Drs. Beirne, Izutsu stepping down as faculty chairs
Two longtime School of Dentistry faculty chairs are leaving their posts.
Dr. O. Ross Beirne (at left), chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for the last 10 years, will relinquish his position but will remain on faculty. Dr. Kenneth T. Izutsu, who has led Oral Biology since 1997, is retiring. He has been recommended for Professor Emeritus standing and will continue to pursue research on salivary biomarkers for graft-versus-host disease.
Dr. Beirne, who planned to stay on as chair until the School completed its accreditation review in November, expressed a desire to devote more time to teaching, patient care and research, and noted that he had imposed a limit of 10 years as chair when he assumed the post. No announcement has been made on his replacement.
"While I regret that he is giving up his chair, I am delighted that we will still benefit from his talents and abilities," Dean Martha Somerman said. "We are indeed fortunate to have people of Dr. Beirne’s caliber."
"I have been fortunate to work with dedicated and exceptional faculty, staff, residents, and students," Dr. Beirne said. "I leave my position tremendously confident that the Department will continue to be recognized for innovation, far-reaching dissemination of knowledge, and high-quality service to the community and profession."
Earlier this year, Dr. Beirne was awarded the Otago Community Trust Visiting Professorship by the Council of the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. The professorship supports a visit from an overseas person who is eminent in clinical dentistry, in dental practice, in education, or in dental research.
Dr. Izutsu (at left) said, “I have chosen this time to retire so I can spend more time with my family. I also hope to do some documenting of family history.” In addition to continuing his current research, he said, he will also help formulate new proposals.
Dr. Izutsu said he took special pride in developing the School of Dentistry’s Ph.D. program into a major national and international training program for dental educators. He expressed his appreciation for the support the program received from Dean Somerman and the entire School of Dentistry faculty, as well as UW faculty in bioengineering and medicine.
“These will be very hard shoes to fill,” said Dean Somerman. “Ken Izutsu has been a strong, steady leader in Oral Biology, and we will miss him greatly as Chair. Oral Biology is at the forefront of our research efforts, and our consistent success in attracting grant funding over the years is just one indicator of how capably he has served the School.”
Two faculty members are sharing Dr. Izutsu’s duties: Dr. Tom Morton of Oral Biology and Oral Medicine, who has been Chair of the School’s Faculty Council, is now Acting Chair of Oral Biology. Dr. Sue Herring of Orthodontics is Acting Vice Chair and will guide strategic planning in research directions and development. She is also assisting Dr. Richard Presland, who remains as the Graduate Program Director, in helping to coordinate research opportunities for graduate students.
Dr. Berg named Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs
Dr. Joel Berg has been named to the new position of Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs at the School of Dentistry.
“In this new job, I hope to strengthen the working relationships between the School of Dentistry and the Puget Sound hospital community,” Dr. Berg said. “Especially in this economic environment, it’s critical that we find more efficient and effective ways of delivering care to our patients. At the same time, we want to make sure that our dentistry students and residents gain the full benefit of strong ties with the hospital community, so we can continue to give them the finest dental education possible.”
Dr. Berg said his first priority would be to meet with senior administrators of hospitals affiliated with the School of Dentistry to determine the most promising possibilities for improved collaboration.
Dr. Berg, who is Chair of Pediatric Dentistry, is the School's Lloyd and Kay Chapman Chair for Oral Health. He is also Director of Dentistry at Seattle Children’s hospital. He was elected secretary-treasurer of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry this year, and is scheduled to become AAPD president in 2012.
Dr. Berg is also director of the Early Childhood Oral Health program, whose new facility – the Washington Dental Service Building for Early Childhood Oral Health – is scheduled to open at Magnuson Park in September 2010. Expected to be one of the nation’s leading pediatric oral health centers, it is a joint venture between the School and Seattle Children's.
“I can’t think of anyone better than Joel Berg for this new position,” Dean Martha Somerman said. “In all his work for the AAPD, ECOH, Seattle Children’s and our school, he has demonstrated a superb talent for building relationships throughout the health-care community. I believe that our patients and students will all benefit hugely from his skills and vision.”
NIDCR's Dr. Pamela Robey keynotes Research Day
Dr. Pamela G. Robey, chief of the Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, kicked off the School of Dentistry's annual Research Day on Sept. 29 with an overview of skeletal stem cells.
Speaking to faculty and students at the Health Sciences Center, Dr. Robey (at left) traced development from fertilized egg to adult stem cell, and reviewed skeletal stem cell origins and the cells' degree of similarity and dissimilarity. She also focused on issues such as the evolution of pericytes as local tissue progenitors and gave a detailed discussion of fibrous dysplasia.
After Dr. Robey's lecture came talks by Dr. Carol B. Ware of Oral Biology on stem cell resources and research at the UW, and Dr. Morayma Reyes of the UW School of Medicine on dental pulp stem cells. Later in the morning, participants in the SURF summer research program, other students, faculty, staff and residents gave poster presentations at South Campus Center.
Class of 2011 receives its white coats
Fifty-one members of the Class of 2011 formally marked the start of their clinical training at the School of Dentistry’s fifth annual White Coat Ceremony in a packed Hogness Auditorium at the UW Health Sciences Center on Aug. 15.
Students received their white clinical coats and, led by Class President Oleg Shvartsur, repeated a pledge to commit themselves to the pursuit of excellence in all their academic and professional endeavors. Faculty members Dr. Dolphine Oda and Dr. Andy Marashi assisted in the presentation of coats.
Dr. John Wataha (at left), Chair of Restorative Dentistry, delivered keynote remarks. You are at a crossroads,” he told the students. “Use this transition as a time to learn.”
He went on to say: “You will make mistakes – it’s part and parcel of practicing dentistry. It’s not a failure; it’s a failure only if you fail to grow from it. … Learn to make a habit of excellence -- it’s a discipline, a process, a passion. Many people will try to impose standards on you, but the real standards that matter come from inside.”
Dr. Wataha also urged students: “Respect the sacred trust between you – the clinician – and the patient.” He told students they would see unsettling things with patients, but added: “My advice is not to judge too quickly. … Keep your word to your patients if you want to keep their trust. … Be equitable with patients.”
Dean Martha Somerman opened the ceremony by welcoming students, their families and friends. “I want to offer my congratulations for all your achievements during your first two years at our School,” she said. “Now it’s time for you to build on that foundation, and take the next step toward becoming master clinicians -- clinicians who seek out new challenges to improve the quality of care for your patients.”
Dr. Ed Dolan, President of the UW Dental Alumni Association, which sponsors the ceremony, also congratulated the students. A reception followed the ceremony in the Health Sciences Center lobby.
Dentistry volunteers help homeless at health fair
Assisted by volunteer Louise Cooley, Dr. Jeremy Horst of Oral Biology cares for a patient at Qwest Field Plaza.
UW School of Dentistry faculty, students and staff, along with other dental volunteers, helped deliver dental services and screenings to dozens of people who were among the more than 1,200 attending a huge health fair at Seattle’s Qwest Field Plaza on Sept. 11.
“It was phenomenal,” said Norma Wells, Associate Professor and Director of Dental Hygiene in Dental Public Health Sciences, who is supervisor of the UW Oral Health Collaborative. Hundreds of people turned out for the nearly daylong Community Resource Exchange, which was organized by United Way of King County. The annual event delivers an array of free health, counseling and other services – everything from flu shots to haircuts – to homeless people and their families.
Professor Wells led a contingent that included Dr. Jeremy Horst, a Ph.D. candidate in oral biology, and dentists Padma Rageer and Prameela Vennapulala of India, who are candidates for a certification program at the School of Dentistry. Dental services were provided in the plaza and at a Medical Teams International mobile dental unit just outside.
Other team members included Dr. Jan Bridge, a Seattle internist; dental assistants Mary Ferrer of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mary Phelps and Sunny Kim; dental hygienists Patty Plank of the Oral Health Collaborative and Stephanie Ross; pre-dental students Ani Begun and Phi Phan; School of Dentistry applicants Colin Dole of Washington State University and Eileen Huynh of the UW; and Beverly Walker, a private-practice office manager for Dr. Mitch Hungate of Renton. Volunteer dental hygienist Tim Miller led a second team in the mobile unit, providing anesthesia and restorative services in addition to support for the dentists.
Gov. Christine Gregoire opened the Community Resource Exchange in the morning and returned in the afternoon to meet with volunteers, including the Oral Health Collaborative team. In a message to Professor Wells after the event, Huynh said she drew inspiration from the governor’s message about caring:
“That really touched my heart, making me realize how meaningful everyone’s efforts were today,” she said. “It was a wonderful experience.”
Noted endodontist Dr. John Ingle lectures at the UW
Dr. John Ingle (left) and Dr. James Johnson, Chair of Endodontics, chat before Dr. Ingle's lecture.
Dr. John Ingle, who founded the Endodontics-Periodontics Department at the UW and authored one of endodontics' most influential textbooks, visited the UW campus on July 10 to discuss three rare syndromes and reminisce about his days as an endodontics student and UW faculty member.
Speaking to Dentistry faculty and students in the Foege Genome Sciences Building auditorium, Dr. Ingle reviewed Papillon-Lefevre syndrome, which is marked by palmar-plantar hyperkeratosis and periodontal damage; hereditary hypophosphatemia, a phosphate shortage that manifests itself dentally through oversized tooth pulp; and Ingle's syndrome, or alveolar osteoporosis and pulpal death associated with compulsive bruxism.
Dr. Ingle also regaled his listeners with tales of growing up in Colville, Wash., where he was born in 1919, recalling how his grandmother told him tales of the American Indian wars and being robbed by bandits on a stagecoach. He received his DDS from Northwestern University in 1942. After graduate dental school at the University of Michigan and service as an Army dentist in World War II, he practiced briefly with his father in Colville. Then in 1948, he came to the UW, where "I learned by the seat of my pants" as an assistant professor.
He launched the Endodontics-Periodontics Department in the 1950s; it eventually split into two in 1962. At the UW, Dr. Ingle also hired Dr. Saul Schluger, another iconic figure at SOD, and spent 16 years at SOD, where he helped train other key figures in endodontics such as Drs. Eugene Natkin, Gerald Harrington and James Steiner. Beginning in 1964, he served as professor and dean at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry for eight years. Afterward, he spent six years with the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.
One of his favorites memories was of sharing a flight with the late Walt Disney from Palm Springs to Los Angeles, during which the two talked about Disney's making of "Tommy Tucker's Tooth." Disney made the short 1922 silent film about children's oral health, which Dr. Ingle showed to his listeners, while he was still a struggling cartoonist in Kansas City. Payment for the film allowed Disney to settle debts and head for Los Angeles, where he launched his historic career in animation and moviemaking.
The author of six editions of Ingle’s Endodontics, Dr. Ingle has also published more than 75 articles and lectured around the world. He is a diplomate and founding member of the American Board of Endodontics and a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. He served as president of the American Association of Endodontists from 1966-67, and in 1999 received its highest honor, the Edgar D. Coolidge Award.
Dr. Kronstrom named head of Faculty Practice
Dr. Mats Kronstrom, a Restorative Dentistry faculty member since Oct. 1, 2006, has been named the new director of the Faculty Practice clinic, effective this past June 1.
Dr. Kronstrom holds a DDS from Lund University, Sweden, and earned a Certificate in Prosthodontics from the Postgraduate Dental Education Center, Orebro, Sweden and a Ph.D. in Prosthodontics from Malmo University, Sweden.
His research specialty is in the fields of dental implants, decision-making in Prosthodontics and dental education. He has given several presentations nationally and internationally and authored numerous articles in international peer-reviewed prosthodontic journals.
Dr. Kronstrom is a member of the International College of Prosthodontists, the Academy of Osseointegration, and the International/American Association for Dental Research. He is a reviewer for the International Journal of Prosthodontics, the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, and BMC Medical Journal.
RIDE students in Spokane pose questions during a video conference with Class of 2012 President Rusty Johnson (in Seattle) during orientation.
The Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program kicked off its orientation for a new cohort of eight students at the program's Riverpoint Campus in Spokane on Aug. 10. It marked the start of the second year for RIDE, which operates in conjunction with the UW School of Medicine's regional WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) program. Students spend their first and fourth years at Riverpoint, where they study alongside medical and dental hygiene students. They spend second and third year at the School of Dentistry in Seattle.
Welcoming students Monday were Dean Martha Somerman and Dr. Wendy Mouradian, Associate Dean of Regional Affairs and RIDE. "We have a huge problem with access to care, and you're going to be part of the solution," Dean Somerman said.
Students also heard from Dr. Pete Eveland, Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the UW School of Medicine; Dr. Sue Coldwell, Dentistry's Associate Dean of Student Life and Admissions; and Dr. Art DiMarco, RIDE Director at Riverpoint.
Others taking part in the orientation included Dr. Jim Sledge, Regional Clinical Director for the program; Dr. Richard McCoy, Professor Emeritus of Restorative Dentistry; Dr. John Evans, Clinical Associate Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery; Colette Loiacono, RIDE Operations Manager; Geri Scott, Eastern Washington University Director of Student Services; Dr. Linda Higley, RIDE Counselor; Dr. Bea Gandara, Clinical Associate Professor of Oral Medicine; Dr. David Pitts, RIDE Director of Educational Technology; and other staff from Seattle and Riverpoint.
The orientation included a discussion of professionalism and ethics by Dr. Evans, a course schedule overview, and a student panel discussion. All WWAMI-RIDE students also received new stethoscopes in a presentation attended by family and friends. The day concluded with a barbecue picnic.
Dr. Gerald Glickman (left), Dr. James Johnson and Dr. Natasha Flake pause after lunch during the APICES event.
More than 200 people, including about 150 endodontics residents from around the U.S., gathered at the UW on Aug. 7-9 as the School of Dentistry hosted the Advanced Programs in Clinical Endodontics Symposium (APICES). Held annually at rotating locations around the country, APICES began in 2004 as a nonprofit activity for endodontics residents, allowing them to attend educational presentations and pursue networking opportunities.
Dr. Natasha Flake of Endodontics organized the conference with help from department residents Matthew Brunson, Fergus Duddy, Dustin Gatten, Steven Kwan, Michael Marcello, David Mortenson, Amanda Ngan, Avina Paranjpe, Brandon Seto, Matthew Tomala, Anne Wiseman and Brandon Yamamura. She was also assisted by Dr. James Johnson, Endodontics Chair, who was a visible and active presence during the weekend. He and faculty member Dr. Patrick Taylor both serve on the certifying board of the American Association of Endodontists (AAE).
AAE President Gerald Glickman, who preceded Dr. Johnson as Endodontics Chair at the UW, addressed the symposium on Saturday. He outlined the AAE's public awareness campaign, which emphasizes outreach to general dentists and the dynamics of patient referrals. Dr. Glickman, who now chairs the endodontics department at the Texas A&M University/Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, also discussed access to care and AAE's plans to take a more proactive stance on the issue.
Dean Martha Somerman welcomed attendees at an opening-night reception and barbecue, saluting endodontics for the way in which it has embraced new technology. In addition to lectures, other activities during the weekend included vendor exhibits and a Saturday-night dinner and "casino" social event at Seattle's Space Needle.
Other news
State oral health leaders gather at the UW
Dr. Joseli Alves-Dunkerson, manager of the Washington State Oral Health Program, chats with Dr. Edmond Truelove.
Washington state oral health educators and leaders met at the University of Washington's South Campus Center on Aug. 6 to discuss elements of the state's Oral Health Workforce Report. The attendees' input will help develop the state's Oral Health Strategic Plan.
The meeting included discussions of "Integrating Education and Community Action for Oral Health" and "Collaborative Strategies for State Oral Health Plan: Big Picture and Common Issues." Attendees also received an overview of state oral health data.
"Our goal is to develop a strong cooperative relationship between all oral health educational programs in the state so that we can speak to issues of dentistry and oral health in a strong, unified voice," said Dr. Edmond Truelove, chair of the SOD Department of Oral Medicine and one of the meeting's leaders. "We also want to establish communication between the various programs to foster common training opportunities as well as patient care activities."
Along with Dr. Truelove, Dean Martha Somerman and several other faculty members attended. The meeting was organized by Dr. Joseli Alves-Dunkerson, manager of the Washington State Oral Health Program.
Dr. Berg testifies to Congress about ABCD program
Dr. Joel Berg testified on the success of Washington state’s ABCD program on Oct. 7 before a U.S. House subcommittee in Washington, D.C.
In prepared testimony, Dr. Berg told the House members that in the last 10 years, the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry program has more than doubled the number of young Medicaid children in Washington who receive dental care.
“In addition, these ABCD patients have improved health, as they are more likely to seek care before oral health problems arise,” Dr. Berg told the panel, chaired by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio). The subcommittee is investigating obstacles to providing dental care to Medicaid-eligible children. Its parent committee, Oversight and Government Reform, is the House's principal oversight committee.
“The ABCD program is reducing overall dental costs,” Dr. Berg also told the panel. “Prevention is most cost-effective in infants during their first two years, and ABCD is making progress toward increasing the number of children who receive care before their second birthday: In 2008, nearly 22,000 children under age 2 -- 18.7 percent of eligible children -- received dental services. When the program was initiated, only 3 percent of eligible infants and toddlers received dental care.”
Dr. Berg also gave a brief history of ABCD, which was launched in Spokane in 1995, along with a description of how it works. ABCD, which has received national recognition, focuses on preventive and restorative dental care for Medicaid-eligible children from birth to age 6, with emphasis on enrollment by age 1. The program’s underlying assumption is that early dental visits have a positive effect on both parental and child behavior, and can thus help control dental caries and reduce the need for costly future restorative work.
Dr. Berg also described the role of the Washington Dental Service Foundation, which coordinates the program at the state level. The Foundation provides three-year local start-up grants so that outreach to families, case management, support services for the dentists and other critical activities are included.
A team of School of Dentistry faculty members presented clinical innovations at the School at the Pacific Northwest Dental Conference in Seattle on July 23. Presentations included:
- Dr. Tim DeRouen, Executive Associate Dean for Research & Academic Affairs, on clinical research findings in the Northwest PRECEDENT practice-based research program
- Dr. Hai Zhang, Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry, on promising developments in biomimetic restorations
- Dr. Greg King, Professor of Orthodontics, on improving access to dental care
- Dr. Mats Kronstrom, Associate Professor of Restorative Dentistry, on treatment options with implant-supported prosthodontics
- Dr. Ana Lucia Seminario, Acting Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, on the true morbidity of dental caries
- Dr. Dan Chan, Associate Dean for Clinical Services, on updates in light curing systems
- Dr. Linda LeResche, Professor of Oral Medicine, on gender and hormonal effects on facial pain
In addition, Dr. Colby Ecklund ('09), this year's UW Howard Prize winner, gave a presentation titled "Severe Wear: A Different Way to Repair".
WSDA president spends day at School
Dr. David Houten and Dean Somerman listen to a student presentation during the Dean's regular lab meeting.
Dr. David Houten, President of the Washington State Dental Association, received an update on School of Dentistry activities during a day-long visit July 17 with Dean Martha Somerman and other top School officials.
Dr. Houten received a tour of the School from Dean Somerman and also met with Dr. Dan Chan, Associate Dean of Clinical Services; Dr. Wendy Mouradian, Associate Dean of Regional Affairs; Dr. Sue Coldwell, Associate Dean of Student Life and Admissions; Christina Harrison, Associate Dean of Advancement and External Affairs, and Jean Garber, Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration.
In addition, Dr. Houten heard an update on the School's new comprehensive care clinical model from Dr. Chan and Dr. John Wataha, Chair of Restorative Dentistry. Dr. Houten and the associate deans also heard a briefing on health care reform legislation by student Brittany Bensch ('12), who was a National Health Policy Extern in Washington, D.C., for the American Student Dental Association this summer.
Dr. Houten concluded his visit by sitting in on Dean Somerman's research lab meeting.
Faculty members present research workshop in Thailand
Dr. Sue Coldwell lectures during the workshop in Phuket, Thailand.
Four School of Dentistry faculty members journeyed to Thailand in mid-September to present a five-day workshop on clinical research methods in dentistry.
Dr. Tim DeRouen, Dr. Sue Coldwell, Dr. Lloyd Mancl and Dr. Philippe Hujoel presented the workshop in Phuket, with funding from the Fogarty International Center and the National Institutes of Health. They were joined by Helen McGough, former director of the Human Subjects Division of the UW Office of Research.
Thirty-four participants attended the workshop, which was conducted with the help of dental faculty from Thailand's Thammasat University and Khon Kaen University. The Thai dental faculty included Dr. Prateep Phantumvanit, whose daughter Eve is a School of Dentistry accounting analyst. Dr. Phantumvanit and two other Thai dental faculty have also visited the School of Dentistry to participate in the Summer Institute in Clinical Dental Research Methods.
The workshop setting was notable, as Phuket lies along the coastal area devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. However, the area appeared to be almost fully rebuilt, Dr. DeRouen said.
While the workshop was intensive, the Seattle visitors still managed to squeeze in an evening at a "Fantasea" show that featured Thai dancers and elephants.
Staffers recognized on day of appreciation
Kimberly Powell pauses after receiving her award from Dr. Edmond Truelove.
Several School of Dentistry staff members were honored with Staff Appreciation Awards for going above and beyond the call of duty in a ceremony at South Campus Center on Sept. 25.
Awards went to:
Jennifer Grant, Assistant to the Dean (Distinguished Administrative Staff)
Kimberly Powell, Patient Services Specialist Supervisor in Oral Medicine (Distinguished Clinical Staff)
Leng Quach, Machinery Mechanic in Clinical Services (Distinguished Clinical Staff)
Moira Ullberg, Dental Assistant in Endodontics (Distinguished Clinical Staff)
Brian Foster, Research Scientist in Periodontics (Distinguished Research Staff)
Awards were given based on contributions to the School of Dentistry's success, considering factors such as creativity, responsiveness, dedication, contributing to a positive work environment, and grace under pressure. Award nominees were also recognized.
Anita Lawson retires after 44 years at the UW
Anita Lawson gets a big hug at her retirement party from Betty Low (back to camera), her first supervisor at the School of Dentistry.
After 44 years at the UW, most of them at the School of Dentistry, Anita Lawson of Patient Records left the Chart Room for keeps on Aug. 28. Three days earlier, she was feted with a going-away party at South Campus Center.
A lifelong Puget Sound native, Lawson has lived in Edmonds since the age of 10. She graduated from Edmonds High School (now Edmonds-Woodway) and studied political science at the UW.
She started working at the UW in mailing services, then communications, and then came to the School of Dentistry around 1980. After beginning in the finance office, where Betty Low (now Administrator of Restorative Dentistry) was her first boss at the School, she moved on to become secretary to the School’s clinical director and then on to Patient Records. In that span, she saw tremendous changes at the School, culminating in this year’s conversion to AxiUm records software.
“I love learning new things, so AxiUm has been fun to learn,” she said.
Her plans for retirement: “I’d like to go out to eat some more, and mess around on the beach more.” She’ll have more time for her two dogs (an American Eskimo and a Japanese Chin, both rescue animals) and three cats, and she said she may also take community college classes.
Other departures:
Elsa Binag, a Fiscal Specialist in Perio, left in September for a position at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Ruth Herr, a longtime staffer at the School of Dentistry, died on Oct. 10th from bone cancer at the age of 91. Ms. Herr, a native Seattleite, retired in 1989 after 22 years as a dental assistant in the Graduate Periodontics clinic. After retiring, she continued to work part time for Continuing Dental Education and Pediatric Dentistry.
Ms. Herr, who grew up in the Queen Anne neighborhood and graduated from Queen Anne High School, earned her dental assistant certification degree from Seattle Community College. An avid walker, she had a regular workout routine even at age 90. She was also an avid reader, art enthusiast and cook, and was a regular presence at Graduate Periodontics graduation parties, where she enjoyed renewing her numerous old friendships.
Honors and achievements
Dr. Conrad wins Filerman Prize
Dr. Douglas A. Conrad of Dental Public Health Sciences has been awarded the 2009 Filerman Prize for Innovation in Health Care Management Education. Named after Gary Filerman, the first president of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, the prize recognizes individuals from AUPHA member programs who have made outstanding contributions to the field of health administration education, exhibited leadership in the field, and enriched their institutions, their students, and health administration education through their work.
Dr. Conrad has been a member of the Health Services faculty in the School of Public Health since 1977. His fields of specialization are health economics, industrial organization economics, risk and insurance and corporate finance. He is also Professor of Dental Public Health Sciences and an adjunct professor in finance and business economics.
He has master's degrees in health administration and business administration from the University of Chicago, as well as a doctorate in business, economics and finance, also from the University of Chicago.
Emily Chu wins Hinman clinical research award
UW dental student Emily Chu won one of the three clinical research awards given at the 15th Hinman Student Research Symposium in Memphis, Tenn., from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. Her research project studied the effects of dysregulation of phosphate metabolism on matrix composition and morphology of dentin, cementum, and bone of the dentoalveolar complex. Chu's research was directed by Dean Martha Somerman, to whose lab she belongs.
The symposium featured oral and poster presentations of research projects by dental students and graduate students from dental schools across the nation. At this year’s event, 83 students represented 49 dental schools in 29 states, the District of Columbia, and four Canadian provinces. The symposium was sponsored by the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and co-sponsored by the Hinman Dental Society, which holds one of the nation’s largest continuing dental education meetings each March in Atlanta. The symposium was also supported in part by grants from the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, the ADEA Gies Foundation, and the Procter & Gamble Company.
Along with the three clinical research awards, three basic science research awards were given, along with an award from the National Students Research Group of the American Association for Dental Research.
Dean Whiting wins Research Day student award
Dean Whiting ('12) was named winner of the ADA/Clinician Scholar Award at the Dental Student Research Competition held on Sept. 25 as part of Research Day. As a result of his selection by the Research Advisory Committee and the UW Student Research Group, Whiting will represent the School of Dentistry in the national student research competition at the 2010 ADA meeting.
Whiting's winning entry, "Effects of Implant Angulations on Retentive Characteristics of Stud Attachment," evaluated retentive characteristics and morphological changes of a stud attachment system for implant-retained overdentures after cyclic loading onto implant abutments. The study was supported by the UW Dental Alumni Association and School of Dentistry Restorative Department Spencer Fund 65-4909.
Others receiving recognition were finalists Emily Chu, Blake Davis, Ambre Ehlert, Atriya Salamati and Bryan Swanson.
Department news
Dental Public Health Sciences
Dr. Jason Armfield is a new Visiting Scholar in the department. Dr. Armfield, who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Adelaide in Australia, received a training fellowship from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council to study the role of psychological factors in the etiology, prevention and treatment of high dental fears. He will be here for two years and will work with Dr. Peter Milgrom, along with other faculty members.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Dr. Jasjit (Jas) Dillon has joined the department as Clinical Assistant Professor, effective July 1. Dr. Dillon, who holds a DDS from the University of California at San Francisco and a MBBS (equivalent to MD) from Saint Bartholomew's Medical School, University of London, will be based at Harborview Medical Center. She comes to the School from UCSF, where she completed a fellowship in head and neck oncology.
Dr. Jessica Lee, who has been Director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Training Program for seven years, has accepted the position of Acting Chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Harborview Medical Center, where she succeeds Dr. Mark Engelstad. Dr. Lee was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the School in September. She obtained her DDS degree and oral and maxillofacial surgery residency training at the University of Washington. After residency training, she completed a a fellowship in orthognathic surgery.
Oral Medicine
Five graduate students offered thesis defenses this summer in preparation for their master's degrees, marking the highest number in the last few years. Dr. Michael Martin is the Program Director.
Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Joel Berg visited Peru for several days in August to share insights into pediatric oral health. Dr. Berg, who was accompanied by Pediatric faculty member Dr. Ana Lucia Seminario, made the visit at the invitation of Peru's first lady, Pilar Nores. A global health care advocate, she became interested in the Early Childhood Oral Health program while speaking in Seattle this year. At that event, she met Dr. Berg, Dr. Seminario and Dr. Mariella Garcia, another Pediatrics faculty member. Drs. Seminario and Garcia are both from Peru. While in Peru, Dr. Berg accompanied Ms. Nores on visits to villages in the Andes and shared ideas about how ECOH's models of delivering care might be adapted by Peru. In addition, Dr. Berg lectured before the Peruvian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Society of Pediatric Dentistry in Cusco.
A bake sale in Pediatric Dentistry on Nov. 20, the day after the School's accreditation site review concluded, raised $540 for the UW Combined Fund Drive. The sale was organized by department Administrator Linda Yedlin.
Restorative Dentistry
A major upgrade of equipment in the D1, D2 and D3 labs was recently completed, thanks to funding from the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education program. The equipment is used heavily by students in all years to accomplish their lab courses (D1 lab, first- and second-year students) and help with their patients (D2, D3 labs, third- and fourth-year patients). The upgrade was badly overdue -- the previous equipment was more than 20 years old. Dr. John C. Wataha, Department Chair, expresses his gratitude to the staff members whose hard work made it all possible, and to Dr. Wendy Mouradian, Director of the RIDE program.
SOD in the news
Dr. Peter Milgrom’s study on xylitol covered by Reuters news service, Los Angeles Times, WebMD.com, NPR Morning Edition, Healthfinder.gov, Foodnavigator.com, MedicineNet.com, ScienceDaily.com, Yahoo.com, KPLU, Bio-medicine.org, NewsMax.com, InsiderMedicine.com, U.S. News & World Report, ScienceDaily.com, DentistryToday.com, AOL News, MSN Health, CBS News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, trainer Jillian Michaels’ Losing It! online newsletter, other Web sites and TV outlets, July 6-21
Dr. Philippe Hujoel’s study of diet and the link between dental disease and systemic disease covered by Reuters news service, The Herald of Scotland, HealthJockey.com, Yahoo!News UK, HealthCentral.com, Disabled World, ScienceCentric.com, UPI, Science Daily, PhysOrg.com, NewKerala News (India), Channel 4 News (UK), AOL Health (UK), Virgin Media, Science Based Nutrition, other Web sites, July 9-27
UW Community Dental Clinic’s 10th anniversary in Longview, WA, covered by The Daily News of Longview, July 27
Affiliate instructor Dr. Lisa Block co-wrote op-ed about ABCD and how preventive oral care saves tax dollars in Tacoma News Tribune, July 31
UW dental team including Dean Somerman and Dr. Dan Chan treats bear at Woodland Park Zoo, on local section cover of Seattle Times, Aug. 6
Early Childhood Oral Health program featured in Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, Oct. 2
ECOH marketing and outreach manager Dana Robinson Slote’s successful Ironman triathlon featured in University Week, Oct. 8
Randy Newquist’s kidney donation to his son featured in University Week, Oct. 15
Dr. Joel Berg featured in Philips Oral Healthcare’s 30-minute public service program, “Brush Up! A Kids’ Guide to Dental Health”, airing on CBS affiliates in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Miami; St. Louis and San Francisco, Oct. 25-31
Dr. Joel Berg’s appointment as Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs featured in University Week, Oct. 22
Dr. Joel Berg on Halloween candy, featured on BellevueReporter.com, Oct. 28
Dr. Joel Berg’s article about his trip to Peru to share insights about ECOH for childhood oral health care there, featured in University Week, Oct. 29
Dr. Joel Berg featured on the KCPQ morning show talking about Halloween candy and healthy treats, Oct. 30