(Left to right) Drs. Peter Moon, David Sarrett and Ruben Garcia.
(Left to right) Drs. Peter Moon, David Sarrett and Ruben Garcia.

For four years, Dr. Ruben Garcia, professor of dentistry, has traveled from Univille University Dental School in Joinville, Brazil to the VCU School of Dentistry in the name of research.

As a visiting faculty member, Garcia collaborates with Dr. Peter Moon, biomaterials director, Department of General Practice. Their research focuses on cement bonding to ceramic restorations, and they have made many discoveries in their four years of cooperative investigation.

This year, a significant increase in bond strength stability was measured after one year for ceramic bond surfaces treated with a hot oxidizing air plasma as performed at VCU after an initial hydrofluoric acid etch.

VCU and Univille University recently signed a memorandum of agreement establishing an exchange program through the VCU Office of Global Education. When Garcia visits again next year, he intends to bring several of his students to take part in the collaborative research study.

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