FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY

Victors for Michigan Victors for Dentistry

DH E-Learning Program

Alumnus Profile: Dr. Frank Alley

Research Day 2014

Spring & Summer 2014

Thank you, Delta Dental!

Dear Alumni and Friends:

I love the seasons we experience in Michigan. The winter of 2014 may have been a tough one, but we made it, which makes the rewards of spring even more exquisite. I am also enjoying the promise that is everywhere at the School of Dentistry.

The promise of the bright future of dentistry is exemplified in the recent commitment to the School and dental education shown by the Delta Dental Foundation. Please be sure to read about the $2 million gift the Delta Dental Foundation has so generously provided to fund the Delta Dental of Michigan Integrated Special Care Clinic. The School is grateful for this incredible gift and the promise it holds for our students as they learn to treat patients with special needs in this new clinic. This $2 million gift is among the lead gifts that have helped us launch our Victors for Michigan - Victors for Dentistry campaign.

You may recall the University launched Victors for Michigan as the most ambi-tious fundraising campaign to date, $4 billion. The School of Dentistry is an integral part of this important campus initiative. I hope you have had a chance to review the campaign case statement mailed to you in January. The case statement highlights our goals and priorities and the promise a successful campaign holds for the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Our top priority for the campaign is student support. A demanding year-round class schedule has made it virtually impossible for students to work, even part time. Our promise to our students is to do everything we can to reduce their debt burden by increasing scholarships and fellowships.

Other campaign priorities include:

renovationofoutdatedclinicalspaces supportfornewlearninginitiativesandexpandedclinicalopportunities facultyenrichmentexperiencestoimproveteaching supportforcontinuedtop-tierresearchinitiatives

You can learn more about other Victors for Dentistry giving opportunities at www.bit.ly/giving2dentistry. Select Campaign Case Statement to read about the campaign goals and priorities of our campaign.

Your support is vitally important and will allow us to maintain our position as the leaders and the best in dentistry. My husband and I are Victors for Dentistry as are many other faculty and alumni. Please join us!

Kind regardsand Go Blue!

Dr. Laurie K. McCauley Dean

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Spring & Summer 2014 Volume 30, Number 1

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 1218, 1011 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078

Dean .......................................................Laurie McCauleyDirector of Communications..................Sharon Grayden Writer & Editor ............................................. Jerry MasteyDesigner ......................................................... Ken Rieger

The Regents of the University: Mark J. Bernstein, Julia Donovan Darlow, Laurence B. Deitch, Shauna Ryder Diggs, Denise Ilitch, Andrea Fischer Newman, Andrew C. Richner, Katherine E. White, Mary Sue Coleman, ex officio

University of Michigan School of DentistryAlumni Society Board of Governors:

Terms Expire 2014:Frank Alley, 81 DDS, Portage, MIMichael Cerminaro, 86 DDS, Muskegon, MISondra Moore Gunn, 78 DDS, 80 MS, Ann Arbor, MIJackie Solberg, 86 DH, Grand Rapids, MIM.H. Reggie VanderVeen (chair), 76 DDS, Grand Rapids, MI

Terms Expire 2015:Sheree Duff, 80 BSDH, 91 MS, Grand Blanc, MIWayne Olsen, 81 DDS, Traverse City, MIMichael Palaszek, 82 DDS, Grand Rapids, MICarl Pogoncheff, 09 DDS, 12 MS, Lansing, MIScott Schulz, 96 DDS, 03 MS, Traverse City, MI

Terms Expire 2016:Steve Dater, 88 DDS, Belmont, MILawrence Duffield, 82 DDS, Birmingham, MIMatthew Gietzen, 05 DDS, Ada, MIBruce Turpin, 80 DDS, Pontiac, MIJanet Wilson, 73 BSDH, Northville, MI

Ex Officio Members:Laurie McCauley, DeanSteve C. Grafton , Executive Director, Alumni Assoc.Richard R. Fetchiet, Executive Director, Alumni Relations and Development

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 2014 The Regents of the University of Michigan

Thank You, Delta Dental FoundationA $2 million gift from the Delta Dental Foundation will build a new clinic for patients with special needs and promote interprofessional education.

DH E-Learning Program Boosting graduates careers

Student Leaders, Awards and Grants

Faculty ProfileDr. Rene E. Duff, Assistant Dean for Student Services

Alumnus ProfileDr. Frank Alley

Research Day 2014

Honors, Awards & New Exhibit

Member publication of the American Association of Dental Editors

In this Issue

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In this issue you will learn about the Victors for Michigan campaignthe goals and priorities and how the Delta Dental Foundation is helping to make the special needs

clinic a reality. Dont miss the faculty and alumni profiles and stories about the honors and awards our faculty, staff and students have received.

Be sure to visit www.dent.umich.edu for up to the minute access to School of Dentistry news and events.

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Campaign Focus: Scholarships, Facility Improvements, Faculty & Research SupportThe School of Dentistry has set a goal to raise $35 million during the Universitys Victors for Michigan fundraising campaign. The Schools effort is part of a larger U-M goal to raise $4 billion, the largest fundraising effort in the history of public higher education, before the campaign ends in 2018.

Dean Laurie McCauley announced the Schools goal during a special combined meeting of its Campaign Committee and Alumni Society Board of Governors on November 8. The Schools $35 million goal includes the following objectives:

Student Support: $11.0 million Facilities Support: $18.0 million Curriculum/Program Support:

$1.0 million Faculty Support: $1.5 million Research Support: $1.5 million

Another $2 million in discretionary support is envisioned that can be applied to one or more of the five listed categories.

Financial support for students is a top priority for our School, just as it is for the University, McCauley said. Without exception, the students tell me they want to make a difference. We can help them do that by providing scholarship support and financial aid that will enable them to focus their time and energy on a demanding educational program, she said. We must provide the tools they need to make that difference, whether its in their communities, across our state or around the world.

TRANSFORMING DENTAL EDUCATION

McCauley gave the Schools Campaign Committee and Board of Governors an outline of recent achievements and forward-looking ideas designed to help the School remain a leader in dental education.

Achievements she cited included a contemporary curriculum that allows students to build on their interests in leadership, health care delivery and research. She also cited other initiatives including case-based learning; evidence-based dental

education and clinical care; and interprofessional education.

Focusing on the future, McCauley said that strategic planning is progressing. The result of our efforts are focused on having our School transform dental education by anticipating and meeting the needs of an evolving oral health care environment, she said.

Citing changes in student culture, notably a growing use of technology and a desire to make a difference, McCauley said the approach to dental education is also evolving. She mentioned innovations in classroom and clinical education, patient care, community-based dental education and research.

Because of our educational and research efforts here at Michigan, there will be a significant change in how patients are cared for in dental clinics within the next ten years. Our students must be prepared for that. She said its important for the School to adapt to the changing landscape because the dental schools that will be successful in the future are those that continually embrace change.

Victors for MichiganVictors for Dentistry

Dean Laurie McCauley discusses the goals at the campaign kickoff meeting in November.

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FINANCIAL AID

Dr. Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, associate dean for Academic Affairs, said since the dental curriculum now spans almost the entire year, dental students are unable to work even part time to earn money to pay for their education.

Were also limited with the financial aid we can provide to our students, she said. We arent able to provide full scholarships, and only about 25 percent of our students receive some kind of financial aid. As a result, the average debt for a dental student graduating from U-M is approximately $191,000. So generating scholarship support during this campaign will be vitally important, she added.

The Schools Campaign Committee has set a goal of raising $11 million for student aid. Richard Fetchiet, executive director of Alumni Relations and Development, said approximately $3.7 million has already been raised for student support.

CLINICAL RENOVATIONS

Dr. Stephen Stefanac, senior associate dean, said there is an urgent need to upgrade the Schools clinical facilities. He said our predoctoral students have about 79 square feet of space available to work compared to about 120 square feet at other dental schools.

Stefanac also said the School must accommodate patients with special needs. Demand for oral health care services for these patients is expected to grow in the future.

Slightly more than $3 million has been raised for facilities support, including a $2 million gift from the Delta Dental Foundation.

IMPORTANT FOR THE SCHOOLS FUTURE

Jeff Freshcorn, director of develop-ment and campaign director, empha-sized the importance of all the Schools fundraising goals during the Victors for Michigan campaign. These goals will help define the School for the next 50 years, he said.

The School is grateful for the $7.7 million that has been raised during a two-year silent phase of the campaign, Freshcorn said. This campaign offers an incredible opportu-nity for the School of Dentistry and its benefactors to make a commitment to the dental practitioners and patients of tomorrow. With the help of alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students, we will excel, innovate and lead as we shape the future of dentistry.

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These goals will help define the School for the next 50 years.

Jeff Freshcorn

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Dean Laurie McCauley discusses the goals at the campaign kickoff meeting in November.

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Dr. Matt Gietzen and Dr. Jan Duski listen to some ideas designed to help the School remain a leader in dental education.

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Drs. Donald Wurtzel (left) and Reggie VanderVeen, listen to School administrators explain how funds raised during the Victors for Michigan campaign will be used throughout the School.

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Kevin Goles (D3) and Dr. Ed Duski talk about some of the changes in dental education in recent years.

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Dr. Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, associate dean for Academic Affairs, talks about the impact of educational debt on our students.

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Victors for MichiganVictors for Dentistry (Continued)Why Giving Matters

I feel I have a responsibility to give back to the profession and the School that has given me and my family so much over the years. If I am able to help one dental student achieve his or her goal of gaining the requisite knowledge, skill, and training to heal others, I will have partially paid back the many who helped me at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Jed J. Jacobson

Giving back was probably the easiest decision we could make. My University of Michigan School of Dentistry education prepared me for the professional life that Ive enjoyed and served as the foundation for every financial success that our family has enjoyed. It just made sense to show our deepest gratitude for the education that made it all possible.

Dr. Reggie & Mrs. Gayle VanderVeen

The education Kathleen and I received at the University of Michigan was second to none. For that, we are so very grateful. It

is our privilege to give back to the School of Dentistry. Our gift for clinical renovations is our expression of appreciation

for a truly outstanding dental education. We are proud of what U-M offers and has helped us achieve.

Dr. Timothy & Mrs. Kathleen Gietzen

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry has provided our family, that includes three dentists and one dental hygienist, with the education and tools to make a difference. I remember, as a student, using outdated equipment that made it more difficult to learn. Giving future dentists the most up-to-date equipment to aid their learning is our way of giving back.

Dr. David & Mrs. Charlene Kott

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Nancy and I are pleased to help support the proposed improvements to the School of Dentistry. When we travel, we meet University of Michigan graduates and friends who enthusiastically support this University. With the challenges facing education, it seems vital that we do what is necessary to help advance the excellence that is the University of Michigan and the School of Dentistry.

Dr. Richard & Mrs. Nancy Christiansen

As senior associate dean, I wanted to be among the first to show financial support for our clinical renovation

project which we have been discussing and planning for the past two years. I hope others will join me

with their support of the School of Dentistry.

Dr. Stephen Stefanac

When we toured the Schools clinical facilities, we were alarmed at how outdated they were. During the Schools previous fundraising campaign, updating the preclinical lab facilities, including simulation stations used by dental and dental hygiene students, was a game changer for them and for clinical faculty. We want our gift to have a similar effect during the Victors for Michigan fundraising campaign.

Dr. William & Mrs. Shelley Lawler

For more information about contributing to the Victors for Michigan fundraising campaign, contact the Office of Alumni Relations and Development at (734) 763-3315 or visit the Campaign Web site: www.bit.ly/giving2dentistry

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Endodontics Clinic Renovation Gift

Oral Surgery Clinic Renovation Gift

Im grateful to be in a profession which I truly enjoy and thankful for the opportunity to be involved as I have been for the past 30 years with the School and the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics. Those are some reasons I want to give back. I have seen dramatic changes in endodontics and how technology is being used to enhance education and make patients lives better. That technology costs money. I hope my gift, and those from my colleagues, will enable the School to update the endodontics clinic so it continues to advance the education of our students and improve the lives of their patients.

Dr. Richard Gardner

I appreciate the good things that have happened to me profes-sionally and personally. My dental education at Michigan and oral surgery training in the Army have been crucial to my success. I remember Dr. James Hayward writing my letter of recommenda-tion and constantly emphasizing the importance of being the best. That also applies to our facilities. We sorely need a new oral surgery clinic. Our students deserve the best facilities to continue our Schools tradition of excellence.

Dr. Wayne Olsen

Roberts Family FoundationAmong the nucleus fund gifts was a generous commitment from the Roberts Family Foundation. The Foundations gift of $1.5 million for scholarships includes $500,000 designated for an endowed dental student scholarship. This portion qualifies for the U-M Presidents Schol-arship Challenge. Launched in 2013, the Scholarship Challenge leverages

gifts of up to $1 million with a contribu-tion from U-Ms president of 25 cents for every dollar gifted.

The Roberts Family Foundation was created from the estate of Dr. Roy and Mrs. Natalie Roberts. Dr. Roy Roberts (DDS 1932) was one of the Schools most generous benefactors prior to his death. In 1997, he and

Mrs. Roberts gifted what is believed to be the largest single commitment ever made to a dental school, $10 million. Another $3 million was gifted to the School in 2001 and 2002.

Victors for MichiganVictors for Dentistry (Continued)

7Your Planned Giving Options

$7 Million GoalNow that the University of Michigans fundraising campaign, Victors for Michigan, is underway, consider making a planned gift to the School of Dentistry.

Our goal is to raise $35 million during the campaign. Approximately 20 percent of that amount, or $7 million, will come from planned giving.

Planned giving can help you integrate your personal, financial and estate planning goals with a charitable gift to the School of Dentistry. For more information about any of these planned giving opportunities, please contact Jeff Freshcorn (734) 647-4016 or freshco@umich.edu or Carrie Towns (734) 764-6856 or clarkca@umich.edu.

Planned Giving OptionsBEQUEST

This is a gift you make through your will or trust. The gift can include stocks, bonds, cash or other property. You keep control of and can use your assets during your lifetime.

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES

This is a simple contract between you, as a School of Den-tistry donor, and the University of Michigan. In return for your gift of cash (minimum $10,000) or marketable securities, U-M will make fixed installment payments to you for life. However, your contribution is irrevocable. Charitable gift annuities are one of the more simple life income plans available.

CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST

A charitable remainder trust makes it possible for individuals to make a gift now and retain annual income for a predeter-mined period of time. In addition to an immediate income tax charitable deduction, the CRT also provides income for life or for a specified number of years. It also enables one to avoid capital gains if the trust is funded with appreciated securities or other assets and gives the donor(s) the opportunity to make a gift for a program they care about.

LEAD TRUST

You transfer your gift of cash or property to a trust that makes payments to the School of Dentistry for a designated period of time. The trust then passes along the trust property to your family with no additional tax.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For additional details about these planned giving options that are available to you, visit www.michigan.giftlegacy.com

Campaign CommitteeSheree Duff BSDH 1980 Grand Blanc, MI

Jan Duski DDS 1989 Indian River, MI

Tim Gietzen DDS 1976 Holland, MI

Ray Gist DDS 1966 Grand Blanc, MI

Allan Jacobs DDS 1974, MS Endo 1978 West Bloomfield, MI

Jed J. Jacobson DDS 1978, MS Oral Diag 1982 Okemos, MI

Peter Kelly DDS 1970, MS Perio 1973 Marquette, MI

William Lawler, Jr. DDS 1981 Bloomfield Hills, MI

Wayne Olsen DDS 1981 Traverse City, MI

Reggie VanderVeen DDS 1976 Grand Rapids, MI

Jay Werschky DDS 1976 Flint, MI

Don Wurtzel DDS 1981 Saline, MI

The Development StaffWe are here to answer your questions. Do not hesitate to call on us if we can assist you in any way.

Richard Fetchiet (734) 647-4016 plateman@umich.edu

Jeff Freshcorn (734) 647-4394 freshco@umich.edu

Carrie Towns (734) 764-6856 clarkca@umich.edu

Thalia Colliau (734) 763-3315 thaliaj@umich.edu

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Delta Dental Foundation Awards $2 Million for Special Care ClinicGift Will Create States First Dental Interprofessional Clinic for Patients with Special NeedsThe University of Michigan School of Dentistry will create a new clinic where patients with special needs will receive dental and health care services in the same facility from providers from multiple disciplines, thanks to a $2 million gift from the Delta Dental Foundation.

U-M will use the funds to create the Delta Dental of Michigan Integrated Special Care Clinic, where patients with special needs can access dental and other treatment services from multiple health care disciplines in the same location. This special clinic will improve health care access and convenience for patients with developmental disabili-ties, cognitive impairments, complex medical problems, significant medical limitations, veterans with PTSD, and the vulnerable elderly. In addition, U-M dental, dental hygiene and graduate students will learn how to assess and manage the needs of these patients.

The clinics unique delivery model is designed so dental students and faculty, as well as colleagues from other U-M health science schools and colleges, will provide care together. This interdisciplinary approach believed to be the first of its kind in Michigan will allow clinicians to more effectively serve this special patient population with the goals of enhancing access to, and improving the quality of, care.

Appointments in our comprehensive care clinics may require two or three hours, something that can be difficult for patients with special needs, said Dr. Stephen Stefanac, U-M senior associate dean and clinical professor of dentistry. Patients in our new clinic will be assigned to a faculty member

who will expedite care with the help of an interprofessional team represent-ing dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and social work. Staff will be available who are experienced working with caregiv-ers and patients with special needs. Quality care delivered with sensitivity and compassion is our primary goal.

Dr. Laurie McCauley, dean of the School of Dentistry, thanked the Delta Dental Foundation for its generous gift.

We are very grateful to Delta Dental Foundation, McCauley said. This gift will help us provide services to a group of patients whose access to oral health care is limited. Equally important, she continued, is the training our dental, dental hygiene and graduate students will receive here at the University of Michigan. It will better prepare them to treat this group of patients in a private practice environment or in public health facilities after they graduate.

The School provides oral health care to patients as a part of its dental and dental hygiene education programs.

This past year, more than 130,000 patient visits took place in the Schools 14 clinics. That number included about 12,000 new patients who sought comprehensive dental care.

The new clinic will be built in existing space in the U-M School of Dentistry. It will have a cluster of treatment rooms of sufficient size to accommodate patients in wheelchairs, caregivers and health care professionals. There will also be two fully enclosed quiet rooms. The design phase for the new clinic is already underway.

Dr. Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, associate dean and clinical professor of dentistry, said the gift from Delta Dental Foundation reinforces a new Council on Dental Accreditation standard. It requires all graduates to be competent in assessing the treat-ment needs of patients with special needs and to be able to effectively manage the oral health care of those patients, while collaborating effectively with other members of the health care team.

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The sign says it all. Touring the School are Teri Battaglieri, director of corporate citizenship and philanthropy for Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana (R) with Drs. Stephen Stefanac and Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, and James P. Hallan, Chairman of the Delta Dental Foundation Board of Trustees.

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Interprofessional Education: A curriculum imperativeWHAT IS IPE?

Interprofessional Education (IPE) occurs When students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes (WHO, 2010). For example, students from nursing, medicine, pharmacy and dentistry can learn from each other and about the roles and responsibilities of each to improve patient care. Importantly, through IPE, dental students can educate other health professional students about oral health.

WHY THE FOCUS ON IPE NOW?

In our changing health care environ-ment, team-based care will become the norm because it has been shown to improve quality, safety and patient care outcomes. The dentist will be an integral member of the primary care team. An aging patient population and one with increasing numbers of medi-cally complex patients (patients with special needs) make IPE an essential component of a comprehensive educa-tion program for health professionals. Additionally, one of the Council on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standards requires that all graduates are compe-tent in assessing the treatment needs of patients with special needs. Another requires that graduates are competent in communicating and collaborating with other members of the health care team to facilitate care.

HOW DO THE STUDENTS BENEFIT?

The IPE experience gained in dental school will prepare dental and dental hygiene students to provide care for patients with special needs in an envi-ronment that models communication and collaboration with professionals from other health disciplines and social service professions.

WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT?

Training in IPE will prepare our gradu-ates to manage the various problems in different patient communities throughout the state. Over 1.6 million of Michigans 9.9 million people are

without insurance. Approximately 1.7 million Michigan children and adults are covered by Medicaid. A 2008 report noted there were 1,004 hospitalizations due to dental-related issues that resulted in a 2.5 day average length of stay at an average cost of $19,074 per patient. Most, if not all of these hospitalizations could have been avoided with access to appropriate primary care capable of triaging dental infections, either in a dental or medical environment. Such care requires an increased ability of our health care providers to interact and coordinate with each other.

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Murdoch-Kinch said interprofessional team-based care has been shown to improve patient care outcomes, espe-cially for those with complex needs. She added that oral health care will increasingly become integrated into a patients overall care that will be provided by groups of health profes-sionals including the dental team, nurses, physicians, pharmacists and social workers focused on providing patient-centered, holistic health care.

The gift represents the largest grant ever awarded by the Delta Dental Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental operations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina. This gift counts toward the Victors for Michigan campaign currently underway at the U of M. The School of Dentistry is a part of this important fundraising initiative.

The Delta Dental Foundation is thrilled to partner with prestigious

institutions and professionals in science, academia and the dental profession to develop new care models and cutting-edge approaches to improving access to dental care for all people, especially populations with special needs, said Delta Dental Foundation Director Teri Battaglieri. We are extraordinarily proud of this association with the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

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D2s Logan White (L) and Eric Tye (R) consult with first-year pharmacy student, Austin Brown. As part of their Pathway project, White and Tye are surveying classmates and students in other disciplines about their knowledge and perceptions about IPE.

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Dental Hygiene E-Learning (Online) ProgramBoosting Graduates CareersThe E-Learning Program is off to a great start. Were looking to the future to see how we can continue to be successful, says Janet Kinney, director of the School of Dentistrys dental hygiene program, as she talks about the E-Learning (Online) Degree Completion Program.

Launched six years ago, the program was created to meet the needs of dental hygienists who want to earn a Bachelor of Science degree, continue working in their present jobs, and study at times that are convenient for them.

Seven students were the first to graduate five years ago.

The E-Learning Program has had a profound impact on each of its 42 graduates, according to Anne Gwozdek, program director and clinical assistant professor of dentistry, who helped establish it.

Our graduates tell us that our E-Learning Program is one of the best, if not the best, course of study they have ever taken, Gwozdek says. Because of the Program, they are increasingly involved in their profession and their communities. [See sidebar.]

The success of the bachelors degree program led to developing an online program leading to a Master of Science degree in dental hygiene. For more than 40 years the degree was exclu-sively a program on the U-M campus. But since the fall of 2012, students can choose to complete courses leading to a masters degree.

HELPING ADVANCE CAREERS

Graduates of the E-Learning Program say it has been a springboard in advancing their careers.

Jennifer Smits Beckering, one of seven graduates of the Class of 2011, says the online bachelors degree program helped her advance professionally. She is the Michigan sales representative for Ivoclar Vivadent, a global leader in dental

materials that employs more than 2,700 people in over 120 countries.

After earning an associates degree in dental hygiene at Grand Rapids Community College and working part time in a private practice, Beckering wanted to do more.

I applied to Michigans online program because it offered the best of all possible worlds, she says. I didnt have to quit my job. And there was enough flexibility so I could study at times that were convenient for me, yet allow me to also have time with my family.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of the online program, Beckering says, is that it helped all of us realize that there are many opportunities to apply our dental hygiene education and training in other areas including teaching, research and even in the corporate world.

NEVER FELT ALONE

Samantha Reidenbach, a member of the Class of 2012, agrees.

The E-Learning Program gave me a big picture perspective about op-portunities in dental hygiene I hadnt considered, she says. Reidenbach now works full time as a dental hygiene faculty member at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Although we were separated geo-graphically, I never felt alone because of the support I received from the dental hygiene faculty and my class-mates, Reidenbach says. The small class size fosters a special closeness and camaraderie among everyone.

Reidenbach says her capstone project, investigating some of the occupational hazards dental hygienists face, was probably the best part of the online

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Anne Gwozdek and Janet Kinney review the progress of dental hygiene students in the online program.

Jennifer Smits Beckering says the online bachelors degree program helped her to advance professionally.

Notable SuccessesSince the bachelors degree program began in January 2008, five cohorts of students have graduated. The pro-fessional achievements of graduates include:

36% are teaching or have taught in dental hygiene programs.

33% have received awards or have authored articles that have appeared in dental hygiene publications.

26% are enrolled in graduate school or a professional school or have graduated.

24% work in community-based dental clinics.

19% are in leadership positions in professional associations.

program. In addition to learning more about infectious diseases and ergo-nomics, Reidenbach also discovered she enjoyed writing. Her research was published last April in the American Dental Hygienists Association magazine, Access.

NOW A DISTANCE LEARNING TEACHER

One of the first seven graduates of the E-Learning Program, Kathy Yee (Class of 2009), says earning her bach-elors degree gave her confidence to continue her studies, including earning a Masters of Public Health last year.

After successfully completing U-Ms online program, she taught some of the courses she took as an online student. She now directs two courses where dental hygiene students work on oral health education projects in their communities and is also recruiting and admissions coordinator for the E-Learning Program.

Im trying to do for the online students what the dental hygiene faculty did for me when I was a student helping students advance academically and enhancing their career growth as dental hygienists, Yee says.

APPLYING WHAT IS TAUGHT

Initially, Elisa Dack wanted to become a dentist. But that idea was put on hold for more than a decade after earning an associates degree in 2001, working in a private practice and giving birth to three children.

After listening to Gwozdek describe the E-Learning Program in West Branch, Dack applied. She doesnt regret her decision.

I have never been in an educational program like this before, she says. You build great relationships with your classmates and the faculty, which some may consider a paradox since this is an online course.

Dack collaborated with a West Branch dentist, Dr. Jonathan Berns, for her community course project. He offered some great insights that enabled me to develop an oral health care education program for 46 residents and 16 staff at The Brook, an assisted living and retirement community, Dack said. My network is now more extensive than it ever has been. And its not limited to those in my profession.

Dack is scheduled to receive her bachelors degree in dental hygiene this summer. She also hopes to earn a masters degree in public health.

The E-Learning Program is grateful to the faculty who were pioneers in developing and teaching the online courses, Kinney and Gwozdek said. The guidance and leadership of Wendy Kerschbaum, who directed the dental hygiene program until she retired in 2012, and Emily Springfield, instructional designer, were instrumental in the programs success, they added.

Samantha Reidenbach with a copy of her article published in the April 2013 issue of Access.

Amber Fredericks (left), a student in the E-Learning program, discusses ideas for her capstone project with dental hygiene instructor Kathy Yee.

Elisa Dack and her employer, Dr. Jonathan Berns, review a patients oral health care record.

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School of Dentistry Honors Memory of Martin Luther KingDental Services Donated at Community Dental Center, Awards PresentedThe U-M School of Dentistry honored the memory of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with dental and dental hygiene students teaming up to provide oral health care in Ann Arbor and presenting awards to three individuals for their community service.

COMMUNITY DENTAL CENTER

A group of third- and fourth-year dental and dental hygiene students worked with dentists and dental assis-tants at the Community Dental Center in downtown Ann Arbor treating patients during two special Saturday clinics prior to Martin Luther King Day.

Twenty-five patients received clean-ings, exams, fillings, extractions and oral hygiene education. The value of the services surpassed $12,000.

First- and second-year dental and dental hygiene students were also involved. They gathered health history information from the patients, checked their vital signs, assisted chairside when needed, cleaned up operatories after each appointment and helped at the front desk.

Dr. Bonita Neighbors, Community Dental Clinic director, and Dr. Anne Bibik supervised the dental students. Janet Kinney, director of the School of Dentistrys dental hygiene program,

and Christine Ropp and Darlene Jones, both CDC hygienists, super-vised the dental hygiene students.

Dr. Bonita Neighbors (center) checks the work of dental students Sarah Tomaka (D3) and Joey Musselwhite (D4).

Fourth-year dental student Brandon Veremis (left), assisted by second year dental student Bartosz Maska, completes a filling.

Community Dental Center dental assistant Carolyn Thomas (left) and Dr. Anne Bibik conduct a preliminary examination of a patient.

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Ida Gray Awards PresentedDr. Laurie McCauley led a program in the Sindecuse Atrium emphasizing diversity at the School. This is a won-derful opportunity for us to celebrate how, working together, we can address many of the challenges we face and move forward to solve them, she said.

McCauley also presented an Ida Gray Award to three individuals for their commitment to diversity, inclusion and community service activities. The award, presented annually, honors Dr. Ida Gray (DDS 1890), the first black woman to graduate from the School of Dentistry.

SCOTT WARD

A former School of Dentistry laboratory technician, Ward owns a dental laboratory business and volunteers his services at the Hope Dental Clinic in Ypsilanti. In recent years, he has also been involved with the Vina Community Dental Center in Brighton. Last year, he participated in a Mission of Mercy held at Saginaw Valley University.

ISABEL CASTILLO (D4)

During the four years in the Schools predoctoral program, Castillo has been actively involved in oral health care service and education. Working with the Latin American & Native American Medical Association, she has provided oral health care screenings and education to underserved groups in southeast Michigan and other parts of the state. She organized a dental aid trip to Guatemala for a group of U-M dental students in 2012.

Castillo has helped revive the Schools Hispanic Student Dental Association and served in leadership positions, serving as its secretary, treasurer and public relations chair. She collabo-rated with some of her peers to create the Spanish Conversation Hour for students, faculty and staff at the dental school.

JOHN SQUIRES

After a 35-year career at U-M, 33 of which were spent at the School of Dentistry, Squires retired in Dec. 2012. For more than 20 years, beginning in the 1970s, he helped produce nearly 2,000 videotapes about dental anatomy and dental procedures that were recorded in the television studios at the School and distributed worldwide. Digital versions of many of those videotapes are still used worldwide today by other dental schools, public health facilities and private practitioners.

Squires was praised for how he embodies diversity with his respect and appreciation of others, in words and actions, not only at the School of Dentistry, but in his service to the Boy Scouts of America.

2013-2014 Multicultural Affairs CommitteeThe Multicultural Affairs Committee works hard to promote diversity and inclusion by sponsoring Getting to Know You brown bag lunches, continuing education on relevant topics and special events like the Taste Fest, MLK Day, and the Womens Tea. We are grateful for the time and energy they invest to make the School of Dentistry a welcome place to learn and work.

CO-CHAIRS Marita Inglehart, Periodontics & Oral Medicine

Cheryl Quiney, Patient Services

MEMBERS Amir Aryaan, D1 Dan Bair, D1 Isabel Castillo, D4 Rogerio Castilho, Periodontics & Oral Medicine

Judy Craft, Patient Services Carmen Garcia, Grad Orthodontics

Mary Jo Gray, Compliance Elliott Hill, Biologic & Materials Sciences

Lora Kewallal, D3 Guneet Kohli, D1 Kyriaki (Kiki) Marti, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Ken May, Biologic & Materials Sciences, Ex officio

Saliah Miles, D3 Alameedi (Monty) Muntather, DH4

Bonita Neighbors, Community Dental Center

Gail Oljace, Dental Informatics Ovy Quintanal, D3 Helena Ritchie, Cariology, Restorative Sciences & Endodontics

Alexandra Schulz, DH2 John Squires, Dental Informatics (retired)

Henry Temple, Periodontics & Oral Medicine

DeAngelo Webster, D2 My Yang, D2

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Scott Ward, Isabel Castillo and John Squires each hold an Ida Gray Award they received during the School of Dentistrys celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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The patient services team had some fun saying goodbye to the paper records used for decades to document patient care. Beginning February 3, 2014 the School of Dentistry stopped using paper records for new patients. Now, all patient information will be saved and retrieved electroni-cally. The conversion to an electronic patient record (EPR) has been in the works for some time. The EPR ensures that all of a patients information is secure, in one place and that referring dentists and physicians can easily provide important information to us.

Saying Goodbye to Paper Records

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Paper record jackets make great origami hats.

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Administrative specialist Jean Thompson relishes the task of shredding paper records and looks forward to the switch to the Electronic Patient Record.

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Dr. Steve Stefanac is glad to jet-tison the old paper records.

The EPR ensures that all of a

patients information is secure,

in one place and that referring

dentists and physicians can

easily provide important

information to us. Dr. Stephen Stefanac

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Faculty NewsFitzgerald Receives Excellence in Teaching Award

I enjoy innovating and creating new paths for learning. Its rewarding to teach here at the School of Dentistry because the search to do things better and to find ways to improve is constant, said Dr. Mark Fitzgerald as he recently discussed his 33-year career at Michigan.

An associate professor of dentistry in the Department of Cariology, Restorative

Sciences and Endodontics, Fitzgerald is the 2014 recipient of the American Dental Education Association/Colgate-Palmolive Excellence in Teaching Award during the ADEAs annual session in San Antonio, Texas.

ADEA dental educators annually select a winner for the award which is now in its 15th year.

Nominated by Dean Laurie McCauley, U-M ADEA representative Dr. Stephen Bayne, faculty peer Dr. Bill Piskorowski, and ADEA student representative

Rachel Sheridan, Fitzgerald was described as an outstanding educator who has shown incredible innovation over a long period of time and for his special efforts leading major changes in dental education.

Citing Fitzgeralds computer and technology prowess, they noted his development of the first electronic syllabi at the School of Dentistry, creating online quiz and exam software for dental students, co-directing a new model for evidence-based dentistry, use of digital technology found in dental offices, and many other achievements.

Fitzgerald is also playing a major role in shaping interprofessional education (IPE) at the School of Dentistry. This team-based approach encourages administrators, faculty and students to re-think what some call the traditional silo approach to patient care. IPE engages multiple health care disciplines dentistry, medicine, public health, nursing, pharmacy and social work to work together to improve patient care.

3 Inducted into ICDThree School of Dentistry faculty members have been inducted as Fellows into the International College of Dentists (ICD). Drs. Sunil Kapila, Yvonne Kapila, and Bill Piskorowski were among 300 dentists from across the U.S. who were inducted during ICDs annual convocation last fall in New Orleans.

Sunil Kapila, BDS, MS, PhD, is the Robert W. Browne Endowed Professor of Dentistry and has chaired the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry since 2004. He is also director of the Schools Graduate Orthodontics Program.

Yvonne Kapila, DDS, PhD, is professor of dentistry in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine. She is also the director of the Schools Global Oral Health Initiative. In addition to teaching periodontics in classrooms and clinics, she is a cell and molecular biologist whose laboratory focuses on the process of cell death.

Bill Piskorowski, DDS, is assistant dean for Community-Based Dental Education and a clinical associate professor in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics. He is also a member of the Michigan Dental Associations Special Committee on Access to Care.

ICD is the oldest and largest international honorary dental organization with more than 12,000 members, designated as Fellows, from around the globe. Fellowship in the College is by invitation only and is granted in recognition of a dentists outstanding professional achievements, meritorious service and dedication to the continued progress of dentistry.

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New International College of Dentists Fellows from the U-M School of Dentistry (left to right): Drs. Sunil Kapila, Yvonne Kapila and Bill Piskorowski.

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Giannobile Receives ADA Achievement Award

Dr. William Giannobile, chair of the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, has been recognized by the Student Clinicians of the American Dental Associations (SCADA) Board of Governors for outstanding service to the dental profession, his scientific contributions and mentoring.

During the ADAs annual session in New Orleans, Giannobile

received the Alan J. Davis/SCADA Achievement Award during a DENTSPLY-hosted awards program. He was honored for his continuing commitment to dental research that may benefit patients in clinical applications, scientific contributions in periodontology, leadership in academics and the profession, student mentoring and service to the profession.

Giannobile is the Najjar Professor of Dentistry and a professor of biomedical engineering at the College of Engineering.

Neighbors HonoredDr. Bonita Neighbors, director of the Community Dental Center, has been honored for her service to the community. She received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Servant Leadership in Building a Beloved Community from the Church of the Good Sheperd in Ann Arbor.

The Center, located in downtown Ann Arbor at 406 N. Ashley St., provides Washtenaw County

residents low income families, senior citizens, young adults and the homeless with a full range of services including cleaning, extractions, crowns, bridge work, implants as well as oral health care education. It began in 1981 as a cooperative venture between U-M and the city of Ann Arbor.

Kapila Lauded by U-M for International OutreachNominated by U-M Dental Students

Dr. Yvonne Kapila, director of the Schools Global Oral Health Initiative and a professor of dentistry in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, has been recognized by the University for her international outreach initiative.

She was one of 54 faculty and staff members recognized by the U-M Council on Global Engagement and received

an award for her work at a special ceremony last fall that was a part of the Universitys celebration of International Education Week.

Three dental students Jami Ballantine, Jonathan Dzingle and James Musselwhite nominated Kapila for her mentorship of the Kenya Summer Research Program. The program is an interprofessional collaboration among U-M dental, medical, pharmacy and nursing students.

The Schools Global Oral Health Initiative is designed to complement U-M President Mary Sue Colemans Third Century Initiative that seeks to develop new opportunities for learning and immerse students in experiences beyond the classroom.

Ma Elected AAAS FellowDr. Peter Ma, the Richard Kingery Collegiate Professor of Dentistry in the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, has been elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He was among 388 scientists nationwide to be awarded the honor for his work.

AAAS honored Ma for distinguished contributions

to biomimetic biomaterials, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine in dentistry and oral health sciences.

Mas research focuses on developing materials that have dental and medical applications. Some of the materials, such as those used in restorative dentistry, are developed to replace the structure and function of damaged or diseased tissues and organs.

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We couldnt do it without you!

HAIL!

HAIL!

Michigan Shines at AADRThe 2014 American Association for Dental Research (AADR) annual meeting was very special for the School, faculty and students. For the past year, Dr. Peter Polverini has led the AADR, the preeminent dental research organization in the U.S., advocating for the membership and guiding the organization through sequestration and the govern-ment shutdown. He completed his term of office at the associations annual meeting in March. Dr. Paul Krebsbach, chair of the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, completed his term as the AADR vice president and is now the organizations president-elect. He will become president of the 3,600-member organization at the 2015 meeting in Boston. AADRs mission is to advance research and increase knowledge that improves oral health, support and represent the oral health research community and enhance communication and application of research findings.

Our volunteer faculty members provide invaluable service to the School. Their contribution to our educational and clinical programs is amazing. Whether the commitment is a day a week or a day a month, we are grateful for the knowledge and expertise each volunteer faculty member offers the students. We want to recognize their dedication to the School and say thank you to these devoted instructors who give so much to our students and our School.

Thank You!

A complete list of the School of Dentistry volunteer faculty can be found online at media.dent.umich.edu/volunteer-faculty.

Kaigler, Rios Complete Teaching, Learning Institute

Drs. Darnell Kaigler and Hector Rios have completed the American Dental Education Association/AAL Institute for Teaching and Learning. The program was established in 2006 to help prepare dental educators to become more effective teachers and develop skills that enhance their confidence, job satisfaction and professional growth in an academic environment.

Kaigler is an assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Engineering.

Rios is an assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine.

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Dr. Peter Polverini was lauded for his service and achievements by Dr. Christopher Fox, AADR executive director.

Rene E. Duff, DDS, MS Assistant Dean for Student Services

I feel I have the best of both worlds, says Dr. Rene E. Duff as she talks about her new role as assistant dean for Student Services.

Also a classroom and clinical instruc-tor, she says the roles of administrator and instructor complement each other. The direct contact I have with students helps me to know them better, especially as they discuss their successes, struggles and concerns. Our conversations give me insights about what the students may have on their minds and how we might be able to help them, she adds.

Duff assumed her new role last September following an extensive national search. She succeeds Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk who retired follow-ing a 23-year career as a School of Dentistry administrator.

As assistant dean for Student Services, Duff directs the Office of Student

Services and oversees admissions and other non-academic aspects of student life. She works with more than 680 students in the Schools predoctoral, dental hygiene, masters and PhD programs.

She is also an advisor to the dental student Honor Council, an ex-officio member of Academic Review Boards and collaborates with the Schools director of Multicultural Affairs to recruit a diverse student body.

THE ROAD TO DENTISTRY

Growing up in Hudson, Michigan, a town of about 2,300 located approxi-mately 20 miles southeast of Hillsdale, Duff says she had an unwavering goal when she was in high school gaining admission to the University of Michigan.

She achieved that goal and then some.

A biology major, Duff graduated with a bachelors degree from U-Ms

College of Literature, Sciences and the Arts in 1991.

During her senior year at LS&A, Duff said she became interested in dentistry working in

the laboratory of Dr. Steven Goldstein, a professor and researcher in the Department of

Orthopaedic Surgery at the U-M Medical

School. Goldstein and his team collaborated with researchers and faculty at the School of

Dentistry and other units on campus.

I was fascinated listening to Dr. Goldstein and others who

worked with him describe

some of the research they were doing on bone defects, the genetics of bone disorders and regeneration, Duff says. They all spoke highly of the dental school. That played an important role in my decision to apply for admission.

After earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1996, Duff worked in the Ann Arbor family practice of Dr. Carl T. Woolley (DDS 1965), an adjunct assistant professor and later a member of the Deans Faculty.

Dr. Woolley was a wonderful mentor who instilled an even greater apprecia-tion for dentistry. He also inspired me to get involved in organized dentistry, Duff said.

She took the advice to heart and has been active in the ADA, MDA, ADEA, and the Washtenaw District Dental Society. She chaired the WDDS Committee on the Young Professional for two years. Later, she became a member of the American College of Prosthodontics.

In addition to working in a private practice, Duff also began teaching at the School of Dentistry in 1997 as a part-time faculty member. She became a full-time faculty member in 2004, the same year she earned a masters

Faculty Profile

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In her role as assistant dean for Student Services, Dr. Rene E. Duff welcomed a group of pre-dental students who were invited to the School of Dentistry last November to learn more about the School and participate in interviews.

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degree in prosthodontics from U-M. A highly-regarded clinical instructor, Duff teaches in both the predoctoral and graduate prosthodontics clinics.

As a full-time faculty member, Duff is an active member of the Schools Dental Faculty Associates Clinic provid-ing prosthodontics care to patients who wish to be seen by a faculty member. Similar to a private practice, DFA is a full-service dental facility offering patients a range of oral health services from general dentists and specialists.

In 2005, Duff accepted an invitation to serve on the Schools Admissions Committee. This experience was invaluable, she said. It provided in-depth insight into the admissions process and all that is involved in selecting the best students each year, an important part of the job of assistant dean for Student Services.

THE ATTRACTION OF MICHIGAN

The Office of Student Services received 1,963 applications from students worldwide seeking admission to the Schools four-year dental program for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Of those, 312 were invited to the School of Dentistry for a campus visit and interview (CVI). Ten CVIs were held from September through January. From these sessions, about 110

students will be selected to become members of the Dental Class of 2018.

Duff personally welcomed each group of students and talked about some of the benefits of earning a dental degree from U-M.

She says most of the students she talks to tell me the University of Michigan School of Dentistry is their first choice because our predoctoral program offers a great curriculum, a chance to be in clinics earlier, and opportunities to engage in research.

The Schools Pathways Program is another draw for them, Duff says. The Pathways Program enhances the curriculum by offering students opportunities to pursue their individual interests in oral health care in areas that include leadership, health care delivery, or research. Duff previously co-directed the Leadership Pathway which is designed to help students develop leadership skills that can be used to spark change in oral health care delivery.

Student admissions, while a significant task, is only one of Duffs responsibili-ties. Once they begin their education at Michigan, Duff encourages students to use the many services her office provides. Everyone in the Office of Student Services is committed to the academic success of each student, she said. One-on-one meetings with students, workshops and group

sessions that foster education and learning skills, as well as sessions promoting emotional wellbeing are offered. We take pride in being good listeners and advisors and helping students get answers to their questions, she added.

As Duff talks to students before or after lectures, in clinics, or even in hallways, she says they have

more concerns compared to when I was a dental student. Those concerns include not only trying to success-fully complete a rigorous educational program, but also career development, family matters, and finances, including educational debt.

Dental students who graduated from U-M in 2013 averaged $191,000 of educational debt. Raising money for scholarships is a major focus of the Schools and U-Ms Victors for Michigan fundraising campaign that was officially launched last November.

Becoming assistant dean didnt even enter my mind when I began my dental education or academic career, Duff says. But Im grateful for the opportunity to support the dental professionals of the future in this way. Im enjoying being an advocate for our students, learning more about each of them, and working with our staff to make a difference during their time here at Michigan.

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In her role as an educator, Dr. Rene E. Duff reviews second-year dental student Mira Egbarias denture work on a typodont.

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Dr. Rene E. Duff reviews the complete denture laboratory simulation project of second-year dental students Baxter Jones (center) and Corey Cook.

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Can Molecular Indicators Identify Aggressive Oral Cancer?Is there a way to identify oral cancer tumors that are highly aggressive, especially when they have been detected early and still small? Can molecular indicators reveal aggressive tumor behavior? If so, would they offer insights to allow for possibly more personalized treatment?

Third-year dental student Lior Aljadeffs research to get answers to those questions led to his winning the Grand Prize at this years Research Day at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Currently, we know how advanced a tumor is when it is first discovered, but we dont know how aggressive the molecular biology of that tumor is, Aljadeff said noting that some early-stage tumors may not be advanced, but are very aggressive. If we could determine which early-stage tumors are particularly aggressive, we might be able to treat them more effectively with a more forceful approach, he added.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 37,000 individuals in the U.S. will develop oral and oropharyn-geal cancer this year. The five-year survival rate will be approximately

60 percent, a figure that has not changed significantly in decades.

Reviewing nearly 100 oral squamous cell carcinoma patient biopsies, Aljadeff said the presence of a protein, Twist 1, has a significant role in a patients survival. Our preliminary data suggests this protein is playing a critical role in aggressive tumor biology, he said.

Aljadeffs interest in oral and neck cancer was sparked by Dr. Brent Ward, an associate professor with the School of Dentistrys Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry. Ward also directs the Oral, Head and Neck Oncology Fellowship and Microvascular Surgery Training Programs.

Watching him, I was moved by the lifelong relationships he has developed with his patients with his extraordinary work, Aljadeff said.

His mentor, Dr. Theodora Danciu, enhanced Aljadeffs interest. She nurtured my enthusiasm for basic science research and invested signifi-cant time and energy to help me, he added.

Aljadeff said that Drs. Kevin Byrd, Gregory Wolf and Stephen Weiss, all gifted academic clinicians and scien-tists, further fueled my desire to conduct

research that has direct application in clinical practice.

Aljadeff will present the results of his research during the ADAs annual session in San Antonio in October.

Research Day 2014

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Third-year dental student Lior Aljadeff, Grand Prize ADA Dentsply Award winner, discusses his research at the Michigan League.

Grand Prize WinnerADA DENTSPLY Award

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Mariya Volvovsky (D4) won First Prize for her research about whether involvement of dental students and faculty members in community service shapes their attitudes.

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Barbara Preston (left) and Jessica Price won First Prize in dental hygiene for their research focusing on how gender may influence faculty and student perspectives of career choices.

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PhD candidate Christina Scanlon tied for first place in the PhD category for her work on head and neck cancer.

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2014 Research Day Award WinnersGRAND PRIZE

ADA DENTSPLY AWARDLior Aljadeff

(D3, Mentor: Theodora Danciu)

Histomorphology, EMT and Stemness Markers Characterize Invasive Tumor Front

Behavior and Predict Overall Survival in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

UNDERGRADUATE, DDS, DH, MS/CERTIFICATE CLINICAL APPLICATION

AND TECHNIQUE

1First Prize

Mariya Volvovsky (D4, Mentor: Marita Inglehart)

Dental Students and Faculty Members Attitudes Toward Community Service:

Does Involvement Matter?

2Second Prize

Daniel Hammaker, Rachel Sheridan (D4, Mentor: Tracy de Peralta)

Dental Students Perceived Value of Clinical Leadership Experiences

3Third PrizeSarah Baxter

(D3, Mentor: Margherita Fontana)

Metabolic Markers of Caries in Saliva and Plaque of Toddlers

UNDERGRADUATE, DDS, DH, MS/CERTIFICATE BASIC SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

1First Prize

Emily Eubanks (D3, Mentor: Darnell Kaigler)

Cell Seeding Efficiency and Survival for Clinical Cell Therapy of Craniofacial Defects

2Second Prize (TIE)

Lulia Kana (Undergrad, Mentor: Russell Taichman)

Characterization of Prostate Cancer Dormancy Using Fucci Dye Indicators

Ahmed Maawady (MS-Certification, Mentor:

Peter Yaman)

Effect of Two Light Intensities on Bulk Fill Composite Resin

3Third PrizeRiley Schaff

(D1, Mentor: William Giannobile)

Oral Porphyromonas Gingivalis Infection Increases the Development and Progression

of Collagen-Induced Arthritis

DENTAL HYGIENE

1First Prize

Jessica Price, Barbara Preston (DH4, Mentor: Anne Gwozdek)

Faculty and Student Perceptions of Career Choices As Influenced By Gender Roles

2Second Prize

Alyssa Bergermann, Samantha Metcalf

(DH4, Mentors: Susan Taichman, Dan Chiego, Chris Fenno)

Bacterial Contamination & MRSA Detection in Academic Dental Clinics

3Third Prize

Renee Berger, Aphton McElheney (DH4, Mentors: Danielle Furgeson,

Susan Taichman)

A Comparison of Common Instrumentation Modalities for Dental Calculus Removal

PHD/POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW/FACULTY/STAFF

1First Prize (TIE)

Jamie Lane (PhD Candidate, Mentor: Vesa

Kaartinen)

Removal of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 3 Signaling Components Lead to

Defects in the Secondary Palatal Epithelium

Christina Scanlon (PhD Candidate, Mentor: Nisha DSilva)

Perineural Invasion in Head and Neck Cancer: Mechanism of Development

2Second Prize

Fabiana Soki (PhD Candidate, Mentor:

Laurie McCauley)

Macrophages and Prostate Cancer Skeletal Metastasis

3Third Prize

Sudha Rajderkar (PhD Candidate, Mentor:

Vesa Kaartinen)

Trim33 Is Required for Lineage Potential of Myocardial Progenitors in Developing Heart

Mark YourCalendar!Alumni and friends are

invited to join us for

Wednesday, February 11 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Sponsored by the Office of Research

Research Day 2015

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4 in a Row for U-M OrthodonticsMILO HELLMAN AWARD TO DR. LUCIA CEVIDANES

For the fourth consecutive year, the U-M School of Dentistrys Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry has won the prestigious Milo Hellman Award. The award is given by the American Association of Orthodontists for the best research paper submitted by a resident or faculty member in a graduate orothodontics program in the U.S. or Canada.

Dr. Lucia Cevidanes, an assistant professor who joined the School of Dentistrys orthodontics faculty three years ago, received the award this spring during AAOs annual session in New Orleans.

INTEGRATING BIOLOGY AND IMAGING

Cevidanes won the award for her research that focuses on using 3-D imaging to solve difficult clinical problems in orthodontics, including detecting inflammatory and degenera-tive conditions of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) bony tissues.

The TMJ differs from other joints because a layer of fibrocartilage covers the TMJ, so that area is particularly vulnerable to inflammatory damage and is a valuable model for studying arthritic bony changes, she says.

The great challenge in understanding and treating arthritis in this area of the

face is that it often begins attacking dif-ferent tissues in the TMJ. However, we are not able to diagnose the condition until it becomes symptomatic later. By then, structural alterations are already quite advanced, Cevidanes adds. Thats a challenge for us as clinicians and researchers because no proven disease-modifying therapy exists for TMJ arthritis, and current treatment options for chronic arthritic pain are insufficient.

Cevidanes hopes her research will identify biomarkers and how they interact so that they allow clinicians to identify the disease process early and minimize the pain patients experience. By identifying biomarkers associated

with early onset arthritis, we hope to help patients who may be at risk for developing more severe stages of the disease, she says. The TMJ research may also give us insights later about how arthritis develops elsewhere in the body, such as the knees and hips.

AAO Award to Dr. Sarah SmithAAO also named Dr. Sarah Smith (MS 2012) as the recipient of the Thomas M. Graber Award of Special Merit for her work that demonstrates how biological factors may be able to control tooth movement. During these studies, she developed a novel animal model of orthodontic root resorption, which is the breakdown and loss of a tooths root structure. Information gathered from Smiths root resorption model may be useful in future studies that identify bio-markers responsible for or associated with root resorption that would then lead to developing strategies to prevent the condition.

Smith has been mentored by Dr. Sunil Kapila, chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, and Dr. Nan Hatch, an assistant professor of dentistry in the same department.

Research Funding for 2013School of Dentistry remains in the top 2 in NICDR & NIH funding for US Dental Schools2TOP

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Behind Dr. Lucia Cevidanes are two color-coded images showing her research on a temporomandibular joint and changes to the bony structures that occurred over two years. The red depicts bone repair (forma-tion). The blue highlights bone resorption.

Software May Help with Dental DiagnosisDr. Lucia Cevidanes, assistant professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, has received a $1.35 million grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Surgery to develop diagnostic software that can be used to assess, quantify and evaluate the effectiveness of dental treatment procedures.

Plans call for developing software which can be initially used to diagnose temporomandibular joint arthritis. If successful, the software may ultimately be used in other areas of dentistry or possibly medicine.

Emily Eubanks Wins 2nd Place in National Research CompetitionEmily Eubanks (D3) won a second place award for her research from the Student Clinicians of the American Dental Association (SCADA). The national competition was held during the ADAs annual session in New Orleans.

She received the award in basic science research for her work that focuses on using stem cells from a patients wisdom teeth to regenerate dental tissues to grow new wisdom teeth.

She earned the trip to the ADA annual session after winning the Grand Prize during the Schools annual Research Day competition in February 2013.

Eubanks is mentored by Dr. Darnell Kaigler, an assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine.

Trying to Solve the Mysteries of TMJD and Orofacial Pain Its a complex spectrum of disorders that affects as many as 10 million Americans. Its exact causes, however, are unknown. Researchers, dentists and other health care professionals have been searching for decades for clues that may offer insights into what causes temporomandibular joint disorders and orofacial pain (TMJD/OP)

A new interdisciplinary program led by the U-M School of Dentistry may lead to a better understanding.

A recently-awarded five-year, $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will support training of three faculty and research scientists annually whose work will enhance the under-standing and diagnosis of TMJD/OP so oral health care providers can ultimate-ly deliver better care to patients.

The long-term objectives of the interdisciplinary program are to help scholars develop the knowledge and expertise in this field of research as well as provide long-term career develop-ment for participating scientists that will serve as a springboard to further discoveries in TMJD/OP.

UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSES, DEVELOPING THERAPIES

Dr. Sunil Kapila, chair of the Depart-ment of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, and Dr. Daniel Clauw, pro-fessor of anesthesiology and internal medicine at the U-M Medical School, obtained the funding and will lead the new interdisciplinary effort.

Kapila said the collaboration between the School of Dentistry and the Medical School will provide unique opportunities to train a new generation of TMJ researchers, clinicians, and scholars who may be able to identify specific factors that cause a person to be susceptible to TMJD and orofacial pain. Unfortunately, he added, these conditions can be debilitating and have significant adverse effects on a persons quality of life. We want to help change that.

With advances in genetics, proteomics, cell and molecular biology, and computer and imaging technologies, Kapila said, the ultimate goal is to

develop personalized therapies that meet each patients specific needs.

EXTENSIVE TEAMWORK

Each scholar will be trained in one of three areas orofacial pain and therapeutics; TMJ pathogenesis; and developmental biology, regeneration and tissue engineering.

Mentors with expertise in one or more of these areas will be appointed from a group of 37 from the School of Den-tistry, the Medical School, the School of Public Health and the College of Literature, Sciences and the Arts.

Working with an interdisciplinary team of four mentors, each scholar will create a personal career plan that includes research experiences, didactic course work and experiential learning that may result in discoveries that ultimately lead to new therapies that help patients.

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Emily Eubanks won the Grand Prize during the School of Dentistrys annual Research Day last year allowing her to compete nationally in New Orleans.

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Martha McComas, a clinical assistant professor of dental hygiene, received the Olav Alvares Award from the American Dental Education

Association during its annual meeting in San Antonio. The award recognizes the work of a junior author whose research has been published in ADEAs print and online magazine, the Journal of Dental Education. Her work was published last April.

McComas assessed the difficulty students have using their critical thinking skills when taking examina-tions with multiple choice questions.

She asked 50 senior-year dental hygiene students to take a five-part test with questions similar to those on a national board examination for dental hygienists. The test was designed as a Modified Objective Structured Clinical Examination that attempted to evaluate critical thinking skills among dental hygiene students.

The test utilized a patient case and included 24 multiple choice questions, one fill-in-the-blank question, and a

section where students developed a dental hygiene treatment plan.

The results showed that multiple choice questions do not accurately assess a students critical thinking skills, McComas said. However, asking students to design a dental hygiene treatment plan did show if a student was able to put it all together, which ultimately, is critical thinking. As much as instructors dont like giving and grading written examinations, answers on written tests are probably a truer reflection of a students critical thinking skills than answers on a multiple choice test, she said.

Six graduates of the School of Den-tistrys dental hygiene program were honored by the Michigan Dental Hygienists Association during the organizations annual House of Delegates meeting in Lansing.

Christine Farrell (DH 1981) received the Roger Hill Friend of the Profession Award for her contributions to dental hygiene within the state, for

her community service, participation in social service organizations and for her legislative activities. She is a course director in the Schools Degree Completion E-Learning Program and the Master of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene Program. Farrell has been director of the Michigan Department of Community Health since 2010. She was president of the Michigan Dental Hygienists Association (1993-1994).

Allison Restauri (BS Degree Completion Program 2011), U-M faculty advisor to the student chapter of the American Dental Hygien-ists Associa-

tion, was elected to serve a one-year term as MDHA vice president. Prior to being elected to the state-level office, she was a Trustee for the Washtenaw District Dental Hygienists Society.

Elizabeth Easter (BSDH 2012) received the MDHAs Springboard Award for her involve-ment in the U-M Student Chapter of ADHA as a

dental hygiene student and being involved in community-based dental hygiene.

Jenny Dennings, Jennifer Suminski, Tiffany Mandryga received an Outstanding Dental Hygienist Award from their respective district dental hygiene societies Genesee, Macomb and Detroit.

Dental Hygiene Faculty Member Wins ADEA Award

DH Alumnae Receive Awards

Learn Online

Bachelor of Science Degree Completion

Masters of Science Dental Hygiene

For more information:bit.ly/DH_Online_BS

bit.ly/DH_Online_Masters

Equip for success withLeaders and Best!

An exhibit highlighting the growth and development of the dental hygiene profession and dental hygiene education is on display in the Kellogg Buildings ground floor. The Sindecuse Museum exhibit, Dental Hygiene A Century of Progress, is on display in the lobby of the Kellogg Building until January 2016.

This timely exhibit marks 100 years since dental hygiene was established as an important part of oral health

care and the 92nd anniversary of the creation of the dental hygiene cur-riculum here at Michigan, said Janet Kinney, director of the Schools dental hygiene program.

For more information, contact Shannon ODell, Sindecuse Museum curator, at (734) 763-0767, or by e-mail: shannono@umich.edu.

Four dental hygiene students working on a Master of Science degree have been awarded fellowships and research grants from the Rackham Graduate School and the American Dental Education Association.

Stefanie Marx has received a Rackham Graduate Student Research Grant to support her thesis research. Marxs research focuses on women with

von Willebrand Disease (vWD), a bleeding disorder that affects bloods ability to clot, and gingival bleeding. There is debate whether vWD affects gingival bleeding, while some believe gingival bleeding is due to poor oral hygiene.

Diana Kott and Iwonka Eagle received a Rackham Non-Traditional Fellowship awarded to students who resume their education following an extended absence.

Kott worked in several dental offices in Michigan after earning her dental hygiene degree and resumed her

studies several years later after raising three children. In 2011, she saw an advertisement for the U-M online dental hygiene program. She will earn her Masters in August and plans to become a part-time instructor. Last fall, Kott received the Christine Klausner Graduate Dental Hygiene Student Scholarship Award.

Eagle has been working as a dental hygienist at a private practice in Ann Arbor since earning her bachelors degree from U-M in 2004. She enrolled

in the online masters degree program in 2012.

I love clinical practice. But I think it would be even more satisfying to use my knowledge and clinical experiences to teach those interested in becoming dental hygienists in the future, Eagle said.

Eagle said the online masters degree program appealed to her because it allows her to continue her education, remain employed and spend time with her husband and two sons.

Angela Mills received a King-Chavez-Parks Faculty Fellowship, which was established to increase the number of under-represented

candidates pursuing faculty teaching careers in postsecondary education. She is among the first group of online students who will graduate with a masters degree in dental hygiene this year.

After earning a certificate in dental assisting in 2006, she applied to the School of Dentistry for admission to the dental hygiene program, was accepted and received her bachelors degree in 2010. She has been working as a dental hygienist in a private practice in St. Clair Shores.

Mills has inspired her daughter with her determination and perseverance. After receiving her masters degree in dental hygiene, Mills plans to become a dental hygiene educator.

Dental Hygiene Exhibit

Masters DH Students Awarded Scholarships

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Amy Lesch Selected for ASDA Leadership Role

13 Students Inducted into OKU

Amy Lesch (D3) has been selected for a leadership role with the American Student Dental Asso-ciation. She was recently named Legislative

Coordinator for Districts 6 and 7 by the organizations Board of Trustees. The districts encompass Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky and West Virginia.

I value what organized dentistry does for the profession and was looking for a way to become more involved, said Lesch who will serve on the Council of

Advocacy. She will work with six other dental students and monitor legislative initiatives across the U.S. that will affect dental students, the dental profession and patients. She will also be involved in lobbying and voter registration drives.

Lesch said her interest in organized dentistry began as an undergradu-ate when she was an intern at the American Dental Association office in Washington, D.C. I was inspired by the passion of dentists and dental students who travelled from across the country to speak about various health care issues, she said.

That interest continued when Lesch began her dental studies at U-M. She has been active in ASDA since her first

year in the Schools predoctoral curriculum. I strongly believe that active participation is what makes ASDA, ADA and other dental organizations effective, she said. Lesch will serve a one-year term that began in April. She plans to become a pediatric dentist after earning her dental degree next year.

Dr. Dan Edwards, ASDA faculty advisor, said Lesch has been an effective ASDA leader and great role model for younger dental students at Michigan. Im excited her talents will be used nationally and that she will be able to contribute to organized den-tistry and, ultimately, the profession.

A group of 13 fourth-year dental students from U-M School of Dentistry was inducted into the national dental honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon, this spring as the organization celebrated the 100-year anniversary of its founding.

Established in 1914, OKU promotes and recognizes scholarship and character among students of dentistry. Each year, the Schools Chi Chapter selects a limited number of final-year dental students for initiation into the organization. In addition to their scho-lastic achievements, the students have also demonstrated exemplary traits of character and the potential for future professional growth.

This years inductees were: Jonathan Dzingle, Lauren Ehardt, Kyle Eurick, Samantha Garber, Mikhail Garibov, Brent Kendziorski, Kevin Kuo, Laura Lungu, Rebecca Mooar, Dipa Patel, Elena Petrova, Cassandra Schwab and Whitney Yahn.

Allison Everett, D2, received the OKU Scholarship Award, Douglas Orzel, D3, received the Kramer Award, and Emily Springfield, instructional designer, received a certificate of recognition.

Dr. Sean Edwards, clinical associate professor in the Department of Oral

and Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry, was inducted as a new faculty member. Dr. Vesa Kaartinen, associate professor of dentistry in the Department of Biologic and Materi-als Sciences, was awarded honorary membership.

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Omicron Kappa Upsilon inductees (Front row, left to right): Samantha Garber, Cassandra Schwab, Elena Petrova, Rebecca Mooar, Jonathan Dzingle, Dipa Patel, Lauren Ehardt, Kevin Kuo. (Back row, left to right): Brent Kendziorski, Mikhail Garibov, Laura Lungu. Not present: Kyle Eurick, Whitney Yahn.

Wolverine Patriot Project Wins Major Award, Receives GrantA program launched by a group of dental students at the U-M School of Dentistry to provide oral health care to disabled and homeless veterans in northern lower Michigan has won a major national award from the American Dental Association Founda-tion and received a grant to provide care to more veterans.

Led by Jesse Edwards (D3), students in the Wolverine Patriot Project saw an urgent oral health care need that was not being met and did something about it.

For their efforts, the dental students are recipients of the 2013 Bud Tarrson Dental School Student Community Leadership Award. The award recogniz-es dental school student programs that demonstrate excellence in providing help to underserved groups in the U.S.

I was studying for exams when I received an e-mail with the news about winning the award, Edwards said. I was so excited that, after calming down, I called Tony Guinn and Dr. Bill Piskorowski to share the good news.

Guinn, president of the school-wide student council, was elated. I still cant believe we won, he said with a smile. Im sure this achievement will be one of the highlights of my dental educa-tion here at Michigan. Also involved in the program are Ameen Shahnam, Kevin Goles, and Mariam Dinkha.

The Wolverine Patriot Project was established in April 2012 to provide comprehensive free dental care to disabled and homeless veterans and to enhance student education and professional training under auspices of the Schools Pathways program.

Two School of Dentistry alumni who practice in Gaylord, Michigan, Dr. Edward Duski and his wife, Dr. Janis Chmura Duski, 1989 graduates of the School of Dentistry, offered the dental students the use of their private practice office