TroDent Winter 2023

MAKING YOUNG SMILES BRIGHT

The USC Pediatric Dental Clinic Provides Families with Affordable, High Quality Dental Care.

THE BIG PICTURE

WILSON DENTAL LIBRARY HAS NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD The Jennifer Ann Wilson Dental Library recently reopened after a year-and-a-half hiatus, during which time extensive plumbing repairs were made. While library resources were made available online for Ostrow’s students, the library remained off-limits, presenting a prime opportunity to reimagine the space. When the doors were once again opened to the Wilson Dental Library, students found a completely renovated front half of the library, complete with a new front desk; sleek, modern individual study carrels with privacy barriers and lots of plug-ins; and a small lounge area. The back half of the library remains the same, with two study rooms and multiple seats for individual study.

PHOTO BY NATE JENSEN

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DEAN’S MESSAGE

Welcome to the Fall 2023 issue of TroDent!

I am happy to once again share with you all the happenings that you might have missed this past year in this issue of TroDent.

Earlier this year, Professor Janet Moradian Oldak was honored with a USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students. This award, recipients of which are decided by past honorees, is meant to celebrate faculty members who contribute to an engaging, supportive and inclusive academic environment, and I can think of no one more deserving than Janet who has been mentoring students and junior faculty for years and years. You can read about the ways she inspires her students on page 18.

Our cover story showcases the incredible work the residents, students, faculty and staff do every day in the pediatric dental clinic.

From providing exceptional oral healthcare to educating children and their families about the importance of taking care of their teeth, the pediatric dental clinic is a special place that draws patients from far and wide (Catalina Island, Las Vegas, the San Fernando Valley).

For those of you who might not know, the pediatric dental clinic is currently gearing up for a fundraising campaign to renovate the space from top to bottom to ensure that Ostrow continues to attract the nation’s best and brightest residents. Read about some of the families who have made the pediatric dental clinic their “dental home” beginning on page 20.

We also pay homage to the deep ties between the USC dental school and the Korean American Dental Association (KADA) in “The Ties that Bind.” KADA was founded here in Los Angeles in 1969, providing Korean-born dentists who had immigrated to the United States with a vibrant community of camaraderie, culture and professional support. Many KADA members chose to complete the required U.S. part of their dental education by studying at USC’s International Student Program, the precursor to our ASPID program. Fun fact: Because of ISP, a majority of presidents throughout the organization’s history have been USC graduates. KADA recently memorialized our longstanding relationship by establishing a scholarship here at the school. It’s a relationship I am proud to cultivate, and I look forward to finding new ways to support each other. Read all about how our deep bond got started and remained so strong over the years beginning on page 26.

There’s a little bit of something for everybody in this issue — from a feature story about an investment banker and Ostrow Distance Learning student looking to make a career change so that he can make a difference in people’s lives (“Collin’s Second Act,” page 30) to a Q-and-A with Assistant Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Access Kim Austin about Ostrow’s new book club that focuses on issues of diversity, equity, race and gender (“Ostrow Reads,” page 15) to a fun featurette letting us know more about Friends of Dentistry Chair Brian Hong (“Five Things,” page 17), this issue is full to bursting with informative and entertaining content. Enjoy the read!

Avishai Sadan DMD, MBA Dean G. Donald and Marian James Montgomery Professor of Dentistry Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

COVER STORY

MAKING YOUNG SMILES BRIGHT | 20-25 The USC Pediatric Dentistry Clinic provides affordable high-quality oral healthcare and patient education to underserved communities, including those with special needs. The clinic draws patients from far and wide — Catalina Island, Las Vegas, the San Fernando Valley — who find a welcoming “dental home” at USC.

DEPARTMENTS News 6

New Center will Investigate and Discover Treatments for Temporomandibular Disorders

News Briefs 7 News 8

USC Researchers Probe How Nerves Impact Stem Cells

Ostrow’s Got Talent 11-12 Jessica Kim DDS ’24 Origami Artist

Five Things 17

Brian Hong DDS ’89, PEDO ’92, MS ’96 Friends of Dentistry Chair

News 33 A New Way to Treat Craniosynostosis?

Memorials & Tributes 34-35 Inspired 36 Asha Green DDS ’26

Class Notes 32

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CONTRIBUTORS FALL 2023 Has written for: Los Angeles Times, Tattoo, Ink Fashion, Diesel Power, Hot Rod, Frontiers In L.A. and Female FYI. Years as a writer: 16 What do you like to do outside of work?

I’m naturally drawn to the great outdoors and relish camping in the mountains, deserts or by the beach with my wife and rescue chug (chihuahua-pug mix), Bela Bean.

You wrote about someone with a talent outside of dentistry. What would your talent be?

I have a unique talent for discovering free, secluded camp spots rivaling renowned locations that require reservations months in advance.

COURTNEY MCKINNON WRITER, “Ostrow’s Got Talent” P. 11-12

What’s something you learned by writing about talented origami artist Jessica Kim? As someone who finds origami incredibly challenging, I was interested to learn that muscle memory plays a significant role, allowing experienced artists to complete familiar pieces in a matter of minutes.

When did you first know dentistry was for you?

I first knew when I worked at my godmother’s pediatric dental office as a runner at 15 years old. The combination of hands-on artistry, patient interaction and autonomy in work-life balance attracted me to the field.

If you weren’t going into dentistry, what’s another career path you could see for yourself?

I would likely be practicing as an esthetician and running some sort of spa. As a licensed cosmetologist, I have always been interested in all thing’s skincare and beauty, so I would likely focus on a career in that realm.

What do you like to do outside of dental school?

I love to cook, explore Los Angeles and spend time with my dog Sage Evee outdoors. I am a true Southern girl at heart, so being outside and eating a great meal is always a great way to distract me from the hustle and bustle of dental school.

ASHA GREEN DDS ’26 WRITER, “Inspired” P. 36

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What is something that you learned by writing Inspired this issue?

It allowed me to reflect on my accomplishments thus far and be more appreciative and grateful for this journey. It is so easy to get lost in the day-to-day responsibilities that life starts to feel repetitive and overwhelming, but writing this article helped me recenter my focus on why I am here and all I have done and will do as I work towards my dream career.

DEAN AVISHAI SADAN DMD, MBA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS JOHN HOBBS MA ’14 DESIGN/PRODUCTION GARETT YOSHIDA

CONTRIBUTORS STEPHANIE CORRAL ANDREW FAUGHT KATHARINE GAMMON ASHA GREEN DDS ’26 JOHN HOBBS MA ’14 MICHELLE McCARTHY COURTNEY McKINNON DANIEL P. SMITH

PHOTOGRAPHY QING CHANG NATE JENSEN GLENN MARZANO

ILLUSTRATOR JAYA NICELY

PRINTED BY GREENS PRINTING GREENSPRINTING.COM

TRODENT HERMAN OSTROW SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY OF USC 925 W. 34TH STREET, DEN 202 LOS ANGELES, CA 90089-0641 (213) 740-0428

CONTACT US WITH STORY IDEAS AT: OSTROW.COMMUNICATIONS@USC.EDU

DENTISTRY.USC.EDU

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A MENTOR WITH A PURPOSE | 18-19 Earlier this year, Professor Janet Moradian Oldak was recognized with a USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students. Decided by previous awardees, the USC Mentoring Award honors faculty members who contribute to an engaging, supportive and inclusive academic environment. It’s precisely what Oldak has been doing in her lab for nearly 30 years.

FEATURES THE TIES THAT BIND | 26-29

COLLIN’S SECOND ACT | 30-31

Since its founding in 1969, the Korean American Dental Association has maintained a deep connection with the USC dental school. In fact, a vast majority of its presidents over the years have been USC graduates. This year, the group memorialized those strong ties with an endowed scholarship for fourth-year DDS students in the USC Korean American Dental Student Association.

Investment banker by day, Ostrow Distance Learning student by night, Collin Concepcion is plotting a course to a career change as a dentist. Driven by a deep desire to help others, Concepcion has completely reimagined his career path, aiming to become a pediatric dentist.

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NEWS

New Center Will Investigate And Discover Treatments for Temporomandibular Disorders A new grant will bring together multidisciplinary researchers to understand jaw joint degeneration and pain from the inside out.

BY KATHARINE GAMMON The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a little like a knee: it has a disc in the middle and then two bony structures that articulate together to open and close the jaw.

But, with all that talking and eating, the TMJ is used more than the knee. Between 5 and 12 percent of people develop temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMD) that can bring on joint pain and headache, requiring medication to manage pain. The main treatment is an anti-inflammatory drug, but 30 percent of patients don’t respond to it and are left with few options.

Despite being relatively common, there isn’t much known about this joint and its problems — scientists don’t know the root cause of the disorders, lack biomarkers to show the progression of the disease and don’t even have a good animal model with which to study it. “Compared to knee joint research, we’re about 20 years behind,” Associate Professor and Director of USC’s

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PhD Program in Craniofacial Biology Jianfu Chen said.

That’s one reason why Chen and University Professor and Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai PhD ’91, DDS ’96 are teaming up to lead a new Center for TMD Collaborative for IMproving PAtientCentered Translational Research (IMPACT) to translate research and improve patient outcomes. They are the principal investigators for a new grant from the National Institutes of Health to create the center.

Much of the researchers’ work has centered on craniofacial tissue regeneration, and they will bring that approach to the larger consortium, which will include researchers from University of California – San Francisco and University of California – Davis as well as patient advocates. The hope, Chai said, is not only to provide better prevention and diagnosis, but also to “develop some alternative treatments that can really help to alleviate the pain and suffering these patients have and restore their function.”

Making a Real Difference The approach is similar to C-DOCTOR,

an interdisciplinary center for the clinical translation of innovative regenerative technologies to replace dental, oral and craniofacial tissues or organs.

Chai outlined some immediate goals: to survey clinicians and patients to find out the challenging unmet clinical needs and to determine whether a biomarker could tell more about the way the disorder was progressing. Then the team will bring people together to do research and develop products to improve the diagnosis and treatment for patients with TMD. It’s an opportunity to bring together resources already at USC, Chen said.

“Historically, USC has a strong clinical program in studying the pain in the TMJ disorder — led by Professor Glenn Clark.

We also have some basic research in TMD and related studies, but we haven’t been able to put it in together,” he says. “I think it’s exciting and a really good opportunity to have a center like this.”

The new grant covers one year — enough time to build momentum and bring all the experts together, so we can move and compete for the next stage, Chai said.

“It’s such an understudied area where we can make a real difference.”

NEWS BRIEFS

DELTA DENTAL DONATES $1.1 MILLION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

MORE ABSTRACT POSTERS THAN EVER AT RESEARCH DAY

The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation has donated $1.1 million to Ostrow to support student scholarships.

The scholarships are intended to go to students who have demonstrated high academic achievement while experiencing financial hardship, disadvantage, adversity or difficult circumstances in their lives or who have an interest in working with underserved communities.

“We are thrilled to partner with Delta Dental to establish these endowed scholarships,” said Dean Avishai Sadan.

“These scholarships are perfectly in line with USC’s commitment to further diversifying the voices in oral healthcare and to providing much-needed care to underserved communities, which is a cornerstone of our curriculum here at Ostrow.” Delta Dental Community Care Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California.

At this year’s Research Day, there were an all-time high number of abstract posters, with 143 abstracts from dentistry as well as the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy. “Introducing our students to the joys and challenges of research is crucial for providing them with valuable skills that will be essential in their careers as healthcare providers, educators and scientists,” said Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai PhD ’91, DDS ’96 in his introduction letter in the Explorer.

“Our students represent the future of our professions, and the outstanding discoveries being presented today make it clear the future is bright.”

OSTROW AWARDS RECORD NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS At this year’s Friends of Dentistry Scholarship Recognition Dinner, there were a record number of scholarship recipients. This year, Ostrow awarded nearly $2.6 million in scholarships to 176 students, the largest group of students to be awarded yet. This included 134 scholarships that were valued at more than $10,000. “We are all so grateful to you for your generosity, lending a hand to these bright, talented dental students as they lay the foundation for a rewarding career in dentistry,” Dean Avishai Sadan said to the donors present at the event. “We couldn’t do it without your desire to give back to the school in one of the most impactful ways.” Next year’s Friends of Dentistry Scholarship Recognition Dinner is scheduled for March 30, 2024.

PHARK, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ADHESIVE DENTISTRY Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry Jin-Ho Phark has been named the president-elect of the International Academy of Adhesive Dentistry, a global organization and information platform meant to foster the benefits of adhesive and minimally invasive dentistry among researchers, dentists, dental students, the dental industry and patients. Phark is currently the treasurer for the international academy. He will serve as president-elect until 2025, at which point he will begin his two-year presidency.

CHAI EARNS GOLDHABER AWARD University Professor and Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai PhD ’91, DDS ’96 was awarded the 2023 Paul Goldhaber Award from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. The most prestigious honor bestowed by the school, the award goes to a recipient who is held in the highest international esteem in his or her field relating to oral and systemic health. “I’m very surprised and excited to be recognized by my peers, especially when you look at other people who have won this before me,” Chai said.

“The list of previous recipients include Per-Ingvar Brånemark, known as the father of modern dental implants, and other scientists who broke ground on understanding an array of oral and craniofacial diseases.” Chai is the Director of the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology and the George and MaryLou Boone Chair in Craniofacial Biology. In 2018, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

MERRILL-BRUGGER RECEIVES NIDCR GRANT TO STUDY FIBROUS JOINTS IN SKULL Fresh off a five-year grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Associate Professor and Department Chair Department of Biomedical Sciences Amy Merrill-Brugger has been awarded a second five-year grant to continue her work studying the function and dysfunction of fontanelle and suture development in a baby’s developing skull. With the first grant, MerrillBrugger studied a disease called bent bone dysplasia syndrome, a genetic condition cause by variants in a gene that codes for growth factor receptor FGFR2. With the second grant, she will dig deeper, aiming to understand the mechanisms of FGFR2 in fontanelle and suture fusion to reveal potential targets for future treatment.

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NEWS

USC Researchers Probe How Nerves Impact Stem Cells It’s part of a larger effort to replicate entire microenvironments — blood vessels, lymphatic tissue and nerve fibers — toward the ultimate goal of tissue regeneration.

BY KATHARINE GAMMON It’s well known that nerves are vital for sensing the world, but researchers are now discovering how they also change the behavior of stem cells, which could have implications for regrowing dental tissue.

Those are the findings of a paper published earlier this year in the journal Nature Communications.

Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai PhD ’91, DDS ’96, along with postdoctoral scholar Fei Pei and postdoctoral fellow Li Ma, used mutated mice to understand how sensory nerves affect the behavior of mesenchymal stem cells in the continuously growing mouse incisor. When the sensory nerve is turned off, it led to mesenchymal disorder and an overall decrease in mesenchymal stem cells.

“The nerve not only serves as a

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sensory component or a motor component in our daily functions, but it’s also used as a vehicle to provide these really important factors that help to control how the stem cells behave,” Chai said.

“Basically, it helps build this stem cell niche compartment.”

The researchers studied nerves that secrete a protein-coding gene called FGF-1, which acts on the surface receptors of stem cells, controlling how they maintain tissues. When that interaction was disturbed, the stem cells “basically don’t know what to do,” Chai explained.

As a result, the researchers saw an abnormal growth of dentin — one of the main components of teeth — but he said there could be additional implications for how the nerve impacts other organs.

Other studies have shown that sensory nerves can control how fast hair cells grow or how particular gland tissue turns over. “It is quite exciting to see this kind of mechanism so well-conserved across multiple organs,” Chai said, adding that the work will be beneficial for scientists studying other organs or bones.

“This work can really inform people who are looking to understand the interaction between nerves and structural components around them.”

It could also have implications for tooth regeneration — something that Chai and colleagues have been working toward for years. A better understanding of what controls the stem cell’s unique neighborhood can help, he said.

“Not only do we need to put the stem cells in place to regenerate part of a tooth structure, but we also need to make sure that these niche components — like the nerve — is functioning properly so that nerve fibers can control the stem cells in the proper way.”

Chai and his colleagues are actively exploring the other players in this process in a comprehensive way. They are starting to study blood vessels and lymphatic tissue and their impact on stem cells, he said.

“Ultimately, we want to have a comprehensive understanding about the entire microenvironment, so we can replicate it while we do tissue regeneration.”

CENTURY CLUB ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

THE HERMAN OSTROW SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY OF USC’s

CENTURY CLUB ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

WAS EXCITED TO WELCOME HOME DENTAL ALUMNI AT THE

2023 HOMECOMING TAILGATE!

Ostrow alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends celebrated together while enjoying an open bar, amazing buffet, lawn games, photo booth, DJ and great company.

The Ostrow CCAA helps alumni continue to develop professionally, network with fellow Trojan dental professionals and stay connected to the school that paved their way to a successful dental career.

To stay engaged with classmates, faculty and alumni, please visit ostrowconnect.usc.edu

To view the 2023 Ostrow Homecoming Tailgate Highlight Video, scan the QR code.

OSTROW’S GOT TALENT, FIVE THINGS, GAMES AND MORE!

ORIGAMI STRAWBERRY

OSTROW’S GOT TALENT

Jessica Kim

DDS ’24 ORIGAMI ARTIST

PHOTO BY NATE JENSEN T R O D E N T W INTER 2023 11

ORIGAMI BUTTERFLIES

From Cranes to Crowns Jessica Kim’s synthesis of creativity and science promises enduring smiles.

PHOTO BY NATE JENSEN

BY COURTNEY MCKINNON In the short amount of time it takes the average person to brush and floss their teeth, Jessica Kim DDS ’24 can transform a lifeless sheet of paper into an exquisite rose. “I was 4 when my mother taught me origami,” Kim recalls. “She gave me a square of paper and told me to follow her instructions. I didn’t know what to expect, but I remember enjoying the process. The complexity of the folds, each serving a purpose, immediately piqued my interest in the art of paper folding.”

The end result of that memorable experience with her mother was a paper crane, a symbol of longevity and good fortune. Throughout elementary school, Kim honed her craft, creating trees and butterflies — eagerly awaiting her father’s return from his trips to Korea with a fresh supply of origami paper. After all, Kim points out with a laugh, “We didn’t have Amazon back then.”

For birthdays, special occasions or just an average day, Kim dedicated herself to the art of fashioning bespoke origami gifts. “I was able to make people happy,” she explains. “In return, I felt rewarded by their smiles. I loved how the gift of origami gave me the opportunity to share joy and happiness with others.”

She also showcased her masterpieces at exhibitions, held workshops at a retirement home and taught classes at the Korean school she used to attend.

Though origami didn’t come naturally to Kim, the challenges of the unique folds are what made it enjoyable. “It sparked my interest in the STEM field, as it involved a great deal of math and engineering,” she says. While you don’t often hear the words origami and dentistry in the same sentence — for Kim, the two are intertwined.

The traits it takes to be a skilled origami artist — attention to detail, patience and persistence — seamlessly fold into the world of dentistry.

But, Kim says, the creative aspects of dentistry are also quite similar.

“It involves using your hands and artistic skills to design something enduring for a person,” she explains. “Your work remains with them throughout their life, and that is pretty cool.”

Kim witnessed the combination of science, art and innovation come

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together during her first shadowing experience involving a partial restoration — and it evoked the same indescribable sense of satisfaction she receives when she completes an origami piece. “When the dentist showed me a 3-unit bridge, it looked so realistic and beautiful, like natural teeth,” she recalls vividly. “Although it was a masterpiece, he was hesitant, as the connection between the bridge and the patient’s gum did not correspond aesthetically. He interacted with his team and the patient to decide on an unconventional addition of pink porcelain in one area of the bridge to fabricate a functional and aesthetically pleasing smile. It was the process of patience and diligence that contributed to the greatest patient satisfaction.”

Driven by her unwavering passion, Kim plans to continue using her hands to create lasting works of art for people — via origami and dentistry. “I want to open an origami jewelry store,” she explains. “I make a lot of miniature pieces, like cranes and flowers — they’re very small, like the size of a fingernail. I add crystal beads to give the pieces a little sparkle, then I put them on earrings or necklaces and give them away as gifts.”

As she nears graduation, Kim has her sights set on pursuing a PhD in the biology of aging at USC, with the ultimate goal of leveraging her unique blend of artistry and dental expertise to make a meaningful impact in the field of geriatric dentistry. “I think there’s a great need in that niche,” she says. “I worked at a retirement home for many years, and the standard of care becomes different for older patients due to certain medications they take or physical limitations.”

ORIGAMI ROSES

FRONT DESK

A Warm Welcome The Associated Student Body Class of 2026 shot and edited a 10-minute video welcoming the incoming students of the DDS Class of 2027. In the video, the students share what brought them to USC (shout out to the renovated SIM Lab!), where the best places to study are (Leavey Library! — presumably because our very own library was being renovated this past year) and generally getting them up to speed about life at the Norris Dental Science Center. You can watch the video at tinyurl.com/WelcometoOstrow

CL

IN THE NEWS

“If it wasn’t for them, there would be a lot of vets like myself that would not be able to get dental work done.”

—Veteran Brian Uptgraft on the dental treatment he received at a USC Mobile Clinic event that took place earlier this year. The event represents a partnership between Ostrow and Village for Vets, a nonprofit focused on filling critical gaps for homeless or at-risk veterans. Watch at tinyurl.com/USCDentistryforVets

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UNIO

FLASHBACK

1988

The Summer 1988 issue of TroDent’s cover story honored Guy Ho DDS ’40, whose life journey took him from the Yangtze region in China, where he worked as a teen for his father — a prominent dentist in the area — to studying at Nanking University before moving to the United States to study at the USC School of Dentistry. Ho taught dental anatomy and prosthodontics from 1940 to 1965 at USC. In his message, Dean William Crawford noted the passing of Fred Olds DDS ’24, who is credited with starting USC’s first support group, the Century Club — today called the Century Club Alumni Association. Another notable mention, with reverberations still felt today, was the naming of the recently renovated second-floor clinic to the Rex Ingraham Clinic.

“My mentor ... once said to me that I should always be involved in education in some role because it would expand my thought process, keep me updated, keep me engaged and allow me to give back to my specialty. I think about what he told me every day as I work with intelligent and inspirational students ...”

—Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry Stefan Zweig DDS ’86, ENDO ’92, MHA ’26, sharing words of wisdom in a Medium article about building a successful career in endodontics. Read more at tinyurl.com/ZweiginMedium

“We’re all aging everyday, and there’s something so humanistic to it. It’s a perfect way to blend science and empathy.”

—Somkene Okwuego ’21, MA ’22, DDS ’26 in an L.A. Times article about how her educational background in gerontology will help her be a better geriatric dentist in the future. Read more at tinyurl.com/OkwuegoinLATimes

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Got e v ’ We

WATCH THEIR VIDEOS

“MAKEBA”

tinyurl.com/MakebaDance

“MONTAGEM”

the

t a e B

tinyurl.com/MontagemDa

nce

Even while providing high-quality radiographic images to students and residents, the Oral Radiology team likes to have fun making TikTok-like dance videos.

Who says work has to be a grind? Not the team of radiological technicians, residents and students hard at work in Ostrow’s Oral Radiology Department. Amid the flurry of X-rays they take for patients, the team has found a way to blow off some steam — making TikTok-like dance videos.

It started earlier this year when Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry Elham Radan entered the clinic, announcing it was Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The idea came up to make a dance video and, at the end, wish everyone a happy new year. Within five minutes, they made their first video. “I was surprised that the staff could follow the moves so quickly, and we looked pretty coordinated,” Radan says. Since then, the group has created three more videos — some, like the one set to Jain’s “Makeba” are just for fun; others, like one about using the rectangular collimation to limit patient’s exposure to radiation, are educational. It didn’t take long for the students to jump in. “Some are shy, but I tell them the moves are easy and that they can do it. I love it when they join in and have a few minutes of loosening up,” Radan says. “They work hard and, for a few minutes, they can unwind.” At the end of the day, it’s all about supporting our students for the radiological team. “I constantly think about what I can do to make learning a fun experience,” she says. “Students send me messages all the time, and they appreciate the support they get in our clinic — emotionally, diagnostically and technically.”

PHOTOS BY NATE JENSEN

“RECTANGULAR COLLIMATION”

tinyurl.com/RectangularCollimationD

“CALM DOWN”

tinyurl.com/USCC

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almDownDance

ance

ILLUSTRATION BY KIM AUSTIN

FRONT DESK

Ostrow Reads

Last year, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Access Kim Austin ’78, PERIO ’95 teamed up with Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry Yaara Berdan MBA ’22, Admissions Counselor Corey Berry and Associate University Librarian Hannah Schilperoort to launch a book club for the Ostrow community centered around themes of diversity, equity, race and gender.

Since then, the group of bibliophiles has read five books, meeting during lunch to discuss the book and their personal experiences. We caught up with Austin to learn more about the endeavor.

WHAT WAS BEHIND THE STARTING OF THIS BOOK CLUB? WHAT DID YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH? I wanted to find a fun way to have discussions about diversity, inclusion and access. The books that we read bring on great discussions, and feelings are shared, but more importantly respected. It is a brave space for sure.

OF THE BOOKS YOU’VE READ SO FAR, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE, AND WHY?

My favorite has been Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa. What really made this book special was that some of our members shared personal stories that closely resembled some of the occurrences in the book. It brought another level of respect throughout the book club.

WHAT DO YOU GET PERSONALLY FROM THE DISCUSSIONS AFTER READING THE BOOK?

A good feeling is what I get. I feel that the members of this book club make it what it is — a good safe place — and getting to know them has been the best part of being a member. I appreciate the support and contribution of the book club organizers and the book club members to the development and growth of the book club.

All Ostrow students, residents, faculty and staff are welcome to join. Austin sends out an email at the beginning of each trimester with more information. You can catch up with the group by checking out the books — physical or digital copies — the group has already read at the Wilson Dental Library’s Diversity Corner.

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FRONT DESK

The k o o Yearb Game Ostrow Match the with notables ots h the heads ir from the l hoo dental sc s. yearbook

1 ANITA TOURAH DDS ’08, PROS ’12 2 CHERYL PARK DDS ’13, PROS ’16 3 CHERILYN SHEETS DDS ’68 Trojan DERICK TAGAWA DDS ’68, ORTHO ’71 D entists 4 ROCK! 5 GEORGE JABER DDS ’13 6 JOHN ASCHIERIS DDS ’58 7 JOHN L. LYTLE ’78, MD ’83, DDS ’88 8 MARK COLLONS DDS ’68 9 TINA SIU DDS ’88 10 FRANK ENRIQUEZ DDS ’73, PEDO ’78 Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs

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E

F

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Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry Friends of Dentistry Member

Chair, Ostrow Board of Councilors

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry Friends of Dentistry Member

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry Emeritus Friends of Dentistry Boardmember Friends of Dentistry Member Friends of Dentistry Member

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Ostrow yearbooks are viewable online at the USC Wilson Dental Library website.

Stroll down memory lane by visiting tinyurl.com/USCDentistryYearbooks.

ANSWERS: 1D, 2I, 3F, 4G, 5H, 6J, 7C, 8B, 9A, 10E

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FIVE THINGS

Brian Hong DDS ’89, PEDO ’92, MS ’96 Friends of Dentistry Chair

It’s been a year since Brian Hong took the reins as Chair of the Friends of Dentistry, Ostrow’s premiere support group, succeeding longtime colleague and mentor Derick Tagawa DDS ’68, ORTHO ’71, who went on to helm Ostrow’s Board of Councilors. Beforehand, Hong had served on the Friends of Dentistry Board. Here are five more things to know about the Ostrow alumna:

1

HONG’S LIFE JOURNEY IS MARKED BY A NUMBER OF “FIRSTS.” Hong is a first-generation Korean immigrant. “As a first-generation immigrant, working hard from an early age was instilled in me by my parents who set examples themselves,” he says. He’s also the first member of his family to become a dentist. “Needless to say, my parents were delighted and so proud,” he adds. And, when assuming the role of the Friends of Dentistry Chair, he became the first pediatric dentist to do so.

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AS CHAIR, HIS GOAL IS TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT FRIENDS OF DENTISTRY.

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OUTSIDE OF HIS VOLUNTEER WORK AT USC, HONG RUNS TWO PRACTICE LOCATIONS — IN FULLERTON, CALIF., AND IN KOREATOWN.

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“I am immersed with the most rewarding aspects of service to the school: fundraising, making speeches, running board meetings and meeting new colleagues and students,” he says. “I would hope that many more alumni will be able to experience the wonderful friendship and camaraderie that comes with FOD membership.”

“The Fullerton practice is a traditional pediatric dental practice located in the suburbs, serving the children of the area,” says Hong, who, early in his career, was one of Southern California’s first Korean-speaking pediatric dentists. “In Koreatown, the patient base is almost entirely the Korean-speaking immigrant population.

Patients appreciate the ability to communicate in their native language.”

HONG ENJOYS LIFE IN THE FAST LANE.

“I’ve always loved cars,” says Hong, who had a poster of a Porsche hanging in his room during high school. That poster became the real thing when he bought his first Porsche. But it wasn’t until he took that Porsche on a racetrack that he found his real passion. “It is the most exhilarating feeling to drive down the track with no speed limit,” he says. “The only limitation is your skill level.”

THAT LOVE FOR SPEED FAR PRECEDES HONG’S PORSCHE FANTASIES.

“I was a sprinter in school. I used to hold the freshman school record for the 100-yard dash and the 4X400 mile relay,” says Hong, whose father was a Korean national record holder in the 800-meter and was set to compete in the Asian Olympics before war broke out on the Korean Peninsula. “I first found out I was very fast when I was still young, being a mischievous kid growing up in Korea.”

Bonus — At heart, Hong is a family man. He and his wife just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary and the couple has raised two children who’ve grown up to be “good people who serve their communities,” Hong says. Hong welcomed his first grandson, Liam, a year ago.

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A

Mentor

BY DANIEL P. SMITH

with a

Purpose

LONGTIME OSTROW FACULTY MEMBER JANET MORADIAN OLDAK WINS USC MENTORING AWARD.

PHOTO BY GLENN MARZANO

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s excited as Gayathri Visakan MS ’19 was to arrive at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC in 2017 as a master’s student in craniofacial biology, anxiety also cluttered her mind.

A clinically trained dentist in her native India, Visakan was embarking upon a significant personal and professional adventure.

In venturing to USC, Visakan was entering a new country, as well as taking her first steps into the world of research by joining the lab of Professor Janet Moradian Oldak.

“I was absolutely overjoyed to be in Dr. Oldak’s lab because I knew of her standing in the field, but it was definitely an overwhelming transition given how much I had to learn,” Visakan admits.

Oldak immediately settled Visakan’s nerves, inviting her into a collaborative lab where young researchers are encouraged to explore their curiosities and empowered to mature into confident, capable scientists.

Throughout the past six years, Oldak has been a consistent, supportive force for Visakan, shepherding her growth as an independent scientist with eyes on a career in academia.

“My transition from clinical dentistry to research couldn’t have been smoother, and that has a lot to do with Dr. Oldak’s holistic mentorship,” says Visakan, who earned her master’s degree in 2019 and remains on pace to complete her PhD in craniofacial biology next year.

This past spring, Oldak was named a winner of the 2023 USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students, a nod to her mentorship of students like Visakan. The USC Mentoring Awards — bestowed upon faculty by previous recipients — honor faculty across USC who contribute to an engaging, supportive and inclusive academic environment through their mentorship of students and faculty.

The awards recognize faculty who provide ongoing support, collaboration, constructive feedback and professional networking opportunities to mentees while also modeling high standards for excellence.

“This is a meaningful and rewarding honor for me because I care about people and want to see them succeed,” says Oldak,

who was recognized at the USC Mentoring Awards ceremony on May 1.

A PROPONENT OF MENTORSHIP A prolific scientist who has published more than 120 articles and secured numerous patents, Oldak pursues both basic sciences, namely research efforts seeking to understand the formation of dental enamel, as well as translational science focused on enamel regeneration.

For Oldak, who enthusiastically champions a supportive, inquisitive and respectful lab environment’s role in fueling scientific progress, enterprising research and mentorship are neatly intertwined.

Oldak learned the value of mentorship during her time as a graduate student at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.

There, Oldak had two mentors — a chemist and a structural biologist — who influenced her growth as a scientific researcher. Both urged her to trust her intuition and advance her technical skills. Both engaged in earnest discussions with Oldak about planning her experiments and analyzing data. They bolstered her enthusiasm for science and provided a framework for awakening the same in others.

“They laid the groundwork for me about what mentorship is and how it can help a young scientist,” says Oldak, who remains in contact with both of her mentors.

Since joining USC’s faculty ranks in 1995, Oldak has been an engaged and willing mentor to a diverse collection of motivated students in her lab, including male and female scientists from around the world representing fields such as dentistry, chemistry, biophysics, material science and molecular biology. She has mentored post-docs and graduate students as well as dental students and even high school students interested in scientific research.

“I understand what it means to have opportunity, and I want to provide that for people,” says Oldak, who also serves as a mentor to junior faculty.

In her lab, Oldak pushes students to broaden their technical skillset, promotes time management and spotlights professional opportunities like conferences and seminars. By sitting alongside students discussing their research challenges

and potential approaches, she helps her mentees pursue energizing questions and generate research momentum.

“I let my students think and struggle, but I am also conscious of when I need to step in,” says Oldak, whose lab currently includes two postdoctoral fellows and two graduate students. “My students know I care for them and want them to be successful.”

THE IMPACT OF OLDAK’S MENTORSHIP Visakan has felt Oldak’s support throughout her six-year run at Ostrow.

Oldak has taught Visakan how to break larger projects down into smaller, more achievable parts; offered steady encouragement; and shared tangible advice to sharpen her professional profile. Noting that Visakan sprinted through presentations, for instance, Oldak suggested she watch TED Talks to help Visakan learn pacing.

“Since day one in the lab, Dr. Oldak has been approachable, perceptive and committed to helping me grow as a scientist and person,” Visakan says.

Erika Nowotny, another graduate student who joined the Oldak Lab in August 2020, shares similar thoughts, crediting Oldak’s guidance for informing her PhD project characterizing and testing the efficacy of a specific hydrogel for the treatment of white spot lesions. Oldak has sparked Nowotny’s progress by reframing questions, offering novel insights and identifying alternative approaches.

“She calls me out when necessary, but never in a way that I have to recover,” Nowotny says. “I know her priority is to help me see things from different perspectives, which is so vital for productive research.”

Admittedly blessed with brilliant and creative students, Oldak’s goal as a mentor has remained consistent over the past 28 years: to help students contribute to science and move into their careers with confidence. Today, her lab alumni are spread around the globe, working in prominent roles at universities, in industry and at clinics.

“My hope is that each of them sees their time in my lab as a positive experience that inspires and informs their work,” Oldak says.

“That’s always my hope as a mentor.”

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Alem Viveros first came to the USC Pediatric Dental Clinic after a scooter accident caused one of his front teeth to be knocked out at the age of 7. Today, the 15-year-old still makes the 28-mile trek to his “dental home” at USC.

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s e l i m S g n ou Y IGHT MAKING

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The USC Pediatric Dentistry Clinic provides families with affordable high-quality dental care.

BY STEPHANIE CORRAL

In 2015, Alem Viveros was playing in the front yard of his Sun Valley, Calif., home when he fell off his scooter.

The impact of the accident knocked out one of the 7-yearold’s front teeth.

“I was so scared,” recalls his mother, Angelica Viveros. “In that moment, I didn’t know how to react.”

She and her husband, Mario, rushed Alem to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where they received emergency treatment and a referral to USC’s Pediatric Dentistry Clinic for more specialized care.

Operated through the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC, the pediatric dental clinic provides affordable, high-quality oral healthcare and patient education to underserved communities, including those with special needs.

The clinic’s dental team stabilized and maintained Alem’s tooth to ensure proper bone growth, which required frequent visits for the next three years to monitor the tooth’s progress and prevent infections.

The Viveroses decided to continue making the 28-mile trip to the clinic — sometimes braving rushhour traffic and white-knuckled drives in the rain — for Alem’s dental care.

“We could have picked a dental office that is closer,” Mario says, “but we decided to continue going because of the service and easy payments.”

Often a first-stop for families in need, the clinic primarily serves low-income patients under the DentiCal and Healthy Families programs.

It is also often a safe haven for children with special needs who might not be able to find treatment elsewhere. The clinic is equipped with three quiet rooms where children with autism and other special needs can be treated — sometimes with assistance from Ostrow’s Dental Anesthesiology team.

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Amery Sillas and Sara Ardehali PEDO ’25 PHOTOS BY NATE JENSEN

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s e l i m S g n ou Y BRIGHT MAKING

“Finding a provider who can effectively cater to children with special needs is an incredibly challenging journey for these families,” says Alexander Alcaraz PEDO ’07, who is co-chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics and director of the advanced program in pediatric dentistry. “We feel so much empathy for these children when they finally come to us after months, and possibly years, of their dental care going untreated” The 15-chair pediatric clinic provides all students in the doctor of dental surgery program an introduction to pediatric dentistry through three-week clinical rotations.

Under the supervision of the clinic’s expert faculty, the clinic’s residents provided Viveros restorative, endodontic and surgical treatment as well as a temporary partial denture until he can have a permanent tooth implanted when he reaches the age of 21.

Alem says he appreciates the conversations he’s had with dentists because they would ask him how he was doing in school or what video games he liked to play.

“When I meet a new dentist, they always introduce themselves and are very friendly,” says Alem, now 15.

“The next time I see them it feels like I have known them for years.”

Helping Kids Through Dentistry Making young patients feel at ease in the dentist chair is what keeps Padi Nazarian ’18, DDS ’22, PEDO ’24 motivated.

“I really enjoy being able to take a child who is so afraid at the beginning and help them pave the rest of their lifestyle, working not only with dentists, but with other healthcare professionals,” Nazarian says. “Knowing that they are in the right hands at USC really pushes me through the most difficult days.”

Initially set on a career in pediatric medicine, Nazarian became interested in pediatric dentistry when she had a cavity shortly before starting college.

“I went to the dentist, and I saw my love for art and medicine come together and thought ‘what better way to help kids than through dentistry?,’” Nazarian says.

After earning her undergraduate degree and DDS degree at USC, Nazarian says the decision to apply to the university’s advanced program in pediatric dentistry was an easy one.

“I compared USC to a lot of other programs and, of

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Sara Ardehali PEDO ’25 consults with Destiny Sillas whose mother Suzy Angel was so impressed by the work done at a USC Mobile Clinic that she joined Ostrow’s staff in 2021.

PHOTO BY NATE JENSEN T R O D E N T W INTER 2023 23

s e l i m S g n You BRIGHT MAKING

course, they all are great, but nothing was home more than USC,” Nazarian says.

“The faculty are so willing to help, and I saw the work that they did and how much they want to give back and how much the alumni community wanted to give back. At USC, everyone likes to give back and to help the next generation of dentists.”

A Wealth of Experience

Alem Viveros and parents Angelica and Mario Viveros

Alcaraz enjoys seeing residents learn through the hands-on experience they gain from working at the clinic.

“Seeing their minds get expanded when they kind of have that ‘aha moment,’ when they kind of realize something really unique that they have learned and they want to share it with you ... that feels good,” he says.

What makes the residency program special, Alcaraz says, is that students can rotate through hospital-based dentistry clinics at Los Angeles General Medical Center and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, in addition to three different children’s hospitals: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Children’s Hospital Orange County and Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital Long Beach.

“The residents get a wealth of experience in all aspects of pediatric dentistry to the point where they are really able to handle anything that walks through their door when they go into private practice,” Alcaraz says. “We see a lot of new patients that are bounced around, that haven’t received good care.

They have been traumatized from past dental experience. They are kind of lost, and they come to us so that we can help them and get them all the care they need.”

Watching Children Grow Up Suzy Angel first learned about the pediatric dental clinic at USC when the USC Mobile Clinic, which provided dental treatment to low-income elementary school-age children, visited her daughter’s preschool.

“They [Angel’s children] were traumatized from another dental office, so they were afraid it was going to be the same, but gratefully they got to experience something better,” Angel says.

The mother of three was so impressed by the high-quality dental care her children received that she began working as the pediatric dental clinic’s front office coordinator in 2021.

“It makes me happy that we can help parents with their children’s needs for dental work,” Angel says.

Her job at the clinic, Angel says, has also taught her a great deal about how to better take care of her children’s teeth and her own.

“So far, we are doing great with cleaning and keeping the cavities out of the way with the help of dentists’ recommendations,” says Angel, who brings her children to the clinic every six months for dental exams and cleanings.

Nazarian says it has been amazing to watch Angel’s children grow up at the clinic.

“The assistants talk to them as if they are family,” Nazarian says.

With approximately 2,500 patients served in 2023, the clinic is busy but

Suzy Angel and children Destiny Sillas, Michael Sillas and Amery Sillas 24 T R O D E N T WI NT E R 2 0 2 3

Michael Sillas gets instruction on proper brushing technique on a stuffed lion with some serious chompers.

PHOTOS BY NATE JENSEN highly efficient, says Alcaraz, who credits the clinic’s success to the great staff and faculty at USC. “I think without them we wouldn’t be able to make the program work,” Alcaraz says. “I am grateful to all of them. We really try to select the best residents in the country, not only clinically and didactically, but most importantly just finding good, empathetic people that really want to work hard.”

Looking to the clinic’s future, Alcaraz is hoping renovations will allow the clinic to continue providing high-quality care for patients in a state-of-the-art environment.

“Our last major renovation was in the 2000s, and it had some minor upgrades in 2015, but we really need a complete face lift,” Alcaraz says. “I am really excited to bring it into the next generation of pediatric dentistry with some new technology and just have a really good recruitment tool for the future generations of pediatric dentists to learn.”

As for the Viveros family, their commutes to University Park are far from over.

Their youngest daughter, Yaretzi, recently got braces.

“We are going to start all over,” Angelica says, with a laugh. “We are going to stay a little while longer.”

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OSTROW AND THE KOREAN AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION HAVE MAINTAINED STRONG BONDS SINCE THE ORGANIZATION’S FOUNDING IN 1969.

BY DANIEL P. SMITH • PHOTOS BY NATE JENSEN

T R O D E N T WINTER 2023 27

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hen Seonho Ha DDS ’93, PROS ’95 arrived in the United States from Korea in 1991 at age 29, he encountered unfamiliar terrain, including language and cultural barriers. At times, Ha admits, the transition proved daunting and overwhelming.

Fortunately, Ha found an encouraging ally in the Korean American Dental Association (KADA).

Having completed his dental training at Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea before moving to California, Ha enrolled in the International Student Program (ISP) at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC to earn his DDS degree in the U.S. After Ha concluded his USC studies, KADA armed him with key insights to establish his practice and manage patients while also providing valuable touchpoints with his culture through social gatherings.

“KADA was such a supportive community for me and an organization that helped me find my way in the U.S.,” says Ha, who has run his own prosthodontics practice in Los Angeles for the past 23 years.

Since 1969, KADA has provided U.S.-based dentists of Korean heritage like Ha a vibrant community of camaraderie, culture and professional support. From its modest roots in Los Angeles with 30 founding dentists, KADA now boasts some 2,000 national members, including nearly 800 in Southern California alone. Its members lead dental offices, train students, oversee research programs, shepherd community outreach programs and drive industry operations.

But Ha embodies something more than KADA’s mission.

He also represents KADA’s mighty ties to USC. KADA’s president from 2012 to 2014, Ha is one of many USC graduates to lead KADA over the past 54 years. He is also a former full-time Ostrow faculty member (1996-2006) who continues teaching implant dentistry, fixed prosthodontics and treatment planning at the school as a volunteer faculty.

KADA and USC have long been collaborative, cooperative partners contributing to the vitality and strength of the other.

“From KADA’s very beginning to the present day, its connections to USC are deep and many,” Ha confirms.

KADA’s origins: Establishing a community In the late 1960s, Korean immigration to the United States, and specifically the Los Angeles area, began accelerating following the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act, which abolished the national quota system and stimulated the immigration of skilled professionals from countries like South Korea.

Jae In Oh, a graduate of SNU, spearheaded efforts to bring SNU dental alumni in Southern California together — the foundation for KADA’s establishment in 1969. In a foreign land

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and challenged by language and cultural barriers, the upstart organization offered fraternity and support to a modest group of Korean-trained dentists.

“Though this was a small number of immigrants, they empathized with each other’s plight and were hungry for community,” former two-term KADA president Pilseong Kim ’89 says. “In that way alone, KADA served a critical role.”

Foreign-trained dentists, including those coming from South Korea, who wish to practice in the United States need to complete formal training in a CODA-accredited school.

Enter USC and its groundbreaking ISP initiative — now called the Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists (ASPID). A first-of-its-kind program for foreign-trained dental graduates, ISP provided the necessary training to help early KADA members and other foreign-trained dentists pass their board examinations and launch their U.S. practice careers.

“KADA’s connections to USC started immediately because of ISP’s presence, and many members of the association’s founding group completed that program,” says Brian Hong DDS ’89, PEDO ’92, MS ’96.

Meanwhile, KADA provided additional support to drive members’ personal and professional well-being. It hosted social functions for members and their families and began offering continuing education courses in the Korean language.

Then, as now, continuing education stands a hallmark of KADA, which has offered training on everything from CPR and infection control to opioid prescribing, implant dentistry and oral reconstruction over the years.

KADA evolves — and strengthens its ties to USC As Korean immigration to the United States further increased throughout the 1970s and 1980s, graduates of SNU, Yonsei University, the first private dental school in South Korea, and USC’s ISP continued filling KADA’s ranks. KADA flourished as a vibrant professional organization providing important ties to immigrants’ Korean heritage, particularly in Southern California where the association had its roots and its greatest membership numbers.

As the 21st century unfolded, however, KADA’s membership ranks began turning, specifically transitioning from Korean-trained dentists to American-trained dentists of Korean heritage. In 2010, the USC-educated Hong was named KADA president. The organization’s 21st president, Hong, who came to the U.S. at age 12, was the first U.S.-trained dentist to hold KADA’s leadership post.

“Brian’s tenure as president was the beginning of the organization’s transformation from Korean immigrant dentists to Korean American dentists educated in the United States,”

“The scholarship gives notoriety and support to students who may be future leaders in the profession while also recognizing USC’s support of KADA for all these many years.”

current KADA president David Kim says.

KADA prepares “His leading role at KADA was instrufor the future mental in helping the organization recruit others like him and helping the While KADA has transformed from association spread its wings.” an immigrant membership organization Soon after, the American Dental facing language and cultural barriers in Association (ADA) recognized KADA a new land to an overwhelmingly Korean as an ethnic dental organization, American membership of U.S.-trained professionals, the common bonds of joining others like the Hispanic Dental Korean heritage and professional soliAssociation and the Society of American darity remain, as do the association’s Indian Dentists. That opened the door for ties to Ostrow.

KADA to participate in the ADA’s annual “USC plays a vital role in KADA’s president-elects gathering alongside history and that’s something worth other state and ethnic dental societies honoring,” says Hong, who chairs while also giving KADA a voice in the Ostrow’s Friends of Dentistry group.

ADA’s diversity and inclusion efforts.

To that point, KADA recently intro—David Kim, KADA “As much as keeping the identity duced the Korean American Dental President and tradition of our organization in place Association Endowed Scholarship was important, so, too, was phasing for fourth-year DDS students in the into the ADA,” says Pilseong Kim, who USC Korean American Dental Student secured the ADA’s recognition as KADA Association who demonstrate leadership qualities and provide community president from 2014 to 2016. “Being a service. part of the broader American profesA long-standing idea of KADA leadership, the scholarship sional community of dentists gave us a way to contribute more at USC reflects the rich, shared history between KADA and the to the profession and the local communities we serve.”

University, from early KADA leaders who completed the ISP To reflect its growing membership base and honor its program to the many KADA members who have graduated from mission, KADA expanded its programming with various enterOstrow or served on the school’s faculty roster. prising efforts. The association introduced a mentorship “The scholarship gives notoriety and support to students program matching early-career Korean American dentists who may be future leaders in the profession while also recogwith experienced clinicians to ease young dentists’ transinizing USC’s support of KADA for all these many years,” says tion into professional life. KADA also launched an internship David Kim, who aims to continue building the relationship program exposing pre-dental students to the profession and between USC and KADA in ways that benefit the school, the its varied possibilities. Initially for Korean students, the internassociation and the community.

As KADA approaches its 55th year, current leadership ship program now embraces students from various ethnic is focused on recruiting younger dentists of Korean heribackgrounds. tage into its ranks, growing its national footprint through All the while, KADA maintained its ties to USC through state and regional chapters and continuing to deliver value students, alumni and faculty as well as events. Ostrow faculty for members, particularly through continuing education members frequently presented at KADA events while KADA covering relevant professional topics and networking oppormembers participated in USC community service initiatives as tunities providing access to jobs and insights on specialty well as Century Club Alumni Association events. practice areas. The association recently obtained CERP When David Kim first joined KADA in 2006, he marveled at status from the ADA, a stamp of approval for the uniform the collaborative relationship between USC and KADA. acceptance of KADA’s continuing education credits for main“There was so much representation of Korean dentists in taining dental licensure. the school, both in the student and faculty ranks, as well as a “Dentistry is a good profession with an impact on people’s shared commitment to contributing to each other’s success,” lives,” Pilseong Kim says. “And at KADA, we want all of our says Kim, who was raised in Los Angeles but received his dental members to see that and enjoy a fulfilling professional life through camaraderie and support.” training on the East Coast.

T R O D E N T WINTER 2023 29

PHOTO BY NATE JENSEN

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Collin’s Second Act

Investment banker and Ostrow Distance Learning student Collin Concepcion plans a career change to dentistry, where he hopes to make a difference in the lives of others.

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BY ANDREW FAUGHT t was during a dental cleaning last year that Collin Concepcion began to reconsider his life’s work.

The Los Angeles corporate banker had always gravitated toward helping others since he was a teenager, and the more his hygienist shared his enthusiasm for promoting oral care, the more Concepcion could see himself in the role. It was, he remembers, a critical inflection point.

“My hygienist really convinced me that I could pursue a lifestyle like his,” Concepcion says. “I’m inspired to create a life that’s filled with passion for helping people.”

His path is starting anew at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, where Concepcion is enrolled in the year-long certificate program in community oral health. In six courses, the hybrid online/on-campus program is teaching him about health sciences and education, programs assessment, planning and administration, epidemiology, environmental and cultural issues and social and behavioral sciences. He’s able to take classes at night, after work. Concepcion ultimately wants to become a pediatric dentist.

“I’m building a little resumé,” he says. “The program has been really helpful. I’ve developed a deep liking for the USC staff and my classmates.”

The goal of the certificate program is to give healthcare providers, educators and administrators evidence-based instruction, while focusing on the unique needs of community health programs. Certificate recipients have gone on to work in academic settings and community clinics. They’ve also served in research roles and for private companies and governmental organizations that are looking for workers with a knowledge on the “emerging importance for oral health in all communities.”

WORKING WITH UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES Concepcion will complete the program in the spring. He says the certificate will ensure that he’s up to date as he plots a career change.

Concepcion was sold on the certificate program after having an introductory meeting with an Ostrow representative.

“The meeting went great, and it was important to find a program that worked into my schedule,” he says. “Those introductory conversations really reinforced what was important to me. USC is trying not only to diversify its student population, but they’re also trying to educate students about disadvantaged communities.

Those are the communities that I really want to impact.”

Notably, oral healthcare remains an underutilized service by African American children, despite increased access to care and improvements to insurance coverage and community-based programs. The trends can pose dire consequences. Poor oral health is linked to heart disease, strokes and diabetic complications.

“Issues can really start to grow,” Concepcion says. “It’s important to tackle stuff early and work around socioeconomic status, income and the built environment to provide essential solutions for patients.”

Challenges are compounded by the fact that dentistry is a mostly White profession. Just 3.8 percent of dentists are Black, according to the American Dental Association. Concepcion hopes that he can be a role model for other prospective African American dentists.

“Eventually, I would love to work with Black communities, but also communities in general, where I can make sure my presence is known through my work,” Concepcion says. “For now, finding ways to impact youth through greater oral healthcare maintenance is something that I’m really liking.”

ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE Concepcion, who grew up in Monterey Park, was initially drawn to business. He graduated cum laude in 2022 from Morehouse College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration. He’s always been good with numbers, and Concepcion says his degree helps him better understand how the economy works, and it will help him run a dental practice.

Hailing from the San Gabriel Valley, Concepcion says he wasn’t exposed to many African Americans. Enrolling at Morehouse, an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), “allowed me to get to my roots and understand more about where I’m coming from.” At the Atlanta college, he was also the co-captain of the new men’s volleyball team.

Now 23, Concepcion says he’s taken the last year “to really figure myself out.” He considered pursuing an MBA, but “I really wanted to find other things that I could be good at. I started looking for outlets.”

That’s when he had his prophetic cleaning, which helped him recall his love for science, particularly physics. Oral health made professional sense: “I guess the way to say it would be that I wanted to make the younger kid version of myself happy, and prove to myself that I could go back to science and make a career of it.”

As for others who might be considering a career change, Concepcion is introspective.

“Find that vision within yourself,” he advises.

“Think about what your life could be if you chose an alternative.

“It’s not a simple question, because obviously I took my inspiration from somebody else — my hygienist,” he adds. “Associate yourself with good people, and figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. It has to be felt within you at first. At the end of the day, the story is about you.”

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CLASS NOTES

1940S

1970S GEORGE WALTERS DDS ’70 George Walters passed away in 2022 at the age of 86. Walters practiced dentistry for two decades in Los Angeles before retiring.

In retirement, he resided in Indio, Calif., where he volunteered at the Palm Springs Airport and then in Omaha, Neb., where he volunteered at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

1980S ROBERT ROMANIN DDS ’83

DDS CLASS OF ’43 The DDS Class of 1943 marks its 80th reunion year in 2023. The class, which included John A. See DDS ’43, graduated early to help with World War II efforts which, according to Susan See Elftman DH ’77, John’s daughter, makes 1943 the first time USC graduated two DDS classes in one year. “They exhibited excellence and compassion to their dental patients,” Elftman says. “With love and gratitude in their remembrance.”

WARREN G. BROWN DDS ’46 Warren G. Brown passed away in December 2022 at the age of 100. Brown was a second-generation USC dentist; his father completed dental school in 1918. Brown practiced orthodontics in Ventura for 40 years and was a lifelong USC supporter.

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Want to share your news with the community?

Visit dentistry.usc.edu/ trodent-class-notes.

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1950S DONALD TUVERSON DDS ’56, MS ’62 Donald L. Tuverson passed away peacefully in his home in January 2023. Tuverson had been in private practice in Pasadena until his retirement in 1999. Tuverson taught at the USC dental school for more than 50 years and served as president of the Dentistry Associates in 1979 and president of the Part-Time Faculty Assembly from 1987 to 1988. He was a major fundraiser for the dental school in the 1980s and was honored to have the lower-level predoctoral orthodontic clinic named after him.

His colleague Milton Chan DDS ’83, ORTHO ’85 wrote a tribute to the orthodontics legend here at tinyurl.com/FightOnDrTuverson

Robert Romanin passed away in April 2023 at the age of 66 while traveling with his wife Angela in Mexico. Romanin had practiced dentistry for nearly 40 years in Sun Lakes, Ariz. In 1991, he opened a practice with another Ostrow alumnus, Kent Saba DDS ’84.

1990S KENNETH CHOW DDS ’92 Congratulations to the DDS Class of 1992 for 31 years since our graduation. “It is unbelievable that 31 years has eclipsed,” Chow writes.

“But, like a child, we want things quicker. Now a little older — we’re still young at heart and soul — we want things to slow down some.”

1960S CLASS OF 1968

JEFFERY HADLEY DDS ’93

Daniel Farkas passed away in early February at the age of 80. Farkas had run a private practice in Montebello, Calif.

Jeffery Hadley and fellow Trojan Robert Nisson DDS ’89 summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in September 2022. It took seven days to complete the 43-mile round trip. Afterward, they went on a four-day safari in the Serengeti National Park. Both live and practice in Las Vegas.

NEWS

A New Way To Treat Craniosynostosis?

A new Cell Stem Cell publication by Ostrow researcher Jianfu Chen shows how the lymphatic system and skull stem cells may help kids with a rare birth defect.

BY KATHARINE GAMMON Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which the bones in a baby’s skull fuse too early — before the brain is fully formed.

It happens in 1 in nearly 2,200 births and has been studied for a long time. But, even though there was a wide swath of research about the defect, most studies focused on the skull deformities and not on the learning and social problems kids with craniosynostosis suffered.

That ’s what inspired Associate Professor Jianfu Chen to study the neuroscientific aspects of the disorder. In a recent study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, Chen used a mouse model to investigate craniosynostosis in a whole new way.

In the study, he focused on the lymphatic system — a network of organs, vessels and tissues that move a colorless fluid called lymph back to your bloodstream. Researchers only recently re-discovered that the brain has a lymphatic

system at its border, called meningeal lymphatics, located between the skull and the brain.

“Our craniosynostosis patients have skull and brain problems, so we thought maybe something in between has a problem that leads to both types of defects,” Chen explained. By restoring skull stem cells, the researchers saw a restored lymphatic system and improved cognitive function in the animals.

FOCUS ON THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM Chen says this is the first time the lymphatic system has been functionally linked to craniofacial disorders, and the new knowledge could lead to better future management of craniosynostosis. The current treatment is a complex surgery to cut the skull into different pieces. The surgery can cause a lot of blood loss and sometimes has to be repeated when the bones fuse together again. Chen says interventions in the future could treat the malfunctioning lymphatic system using pharmacological or stem cell approaches as new therapeutic strategies for craniosynostosis.

PHOTO BY QING CHANG

“We know the skull and brain are anatomically adjacent,” Chen said, “but we didn’t know how they ‘talk’ to each other. We now know the skull communicates with the brain through the lymphatic system.”

When Chen arrived at USC six years ago, he and University Professor and Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai PhD ’91, DDS ’96 (corresponding author) started to talk and realized there was a whole area of neuroscience that was poorly explored: the neuroscientific aspect of craniofacial problems. It set them off on an interdisciplinary research path by integrating Chen’s neuroscience with Chai’s craniofacial expertise. “We didn’t know what we would find,” Chen explained, “but we felt there was something there.” He added that Li Ma, Qing Chang and other trainees worked hard to help find one piece of the puzzle — the lymphatic system — that integrates the skull with the brain.

In the future, he will continue the work by studying how the lymphatic system works within the skull — where it is, how it is structured and what its functions are in homeostasis, injury repair and regeneration. It’s a departure from the way science has been done in the past, he says: “The skull people study the skull, and the neuroscientists study the brain, but it’s a super exciting time to study how they communicate.”

T R O D E N T W INTER 2023 33

MEMORIALS & TRIBUTES NOV EMB ER 2 0 2 2 – NOV EMB ER 2 0 2 3 The following were gifts made in honor of or in tribute to individuals who have made a lasting impact on the USC dental community:

In Memory of Nellanne Aschieris Dr. Vivian Chui

In Memory of Dr. Thomas Birner Dr. Robert Huntington

In Honor of Sandra Bolivar, J.D. Dr. M. Godoy

In Honor of Dr. Richard Kahn Dr. Gary Harmatz

In Honor of Dr. Michael (Jose) Ramos Mrs. Linda Ramos

In Honor of Dr. Arman Torbati Dr. Terence Donovan

In Honor of Barbara and Leon Unterman Mr. Ira Unterman

In Memory of Dr. Norman Bitter Dr. M. Godoy

In Memory of Dr. Donald Curnutte Dr. M. Godoy

In Memory of Danuta Czapla Ms. Elizabeth Durow Czapla

In Memory of Joe Delyea Dr. Blake Olson

In Memory of Dr. Clifton O. Dummett Dr. M. Godoy DDS

In Memory of Dr. James Eckhart Dr. David Eggleston

In Memory of Dr. Armando Favela Dr. M. Godoy

34 T R O D E N T W I NT E R 2 0 2 3

In Memory of Thomas Feder

In Memory of Marcia Lytle

Dr. M. Godoy

Dr. Vivian Chui Dr. Robert Huntington

In Memory of

Dr. Derick Tagawa

Virginia S. and Frank Godoy Dr. M. Godoy

In Memory of Dr. James Mccunniff Dr. Richard Sundeen Jr.

In Memory of Dr. Charles Goldstein Dr. M. Godoy

In Memory of Dr. Leon Unterman

Dr. Michael Ma

Mr. Jack Irvin

Dr. Ann MacPhail

Dr. Albert Mizrahi

Mrs. Linda Ramos

Dr. Ronald Rowe

Dr. Oscar Valenzuela In Memory of Dr. Mark Weiner In Memory of Dr. Albert Grosnick

Mrs. Arlene Weiner

Dr. M. Godoy In Memory of Dr. Sakae Keith Tanaka In Memory of Rex Ingram

Dr. Dan Banh

Dr. Warren Cutting

Dr. Vivian Chui

In Memory of Dr. Bruce Lensch

In Memory of Dr. Henry Yamada

Dr. Robert Huntington

Dr. Robert Huntington

In Memory of Dr. James Loos

In Memory of Dr. Frank Yorita

Mrs. Sallie Deere

Dr. Derick Tagawa

Dr. Robert Huntington In Memory of Dr. Robert Ziehm Dr. M. Godoy

T R O D E N T WINTER 2023 35

INSPIRED

BY ASHA GREEN DDS ’26

The Power and Challenges of Being First

W

hen I moved into my first undergraduate dorm, I remember noticing I was the first to arrive. My mom and I looked at each other with big eyes and big grins, partially because we are seldom the first to arrive at any event; however, I also believe we were taking in a moment that would go on to be a symbolic theme throughout my lifetime as I entered such a transitional part of my journey. Before my mom went home, she left me a letter that read: “You moved in first, you are my firstborn, and you were born on the first day in the first month of the year. So long as you always aim to be first, you will be successful in all things.” I would go on to become the first person in my family to pursue a doctorate, the co-founder and president of Ostrow’s first-ever LGBTQ+ centered organization and the first Black woman to serve as class president here at Ostrow, among many other firsts.

Because of my accomplishments, most people assume that I have always been successful. On the contrary, being “first” comes with lots of hardship and failure along

36 T R O D E N T W I NT E R 2 0 2 3

PHOTO BY NATE JENSEN

the way. My socioeconomic background, race, gender and sexual orientation have and will continue to present a unique set of challenges and setbacks in my pursuit of dentistry. Despite the financial burden, lack of access to critical resources and the significantly low percentage of Black dentists in the field, I was fortunate that my community, and my need for income at the time, led me to my true passion in dentistry.

My first job, at 15 years old, was as a runner at my godmother and play-aunt’s pediatric dental office. Seeing two Black women successfully run their practice and maintain the duality of being world travelers, family-centered and service-oriented propelled my interest in the field.

I was luck y to have an example that most people with my background do not have. My time at the illustrious Howard University followed, where I was consistently exposed to and poured into by student doctors who looked like me and shared many of my experiences. I have relentlessly continued to pursue dentistry

ever since. Nothing about my pursuit was easy, but nothing could keep me from it.

Dentistry is my first love and a vessel that has allowed me to achieve many firsts while inspiring others to do the same. I hope that my journey will lead me to mentoring, uplifting and supporting those whose circumstances prevent them from feeling capable of achieving their dreams.

My goal of being “first” is rooted in showing others, especially in my own community, that they, too, can achieve anything they set their minds to with the right strategy, humility and creativity. I want to continue to promote diversity in dentistry until it is fully reflective of the diverse body of patients we serve. I am thankful for the opportunity to matriculate at USC because it allows me to achieve many firsts and provides me with the education and immersion needed to be successful in my career. When we choose to follow the fire in our spirit, take a chance on ourselves, and serve those in need, we all end up in first place.

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