End of Year News
Though the calendar year is quickly coming to a close, I have a lot of news to share as we begin to slow down for winter break.
Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
Thanks to our entire team, led by Ellen Byrne, R.Ph., D.D.S., Ph.D., professor and senior associate dean, we came through the exhausting accreditation process with flying colors and no recommendations for improvement.
As you read through the following list of 22 strengths the accreditation team found in our departments, please take a moment to reflect on the excellent work done here at the school. I’m proud to represent such a talented group of professionals. Congratulations and thank you.
CODA 2017 STRENGTHS BY PROGRAM
DENTAL HYGIENE
Faculty that inspire interdisciplinary learning in diverse educational settings through service learning
Interprofessional education through the Interprofessional Education (IPEC) courses
Team-based patient care with new general practice integration
ADVANCED EDUCATION IN GENERAL DENTISTRY
Dedicated and committed program director
ENDODONTICS
Interdisciplinary collaboration with oral pathology
Collaboration with pediatric dentistry with dedicated microscope in pediatric clinic
Preparation of residents for the specialty board examination
Comprehensive resident evaluation system that includes self-assessment
ORTHDONTICS
Efficient program director and full-time faculty members
Practice and business model with incentives and private office simulation
Paired residents share a dental assistant in team care delivery
PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
Dedicated faculty with high clinical and educational standards
Department chair has implemented positive changes
Institutional support
Dedicated residents
PERIODONTICS
Well-structured program with dedicated program director
High scores on the in-service exam – not a common finding in other programs
All graduates who have challenged the specialty board exam in the past five years have passed
DDS
Coordination of biomedical/behavioral sciences instruction with the Schools of Medicine & Allied Health Professions
Solid financial resources
Support to assist students with developing an appropriate family of patients
Lines of communications among faculty and staff that benefit the student learning experience
Comments regarding meetings with our students:
Proud of the clinical program
Listened to by the administration
Want more digital dentistry
Students work together to accomplish the program
Comment regarding meeting with junior faculty members:
Impressive junior faculty members
South Hill, Virginia, gets a new hospital
We recently took a hard hat tour of the new VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill where we saw the proposed space for their new dental clinic. Design is underway. This new hospital is first new medical facility in that area since 1954. We’re proud to be bringing greater access to oral health care to this region which includes northern North Carolina. This new Family & Specialty Dental Center will be a cooperative effort between the hospital and the School of Dentistry.
Touring the new dental clinic shell spaces in South Hill are W. Scott Burnette, CEO, VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital; Kim Isringhausen, B.S.D.H., R.D.H., M.P.H., assistant dean for Community and Collaborative Partnerships; Clara Spatafore, D.D.S., M.S., chair, Department of Endodontics; Bill Dahlke, D.D.S., chair, department of pediatric dentistry; Dean David C. Sarrett, D.M.D., M.S. ; Brenda Palmore, assistant vice president, VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital, practice management and physician relations; Omar Abubaker, D.M.D., Ph.D., professor and S. Elmer Bear Chair, oral and maxillofacial surgery.
New Adult Outpatient Facility Update
With a few more meetings scheduled before the end of 2017, I’m happy to share that the new adult outpatient facility is taking shape. If only in the design stage. The architect and design firms have been meeting with us to learn more about our needs, our hopes for future patient care spaces and future dental clinics, and wish lists of collaborative spaces for enhanced learning opportunities. The space currently occupied by the Virginia Treatment Center for Children at the corner of 10th and Leigh Streets in downtown Richmond, will begin demolition soon. Be sure to stay tuned as I update you on construction dates and more.
Awards and Recognition
The annual ceremony was held on Tuesday, October 17, to recognize faculty promotions, to award the Dean’s Faculty Excellence recipients, and to celebrate this year’s student endowed scholarships. Congratulations to all award and recognition recipients. Well done!
News Roundup
There’s a wealth of knowledge and experience here at the school. From well-deserved promotions to special committee appointments and media features, there’s a lot to be proud of here at the VCU School of Dentistry.
Be sure to follow the links for more information where available. NOTE: If you have a news item to share, please send it via email to dentistry@vcu.edu.
Omar Abubaker, D.M.D., Ph.D., professor and S. Elmer Bear Chair, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, testified in November before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions. The full committee hearing, “The Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis: Perspectives from States, Communities, and Providers” is online for public viewing.
Tegwyn H. Brickhouse, D.D.S., Ph.D., has been named interim chair, Department of Oral Health Promotion and Community Outreach.
The School of Dentistry, along with the Virginia Dental Association Foundation, has been awarded a 2018 William J. Gies Award for Vision, Innovation and Achievement. The ADEAGies Foundation award recognizes our creation of the MOM project, which kicked off in 2000. Since then, 95 projects have been conducted throughout the state resulting in more than $43 million in free dental services to more than 65,000 patients in underserved communities. To date, the MOM project model, created in Virginia, has been replicated in more than half of the U.S.. The award will be presented in March 2018.
Sarah Brusko and Stephanie Till, both Class of 2019, have been named Hinman Scholars. The Hinman Scholarship was established in 2016 through a $27,000 gift from the Hinman Dental Society.
Dan Laskin, D.D.S., M.S., professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, was featured in The VCU Health System’s monthly eNewsletter, The Spirit.
Parthasarathy Madurantakam, D.D.S., M.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of General Practice, has been elected to the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. He is now a member of the Council’s evidence-based dentistry and seal subcommittees. In addition, he was one of four dental professionals from around the country invited to teach evidence-based dentistry at the University of Maryland’s annual Fall Faculty Retreat.
Garry Myers, D.D.S., graduate program director of the Department of Endodontics, is serving the American Association of Endodontics as 2017/2018 president.
Shillpa Naavaal, B.D.S., M.S., M.P.H, assistant professor, Oral Health Promotion and Community Outreach, participated in a round table presentation at a November American Public Health Association meeting. Dr. Naavaal shared details of a study, now under journal review, involving, “current cigarette smoking and quit attempts by type of health insurance type” among U.S. adults ages 18 – 64. Dr. Tegwyn Brickhouse, presented a poster at the same meeting.
Carlos Smith, D.D.S., M.Div., assistant professor, Department of General Practice and director of ethics curriculum, completed the ADEA/AAL Institute for Teaching and Learning in Atlanta.
Match Day – Phase I Results: Perio – Erin Block, VCU; Sara Holden, VCU; Nick Yesbeck, VCU; Pros – Clara Bergeron, University of Texas – San Antonio; Ortho – Owais Naeem, VCU; Jennifer Shim, VCU; James Dodd, Montefiore Hospital, New York; Graduated Students – Pros – Ahmad Alawadi, University of Texas – San Antonio; Ahmad Alkanderi, University of Texas, Houston; Carlos Blackmon, Florida.
The latest issue of Dentistry magazine is now available online.
Be sure to take a look at the latest Dental Fill-In on our You Tube channel.
I hope your holidays are restful and safe, and full of warmth and good times with family and friends.
Categories Deans blog