Post on 08-Mar-2016
description
September 2008
The Fill In September/October, 2009
2 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
FIRST VISIT The Fill In
September/October 2009
Cover Photo: Mr. Richard
Spence (Photographer, Faculty of
Medical Sciences)
Editors: Marc Mootoo, Carlen Chandler
Contributing Writers: Lois
Applewhite, Vishaal Ranjitsingh,
Sarah Ramsaroop, Halcyon
Inniss, Marc Mootoo, Qaysir Syne
Photography: Mr. Richard Spence (photographer, FMS),
Sarah Ramsaroop, Lois Applewhite.
UWI Dental Students Association
School of Dentistry,
Faculty of Medical Sciences
UWI St Augustine
Eric Williams Medical Sciences
Complex
Uriah Butler Highway
Trinidad, West Indies
Email: uwidsa@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.uwidsa.org
UWI DSA Executive:
Sarah Ramsaroop - President Lois Applewhite– Vice President Qaysir Syne– Treasurer Arianne Dhanukdharriesingh- Secretary Vishaal Ranjitsingh- Public Relations Officer
Welcome to issue number 9 of the fillin. We are back from an
extended break just in time to usher in the new school year!
To the new year one students: Welcome to the school of dentistry!
We here at the fillin hope that your experience at the school has been
a positive one thus far. Hope you guys enjoyed the Fresher's lime
that was held in the students’ common room a couple weeks ago.
Thanks go out to the DSA for making the event a huge success.
This issue of the fillin has been a while in the making. Here is our
attempt at bringing you up to date with what has been happening at
our dental school. In this issue:
- The UWI Dental School oath taking ceremony was held on
Wednesday 20th May 2009. This year marked the first year
that the ceremony comprised only of dental graduates. Scroll
down to find out more!
- Sarah Ramsaroop, our DSA president writes about the sucess
of the dental outreach to Maracas Presbyterian School.
- Halcyon Inniss, currently in year 3 writes about her
experiences as a year 2 student and provides some advice for
conquering year 2... a must read for you year 2 students.
- Also in this issue, learn more about our dental materials
guru... none other than Dr. Dhuru.
The Fill In September/October, 2009
3 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
The Scene
So, here are the upcoming events on the DSA's calendar and some other important stuff to keep in
mind:
-The Annual Med Sci football tournament is underway! Please continue to come out in your
numbers and support our side...we're counting on you!
-Continuing from last year's fun-filled day, this year's "Fun Day of Cricket & Football" is fast
approaching. It will be held on Sunday, 1st November, 2009 on the EWMSC football field from
1pm- UNTIL!! Doubles and burgers will be on sale; drinks will be provided. Come on out in your
numbers, support your teams (Staff & Interns, Clinical Students, Non-clinical students) and feel
free to invite your family and friends. We're looking forward to seeing you there!
-The annual dental banquet is on the cards for this semester. The details have not yet been
finalised, but keep your ears close to the ground because The Fill-In will be the first to fill you in!
-The month of November is fast approaching! It's the time when the new Year 3's make their
official debut as clinical students! We wish to extend a warm welcome to you, as you embark upon
this exciting aspect of your dental education.
-Since the last issue of the fillin, a new DSA (Dental Students Association) committee has been elected and is serving actively. The newly elected members include: Sarah Ramsaroop - President Lois Applewhite– Vice President Qaysir Syne– Treasurer Arianne Dhanukdharriesingh- Secretary Vishaal Ranjitsingh- Public Relations Officer Congratulations to our new officers! Check out the next issue for more on the new committee members… -Want a DSA polo shirt? They are available in black and white and sport the DSA logo on the front
side. Talk to any DSA executive member and they will hook you up! Get yours soon because
there’s limited stock!
- Last, but certainly not least, we wish to remind you of the very important phase in the
development of our school which is currently taking place. The accreditation process has been
started, and we implore you to participate fully and volunteer in whatever way you can. Stay
tuned for further information on the CAAM(?) in the next issue of The Fill-In.
The Fill In September/October, 2009
4 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
FRESHER’S LIME ‘09 IN PICTURES
LOCATION: STUDENT COMMON ROOM
The Fill In September/October, 2009
5 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
The 2009/2010 Medical Sciences Intra-Faculty Football league has begun. Come out
and support your Dental Football side! Below is a tentative schedule of the games which
would be played on the football field at Old French, Mount Hope. Match 1 begins at
4:00pm and match 2 at 5:00 pm.
Medical Sciences Intra-Faculty Football
League 2009/2010
4:00pm 5:00pm
The Fill In September/October, 2009
6 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
DENTAL OATH TAKING
CEREMONY 2009
The UWI Dental School oath taking ceremony
was held on Wednesday May 20th 2009 at
Amphitheatre A, Eric Williams Medical
Sciences complex.
2009 marked the 20th anniversary of the oath
taking ceremony. It was a privilege for me to
attend this ceremony as a third year dental
student since 2009 also marked the first year
that the ceremony comprised only dental
graduates. Traditionally the ceremony
comprised dental and medical graduates,
however, previous graduates felt that the
focus was mainly on the experiences and
accomplishments of the medical students.
Also, due to time constraints, our Batswana
colleagues were usually unable to attend the joint dental and medical ceremonies.
For these reasons, the initiative was taken by the DSA (including the then DSA President, Devin
Jaggernauth and the class of 2009 representative, Nalini Mungal) to propose the idea to the
administration.
The Ceremony was funded by the DSA and the Class of 2009 who raised funds among themselves.
Speakers at the ceremony included:
- Professor Clement Sankat (Campus Principal and Pro vice chancellor, UWI)
- Professor Plauri Murti (Director, school of Dentistry)
- Professor Samuel Ramsewak (Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences)
- Dr. Suren Maharaj (President, Dental Council of Trinidad and Tobago)
- Dr. Devin Jaggernauth (Former President, Dental Students Association)
The Head Table (Left to Right): Dr. H. Al-Bayaty, Professor S.
Ramsewak, Professor C. Sankat, Dr. Maharaj, Professor Murti.
By Marc Mootoo
The Fill In September/October, 2009
7 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Dr. H Al-Bayaty was the chairman for the afternoon and introduced the first speaker, Professor Clement
Sankat. The Campus Principal began by congratulating the graduating class of 2009 by saying, “You’ve all
done very well, you’ve worked very hard and you deserve the honour that is being bestowed upon you
this evening”. He then urged the graduates work with good judgement, honesty and with integrity. He
commented on the challenges of the last academic year and was proud of the students for the high level
of respect that was displayed toward University staff. He closed his speech by congratulating the
dedicated staff of the UWI School of Dentistry including the technical and supporting staff.
In all, there were 23 graduates: 10 from Batswana, the remainder from Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica and
the UK. (See front page for picture for picture of graduates).
The Fill In September/October, 2009
8 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
After a speech by Dr. Suren Maharaj, President of the Dental council of Trinidad and Tobago and two
musical items, the first by Denelle Furlonge and the second by the Batswana Choir, Professor Murti lead
the graduates in the taking of the Oath. The Dental oath is as follows:
Professor Murti then proceeded to the prize-giving ceremony. The awards and awardees are as follows:
Best performance in Restorative Dentistry – Sunita Deonarine
2nd Highest score in Restorative Dentistry – Rose Phuthego
Best performance in Child Dental Health – Allana Tang Choon
2nd Highest score in Child Dental Health – Rose Phuthego and Sunita Deonarine
Best performance in Oral Diseases – Quinta Marchan and Siddiqa Mohammed
2nd highest performance in Oral Diseases – Allana Tang Choon
Best performance in Clinical Examination for Restorative Dentistry – Shontelle Lorde
Best performance in Clinical Examination for Child Dental Health – Allana Tang Choon
Best performance in Clinical Examination in Oral Disease – Siddiqa Mohammed
Best performance in Preventive Dentistry and Public Health – Sunita Deonarine
Best Performance in Human Disease Examination (Year 3) – Felisa Ramdass
Best Overall Performance - Allana Tang Choon
“I gratefully acknowledge, the distinction to be conferred upon me and I solemly promise that
as a graduate in Dentistry, I will abide steadfast in all due loyalty to the ethics of my profession
and endeavour always to promote the welfare and maintain the reputation of the University
of the West Indies.
Further in the exercise of my profession I will ever have in mind the care of the sick and the
well-being of the healthy.
these ends I will use all my knowledge and judgement. I will keep silence on any matter which I
may see or hear in the course of my professional work and which would be improper to
divulge.
I will not permit considerations of Religion, Nationality, Race, Party Politics or social standing
to influence my duty to my patient.”
The Fill In September/October, 2009
9 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Professor Clement Sankat: “You’ve all done well,
you’ve worked very hard and you deserve the
honour that is being bestowed upon you this
evening”
The Batswana Choir in
action
New Dentists
of 2009 taking
their oaths
Denelle Furlonge
and Friend perform
the Foo Fighters’
‘Times like these’
The Fill In September/October, 2009
10 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Rose Phuthego
receives an
award in
Restorative
dentistry from
Dr. Rafeek.
Siddiqa
Mohammed
receives the prize
for the best
performance in
clinical exams for
Oral Disease from
Dr. Al
Sunita Deonarine
receives the prize
for the best
performance in
Preventive
Dentistry and
Public Health from
Dr. Ramroop
The bartenders pose for a picture
Felisa Ramdass
receives the prize
for the best
performance in
the year 3 human
disease course
from Prof. Murti
Allana Tang Choon receives the prize for best overall
performance from Professor C. Sankat
The Fill In September/October, 2009
11 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Valedictorian Speech – Dental Class of 2009
Devin Jaggernauth
Wednesday 20 May, 2009 Prof Sankat, Principal; Prof Ramsewak, Dean of the faculty; Prof. Murti, Director of the School of Dentistry, Dr. Maharaj, President of the Dental Council, distinguished lecturers and members of staff, Representatives of the DSA, specially invited guests, family, friends and last but not least, the doctors of the graduating class of 2009, it gives me tremendous pleasure to stand before you as class valedictorian at the first ever Dental Oath Taking ceremony.
Some of my classmates know me to be a fan of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and while there may not have been any elves or dwarves involved (….), the journey we travelled through the past five years was nothing less than epic.
And what a journey it was!
In September of 2004, approximately 30 individuals enrolled in the faculty of Medical Sciences to pursue their studies in the field of Dentistry. Most of them probably thought: dentistry, this shouldn’t be so bad ……but little did they know what adventure the coming years would hold.
And indeed, this was the forging of our fellowship; comprising students from Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, the UK and the largest contingent of students from Botswana in the dental school to date. I’m proud to say that this variety added character to our year, and the combination of differences in background and culture truly made us a unique group.
Now I’ll admit that during the first year we were somewhat divided as we shared many courses with our colleagues from the other schools. Even though we struggled through the horrors of PBL apart, we did manage to get a glimpse of the future class as we sat through many of Dr. Al’s tooth carving sessions.
It was only having entered the second semester of year 2 were we each thrown into the spotlight and made to introduce and talk about ourselves in our first lecture with Dr Smith. He was intent on have us socialize and mingle from then, and this was also his logic behind our seating arrangements in the lab. And you know what, it worked! As a class we became more united, and this translated from those early sessions, to the challenges of Gen Med at San Fernando General and even to the last days of our clinical training.. especially those last days. And even though it took some time, at the end of it we were definitely a much tighter unit.
The Dentistry program conducted here at UWI is nothing to be taken lightly, what with treating patients on a daily basis, regular examinations and the occasional presentation, so there were many challenges to be faced. Perhaps one of the biggest that we had to overcome was the time lost last year when the AC’s malfunctioned. With so much time being lost, there was much concern and even fear. Could we still get through this in time?
The Fill In September/October, 2009
12 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Once the systems were fully operational, I know for sure we took our work to another level, pushing ourselves to meet deadlines; doubling and even tripling our normal patient load while at the same time studying for the constant barrage of exams that somehow never seemed to end.
I was there on the clinic as we toiled to improve ourselves. And I was there at the Mt Hope library, STARRS, SAC and the seminar rooms when we studied together, where sometimes we’d look at each other, shake our heads and laugh because sometimes it just seemed like madness. But I believe that the quality and quantity of work that was put in, especially over the last 6 months, truly defined the determination and competence of the class of 2009. Our presence here today is proof of that. The fact that one of our external examiners wanted to take a couple students back home to his University is even more proof of that.
_______________________________
So now we know that we were able to complete the quest that started five years ago. But where do we go from here? Last Thursday after receiving my results, Prof Murti said to me as he shook my hand: Don’t for one second think this is over. This is only just the beginning.
And it’s true. We may have completed our exams, but can you really place a limit on how much more there is to learn? Whether you choose to be a general practitioner or engage in some specialty, our education never stops. Even from this point onwards, let us think progressively. What do we expect of ourselves in 1 year, 5 years or even 10 years from now?
This part of the journey may have ended, and the fellowship will be broken as some of us return home. But even as we aim to improve the lives of others through our work, let us never lose that drive to innovate and inspire excellence in ourselves and people around us regardless of our location in the world. Let our work and attitude continuously reflect our passion for providing the highest quality of patient care or dedication to teaching and research.
Of course let us not forget those who helped us reach where we are today. To our parents who worked tirelessly to provide for us physically, mentally and emotionally. To our lecturers and instructors for their commitment to us, and for always pushing us to be better students. To the laboratory, administrative and clinical staff for helping us work towards our goals. We are eternally grateful.
Please remember our colleagues who could not be with us here today. I urge you to be a source of motivation and encouragement to them as they face the challenges of exams once more.
My fellow graduands, the last five years has been an amazing and life-changing journey. Through the good times and the bad; the hot and the cold, I consider myself fortunate to have shared it with you. I know that things will never be as they once were, and I know that I’ll miss you. But even when we part ways, never forget the classes, the clinics and the experiences that bound us together for the past five years. Let us remember this as the point where it all began. And let it be that the last five years here at UWI merely acted as the foundation upon which only greatness was built. To my friends, the doctors of the class of 2009: Congratulations! Here’s to the continued pursuit of excellence and the brightest of futures!
*All photos of the oath taking ceremony were taken by Mr. Richard Spence (Photographer, FMS)
The Fill In September/October, 2009
13 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Dental Outreach at Maracas Presbyterian
Primary School 24th
April,2009
Sarah Ramsaroop
The Rotary Club’s Dental Outreach on the 24th of April, 2009 at the Maracas Presbyterian
Primary School turned out to be a complete success. Along with our Dental Instructors from the
Child Dental Health Unit at UWI School of Dentistry, we the students from the class of 2010
embarked on this amazing journey.
We gathered our trusty oral hygiene instruction aids, posters, screening instruments and
courage and piled into the maxi to travel to this far away land. This was our first outreach
experience so we were utterly excited but equally nervous as children can be quite
The Fill In September/October, 2009
14 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
unpredictable. Our instructors, however, had total faith in us and had no fear that we would
deliver our very best.
We arrived at the little inconspicuous location unaware that it even existed and oblivious to
what was in store for us. Finally after much anticipation we met them, all eager faces staring up
at us and immediately we embraced the task at hand, surprised, as we all instinctively became
teachers.
The visit involved a clinical screening for caries, complete oral hygiene instructions and dietary
advice, of course. The proper brushing and flossing techniques were demonstrated as well as
the action and use of fluoride mouthwash. A run-down of dental friendly foods were given as
well as the detrimental effects of those much loved sugary snacks.
Our instructors screened each child
in record time as we delivered as
much information as possible to our
pint-sized but precocious audience.
Most of the kids were exuberant,
few were shy but all were
refreshingly receptive. They
inspired us with their many
questions, answers, volunteering to
perform tasks and the endless
posing for photographs. The
children were also presented with a
‘party bag’ stocked with dental aids
such as toothbrush, toothpaste and
floss as a follow up to their dental
education experience.
The Fill In September/October, 2009
15 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
It was a grand affair, undoubtedly fulfilling for everyone involved, with lots of laughing, hugging
and, of course, the learning. It has certainly left us with the desire to make a difference
whenever, wherever and to whoever possible and to encourage our fellow students to jump at
the opportunity to participate in any future dental outreach programs to share in this great
experience.
The outreach participants were Candice Cunningham, Darius Matmungal, Ryan Moosai-
Maharaj, Kgalalelo Nkonyane, Sarah Ramsaroop, Arif Saqui, Sarika Sarpavarapu, Lindwe Siele all
from the Class of 2010 and , of course, our instructors from the Child Dental Health Unit Dr.
Naidu and Dr. Balkaran.
The Fill In September/October, 2009
16 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
YEAR 2: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND…
THE EXPERIENCE FROM A LOCAL’S VIEW
By: Halcyon Inniss
How would I describe my second year experience? “In a nutshell” wouldn’t be a term I’d use, that’s for
sure. When I think of my second year at UWI I think of a theatrical play, one of the good ones. At first,
all the characters are introduced and you have a pretty good idea of what’s going on. Then, by the time
you get to the second act, there’s so much going on that you become lost and a bit caught up in it all.
But then, at the end of it all, when the curtains come down, everything is tied together and it all makes
sense…well, for the most part anyway. I’d dub this play “The Year Two Experience”.
Act I – Semester One
One would think that after successfully completing year one that year two would be more of the same,
right? Well it was…at first. The start to the year was much like year one, only this time we had
respiration and CNS to deal with. That’s when I realized that this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. In
addition to that, we had Oral Biology with Dr. Al, which was also picking up speed. It was a back-and-
forth type semester to say the least, kind of like when a child is split between two parents, one being
dent and the other med. Of course, we all secretly had our favourite parent, but we loved them both.
Interlude- Dental Banquet
This was the second one since I’ve been at the school (I think), and it had exceeded all of my
expectations. This is where we see all of our professors and colleagues dress up and let loose. The food
was excellent, the drinks were even better, and I certainly got my money’s worth! Kudos to the DSA for
their hard work which certainly paid off and I’m definitely looking forward to attending the next one.
Act II – Semester Two
Scene I -Operative Dentistry
It felt so good to finally be rid of the medical classes, for now at least, and get down to more of a
dentistry oriented curriculum. This feeling was overshadowed by the intensity of our upcoming
schedule. So many disciplines, so little time. Perio, Cons, Paedo, Prostho…not to mention dental
materials, oral physio and biochem! This one semester felt like a year in itself as it was jam packed with
lectures, practicals, and assessments. Although it was a bit overwhelming, it was a routine that we were
looking forward to getting used to.
Scene II – HEAD AND NECK
Enter Dr. Ovchinnikov, a recurrent character from respiration. We know him well, though at times we
may not understand him. Here was a man who seemed to know everything about everything. Even
The Fill In September/October, 2009
17 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
trying to learn a micro fraction of what he knew was challenging. For him it was like childsplay and for
us…well, you get my drift. His anecdotes of his life experiences brought cheer to the room, although he
was the only one laughing when blocks came along! All in all, it was a lifetime’s worth of information
jammed into a few weeks in an anatomy lab.
Act III – Phase exams
This was it. This was what the entire year had boiled down to. After endless classes and assessments,
this was the be all and end all. It was do-or-die time. The pressure was enormous and the exam schedule
was strenuous. Weeks and weeks of red bull, coffee, and sleepless nights led up to this. All of the
subjects that were crammed into one year were now being crammed into about a month of final exams.
Written, practical, viva, it’s all there. It’s hectic but it ends with a sigh of relief…soothing but short lived
as a cloud of panic quickly takes over. This was because we had to await the release of the provisional
results. The bottom line was that it was over, and we all moved on to enjoy the last real vacation that
we had as year two students, because from next year onwards, there’s no such thing!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, all of that was just a lead up to the real story. The take home message for you up and coming year
twos is this: stay focused, and pay attention. Sounds simple enough right? It’s simple but I think it’s very
helpful if you’re a character in this play. Stay focused, because it’s not that it’s hard work, it’s just that
it’s a lot of work. Let’s face it, we’re all here because we’re used to hard work and we know how to deal
with it. It only gets hard when you don’t focus like you should. Pay attention because if you don’t, mark
my words you will miss something and you will fall behind before you even know what’s going on. The
bottom line is that no one is going to wait on you anymore so you can throw that notion out the
window. Of course, the professors are here to help us and they’re very accommodating and nurturing
people, but you could forget about spoon feeding. All in all, year two was a very important element to
the entire DDS process as it really gives us an idea of what we got ourselves into and opened our eyes to
the wonderful world of dentistry.
The Fill In September/October, 2009
18 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
DENTAL JOKES
Bible verse hanging in a dental
office:
Psalms 81:10:" . . . open thy mouth
wide, and I will fill it."
http://www.dentalindia.com/jokes.html
A woman and her husband interrupted their
vacation to go to the dentist. "I want a tooth pulled,
and I don't want Novacaine because I'm in a big
hurry," the woman said. "Just extract the tooth as
quickly as possible, and we'll be on our way." The
dentist was quite impressed. "You're certainly a
courageous woman," he said. "Which tooth is it?"
The woman turned to her husband and said, "Show
him your tooth, dear."
http://www.dentalaffairs.com/includes/jokes.htm
Patient: Doctor, I
am very nervous.
You know, this is
my first extraction.
Young dentist:
Don’t worry, it's
my first extraction
too.
http://www.dentalaffa
irs.com/includes/jokes.
htm
The Fill In September/October, 2009
19 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Meet the Staff Professor Dhuru
A wise man once said- “None are so old as those who
have outlived enthusiasm”. Another, in the personage of Mark
Twain, said- “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t
mind, it doesn’t matter.”
Our featured lecturer for this issue most definitely does
not mind; his age surely does not matter! Moreover, he
certainly has not outlived his enthusiasm, as it just keeps
growing. His love and passion for his chosen profession are as
clear as crystal.
Dr. Virendra Dhuru, at the respectable age of 73, continues to grace the halls of this
institution, year after year, to share the wealth of knowledge he has gained over many years.
Born and raised in Mumbai, India, and currently married with 2 children and 2 grand-daughters,
Dr. Dhuru embodies the definition of dedication and industry.
His interest and concern for the education of students is obvious. Ever the traditionalist,
he has no qualms in sending a student out of his class for talking and disturbing other eager
students- and rightfully so! However, his door is always open to anyone. With his welcoming
smile, he is quick to offer a seat and encourage conversation, and he is a great help to many in
distress (as most of us who have sat under him can attest).
Dr. Dhuru first embarked upon his chosen path in 1956, when he received his BSc in
Microbiology/Chemistry from Bombay University, Bombay, India. Upon return to his alma
mater, he then graduated with his B.D.S in 1964, later followed by an MSc in Dental Materials,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada in 1972.
After completion of his studies, Dr. Dhuru held numerous positions at various
universities across the world, including Director of Graduate Studies at Marquette University
School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in USA from 1989-1996 and Director of its Dental
Biomaterials Graduate Program from 1989-2000 (when he then retired after 27 years of
service) . He also served as a visiting faculty member at King Saud University College of
Dentistry, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1998-1999 and 2000-2001), School of Dentistry, University of
Lagos, Nigeria (January-March 1983) and School of Dentistry, University of Dundee, Scotland
The Fill In September/October, 2009
20 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
(April-May 1983). He is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at Marquette University School
of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in USA, as well as a visiting faculty member to our very
own school from 2005.
Among his other accomplishments, he is the editor and co-author of the textbook-
Contemporary Dental Materials (2004) Oxford University Press-which we have become quite
affiliated with. There are another 29 publications added to his name, not forgetting the 100-
plus abstracts he has written for the American/International Association for Dental Research
Meetings.
Additionally, Dr. Dhuru has provided thesis direction and guidance to his colleagues and
predoctoral students for research design, data collection, data analysis and presentation. He is
currently a member of the American and International Association for Dental Research and
the Academy of Dental Materials.
It is therefore with pride and great pleasure that we present such an accomplished and
successful gentleman who considers it “a privilege to remain meaningfully productive and
gainfully employed at this stage of my life”, in 24 Questions with Dr. V. Dhuru.
-Lois Applewhite
The Fill In September/October, 2009
21 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
24 Questions with Professor Dhuru
1. Biggest pet peeve? Inconsiderate behaviour
2. Favourite movie? (1) 2001 – Space Odyssey (2) Bullit
3. What do you do to unwind? Take a slow walk through the woods (and hills when they are available)
4. What's your favourite food? Daal and paraatha or pasta, perhaps with boneless chicken
5. Favourite drinks? (alcoholic/non alcoholic) Coffee, Sorrel shandy
6. What is your greatest joy? My extended family
7. What is your secret fear? Being penniless
8. What is the best advice you have ever received, and from whom? Accept the infinite differences in human nature and behaviour – my mother
9. The best book you have ever read? Spirit of St. Louis by Charles Lindberg (without the religious part)
10. Most embarrassing moment? When the Dean of the Dental School in Mumbai, India gave me a talking to after a Periodontics
faculty member asked me to leave her class for not taking notes during her lecture (in which she
quite literally and boringly read from a textbook and her notebook).
11. What is the happiest moment you can remember? Witnessing the births of my children and the first grand daughter
12. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Keeping the Dental Materials Graduate program at Marquette University School of Dentistry
viable (although at a reduced level of rigor) for 10 years with very little help. Some of the
individuals graduating from that program have gone on to receive doctorate degrees and currently
hold faculty positions at different universities. Others are in successful private practice.
13. What is something people don't know about you?
I have survived numerous potential accidents and yet, I do not believe in miracles. They were
instances of purely statistical probabilities
14. What influenced your decision to enter the field of dentistry?
The Fill In September/October, 2009
22 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
Listening to the advice of one of my elder brothers and not listening to the advice of my other
elder brother to pursue math and physics (which, I sort of regret)
15. What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you in your days as a clinical student?
It was when I could not remove an impression from the mouth of my classmate who was also a
friend. Before the instructor could come over and help me, the “patient” made threatening
gestures and inaudibly mouthed all kinds of obscenities at me. That was an occasion of great
hilarity for my other classmates (and me). We remained friends, nevertheless.
16. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you in your days as a clinical student?
I extracted a badly carious deciduous tooth but that was not the one eliciting pain
17. As a lecturer, what is the one thing you hate to see a student doing?
(1) Not showing any interest in trying to find out the scientific reasons for what they do in
the preclinical lab or the clinic, and more or less “blindly” doing the “technique”.
(2) Incessantly talking with a fellow student, obviously not about the subject of the lecture
18. Any interests/hobbies other than dentistry?
Photography, listening and collecting international music, going for walks
19. If you could do something other than dentistry, what would it be?
Photo and video journalism
20. People you admire and why?
Humanitarians, Scientists, Writers and Astronauts for their insights and positive contribution to
human condition
21. Where is the one place you would like to visit?
Antarctica
22. If you win the lottery tomorrow, what would you do with the money?
After distributing it among my family and my friends, and making donations to worthy charities,
pay for a space flight on the Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station
23. What is the one thing in your life you would like to accomplish in the future?
Write a book of short stories based on my personal experiences
24. Is there anything in your life you would like to do over, if you could?
Tell my parents and other members of my family, friends and teachers including those who are
departed, how grateful I am for the unquestionable and uncritical support they have given me
throughout my life
The Fill In September/October, 2009
23 www.uwidsa.org thefillin@gmail.com
WHAT TO EXPECT IN ISSUE 10
- The CAAM accreditation process - What to expect.
- Intern salary update
- The Year 2 experience from a Jamaican’s perspective
- Dental Banquet update
- Cricket and football fun day pictures
- Intra-faculty football tournament update
- Staff profile
- Learn more about your DSA executive members.
- And much much MORE!
Please feel free to submit any questions, articles and comments to the editors at
thefillin@gmail.com. We welcome your suggestions and contributions. Tell us
what you would like to see in this newsletter!!
Please visit our website for the latest updates, as well as every copy of
The Fill In
www.uwidsa.org
The UWI Dental Students Association can be contacted at
uwidsa@yahoo.com.
Lookout for our next issue!