Explorer WINTER 2022 . VOLUME 9
PENN DENTAL MEDICINE VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
A MESSAGE FROM VBRS PRESIDENT
CONTENTS 2 Executive Board
Upcoming Events
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Fall Research Exposition
4 Student Research Programs
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DMD Research 2021
6 Center for Innovation & Precision Innovation
8 Katherine N. Theken, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
9 Katherine France, DMD, MBE
10 2021 Student Publications 11
Student Interviews
Dear Penn Dental Medicine, It is with great excitement that I introduce the Winter 2022 edition of PDM Explorer from the Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS). The Vernon Brightman Research Society is the primary student research organization at Penn Dental Medicine, as well as PDM’s chapter of the National Student Research Group (NSRG) of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR). Our research society is named in honor of Vernon J. Brightman, a former Penn Dental Medicine faculty member and strong supporter of student research. Since its inception two decades ago, VBRS has helped numerous students to find their niche in research as it aims to promote interest and participation in the basic and clinical research that keeps dentistry a science and research-based profession. We hope that by encouraging student participation in research, the benefit of incorporating research into the dental education is seen as a vital aspect of it. This is the ninth edition of the PDM Explorer, through which we are proud to share with you the incredible student and faculty research at PDM. PDM has a long-standing tradition of offering faculty-mentored clinical and fundamental research opportunities for students. The VBRS is committed to foster an environment whereby students interested in enriching their dental education through research are encouraged to do so. This year, we hosted a virtual VBRS Research Expo to improve interest and access to research for dental students. Fifteen faculty members from different disciplines were invited to share their research and perspectives on how to develop a successful career in dentistry through inventive research. Furthermore, a student research panel was organized for fellow student researchers from seven research programs to share their experiences and what motivated them to get started. These events also provide a networking opportunity for dental students to connect with faculty and student researchers. While remaining cautious and vigilant about the health of our community, we expect more in-person and interactive events in the coming spring. I hope you enjoy reading about the exceptional ongoing research at Penn Dental Medicine. This issue of PDM Explorer includes student and faculty research spotlights, fall event highlights, and spring upcoming research opportunities. We are grateful for all your support, and we hope that you find this newsletter a useful resource to explore the research world at PDM. Sincerely, YILAN MIAO D’23 VBRS President
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Vernon Brightman Research Society Executive Board The Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS) Executive Board members for the current academic year include the following individuals. They invite students with an interest in research to join VBRS. PRESIDENT: Yilan Miao D’23 (1) VICE PRESIDENT: Chintan Thakore D’24 (2) TREASURER: Julia Jeong D’23 (3) SECRETARY: Rachel Kogan D’23 (4) EVENTS DIRECTOR: Gloria Wan D’24 (5) OUTREACH COORDINATOR: Wendy Lei D’24 (6) DIRECTOR OF NEWSLETTER: Camille Banson D’23 (7) NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Matthew Hershberger D’24 (8) D1 REPRESENTATIVES:
Pankti Rana D’25 (12)
Simran Grewal (9), Srighana Nadella (10), Teny Odaimi (11),
VBRS is the primary student research organization at Penn Dental Medicine. Named in honor of Dr. Vernon J. Brightman, a former PDM faculty member and proponent of student research, VBRS has created opportunities and gathered resources for students to help find their niche in research. The society promotes interest, participation, and appreciation of basic and clinical oral health research that keeps dentistry a science and research-based profession. VBRS is PDM’s chapter of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) National Student Research Group. Dr. Francis Mante, Associate Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, is the VBRS faculty advisor. This newsletter highlights students’ research accomplishments, past and upcoming events, and student and faculty interviews.
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UPCOMING EVENTS VBRS PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP In February, VBRS hosts an annual proposal writing workshop to aid students applying to the Summer Research Program and Research Honors. Dr. Kang Ko will explain the different components and requirements of the proposal. Anyone interested in applying to these programs should plan on attending this workshop.
ACCE DAY 2022 The 1st annual Advances in Clinical Care and Education (ACCE) Day will take place on May 12. This event will showcase PDM’s initiatives in clinical care, education, and community outreach. ACCE day was created to celebrate community service, educational initiatives, and advances in clinical care. The keynote speaker is Dr. Christine Riedy-Murphy, Head of the Department of Health Policy and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. In addition to the keynote speaker, the day’s program will include faculty, resident, and student presentations and will highlight PDM’s Personalized Care Suite within its Care Center for Persons with Disabilities. Awards will also be presented on poster presentations.
RESEARCH DAY 2022 On May 13, PDM will come together for Research Day 2022 to celebrate student and faculty research with numerous presentations given by faculty and guest speakers, as well as poster sessions from residents/ junior faculty and students. The day will highlight basic and clinical research excellence and awards will be presented on poster presentations. NOTE: Watch for future communications on abstract submissions guidelines for both ACCE Day 2022 and Research Day 2022.
STUDENT NEWS
FALL RESEARCH EXPOSITION The second annual Fall Research Exposition took place virtually on November 1–8. The event featured PDM faculty members presenting their ongoing research. At the end of each session, students joined faculty members in breakout rooms where students were able to interact with faculty directly and ask them questions about their work. The student research panel consisted of students with a variety of research experiences such as summer research program, research honors, independent projects, etc. This event served as an excellent resource to students interested in pursuing research during their time at PDM.
RESEARCH HONORS Chintan Thakore D’24 // cthakore@upenn.edu
SUMMER RESEARCH Gloria Wan D’24 // agwan@upenn.edu Anwar Radwan D’24 // arradwan@upenn.edu
CLINICAL RESEARCH Julia Jeong D’23 // jujeong@upenn.edu
DUAL DEGREE Yilan Miao D’23 // yilan@dental.upenn.edu
GOVERNMENT FUNDED RESEARCH Alisa Lee D’22 // eylee@upenn.edu
PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH Parasteh Malihi D’23 // pmalihi@dental.upenn.edu
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH Rachel Kogan D’23 // rakogan@upenn.edu
VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 3
STUDENT PROGRAMS
STUDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS // Requirements and Deadlines SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM
RESEARCH HONORS
Students work full-time in July and August with a faculty preceptor in basic laboratory or clinical sciences. The purpose of this program is to provide dental students experience with hands-on research and introduce the possibility of pursuing a research-oriented career in the oral health field. Summer research students are required to present a poster at the Research Day event.
The Honors in Research Program is open to students in their first or second year at PDM. Students will plan, implement, and execute a hypothesis-driven research project over a one- or twoyear period. All honors scholars participate in Research Day during which they must present a poster. In addition, they are required to write a Research Honors thesis.
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY:
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY:
• • • •
C omplete the application R esearch proposal G ood academic standing A vailability to conduct research full-time and attend weekly research meetings
APPLICATION DUE DATE:
March 14, 2022 CONTACT:
• C omplete the application • 1 st or 2nd year student • M inimum undergraduate science GPA of 3.5 • M inimum GPA of 3.25 in every semester of dental school • L etter of recommendation of past or present research supervisor • T wo-page research proposal • T imeline for project completion
Dr. Esra Sahingur Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research sahingur@upenn.edu
January 4, 2022
MORE INFORMATION:
CONTACT:
www.dental.upenn.edu/ summerresearch www.dental.upenn.edu/ research/student-research/ summer-2021-studentresearchers/ Research Opportunities Request form: www.dental.upenn.edu/ researchoppsrequest
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APPLICATION DUE DATE:
Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia Director of Honors Program battagli@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:
www.dental.upenn.edu/ researchhonors
LEONARD DAVIS INSTITUTE SUMMER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP In collaboration with the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and the Health Care Management Department of the Wharton School, PDM offers a fellowship for students interested in working on a health services or health policy research project during the summer between their first and second year of dental school. At the conclusion of the 12-week program, students present their research findings to faculty, staff, and fellow participants. APPLICATION DUE DATE:
February 1, 2022 CONTACT:
Sue Schwartz Director of Career Services Penn Dental Medicine Office of Student Life susansz@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:
www.dental.upenn.edu/ leonard-davis-institutesummer-research-fellowship
DUAL DEGREE Students interested in pursuing a dual-degree program must submit an application to the PDM Dual-Degree Admissions Committee. The current dual-degree options are Master of Bioethics, Science in Bioengineering, Law, Science in Higher Education, and Public Health. Each program has different admissions standards. MORE INFORMATION:
www.dental.upenn.edu/dualdegree-options
AADR 2022 AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition will be held on March 21-26, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia and the IADR/APR General Session & Exhibition will be held on June 20-25, 2022 in Chengdu, China and virtually. The events will include oral and poster presentations, distinguished lecture series, and an exhibit hall. Students may submit abstracts of their research to be considered. Accepted students will present their research poster at the symposium. ABSTRACT DUE DATE:
January 22, 2022 MORE INFORMATION:
www.iadr.org/2022iags If you are interested in pursuing research, please fill out the Research Opportunities Request form: www.dental.upenn.edu/ researchoppsrequest
2021 DMD RESEARCH BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE HONORS STUDENTS ALEXANDER LI Investigation of Dose-Response Relationship Between Plasma Ibuprofen Levels and Inflammatory Mediators After Third Molar Extraction Faculty advisor: Elliot Hersch, Katherina Theken LUCY KIM FOXO1 and its role in B Cell recruitment through increased expression of CXCL13, IL-6, and IL-13 Faculty advisor: Dana Graves, Deepa Kehsari
SUMMER RESEARCH STUDENTS AUBREY DEO Identification of Mas-related G protein coupled receptor-X2 in humanized mouse models Faculty advisor: Hydar Ali
STEVEN FREEDAN Probing the interfacial fracture toughness of new multi-layer zirconia Faculty advisor: Yu Zhang
GLORIA WAN Mast cell activation and antibacterial activity through Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 Faculty advisor: Hydar Ali
BRETT KIM Assessing the Anti-Adhesion Properties of BTO-embedded Surfaces Against Biofilm Forming Oral Bacteria Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang
ELIZABETH WONG Identification of Pgc1α-Mediated Stem Cell Reprogramming by RNA Sequencing Analysis Faculty advisor: Chider Chen
CERJAY LUGTU The influence of carbohydrates on bacterialfungal biofilm formation on restorative dental material- an in-vitro study Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang
NICOLE CAPOGNA Comparison of the Osteogenic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells during Maxillary Expansion between Young Growing and Mature Adult Mice Faculty advisor: Helen Jeon
ANWAR RADWAN Damage Tolerance of Translucent 5Y-PSZ (5 mol.% Yttria-Partially Stabilized Zirconia) Faculty advisor: Yu Zhang
ALAYNA TRICE The Role of NF-κB in Mesenchymal Stem Cells on the Osteogenesis During Maxillary Expansion Faculty advisor: Helen Jeon
AKHIL RAMANI Effect of the experimental musselbiomimetic primer on dentin bond strength under wet conditions Faculty advisor: Fusun Ozer
BENJAMIN SHELLING The Effect of Senolytics in Aging Oral Epithelial Cells Faculty advisor: Esra Sahingur
JOSEPHINE RUSS Load Bearing Capacity of Graded UltraTranslucent Zirconia (5Y-PSZ) Faculty advisor: Yu Zhang
YUE YU The effect of diabetes on CD209a expressing dendritic cells
TRACY YU In-vitro strength degradation of in-house twostep sintered 3-yttria-partially stabilized zirconia Faculty advisor: Yu Zhang
Faculty advisor: Dana Graves
SHARON SINGH Load-bearing Capacity of polymerinfiltrated ceramic-network (PICN) Faculty advisor: Yu Zhang
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH HONORS JULIA JEONG HUM Brush Study Faculty Advisors: Dr. Pat Corby and Michelle Shuster JESSICA KANG HUM Brush Study Faculty Advisors: Dr. Pat Corby and Michelle Shuster ANDREW TSAI BetaShield Study Faculty Advisors: Dr. Pat Corby and Michelle Shuster
THAO ROSEMARY DO The role of fibroblast-derived interleukin-33 in oral wound healing Faculty advisor: Kang Ko VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 5
CENTER FOR INNOVATION & PRECISION DENTISTRY (CiPD) The CiPD was launched on January 22, 2021, as a joint effort between Penn Dental and Penn Engineering. The partnership bridges the two schools together with the common mission of developing new solutions and devices that address unmet needs in oral healthcare. In doing so, CiPD encourages students and faculty to become innovators and leaders in the field through interdisciplinary research. We interviewed Dr. Michel
PennPraxis concept design for CiPD building
Koo, co-director of CiPD, to understand what inspired this collaboration.
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FACULTY Q&A MICHEL KOO, DDS, MS, PhD Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Division of Community Oral Health, Division of Pediatric Dentistry
What is the purpose and vision for CiPD? CiPD bridges the School of Dental Medicine and the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences to: 1. L everage engineering and computational approaches to find new affordable solutions to better diagnose, prevent, and treat oral diseases and craniofacial disorders 2. T rain the next generation of leaders to advance fundamental research and innovation in precision oral health care 3. P rovide opportunities for entrepreneurship to develop new therapies, diagnostics and devices The vision is to accelerate discovery, innovation, and translation to address the unmet needs and transform the future of oral health care
What prompted you and your team to develop CiPD? Oral diseases and craniofacial disorders affect more than 3.5 billion people around the world, particularly affecting the susceptible and underprivileged populations. Current approaches are not working in susceptible populations; the same diseases and disorders (from dental caries to oral cancers) persist with little changes since I graduated from Dental school more than 25 years ago. As a dentist and scientist, I find this both disheartening and unacceptable. Can we develop better and more affordable ways to address these unmet needs that have persisted for so long? That was the question and the challenge we posed to engineers during a workshop back in 2018. The response was incredible. Many creative ideas and solutions were proposed, and this initial brainstorming session was really the catalyst for this bond between dental medicine and engineering at Penn. In many ways, CiPD was seeded from this workshop.
What projects are currently being investigated by your team? We have several projects being investigated at CiPD. We are working on an affordable chewing gum to prevent tooth-decay, a baby bottle for children born with cleft palate, a smart implant that promotes healing, robotics and new nanotechnologies to detect oral pathogens, disrupt biofilms and diagnose diseases are just a few examples.
“The vision is to accelerate discovery, innovation, and translation to address the unmet needs and transform the future of oral health care.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CIPD, PLEASE VISIT: www.dental.upenn.edu/research/center-for-innovation-and-precision-dentistry/
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FACULTY Q&A KATHERINE N. THEKEN, PharmD, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery / Pharmacology
How did you get involved in dental research? Research was something that even going into college as an undergraduate, I had an interest in. I started out at the University of Pittsburgh for my undergraduate degree and Pharm.D, which is where I had my first research experience through the summer research program. And then after that, I continued working in research each summer throughout the pharmacy school. When that came to an end, I decided to pursue a PhD. Having that clinical background, I went into translational research focused on bridging the gap between the basic science and clinical practice. I did my PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, and then a postdoc with Garrett FitzGerald in the Penn Medical School, focusing on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It was through that work that I eventually met Dr. Hersh and started working with him. So, that is how I ended up here at PDM. It has been a little bit of a circuitous path, but it has been a lot of fun.
What’s your current research project and what are the aims of that study? We are trying to understand the factors that go into how well people respond to NSAIDs after third molar extraction surgery. There have been several studies showing that NSAIDS, like ibuprofen, are the drugs that we should be using to manage third molar extraction pain. However, there are some patients who need additional pain medication and should receive an opioid prescription, in addition. But the problem is we cannot accurately predict which patients need additional pain medication,
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which leads to excessive opioid prescriptions contributing to the opioid crisis. Thankfully, the numbers have decreased over the years but it’s still something that we should continue addressing. The goal of the study is to try to see what characteristics contribute to differences in response. We have people who come in, they get their third molars removed as standard of care. We collect their blood cells, so we can look at gene expression, and we get samples of their oral microbiome and their gut microbiome to see if those play a role. The goal is to help put together a treatment algorithm that can identify which patients will need additional pain medication.
What are your favorite things about research and what are the greatest challenges that you face? My favorite moment in research is when you get to a point in a study or an experiment where you get that result, especially if it’s an unexpected result or it draws some connections that you previously did not make. Another thing that I have really enjoyed is working with a lot of students. It is really nice to see when they get a result or they get an experiment to work, especially if they’ve had a hard time troubleshooting. That is a really gratifying experience, as well. The most challenging thing is that there is a lot of times where you have to just push through the disappointment. Research is definitely not something that provides instant gratification. You have to be in it for the long haul. And there’s a lot of times where things do not work, your paper gets rejected, or your grant isn’t funded, etc. and you have to really be able to move forward and persist through those challenges.
“...be curious about broader fields, beyond your scope of dentistry. There are a lot of really interesting things that you can learn by going to talks that are outside your field of expertise.”
Do you have any advice for students pursuing research? First thing is always be persistent. As I mentioned, a lot of things in the lab do not work the first time around. You need to be comfortable moving forward and trying a new path or a technique. The other thing I would say is be curious. Ask questions: why are we doing this in clinic? Why does this work? Why is it this way? Also, be curious about broader fields, beyond your scope of dentistry. There are a lot of really interesting things that you can learn by going to talks that are outside your field of expertise. And maybe you do not understand all of what the speaker is talking about, but it helps to draw the connections to what you know. Hopefully, you will learn something new and inspire you to drive your research in a new direction.
FACULTY Q&A
KATHERINE FRANCE, DMD, MBE Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine, Department of Oral Medicine
Can you tell me about your research on the role of dentists in vaccinations against COVID and HPV? This is an exciting project that we have been working on in the past eight months or so, and it is very much driven by a fourth year student, Sara Steinbaum, who came to me because she did some previous work on HPV in her undergraduate years. She was interested in approaching questions like this from a clinical perspective so through our conversations we decided to start a project together. She actually came up with the question, comparing attitudes about the vaccinations for both diseases (COVID and HPV), and how patients looked at both of them; specifically, the role of dentists in the vaccination campaigns in both diseases. In addition to whether or not the dentist would be the one giving the vaccine, we also asked about things like dentists educating about the vaccine and recommending for a person to get the vaccine. We developed a survey based on previous research on the HPV vaccine and gave it to patients. We are completing data analysis right now. I’m going to write it up and hopefully disseminate it soon. I’m also thinking of continuing in this direction of questioning in the future, either on a larger or different group of patients, because it is an interesting project that is very timely and relevant around the country a lot right now.
Can you describe the roles that students play in your research process? I can’t emphasize enough how much Sara (Steinbaum) has been the driving force
behind the HPV and COVID project. She deserves the credit for it and I appreciate her working with me. In that particular project, we also had a few other students helping out with disseminating surveys, doing the data collection, and writing up the paper. We are meeting soon to determine which findings we want to most emphasize and how the project will move forward. This project has helped me get more involved in (pre-doctoral) student research, whereas a lot of my career has focused on working with residents and having smaller student involvement. I’m excited, as I become a better researcher, to expand out and include more students. I wanted to make sure I was an appropriate leader before I brought too many students along.
What has been your favorite research project or topic of your career so far, and why? I’m really excited about the HPV and COVID vaccination project because I think it has the chance to make a really big difference. Another area that has been a focus so far is biologic agents and how their use can change dentistry both in terms of treating oral disease and in terms of how they impact our provision of safe dental care. That is really exciting to me because as biologics expand and are used in more contexts and patients, I feel like I am investigating something that can make a difference. I am also wrapping up a project about how patients on biologics heal after extractions. It feels relevant to how we continue to evolve as a dental profession; this is something I also enjoy about the HPV
and COVID vaccination project. If anyone is interested in biologics, let me know. I am wrapping up one piece about that but I intend for it to continue to be a theme in my career.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far? The biggest challenge is balancing all of the different priorities I have. It can be difficult to make time to keep working on projects with all of the other competing things going on in my life.
VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 9
2021 DMD STUDENT PUBLICATIONS MICHAEL BACKSTRAND D’23 Backstrand M, Algazzaz N, Ozer F. Comparing the Efficacy of Shear Bond Strength with Composite Attachments and Different Ceramic SurfacesZirconia, Lithium Disilicate, and Feldspathic Porcelain. On J Dent & Oral Health. 4(5): 2021. CAMILLE BANSON D’23 Mooney C, Holden S, Xia X, Li Y, Jiang M, Banson C, Zhu B, Sahingur S. Quercetin preserves oral cavity health by mitigating inflammation and microbial dysbiosis. Frontiers in Immunology 12:774273. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.7742732021. MICHAEL CIMBA D’22 M.J. Cimba, H. Giannakopoulos, S.T. Day, M.J. Rose, K.C. Lee, S-K. Chuang, B.P. Ford. How has the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted the Clinical Volume and Variety of an Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program?, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Volume 79, Issue 10, Supplement, 2021, Pages e44-e45, ISSN 02782391, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joms.2021.08.065. Cimba MJ, Labe B, Dazen CM, Lee KC, Rose MJ, Heinle JT, Ford BP. Do Mandatory Face Shields Reduce the Number of Craniomaxillofacial Injuries in the National Hockey League? J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Jun; 79(6):13131318. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.01.012. Cimba MJ, Dazen CM, Wang S, Ford BP. Pediatric-Antiresorptive Use: Should We Intervene on Third Molars Early? J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Sep; 79(9):18171818. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.04.015. Matthew J. Rose, Michael J. Cimba, Saxon Day, Poolak Bhatt, Neeraj Panchal, Brian P. Ford, Epidemiologic Patterns of Maxillofacial Trauma in a Metropolitan Area: A Retrospective Analysis, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2021, ISSN 0278-2391, https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.joms.2021.07.021. Wang S, Ford BP, Cimba MJ, Dazen CM. Response to Letter to the Editor. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Nov 7:S0278-2391(21)012349. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.10.002. REA GHODASRA D’24 Ghodasra R, Patel R, Brizuela M. Dental Caries Diagnostic Testing. 2021 Sep 18. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan–. JESSICA KANG D’23 Das A, Wang X, Kang J, Coulter A, Shetty AC, Bachu M, Brooks SR, Dell’Orso S, Foster BL, Fan X, Ozato K, Somerman MJ, Thumbigere-Math V. Monocyte Subsets With High Osteoclastogenic Potential and Their Epigenetic Regulation Orchestrated by IRF8. J Bone Miner Res. 2021 Jan; 36(1):199-214.
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DANE KIM D’23 Dane Kim, Richard L Doty, Positive Long-Term Effects of Third Molar Extraction on Taste Function, Chemical Senses, Volume 46, 2021, bjab032, https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjab032 Kim D, Lee AE, Xu Q, Zhang Q, Le AD. Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Potential Application in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine - A Comprehensive Review. Front Immunol. 2021 Apr 16; 12:667221. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.667221. PMID: 33936109; PMCID: PMC8085523. RACHEL KOGAN D’23 Xie L, Udupa JK, Tong Y, Torigian DA, Huang Z, Kogan RM, Wootton D, Choy KR, Sin S, Wagshul ME, Arens R. Automatic upper airway segmentation in static and dynamic MRI via anatomy-guided convolutional neural networks. Med Phys. 2021 Nov 12. doi: 10.1002/mp.15345. ALISA LEE D’22 Aitken SF, Walma DAC, Glover OD, Kear BD, Lee AE, Michel ZD, Vo TD. Early pathways to research at the NIH. J Dent Educ. 2021 Jan; 85(1):11-15. doi: 10.1002/jdd.12389. Kim D, Lee AE, Xu Q, Zhang Q, Le AD. Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Potential Application in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine - A Comprehensive Review. Front Immunol. 2021 Apr 16; 12:667221. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.667221. PMID: 33936109; PMCID: PMC8085523. Lee AE, Chu EY, Gardner PJ, Duverger O, Saikali A, Wang SK, Gafni RI, Hartley IR, Ten Hagen KG, Somerman MJ, Collins MT. A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study of the Effects of FGF23 Deficiency and Hyperphosphatemia on Dental Structures in Hyperphosphatemic Familial Tumoral Calcinosis. JBMR Plus. 2021 Mar 22; 5(5):e10470. doi: 10.1002/jbm4.10470. Lee, Alisa E. and Hartley, Iris R. and Roszko, Kelly L. and Vanek, Chaim and Gafni, Rachel I. and Collins, Michael T. Hyperphosphatemic Familial Tumoral Calcinosis Hidden in Plain Sight for 73 Years: A Case Report. Frontiers in Dental Medicine. 2021 (2): 5 doi: 10.3389/fdmed.2021.719752 MINH NGYUEN D’22 Nguyen MN, Yeung JG, Randall Y, BoeszeBattaglia K, Panchal N. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Social Media Boom: Potential Concerns of Social Media Use for the Surgeon. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 May 26:S0278-2391(21)00522-X. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.05.022. TAMAR ROGOSZINSKI D’22 Rogoszinski T, Dazen C, Rekawek P, Coburn JF, Carr BR, Boggess W, Chuang SK, Lee KC, Panchal N, Ford BP. Are proton pump inhibitors associated with implant failure and peri-implantitis? Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2021 May 15:4626. doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2021.05.002.
MIN KYUN SHIN D’22 Jeon HH, Yang CY, Shin MK, Wang J, Patel JH, Chung CH, Graves DT. Osteoblast lineage cells and periodontal ligament fibroblasts regulate orthodontic tooth movement that is dependent on Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NFkB) activation. Angle Orthod. 2021 Sep 1; 91(5):664-671. doi: 10.2319/031520-182.1. PMID: 33852725; PMCID: PMC8376154. Jeon HH, Yu Q, Witek L, Lu Y, Zhang T, Stepanchenko O, Son VJ, Spencer E, Oshilaja T, Shin MK, Alawi F, Coelho PG, Graves DT. Clinical application of a FOXO1 inhibitor improves connective tissue healing in a diabetic minipig model. Am J Transl Res. 2021 Feb 15; 13(2):781791. PMID: 33594326; PMCID: PMC7868841. ANDREW TSAI D’23 Jeon, H.H.; Teixeira, H.; Tsai, A. Mechanistic Insight into Orthodontic Tooth Movement Based on Animal Studies: A Critical Review. J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10, 1733. https:// doi.org/10.3390/jcm10081733. JASON TONG D’22 Tim T. Wang, Jason Tong, Elliot V. Hersh, Sung-Kiang Chuang, Neeraj Panchal. Does prescription drug monitoring program usage affect opioid analgesic prescriptions by oral and maxillofacial surgeons after third molar surgery?, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology, Volume 132, Issue 1, 2021, Pages 26-31, ISSN 2212-4403. TIM WANG D’21 Cameron C. Lee, Tim T. Wang, William P. Hunter, Zachary S. Peacock, Is Preoperative Serum Albumin Predictive of Adverse Surgical Outcomes in Maxillofacial Fracture Repair?, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2021. Moon HS, Wang TT, Caughey JA, Queenan MB, Ford BP. Large mandibular mass in a newborn. J Am Dent Assoc. 2021 Oct 13:S00028177(21)00437-2. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2021.07.010. Moon HS, Wang TT, Rajasekaran K, Brewster R, Shanti RM, Panchal N. Optimizing telemedicine encounters for oral and maxillofacial surgeons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2021; 131(2):166172. doi:10.1016/j.oooo.2020.08.015. Nadella S, Wang TT, Bear A, Panchal N. Do Medical Insurance Companies Reimburse Telemedicine Office Visits the Same as InPerson Office Visits in an Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Setting? J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Aug 16:S0278-2391(21)009186. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.08.145. Rekawek P, Wang TT, Panchal N. Reflections on the Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Virtual Match. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Aug; 79(8):15991601. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.02.030.
STUDENT INTERVIEW Shanti RM, Wang T, Markiewicz MR, Panchal N, Salman SO, Le AD. Reducing Socioeconomic Disparities in Access to Dental Rehabilitation Using Endosseous Implants in Patients After Undergoing Removal of Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Oral Cavity and Jaws. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Nov; 79(11):21862188. Doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.03.019. Tim T. Wang, Srighana Nadella, Cameron C. Lee, Elliot V. Hersh, R. John Tannyhill, Neeraj Panchal, Do Patterns of Opioid Prescriptions to Medicare Beneficiaries Differ Between OMSs Practicing in Urban and Rural Settings?, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2021. Wang TT, Dixon EL, Bair EF, Ferrell W, Linn KA, Volpp KG, Underhill K, Venkataramani AS. Oral health and oral health care use among able-bodied adults enrolled in Medicaid in Kentucky after Medicaid expansion: A mixed methods study. J Am Dent Assoc. 2021 Sep; 152(9):747-755. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2021.04.016. PMID: 34454649. Wang TT, Delgado MK, Hersh EV, Panchal N. Peer Comparisons to Increase Responsible Opioid Prescribing Among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 May; 79(5):955-957. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2020.12.013. Wang TT, Mehta H, Myers D, Uberoi V. Applying behavioral economics to reduce broken dental appointments. J Am Dent Assoc. 2021 Jan; 152(1):3-7. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2020.07.024. Wang TT, Lee KC, Chuang SK. Large Publicly Available Administrative Databases: An Opportunity to Improve Evidence-Based Care in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Jun; 79(6):11951196. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2021.01.034. Wang TT, Wang S. Applying Behavioral Economics to Address COVID-19 Fear Among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Patients. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021; 79(4):741742. doi:10.1016/j.joms.2020.12.020. Yang SC, Wang TT, Giannakopoulos HE, Saghezchi S. The Virtual Residency Fair: A Legacy of the COVID-19 Era and an Opportunity for the Future. J Oral Maxillofacial Surg. 2021 Feb; 79(2):275276. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2020.09.037.
Cody Dazen, D’22 AAOMS Presenter
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE OF PRESENTING AT AAOMS? HOW DID THIS OPPORTUNITY ARISE?
My experience at AAOMS was incredible not just from a learning perspective, but also being able to meet other attendings, researchers, and supply manufacturers within the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. It was my first dip in the water in the greater community of oral surgery throughout the country. What was really unique for me was being able to meet other residents and attending doctors, and also learn different ways in which they do different procedures. It was great to begin to get a better sense of the field and learn more about it. I came about the opportunity from the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery here at the dental school, with the help of Dr. Panchal, Dr. Ford, and Dr. Wang. They always try to put some research out towards this conference every year. I was very fortunate to have their support and their help to publish something.
WHAT WAS YOUR RESEARCH ABOUT, AND WHAT ROLE DID YOU PLAY IN ITS EXECUTION?
The research I presented compared immunosuppression in patients to peri-implantitis, and we looked to see if there was a relationship between them. Basically, what we found was that patients who were immunosuppressed due to various causes, disease or medication, were at increased risk for developing peri-implantitis. To do this, we did a retrospective cohort analysis on the data called a multivariate analysis. What I did was take the data that they already compiled in a database (Jack Coburn, Brian Carr, Peter Rekawek; three former PDM students who are current oral and maxillofacial surgery residents) about over 800 implant patients and their medications and diseases. I helped extract the information and worked with a statistician, Dr. Ford, and Dr. Panchal, and put together the information into the project and poster that I presented for research day. It ended up as an abstract that can be put towards a paper in the future.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS?
Being able to communicate with people and work as a team. At the end of the day, even when you have a good chunk of information that can be used or developed into a potential project, it is important to work with principal investigators, oral and maxillofacial faculty, other students, attendings, statisticians, or even researchers at other institutions. I like how projects bring together so many different aspects of education and oral surgery, but also the interactions at the human level as well. It is cool to get different perspectives from many different places.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN RESEARCH?
Don’t be shy to ask for help or to reach out to someone. I think a lot of people, when they first start research, can be overwhelmed because of the way papers have to be written or researched. It can be very different from prior research people may have participated in during undergrad. For instance, I did organic chemistry research in undergrad and published papers through that. But this type of research (at PDM) was incredibly different for me. I had no idea how to write anything, what to write, or even who to reach out to. So don’t be afraid to ask students and or faculty for help. Everyone at PDM I have reached out to, from faculty to older students, have been nothing but helpful in beginning to understand the research process. VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 11
STUDENT INTERVIEWS
Akhil Ramani, D’24
Summer Research Program CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SUMMER RESEARCH PROJECT AND THE ROLE YOU PLAYED?
My summer research tested the effect of an experimental primer, which is synthesized with a polymer similar to that seen in marine mussel secretions, on composite bond strength to zirconia and dentin. Mussels secrete polymers that have underwater binding properties, so we tested to see if a primer using this polymer would exhibit the same underwater binding properties and thus be effective in wet conditions like the oral cavity. I led the project myself under Dr. Fusun Ozer along with help from a D3 student, and so far, we have seen an increased bond strength to wet zirconia, and we are still testing the dentin samples.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM?
I’ve never been involved in research at any level before, so I wanted to test the waters and see how I felt about it. Especially being at Penn Dental, I didn’t want to sell myself short being at a world renowned research institution and not participating. Additionally, considering I have yet to decide what speciality to pursue, this was a good way to keep my options open for the time being.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER?
In my opinion, the most effective researcher is someone who isn’t discouraged by the results, adapts to the findings, and is diligent with the study. Research is often very time-sensitive, so it’s important to stay focused and punctual.
FUN FACT?
Dalessandro’s has the best cheesesteak in Philly.
Josie Russ, D’ 24
Summer Research Program CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH?
This summer, my research with Dr. Yu Zhang’s lab focused on dental restorative materials, specifically optimizing the strength and translucency of ceramics. I analyzed how different properties of dental ceramics changed with different pre-sintered preparations. I primarily studied the strength, translucency, and toughness of lithium disilicate ceramics with a glaze spray treatment. To simulate restorations cemented on dentin, lithium disilicate samples were mounted on a tri-layered system (ceramic/ epoxy/polycarbonate). Samples were then subjected to Instron universal testing and evaluated with optical microscopy.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM?
Penn Dental Medicine provides an amazing opportunity for its students to dive into research without distractions the summer after D1 year. I never had the opportunity to pursue valuable research during my previous education and leaped at the prospect of getting involved. After attending the VBRS Research Expo last fall, I became more enthusiastic about the possibility of working with these innovative and passionate researchers.
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU LEARNED FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM?
The most important thing I learned from my summer research experience was teamwork, collaboration, and communication. My lab included three other dental students, which fostered an environment of constant support and collective growth. Dr. Zhang worked side by side with all of us, pushing us to visualize and proceed in more abstract ways while also allowing space for us to learn from our mistakes. Overall, the lab culture inspired and challenged me every day.
FUN FACT?
I have wanted to be a dentist since I was in 4th grade.