think that blogging will make others, such as the students at Ypsilanti High School, aware of possible careers in oral health care,” she said. Easter said she will be blogging once a month for the School’s Web site, but hasn’t decided what she will write about in future blogs. After she graduates next spring, Easter said she may apply to dental school and study to become a dentist or work in a community public health facility. Easter earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Howard University in 2007.

Hygiene Students, Alumna Participate in GKAS

Dental hygiene students and a dental hygiene alumna were among those participating in the Give Kids a Smile program at the School of Dentistry in February. Third-year dental hygiene student Jenna Sherwood said this was the first time she participated. Instead of being in clinics, however, Sherwood was in the waiting area talking to youngsters and parents about the importance of good oral health care. Holding a Mr. Potato Head in one hand and a felt tip marker in the other, she approached children and used the marker to represent the accumulation of bacteria on teeth. Children were invited to use the big toothbrush to remove the bacteria. Deborah Ternes (BS ‘78), said this was her second time volunteering in the program. “The dental and dental hygiene students had great enthusiasm and energy throughout the program, and it showed because the patients were thrilled with the attention and interest the students showed them,” she said. Ternes, who works for Ann Arbor Pediatric Dentistry, said she enjoyed her experiences so much “that I look forward to being here again next year.”

DH Student Blogging about Her School Experiences

Third-year dental hygiene student Jenna Sherwood showed this 5-year-old the importance of brushing .

Jerry Mastey

Jerry Mastey

Elizabeth Easter blogs abouther dental hygiene experiences.


Jerry Mastey

STUDENTS

racticing dentistr y at the Michigan State Prison in Jackson. That’s what fourth-year dental students Chady

Elhage and Mohamed Saad will always remember about their participation in the School of Dentistry’s outreach program. “It was an incredible experience, certainly a unique one, and it’s been a great topic of conversation,” Saad said. “My dad, a retired Ford employee, was practically speechless when I told him what I was doing.” Reaction from Elhage’s parents was similar, adding, “my mom thought what I was doing was pretty cool.” Elhage was the first dental student in the current outreach program who volunteered to treat patients, in this case inmates, at the facility doing so during the final two weeks of September. Saad was the second, working on patients the first two weeks in October. Providing oral health care and education at correctional facilities is nothing new for U-M dental students. During the 1950s, both dental and dental hygiene students did so at both the Michigan State Prison and at the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan.

“Never Felt Threatened” Before entering the Jackson Clinical Complex at the state prison, the Michigan Department of Corrections requires every dental student to pass a background check. Arriving at 7:00 a.m. to begin

their first day of work, each dental student was required to participate in an orientation session. They were not allowed to take laptop computers, cell phones, pocket cameras, or even pens or pencils inside with them. About 1,500 inmates are in each of the three facilities in Jackson. The Reception and Guidance Center processes every male inmate that enters. Processing includes a dental screening and, when necessary, urgent care. About 1,200 patients are treated each month in the RGC. “You pass through three doors, but only one is open at a time,” Elhage said. “When I was inside, I never felt threatened.” Saad agreed, adding, “the guards, staff, prison dentists, and the warden were all great people and went

DentalStudentsVolunteerforOutreachDentistryat the Michigan State Prison

out of their way to make us feel as comfortable as they could,” he said. Elhage said no patients were in chains during the time he treated inmates in the prison’s dental clinics. “The inmates were never handcuffed, chained, or restrained, so they could freely walk to the dental clinic on their own.” he said. “If they wanted to, they could also move freely while they were in a dental chair.” Saad said the only time he saw inmates in chains was when a psychiatric patient was being treated. In those instances, a security guard was nearby as oral health care was provided. Both Saad and Elhage wore a personal protection device – a security badge with a cord that could be pulled

Fourth-year dental students Mohamed Saad (left) and Chady Elhage were the first two dental student volunteers to provide oral health care at the Michigan State Prison in Jackson.


Drs.RaymondGist&SheliaBrownLaudedatKing’sFeast

An annual dinner organized by the U-M School of Dentistry’s chapter of the Student National Dental Association recently honored two graduates who have become leaders in the dental profession. During the 30th annual King’s Feast celebration, which commemorates the life and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Raymond Gist (DDS 1966) and Dr. Shelia Brown (DDS 1985) were lauded for reaching the pinnacle of their respective dental organizations. Gist is president of the American Dental Association. Brown is president of the National Dental Association. She also organized the first King’s Feast in 1981 when she was a dental student at Michigan. The timing of the dinner and the rise to the presidency of their respective organizations by both Drs. Gist and Brown couldn’t have been better, according to Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for Student Services. “It’s the first time two U-M School of Dentistry graduates have concurrently served in leadership roles as president of a national dental organization,” she said. “We are proud of them and what they have achieved. We were honored they joined us because both are role models for our dental students.” Expressing appreciation for the recognition he received from SNDA, Gist encouraged dental students to become involved in organized dentistry and emphasized the importance “of pursuing their goals, regardless of the barriers they might perceive.” Noting that both he and Brown “are examples of what is possible when dentists get involved,” Gist said he will continue advising students to have far reaching goals. Brown said she enjoyed returning to U-M and “was honored to receive the award” in her role as president of the National Dental Association and as a past president of the SNDA chapter at U-M and organizer of the first King’s Feast. Dean Peter Polverini said “there are no better ambassadors for Michigan and the School of Dentistry than Drs. Gist and Brown. This affirmation of their leadership by their peers is a credit to their commitment and personal investment in the dental profession and its future. We applaud their achievements, and I’m thrilled our students honored these special alums with this recognition.” Membership in the Student National Dental Association includes students and faculty committed to promoting and encouraging an increase in the number of minority students enrolled in dental schools nationwide. SNDA members are also engaged in outreach, working in communities to address the oral health care needs of minorities and the underserved.

SNDAHonorsSchoolofDentistryAlumnito alert a guard if they needed help. The device was never used.

Extractions and Restorative Dentistry “Many of the inmates we saw were in so much pain that they were grateful that we were there to help them,” Saad said. “Most of the time I was extracting a tooth or placing a filling,” he said. “We didn’t do any endodontic work, crowns, or cosmetic dentistry.” Elhage said he too was involved in numerous extractions brought about by decay, but also did some restorative work. “Many of the patients we saw were seventeen and eighteen years old, and grateful for what we did to help them,” Saad said. The average age of inmates at the State Prison is 38. Unlike treating patients outside the prison, Elhage said “no shows” or patients cancelling appointments rarely occurred. “Outside the walls, appointment cancellations can, at times, be as high as forty or fifty percent,” Elhage said. “Since we had few, if any, in this environment, we treated nine or ten patients a day.” Elhage and Saad were effusive in their praise of Dr. Bonita Neighbors (DDS 1986), now director of the Community Dental Center in Ann Arbor, who was Region 3 dental director for the Michigan Department of Corrections and her staff of dentists. “Dr. Neighbors and the dental staff were eager to help us and teach as much as they could,” Elhage said. “Dr. Neighbors was always there for us, asking if there was anything she could do to make our experience better,” he added. “But she was also curious to learn more about what was going on at the dental school and our experiences in Ann Arbor.”

(l-r) Dean Peter Polverini, Dr. Shelia Brown, Dr. Raymond Gist, Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk.

King’sFeastCommittee


niversity of Michigan School of Dentistry dental students and a dental hygiene student received awards for their work during spring meetings of the American Dental Education Association, the International Association for

Dental Research, and the American Association for Dental Research. All recipients are U-M School of Dentistry Student Research Program participants.

STUDENTS

ADEA Award Victoria Lucas-Perry, a fourth-year dental student, was one of 12 dental students nationwide to receive the Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Preventive Dentistry Scholarship for her leadership and community service. Emphasizing the importance of preventive dentistry to patients was the focus of several community health fairs she organized. Lucas-Perry said that focus continued when she and other members of the U-M chapter of the Student National Dental Association provided oral health care and education to residents in underserved communities in Jamaica. As a member of the School’s Scholars Program in Dental Leadership Lucas-Perry also noted her creation of The Dental Initiative. The program, created for predental students, provides them with basic dental information, emphasizing the importance of oral health. This knowledge is then applied in patient interactions when the students are at community dental clinics across Michigan.

AADR Research Fellowships A dental student and a dental hygiene student were awarded Student Research Fellowships by the American

Students Receive Awards fromADEA, IADR, AADR

Association for Dental Research during its annual meeting. Rob Vander Broek, a second-year dental student, was recognized for his work, “p38 mediated cytokine secretion in the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.” He was mentored by Dr. Nisha D’Silva. Janet Zalucha, a third-year dental hygiene student, received the other student research fellowship for her work, “Osteoclastic mobilization of hematopoietic stem cell leads to increased metastasis to bone of prostate cancers.” Her mentor was Dr. Russell Taichman. Third-year dental student Anne Ziegler was awarded a block travel grant, which supports travel for U.S. dental students to present their research at IADR’s General Session and Exhibition, for her work, “Erythropoietin couples hematopoiesis with bone formation.” She was mentored by Dr. Russell Taichman.

IADR Student Award Peter Nguyen, D2, received the Outstanding Student Abstract Award from IADR for his research, Retreatment of Restorations: Comparison of Healthy Kids Dental and Medicaid. His mentor was Dr. Woosung Sohn.

Victoria Lucas-Perry

Jerry Mastey

Peter Nguyen

WoosungSohn


PerKjeldsen

“Leaders and Best” is what the University of Michigan constantly strives to be in everything it does. Our graduate periodontics program is no exception. When you visit our new Web page, you will read about the many talented clinicians and

academicians who have been in our grad perio program and who are making a difference in countless ways. I’m very proud of what has been achieved. When I was appointed program director in 1995, I was told that the goal was for the Michigan graduate periodontics program to become the best…not just in the U.S., but worldwide. A legend in periodontics, Dr. Sig Ramfjord, also challenged me and asked me to continue the Michigan tradition of excellence. With the help of our outstanding faculty, devoted Dean’s faculty, dedicated staff and talented graduate students, I think we have met the challenge. Working together, we are making a difference. We are carrying on the Michigan tradition of being “Leaders and Best.” As an educator, it is so rewarding to see the students you taught not only advance through their training at Michigan but then go on to make a difference in the lives of their patients and communities. The achievements of the students you will read about on our Web site speaks highly of them personally and professionally as well as the top-notch caliber of the graduate periodontics program here at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Please spend some time learning more about them.

“ The Michigan tradition of excellence continues in our School’s graduate periodontics program,” said Dr. Laurie McCauley, chair of the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, as she talked about the notable achievements of many residents who have been in the program.

“During the past 10 years, our grad perio residents have been awarded about 20 percent of all the possible awards that have been presented by the American Academy of Periodontology. That’s quite an achievement,” she said. The detailed list on the POM Web site notes awards received from AAP including the Lazzara Fellowship in Advanced Implant Surgery, the Balint Orban Research Competition, the Abram and Sylvia Chasens Teaching and Research Fellowship, the Tarrson Regenerative Scholarship, the Kramer Scholar Award for Excellence, and other recognition. Also listed are awards from the Midwest Society of Periodontology, the National Institutes of Health, the University of Michigan, and other organizations. “It’s an impressive list of achievements that speaks highly of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and our graduate periodontics program,” McCauley said. “These achievements are a continuation of the excellence that was established many years ago by giants in the profession such as Sigurd Ramfjord and Major Ash.” McCauley is encouraging alumni, residents, and those who may be thinking of applying to the graduate periodontics program to spend time at the site. “It will be worth the time and effort.”

GraduatePeriodonticsAchievementsDetailed on Web Site

An Impressive Awards RecordDr. Laurie McCauley, Chair

Successfully Meeting ChallengesDr. Hom-Lay Wang, Grad Program Director

PerKjeldsen

To read more about the Graduate Periodontics Achievements visit:

www.dent.umich.edu/pom/spotlight/gradperio


always wanted to be a part of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry after earning my dental degree, but I was never sure if that opportunity would ever present itself. It has with this new job, and I’m excited about what’s possible in the years ahead,” said Dr. Bonita Neighbors, the new director of

the Community Dental Center. Located in downtown Ann Arbor at 406 N. Ashley, the Center has been providing affordable, high quality dental services that have been accessible to Washtenaw County residents of all ages since 1981. Before becoming CDC director on March 1, Neighbors was dental director of the southern region for the Michigan Department of Corrections for 23 years. She supervised 30 dentists in 23 clinics at correctional facilities from the I-96 corridor to the Michigan-Ohio border. Among the clinics were the State Prisons in Jackson, the Maximum Correctional Facility in Ionia, and the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti. Neighbors joined the dental staff at the Department of Corrections after graduation and thought she would be working there “for about two or three

ALUMNA PROFILE

years, but it turned out to be longer than that because I enjoyed what I was doing, the challenge of working with a diverse group of patients and making a difference in their lives,” she said. When Neighbors learned about the possibility of becoming director of the Community Dental Center she applied and “was thrilled to be offered the position. So much of what I am doing at CDC is similar to what I was doing — working with diverse patient populations, providing care to the underserved, and supervising staff.” However, she was quick to add, “I am also looking forward to being in the clinic even more now than I was in the past and performing surgeries two days a week.”

Recalling Experiences at Michigan Growing up in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Neighbors said she enjoyed math and science and was constantly encouraged by her parents to explore career opportunities that would allow her to capitalize on her interests in those subjects. But it wasn’t until Neighbors moved to Ann Arbor in 1975 with her husband, Harold “Woody” Neighbors, as he began work on his PhD, that she gave serious consideration to dentistry as a career. “I became friends with Dr. Lynn Wilson (DDS 1981) who told me about the dental program at Michigan and how student dentists were treating patients in clinics at the School and helping the underserved in Michigan communities,” she said. “Those stories intrigued me. I wanted to be a part of that. I applied to dental school and was accepted.” Recalling her days as a dental student, Neighbors said Drs. Jack

BonitaDavis Neighbors DDS 1986New D i rector, Community Denta l Center

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30,000 miles annually as she did when she was with the Department of Corrections, Neighbors said one of her major roles with the Center will be “increasing its visibility in the community. Working with our Board of Directors, I plan to talk to as many community service organizations and primary care providers throughout Washtenaw County as I can, apply for grants, and work with dental students from the U-M School of Dentistry,” she said.

“A Welcome Addition to Our Team” In addition to working with the Center’s Board of Directors, Neighbors will also collaborate with Dr. Stephen Stefanac, associate dean for Patient Services. “Dr. Neighbors is a welcome addition to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry team,” he said. “Her strong administrative skills, knowledge of communities and underserved populations, and her clinical skills will significantly help us, and those who come to the Center for care.” Stefanac said Neighbors “also has a wonderful ability to work with our dental students and we’re confident that will continue when they are at the Center.” Last year, several U-M dental students volunteered to provide oral health care at the State Prison in Jackson as a part of the School’s community outreach program. Neighbors said the U-M dental students “were terrific. They have great clinical skills and are always willing to help. They also bring energy, excitement, and passion that our staff and other dentists can feel. I enjoy being able to help the next generation of dental students as much as I was helped when I was a student,” she said.

The opportunity to educate was also important to Neighbors. Since many inmates have had little or no access to care, their oral health care knowledge is significantly limited. So she, staff dentists, and volunteer dental students from the School of Dentistry would take time to explain to each patient what procedures would be performed and why.

Applying Lessons Learned Neighbors said she is confident that her experiences at correctional facilities will help her in her new role as director of the Community Dental Center where she supervises six dentists and staff. “The Center has a long history of dealing with diverse populations in Washtenaw County and providing high-quality oral health care,” she said. “We want everyone who comes to the Center, and it doesn’t matter if they are homeless or a white collar worker who may have lost their job and insurance, to feel welcome and comfortable when they come here for treatment.” Although she won’t be traveling

Gobetti and Bill Gregory fueled her enthusiasm for oral health care. “ B o t h w e r e e n e r g e t i c a n d passionate about teaching and the practice of dentistry,” she said. “Dr. Gregory always helped me when I had a question and offered suggestions on how to tackle a problem. Dr. Gobetti did too,” she continued. “Both gave me information and insights that weren’t always in a textbook. As my education continued, I appreciated their advice and insights even more.” Neighbors said she “also owed a special debt of gratitude to Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk,” assistant dean for Student Services. “She not only offered academic guidance but also addressed special issues relevant to being a black female, a mother, and a wife at time when all were unusual characteristics among dental students.” It wasn’t until her rotation at the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan, that Neighbors thought about becoming a dentist at a correctional facility. “It was a strange feeling when the door closed behind me after entering the Milan facility,” she said. “Never having been in a prison before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But as a dental student I was fascinated with the opportunity to practice there and at other correctional facilities and was thrilled to see the difference I was making.” Her passion continued for more than two decades with the Department of Corrections. Reflecting on those experiences, Neighbors said she was “impressed with the professionalism of the dental staff, the range of services offered, and the quality of care that was provided. My experiences helped me realize that dentistry behind prison walls is a part of public health dentistry.”

Services & HoursOpen Monday through Friday

Mon & Wed: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday: 8:00 a.m. to noon

Services provided include cleaning, extractions, crown and bridge work, dentures, sealants,

oral surgery, radiographs, preventive oral care,

and l imited endodontics.For more information,cal l (734) 998-9640.


ALUMNI

t was one of those requests for help that comes along once in a lifetime, so when we were asked to help, we said ‘yes’ without

any reservation or hesitation,” said Dr. Dennis Lopatin, senior associate dean, as he talked about an e-mail request sent to the U-M School of Dentistry last summer. Lt. Raymond Tinucci, a dentist assigned to a medical training team in Afghanistan, said School of Dentistry alumnus Dr. Kory Gernhofer (DDS 2007) thought the School of Dentistry’s Web site might help Tinucci achieve his mission “of resurrecting dentistry in Afghanistan.” The School responded to the request and as a result, this project may lead to reviving basic dental services that will benefit the people of Afghanistan.

The U-M Connection Ger nhofer and T inucci were shipmates at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Cherry Point, North Carolina, from May 2009 to February 2010. Gernhofer, now in the fourth year of his tour of duty, is a general dentist at

About six weeks later the hard drives arrived in Afghanistan. Included with the package were U-M tee shirts and caps and a letter from Lopatin expressing gratitude “for giving us the opportunity to share our content and support the important work that you are doing not only for our country, but also for the people of Afghanistan.” “Thrilled would be the best way to describe the reaction to the videos,” Tinucci wrote in a subsequent e-mail. “They are excellent and help immensely. In addition, our librarian wears his Michigan hat daily!”

Another Benefit of the Videos Tinucci said showing the videos to Afghan physicians was “extremely useful since the Afghans learn a lot by watching.” But there was another benefit. “They’re excited that since English is spoken in the videos, and spoken slowly, Afghans understand the content,” Tinucci wrote. “Their speech has improved, and that’s important since many aspire to increase their English speaking skills.” The videos have been distributed to Kabul Medical University, the Afghan National Army, the Afghan National Policy, and the National Directorate of Security, as well as to many private practitioners. “We have not rendered any care to the Afghans. It is their health care system, so we only advise or teach,” Tinucci said. “This is one of the most satisfying experiences I can recall in my 34 years at Michigan because it vividly demonstrates that we not only train and educate students to become dentists, but that we have the resources to help the world,” Lopatin said. Since U-M School of Dentistry videos were first offered on its YouTube Channel two years ago, the videos have been viewed more than 1.5 million times worldwide.

Thanking the School for the dental videos they received, Lt. Raymond Tinucci (kneeling, center) and others in his group show off their U-M hats and tee shirts.

Miramar MCAS in San Diego, California. Tinucci acted on Gernhofer ’s suggestion, visited the Schools Web site, and was surprised with the abundance of information he found – videos, photographs, journal articles, and more. Tinucci said the U-M content “is perfect for what I am trying to accomplish here.”

“The Right Thing to Do” Lopatin assured Tinucci of a desire to help pointing out that the School of Dentistry has worked with educational institutions and other organizations in Ghana and South Africa. “It was never a question of if we would help, but how we would help, the best way to help, and the quickest way to do it, Lopatin said. “We responded, not only because we could provide the information, but more importantly, because it was the right thing to do.” A test file was created and sent to Tinucci. “When he approved, the rest of the content was copied onto two 500 gigabyte hard drives and sent to Afghanistan,” said Emily Springfield, instructional technology designer and project coordinator.


Justin Newingham (DDS 2005) was named one of Albion College’s “Top 10 in 10” Young Alumni Award honorees for 2011. The award

recognizes distinctive achievements made by Albion alumni who have graduated within the past ten years. In the five years following graduation, he completed two post-doctoral programs in advanced dentistry and opened his own dental practice in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

David White (DDS 2003) and four School of Dentistry graduates created the first a Give Kids a Smile Day in Reno, Nevada, held on Feb. 5. Pictured below (L-R) are: Erik Escobar (DDS 2004), Julio Escobar (DDS 2007), Aimee Snell (DDS 2006, MS pediatric dentistry 2008), White, and future dentist Kevin Goles. One patient wore his U-M sweatshirt.

Tracie Zielinski (DDS 2001) earned Diplomate status with the American Board of Endodontics last fall. She completed an endodontics residency at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland in 2007 and now works at a private practice in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Stuart Boekeloo (DDS 1987) of St. Joseph, Michigan, has created Aleydis Centers which provide dental and other health care services to residents in

assisted living facilities in southwest Michigan. As president of the company Boekeloo designed a multi-care room that enables dentists, physicians, and others to treat patients on-site in these facilities. In 2010 he was awarded a patent for the design of the multi-care room.

Willa Beckman (DH 1 9 7 2 ) v o l u n t e e r e d to help establish the Holland Free Clinic, the first free dental clinic in that part of

western Michigan. The clinic serves adult patients who do not qualify for Medicaid, Medicare, or veterans coverage. “I am one of three hygienists who volunteer one day a week at the two-operatory clinic. We provide patient education, prophylaxis, X-rays, and assess patient needs,” she wrote. Patients needing additional care are referred to a volunteer network of local dentists. The clinic is supervised by Dr. Robert Sterken (DDS 1977).

Harry Huffaker (DDS 1966) of K etchum, Idaho, has been inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. He joins

some 200 other notables, including Johnny Weissmuller and James “Doc” Counsilman. Now retired, Huffaker said among the long-distance events he remembers most include being the first to swim the 30-mile Alenuihaha Channel between the Big Island and Maui, the first to swim the 26-mile Molokai Channel which separates Oahu and Molokai and, at age 50, swimming across three channels to help raise $225,000 for a foundation providing scholarships to graduating Hawaiian high school seniors.

John Ohlsson (DDS 1966) of Hudson, Florida, received the Humanitarian Award from the Florida Academy of General Dentistry last fall. He has participated in 15 overseas mission trips providing restorations, dentures, and extractions to more than 2,000 needy patients in six countries. He has also participated in the “Smile, It’s Free” dental service program launched 10 years ago in New Port Richey. In 1999, Ohlsson was recognized by the Michigan Dental Association for his overseas dental work and organizing an airlift of dental, medical, and optical supplies and equipment to Latvia.

Terry McDonald (DDS 1961, MS orthodontics 1967) of Salem, Oregon, recently received the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists. The award is presented “to those who exemplify the highest ethical standards both in practice and in all aspects of life.” Prior to 2010, the award was presented just twice, in 2006 and 2007. He was president of the Society in 1993, received its Award of Merit four years later, and in 2004 received the James E. Brophy Award from the American Association of Orthodontists.

Richard E. Charlick (DDS 1959, MS restorative dentistry 1967) of Brighton, Michigan, recently wrote and published Mission Possible, a book describing his dental and missionary work in Africa, South and Central America, and Asia. For the past 11 years, he has been president and CEO of Health Teams International, an organization of more than 2,000 health care providers that sends health care teams to parts of the world where health care is unavailable.


In Memoriam

’43 Dr. Clifford Lumbert March 16, 2010 St. Johns, Michigan

’52 Dr. John A. Bartlett December 18, 2010 Sarasota, Florida

’53 Dr. William F. Daines December 29, 2010 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

’53 Dr. Maurice D. Smith January 27, 2011 Merlin, Oregon

’53 Dr. William C. Love March 19, 2011 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

’53 Dr. Leonard Veatch December 6, 2010 Sarasota, Florida

’75 Dr. Gregory Zann III’80 MS, periodontics December 28, 2010 Boca Raton, Florida

CORRECTION:’50 Dr. Bruce E. Vandermade’67 MS, prosthodontics September 11, 2010 Ft. Myers, Florida

A School of Dentistry faculty memberfor 26 years, Dr. Vandermade also had a private practice in Ann Arbor from 1950-1983. In World War II, he flew 24 missions in B-24s in Europe and received the Air Medalfor his service.

Dr. James K. AveryApril 16, 2011Ann Arbor, MI Dr. Avery completed a distinguished University career when he retired in 1991 after 37 years on the School of Dentistry faculty and 20 years as professor of anatomy in the Medical School. Throughout his career he made significant contributions to teaching and research in both schools.

A l u m n i S o c i e t y B o a r d o f G o v e r n o rs E l e c t i o nPlease take a moment to vote for candidates who will serve on the School of Dentistry’s Alumni Society Board of Governors. Choose four dentists and one dental hygienist who will serve a three-year term beginning September 1, 2011. Then clip and mail your ballot to the School of Dentistry at the address on the ballot. Envelopes with your ballot must be postmarked by August 1, 2011.

Dr. Frank Alley,a1981graduateoftheU-MSchoolofDentistry,servedsevenyearsintheU.S.ArmyDentalCorpandhassincepracticedgeneraldentistryinPortage,Michigan.HehasservedonvariouscommitteeswiththeMDAandispastpresidentofKalamazooValley District Dental Society. Dr. Alley is a Fellow of the AGD, ACD, and the ICOI.

Dr. Michael Cerminaro*,a1986graduateoftheSchoolofDentistry,hasbeenageneraldentistinMuskegonfor25years.“Dr.Mike”alsoserveshiscommunityasavolunteerdentistattheHackleyCommunityCareCenterandchairsseverallocalboards.Heisa past president of the Muskegon District Dental Society, a Fellow of the American andInternationalCollegesofDentists,andaFellowofthePierreFauchardAcademy.

Dr. Sondra Gunn*isa1978graduateoftheSchoolofDentistryandearnedamaster’sdegreeinorthodonticsfromMichiganin1980.ShewasamemberoftheSchoolofDentistryfacultyfrom1979-2001whilepracticingorthodonticsparttime.Nowretired,Dr.GunncontinuestopracticeinsoutheasternMichigan.SheisanactivememberoftheAmericanDentalAssociationandtheAmericanAssociationofOrthodontists.ShealsoservedontheSchool’sMichiganDifferenceCampaignCommittee.

Dr. Rob Leach earned his dental degree from the University of Michigan School of Dentistryin1981.AgeneralpractitionerinGrandBlanc,hesaysheiscommittedto“ETC…excellence,trust,andcaring”forhispatients.Dr.Leachisanationallyrecognizedspeakerand teacherwithexpertise in Invisalign, cosmeticdentistry,wisdomtoothremoval,implantdentistry,TMJcare,andconservativeandpreventivedentistry.HeisamemberoftheAmericanEquilibrationSociety,FrancisVedderSociety,andotherorganizations.

Dr. M.H. “Reggie” VanderVeen, a 1976graduateof theU-MSchool ofDentistry,retired fromactivepractice in 2008, but is still active inorganizeddentistry. HecompletedatermontheStateBoardofDentistryin2006,servesasadentalschoolmentorforstudentsatalllevels,andhasbeeninvolvedwiththeSchool’s501Course,IntroductiontotheProfession,forthepastsevenyears.HeisaFellowoftheAmericanandInternationalCollegeofDentists,thePierreFauchardAcademy,andisadirectorontheAmericanBoardofDentalExaminers.HealsoservedontheSchool’sMichiganDifferenceCampaignCommittee.

Ms. Jackie Solberg graduated from theU-MSchoolofDentistry’s dental hygieneprogramin1986.AfterworkingforageneraldentistinGrandRapidsforfouryears,shemovedtoChicagoandworkedforaperiodontist. Tenyears latershereturnedtoGrandRapidsandworkedforWarnerLambert.ShecurrentlyworksparttimeinadentalofficeinGrandRapids.

*Incumbent

Envelope with your ballot must be postmarked by August 1, 2011.

Please mail your ballot to:University of MichiganSchool of Dentistry540 E. Liberty, Suite 204Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2210

BALLOTVote for 4 dentists:

Dr. Frank Alley

Dr. Michael Cerminaro*

Dr. Sondra Gunn*

Dr.RobLeach

Dr.M.H.“Reggie” VanderVeen

Vote for 1 hygienist:

JackieSolberg

*Incumbent

DentalUM magazine is published twice a year by the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Send comments and updates to: [email protected] or Director of Communications, School of Dentistry, Room 1218, 1011 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078

Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter PolveriniDirector of Communications . . . . . . Sharon Grayden Writer & Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry MasteyDesigner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Jung

Editorial Review Board: Member publicationDennis Lopatin - Chair of the AmericanRichard Fetchiet Association ofErica Hanss Dental EditorsLynn JohnsonSharon Grayden - ex officio

The Regents of the University: Julia Donovan Darlow, Laurence B. Deitch, Denise Ilitch, Olivia P. Maynard, 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 2011:Jemma Allor, ‘00 DH, Mt. Clemens, MISondra Moore Gunn, ‘78 DDS, ‘80 MS, Ann Arbor, MIGeorge Yellich, ‘72 DDS, ‘77 MS, Los Gatos, CAMichael Cerminaro, ‘86 DDS, Muskegon , MIJohn McMahon (President), ‘82 DDS, Grand Rapids, MI

Terms Expire 2012:Metodi C. Pogoncheff, ’76 Lansing, MIWayne Olsen (Secretary/Treasurer), ’81 Traverse City, MISheree Duff (President-Elect), ’80 BSDH, Grand Blanc, MIDavid O. Cramer, ’93 Grand Rapids, MIScott Schulz, ’96 Traverse City, MI

Student Representative: Anh Pham (D3)

Terms Expire 2013:Kathleen Early, ‘77 DH, Lakeland, MIKerry Kaysserian, ‘81 DDS, Traverse City, MIJeff Smith, ‘82 DDS, ‘85 MS, Grand Rapids, MIJerry Booth, ‘61 DDS, ‘64 MS, Jackson, MIJanis Chmura Duski, ‘89 DDS, Gaylord, MI

Ex Officio Members:Peter Polverini, DeanJanet Souder Wilson, ‘73 DH, Northville, MIAlumni Association LiaisonSteve C. Grafton , Executive Director, Alumni Assoc.Richard R. Fetchiet, Director of Alumni Relations, Development, 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. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or 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/ADA Coordinator, Office of Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432, (734) 763-0235, TTY (734) 647-1388. For other University of Michigan information call (734) 764-1817.

Copyright © 2011 The Regents of the University of Michigan

ur curriculum has generated much interest from alumni and peer institutions. We are excited about the enhancements we’ve made and pleased to offer

our students many new options, but always with a focus on the primary reason they are here – to learn the practice of clinical dentistry. We recognize that the profession needs dentists who will practice in the traditional private practice model. We also recognize that other practice models are emerging and the profession needs dentists who can serve the profession and the public in many roles – as leaders of the dental health care team, in academia and research, industry, business, public health, government and public policy. Thus, we’ve introduced Pathways into the curriculum. Pathways are designed to provide additional insights, training, exposures, and opportunities for professional growth and development in one focus area: research, leadership, or health care delivery. Time for Pathways has been added to the curriculum each semester of the four years. We’ve also extended the academic calendar to 42 weeks per year. This allows for earlier clinical experiences, closer faculty supervision, and better prepares students to provide comprehensive care when they get to clinic. Flexibility and fluidity have been built into the Pathways model. Approximately 80% of the students chose the Health Care Delivery Pathway this year selecting options such as a clinical specialty, alternative practice models, and teaching. Students are assigned a faculty guide, from our full-time faculty, who helps them navigate through their Pathways and select a project mentor chosen from our faculty in the dental school and other units on campus, dentists in the community, and U-M alumni with special expertise who will support them as they complete their capstone project. The important take away message is that, for U-M dental students, the career path is dentistry and Pathways is simply a way to give them additional insights, training, and opportunities within new and emerging areas that are a part of the broadening scope of dentistry.

Sincerely,

Peter J. Polverini, Dean

Spring & Summer 2011 Volume 27, Number 1

D E A N ’ S M E S S A G E

Leaders in Learning

Thursday, October 27Emeritus Medallion and Pinning Ceremony Dental & Dental Hygiene Classes of 1961Time: 11:30 a.m.Location: Room G390

Emeritus Class Pictures (invitation only)Time: 12:30 p.m.Location: Kellogg Building Steps

Emeritus Hall of Honor and Alumni Awards Luncheon (invitation only)Time: 1:00 p.m.Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Hall of Honor Induction & Alumni Awards PresentationTime: 1:45 p.m.Location: Sindecuse Atrium

Saturday, October 29Alumni Association Go Blue! TailgateTime: 3 hours before kickoffLocation: To Be Announced

Football Game: University of Michigan vs. Purdue Kickoff: To Be Announced

Friday, October 28Morawa Lecture - Continuing Education Course (P300)That Thing You Do…Why Do You Do It? - John Molinari, PhDTime: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Location: Kellogg Building Auditorium

Dental & Dental Hygiene Homecoming Gala Honoring Dental and Dental Hygiene classes with graduation years ending in 1 and 6.

Cocktail Reception: 6:00 p.m.Dinner: 7:00 p.m.Location: The Michigan League

For more stories, the latest news and CE offerings go to Current News on our Web site: www.dent.umich.edu

New Ticket Request GuidelinesThe School of Dentistry does not have an allocation of tickets for athletic events.

Effective this year, new guidelines allow us to submit ticket requests to the U-M Office of University Development for donors to the School of Dentistry with a lifetime giving of $25,000 or more. However, School of Dentistry Homecoming Reunion ticket purchases are exempt from this policy.

Our requests are pooled with donor requests from other units across campus. Since there are a limited number of available tickets, there is no guarantee that all requests will be approved.

Once a request is submitted and approved, the ticket recipient must reimburse the School of Dentistry the face value of the tickets with a check made payable to the U-M School of Dentistry.

The School’s Office of Alumni Relations & Development has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of U-M athletic ticket requests in recent years. This increased demand, changes in U-M Athletic Department ticket policies, and a commitment to fiscal responsibility throughout the School of Dentistry makes these new guidelines necessary.

For further U-M ticket information please visit :www.mgoblue.com.

dentalum spring/summer 2011

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