Monthly Communication - August Edition

August gave us many reasons to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students.  On behalf of the School, I thank you for your service.  It was also the month in which we welcomed the Class of 2011.  We wish them all of the happiness and fulfillment in their dental careers as we have experienced in ours. 
- Martha

DENTAL COMMUNITY

In early August I joined fellow dental school deans in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for the Dean’s Institute retreat.  Sessions included a closer look at the effect of globalization on dental education and a discussion on ensuring a culture of honesty and integrity in dental education.

I accepted an invitation from the University Sunrise Rotary Club to provide an overview of our school and a “snapshot” of our programs, including community outreach efforts, among other topics on August 16. The Club, which has been serving the University, Wallingford and Sandpoint areas for more than twenty years, made a touching gesture following the event by presenting a card representing a 500+ lb. food donation that was made in our name.  I felt privileged to be among such wonderfully generous individuals and look forward to attending similar events in the future.

STUDENTS

Mikaely Moore, (’10) and Cindy Virdi (’10), were paired with Dr. Tim Wandell (‘75) of Hoquiam and Dr. Denny Homer, respectively, earlier this summer as participants in the WSDA’s Rural Internship in Private Practice (RIPP) Pilot program.  The objective of this innovative program is to provide students with the opportunity to live and work in a rural community in hopes of helping to inform their decisions about where to practice in the future.  Mikaely also participated in our Rural/Underserved Outreach Program (R/UOP), a program initiated in the School of Dentistry three years ago, and in cooperation with the UW’s School of Medicine.

RESEARCH

For the past 16 years, the School has drawn dental school faculty and other oral health professionals from around the globe to take part in the Summer Institute.  The six week-long seminars are led by Dr. Timothy DeRouen, who has been directing the Summer Institute since its inception in 1992. Under his leadership, the institute has hosted more than 330 dental school faculty from 30 states and 33 countries. Courses include behavioral research in dentistry, biostatistics, clinical epidemiology/study design, case studies in data analysis, randomized clinical trials and a seminar on the grant review process.  This year's class of 29 students brought together dental professionals from 11 countries and eight states across the United States.

AWARDS and HONORS

Dr. Mark Drangsholt, Chair of the Nomination Committee, presented the Bruce R. Rothwell Teaching Awards during this year’s Faculty Retreat.  Dr. John Evans, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, received the Bruce R. Rothwell Distinguished Teaching Award in recognition of outstanding and innovative teaching.   Dr. James Stoddard,  Department of Restorative Dentistry, received the Bruce R. Rothwell Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Award to honor his extensive accomplishment and long-term commitment to excellence in dental education.  Dr. Patricia Rothwell;  sister -in-law Donna Kilburg; and niece Molly were also present at the ceremony.  Both recipients received a plaque and $3,500.  In addition, their names will be inscribed on a perpetual plaque on display outside the Office of the Dean. 

Thomas H. Morton, Departments of Oral Biology and Oral Medicine, received the Washington State Dental Association (WSDA) Faculty Award during the School’s Honors and Awards Ceremony on June 1.  The award is bestowed “…to a WSDA member, who is also a faculty member at the School of Dentistry, in recognition of outstanding contributions to both the School and the Washington State Dental Association".  WSDA president Dr. Rhonda R. Savage (’89) presented Dr. Morton with the award.

Other faculty and staff members who received awards bestowed by students and graduates (as appeared in Honors and Awards program): 

Class of 2010:  Dr. Tracy Popowics, full-time faculty; Dr. Chris Lewis, part-time faculty; and, Leng Quach, staff
Class of 2009:  Dr. J. Martin Anderson, faculty; Dr. Dennis Kelly, faculty; Dr. Scott Neuhaus, part-time faculty; Bill Loew, staff; and, Michael Mitchell, student
Class of 2008:  Marlene Snyder, staff; Margaret Sylwester, clinical assistant; Dr. Scott Neuhaus, part-time faculty; and, Dr. Thomas Beikler, full-time faculty
Class of 2007:  Dr. O. Ross Beirne, faculty; Dr. James McHugh, part-time faculty; and, Carol Brown, staff

In the Department of Periodontics, Dr. Raymond Wilkinson received the American Association of Periodontology (AAP) Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring in Periodontics.

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS

The Continuing Dental Education (CDE) catalog for 2007 – 2008 and fall brochure were mailed in August.  These brochures include information about the Sixth Washington Dental Service Foundation Distinguished Professorship in Dentistry Symposium (November 2-3, 2007).  Faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to register for this course and others online:  www.uwcde.com

EVENTS and CONFERENCES

More than eighty faculty and staff members, including six affiliates and one student attended the annual Faculty Retreat, held at Talaris Conference Center on August 20.  This year’s theme was "Get Ready for a Great Ride".  Presentations from eastern Washington representatives and the UW Office of the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) provided updates and information about the program and plans for the months ahead.  Other speakers included Sheila Edwards Lang, Vice President Minority Affairs/Vice Provost Diversity, who spoke on the topic of Cultural Competency; and, Dr. Jim Steiner, Associate Dean of Student Services, Admission and Outreach who spoke about ethics and professionalism.

It was the faculty’s distinct pleasure to honor the accomplishments of the Class of 2009 at the Third Annual White Coat Ceremony in Hogness Auditorium on August 11. Students begin intensive clinical work with patients at the start of their third year. The presentation of the white coat symbolizes a transition from didactic education to clinical training. More than 400 family members and friends attended the ceremony which included a moving speech by Dr. Dolphine Oda, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, who was selected by the students as this year’s keynote speaker. A reception followed in the Magnuson Health Sciences lobby.  Many thanks to the UW Dental Alumni Association (UWDAA) for purchasing the coats for our students, and hosting the reception.

A complete list of School of Dentistry events and archived editions of the Dean's Monthly Communications are also available online.

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