mong the hundreds of great faculty members we have here at the School of Dentistry who provide an outstanding

education to our students are the members of the Dean’s Faculty. Established 16 years ago, the 35 men and women who currently belong to this group travel from their private practices to our clinics at least one half-day a week and pass along their wealth of knowledge and share their experiences with our predoctoral students and residents in our specialty clinics. Their involvement, as you will read beginning on page 3, supports all of our missions. Talk to any member of the Dean’s Faculty, and you will hear them say they enjoy interacting with our students and the opportunity to “give something back” for the outstanding education they received here at Michigan. Many also say that the discussions they have with our students help them “to stay on their toes.” It’s not uncommon for members of the Dean’s Faculty to incorporate some of what they learn here and put it to use in their own practice. I am extremely grateful for the time and effort that every one of them gives to us, especially during these tough economic times when everyone’s resources are stretched to the limit. The presence of each member of the Dean’s Faculty enriches the lives of our students and speaks volumes about the profession of dentistry.

Sincerely,

Peter J. Polverini, Dean

Fall 2009 Volume 25, Number 2

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

Send comments and updates to: dentistry.communications@umich.edu or Director of Communications, School of Dentistry, Room B307, 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 2010:Samuel Bander, ’81 Grand Rapids, MI (Chair)Kerry Kaysserian, ’81 Traverse City, MIJerry Booth, ’61 DDS, ’64 MS, Jackson, MIJosephine Weeden, ’96 DDS, ‘99 MS, Saline, MIKathleen Early, ’77 DH, Lakeland, MI

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, ‘82 DDS, Grand Rapids, MI

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

Student Representative: Anh Pham (D2)

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 External Relations and Continuing Dental Education

The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. 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 © 2009 The Regents of the University of Michigan

D E A N ’ S M E S S A G E

Staying Connected: the Dean’s Faculty

FEATURESCOVER STORY

3 DEAN’S FACULTY Each enjoys the opportunity to take time from their private practice to teach

1 Dental Videos Go Global on YouTube 1970s era videos now available

7 School Selected for Pilot Program

9 Homecoming Weekend Alumni return - 3 inducted into Hall of Honor

15 Graduation Speaker Sandro Galea says oral health care a global concern PROFILES17 Faculty Dr. Paul Krebsbach

21 Alumna Dr. Karen-Lee Jones Stewart DEPARTMENTS19 Faculty News23 Department Update25 Dental Hygiene27 Research 30 Alumni News

contents:

Cover Photo: Per Kjeldsen

Read more DentalUM on our Web site at www.dent.umich.eduRead more DentalUM on our Web site at www.dent.umich.edu1

3

17

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More than 650 videos from the U-M School of Dentistry’s learning resources archives are drawing considerable interest worldwide since becoming available for free viewing on the Internet. The School, which launched its YouTube Channel in March (www.youtube.com/user/umichdent), was recently the second most-viewed educational channel on the popular Web site, topped only by Stanford. The dental school’s videos are included on the University of Michigan’s new YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/um) launched in September. The University’s portal includes videos focusing on special speakers and events, classroom lectures, and other highlights. School of Dentistry videos are the result of an effort that began several years ago to digitize more than 1,200 videotapes that were created in the School’s television studios in the 1970s. Ana Iacob, a Dental Informatics research associate, has been working on this project from the start and is adding more items to the digital archives each week.

“ This is the best video I have ever

seen on caries removal. Thank you so much.”

(Egypt)

Dan Bruell

Jerry Mastey

Drawing W

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Dr. Lynn Johnson, professor of dentistry and assistant dean for Informatics and Innovation, says the School’s videos are a part of the “Open.Michigan” initiative, an effort designed to create and share the University’s and the School’s knowledge, resources, and research with the global learning community. Among the School of Dentistry videos that are available include those dealing with prosthodontics (170), occlusion (84), oral surgery (59), anatomy (75), and many others. “We have converted and uploaded more than 1,000 dental videos spanning 35 years of instruction,” Johnson said. “I encourage oral health care professionals everywhere to visit the UMichDent YouTube Channel and explore this content. To get to the UMichDent Channel, just click the YouTube icon on the School’s home page.”

Favorable Reaction Emily Springfield, an instructional technology designer with the School of

Dentistry who played a major role in ensuring content from the videos could be transferred from the videotapes for viewing on the Web, said, “the channel currently averages about 5,000 hits a day, and the average increases every week. Our videos have been viewed more than 600,000 times to date.” While most views are from those in the U.S., people worldwide are also viewing the channel, as noted in remarks below:

Screen shot of a vintage Dental Hygiene instructional video.

• “Suchagoodsite.WOW!!Thanksfor all of these. I have suffered from TMD for 14 years. Please do more.” (United States)

• “I’mnotevenadentalstudentandthese videos are very interesting to me.” (Canada)

• “ThisisbestvideoIhaveeverseenon caries removal. Thank you so much.” (Egypt)

• “Thankyousomuch!!!Thisvideohas helped me a lot. Thank you so

Drawing Wmuch U-M Dentistry for sharing.” (Philippines)

• “Wow...seeingavideothatwasshot37 years ago is amazing. Keep it up Michigan :) ...These videos really help me a lot as a new graduate.” (Egypt)

• “Veryusefulvideoindeed.Ihopethere will be more.” (Sudan)

Although knowledge about the oral cavity has grown significantly

since the 1970s, its physical structure and elements have not changed. “That’s what makes our videos timeless,” Johnson said, “because a dentist in Asia or Europe or Africa can use what they see in our videos and apply that knowledge in their clinical environment.” However, Johnson was quick to note that those in the U.S. who view the videos will see how regulations have changed. For example, when the videos were created in the 1970s,

dental students and faculty members did not wear glasses, facemasks, or gloves when treating patients. A note advising viewers about those and other regulatory changes appear at the beginning of those videos. In addition, those who want to download content to a video iPod can access approximately 100 videos at the School’s iTunes U portal on the home page.

orldwide Interest on the Web

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alk to any member of this select group and you will hear each one say that they enjoy “being involved” and passing along what they have learned during their years of practice to dental students who are beginning their predoctoral clinical education.

Members of the group, known as the Dean’s Faculty, travel to the School of Dentistry at least one half-day a week to pass along their knowledge and experiences to eager-to-learn students in the School’s predoctoral and graduate clinics. “Their involvement at the School supports all of our missions, and I’m extremely grateful for the time and effort each one of them gives us,” said Dean Peter Polverini. “Their contributions, which support our preclinical and clinical programs, are invaluable, especially during tough economic times such as those we’re now facing, when everyone’s resources are strained.” Established 16 years ago, membership in the Dean’s Faculty is by invitation only. All 35 practitioners, both general dentists and specialists, have been recommended by a colleague. The nominee meets with a department chair before his or her name is submitted to a committee for consideration and approval. Mutually Beneficial Interaction Five members of the Dean’s Faculty, featured on pages 4-6, are enthused about the opportunities they have to teach students as well as learn from them. “Being in contact with the students helps me to stay on my toes,” said Dr. Roger Hill, who teaches in the graduate periodontics clinic once a month. Dr. Deborah Priestap agrees. “Being a member of the Dean’s Faculty has expanded my knowledge of dentistry in ways I never imagined when I entered the dental profession,” she said. One of the charter members of the Dean’s Faculty, Dr. Richard Han, says he enjoys challenging students to think through a problem to develop answers to questions. However, not all learning takes place in a clinic. Dr. Thomas Bloem meets with students in discussion groups twice a month to talk about some of the finer points of running a practice and treatment plans. “We will continue to rely on these master clinicians and practitioners in the various disciplines to help launch and sustain exciting new initiatives that will be a part of our new vision for dental education at Michigan,” Polverini said. Each fall, a recognition dinner is held to honor and thank Dean’s Faculty members for their contributions. “We realize this is a small gesture of appreciation on our part, but it is one that is offered with heartfelt sincerity,” Polverini said. “It gives us a chance to say ‘thank you’ to each on a very personal level.”

Volunteering Time... Sharing Experience

Faculty:Dean’s

Dean’s Faculty Members

Cariology, Restorative Sciences & Endodontics• RobertColeman• AnthonyDietz• RichardHan• AllanJacobs• JedJacobson• ThomasJohnson• JamesLaidlaw• MichaelLindemann• OscarLink• CharlesMurray• RichardRubinstein

Periodontics & Oral Medicine• WilliamBeck• SuheilBoutros• WilliamCarroll• HeatherCharchut• Kok-HengChong• RogerHill• SalahHuwais• JeffreyJohnston• MitchKaplan• AmarKatranji• ChristopherKazor• MichaelKrause• WilliamMason• SteveMeraw• KellyMisch• AllanPadbury• LuisPerez• MarkSetter• AnthonySpagnuolo• DiegoVelasquez• MarkZahn• GregZann

Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry• DeborahPriestap

Prosthodontics/Biologic & Materials Sciences• ThomasBloem

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Dr. Roger HillDDS, University of Detroit Mercy, 1970MS, periodontics, University of Michigan, 1974

When he’s teaching in the School’s graduate periodontics clinic, Dr. Roger Hill, a charter member of the Dean’s Faculty, says he often brings with him examples of treatments he has provided to some of his patients during the past 20 or 30 years so the residents better understand the long-term implications of their work. “These cases, where the names and other identifying patient information are confidential, are what I call ‘proof of principle’ that demonstrate the results of treatment and maintenance of dentitions over 20 or 30 years,” Hill said. “Students can actually see what work has been done, and I often tell them ‘this is what can happen to a patient over an extended period of time’ when they perform a certain procedure,” he added. “Seeing the results decades later is information that is very helpful and useful to them.” Hill makes the 200 mile round trip once a month to Ann Arbor from his practice in Bay City. Saying he’s a teacher whose role “is to show students how to save a patient’s teeth,” Hill says he’s also a student. “Being in contact with the students helps me to stay on my toes,” he says. “I’m staying abreast of new developments in periodontics, especially in research. Having first-hand access to that kind of information from the students and other faculty members, in turn, helps me to be a better periodontist at my own practice.”

Dr. Deborah PriestapBS, University of Michigan, 1977DDS, Ohio State University, 1983MS, University of Detroit Mercy, 1986

“Being a member of the Dean’s Faculty has expanded my knowledge of dentistry in ways I never imagined when I entered the dental profession,” says Dr. Debby Priestap. A member of the Dean’s Faculty for 10 years, Priestap travels about 40 miles to the School of Dentistry every Friday from her office in Milford, Michigan to teach and work with residents in the Robert W. Browne Orthodontics Clinic. “The residents are intelligent, energetic, and open to new ideas. That attitude has inspired and challenged me to reconsider what I have learned and how I practice orthodontics,” she says. A cutting edge area of orthodontics that has impressed Priestap is how microimplants are being used for maximum anchorage control. “When I see the residents using these implants and how patients benefit,” she says, “I realize the significance of what is being done at Michigan and how it will impact our specialty in the years ahead.” Priestap says she considers herself “fortunate to have regular contact with some of the finest orthodontists in the world at the School of Dentistry. Their knowledge and insights are invaluable assets to Michigan’s orthodontic community.” A member of the State Board of Dentistry and an examiner and consultant for the American Board of Orthodontics, Priestap was a member of the University of Michigan swim team as an undergraduate.

Dr. Roger Hill talks to second-year periodontal resident Dr. Hsun-Liang Chan about the work he did on a patient in the School’s graduate periodontics clinic.

Dr. Deborah Priestap and Dr. Annelise Preslan, a third-year orthodontic resident, share a lighter moment following Priestap’s review of a treatment plan Preslan developed for a patient.

Jerry Mastey Jerry Mastey

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Dr. Richard HanDDS, University of Michigan, 1965

“I’m one of the original members of the Dean’s Faculty and have been enjoying myself immensely,” says Dr. Richard Han. “I enjoy working with the students in the clinic and their positive attitude toward higher education.” Han says students attending professional schools such as dentistry and medicine have a different outlook from undergraduate students. “Students in professional schools are here because they want to be,” he says. In the 3 Green comprehensive care clinic, Han encourages students to think through a problem. “Knowing there are multiple solutions to most problems, I ask questions that help students look at a problem and break it down into small steps. When the student thinks through an issue and has a solution, that develops confidence and encourages independence,” he says. A charter member of the Dean’s Faculty, Han says he has noticed a change in the approach to dental education. “From the mid 1960s to today, dental training is more focused on skills in the operatory while other work is delegated to others inside or outside the office,” he says. “While I’m not sure anyone can, or wants to make a gold crown, today’s dentist seems to be more inclined to become a good chairside technician. I think there is more to dentistry than accommodating a high volume of patients,” Han adds. “As a dentist develops his or her skills and enhances their knowledge, each becomes a more creative problem solver, a better communicator, and is more likely to develop long-term relationships with patients. All of that helps them become more complete practitioners,” he says.

Dean’s Faculty

Jerry Mastey

Dr. Richard Han listens as fourth-year dental student Beth Vinckier points to the chart of an electronic record and describes the work she has performed on a patient and her treatment plans for the patient’s return visit to the 3 Green Clinic.

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Dr. Thomas BloemDDS, University of Michigan, 1976MS, prosthodontics, University of Michigan, 1978

Since practice management is important in dentistry, Dr. Thomas Bloem comes to the School of Dentistry twice a month for a discussion group meeting to talk about treatment planning from a specialty practice perspective. A member of the Dean’s Faculty for three years, Bloem taught predoctoral and graduate prosthodontics for 17 years until 1996. “Clinical skills are important,” he said, “but students also need to be practical in successfully managing their patients.” Citing the current economic environment, Bloem said it has become increasingly important for dentists to be adaptable. “Today, a good practitioner will closely listen to what the patient is saying and, when necessary, offer options that help a patient reach his or her oral health goals. You have to embrace flexibility,” he says. That might mean, for instance, “working with a patient over a longer period of time instead of trying to complete treatment in the fewest number of appointments possible. You want the patient to reach their goals without abandoning the plan you share with them.” Bloem says he enjoys talking to graduate students because “many times their perspectives are refreshing. It’s their willingness to learn and their curious nature that makes me willing to help.” Active in dental organizations and a regional director of the American College of Prosthodontics, Bloem says he always emphasizes how crucial it is for students to give back to the dental profession. “I know how important it has been to me and my career, and I want to convey to students that this will be something that’s important for them and their careers too.”

Dr. Charles MurrayDDS, University of Michigan, 1955

“This is something I have been pleased to do for more than a decade. It’s my way of giving back to the dental school for all it did for me when I was a student at Michigan,” says Dr. Charles Murray. A general practitioner in Birmingham, Michigan until his retirement in 1998, Murray was invited to become a member of the Dean’s Faculty about a year before retiring. Twice a week during the winter semester he travels to the School of Dentistry to teach first-year dental students in the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory. “The technology being used to educate students today is certainly more advanced than when I was a student,” he said with a laugh. “Today’s dental students are savvy when it comes to technology and, overall, are very sharp. We’re getting the cream of the crop.” Technology aside, Murray says it’s been interesting to see how the composition of dental classes has changed since when he was a student. “In the 1950s, we had only one female dental student in our classes. But today classes are about half male and half female,” he says. “I think that’s good because dentistry is one of those professions that offers a lot of opportunities to both women and men.” Murray adds that teaching in the preclinic helps him to stay abreast of advances, both technical and scientific. “I enjoy working with the first-year dental students. They’re very appreciative of what you do for them.”

As part of a treatment planning seminar, Dr. Thomas Bloem (center) talks to graduate prosthodontic residents Drs. Zeina Al-Salihi (left) and Dimitrios Chronaios about various private practice perspectives when presenting oral health care options to their patients.

Dr. Charles MurrayPhoto courtesy of Dr. Charles MurrayJerry Mastey

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The U-M School of Dentistry is one of three dental schools nationwide selected to participate in a pilot program designed to increase access to oral health care among underrepresented minorities and low-income groups, develop programs to encourage adolescents from these groups to consider and ultimately pursue careers in the dental profession, and enhance academic-community partnerships. The American Dental Education Association, the national organization that serves dental education, has received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to develop the program. Results from the ADEA-supervised initiative will be shared with the nation’s other 56 dental schools. Building on the success of its community outreach program, the U-M School of Dentistry will increase its activities at sites where its students already provide care – the Bay Mills Health Care Center that serves Native Americans in Brimley, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula; the other at a community based dental clinic in Washtenaw County. The pilot program began in August and will continue for 18 months. “This program seeks to improve the oral health of traditionally underserved minorities,” said Dr. Stephen Stefanac, associate dean for patient services, whose office supervises the School’s outreach program. “But this initiative also offers something new, recruitment through engagement,” he added.

Recruitment through Engagement Another goal of the initiative, Stefanac said, is to encourage more middle school and high school students to pursue a career in oral health care and foster mentoring relationships among those students, dental students, and staff members at the community clinics. “By building relationships and becoming engaged in health education activities with our dental and dental hygiene students who work side by side with dentists, hygienists, and staff at community clinics, we hope these adolescents will be inspired to seriously consider becoming oral health care professionals.” The two other dental schools selected for the pilot program were the Howard College of Dentistry in Washington, D.C. and the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.

School of Dentistry Selected for Pilot Program

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School of Dentistry histologist Chris Strayhorn holds an encased sample of a molar from a 40,000-year-old baby wooly mammoth whose remains were discovered and featured on television and in National Geographic magazine.

“It’s definitely the coolest thing I’ve done because the tooth I looked at was 40,000 years old,” said Christopher Strayhorn as he talked about his role in “The Baby Mammoth Project” that was featured on the National Geographic Channel and was the cover story in the May issue of National Geographic magazine. Strayhorn, a histologist in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, analyzed portions of the creature’s molars, small intestine, and other tissues at the request of U-M paleontologist Dr. Daniel Fisher. The baby mammoth, known as Lyuba, was discovered on a riverbank in northwest Siberia about two years ago. The discovery excited Fisher, whose research was funded by National Geographic, because of what he described as “the quality and completeness of her preservation. No other specimen preserves this much of the original anatomy.” Strayhorn said after he received tissue specimens from Fisher, he cut small sections of the specimens and stained them to make cellular features more apparent. “Usually I’m doing this same work on rodent teeth and bones, but this was unlike anything I’ve done in the 17 years I have been here,” he said. “A couple of years ago, I examined the tusks of a mammoth that was about 10,000 years old. But now I was looking at teeth more than four times that old.” Strayhorn said of the nearly one dozen tissues he examined, “the teeth were, by far, the most exciting specimens to look at. Since we examine a lot of teeth, we know that they don’t change over time, even though surrounding tissues do,” he said. Strayhorn added that as he examined another tissue sample, an intestine, he discovered a blade of grass that was also the same age. You can read more about Lyuba, the baby mammoth, and role of U-M paleontologistDaniel Fisher at “BabyMammoth StudiesValidateU-MResearcher’s Techniques” at www.dent.umich.edu/news/current.

Definitely the Coolest Thing I’ve Done

Dental School Histologist Discusses His Role with “Baby Mammoth Project”

Jerry Mastey

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early 100 School of Dentistry emeritus alumni returned to their alma mater September 24, 25, and 26 to renew acquaintances and par t ic ipate in Homecoming Weekend activities. The

group included 66 graduates of the Dental Class of 1959 and 29 members of the dental hygiene class. The emeritus alumni were presented with medallions by Dean Peter Polverini. Later, they toured the Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory and saw how today’s dental students are using technology to enhance their education. Following a class picture in the Kellogg Building lobby, there was a luncheon in the Sindecuse Atrium prior to the induction of three former faculty members into the School’s Hall of Honor. Other events included Friday’s Morawa Lecture and a Homecoming Gala honoring nearly 350 dental and dental hygiene alumni. On Saturday, many alumni and their spouses participated in theAlumniAssociation’sGoBlue!Tailgate and watched Michigan defeat Indiana 36-33.

Jerry Mastey

ALUMNI RELATIONS

Alumni Return for Homecoming Weekend

(Top) Dr. Robert Galin was among the emeritus alumni who received a medallion and congratulations from Dean Peter Polverini.

(Bottom) After receiving their medallions, emeritus alumni gathered in the lobby of the Kellogg Building for their 50-year class reunion photo.

Call Photography

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Three prominent former faculty members were posthumously inducted into the School’s Hall of Honor. Dr. Robert Lorey, Professor Albert Richards, and Ms. Frances Shook were enshrined for their lifetime contributions to U-M and the oral health care profession. Lorey and Richards taught for more than 40 years. Shook was a member of the School’s first dental hygiene graduating class in 1922 and a founder of the Michigan Dental Hygienists’ Association. Forty-one men and women have been inducted into the School’s Hall of Honor since it was established in 2003.

3 Inducted into Hall of Honor

Eric Lorey, the son of the late Dr. Robert Lorey, and Dr. Ron Schaffer, a fellow classmate of Dr. Lorey.

Stohler Receives Distinguished Service

Award Dr. Christian Stohler, world renowned researcher and former chair of the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Alumni Society Board of Governors. The award recognizes and honors a living person who has made outstanding contributions to the U-M School of Dentistry, the dental profession, or the Society. Dean at the University of Maryland Baltimore College of Dental Surgery since 2003, Stohler was with the University of Michigan School of Dentistry for more than 20 years. During that time, he conducted extensive research on pain, including its causes and manifestations, its effects on jaw functions, and how oral health care professionals can help patients experiencing the malady. Stohler has returned to Michigan several times, including delivering a keynote address about pain in February 2007 during the School’s annual Research Day program.

Dr. Christian Stohler received the Distinguished Service Award during Homecoming Weekend activities. Dr. Charlotte Mistretta, professor and associate dean for Research and PhD Training, highlighted his achievements before the award was presented.

Kathleen Richards (right), the daughter of the late Prof. Albert Richards, and Dr. Sharon Brooks, hold a replica of the plaque citing his achievements.

Call Photography

Call Photography

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ALUMNI RELATIONS

He knew he was in good hands from the start. How could he not be? He taught them everything they knew about restorative dentistry. Dr. Joseph Clayton, who taught graduate dentistry in fixed prosthodontics at U-M for 25 years until his retirement in 1996, recently had to travel from his home in Bonita Springs, Florida, to Canada, and then back to Florida for follow-up care for six implants. Maintaining frequent contact with former students as he has for many years, Clayton, now 79, needed some complex dental work to replace several missing posterior teeth. Knowing what needed to be done, he traveled to Windsor, Ontario, where one of his former students, Dr. Herman Kupeyan (MS, prosthodontics, 1983), installed the implants. Clayton returned to Florida and received follow-up treatment from another former student, Dr. Marie Gale (MS, prosthodontics, 1982). Recently, the three had an opportunity to reunite while Kupeyan was on vacation in Florida. Clayton, Gale, and Kupeyan met at Gale’s office in Ft. Myers to review the dental work…and, of course, reminisce about their days at the School of Dentistry. They also paused for this photo outside Gale’s office.

ClaytonScholarship

Whenhe retired,Dr. JosephClaytongiftedmorethan$100,000totheU-MSchool of Dentistry to establish the Dr. Joseph A. Clayton Graduate Scholarship Fund. Each year, the Fund awardsa$5,000 scholarship tooneormorestudents in the graduate prosthodontics program.

2009-2010 RecipientsFor the 2009-2010 academic year,scholarships were awarded to Quinn ChanandCarlPogoncheff. Chan earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the UniversityofVirginiain1999,amaster’sin biotechnology from Johns Hopkins in2003,aDMDfromTuftsin2007,andcompleted a one-year AEGD residency at the University of Connecticut in 2008. He was a prosthodontics instructor at Tufts before coming to Michigan. Pogoncheff earned a bachelor’s degree from U-M in 2005 and his dental degree from the School of Dentistry this spring. As adental student, hereceived several awards including the Francis B. Vedder Award and the American College of Prosthodontists Undergraduate Achievement Award.

Previous Recipients2008-2009 Clayton Scholarships have been awarded to Dr. Ibrahim Al-Munif,EmilyGiroux,andJenniferSuh.PreviousrecipientsincludeEmilyGiroux(2007-2008),JenniferSuh(2006-2007),GeorgeWeiChihWu(2005-2006),AverilMearnic (2004-2005),BryanWilliams(2003-2004),RobSchumacher (2002-2003),Karen-LeeJonesStewart(2001-2002).

Former Instructor Becomes Patient…Reunites with

Former StudentsDr. Joseph Clayton’s Journey

Drs. Herman Kupeyan, Joseph Clayton, and Marie Gale.

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Looking For Leaders!Alumni Society Board of Governors

Here’syourchancetomakeadifference.InSeptember2010fivememberswillbeelectedtotheU-MSchoolofDentistry’s Alumni Society Board of Governors. The group will include four dentistry graduates and one dental hygiene graduate. All will serve a three-year term. This is a perfect opportunity for you to become involved with theSchool,buildrelationshipswithstudents,faculty,andstaff,andperformaworthwhileandsatisfyingpublicservice.Ifyou’reinterestedinserving,orifyouwouldliketonominatesomeone,sendintheformbelow.Intheeventmorethan10individualsarenominated,theBoard’snominatingcommitteewillselectarepresentativeslate.

I nominate for the Board: ___________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Class Year (s): _____________________________________________________________

Address (if known): ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2nd name: _______________________________________________________________

Class Year (s): _____________________________________________________________

Address (if known): ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

If you nominate yourself, please send your biography (45 words or less) on a separate sheet of paper. However, because of time constraints on our staff and limited space in the magazine, we cannot accept a CV. Instead, please take a few moments to highlight what you consider are major achievements, whether personal or professional.

Returntheform,andyourbiographyifyou’renominatingyourself,to:Carrie TownsOfficeofAlumniRelationsUniversity of Michigan School of Dentistry540E.Liberty,Suite204AnnArbor,MI48104

Nominations must be received at the School of Dentistry by January 31, 2010.

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STUDENTS

ne hundred five first-year dental students were welcomed into the dental profession during the School’s eighth annual White Coat Ceremony at Rackham Auditorium on September

25. Welcoming the students and reminding them of their obligations to their patients and the profession in his keynote address was Dr. William Wright, president of the Michigan Dental Association. Wright earned his dental degree from U-M in 1975 and a master’s degree in orthodontics, also from U-M, in 1984. After receiving their white coats, the dental students recited an oath promising to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, care and excellence. The 62 men and 43 women who are members of the Dental Class of 2013 were selected from 2,098 applicants. Fifty-one are Michigan residents, 54 are from out of state. Their average age is 24.

New Dental Students Receive

White Coats

(Left) Dr. William Wright, president of the Michigan Dental Association, welcomed first-year dental students into the oral health care profession at this fall’s White Coat Ceremony.

(Below) William Ballard beams after receiving his white coat.Call Photography

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t seems we saw everyone in the community,” said dental student Sara Arnold with a smile as she discussed the oral health care she

and other U-M dental students provided in Hagley Gap, Jamaica, last winter. Arnold, a third-year dental student, and two dentists, Drs. Bill and Therese Shortt, who both earned dental degrees from U-M in 1987, participated in a School-approved outreach initiative in February in the village located about 10 miles east of Kingston. Arnold and other dental students were in the Caribbean nation as part of a University-wide collaboration called Students for Jamaica. The group is an interdisciplinary partnership of U-M students who want to make a difference in developing countries by providing dental and medical care as well as other services ranging from infrastructure improvements to economic development. During the week they were in Jamaica, the dental students examined more than 300 patients, extracted 527 teeth, and also educated children, adolescents, and parents about simple,

(Above left) “Open your mouth as big as a lion so I can take a look at your teeth” dental student Sara Arnold tells this 4 year old.

(Above) For learning to sing “Hail to the Victors” taught by U-M dental students, this 4 year old was rewarded with a Maize Rage tee shirt.

yet effective, oral hygiene practices that they could do on a daily basis to minimize caries. Dental students walked to clinics from their host homes in the community to see patients beginning at 8 o’clock every morning. “Most of the time, there were lines of patients waiting to be seen when we arrived,” Arnold said. “For most of the children and many adults, this was the first time they were seeing a dentist.” Following a quick 15- or 20-minute break for lunch, the dental students treated patients until five o’clock. The Blue Mountain Project, a nonprofit organization that provides health care, education, and other programs to residents of Hagley Gap, hosted the dental students and chose the families the dental students stayed with during the trip. “The families cooked dinner for us and then we went to the town square for some music and dancing. But were always in bed by eight o’clock because we were going, virtually nonstop, every day,” Arnold said. “It was an amazing experience, and I’m looking forward to returning.”

u-m dental students in

Photos courtesy of Sara Arnold

R E A C H O U T

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The Class of 2009

Includes those who completed formal requirementsandthoseto receive degrees orcertificatesaftercompleting their formal requirements.

• 116DDSdegrees• 26BachelorofScience, Dental Hygiene• 25MasterofScience– DentalHygiene, Endodontics,Prostho- dontics,Restorative Dentistry,Orthodontics, Periodontics,Pediatric Dentistry• 2Certificatesin Periodontics• 1Ph.D.,OralHealth Sciences

ral health care is no longer only the concern of a dentist or specialist about his or her patients. It’s now something much bigger – a global concern that will require the attention and action among all oral health care professionals.

That was the message to University of Michigan School of Dentistry graduates at commencement ceremonies at Hill Auditorium in May from a U-M professor who has spent his life researching the health of groups of individuals around the world. Dr. Sandro Galea, director of the Center for Global Health and a professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health, told graduates, “Oral health is inextricably linked to all other aspects of health…and you will play a central role in promoting oral health in the 21st century.” Also a research professor at the U-M Institute for Social Research, Galea told graduates “the well being of each and every one of us in this auditorium is increasingly dependent on the welfare of others around the world.” Citing advances in global investment, trade, and technology that have improved the lives of millions worldwide, Galea said these forces have also led to greater disparities in health in general and oral health in particular. Saying the world is becoming smaller and even more interconnected, he said “globalization is unstoppable.” Describing the relationship between oral health and development as “complex,” Galea said “the best estimates are that three in four people throughout the world do not have access to adequate oral health care.” He urged graduates to get involved in addressing disparities “because as health care providers we have a moral imperative to reduce human suffering. Your training has given you knowledge and ability to make life better for people from all walks of life.” Beyond ethical obligations, Galea said the goal of improving the oral health of people worldwide “is motivated by the interdependence between all countries. Better health for one nation is better health for everybody.” Telling students they were finishing their studies “at one of the best dental schools in the world,” Galea said he hoped all graduates would be involved in global health “as a health professional and as a citizen of the world.”

Think, Act Locally…and Globally

Dentistry Graduates Challenged:

All photos Per Kjeldsen

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Irene Haddock and her mother,Dr.SusanHaddock(DDS 1983)

Andrea Fraser and her father,Dr.JamesFraser(DDS 1977)

Trevor Hartwell and his father,Dr.BrianHartwell(DDS 1969)

StevenJaffeandhisfather,Dr.JeffreyJaffe(DDS1979)

JamieLuriaandhisfather,Dr. Mark Luria (DDS 1978)

TimothyWentzloffandhisfather,Dr.DaleWentzloff(DDS 1971)

CarlPogoncheffandhisfather,Dr.MetodiPogoncheff(DDS1976)

LindseyWurtzelandherfather,Dr.DonaldWurtzel(DDS 1981)

ChadZillichandhisfather,Dr.RichardZillich(DDS 1970)

Eight fathers and one mother who earned dental degrees from the U-M School of Dentistry hooded a son or daughter before their grad-uate walked across the Hill Auditorium stage to receive a diploma. The students and their parents were:

ALUMNI HOOD SONS, DAUGHTER

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P R O F I L E

His father was an anesthetist and, for about two years, the only one in the western Upper Peninsula town of Bessemer, Michigan. His mother was a nurse. So, naturally, from an early age, Paul Krebsbach thought about becoming a physician. “But since my dad was the only anesthetist covering that part of the state and on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, I began thinking about a career in dentistry,” Krebsbach said. “Dentistry seemed to be more interesting and more fun because you could combine science and art and set your own office hours.” But doubts about becoming a dentist surfaced during Krebsbach’s first year in dental school. “The science was not as deep as I had hoped,” he said. “I spent a lot of time memorizing information, but wanted to do more than memorize what I read in a book. I wanted to be more hands-on and do science that someday would be

Per Kjeldsen

Working to Take Science and Dental Education in New Directions

published in the textbooks that dental students were reading.” Following a conversation with Dr. Robert Gorlin, a prominent Minnesota pathologist who convinced him to participate in a summer research program, Krebsbach remained in dental school and graduated with his DDS in 1987. “I was in the early stage of my dental school education, and couldn’t see beyond my efforts in the preclinical labs,” Krebsbach said. “Dr. Gorlin opened my eyes to a broad range of possibilities that included more in depth science and research. These opportunities reshaped my attitude and career aspirations and led to a rewarding career that includes teaching, practicing dentistry, and scholarship.”

NIH: “Felt Like a Kid in a Candy Store” He then traveled to the east coast and in 1993 earned both a certificate in periodontolog y and a PhD in biological sciences at the University of Connecticut. Krebsbach also became an attendingperiodontistattheVeteransAdministration Hospital in Newington, Connecticut, and was in private practice for three years in Laurel, Maryland. “I enjoyed being a clinician, but didn’t have the experience I needed to become a research scientist, so I jumped at a post-doctoral fellowship opportunity at the National Institutes of Health,” he said. “During the three years I was there (1993-1996), I felt like a kid in a candy store. It’s the best place in the world to do basic science research.” Krebsbach said he took advantage of opportunities to collaborate with other principal investigators. “I’m especially grateful to three of my mentors at NIH, Yoshi Yamada, Ken Yamada, and Pam Roby,” he said.

FACULTY

“I saw coming to Michigan as an opportunity for

me to broaden my credentials and to interact with

experienced faculty, not just at the

dental school, but with other units on

campus.”

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As Krebsbach was considering his next steps and wrapping up his work at NIH in 1996, he met Dr. Peter Polverini, who chaired the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology. Polverini urged Krebsbach to visit Ann Arbor and decide if Michigan might be a good fit for him and his research plans. It was. Krebsbach said several factors influenced his decision. “I saw coming to Michigan as an opportunity to broaden my credentials and to interact with experienced faculty, not just at the dental school, but with other units on campus,” he said. “I was impressed with the dental school’s emphasis on ‘the big picture.’ That is, this School sees itself being connected to other units, such as medicine and engineering. I thought Michigan would give me the opportunities I wanted to not only conduct research, but also teach and be involved with those other schools and colleges here.” In March 2005, Krebsbach was named chair of the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences and the Division of Prosthodontics by Polverini who, two years earlier, returned to the School of Dentistry to become dean. As chair, Krebsbach directs a department with 36 faculty members, 26 adjunct faculty, and 86 staff.

Stem Cell Research, Tissue Regeneration “It was a major transition from managing a handful of people in a laboratory to managing so many more as department chair,” he said with a laugh. “But I enjoy the challenge of running a complex scientific and clinical operation.” In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Krebsbach also mentors PhD students and postdoctoral fellows,

teaches at U-M Hospital, and does research in the areas of embryonic and adult stem cells and tissue engineering and regeneration. “We’re conducting embryonic and adult stem cell research to understand how a stem cell either remains a stem cell or becomes a more specialized type of cell,” he said. Asked what role the School of Dentistry would have in the new U-M consortium to create new embryonic stem cell lines that was announced in the spring, Krebsbach said, “it’s too early to tell, but several dental school faculty members will have the opportunity to contribute.” As for tissue engineering and regeneration research, he said he and other researchers are “trying to take the knowledge discovered in recent years and develop new tissues for patients to replace those that may have been damaged or lost.” In the past, Krebsbach said that research “might have focused on regenerating a single tissue, such as bone or cartilage, but our current work is much more complex because these tissues don’t exist in isolation.” Describing some of the research being conducted, Krebsbach said “we are developing methods to spatially control how growth factors and genes are delivered from biomaterials to regenerate the interfaces between tissues, like the bone and cartilage interface of an articulating joint.” He added that these approaches will require incorporating concepts from both biology and engineering. “Consequently, the work requires collaboration with scientists with different backgrounds. That’s what makes it fun,” he said. Asked how soon it might be before that laboratory research might be used by dentists in their offices, Krebsbach said it would take time. “Already,

gene therapy trials are underway and in other instances proteins are being delivered from materials and are currently used in clinics. But as we learn more, new questions arise that need answers.”

Rewards of Teaching, Benefits to Students M e n t o r i n g P h D s t u d e n t s and teaching at the U-M Hospital complement K rebsbach ’s o ther duties. “I am a teacher, a scientist, an administrator, and a mentor, so as a result, I’m super busy. But I enjoy that,” he said. “What’s especially gratifying is to see a student who takes the information from a classroom lecture or research laboratory or clinic, understands it, and comes up with what I call ‘the total picture.’ What’s even more impressive is when the student takes that information and begins exploring in new directions,” he said. “When that happens,” Krebsbach said, “It shows we have done our job as teachers or

Dr. Paul Krebsbach explains some of the innovative ideas the committee is discussing to reshape education to the Alumni Society Board of Governors.

Per Kjeldsen

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FACULTY

Dr. Lysle Johnston, Jr., who chaired the School of Dentistry’s D e p a r t m e n t o f O r tho dont ics and

Pediatric Dentistry, directed the graduate orthodontics program from 1991-2004, and who was the Robert W. Browne Professor of Dentistry, was honored by the Ohio Dental Association for his 50 years of contributions to orthodontics. Johnston received the prestigious Callahan Memorial Award during this year’s Callahan Celebration of Excellence in Columbus, Ohio. The award is named for John Ross Callahan, a noted Ohio dental researcher and leader in organized dentistry. Established by the association in 1920, committee members consider the achievements and contributions of nominees worldwide before selecting a recipient. Dr. Sunil Kapila, current chair of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, lauded Johnston as “an exceptional intellectual who has continued to challenge his students and the profession. Lysle has always sustained a superior level of excellence as a teacher and scholar, and has set a high standard for future generations of educators. For all these reasons, he is highly deserving of the Callahan Memorial Award,” Kapila said. Johnston earned his DDS from U-M in 1961 and a Master of Science degree in orthodontics in 1964. He

as mentors and that a student has confidence to think independently and go in a new or different direction.”

Giving Direction to the Dean’s Vision Krebsbach is doing some of that himself. Aschairof thedean’sVisionImplementation Steering Committee, he is investigating possible new opportunities for dental educators and new directions for dental education. S i n c e D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 8 , t h e committee has been meeting weekly to take the findings of the Strategic Assessment Facilitating Committee and implement Dean Peter Polverini’s directive to create the dental school of the future. Key elements include continuing the School’s tradition of excellence while also developing innovative approaches to classroom education, clinical instruction, research, and outreach that could reshape dental education and the profession of dentistry itself. “Soon we will have recommendations that we can begin implementing,” he said. When he’s away from the dental school, Krebsbach relaxes playing baseball with his children and playing the piano. “I’ve been taking lessons for four or five years. I enjoy the blues and jazz, especially improvisational jazz.” Krebsbach sees a connection between his new leisure pursuit and his work. “When I was studying for my dental degree, I didn’t want to just memorize someone else’s science, I wanted to make new discoveries and take science in new directions. That’s innovation. It’s like playing jazz because you learn the basics and then see what happens when you go in a different direction.”

PROFILEFaculty News

Dr. Lysle Johnston Receives Callahan Memorial Awardfor 50 Years of Contributions to Orthodontics

received the School of Dentistry’s Distinguished Service Award during graduation ceremonies in May 2005 for his contributions to U-M, the School, and orthodontics. Johnston is the recipient of numerous honors, most notably the Albert H. Ketcham Award from the American Board of Orthodontics, the 5th International Award of the Italian Society of Orthodontists and the Dewel Award of the American Association of Orthodontics. H e h a s d e l i v e r e d t h e Mershon and Salzmann Lectures of the American Association of Orthodontics, the Angle Memorial Lecture of the E.H. Angle Society of Orthodontists (twice), the Northcroft Lecture of the British Society for the Study of Orthodontics and the Arthur Thornton Taylor Memorial Lecture of the Australian Society of Orthodontics. He is a fellow of both the American and International Colleges of Dentists and, by election, a fellow in dental surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Johnston has served on the editorial boards of a number of journals, including the American Journal of Orthodontics, Dentofacial Orthopedics and the [British] Journal of Orthodontics. He was also a member of the Oral Biology and Medicine Study Section of the National Institutes of Health and a director of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists.

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Faculty Promotions

Five U-M School of Dentistry faculty members were promoted during the meeting of U-M Regents in May. The promotions were effective September 1.

Tenure Track Vesa M. Kaartinen, MS, PhD,promoted to associate professor of dentistry, with tenure; Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences.

George W. Taylor, DMD, DrPH, promoted to professor of dentistry, w ith tenure ; Depar tment o f Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics.

Clinical Track Rodrigo de Faria Neiva, DDS, MS, promoted to clinical associate p r o f e s s o r ; D e p a r t m e n t o f Periodontics and Oral Medicine.

Samuel Zwetchkenbaum, DDS, MPH, promoted to clinical associate professor; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry.

Joint Appointments Jacques E. Nör, DDS, MS, PhD, Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, promoted to professor of otorhinolaryngology, without tenure, in the Medical School.

Richards Receives AAP Teaching Award

Dr. Philip Richards, clinical professor of dentistry in the Depar tment of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, has received the

American Academy of Periodontology’s Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring Award for 2009. The organization’s major teaching award was presented to Richards, who also directs the School’s predoctoral periodontics curriculum, during the School’s convocation program in late August. According to department chair, Dr. Laurie McCauley, the award “is given to the periodontal educator who has demonstrated a commitment to excellence” and conveys knowledge and enthusiasm to students in clinics. Richards also received the award in 2005. “ T h i s aw a rd h a s s p e c i a l significance for me because it’s based on nominations and votes of support from faculty members who are my colleagues in this department,” Richards said. Richards talked about his ability to “connect” with students in a feature that appeared in the Fall 2002 issue of DentalUM, the School of Dentistry’s alumni magazine. “I really work hard to treat students as professional colleagues from day one,” he said. The students notice and appreciate his commitment to excellence, both in the classroom and in clinics. Many

students have praised Richards for “his passion for educating students,” “treating us as colleagues,” and “his willingness and ability to share his knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for dentistry.” Richards, who earned his dental degree from U-M in 1984 and a master’s degree in periodontics four years later, has received numerous teaching awards from students. Ten times he received the School’s Paul Gibbons Award for outstanding teaching and 11 times was named Instructor of the Year.

Sohn Elected APHAGoverning Counselor

Dr. Woosung Sohn, assistant professor in the Department o f C a r i o l o g y , R e s t o r a t i v e S c i e n c e s , a n d Endodontics, has

been elected a Governing Counselor in the Oral Health Section of the American Public Health Association. His two-year term begins in November at the conclusion of APHA’s annual meeting in Philadelphia. In his role, Sohn will work with other members of the Oral Health Section and APHA’s Governing Council, the association’s legislative body. However, Sohn added he plans to use his election “as an opportunity to inform students and faculty at the dental school about the work of the APHA in general and the Oral Health Section in particular.”

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ALUMNI RELATIONS

P R O F I L E

“It’s the ultimate compliment when your child tells you they want to enter your profession,” said Dr. Lee Jones as he talked about the decision his daughter, Karen, made years ago to become a dentist. Still practicing dentistry, but now part time with his daughter, Lee was also an instructor at the U-M School of Dentistry and director of minority affairs for 25 years before retiring in 1997. Karen-Lee Jones Stewart earned her dental degree from U-M in 1994 and received a certificate in prosthodontics in 2003. Her interest in dentistry began working for her father. “I recall doing odds and ends for dad when he had his office on South State Street in downtown Ann Arbor,” she said. “I remember in eighth grade answering the telephone and even putting coins in parking meters for his patients so they didn’t have to worry.” In high school, Lee took Karen to the School of Dentistry for Career Day and introduced her to many female dental students. “I liked the idea of being your own boss, working with your hands, and helping people,” she said. After graduating from Hampton UniversityinVirginiawithabachelor’sdegree in biology, Karen returned to Michigan. Two years after receiving her dental degree from U-M, she began teaching in the School’s preclinic and also taught clinical foundation courses.

Dental School Teachers, Role Models “As a student, I had some great teachers and role models, including Drs. Emerson Robinson, Andy Koran, Ken May, and Christian Stohler,” she said. “It was Dr. Stohler who urged me to pursue prosthodontics.” After earning her certificate, Karen taught part time for two years in the School’s comprehensive care clinic. “Bob Lorey thought Karen should be a teacher too,” Lee added. “It was a good suggestion, and I’m glad she decided to do that.” Karen said working with her father in his private practice was “a bit of a challenge” because she tried to live up to his high expectations. “But there were benefits too, especially learning the ins and outs of running a business,” she said. “I recorded the cost for supplies, learned how to charge for your services, the importance of collections to keep the business running, and more,” Karen said. “That’s helped me considerably because I know where the money is going and where it’s coming from.” Sage advice from her father – about the importance of becoming involved in organized dentistry with local, state, and national associations – has proved invaluable. In addition to participating in the Michigan Dental Association and the American Dental Association, Karen is involved with the Wolverine Dental

In addition to practicing dentistry in Ann Arbor, Dr. Karen Lee-Jones Stewart is extensively involved with local, state, and national dental associations.

Jerry Mastey

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Society and the National Dental Society. She’s a member of the MDA’s Public Relations Committee that is developing statewide television commercials about good oral health that are scheduled to be aired in the fall. She is also active in the ADA’s Institute for Diversity in Leadership that works to enhance the skills of dentists who have historically been underrepresented in leadership roles. To participate in the Institute, each member had to develop a community leadership project.

Promoting Good Oral Health Locally Working with 10 public libraries in Washtenaw County about three years ago, Karen developed a dental education program for parents and children, customizing each program to reflect the demographics of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, and other communities. She created a package of information for each library to give to patrons about the importance of good oral health, including simple, but effective, steps parents and guardians can take and that children and adolescents can follow. For parents or guardians who were taking a child to the dentist for the first time, for example, she developed a list of what to expect along with follow-up actions they could take after the visit to maintain good oral health. The initiative was so well received that Karen has been invited back to several of the same libraries to speak during Children’s Dental Health Month. She has also spoken about oral health at one of Ann Arbor’s high schools and the elementary schools attended by her daughter, Lee, age 7, and her son, Anthony, age 6. Besides practicing dentistry with

her father, Karen teaches two mornings a week in the School of Dentistry’s Dr. Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory. “Working with the dental students keeps me on my toes,” she said. “Their questions help me to recall information I may not have thought about for some time, and it also helps me better organize my thoughts to more effectively communicate with them.” In May, she participated in her first sprint triathlon in St. Croix. The event included swimming one-half mile, biking eight miles, and running four miles. “The sprint triathlon is a nice introduction to the sport,” she said. “I finished the race in two-and-a-half hours. My goal was to finish, so I’m happy.” Karen said teaching, working at her practice, participating in dental association activities, exercising, and spending time with her family “provides important balance in my life. I couldn’t do as much as I have been able to do without the help and support I receive from my husband, Anthony, a sociology teacher at Ann Arbor Huron High School, his family, and, of course, my father and mother.” Asked if she will try to persuade her son and daughter to carry on the family tradition of becoming a dentist, Karen said, “That will be their choice. I will answer any questions they may have, but, in the end, it will be their decision.”Looking back on her decision to become a dentist, Karen said, “it’s one that has been very rewarding. I have had opportunities I never imagined and have become empowered and gained confidence by overcoming obstacles. It’s a rewarding career. You can educate people of all ages, help people smile, and relieve pain in patients. I can appreciate, even more, why my father continues to love dentistry, even now.”

“I’maseniorcitizen,semi-retired,busy,andlovingit,”saidDr.LeeJones,now75,ashetalkedabouthis life after retiring from the School of Dentistry in 1997. Working three half-days aweek in the practice now run by hisdaughter,Leesaidhetravelswith his wife “once or twice a year,watchesMichiganfootballandbasketballasmuchasIcan,and I also offer advice to the School’s Multicultural Affairs Committee when asked.” Expressingpride inKaren’sprofess ional and personal achievements,Leesaid,“It’sbeenvery rewarding to see her develop as a dentist and as a teacher. She has fulfilled her life doing what she has wanted to do. As a parent,whenyouseeyourchilddoingwell,you feel thatyou’rebeing rewarded too.” Lee said one of his rewards is spending time with his 6-year-old grandson,Anthony,and7-year-oldgranddaughter,Lee. Looking back on his time at theSchoolofDentistry,Leesaid,“Thatwastimewellspent,getting to know and help so manystudents.” Last summer,Lee received the National Dental Association’s Civil Rights Award for his work as director of the School’s Office of MinorityAffairs.

Semi-retired,busy,andloving it

DDS 1961

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ur success is directly linked to our efforts to attract, develop, and retain the right people and the

best people for our department. The Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine (POM) includes the divisions of periodontology (pre-doctoral and graduate); dental hygiene; prevention and geriatrics; and oral pathology, oral medicine, and radiology. We emphasize: 1) performing the highest caliber oral and periodontal research, 2) improving our teaching programs through faculty and course development, and 3) fostering a strong sense of community among our faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Our preeminent research program is strongly grounded in the basic science of tissues that comprise the periodontium. Our clinical research complements our efforts in the graduate periodontics clinic and at the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research (MCOHR). Research in periodontics and oral medicine is distinctive and wide-ranging. It includes strategies for predictable bone regeneration, diagnostic indicators of periodontal disease, predictors of effective therapy,

PERIODONTICSANDORALMEDICINE

methods to control inf lammation, and regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Our department’s Web site, www.dent.umich.edu/pom, has a complete list of faculty research interests and highlights some recent clinical research.

Enhancing Clinical Teaching A major commitment is teaching clinical periodontics. Dr. Robert Eber, our associate chair, says, “The joy of being a dental educator is touching the lives of students, helping them grow as new dental health care providers, and enabling them to provide the best dental care to their patients.” We are constantly seeking ways to enrich and improve clinical teaching. Dr. Phil Richards, our predoctoral periodontics director, chairs a new Clinic Design Committee that is a part of the Dean’s dental education vision initiative. The committee is working to develop a new clinical curriculum for the predoctoral program that is expected to be launched next fall. Committee members include several POM faculty – Prof. Wendy Kerschbaum, Dr. Steve Stefanac, and myself. The new curriculum will involve teams of facul t y and students emphasizing earlier clinical experiences and greater flexibility for students interested in research, public service, dental specialties, or other opportunities. Dr. William Giannobile, professor and director of MCOHR, chairs the Track Team Committee which includes other POM faculty – Drs. Russell Taichman, Marilyn Woolfolk, and Darnell Kaigler. The group is developing tracks for dental students that will take them beyond the traditional dental curriculum to explore opportunities in health care, business, and research.

Faculty Changes We have added to our clinical periodontal teaching staff. Dr. Jill Bashutski (MS, periodontology, 2008), is a full-time clinical assistant professor teaching graduate and pre-doctoral students. Drs. Hector Rios, an assistant professor (MS, periodontology, 2009), and Gustavo Avila (MS, periodontology, 2009), a post-doctoral fellow, recently joined our predoctoral teaching staff. Sadly, we are losing two excellent clinical instructors. Dr. Alden Leib left this summer to teach graduate periodontics at the U-D Mercy. Dr. Susan Friedman recently left due to family commitments. Dr. Fred Burgett officially retired last December after more than 35 years of dedicated service. We will miss these outstanding educators. At the graduate level, we continue to recruit exceptional students. We are committed to developing graduates interested in academic careers while also trying to help clinicians interested in working in the private sector. More than 50% of graduates from our periodontal program in the past ten years are pursuing academic careers. Our periodontal residents have authored numerous papers and book chapters, and have received a record number of awards from the American Academy of Periodontology.

New Program and Help for Practitioners Our oral pathology, medicine, and radiology unit has developed a new educational program, a full-time 36-month program in oral and maxillofacial pathology, which awaits accreditation. The first resident will enroll in July 2010. Students who complete the program receive a certificate

Laurey McCauley

Chair

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in oral and maxillofacial pathology and qualify to take the specialty board exam. Interested candidates will also be able to enroll in a master’s program in dentistry or a PhD program in oral health sciences. Dr. Paul Edwards is the residency program director. For practitioners outside the School of Dentistry, as well as those in-house, we offer a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) service. CBCT is an x-ray technology that produces three-dimensional images of bony structures at ver y high resolution. Dental applications include implant planning, evaluating temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and detecting jaw diseases. Drs. Sharon Brooks and Erika Benavides, board certified oral and maxillofacial radiologists, interpret the scans. For more information, please call the School’s Dental Faculty Associates at (734) 764-3155 or (734) 936-0332.

Encouraging Teaching Excellence We are always working to develop faculty by encouraging them to participate in educational programs, leadership institutes, and sabbaticals. Recently, Dr. Nisha D’Silva completed a six-month sabbatical at the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology with Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan. They studied the use of bioinformatics to evaluate head and neck cancer biology and biomarkers. Dr. Robert Eber was chosen for American Dental Education Association’s Dental Education Leadership Program. Drs. D’Silva and Taichman were members of the inaugural class of the MBA Essentials and Entrepreneurship Program at the Ross School of Business. The program focuses on business fundamentals and offers insights on how to be an entrepreneur. Dr. Preetha Kanjirath completed

the University of Washington’s Summer Institute in Clinical Dental Research Methods which focused on methods that enhance one’s ability to perform clinical research. Dr. Jill Bashutski completed the ADEA Academy for Academic Leadership last year. Dr. Gustavo Avila will complete this program that provides teaching tools for new faculty who are entering academia. Both Jill and Gus had fellowship support from the AAP to attend this program.

Dental Hygiene The past year was one of major change in dental hygiene with the retirement of two long-time and valued faculty members – Joan McGowan (DentalUM, Fall 2008, p. 43) and Susan Pritzel (DentalUM, Spring & Summer 2009, p. 28). As we thanked them for their contributions and said good-bye, we welcomed others. Dr. Susan Taichman and professors Anne Gwozdek and Janet Kinney became full-time faculty members July 1, 2008. As a part-time clinical instructor, Gwozdek was instrumental in creating and implementing the E-Learning Degree Completion Program. As a full-time faculty member, she serves as director of degree completion programs for dental hygiene. Kinney, an assistant professor, is a clinical and didactic instructor who is also active in clinical research studies at the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research. Taichman is also an assistant professor and teaches research methods and scientific communication and provides guidance to dental hygiene students with their annual Research Day presentations. She brings expertise in women’s health research and collaborates with faculty

both within and outside our School. Dental hygiene students have s i g n i f i c a n t l y e x p a n d e d t h e i r involvement in community activities. The program received the Key Award for Outstanding Community Service earlier this year from theHuronValleyBoysand Girls Club. The E-Learning Degree Completion program continues to thrive and gain national recognition. Recently, Gwozdek, Emily Springfield, an instructional technology designer, and Kerschbaum participated in conferences and presentations showcasing this program. The first cohort of students graduates this December. (more online at www.dent.umich.edu/news/current)

Awards & Recognition• SteveStefanacandLaurie

McCauley inducted as Fellows in the International College of Dentists.

• FlaviaPirih(finalist)andJill Bashutski (1st place) namedintheAAPOrbancompetition.

• JuliusBuneknamedafinalistfor the AAP Kramer Award.

• RodrigoNeivanamedafinalistfortheAAPTarrson Fellowship.

• FlaviaPirihandXinLinamedrecipients of the American Association for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Young Investigator Award.

• Dr.XinLireceivedthreeyoung investigator awards intwomonthsfromASBMR,HaroldFrostSunValley,andCancer and Bone Society.

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DH E-Learning Program GetsGlobal Attention

DENTAL HYGIENE

Jerry Mastey

DH Faculty Urge Dexter Council to Approve Water

Fluoridation In May, faculty members from the U-M School of Dentistry were joined by officials from the Michigan Dental Association, Washtenaw District Dental Society, and the Michigan Department of Community Health and persuaded village officials in Dexter, Michigan to fluoridate that community’s water supply. Among those from the School of Dentistry who spoke about the benefits of water fluoridation were Dr. Robert Eber, Dr. Woosung Sohn, Anne Gwozdek, and Mary Layher. Eber told council members that fluoridation would benefit the entire community. “It was exciting to watch this all happen,” Layher said. “I felt proud of my U of M dental network that is so available when needed for these vital issues.” The U-M School of Dentistry has long played a major role in urging communities to add fluoride to their drinking water. In 1945, Dr. Philip Jay, a pioneer in research on the cause and prevention of dental caries, began the tradition by persuading leaders in Grand Rapids to add fluoride to their water supplies. Water fluoridation has been acknowledged by the U.S. Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control “as one of the great public health achievements of the twentieth century.”

Dental HygieneOutstanding Faculty Award

The Dental Hygiene Class of 2009 presented Dr. Susan Taichman with their Outstanding Faculty Award at graduation. An assistant professor of dentistry in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, she is also an assistant

heir voices were heard around the world…and they didn’t even have to leave Ann Arbor. This spring, the dental hygiene’s online E-Learning program received worldwide attention during the annual Technology, Colleges, and Community conference that

showcased how the Internet is fostering collaborative learning, social networking, and best practices. In a conference room in the Kellogg Building, Wendy Kerschbaum, director of the dental hygiene program; Anne Gwozdek, director of the degree completion program; and Emily Springfield, instructional designer, watched as those attending the conference logged on from their respective colleges and universities including Ft. Myers, Florida; Mississauga, Ontario; Liverpool, England and dozens of other locations. “Thisisincredible!”exclaimedGwozdek,whotooktheleadindevelopingthe School’s distance learning program, as the logging-on continued. Moments later, Springfield spoke into a microphone saying, “This is Emily from Ann Arbor with Wendy and Anne. How does this sound?” “Perfect,” came the reply from Honolulu where the program was being coordinated. Using Web-based communication and collaboration software, the three shared their knowledge and experiences developing the School of Dentistry’s dental hygiene online E-Learning program that began in January 2008. “It’s amazing how technology has changed learning for everyone, including educators,” Gwozdek said. “This online conference was a unique experience for all of us, and having the opportunity to share information about our program, courses, and portfolio development with an international audience was both exciting and a privilege.”

Telling the World About It

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research scientist at the School of Dentistry. Class president Metaxia Roumanis said Taichman “introduces dental hygiene students to an aspect of their profession that they may not be aware of – research.” Taichman told the dental hygiene students “you clearly have made the connection that understanding research, along with developing excellent clinical skills, is essential to the practice of dental hygiene.”

DH Students and Faculty Participate in “Smile for Life” Dental hygiene students and faculty joined the University of Michigan community earlier in the year to support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives through cancer research and provide support to those fighting cancer and their loved ones. It was the first time in the history of this event at U-M that the School participated with its “Smile for Life” team. The team’s formation was a collaboration between the leadership of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association and the American Student Dental Association.

U-M Dental HygieneProgram Honored

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s dental hygiene program has been honored for its community involvement and oral health care education. DuringtheHuronValley’sBoysandGirls Club annual Leadership Award Recognition ceremony in the spring, the School received the Key Award for Outstanding Community Service. Club Director Frank Rigger presented the award and praised the School’s

dental hygienists for their continuous involvement with the club during the past six years and expanding the oral health care education initiative from an annual event to a 12-month program. “The School of Dentistry’s dental hygiene program has become an important component of our club and has done much to improve the oral hygiene and overall health of our members,” he said. “We hope to continue this collaboration for many years.”

1st Place in National Competition for DH Student

A graduate student in the School’s dental hygiene program won first place earlier this year at a nationwide student competition sponsored by the American Dental Education Association. Amy Coplen received top honors at the ADEA’s annual session in Phoenix for her winning poster, Dental Hygiene Students’ Knowledge of Genetics in Dentistry: Baseline Measures. She assessed the genetics knowledge of 30 first-year dental hygiene students and 18 fourth-year dental hygiene students. Her projected preceded the launch of the Web-based genetics case simulations for dental hygiene students. These simulations, designed to encourage problem solving, were incorporated into the curriculum last fall.

Students Receive National Appointments

Two U-M dental hygiene students, Lindsey Bolduc and Michelle Washburn, have been selected to serve in national roles with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA). Bolduc, now a fourth-year student, was selected to serve as ADHA District VAlternate StudentDelegate. She

represented dental hygiene students from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky at ADHA’s annual session in Washington, D.C. in June. In addition to attending all sessions of the ADHA’s House of Delegates, Bolduc will participate in district and student caucus meetings at the annual session and attend educational and networking events. Washburn, also a fourth-year student, is a member of the ADHA Student Advisory Board. Washburn, along with three other students chosen by ADHA’s president from a national pool of applicants, assists the ADHA Council on Student Relations in planning the student track of ADHA’s annual session.

The late Frances Shook was one of three persons posthumously inducted into the School of Dentistry’s Hall of Honor during HomecomingWeekend.HoldingareplicaofaplaquedescribingShook’s achievements are Mary Layher(left),andMelvaBaxterwhoearnedacertificateindentalhygiene from the School of Dentistry in 1950.

Call Photography

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or the second time in five years, a student from the U-M School of Dentistry was selected as one of 42 students from across the nation

to participate in the National Institutes of Health’s prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholars Program. Jane Stieber, who completed her third year of dental studies this spring, participated in the year-long program that began in July. Established in 1985, the program gives outstanding students at U.S. medical and dental schools an opportunity to spend a year on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland conducting basic, translational, or applied biomedical research under the direct mentorship of a senior NIH research scientist. Students can choose a mentor from more than 1,200 tenured or tenure-track intramural scientists working on more than 2,500 research projects. In addition to pursuing her classroom and clinical education, Stieber works in

RESEARCH

Jerry Mastey

the laboratory of Dr. Peter Polverini, dean of the School of Dentistry, assisting in cancer research, specifically angiogenesis. “I want to take full advantage of this one year, once in a lifetime opportunity to decide if I want to pursue a career in research after earning my dental degree,” she said. “Although I have been involved in cancer research, I plan to be flexible and keep an open mind because I may discover when I’m there that there may be another area that might interest me even more.” Participating in the one-year program will delay Stieber’s graduation plans until 2011. “I don’t mind it, however, because I hope my experiences will inspire others to seize opportunities like this to better themselves. One can only do this specific program while they’re a student in a dental, medical, or veterinary program, so, in reality, it’s now or never,” she said. A native of Boyne City, Michigan, Stieber came to the School of Dentistry after earning a bachelor’s degree in

biology from Northern Michigan University in Marquette. Though offered admission for undergraduate studies at U-M and Michigan State, she accepted a full-tuition, full-room and board scholarship from Northern Michigan University, one of only ten students to receive this scholarship. At Northern Michigan, she was a member of the university’s cross-country varsity team and participated in two NCAA Division II championship tournaments. She has run in the Boston Marathon, the Detroit Marathon, and two Bayshore marathons in Traverse City. The first student from the U-M School of Dentistry to be chosen for the program was Karen Likar in 2004.

School of Dentistry Students Receive Major Research Awards

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry continued to be recognized for its research prowess. During the joint meeting of the International Association for Dental Research, the American Association for Dental Research, and the Canadian Association for Dental Research, six students from the School of Dentistry earned major awards for their work. Eighty-five abstracts and talks were presented by U-M researchers at the gathering of dental scientists.

Hatton Awards The Hatton Awards are presented by both AADR and IADR to junior investigators who demonstrate the potential for a successful career in dental research. An AADR committee selected the six best presentations from among 27 who were nominated. The selected six then competed at IADR with other divisional winners.

U-M Dental Student Chosen for Prestigious ProgramStieber Named Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar

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Turki Alhazzazi won both a first place IADR/Hatton Award (senior category) and second place in the AADR/Johnson & Johnson Oral Health Products Hatton Award (senior category) for his poster presentation “SIRT3, Longevity-Promoting Gene, A Novel Therapeutic Target for Oral Cancer.” The five-year survival rate for oral cancer, approximately 50 percent, has not changed in several decades. Alhazzazi, who works in the lab of Dr. Yvonne Kapila, discovered a novel potential therapeutic target for oral cancer. His research and training are supported by NIDCR, NIH grant RO1 DE014429 and funds from the King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Kathleen Neiva received a 1st place in the AADR/Johnson & Johnson Oral Health Products Hatton Award (senior category) for her poster, “Endothelial Cell-Initiated Crosstalk Enhances Tumor Cell Survival and Migration.” Working in the lab of Dr. Jacques Nör, Neiva has been investigating how endothelial cells initiate signaling events that affect tumor cell biology between those cells and head and neck cancer cells. Her research is supported by grant P50-CA97248 (University of Michigan Head & Neck SPORE) from the NIH/NCI, and grants RO1-DE14601, RO1-DE15948, RO1-DE16586, R21-DE19279 from NIDCR, NIH.

Other Awards• Ki-Wan Kim, second-year dental

student – AADR Student Research Fellowship.

• Crystal Rosser, first-year dentalstudent – AADR Student Research Fellowship.

• AnneZiegler,first-yeardentalstudent– AADR Student Research Fellowship.

Gies Award The William Gies Award is presented during the IADR/AADR annual session for the best paper that was published in the Journal of Dental Research during the preceding year. Erica Scheller, a student in the School’s dual degree DDS/Oral health Sciences PhD program, received the award in the field of biological research for her article, “Wnt/Beta-Catenin Inhibits Dental Pulp Stem Cell Differentiation.” Scheller EL, Change J, Wang CY (2008). J Dent Res 87(2):126-30. This research was conducted with Dr. Cun-Yu Wang, now at the UCLA School of Dentistry.

Gene Therapy Appears Safe to Regenerate Gum Tissue

Laura Bailey, U-M News Service

Scientists at the U-M School of Dentistry have developed a method of gene delivery that appears safe for regenerating tooth-supporting gum tissue — a discovery that assuages one of the biggest safety concerns surrounding gene therapy research and tissue engineering. Gene therapy is an accepted, viable therapeutic concept, but safety is a major hurdle, said William Giannobile, professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine. The most notable incident highlighting the safety concerns of gene therapy research and treatment occurred several years ago when a teenager died when given the adenovirus during a gene therapy clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania.

Why U-M Approach is Unique The U-M therapy also uses the adenovirus, Giannobile said, but the

big difference in the U-M approach lies in the local application and much lower dose. Instead of injecting the genes into the blood vessels, where they can then travel through the bloodstream and result in unexpected and sometimes fatal reactions, U-M scientists put the genes on a localized area, directly on the tissue during surgery much like a paste. “What the U-M study showed is the topical method is very well contained and doesn’t distribute throughout the body,” said Giannobile, who also directs the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research and has an appointment at the U-M College of Engineering’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. “This approach alleviates the safety concern about negative reactions within the body. When the teenager died, it got into his bloodstream and he reacted to it. It was tragic. This is the first study of periodontal disease therapy that demonstrates the distribution of these genes is very safe, suggesting that it could be used in the clinic for clinical application.” Giannobile added that his new study “doesn’t look at all the safety concerns, but certainly this is very important to the field. The two clinical applications to date where it shows potential are periodontal disease and diabetic wounds. Maybe the reason for this,” he added, “is that both diseases result from a compromised or a defective healing environment.” The next step for the U-M team is to use the new gene delivery approach in human clinical trials, Giannobile said. The planning stages for these studies will begin next year. The paper, “Adenovirus Encoding Human Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-B Delivered to Alveolar Bone Defects Exhibits Safety and Biodistribution Profiles Favorable for Clinical Use,” is

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RESEARCH

partially available online. It appeared in the May issue of the journal Human Gene Therapy. Co-authors include Po-Chun Chang, Joni Cirelli, Yang-Jo Seol, Qiming Jin, Jim Sugai, Nisha D’Silva and Theodora Danciu. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the AO Foundation.

Neiva ReceivesDziewiatkowski Award

Kathleen Neiva, a PhD student in the School of Dentistry ’s Oral Health Sciences Program, received the Dziewiatkowski Award this year for her novel research focusing on the interaction between endothelial cells and head and neck cancer cells. According to Dr. Jacques Nör, her mentor and professor in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, current angiogenesis research (which focuses on the growth of new blood vessels from existing ones) considers tumor cell initiated events as the dominant and most biologically relevant in stimulating head and neck cancer cells. However, Nör said that Neiva’s research takes an approach that directly opposes conventional thinking. “Her work has shown that vascular cells send signals that increase the survival and invasion of tumor cells,” he said. “These findings may lead to new treatments for head and neck cancers that use drugs which may be able to block this signaling sequence.” Neiva , a Brazi l ian-educated dentist moved to the U.S. in 2001 and began working as a volunteer in Nör’s laboratory a year later. Although she never conducted research before then, Neiva said the more she learned about research, “the more intrigued

I was about this new horizon in my life. I discovered a new passion and realized that more important than providing a beautiful smile to patients was understanding how things work, seeking better diagnoses, treatments, materials, and strategies to help them.” This spring, Neiva received a First Place AADR Hatton Award (senior category) for her work. In June, her work demonstrating strong activation of critical signaling pathways in tumor cells that were initiated by angiogenic endothelial cells was published in the journal Neoplasia. She is a co-author of five other manuscripts detailing her research and discoveries in the Nör lab. E s t a b l i s h e d i n 1 9 8 9 , t h e Dziewiatkowski Award recognizes U-M School of Dentistry students for their research excellence. The annual award is named for Dr. Dominic Dziewiatkowski who taught at the School of Dentistry for 18 years and directed the Dental Research Institute from 1967 to 1972.

Spending Tops $1 Billion at U-M

Annual research spending at the University of Michigan surpassed $1 billion for the first time in 2008-2009, a milestone that highlights the University’s role as an economic resource benefitting the entire state. “It’s an enormous milestone, and the fact that it’s happening in the midst of this recession is all the more important,” says Stephen Forrest, vice president for research.

School Receives FederalStimulus Funds for Research

The School of Dentistry has received nearly $3 million from the federal economic stimulus package known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that was approved by Congress in February. The research grants to the School are among more than $103 million in research funding that has been awarded to various U-M colleges and schools.

Research Day: February 9th

The School of Dentistry’s annual Research Day will be held on Tues., Feb. 9, 2010. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Philip Stashenko, president and CEO of The Forsyth Institute, Harvard University. The topic of his 1:00 p.m. presentation will be: The Role of Research in the Dental School Mission. More than 80 poster presentations by dental, dental hygiene, specialty and PhD students, and post-doctoral fellows are expected. Exhibitors will also attend. (more online at www.dent.umich.edu/news/current)

Kathleen Neiva (center) received the Dziewiatkowski Award this year for her research excellence. With her is her mentor, Dr. Jacques Nör (left) and Jane Damren (right), daughter of the late Dr. Dominic Dziewiatkowski for whom the award is named.

Sarah Hughs

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ALUMNI RELATIONS

Dr. Raymond Gist New ADA President-Elect

School of Dentistry alumnus Dr. Raymond Gist (DDS 1966) has been elected president-elect of the American Dental Association

during the organization’s Annual Session in Honolulu. Gist, who practices general dentistry in Flint, is the first African-American to be elected to the top leadership position of the nation’s largest dental association that represents approximately 156,000 members. When he begins his one-year term on October 13, 2010, Gist will become the first U-M School of Dentistry graduate to serve as ADA president in more than 40 years. The late Dr. Floyd Ostrander served a one-year term from 1967 to 1968. Gist, who has represented Michigan and Wisconsin on the ADA’s Board of Trustees as a member of the Ninth District since 2005, was president of the Michigan Dental Association from 2003-2004. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Gist’s campaign for the ADA presidency was led by Dr. Josef Kolling, an adjunct clinical associate professor of dentistry in the School’s Department of Prosthodontics, who was MDA president from 2005-2006.

Rickert Inducted into Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame

Dr. Jessica Rickert (DDS 1975) was recently inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame as the nation’s first female American

Indian dentist. She received the Life Achievement Award from the Michigan Women’s Studies Association in October. Rickert, who runs a private practice in Interlochen, is a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Through her grandfather, she is a descendent of Chief White Pigeon. A founding member of the Society of American Indian Dentists, she is the author of Exploring Careers in Dentistry, a book published in 1983 that describes the profession and offers advice for those interested in pursuing a career. Rickert is active in the ADA, MDA, the American Association of Women Dentists, the National Association of Professional Women, and was president of the Resort District Dental Society (2001-2002).

U-M Alums Elected to MDA Leadership Posts

Several School of Dentistry alums were elected to leadership roles with the 5,500-member Michigan Dental Association. Elected during the MDA’s 152nd annual meeting were:•William Wright (DDS 1975, MS

orthodontics 1984) of Jackson, president.

•Connie Verhagen (DDS 1986, MS pedodontics 1988) of Muskegon, vice president.

•Debra Peters (DDS 1993) of Grand Rapids, speaker of the house.

•Robert Coleman (DDS 1980, MS endodontics 1987) of Livonia, treasurer.

• Jeffery Johnston (DDS 1982, MS periodontics 1986) of Bloomfield Hills, editor.

Susan E. Hinman (DDS 2004) has been accepted into the endodontics program at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School in Bethesda, Maryland. The program begins next July. Currently stationed at the Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot in South Carolina, Hinman was recently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Neal Smith (DDS 1984), of Bridgman, Michigan, received the Martin Luther King Legacy of Freedom Award earlier this year for his oral health

care outreach initiatives. During the past 30 years, Smith has traveled to Mexico, Zambia, and Romania to

NEWS

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In Memoriam

’38 Dr. Joseph Marceau April 7, 2009; Hanover, New Hampshire After receiving his DDS from U-M, Dr. Marceau was

one of only seven dentists licensed to practice in Vermont in1938. HewasanArmydentistduringWorld War II and later returned to U-M and earned a master’s in orthodontics in 1946. As a dentist he helped establish a school for dental hygienists, traveledacrossVermontdistributingtoothbrushes,

and educated youngsters about the importance of fighting tooth decay. He also convinced communities to introduce fluoride into their water systems and created the “Tooth Fairy” program which paid for oral health care of many of the state’s children. Later, he taught himself to fly so he could travel to treat his patients. He also kept active tending a 2,000 tree apple orchard in South Burlington. In 1999 he was honored bytheStateofVermont’slegislatureforcompleting“anextraordinarycareerthatprofoundlyimprovedthedentalhealthofVermonters.”

’41 Dr. Irving Katzman April 8, 2009; Boca Raton, Florida

’55 Dr. Henry Milczuk January 19, 2009; Berkley, Michigan In addition to treating patients in an office he shared with his practicing

partner of 27 years, Dr. Arthur Hamparian, Dr. Milczuk also practiced special care dentistry treating patients in nursing homes and traveled to the homes of medically compromised patients in southeastern Michigan. A member of the U-M football team during his freshman year,MilczuklaterservedasatreasureroftheVictor’sClub.ACivilWar enthusiast, he frequently traveled to Civil War sites and talked to groups about how that war led to changes in how dentistry and medicine were practiced. (Editor’s note: The previous issue of DentalUM incorrectly noted the death of Dr. Hamparian.)

’59 Dr. Richard Courtney (MS ’67, oral pathology) June 5, 2009; Grosse Point Farms, Michigan After earning his dental degree from U-M, Dr. Courtney served three

years in the U.S. Naval Dental Corps and then spent two years in general practice. He completed his oral pathology training at the U-M Medical Center, received his master’s degree in 1967, and returned to U-M in 1975 as an associate professor of pathology and instructor at the Medical School. He was later promoted to professor in oral pathology at the School of Dentistry and assistant professor in the Medical School. In 1977 he became chair of the Department of Oral Pathology. He also chaired the Committee on Cancer Control of the Michigan Dental Association, was a director of the American Board of Oral Pathology, and a member of the Clinical Cancer Training Committee of the National Cancer Institute.

’61 Dr. Alan Welty (MS ’63, oral diagnosis) May 27, 2009; Corunna, Michigan

’64 Dr. Frederick L. Roeser September 8, 2009; Clarkston, Michigan

provide dental care and has also established seven self-sustaining dental clinics, mentored more than a dozen dentists in former western Soviet Union states, and lectured to dentists in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.

Frederick Muenchinger (DDS 1970, MS prosthodontics 1972), of Tampa, Florida, was installed as president of the Hillsborough County Dental Association (Tampa) in May. A founder, charter member, and past president of the Michigan Society of Prostho-dontists, Dr. Muenchinger is also a past president of the Florida Prosthodontic Association, past president of the Southeastern Academy of Prosthodontics, fellow and past board member of the American College of Prosthodontists, and fellow of the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He was a clinical instructor and assistant professor from 1970-1975 at the U-M School of Dentistry.

NEWS

Upcoming Continuing Dental Education Courses

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

University of Michigan School of DentistryOffice of Continuing Dental Education

1011 N. University Ave.Room G508

Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078Call 734-763-5070 or 734-763-5171

www.dent.umich.edu/alumni/cde

37th Annual Moyers SymposiumEfficient & Effective Tooth Movement:Evidence-Based OrthodonticsFebruary 27 & 28, 2010 (Saturday & Sunday) Orthodontists may benefit from new technologies and protocols designed to hasten tooth movement, streamline treatment, and improve outcomes. This year’s Symposium will focus on the biology and biomechanics of teeth, with an emphasis on effectiveness and efficiency.

NEWBreaking Dental Myths Using Computer-Based Resources & Evidence-Based Resources: Hands-On for the Over 40 CrowdApril 23, 2010 (Friday)Participants will “learn by doing” – searching for and evaluating information on the Internet from a medical database such as PubMed or the Cochrane Report. Repeated queries will enable participants to determine how much they should trust information they retrieve when they are online.

University of Michigan School

of Dentistry Continuing Dental

Education is going PAPERLESS.

BLUE goes GREEN

ALL CE course registrations

MUST be completed online

and paid by credit card only.

Visit our Web site at:

www.dent.umich.edu/alumni/cde

If you have any questions,

please call 734-763-5070

GO BLUE ONLINE!

www.dent.um ich.edu/alumni/cde