Penn Dental Medicine Journal - Spring 2014

PDMJ PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014

UNRAVELING BIOFILMS EMPLOYING UNIQUE APPROACHES AND NOVEL THERAPIES TO TARGET BIOFILMS AND TOOTH DECAY

Shaping the Future of Care WITH EACH ACADEMIC YEAR, Penn Dental Medicine further shapes the future of care through our accomplished graduating students, who invariably excel across all fields of dental medicine.

To the Class of 2014, congratulations as you take the next step, and to our devoted faculty, staff, and alumni, thank you for all you do in support of our students and the School’s mission.

Setting a course that looks to the School’s future growth and leadership is our responsibility as stewards of this great institution.

Whether it be through our research, scholarship, curriculum, student opportunities, or our educational and clinical resources, our goal is to create an environment that advances not only the academic experiences of our students, but also the science and practice of dental medicine.

On that path, faculty recruitment continues to add depth to the School’s research enterprise. As we announced in the fall, we welcomed Dr. Michel Koo as Professor in the Department of Orthodontics this September. In this issue, we introduce you to the exciting work of his lab, which focuses on building our understanding of biofilms, particularly cariogenic biofilms, and possible therapeutics against them (see story, page 10).

Within our academic programs, we continue to expand students’ learning opportunities through a growing honors program (see story, page 22) and a new dual degree, now offering a Masters in Translational Research through Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, the seventh dual degree with other Penn schools (see story, page 3).

Setting a course that looks to the School’s future growth and leadership is our responsibility as stewards of this great institution.

And we are moving our preclinical instruction forward with state-of-the-art advanced simulation that is leading the field through the use of haptic technology (see story, page 38), becoming the first school in the country to integrate this type of virtual reality into the curriculum. These advanced simulation units are among the first steps in our plans for a major transformation of facilities within the historic Evans Building. Plans that include a new space for this advanced simulation lab, a new primary care clinic, a new preclinical lab and CE training center, a new library, and new student spaces and administrative offices—a renaissance of this landmark structure, which will mark the centennial of its dedication next year, and a project vital to the School’s ongoing strength and growth.

Through the support and engagement of the entire Penn Dental Medicine community, Penn Dental Medicine continues to move forward on many fronts, and in turn, continues to be a leader in shaping the future of dental education, research, and patient care. Thank you for your shared commitment to the future of the School, our students, and dental medicine.

Denis F. Kinane, BDS, PhD Morton Amsterdam Dean

INSIDE 10 2 9 16 17 27 33

Unraveling Biofilms: Employing Unique Approaches to Target Biofilms and Tooth Decay

On Campus School News Briefs Faculty Q&A Sharing Personal & Professional Paths

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With Honors: Honors Degree Program Offers Valuable Student Experiences

Class Notes News from Fellow Alumni

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL: Vol. 10, No. 2 University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine www.dental.upenn.edu

In Memoriam Remembering Members of the Penn Dental Medicine Community

Dean: Denis F. Kinane, BDS, PhD Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations: Maren Gaughan Director, Publications: Beth Adams Contributing Writers: Beth Adams, Katherine Unger Baillie, Amy Biemiller, Juliana Delany, Debbie Goldberg Design: Dyad Communications Photography: Mark Garvin, Peter Olson Printing: The Pearl Group at CRW Graphics

Faculty Perspective Views on Dental Topics & Trends Research Spotlight Translating Science to Practice Academic Update Department/Faculty News & Scholarship Alumni Highlights Profiles, Gatherings & Engagement

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Haptic Technology: At the Forefront of Virtual Reality

ON THE COVER: A culture agar plate showing different microbial species present in the biofilms grown in the lab of recent recruit Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Professor, Department of Orthodontics, who has developed new ways to study biofilms associated with tooth decay as well as improved anti-biofilm approaches to prevent cavities.

Penn Dental Medicine Journal is published twice a year by the Office of Communications for the alumni and friends of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Š2014 by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Penn Dental Medicine. We would like to get your feedback — address all correspondence to: Beth Adams, Director of Publications, Robert Schattner Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 240 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030, adamsnb@dental.upenn.edu.

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ONCAMPUS SCHOOL NEWS BRIEFS

IADR/AADR Gies Award Recognizes Biological Research

Targeting LGBT Health Disparities

The research of Penn Dental Medicine’s Dr. George Hajishengallis, Professor, Department of Microbiology, has been recognized by the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) through their annual IADR/AADR William J. Gies Awards for Biological Research.

Dr. Hajishengallis and collaborators Dr. Richard P. Darveau and Dr. Michael A. Curtis from the University of Washington and Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, respectively, received the 2014 IADR/AADR William J. Gies Award in the category of biological research for the paper, “Porphyromonas gingivalis as a Potential Community Activist for Disease,” J Dent Res. 91: 816-820. The award was presented at the AADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Charlotte, N.C., in March.

An extensive analysis of dental plaque samples over the years has led to the identification of “red” complex oral bacteria that have a strong association with each other and with disease. Consequently, these bacteria Dr. George Hajishengallis have been labeled ‘periopathogens’. Studies with one of these bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), have revealed that it contains several different mechanisms that either impede or modulate periodontal protective mechanisms. In a mouse model of periodontitis, it has been shown that modulation of complement function by P. gingivalis facilitates a significant change in both the amount and composition of the normal oral microbiota. This altered oral commensal microbiota is responsible for pathologic bone loss in the mouse. Thus, P. gingivalis creates a dysbiosis between the host and dental plaque, and this may represent one mechanism by which periodontitis can be initiated. The authors of this study therefore termed P. gingivalis a keystone pathogen.

The annual Gies Awards recognize the best papers published in the IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research in the preceding year and are presented in three categories: biological research, biomaterials and bioengineering research, and clinical research.

Penn Dental Medicine is among the schools/centers on campus to partner with the Penn Medicine Program for LGBT Health.

This unique and interprofessional program focuses on improving the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. Penn Medicine is among just a handful of academic medical centers in the U.S. to launch such an initiative across multiple professional schools and affiliated hospitals, with Penn’s School of Nursing, Perelman School of Medicine, Center for Public Health Initiatives, and hospitals and facilities of the University of Pennsylvania Health System also participating.

Health disparities and inequalities within the LGBT community have become increasingly recognized, but are rarely addressed in today’s healthcare settings. The Penn Medicine Program for LGBT Health is focusing on five key areas to help address these gaps: institutional climate and visibility, health education, research, patient care, and outreach. The Penn Medicine Program for LGBT Health is broad by design and ranges from improving LGBT patients’ healthcare experiences, implementing new trainings on LGBT health, fostering collaborations on LGBT research, and improving outreach to better serve the needs of the LGBT community.

“We are pleased to be part of this interdisciplinary effort to address these important issues to ensure a climate of inclusion,” says Dr. Beverley Crawford, Director of Diversity Affairs at Penn Dental Medicine, who is guiding the School’s participation in the program.

Already, Penn Dental Medicine has held two town hall meetings for the School community as part of the program to begin conversations on inclusion and equality.

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New Dual Degree

Students Active at AADR, IADR Students Justin Kang (D'14), Mehreen Merchant (D'14), and Jordan Seetner (D'15) represented Penn Dental Medicine as part of the general exhibition at the 2014 AADR/CADR Annual Meeting, presenting posters on their research at the meeting in March in Charlotte, N.C. Their projects were “Assaying Endogenous MMP-2,-8 in Acid Etched Dentinal Cavity Walls”

by Kang, who worked with faculty preceptors Drs. Markus Blatz and Fusun Ozer of the Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences; “Evaluation of a Power Toothbrush for Surface Roughness Effects” by Merchant, who worked on this project during her summer research with Colgate; and “In vitro adherence of Candida albicans to novel denture base materials” by Seetner, who worked with Dr. Yuanfu Yi (visiting scholar in 2012-2013), Dr. Fusun Ozer and Dr. Markus Blatz of the Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, and Dr. Joseph DiRienzo of the Department of Microbiology.

TOP HONORS As part of the AADR meeting, Seetner also presented his project in the 27th annual DENTSPLY/Caulk Student Research Group (SRG) Award Competition for original research, taking first place in the Clinical Science Category.

Winners were chosen from more than 100 candidates. Among the key findings of Seetner’s study was that Candida albicans exhibited the same degree of adherence to both injection and non-injection resin denture-base materials.

Penn Dental Medicine’s Matthew Oishi (D’15), also attending the AADR meeting in his role as

DENTSPLY/Caulk Student Research Group Award Competition winners were chosen from more than 100 candidates.

Vice President of the AADR National Student Research Group (NSRG), presented Seetner with a certificate for his winning project on behalf of NSRG.

IADR Penn Dental Medicine students will also be participating in the research program at the IADR meeting this June in Cape Town, South Africa.

Jordan Seetner will present “Wear behavior of restorative material against zirconia,” a study he also conducted with Dr. Blatz. And Chris Kim (D’15) will present his work on a study with Dr. Francis Mante, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, that adopted fracture mechanics, the standardized fracture testing methodology widely used in mechanical engineering/material science, to test dental materials. Kim found that the interfacial fracture toughness of adhesives incorporated with anti-bacterial agents was heavily dependent on the extent of its solubility—adhesives that contain a protic solvent maintained their fracture toughness while those with an aprotic solvent became significantly susceptible to fracture.

Building on its interprofessional programs, Penn Dental Medicine has expanded its dualdegree options to now include a Masters in Translational Research (MTR) with Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. This new dual degree was officially established with the start of this academic year. The program is designed to give students a strong foundation in the fundamental techniques of translational research and enable them to apply contemporary research tools to clinically relevant areas of investigation, building an understanding of the complex issues associated with conducting sound clinical research.

This new degree brings the total number dual-degree programs at Penn Dental Medicine to seven. The other programs include a Master of Bioethics and Master of Public Health with Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine; a Master of Science in Bioengineering with the School of Engineering and Applied Science; a Master of Education with the Graduate School of Education; a Master of Business Administration with Wharton; and a JD degree in law with Penn Law. “The sheer number of opportunities to pursue interprofessional education makes Penn Dental a truly unique institution,” says Dr. Uri Hangorsky, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, and director of the honors program as well as the research honors program, was instrumental in implementing the DMD/MTR, with one student already pursuing this dual degree.

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ABOVE: Presenting research at the AADR meeting were students Justin Kang (D’14), Mehreen Merchant (D’14), and Jordan Seetner (D’15).

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Books, Brushing, Bedtime Second-year pediatric resident Stephanie Rashewsky (GD’14) is on a mission to not only maintain the oral health of her young patients, but to build a love of reading and healthy routines as well. And now through Books, Brushing, and Bedtime (BBB), an oral health education and literacy program she developed, recall visits for early childhood patients in Penn Dental Medicine’s Pediatric Clinic will come with a book as well—from “ Elmo— Ready, Set, Brush!” to “Cassandra Gets Her Smile Back.”

The idea was born when Rashewsky completed her outpatient medicine rotation at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and was introduced to a similar program there called Reach Out Read (ROR). Excited by the project, she contacted the ROR headquarters with the

“Multiple studies have shown that the first five years of life are a critical window for learning, rapid brain development, and the opportunity to establish healthy behaviors. We want our pediatric dental patients to have the educational tools that they need to be successful.”

— STEPHANIE RASHEWSKY, GD’14

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STUDENT PROFILE: STEPHANIE RASHEWSKY, GD’14

intent of introducing it within the School’s Pediatric Clinic, only to learn that it was available solely to pediatricians. Still motivated to bring this type of project to Penn Dental Medicine, Rashewsky decided to create her own program, piloting BBB in January and launching the full project in April.

“I am not sure if it is because I am the daughter of a teacher, or if it is the childhood memories that I have of my parents reading to me at bedtime, but the benefits of ROR really resonated with me,” she says. “I believed that as pediatric dentists we were in an even better position to encourage reading at bedtime because we see children more frequently than pediatricians for six-month recall visits. Plus, we already utilize the recall appointments for guidance about oral hygiene, diet, etc., so I thought that these visits would be a perfect opportunity to encourage reading and tooth brushing.”

The project involves giving an ageappropriate, dental-relevant book to children between the ages of 1 to 5 years at six-month recall visits to reinforce healthy bedtime routines —tooth brushing and reading. A wide selection of books have been purchased—nearly $5,000worth to date—for three age categories within

that one-to–five-year age range; they are given out by residents or the dental assistants to the children and parents while the children are still in the dental chairs after their exams. “We try to read at least half the book with them so the children and parents are encouraged to see how to be interactive with the book’s content —to touch the toothbrush or count the teeth— to reinforce the concepts,” says Rashewsky.

BBB is starting with 50 patients, however Rashewsky notes that once they collect data (they are surveying parents whose children receive the books using a survey modeled on the ROR program survey) they would like to open it up to all children in the clinic between the ages of 1 and 5. “Each child would receive a book at every six-month recall visit, for a maximum of nine books by the time they enter kindergarten,” says Rashewsky. “Multiple studies have shown that the first five years of life are a critical window for learning, rapid brain development, and the opportunity to establish healthy behaviors. We want our pediatric dental patients to have the educational tools that they need to be successful.”

Predoctoral students are getting involved in BBB as well. Books have been purchased for the waiting area and predoctoral students will be volunteering to read to children waiting for their appointments. In addition, a portion of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation Grant supporting the project has been allocated to publishing a children's book with a dental

message. Geared to toddlers and titled "Brushtime, Bedtime," it is being written by Ashley Abraham (D’16), Kelby Okada (D’16), and Giselle Galanto (D’15) with illustrations

by Liz Freund (D’16). Funding for BBB is also being provided by a 2013-14 ADA Samuel D. Harris Fund for Children’s Dental Health Grant.

Rashewsky is getting recognition beyond Penn Dental Medicine for BBB, having received the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Resident Recognition Award this year for the project. She was one of two winners nationwide selected for the Fall/Winter cycle. The award recognizes pediatric dental residents doing innovative and interesting activities in the field of patient care, research, teaching/ education, and/or community service.

“The commitment and energy Stephanie has brought to this project are tremendous,” says Dr. Rochelle Lindemeyer, Director of the Pediatric Residency Program. “It is our hope that this pilot project will plant the seeds for expanding her idea to other institutions.”

“By promoting literacy through BBB at our dental visits, we believe that we will be encouraging positive oral health and literacy behaviors for life.”

— STEPHANIE RASHEWSKY, GD’14

Rashewsky is pleased BBB will thrive at Penn Dental Medicine beyond her graduation this year with first-year pediatric resident Jessica Lee continuing the project as part of her research requirement. “We hope this will be an ongoing project in our clinic,” says Rashewsky. “These interactions that young children have with literacy and the adults in their lives are the building blocks for language, reading, and writing development. By promoting literacy through BBB at our dental visits, we believe that we will be encouraging positive oral health and literacy behaviors for life.”

Pediatric Residency Program Doubles in Size Penn Dental Medicine has doubled the number of residents accepted into its Pediatric Residency Program each year, growing from two to four students.

The new class of residents, which starts in July, will be the first at this increased size.

“This is a move we have wanted to make for some time. Four to five residents per year is the average size of other residency programs across the country.

With the size of our School and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), this was a natural step, especially given that we have the patient pool to support a larger program,” says Dr. Betty HarokopakisHajishengallis, Director of the Division of Pediatrics. “We will be able to manage more cases, which translates into greater experience and knowledge for our students.”

Dr. Rochelle Lindemeyer, Director of the Pediatric Residency Program, adds that the increased class size responds to the great interest in the School’s highly competitive program. “We routinely get over 140 applicants each year.

There is big interest in our program,” she says. “With the variety of cases we have and our affiliation with CHOP, the Program offers a great educational opportunity for our residents.”

The residents conduct all outpatient care at the School’s Pediatric Clinic and provide inpatient consultation and emergency service for CHOP; residents also provide care for those children needing sedation or general anesthesia at CHOP. Plans are underway to expand the School’s Pediatric Clinic to accommodate the growing residency class and increased patient load. An additional six chairs will be added in an open bay setting along with a residents’ room.

“We are excited about this expansion of our program,” adds Dr. HarokopakisHajishengallis, “and see an ongoing potential for growth.”

140

approximate number of applicants to the Pediatric Residency Program each year

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CE Symposia Slated for Fall 2014 Penn Dental Medicine will present two multi-day continuing education symposia this coming fall. The first—ARONJ: An Update—will be held October 2425 at the Smilow Center for Translational Research, followed by Endodontic Retreatment: Surgical/Non-surgical Management on November 8-9 at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Both symposia, produced through the School’s Office of Continuing Education, are appropriate for general dentists and specialists alike.

ARONJ: AN UPDATE Bisphosphonates, a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone mass, are used to treat a variety of bone dissolution disorders—from osteoporosis and Paget’s disease to bone loss due to cancer.

While these anti-resorptive medications can offer effective therapies, several have been associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) with a broad health impact and economic burden.

The symposium will address gaps in the understanding of how anti-resorptive drugs may interfere with immune function, wound healing, and bone repair, and explore how to bridge these findings in the development of new prevention and intervention strategies for ARONJ.

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This symposium is built on the multidisciplinary interaction between the different specialties engaged in research and clinical management of anti-resorptive-drug-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw (ARONJ) patients; Penn Dental Medicine’s Dr. Anh Le, Chair of the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/ Pharmacology, and Dr. Thomas Sollecito, Chair of the Department of Oral Medicine, are developing the program, which will feature speakers from Penn Dental Medicine, Penn Medicine, and other leading experts on the topic nationwide. Dr. Sook-Bin Woo, Associate Professor of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity at Harvard School of Medicine, and Director of Clinical Affairs, Division of Oral Medicine and Dentistry, at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, will be the keynote speaker.

The symposium will address gaps in the understanding of how anti-resorptive drugs may interfere with immune function, wound healing, and bone repair, and explore how to bridge these findings in the development of new prevention and intervention strategies for ARONJ. The full program of topics and speakers for this October 24-25 event, along with registration information, can be found at www.dental.upenn.edu/ARONJ2014.

ENDODONTIC RETREATMENT: SURGICAL/NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT This two-day program, organized by the Department of Endodontics with Dr. Syngcuk Kim, Louis I. Grossman Professor, serving as the symposium director, features Penn Dental Medicine endodontic faculty, alumni, and clinicians from around the world.

The topics presented will range from endodontic pathology to endodontic surgical and non-surgical techniques. Along with lectures, there will be a live patient demonstration of mandibular-molar surgery under the microscope, telecast in 3D. Attendees also have the option of participating in hands-on workshops to be held November 7, the day before the symposium; they will be presented in three different areas—microscope non-surgical retreatment, advanced microendodontics from theory to practice, and microsurgical endodontics. The full program of topics and speakers for this November 8-9 event can be found at www.dental.upenn.edu/endoretreat2014.

Penn Dental Medicine is an ADA CERP provider of continuing education with tuition discounts for Penn Dental Medicine alumni and faculty, as well as students. For more information on these and other continuing education programs, contact Pamela Rice, Director of Continuing Education, 215-573-6841, pamrice@dental.upenn.edu.

Advancing New Clinical Research A new avenue of support for clinical research within Penn Dental Medicine launched this academic year with the first Schoenleber Pilot Grants awarded in support of seven new projects. Funded by the Penn Dental Medicine Schoenleber Fund, the grants provide up to $20,000 for one year for pilot clinical research projects, with priority given to those studies that also involve collaborations across basic science and other clinical disciplines.

“The purpose of the grants is to fund innovative research—to seed projects that encourage collaboration and can also lead to extramural funding,” says Dr. Dana Graves, Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship and Chairman of the recently formed Clinical Basic Research Advisory Committee, which selected the grant recipients.

The Advisory Committee, consisting of members of the School’s Board of Overseers, was established to not only evaluate clinical research projects eligible for seed funding through the Schoenleber Fund, but also to provide input on clinical research projects in their formative stages, to offer peer feedback on collaborative projects with other schools within the University, and to provide input on strategic initiatives involving both basic or clinical research at the School.

Along with Dr. Graves and Morton Amsterdam Dean Denis Kinane, the Committee includes Board of Overseers Dr. William DeVizio, Vice President for Oral Care Research & Development at Colgate-Palmolive Company; Dr. Matthew J. Doyle, Director and Senior Researcher, Procter & Gamble Company; Madeline Monaco, Senior Director of Global Scientific and Professional Affairs, Johnson & Johnson Consumer and Personal Products Worldwide; and Dr. Lewis E. Proffitt (D’73, WG’80), as well as Dr. Anh Le, Norman Vine Endowed Professor of Oral Rehabilitation and Chair, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology. This year’s inaugural Schoenleber Pilot Grants were awarded for the following projects:

Effects of RANKL on mouse myeloid cells in orthodontic tooth movement Principal Investigator (PI) Dr. Chun-Hsi Chung, Dept. of Orthodontics, with Dr. Dana Graves, Dept. of Periodontics

Extent of DNA damage in exfoliated oral mucosal cells following CBCT radiation exposure PI Dr. Mel Mupparapu, Dept. of Oral Medicine, with Christine Nadeau, and Dr. Faizan Alawi, Dept. of Pathology

Correlation Between Defective Lysosome Maturation and Chronic Periodontitis PI Dr. Jonathan Korostoff, Dept. of Periodontics, with Dr. Kathleen BoeszeBattaglia, Dept. of Biochemistry

Inactivation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 by Extracellular Matrix Protection Factor-2 in Dentin Cavity Walls PI Dr. Fusun Ozer, Div. of Restorative Dentistry, with Dr. Markus Blatz, Dept. of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, Justin Kang, D’15, Dr. Marina D’Angelo, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Dr. Lorenzo Breschi, University of Trieste, Italy

Streptococcal GtfB as a biomarker for Early Childhood Caries Activity PI Dr. Cyelee Kulkarni with Dr. Betty HarokopakisHajishengallis, Div. of Pediatric Dentistry Growth of Cartilage on Titanium and Zirconia PI Dr. Francis Mante, Div. of Restorative Dentistry, with Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Dept. of Biochemistry, and Dr. Sunday Akintoye, Dept. of Oral Medicine

Oral Cancer Walk & 5K Run Penn Dental Medicine students once again produced a successful Oral Cancer Walk & 5K Run, building awareness of the importance of oral cancer screenings and raising nearly $19,600 in support of the Oral Cancer Foundation. Held March 29, there were a total of 425 participants, including 110 runners, 145 walkers, 4 oral cancer survivors, and 166 supporters.

In addition, faculty and residents from within oral medicine, periodontics, preventive and restorative sciences, and community health worked with students to provide free oral cancer screenings as part of the event.

Penn Initial Phase Efficiency Study PI Dr. Yota Stathopoulou, Dept. of Periodontics, with Dr. Denis Kinane, Morton Amsterdam Dean

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 7

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ADEA Scholars

World Views

Penn Dental Medicine students Kari Hexem (D’15) and Mehreen Merchant (D’14) are recipients of the 2014 ADEA Preventive Dentistry scholarship, awarded to 12 students nationwide who have demonstrated academic excellence in preventive dentistry and community health. Both Hexem and Merchant are in Penn Dental Medicine’s community honors program.

Hexem’s key honors project is working with Philadelphia FIGHT, the city’s largest provider

The international externship program continues to expand the perspective of Penn Dental Medicine students as they experience dental education and practice in far corners of the world. This academic year, 40 fourth-year students participated in the program, fulfilling their four-week hospital externship requirements at 10 sites around the globe, observing in clinics and taking part in seminars and hospital rounds.

Presently, students can select from 18 international externship sites, including three new sites added this year in Colombia, Sweden, and Sri Lanka. The schools and countries student visited this academic year include:

12 students nationwide are awarded the ADEA Preventive Dentistry Scholarship

Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Dentistry, Thailand Chung Shan Medical and Dental University, Taiwan Dental Institute, Sri Lanka Guy’s-Kings College, United Kingdom Princess Marina Hospital, Botswana Seoul National University, South Korea

of comprehensive care for people with HIV/ AIDS, to initiate a new dental care program (see story, page 24); and through her pursuit of community honors, Merchant has been helping to provide free dental services to uninsured children through the School’s partnership with Puentes de Salud, a health clinic in South Philadelphia. Both were presented with their scholarships at the 2014 ADEA Annual Meeting in March.

Hexem was also selected as one of ten applicants from within the United States and Canada to participate in the ADEAGies Foundation/AADR Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program (ADCFP) for the 20142015 academic year. ADCFP was created with the goal of providing students with a window into the day-to-day experiences of faculty members in academic dental institutions and nurture future dental educators. Hexem will work with Dr. Joan Gluch, Director of Community Oral Health and Associate Dean for Academic Policies, in the behavioral science, public health, and community health programs.

Payal Verma (D’14) participated in ADCFP this academic year, working with former faculty member Dr. Andres Pinto on oral medicine courses and programs.

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Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan Universidad El Bosque, Colombia University of Gothenburg Institute of Odontology, Sweden University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Penn Dental Medicine also hosted 49 international exchange students this academic year from 13 different schools.

ABOVE: Five Penn Dental Medicine students completed externships this academic year at Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Dentistry, Thailand, pictured with students and faculty from the school.

FACULTYQ&A SHARING PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL PATHS

WHILE THE PENN DENTAL Medicine community may know the School’s faculty by the courses they teach or the research they conduct, this new Q&A faculty spotlight, which will become a regularly occurring part of the Penn Dental Medicine Journal, aims to get a bit more personal glimpse of them as individuals.

For this first Q&A, we talked with Dr. Robert Vanarsdall (GD’72, GD’73), Professor, Department of Orthodontics and Director of the Orthodontic/Periodontic Residency Program—a long-time member of the School’s faculty. Dr. Vanarsdall, who has held the appointment of Professor since 1993, first joined the Penn Dental Medicine faculty in 1973 after completing his postdoctoral training here in both periodontics and orthodontics.

During his tenure, he has also served as Director of the Orthodontics Residency Program and Department Chairman.

What have you found most rewarding about being a member of the Penn Dental Medicine faculty?

Without a doubt, it is the students. We have a caliber of student that you simply don't find anywhere else. Each postdoctoral class has its own personality, its own character. They challenge the faculty every day and when they do, you learn just as much as you teach. It is a true gift to be a part of a program that does that for you.

What do you view as your greatest professional accomplishment?

When I was still a student, I came to the University of Pennsylvania to do a paper. Penn had the best dental library so it was a natural resource during my studies. From my very first visit, I fell in love with the school.

When I returned years later, I had the privilege of starting the ortho/perio program.

The fact that I had the opportunity to help shape and advance such an extraordinary institution—one that I idolized as a student—is without a doubt my greatest achievement.

So more than any piece of advice, I studied what it was that they did to inspire me, and I have worked to emulate that in my own teaching, to hopefully inspire the next generation of leaders in our field.

Q&A with Dr. Robert Vanarsdall Professor, Department of Orthodontics; Director, Periodontic/Orthodontic Residency Program What drew your interest to your particular field and what do you enjoy most about it?

Throughout my undergraduate studies, I was always fascinated with how people heal. The more I was exposed to periodontics and orthodontics, the more I was drawn to the idea of saving teeth. And that's really where my passion rests: in looking beyond the cosmetic value of orthodontics to promoting orthodontics as part of a total approach to dental health.

What advice from a mentor have you carried with you in your career?

I wouldn't say it was one specific piece of advice that stood out, but more of an approach to teaching that influenced me. When I came to Penn, I studied under and worked alongside some of the best—Mort Amsterdam, Walter Cohen—we had such an exciting group of people.

What excites you most about Penn Dental Medicine today?

As someone who has been affiliated with the School for more than 40 years, there are really two things that stand out for me. First, the recent physical changes to update the facilities with state-of-the-art, cutting-edge design, equipment, and technology—the facilities have been incredibly improved. Second, our alumni are the strongest of any program that I know.

And that's important to see because it shows that they have received something in their education that they carry with them for the rest of their careers—they want to continue to be involved with our program and support Penn.

Schools/degrees?

William and Mary, BA; Medical College of Virginia, DDS, 1970; Penn Dental Medicine, postdoctoral certificates in Orthodontics, 1973, and Periodontics, 1972 If you could have dinner with anyone who would it be?

Colin Powell Hobbies?

At home in Philadelphia I always enjoy going to see the Philly Pops and follow all the sports teams. Abroad, I love to travel.

Favorite vacation destination?

St. Barths Best book you've read recently?

Wins, Losses and Lessons by Lou Holtz

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 9

“If you understand the principles of how biofilms assemble and cause diseases, we can learn how to prevent or disassemble them effectively.”

—DR. MICHEL KOO

UNRAVELINGBIOFILMS DR. MICHEL KOO EMPLOYING UNIQUE APPROACHES TO TARGET BIOFILMS AND TOOTH DECAY OPPOSITE: Hyun (Michel) Koo, DDS, PhD, joined Penn Dental Medicine last September as Professor, Department of Orthodontics. In his lab, Dr. Koo focuses on understanding how pathogenic biofilms cause oral infectious diseases, particularly dental caries (or tooth decay). He uses advanced molecular and imaging technologies to unveil the principles of biofilm assembly on tooth surfaces.

At the same time, he is developing new therapeutic approaches to target the biofilm at its core—the extracellular matrix-scaffold—using naturally-occurring and synthetic agents.

OF KOREAN DESCENT, Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo was born in Germany, raised in Brazil, and has worked in the United States for a decade and a half. As a result, he has mastered English, Korean, and Portuguese. But that tally does not include the fact that he is also fluent in the complementary but distinct languages of biochemistry, microbiology, and clinical dentistry.

Now a professor in the Department of Orthodontics at Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Koo’s comfort in many realms has led him to clinically relevant discoveries in unexpected places, from the Amazon rainforest, to exotic fruits and plants, to humble beehives and cranberries.

The driving force linking these diverse discoveries is Dr. Koo’s desire to understand and find treatments against disease-causing biofilms, the sticky mix of microbes, glue-like polymers and other materials that affixes itself to many surfaces. His focus is on the biofilm known as plaque that accumulates on the tooth’s surface, leading to breakdown of enamel and onset of the disease dental caries, commonly called tooth decay or cavities.

“Our main purpose is to find out how microbes build up biofilms and cause diseases and then hopefully find a better way to prevent them,” he says.

A UNIQUE APPROACH Dr. Koo’s interest in research emerged as a dental student in Brazil. While most students went home for summer vacation, he spent the breaks in the lab doing research that stoked his interest in biochemistry and microbiology. After graduating, he began to

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 11

UNRAVELINGBIOFILMS practice dentistry but maintained a fervent curiosity that eventually drove him back to the classroom. But instead of seeking further dental-specific training, he entered a master’s program in food science and biochemistry at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil—the first dental student ever to do so.

“I thought, the oral cavity is the first point of entry for everything we consume,” he says. “I was excited to learn from the fascinating world of food science if there was anything to be discovered about preventing oral disease or promoting oral health.”

Working with a mentor (Dr. Yong Park), Dr. Koo began a search for new substances that could provide oral health benefits using biotechnology in the form of microbial enzymes and plant-food chemistry.

“Sugar is the arch criminal of dental caries as it fuels harmful bacteria to build up plaque and make acids that dissolve teeth,” says Dr. Koo. “We wanted to find specific microbes in nature that could use this sugar to produce new types of sugar molecules that have similar sweetening properties but couldn’t be metabolized in the oral cavity by bacteria.”

To find these novel sugar-metabolizing microbes, Dr. Koo collected samples in dozens of different ecosystems.

“We looked in places from the cleanest, purest ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest to rotting food and insects in São Paulo open markets,” he says.

He amassed an array of more than 3,000 samples and identified a few new microbes that could produce alternative sweetening yet non-cariogenic and non-caloric sugars; some of which are now being developed by the food industry.

A pull toward unlikely sources for discovery continued in another project Dr. Koo developed, this time looking at honeybee hives. Bees seal and protect their hives with a substance called propolis, which they produce from resins they collect as they visit a variety of plants. Dr. Koo and colleagues found that a number of small molecules isolated from propolis have anti-biofilm

12 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

properties. By targeting an enzyme produced by the main culprit behind dental caries, the bacterium Streptococcus mutans, the researchers demonstrated that propolis-derived compounds could inhibit the formation of biofilms and the development of dental caries in rodents.

“Starting with food science and compounds found in nature, we now have a better understanding of oral diseases, and the basis of products that could prevent those diseases,” he says.

BIOFILM ARCHITECTURE IN 3D Dr. Koo continued his scientific inquiries in Brazil while earning a Ph.D. in oral biology (Dr. Jaime Cury, mentor) at FOP-UNICAMP in a joint program with the University of Rochester, where he subsequently joined the faculty. “At Rochester, I had an incredible opportunity for academic growth, particularly working with Dr. William Bowen, a worldauthority in dental caries research,” says Koo. While continuing to look for tooth decay therapies, he also delved more deeply into understanding how pathogenic bacteria, such as S. mutans, assemble plaque biofilms.

Using advanced imaging technology that allows him to reconstruct a three-dimensional picture of a biofilm, Dr. Koo has found that the bacteria are able to cluster tightly together because they are enmeshed in a matrix comprised of glue-like polymer molecules and other extracellular materials.

“Biofilms are highly organized microbial communities, forming a structure almost like a tissue,” says Dr. Koo. “We show how the ‘scaffolding’ of the matrix creates a highly compartmentalized architecture, while making the biofilms very sticky on the surface.”

In 2012, Dr. Koo and colleagues published a paper in PLoS Pathogens demonstrating that not only does the matrix provide a scaffold and make the biofilm gooey and sticky, but it also helps to create acidic microenvironments. By devising a novel three-dimensional pH-mapping technique, Dr. Koo showed highly localized, matrix delineated acidic compartments throughout the biofilm. These niches of low pH affects

“Our main purpose is to find out how microbes build up biofilms and cause diseases and then hopefully find a better way to prevent them.”

—DR. MICHEL KOO

everything from the balance of microorganisms that can thrive inside of them, to the behavior of S. mutans, to the severity of damage to tooth enamel that results in cavities.

“Our data offer new avenues for further elucidation of how cell-matrix interactions govern the formation of pathogenic biofilms, while introducing new tools and methods for biofilm research,” Dr. Koo says.

Dr. Koo’s probing of the matrix structure and biofilm microenvironment has led to new ways of thinking about how to prevent or treat plaque build-up on the teeth. Instead of solely targeting the bacteria themselves, Dr. Koo and his team are looking for ways to degrade or stop matrix production. This strategy has the added benefit of avoiding treatment with antibiotics, which some bacteria can eventually learn to evade.

DEVELOPING NOVEL THERAPIES Much like his previous explorations in the Amazon and other ecosystems, Dr. Koo has continued to look in some unlikely places for new anti-biofilm compounds to target the matrix. His investigations have revealed potentially useful compounds in cranberries and in the waste product from the wine-making industry—the leftover grape skin, pulp and seeds called pomace. Dr. Koo’s research has shown that molecules found in cranberries called proanthocyanidins can reduce the synthesis of polysaccharides in the matrix.

In parallel, Dr. Koo has methodically examined the bioactivity of each of the foodderived compounds discovered in his lab to help design an effective therapy against cariogenic biofilms. He has looked at how combinations of various molecules could synergize, enhancing the overall therapeutic effect.

In one line of research, Dr. Koo and colleagues examined the possibility of pairing the proven standby, fluoride, with newly discovered anti-biofilm agents. The rationale was simple yet promising: Fluoride helps to prevent mineral loss and rebuild tooth mineral during acid attack, but has limited effects against bacteria and biofilm formation.

“We thought that including agents that impair acid production, a terpenoid, and biofilm matrix build-up, a flavonoid, could complement and enhance the effectiveness of fluoride,” Dr. Koo says.

He discovered that the therapeutic effect of this combination therapy was superior to that of the potent antimicrobial chlorhexidine as well as fluoride, effectively reducing the development of caries disease in an animal model. Recently, Dr. Koo and colleagues published a paper in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy revealing the mechanisms by which these food-derived compounds, together with fluoride, disrupt the assembly of the biofilm matrix, and enhance the overall anti-caries activity.

“If you understand the principles of how biofilms assemble and cause diseases, we can learn how to prevent or disassemble them effectively,” Dr. Koo says.

Studying these microbial communities enmeshed in a polymeric matrix could pave the way for relevant findings beyond the mouth—ranging from barnacles on a ship hull to plaque on heart valves and medical devices— as biofilms are often associated with many diseases in humans as well as industrial and naval issues.

“We always have the idea in mind of how our research in the oral cavity might have broader applicability,” Dr. Koo says.

ABOVE: (top) Dr. Koo’s research has shown that molecules found in cranberries, called proanthocyanidins, could disrupt the assembly of the biofilm matrix and be used to develop new therapies against cariogenic biofilms. (bottom) Prospective anti-biofilm agents are initially tested in the laboratory using biofilms formed on hydroxyapatite (a tooth enamel-like material).

OPPOSITE: Biofilm structure is highly complex. Bacterial ‘islets’ or microcolonies (green) are enmeshed and surrounded by an intricate extracellular ‘scaffold,’ known as matrix (red), which is comprised of polysaccharides and other materials.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 13

UNRAVELINGBIOFILMS DISCOVERING A CROSS-KINGDOM PARTNERSHIP This knowledge of biofilm architecture and assembly extends to an important public health concern. Dr. Koo has a special interest in a disease that affects children early in life, called early childhood caries. It involves a highly destructive and painful form of tooth decay that affects toddlers, particularly those from backgrounds of poverty.

“It’s a costly and terrible disease and very psychologically damaging to kids because they can’t even smile,” he says. “The tooth decay can become so severe that treatment often requires surgery in the operating room.”

Some of Dr. Koo’s latest work, to be published in the May issue of Infection and Immunity, aims to identify the factors that make these infections so virulent in children, with an eye toward preventing or treating the disease.

bacterium uses to produce extracellular polysaccharides from sugar, also binds to and enables Candida to produce a glue-like polymer in the presence of sugar. Candida then uses this same polymer to adhere to teeth and to bind S. mutans, two abilities it otherwise lacks.

“The combination of the two organisms led to a greatly enhanced production of the biofilm matrix,” Dr. Koo says, “drastically boosting the ability of the bacterium and the fungus to colonize the teeth, increasing the bulk of the biofilms and the density of the infection.”

And because of the biofilm’s compartments of low pH, this accumulation led to greater levels of acid next to the teeth that can dissolve enamel, leading to cavity formation.

The investigators showed that infection by S. mutans and C. albicans together doubled the number of cavities and boosted their severity several fold in rats.

“Our data offer new avenues for elucidation of how cellmatrix interactions govern the formation of pathogenic biofilms, while introducing new tools for biofilm research.”

—DR. MICHEL KOO Though researchers had long known S. mutans was a primary culprit in the disease, Dr. Koo and collaborators, as well as other scientists, probed dental plaque from children with the disease and almost always found the fungus Candida albicans together with high levels of S. mutans. The discovery piqued Dr. Koo’s interest, because although C. albicans sticks to the cheek and tongue, it was not believed to be a common resident in dental plaque formed on teeth.

“We were puzzled,” Dr. Koo says. “Candida usually does not associate with S. mutans, nor does it colonize teeth very effectively.”

The investigators discovered that an enzyme secreted by S. mutans, which the

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“It is an intriguing interaction where a fungus is converted into a fierce stimulator of cariogenic biofilm formation,” says Dr. Koo “Our data will certainly open the way to test agents to prevent this disease,” Dr. Koo says, “and, even more intriguing, the possibility of preventing children from acquiring this infection.”

NEW HORIZONS The novelty and merit of Dr. Koo’s work has been recognized through several awards, including the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award and IADR/GSK Innovation in Oral Care Award, as well as funding from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, and industry.

Having just come aboard Penn Dental Medicine’s faculty last September, he says he is honored to be part of what he sees as “a world-class winning team for research,” with ample opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration within the School and across the campus to make new discoveries and to bring them into clinical use. For example, Dr. Koo is starting to collaborate with Dr. Henry Daniell, Professor, Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology, on a project to investigate the potential of using his antimicrobial peptides to control cariogenic biofilms.

Dr. Koo’s recent sabbatical leave in Dr. Ken Yamada’s lab (a leading scientist in cell/matrix biology) at NIDCR/NIH brought new ideas to study biofilms. He’s particularly interested in taking advantage of the nanotechnology and engineering expertise at Penn, perhaps utilizing the new Singh Center for Nanotechnology, located just at the other end of Penn’s campus from Penn Dental Medicine. He plans to build on previous work, in which he has explored strategies for drug delivery using nanoparticles.

“One of the major challenges of topicallydelivered compounds is rapid clearance of the agents in the mouth before they have time to exert their full therapeutic effect,” he notes.

By engineering low-cost and highadhesive nano-carriers, the therapeutics can be retained for longer periods of time, increasing drug efficacy. He hopes these technologies will lead to development of more-effective therapies against biofilmassociated oral diseases.

At Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Koo sees himself able to fully realize the potential of these and other clinically relevant technologies.

“There are so many ways different disciplines can help us, from biomedical sciences to nanotechnology to engineering approaches and Penn’s philosophy is centered in promoting the integration of knowledge,” he says. “I’m in the right environment with all the necessary support to further advance our mission of conducting innovative research and developing new therapies to make a difference.”

—By Katherine Unger Baillie

TOP: Members of the Koo Lab, left to right: Jinzhi He, Dr. Yuan Liu, Dr. Michel Koo, Yong Li, Dr. Lizeng Gao, Dr. Geelsu Hwang, Dr. Dongyeop Kim. ABOVE: The 3D architecture of a fungal-bacterial biofilm.

RIGHT: This close-up image of the biofilm illustrates the spatial relationship between Candida albicans cells and a Streptococcus mutans microcolony. Yeast (red) and hyphal forms of C. albicans (blue) are found associated in the periphery of the microcolony structure (green); specific areas where fungal cells are associated with the microcolony are highlighted in orange.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 15

FACULTYPERSPECTIVE VIEWS ON DENTAL TOPICS & TRENDS

Endodontics vs. Implants: A Modern Clinical Dilemma DENTAL IMPLANTS are the most important advancement in dentistry in the 21st century.

However, with an increase in the popularity of implants, endodontically treated teeth have been debated by some as inferior to implants in regard to long-term stability and retention.

Furthermore, there has been a tendency to take the simplified approach of ‘extraction and implant;’ but this does not always prove to be as simple or ethical as some would like to believe. We should not forget that the ultimate goal of our profession is keeping one’s dentition in function throughout a lifetime.

Modern endodontics is fundamentally different from the past. Modern techniques, some developed within our own Endodontics Department, utilize the surgical operating microscope for better visualization and identification of canals, electrometric length measurement devices for accurate and objective canal length determination, rotary nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments to prepare canals with ease and better negotiate curved canals, Piezoultrasonic instruments for root end preparation, improved disinfection protocols, and cone beam computer tomography for better and accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.1 Endodontic therapy performed by a properly trained endodontist following all these advanced techniques guarantees over 90% positive longterm outcomes.1 Furthermore, failed endodontic cases can be predictably and successfully treated by using a new microsurgical approach of apical surgery, which is fundamentally different from the “apicoectomy” practiced and taught in the last century. We now call it “endodontic microsurgery.” The outcome of endodontic microsurgery of failed endodontic teeth with a persistent periapical lesion but minimum periodontic defects is well over 90% for long-term follow-ups.2

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How about Implants?

The survival rate of implants performed in many clinical centers supported by industries is extremely high, over 90%.5 However, this high survival rate does not reflect the everyday practice environment. First, in center studies, if the initial implant fails before loading, that case would not be counted as a failure. Survival is counted only after loading. Second, inclusion and exclusion criteria are so strict that results of such studies do not reflect the average population. If volunteers are smokers, have diabetes, or inferior bone quality, they are not included in a center study. Thus, actual success or survival of implants in the general population would not be 95-96%, but significantly lower, below 80%.3 If 95% or so is the true survival rate of implants, why do we see so many implant failures?

And while the loss of an implant would be downright failure, how about the significant loss of bone covering an implant or persistent peri-implantitis? Regardless, the implant is not a panacea.

How do the two compare?

Many studies show the comparison between endodontically treated teeth and implants. No statistically significant difference was found between dental implants and endodontically treated teeth over a period of six years.4 The same statement is reported in more recently published meta-analysis of the survival of singletooth-restored dental implants versus restored endodontically treated teeth.5 In addition, at the University of Minnesota, all specialists—oral surgeons, periodontists, and endodontists—compared the long-term outcome of a matched pair of endodontically treated teeth and single-tooth implants.3 Seven- to nine-year recalls showed a positive

Contributed By: DR. SYNGCUK KIM Louis I. Grossman Professor Department of Endodontics

outcome of 74% in implants and 84 % in endodontics. This type of matched pair, longterm study performed at a university without the support of industries provides more objective and non-biased results.

Both implant and endodontic therapy show great outcome rates if the treatments are appropriately chosen and rendered by well trained specialists. Both treatment options should be seen as complementing each other, not as a competition, and serve the overall goal in dentistry—providing care that supports the long-term health and benefit of the patient, being least invasive, and incorporating function, comfort, and esthetics. To achieve these goals, it is important for clinicians to be fully aware of the truth on the long-term outcome of both implants and endodontic therapy with an intention of maintaining natural teeth as long as possible.

Recent articles published in JADA raised an important issue.6 The results of the in-depth systematic review show “… implant survival rates do not exceed those of compromised but (continued on page 28)

RESEARCHSPOTLIGHT TRANSLATING SCIENCE TO PRACTICE

Scholarly Activity Following is a snapshot by the numbers of the scholarly activity within the School’s faculty over the past five years (January 2009–December 2013). Listed are the top 20 by their h index* (see definition below) and the number of research articles published. # ARTICLES 2009–2013

*H INDEX 2009–2013

Dr. George Hajishengallis, Dept. of Microbiology

54

18

Dr. Henry Daniell, Depts. of Pathology & Biochemistry

41

16

Dr. Dana Graves, Dept. of Periodontics

33

14

Dr. Anh Le, Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/ Pharmacology

38

13

FACULTY MEMBER

Dr. Denis Kinane, Depts. of Periodontics & Pathology

31

13

Dr. Gary Cohen, Dept. of Microbiology

26

13

Dr. Elisabeth Barton, Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology

31

12

Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Dept. of Orthodontics

33

11

Dr. Markus Blatz, Dept. of Preventive & Restorative Sciences

46

7

Dr. Sunday O. Akintoye, Dept. of Oral Medicine 17

7

Dr. Hydar Ali, Dept. of Pathology

12

7

Dr. Carolyn Gibson, Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology

21

6

Dr. Frank Setzer, Dept. of Endodontics

16

6

Dr. Claire Mitchell, Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology

14

6

Dr. Yan Yuan, Dept. of Microbiology

13

6

Dr. Faizan Alawi, Dept. of Pathology

22

5

Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Dept. of Biochemistry

17

5

Dr. Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, Dept. of Pathology

12

5

Dr. Bekir Karabucak, Dept. of Endodontics

11

5

Dr. Marjorie K. Jeffcoat, Dept. of Periodontics

9

5

ABOVE: From a recent study of leukocyte adhesion deficiency patients looking at inflammatory bone loss; published in Science Translational Medicine, by Dr. George Hajishengallis, Professor, Department of Microbiology (copyright Niki Moutsopoulos and George Hajishengallis, 2014).

* The h index was developed by J.E. Hirsch, Department of Physics, UCSD, and it attempts to measure the impact of an individual or department’s scientific research output. The calculation is based on a list of publications ranked in descending order by the “times cited” count. As an example, an h index of 20 means there are 20 items that have 20 citations or more each. Hirsch’s full article on the h index can be found in PNAS 102 (46): 16569-16572 November 15 2005.

These lists were generated using the Scopus database, and the Author IDs found within that system. Articles published in journals that are not indexed in Scopus, are not included in the calculation. The articles that were included were published between January 2009 and December 2013. It should be noted that publication and citation practices differ among disciplines and specialties.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 17

SPOTLIGHT

High Impact Basic Science Articles Among the original research articles published within the Penn Dental Medicine basic science departments over the past year, following are the articles that appeared in journals with the five highest impact factors.* AUTHORS

ARTICLES

JOURNAL

Kohli, N., Westerveld, D.R., Ayache, A.C., Verma, A., Shil, P., Prasad, T., Zhu, P., Chan, S.L., Li, Q., Daniell, H.

Oral Delivery of Bioencapsulated Proteins Across Blood-Brain and Blood-Retinal Barriers

Molecular Therapy

7.0

Biochemistry/ Pathology

Kwon, K.-C., Nityanandam, R., New, J.S., Daniell, H.

Oral delivery of bioencapsulated exendin-4 expressed in chloroplasts lowers blood glucose level in mice and stimulates insulin secretion in beta-TC6 cells

Plant Biotechnology Journal

6.3

Biochemistry/ Pathology

Guha, S., Baltazar, G.C., Coffey, E.E., Tu, L.-A., Lim, J.C., Beckel, J.M., Patel, S., Eysteinsson, T., Lu, W., O'Brien-Jenkins, A., Laties, A.M., Mitchell, C.H.

Lysosomal alkalinization, lipid oxidation, and reduced phagosome clearance triggered by activation of the P2X7 receptor

FASEB Journal

5.7

Anatomy & Cell Biology

Atanasiu, D., Cairns, T.M., Whitbeck, J.C., Saw, W.T., Rao, S., Eisenberg, R.J., Cohen, G.H.

Regulation of herpes simplex virus gB-induced cell-cell fusion by mutant forms of gH/gL in the absence of gD and cellular receptors

mBio

5.6

Microbiology

Nuth, M., Guan, H., Zhukovskaya, N., Saw, Y.L., Ricciardi, R.P.

Design of potent poxvirus inhibitors of the heterodimeric processivity factor required for viral replication

Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

5.6

Microbiology

*The Impact Factor identifies the frequency with which an average article from a journal is cited in a particular year. This number can be used to evaluate or compare a journal’s relative importance to others in the same field. Journal impact factors are reported in Thomson Reuters Journal Citation ReportsŽ. The JCR Science Edition, 2012, was used for these figures.

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JOURNAL IMPACT FACTOR*

DEPARTMENT

High Impact Clinical Science Articles Among the original research articles published within the Penn Dental Medicine clinical science departments over the past year, following are the articles that appeared in journals with the five highest impact factors.* AUTHORS

ARTICLES

JOURNAL

JOURNAL IMPACT FACTOR*

DEPARTMENT

Ponugoti, B., Xu, F., Zhang, C., Tian, C., Pacios, S., Graves, D.T.

FOXO1 promotes wound healing through the up-regulation of TGF-B1 and prevention of oxidative stress

Journal of Cell Biology

10.8

Periodontics

Shi, S., Zhang, Q., Atsuta, I., Liu, S., Chen, C., Shi, S., Le, A.D.

IL-17-mediated M1/M2 macrophage alteration contributes to pathogenesis of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws

Clinical Cancer Research

7.8

OMFS & Pharmacology

Wada, K., Yu, W., Elazizi, M., Barakat, S., Ouimet, M.A., Rosario-MelĂŠndez, R., Fiorellini, J.P., Graves, D.T., Uhrich, K.E.

Locally delivered salicylic acid from a poly(anhydride-ester): Impact on diabetic bone regeneration

Journal of Controlled Release

7.6

Periodontics

Pacios, S., Andriankaja, O., Kang, J., Alnammary, M., Bae, J., De Brito Bezerra, B., Schreiner, H., Fine, D.H., Graves, D.T.

Bacterial infection increases periodontal bone loss in diabetic rats through enhanced apoptosis

American Journal of Pathology

4.5

Periodontics

Alblowi, J., Tian, C., Siqueira, M.F., Kayal, R.A., McKenzie, E., Behl, Y., Gerstenfeld, L., Einhorn, T.A., Graves, D.T.

Chemokine expression is upregulated in chondrocytes in diabetic fracture healing

Bone

3.8

Periodontics

High Impact Review Articles Among the review articles published by Penn Dental Medicine faculty over the past year, following are the articles that appeared in journals with the five highest impact factors.* AUTHORS

ARTICLES

JOURNAL

JOURNAL IMPACT FACTOR*

DEPARTMENT

Hajishengallis, G., Mantovani, A., Moretta, A., Lambris, J.D.

Aegean reflections on innate immunity

Nature Immunology

26.2

Microbiology

Kwon, K.-C., Verma, D., Singh, N.D., Herzog, R., Daniell, H.

Oral delivery of human biopharmaceuticals, autoantigens and vaccine antigens bioencapsulated in plant cells

Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews

12.9

Biochemistry

Hajishengallis, G., Chavakis, T.

Endogenous modulators of inflammatory cell recruitment

Trends in Immunology

9.5

Microbiology

Stoopler, E.T., Kuperstein, A.S.

Glossitis secondary to vitamin B12 deficiency anemia

CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal

6.5

Oral Medicine

Stoopler, E.T., Sollecito, T.P.

Temporomandibular disorders

CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal

6.5

Oral Medicine

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 19

SPOTLIGHT

Research Briefs Following are highlights from the lead faculty investigators of the original research articles that appeared in journals with the four highest impact factors among those represented by Penn Dental Medicine faculty scholarly activity over the past year.

FOXO1 PROMOTES WOUND HEALING THROUGH THE UP-REGULATION OF TGF-β1 AND PREVENTION OF OXIDATIVE STRESS Journal of Cell Biology (10.8 Impact Factor) Ponugoti, B., Xu, F., Zhang, C., Tian, C., Pacios, S., Graves, D.T. What were the key objectives of this study?

The events in wound healing are carefully orchestrated. The concept that we investigated was that a transcription factor would coordinate the regulation of events that are needed in order for wound healing to occur properly.

Based on our previous work, we focused on the transcription factor FOXO1. Transcription factors are important in wound healing because they control the expression of other genes, which are needed for healing to occur.

What were some of the important techniques used in the study?

The most important aspect of the study from a technical standpoint was the deletion of FOXO1 in a single type of cell in vivo. These studies used a genetically modified mouse in which the FOXO1 transcription factor was deleted only in keratinocytes, an epithelial cell type that lines mucosal and skin surfaces. All of the other cell types were normal, allowing us to focus on the impact of deleting FOXO1 only in keratinocytes.

What results were most surprising or of particular clinical relevance?

When FOXO1 was deleted in keratinocytes normal wound healing was significantly delayed.

We found that this was largely due to FOXO1 regulation of two very important aspects of wound healing. The first was that FOXO1 was needed for keratinocytes to migrate. The second was that FOXO1 protected the cells during wound healing from oxidative stress. When FOXO1 was deleted, keratinocytes did not migrate as well and suffered damage from oxidative stress.

What conclusions or other applications could the findings lead to?

The simple answer would be that increasing FOXO1 should help wound healing based on our result that FOXO1 is needed for normal healing to occur. However, it is more complicated than this since high levels of FOXO1 are just as detrimental as not having enough FOXO1.

IL-17-MEDIATED M1/M2 MACROPHAGE ALTERATION CONTRIBUTES TO PATHOGENESIS OF BISPHOSPHONATERELATED OSTEONECROSIS OF THE JAWS Clinical Cancer Research (7.8 Impact Factor) Zhang Q, Atsuta I, Liu S, Chen C, Shi S, Shi S, Le AD. What were the key objectives of this study?

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a condition involving the necrosis of the jaw bone that is associated with certain anti-resorptive drugs to treat cancer or prevent bone loss in osteoporosis. The objective of this study is to explore the potential role of interleukin 17 (IL-17)mediated regulation of macrophage function, specifically the subtype M1/M2 macrophage, in the pathogenesis of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ).

ABOVE: Numbers of migrating cells, shown in red, are greatly reduced when the molecule FOX01 is deleted (right column).

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What were some of the important techniques used in the study?

In this study, we developed a BRONJ-disease model in multiple myeloma (MM)-burdened mice. The important techniques include therapeutic approaches using adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded M2 macrophages, or pharmacological blockage of IL-17 activity to treat BRONJ. What results were most surprising or of particular clinical relevance?

This work reports that increased Th17 cells and IL-17 cytokine levels correlate with an increase in M1/M2 macrophages ratio at the non-healing extraction sockets of both BRONJ patients and murine models; adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded M2 macrophages could reverse systemic increase of IL-17 and ONJ severity, and blocking IL-17 activity significantly decreased M1/M2 ratio and concomitantly suppressed BRONJ condition in mice. These findings have provided compelling evidence that IL-17-mediated M1/M2 macrophage alteration plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of BRONJ, a promising breakthrough for identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for this debilitating and painful disease.

What conclusions or other applications could the findings lead to?

The study concludes that IL-17-mediated M1/M2 macrophage alteration induced by zoledronate may be beneficial for cancer therapy, but might have contributed to an increased susceptibility to BRONJ development.

LOCALLY DELIVERED SALICYLIC ACID FROM A POLY(ANHYDRIDE-ESTER): IMPACT ON DIABETIC BONE REGENERATION Journal of Controlled Release (7.6 Impact Factor) Wada, K., Yu, W., Elazizi, M., Barakat, S., Ouimet, M.A., Rosario-Meléndez, R., Fiorellini, J.P., Graves, D.T., Uhrich, K.E. What were the key objectives of this study?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) involves metabolic changes that can impair bone repair, including a prolonged inflammatory response. A salicylic acid-based poly(anhydride-ester) (SA-PAE) provides controlled and sustained release of salicylic acid (SA) that locally resolves inflammation. This study investigates the effect of polymer-controlled SA release on bone regeneration in diabetic rats where enhanced inflammation is expected.

What were some of the important techniques used in the study?

This study is the first time that an SA-PAE has been applied to diabetic animals for bone regeneration purposes. The difficult part in this project was the surgical procedure and postoperative management. Because of the diabetic animals, the grafting procedure needed to be minimally invasive and postoperative monitoring has a significant impact on wound healing process.

What results were most surprising or of particular clinical relevance?

We found that treatment with SA-PAE enhances bone regeneration in diabetic rats.

Plus, it can accelerate bone regeneration in normoglycemic (non-diabetic) animals. It could be possible for this polymer to combine with a bone graft in order to achieve more predictable bone formation for oral and maxillofacial reconstruction purposes.

What conclusions or other applications could the findings lead to?

The advantages of localized, controlled, and sustained SA release, our polymer system enables the incorporation of other bioactives (such as insulin) to further improve bone regeneration.

ORAL DELIVERY OF BIOENCAPSULATED PROTEINS ACROSS BLOOD-BRAIN AND BLOOD-RETINAL BARRIERS Molecular Therapy (7.0 Impact Factor) Westerveld, D.R., Ayache, A.C., Verma, A., Shil, P., Prasad, T., Zhu, P., Chan, S.L., Li, Q., Daniell, H. What were the key objectives of this study?

The goal of this study is to develop a low cost, orally deliverable drug for long-term treatment of Alzheimer’s patients at home.

What were some of the important techniques used in the study?

The most important concept is bio-encapsulation of therapeutic proteins. Plant cells protect protein drugs from acids and enzymes in the digestive system. However, when plant cells carrying therapeutic proteins reach the gut intact, they are broken down by microbes colonizing the gut, thereby releasing the drugs in the gut for rapid absorption into the blood circulatory system.

What results were most surprising or of particular clinical relevance?

The most surprising observation is our ability to deliver therapeutic proteins across the blood-brain barrier, which tightly regulates the transport of molecules to the brain, blocking bio-therapeutics from reaching their site of action. Alzheimer’s disease results in accumulation of the Beta amyloid plaques in the brain.

Myelin basic protein (MBP) inhibits amyloid fibril formation through binding and degradation of amyloid by intrinsic protease activity. Oral delivery of MBP fused to a transmucosal carrier (CTB) that facilitates delivery of proteins to the circulatory system from the gut degraded amyloid plaques in post-mortem human Alzheimer’s disease brains and in Alzheimer’s mouse model. Another surprising finding was the observation of amyloid plaques in the retina and their clearance after oral delivery of CTB-MBP. This raises an interesting question —whether dementia and decrease in vision could both contribute to early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (especially the inability to recognize close relatives).

ABOVE: Compared to controls, Dr. Daniell’s strategy (lower right) reduced plaques in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients.

What conclusions or other applications could the findings lead to?

Alzheimer’s disease is currently incurable.

Right now, treatment is limited to management of symptoms and palliative care. This invention opens the possibility to treat Alzheimer’s disease before or after early onset by elimination of plaques through oral delivery of CTB-MBP. This also opens the possibility of delivering drugs to the retina across the blood-retinal barrier.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 21

WITH HONORS Students with the interest, motivation, and required academic achievement can earn their DMD degree with honors.

The competitive honors program is designed to enable students develop the skills to leverage their leadership potential in the areas of research, clinical dentistry, community health, and dentistry for the medically complex (oral medicine).

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE HONORS DEGREE PROGRAM OFFERS STUDENTS VALUABLE EXPERIENCES TREATING PATIENTS, DOING RESEARCH, SERVING THE COMMUNITY

S

MOST WEDNESDAY afternoons, Kari Hexem (D’15) takes the subway from Penn Dental Medicine’s West Philadelphia campus to 13th and Locust streets, where she spends the next four hours helping to provide dental care to HIV/AIDS patients. Katharine Woehling (D’14) has had the opportunity to work on advanced clinical cases this year, while the research Jae Yeon Jang (D’14) did on a bacterium associated with periodontitis was published in a professional journal.

These three students have gained valuable experiences in patient care and research through Penn Dental Medicine’s honors program. Since it was established in October 2010 with options in community health, clinical, and research honors, about 200 students demonstrating interest, motivation, and academic achievement have participated in the

“At Penn Dental Medicine, we pride ourselves not only on providing an excellent education, but on providing opportunities for students to pursue their passions.”

— DR. KATHLEEN BOESZE-BATTAGLIA

program, says Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, and director of the honors program, as well as the research honors program.

This year, a fourth honors program in oral medicine, focusing on dentistry for the medically complex patient, was added as an option, and 12 students are currently in the program, according to Dr. Arthur Kuperstein, Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine and director of tbe new honors program.

“The honors program is important for several reasons,” says Dr. Boesze-Battaglia.

“At Penn Dental Medicine, we pride ourselves not only on providing an excellent education, but on providing opportunities for students to pursue their passions. This program enhances the student experience by providing them a strong foundation for future specialties, as well as providing us an excellent opportunity to recruit a diverse student body as it relates to healthcare goals.”

For instance, she notes that more than half the students in the research honors program have published research papers, and many have won travel awards and presented posters to the International and American Associations for Dental Research. Students in community health honors, with Director of Community Oral Health and Associate Dean for Academic Policies Joan Gluch as director, spend 120 hours in a variety of community health settings and also can propose a site of their choosing. Fourth-year students in clinical honors work on advanced procedures in the William W.M. Cheung Advanced Dental Care Clinic.

The new program in oral medicine, dentistry for the medically complex, gives students the opportunity to work with medically complex patients—those impacted by a range of diseases and required medications— and participate in the professional dialogue and collaboration with all healthcare providers to better care for these patients, says Dr. Thomas Sollecito, Chair and Professor of Oral Medicine.

Roma Ghandi (D’14) one of the first students in oral medicine honors, says it “allows me to be exposed to very ill patients and, as a result, train to monitor and evaluate changes in patients’ health and medications.

By working closely with faculty and residents, I am able to develop specific treatment plans to fit the needs of patients based on their medical histories.”

200

students

have participated in the honors program since established in 2010 In the future, there could be up to 20 students in the oral medicine honors program, says Dr. Boesze-Battaglia. About 30 students participate annually in the community health honors program and up to 10 are selected for research honors. While the clinical honors program has had as many as 40 students annually, the number will be limited to 20 students starting next year.

Dr. Jeffrey Ingber, Clinical Professor of Restorative Dentistry and new director of the clinical honors program, hopes to utilize social media, blogs, and other technologies to enhance communication between students and faculty on such issues as patient care, learning experiences, and scheduling logistics.

With fewer students working on sophisticated cases involving implants and other treatments and a focus on conceptual learning, Dr. Ingber envisions the clinical honors program as a “laboratory for educational innovation.”

For student Kari Hexem, the experience in community health honors has been so positive that she is considering applying for the new medically complex oral medicine honors program, through which she could continue to work with HIV/AIDS patients.

The honors program, she says, “is enriching what we are exposed to.”

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 23

WITHHONORS

FOR KARI HEXEM (D’15), applying to the honors program in community health last year was a natural fit. She had been volunteering with Philadelphia FIGHT, the city’s largest provider of comprehensive care for people with HIV/AIDS, as an intern with Penn’s Bridging the Gaps program, which focuses on community healthcare. Hexem wanted to continue to work with the agency and hoped the honors program would provide an institutional framework and support for her to do so.

This year, under the auspices of the community health honors program, Hexem and two other honors students, fellow thirdyear Jonathan Vo and fourth-year Tyler Smith, have helped initiate a new dental care program at Philadelphia FIGHT, where they see up to seven patients on a typical Wednesday

24 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

afternoon. Hexem helped write a grant proposal that provided the organization with portable dental equipment and supplies to support their work.

“We do screenings, look inside their mouths, talk about any complaints, provide information, rate their dental anxiety,” Hexem explains. “If they need care, we try to connect them with the appropriate clinic” at Penn Dental Medicine.

For Hexem, the motivation is clear: helping to provide dental care to a population that is underserved and at risk of serious complications because of their compromised immune systems. But the benefit to her is equally clear. “Dental school is very overwhelming,” she says. “Having these four hours set aside every week has been an incredible blessing. It provides a counterbalance to more didactic learning and allows me to focus on something I feel really committed to.”

Philadelphia FIGHT is one of several organizations served by community honors students; others include healthcare clinics at Homeless Health Initiative, Puentes de Salud clinic in South Philadelphia, and Sayre Health Center in West Philadelphia.

At FIGHT, the Penn Dental Medicine honors students often deal with a wide range of issues that impact their patients. “We’re learning how to appropriately interact with and triage a patient population with complex needs,” says Hexem, who plans to work in community health dental care.

The honors program provides “a tremendous opportunity to give students more support in learning about community health endeavors,” she says. “Now, when I think about community health dentistry, I have a clear vision of what this could look like, both the frustrations and the rewards.”

CLINICAL HONORS PROGRAM: KATHARINE WOEHLING (D’14)

KATHARINE WOEHLING (D’14) applied to the clinical honors program for her senior year because she wanted “to expand my clinical knowledge and be introduced to more challenging dental procedures.”

And challenge is what she got, working with faculty on such procedures as restoring implants and other complex treatments.

“I’ve been introduced to new techniques, new equipment, and dental materials that I otherwise may not have been exposed to in dental school, and for this I’m very grateful,” Woehling says. “I learned new techniques for sculpting and staining composite resin restorations to enhance my restorative dentistry skills.” She also learned to use the Lava intraoral scanner to fabricate impressions digitally.

In addition to gaining experience working on tough cases and with new materials and tools, Woehling applied to the honors program because she “wanted to be exposed to the teaching styles of many clinical faculty members to learn how to treatment plan from different perspectives.”

Woehling says her honors experience has been a valuable bridge between dental school and private practice, helping her develop the skills to formulate more comprehensive treatment plans and observe how faculty members interact with patients to explain procedures and treatment plans.

“Communicating with patients is one of the most important parts of dentistry, and I know I will incorporate the skills I learned in honors clinic into my future practice,” she says.

The honors program has provided Woehling with other benefits as well. “I’ve learned to be a more organized and efficient dental professional,” she explains. “The

program has helped me to become more independent, while being guided by talented faculty. The collaborative environment educates students through a team approach, and because of this I have learned so much from my peers.”

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 25

WITHHONORS

RESEARCH HONORS PROGRAM: JAE YEON JANG (D’14)

AS A RESEARCH HONORS STUDENT, JAE YEON JANG (D’14) collaborated with Penn Dental Medicine faculty on a study of a protein, cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), which is produced by a bacterium associated with some forms of periodontitis.

“I was involved in creating various mutations on CDT toxins in an attempt to identify structural and functional motifs,” Jang says. “I was also localizing various subunits of CDT during its intoxication process using fluorescence tags and observing them under the confocal microscope.”

The findings were published May 2012 in the journal Infection and Immunity of the American Society for Microbiology. For the research honors program, Jang worked under the tutelage of Dr. Joseph DiRienzo,

26 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

Professor, Department of Microbiology, who was a co-author of the study along with several other Penn Dental Medicine faculty members.

Jang said his work on the project was not just about learning what CDT does, but also about putting scientific concepts into practice. “You really gain a lot of experience in vast areas of research techniques that are commonly used,” he says. “And these experiences will be very useful if I decide to participate in further research during my specialty training.”

Jang was interested in participating in the research honors program because he “believes strongly that research is what connects basic science to real life.” As an undergraduate at the University of WisconsinMadison, he worked on research projects for three years and was pleased to be able to continue to do so at Penn Dental Medicine.

“We learn so many basic science concepts through lectures and reading textbooks,” Jang says. “But we have limited opportunities to use what we learn in basic science classes in real life. The research honors program gave me that opportunity. I was actually at the frontier of the specific subject that I researched.”

Although he plans to go into practice after graduation, he is not ruling out the possibility of doing research in the future.

Meanwhile, he’s pleased to have had the experience to immerse himself in a research project with Penn Dental Medicine faculty.

“I believe offering this type of research opportunity for students is what distinguishes Penn from other dental schools,” Jang says.

—By Debbie Goldberg

ACADEMICUPDATE DEPARTMENT/FACULTY NEWS & SCHOLARSHIP

ANATOMY & CELL BIOLOGY

Brisson BK, Spinazzola JM, Park S, Barton ER. Viral expression of insulin-like growth factor-I E-peptides increases skeletal muscle mass but at the expense of strength.

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Feb 25.

DOI:10.1152/ajpendo.00008.2014.

Cho A, Haruyama N, Hall B, Danton MJS, Zhang L, Arany P, Mooney DJ, Harichane Y, Goldberg M, Gibson CW, Kulkarni AB. TGF-Ă&#x; regulates enamel mineralization and maturation through KLK4 expression. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(11)

RETIREMENTS Dr. Carolyn Gibson, Professor, Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, retired effective December 31, 2013 after 27 years of service to the School. Her teaching and accomplished research has contributed greatly to the School and to the field of dental medicine as a whole. In 2003, she was named the Distinguished Scientist in Oral Biology by the International Association for Dental Research for her extensive work on the molecular and genetic bases of tooth enamel formation. She was also recognized in 2002 with the American Association for Dental Research William Gies Award for the best paper in the Journal of Dental Research, and again in 2008 with a second William Gies Award in the area of biological research. She continues to be active in research at the School.

For the past two years, Dr. Gibson has also served as Interim Chair of the Department; Dr. Elisabeth Barton, Associate Professor, assumed this leadership role effective January 1, 2014.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Brisson BK, Barton ER. New modulators for IGF-I activity within IGF-I processing products. Front Endocrinol.

2013;4(MAR).

DOI:10.3389/fendo.2013.00042.

Coffey EE, Beckel JM, Laties AM, Mitchell CH. Lysosomal alkalization and dysfunction in human fibroblasts with the alzheimer's disease-linked presenilin 1 A246E mutation can be reversed with cAMP. Neuroscience. 2014;263:111-24.

Forbes SC, Bish LT, Ye F, Spinazzola J, Baligand C, Plant D, Vandenborne K, Barton ER, Sweeney HL, Walter GA. Gene transfer of arginine kinase to skeletal muscle using adeno-associated virus.

Gene Ther. 2014 Guha S, Baltazar GC, Coffey EE, Tu LA, Lim JC, Beckel JM, Patel S, Eysteinsson T, Lu W, O'Brien-Jenkins A, Laties AM, Mitchell CH. Lysosomal alkalinization, lipid oxidation, and reduced phagosome clearance triggered by activation of the P2X7 receptor. FASEB J. 2013 Nov;27(11):4500-9. DOI:10.1096/fj.13236166.

KriĹžaj D, Ryskamp DA, Tian N, Tezel G, Mitchell CH, Slepak VZ, Shestopalov VI. From mechanosensitivity to inflammatory responses: New players in the pathology of glaucoma. Curr Eye Res. 2014;39(2):105-19.

Pugach MK, Suggs C, Li Y, Wright JT, Kulkarni AB, Bartlett JD, Gibson CW. M180 amelogenin processed by MMP20 is sufficient for decussating murine enamel. J Dent Res. 2013;92(12):1118-22.

Smith LR, Barton ER. Collagen content does not alter the passive mechanical properties of fibrotic skeletal muscle in mdx mice. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol.

2014 Mar 5. DOI:10.1152/ajpcell.00383.2013.

Xu C, Tabebordbar M, Iovino S, Ciarlo C, Liu J, Castiglioni A, Price E, Liu M, Barton ER, Kahn CR, Wagers AJ, Zon LI. XA zebrafish embryo culture system defines factors that promote vertebrate myogenesis across species. Cell.

2013;155(4):X909-921.

Zou Y, Zwolanek D, Izu Y, Gandhy S, Schreiber G, Brockmann K, Devoto M, Tian Z, Hu Y, Veit G, Meier M, Stetefeld J, Hicks D, Straub V, Voermans NC, Birk DE, Barton ER, Koch M, Bonnemann CG. Recessive and dominant mutations in COL12A1 cause a novel EDS/myopathy overlap syndrome in humans and mice. Hum Mol Genet. 2014 Jan 20. DOI:10.1093/hmg/ddt627.

Kwon K-, Verma D, Singh ND, Herzog R, Daniell H. Oral delivery of human biopharmaceuticals, autoantigens and vaccine antigens bioencapsulated in plant cells.

Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2013;65(6):782-99.

Volk SW, Shah SR, Cohen AJ, Wang Y, Brisson BK, Vogel LK, Hankenson KD, Adams SL. (co-author in Dept. of Orthodontics) Type III collagen regulates osteoblastogenesis and the quantity of trabecular bone. Calcif Tissue Int. 2014 Mar 14. DOI:10.1007/s00223-0149843-x.

RECENT GRANT AWARDS National Eye Institute/NIH/DHHS grant to study the degradative processes in RPE-photoreceptor renewal.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Kathleen Boesze Battaglia, Professor

ENDODONTICS

RECENT GRANT AWARDS National Eye Institute/NIH/DHHS grant to investigate how the increased intraocular pressure of glaucoma leads to increased inflammatory signaling in the posterior eye, determine if this link increases with age, and test the ability of drugs to prevent this response.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Claire Mitchell, Associate Professor

BIOCHEMISTRY SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Dr. Martin Trope, Clinical Professor of Endodontics, has been awarded the Jens Ove Andreasen Lifetime Achievement Award, by the International Association for Dental Traumatology (IADT). This award is given in recognition of exceptional contributions to the field of dental traumatology in research, teaching, and engagement and hard work for the IADT.

Daniell H. Editorial. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 2014;12(1):1.

Kohli N, Westerveld DR, Ayache AC, Verma A, Shil P, Prasad T, Zhu P, Chan SL, Li Q, Daniell H. Oral delivery of bioencapsulated proteins across bloodbrain and blood-retinal barriers. Mol Ther.

2014 Mar;22(3):535-46.

DOI:10.1038/mt.2013.273.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 27

ACADEMICUPDATE SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

MICROBIOLOGY SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Kim KW, Cho KM, Park SH, Choi KY, Karabucak B, Kim JW. A comparison of dimensional standard of several nickeltitanium rotary files. Restor Dent Endod.

2014 Feb;39(1):7-11.

DOI:10.5395/rde.2014.39.1.7.

Luo Z, Kohli MR, Yu Q, Kim S, Qu T, He W-. Biodentine induces human dental pulp stem cell differentiation through mitogen-activated protein kinase and calcium-/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II pathways. J Endod. 2014 Luo Z, Li D, Kohli MR, Yu Q, Kim S, He WX. Effect of biodentine on the proliferation, migration and adhesion of human dental pulp stem cells. J Dent. 2014 Jan 17. DOI:10.1016/j.jdent.2013.12.011.

Setzer FC, Kim S. Comparison of longterm survival of implants and endodontically treated teeth. J Dent Res. 2014;93(1):19-26.

Setzer FC. Implant survival rates may not exceed those of compromised but adequately treated and maintained teeth.

J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2014 Mar;14(1):19-21.

DOI:10.1016/j.jebdp.2014.01.002.

Yücel AC, Gürel M, Güler E, Karabucak B. Comparison of final irrigation techniques in removal of calcium hydroxide.

Australian Endodontic Journal.

2013;39(3):116-21.

Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Ando-Suguimoto ES, Da Silva MP, Kawamoto D, Chen C, DiRienzo JM, Mayer MPA. The cytolethal distending toxin of aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans inhibits macrophage phagocytosis and subverts cytokine production.

Cytokine. 2014;66(1):46-53.

Cairns TM, Fontana J, Huang Z-, Whitbeck JC, Atanasiu D, Rao S, Shelly SS, Lou H, de Leon MP, Steven AC, Eisenberg RJ, Cohen GH. Mechanism of neutralization of herpes simplex virus by antibodies directed at the fusion domain of glycoprotein b. J Virol.

2014;88(5):2677-89.

Cui H, Xu B, Wu T, Xu J, Yuan Y, Gu Q. Potential antiviral lignans from the roots of saururus chinensis with activity against Epstein-Barr virus lytic replication. J Nat Prod. 2014;77(1):100-10.

Gallagher JR, Saw WT, Atanasiu D, Lou H, Eisenberg RJ, Cohen GH. Displacement of the C terminus of herpes simplex virus gD is sufficient to expose the fusion-activating interfaces on gD. J Virol.

2013;87(23):12656-66.

Hajishengallis E, Hajishengallis G (co-author in Dept. of Preventive & Restorative Sciences). Neutrophil homeostasis and periodontal health in children and adults. J Dent Res. 2014;93(3):231-7.

Hajishengallis G, Lamont RJ. Breaking bad: Manipulation of the host response by porphyromonas gingivalis. Eur J Immunol.

2014;44(2):328-38.

Hajishengallis G, Mcintosh ML, Nishiyama S-, Yoshimura F. Mechanism and implications of CXCR4-mediated integrin activation by porphyromonas gingivalis. Mol Oral Microbiol.

2013;28(4):239-49.

DOI:10.1111/OMI.12021.

Hajishengallis G, Mantovani A, Moretta A, Lambris JD. Aegean reflections on innate immunity. Nat Immunol.

2013;14(10):1025-9.

Hajishengallis G. Aging and its impact on innate immunity and inflammation: Implications for periodontitis. Journal of Oral Biosciences. 2013 Hajishengallis G. Immunomicrobial pathogenesis of periodontitis: Keystones, pathobionts, and host response. Trends Immunol. 2014;35(1):3-11.

Jo A-, Baek KJ, Shin JE, Choi Y. Mechanisms of IL-8 suppression by treponema denticola in gingival epithelial cells.

Immunol Cell Biol. 2014;92(2):139-47.

Lazear E, Whitbeck JC, Zuo Y, Carfí A, Cohen GH, Eisenberg RJ, Krummenacher C. Induction of conformational changes at the N-terminus of herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D upon binding to HVEM and nectin-1. Virology.

2014;448:185-95.

Maekawa T, Hajishengallis G. Topical treatment with probiotic lactobacillus brevis CD2 inhibits experimental periodontal inflammation and bone loss. J Periodont Res. 2014 Mitroulis I, Kang YY, Gahmberg CG, Siegert G, Hajishengallis G, Chavakis T, Choi EY. Developmental endothelial locus-1 attenuates complement-dependent phagocytosis through inhibition of mac-1integrin. Thromb Haemost. 2013 Dec 19;111(5). DOI:10.1160/TH13-09-0794.

Rosan B, Rossman L, Baumgartner JC. (co-author in Dept. of Endodontics) Endodontic microbiology.In: Lamont RJ, Hajishengallis G, Jenkinson HF, editors.

Oral microbiology and immunology. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: ASM Press; 2014; p. 361-71.

Schormann N, Banerjee S, Ricciardi R, Chattopadhyay D. Structure of the uracil complex of vaccinia virus uracil DNA glycosylase. Acta Crystallographica Section F: Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications. 2013;69(12):1328-34.

Shin J, Hosur KB, Pyaram K, Jotwani R, Liang S, Chavakis T, Hajishengallis G. Expression and function of the homeostatic molecule del-1 in endothelial cells and the periodontal tissue. Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2013;2013 Xu B, Wang L, González-Molleda L, Wang Y, Xu J, Yuan Y. Antiviral activity of (+)-rutamarin against kaposi's sarcomaassociated herpes virus by inhibition of the catalytic activity of human topoisomerase II. Antimicrob Agents Chemother.

2014;58(1):563-73.

FACULTYPERSPECTIVE(CONT). (continued from page 16) adequately treated and maintained teeth.” This study supports “the notion that the decision to extract a tooth and place a dental implant should be made cautiously.” The study further argues that a tooth can be extracted and replaced at any time; however, extraction is a definitive and irreversible treatment.

It is clear that implant-industry-supported studies have been steering our clinical dentistry down a dangerous and risky path. Saving teeth is becoming a dirty word in implant dentistry, although a majority of patients want to save their teeth. It is about time we reexamine what we are doing judiciously and ethically.

28 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

REFERENCES 1. Debellian, G. (2014). Treatment outcome of teeth with an evidence-based disinfection protocol using modern instruments. In preparation.

2. Kim S, Kratchman S (2006). Modern endodontic surgery concepts and practice: a review. J Endod 32:601-623.

3. Doyle SL, Hodges JS, Pesun IJ, Law AS, Bowles WR (2006). Retrospective cross sectional comparison of initial nonsurgical endodontic treatment and single-tooth implants. J Endod 32:822827.

4. Iqbal MK, Kim S (2007). For teeth requiring endodontic treatment, what are the differences in outcomes of restored endodontically treated teeth compared to implant-supported restorations? Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 22(Suppl):96-116.

5. Setzer, F and Kim, S. (2014).

Comparison of Long-term Survival of Implants and Endodontically Treated Teeth. J Dent Res. 93:19-26 6. Levin, L. and Halperin-Sternfeld, M (2013). Tooth preservation or implant placement: A systematic review of long-term tooth and implant survival rates. JADA 2013;144(10):1119-1133.

RECENT GRANT AWARDS NIDCR/NIH/DHHS grant to determine the mechanisms whereby P. gingivalis manipulates the host response to stabilize dysbiotic microbial communities leading to inflammation and periodontitis.

Principal Investigator: Dr. George Hajishengallis, Professor

ORAL MEDICINE AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS Dr. Thomas Sollecito, Professor and Chair of Oral Medicine, recipient of the Thomas Evans Achievement Award, presented by the Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society, May 2014. See story page 34.

Dr. Eric Stoopler, Associate Professor of Oral Medicine, was inducted as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, October 2013; he was also awarded the Diploma of Fellowship ad eundem of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, October 2013.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Akintoye SO, Greenberg MS. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Dent Clin North Am. 2014 Akintoye SO. Osteonecrosis of the jaw from bone anti-resorptives: Impact of skeletal site-dependent mesenchymal stem cells. Oral Dis. 2014;20(2):221-2.

Balasubramaniam R, Kuperstein AS, Stoopler ET. Update on oral herpes virus infections. Dent Clin North Am. 2014 Apr;58(2):265-80.

DOI:10.1016/j.cden.2013.12.001.

Donaldson M, Goodchild JH, Ziegler J. Dental considerations for patients taking weight-loss medications. J Am Dent Assoc. 2014 Jan;145(1):70-4.

DOI:10.14219/jada.2013.3.

Grosskopf CC, Kuperstein AS, O'Malley BW,Jr, Sollecito TP. Parapharyngeal space tumors: Another consideration for otalgia and temporomandibular disorders. Head Neck. 2013 May;35(5):E153-6.

DOI:10.1002/hed.22005.

He L, Zhang E, Shi J, Li X, Zhou K, Zhang Q, Le AD, Tang X. (-)Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 oncoproteininduced angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer cells by targeting HIF-1alpha.

Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013 Mar;71(3):713-25.

DOI:10.1007/s00280-012-2063-z.

Idahosa C, Berardi TR, Shkolnikov R, Stoopler ET. Thrombocytopenia absent radius (TAR) syndrome: A case report and review for oral health care providers.

Special Care in Dentistry. 2013

Stoopler ET, Zamel GA. How to manage a pediatric patient with oral ulcers. J Can Dent Assoc. 2014 Jan;80:e9.

Xu HH, Werth VP, Parisi E, Sollecito TP. Mucous membrane pemphigoid. Dent Clin North Am. 2013 Oct;57(4):611-30.

DOI:10.1016/j.cden.2013.07.003.

ORAL SURGERY/ PHARMACOLOGY

STUDENT TRAINING

Kalladka M, Quek S, Heir G, Eliav E, Mupparapu M, Viswanath A. Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis: Diagnosis and long-term conservative management: A topic review. J Indian Prosthodont Soc. 2014 Mar;14(1):6-15.

DOI:10.1007/s13191-013-0321-3.

Kumar A, Gumaste P, Lam C, Dostal P, Stoopler ET, Schwab EP. An unusual ingestion in an older person: Dentures.

J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014;62(2):399-400.

Sansare K, Raghav M, Mupparapu M, Mundada N, Karjodkar FR, Bansal S, Desai R. Keratocystic odontogenic tumor: Systematic review with analysis of 72 additional cases from mumbai, india. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. 2013;115(1):128-39.

Sollecito TP, Stoopler ET. Preface. Dent Clin North Am. 2014 Stoopler ET, Kuperstein AS. Glossitis secondary to vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. CMAJ. 2013;185(12) Stoopler ET, Lockhart PB, Sass DA. Antibiotic prophylaxis for pre-liver transplant patients: Where is the evidence?

Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. 2013 Stoopler ET, Sia YW, Chalian AA, O'Malley BW,Jr, Alawi F (co-author in Dept. of Pathology). A rare presentation of multiple primary squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in a patient with recurrent hepatitis C infection. Spec Care Dentist. 2014 Mar;34(2):96-9.

DOI:10.1111/scd.12030.

RETIREMENTS Dr. John W. Mooney (D’27) is retiring as Clinical Associate Professor of Oral Surgery/Pharmacology and Director of Penn Dental Medicine Oral Surgery Clinic, effective May 17, 2014. Dr. Mooney has made an indelible impact on predoctoral students and oral surgery residents.

While stepping down from these posts, he will still practice part-time in the Oral Surgery Clinic and continue to mentor students. Dr. Helen Giannakopoulos, Associate Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology, will serve as Interim Director of the Penn Dental Medicine Oral Surgery Clinic.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Predoctoral students with an interest in oral surgery now have new opportunities to explore the field through the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation’s (OMSF) Student Research Training Award. This is the first time that the Department has applied for and received support through this program, which will fund five research projects. “We want to provide students who are interested in oral and maxillofacial surgery a mechanism to get involved in research specific to the field,” says Dr. Helen Giannakopoulos, Associate Professor and principal investigator of the grant. “We already have had multiple inquiries from students about participating.” Students will work on research projects with Dr. Giannakopoulos and Dr. Joli Chou, Assistant Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology.

Lee PB, Kiss AS, Nguyen AL, Shi S, Sedghizadeh PP, Le AD. Evaluation of serum biomarkers IL-17 and CTX for BRONJ: A pilot clinical case-control study.

J Calif Dent Assoc. 2013;41(11):819-23.

Peacock ZS, Aghaloo T, Bouloux GF, Cillo JE,Jr, Hale RG, Le AD, Lee JS, Kademani D. Proceedings from the 2013 American association of oral and maxillofacial surgeons research summit. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2014 Feb;72(2):241-53.

DOI:10.1016/j.joms.2013.09.037.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 29

ACADEMICUPDATE Qin H, Qu C, Yamaza T, Yang R, Lin X, Duan XY, Akiyama K, Liu Y, Zhang Q, Chen C, Chen Y, Qi HH, Feng XH, Le AD, Shi S. Ossifying fibroma tumor stem cells are maintained by epigenetic regulation of a TSP1/TGF-beta/SMAD3 autocrine loop. Cell Stem Cell. 2013 Nov 7;13(5):577-89.

DOI:10.1016/j.stem.2013.08.010.

Saraghi M, Hersh EV. Potential diversion of local anesthetics from dental offices for use as cocaine adulterants. J Am Dent Assoc. 2014 Mar;145(3):256-9.

DOI:10.14219/jada.2013.33.

Saraghi M, Hersh EV. Three newly approved analgesics: An update. Anesth Prog. 2013;60(4):178-87.

Sanborn MR, Nasrallah I, Stanton DC, Stiefel MF, Hurst RW, Pukenas BA. Acquired arteriovenous fistula associated with traumatic oroantral fistula: Endovascular treatment. Head and Neck.

2013;35(5):E138-41.

Tang X, Zhang Q, Le AD, Zhou K. Effect of Green Tea Extract on Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Chapter 66 In: Preedy V, editor. Tea in Health and Disease Prevention. Academic Press; 2013; p.

791-802.

Zhang Q, Atsuta I, Liu S, Chen C, Shi S, Shi S, Le AD. IL-17-mediated M1/M2 macrophage alteration contributes to pathogenesis of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws. Clin Cancer Res. 2013 Jun 15;19(12):3176-88.

DOI:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-13-0042.

RECENT GRANT AWARDS Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation grant to provide stipends for predoctoral students to engage in research with high relevance to oral and maxillofacial surgery and encourage them to pursue a career in the specialty.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Helen Giannakopoulos, Associate Professor Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation grant to explore the therapeutic effects of GMSCs on delayed oral socket wound healing in type 2 diabetic mice and the contribution of M2 macrophages.

Principal Investigator: Qunzhou Zhang, Senior Research Investigator

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Hsu JC, Koo H, Harunaga JS, Matsumoto K, Doyle AD, Yamada KM. Region-specific epithelial cell dynamics during branching morphogenesis.

Developmental Dynamics.

2013;242(9):1066-77.

ORTHODONTICS AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS Dr. Chun-Hsi Chung, Chauncey M. F. Egel Endowed Chair, Dept. of Orthodontics, was appointed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) as a Commission Consultant for the year 2014/2015, starting October 2014.

Koo H, Falsetta ML, Klein MI. The exopolysaccharide matrix: A virulence determinant of cariogenic biofilm. J Dent Res. 2013;92(12):1065-73.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Bueno-Silva B, Alencar SM, Koo H, Ikegaki M, Silva GVJ, Napimoga MH, Rosalen PL. Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial evaluation of neovestitol and vestitol isolated from Brazilian red propolis. J Agric Food Chem. 2013;61(19):4546-50.

Bueno-Silva B, Koo H, Falsetta ML, Alencar SM, Ikegaki M, Rosalen PL. Effect of neovestitol-vestitol containing Brazilian red propolis on accumulation of biofilm in vitro and development of dental caries in vivo. Biofouling. 2013;29(10):1233-42. da Cunha MG, Franchin M, Galvão L, de Ruiz A, de Carvalho JE, Ikegaki M, de Alencar SM, Koo H, Rosalen PL. Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities of stingless bee melipona scutellaris geopropolis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013;13.

Falsetta ML, Klein MI, Colonne PM, Scott-Anne K, Gregoire S, GregoireS, Pai C, Gonzalez M, Watson G, Krysan DJ, Bowen WH, Koo H. Symbiotic relationship between Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans synergizes the virulence of plaque-biofilms in vivo. Infect. Immun.

2014 Feb; 24. DOI:10.1128/IAI.00087-14.

Feng G, Klein MI, Gregoire S, Singh AP, Vorsa N, Koo H. The specific degree-ofpolymerization of A-type proanthocyanidin oligomers impacts streptococcus mutans glucan-mediated adhesion and transcriptome responses within biofilms.

Biofouling. 2013;29(6):629-40.

CE SYMPOSIUM This year’s annual meeting of alumni and friends of the Department of Orthodontics will feature a CE symposium on the “Accelerated Osteogenic Orthodontics™” (AOO) Procedure, discussing the clinical procedure and physiologic benefits, including increased range of movement and long-term stability.

Featured speakers will be Drs. William Wilcko and M. Thomas Wilcko; the 6-CE credit program will be held at the Union League of Philadelphia on Oct. 10, 2014. For more information and to register, visit www.dental.upenn.edu/ pennortho2014.

Lemos JA, Quivey Jr. RG, Koo H, Abranches J. Streptococcus mutans: A new gram-positive paradigm?

Microbiology (United Kingdom).

2013;159(PART3):436-45.

Shah SR, Tamburrino RK. Practice profile.

Ortho Practice US. 2013;4:8-12.

Shah SR, Tamburrino RK. Stability, longevity, and predictability in your practice management technology. Ortho Practice US. 2014;5:44-9.

RECENT GRANT AWARDS Colgate Palmolive Company grant to investigate whether specific foodderived amino acids can disrupt the development and/or disassemble cariogenic biofilms.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michel Koo, Professor NIDCR/NIH/DHHS grant to investigate the molecular basis for caries-inhibiting effects of cranberry flavonoids.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michel Koo, Professor NIDCR/NIH/DHHS grant to investigate a novel anti-caries approach to modulate virulence of S. mutans.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michel Koo, Professor Syracuse University (National Science Foundation) grant to understand the effects of environmental/host factors on multicellular and inter-kingdom signaling processes involved in persister formation in complex biofilm systems.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michel Koo, Professor

PATHOLOGY SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Akay C, Cooper M, Odeleye A, Jensen BK, White MG, Vassoler F, Gannon PJ, Mankowski J, Dorsey JL, Buch AM, Cross SA, Cook DR, Pena MM, Andersen ES, Christofidou-Solomidou M, Lindl KA, Zink MC, Clements J, Pierce RC, Kolson DL, Jordan-Sciutto KL. Antiretroviral drugs induce oxidative stress and neuronal damage in the central nervous system. J Neurovirol. 2014 Feb;20(1):39-53. DOI:10.1007/s13365013-0227-1.

Alawi F, Lin P. Dyskerin localizes to the mitotic apparatus and is required for orderly mitosis in human cells. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(11) Colacurcio DJ, Yeager A, Kolson DL, Jordan-Sciutto KL, Akay C. Calpainmediated degradation of MDMx/MDM4 contributes to HIV-induced neuronal damage. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. 2013;57:54-62.

Lin P, Mobasher ME, Alawi F. Acute dyskerin depletion triggers cellular senescence and renders osteosarcoma cells resistant to genotoxic stress-induced apoptosis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014 Mar 29.

DOI:10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.03.114.

Maserejian NN, Shrader P, Brown OA, Trachtenberg FL, Soncini J, Hauser R, Shenker BJ. Dental sealants and composite restorations and longitudinal changes in immune function markers in children.

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. 2013 Shenker BJ, Maserejian NN, Zhang A, McKinley S. Immune function effects of dental amalgam in children: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. 2013;25(6):436.

Ting JH, Marks DR, Schleidt SS, Wu JN, Zyskind JW, Lindl KA, Blendy JA, Pierce RC, Jordan-Sciutto KL. Targeted gene mutation of E2F1 evokes age-dependent synaptic disruption and behavioral deficits.

J Neurochem. 2014

RECENT GRANT AWARDS National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases/NIH/DHHS grant using humanized mice to determine the role of MrgX2 expressed in human mast cells on IgE-mediated anaphylaxis and asthma.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Hydar Ali, Professor NIDCR/NIH/DHHS grant to study the molecular biology of virulence in periodontal disease, testing the hypothesis that a bacterial protein toxin (LtxA) of this organism undergoes structural reorganization as the molecule transitions from an aqueous to the membrane environment to kill human immune cells.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Edward Lally, Professor

PERIODONTICS AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS Dr. Arnold Weisgold (GD’65), Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Periodontics, received the Achievement Medal Award from Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Bhattacharya R, Xu F, Dong G, Li S, Tian C, Ponugoti B, Graves DT. Effect of bacteria on the wound healing behavior of oral epithelial cells. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 21;9(2):e89475. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0089475.

Bondy-Carey JL, Galicia J, Bagaitkar J, Potempa JS, Potempa B, Kinane DF, Veillard F, Scott DA. Neutrophils alter epithelial response to porphyromonas gingivalis in a gingival crevice model.

Molecular Oral Microbiology.

2013;28(2):102-13.

Chapple ILC, Genco R. Working Group participant: Graves DT. Diabetes and periodontal diseases: Consensus report of the joint EFP/AAP workshop on periodontitis and systemic diseases. J Clin Periodontol.

2013;40(SUPPL. 14):S106-12.

Coimbra LS, Steffens JP, Rossa C,Jr, Graves DT, Spolidorio LC. Clopidogrel enhances periodontal repair in rats through decreased inflammation. J Clin Periodontol. 2014 Mar;41(3):295-302.

DOI:10.1111/jcpe.12203.

Farias D, Miguez PA, Swift EJ,Jr. Abstracts. J Esthet Restor Dent. 2014 Jan;26(1):72-6. DOI:10.1111/jerd.12080.

Farias D, Miguez PA. Cross-linkers and the dentin matrix. Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. 2013

Miguez PA, Swift Jr. EJ. Immediate placement and loading of implants: Minding the basics of bone biology.

Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. 2013;25(6):367-70.

Miguez PA, Terajima M, Nagaoka H, Ferreira JA, Braswell K, Ko CC, Yamauchi M. Recombinant biglycan promotes bone morphogenetic proteininduced osteogenesis. J Dent Res. 2014 Jan 30.

DOI:10.1177/0022034514521237.

Finkelman RD, Polson AM. Evidencebased considerations for the clinical use of locally delivered, controlled-release antimicrobials in periodontal therapy.

J Dent Hyg. 2013 Oct;87(5):249-64.

Nagaoka H, Nagaoka H, Walter R, Boushell LW, Miguez PA, Burton A, Ritter AV, Yamauchi M. Characterization of genipin-modified dentin collagen. Biomed Res Int. 2014 Article ID 702821.

DOI:10.1155/2014/702821.

Kim SJ, Ribeiro ALVL, Atlas AM, Saleh N, Royal J, Radvar M, Korostoff J. Resonance frequency analysis as a predictor of early implant failure in the partially edentulous posterior maxilla following immediate nonfunctional loading or delayed loading with single unit restorations. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2013

Noelken R, Donati M, Fiorellini J, Gellrich N-, Parker W, Wada K, Berglundh T. Soft and hard tissue alterations around implants placed in an alveolar ridge with a sloped configuration. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2014;25(1):3-9.

Lee EA, Gonzalez-Martin O, Fiorellini J. Lingualized flapless implant placement into fresh extraction sockets preserves buccal alveolar bone: A cone beam computed tomography study. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 2014 JanFeb;34(1):61-8. DOI:10.11607/prd.1807.

Pacios S, Andriankaja O, Kang J, Alnammary M, Bae J, De Brito Bezerra B, Schreiner H, Fine DH, Graves DT. Bacterial infection increases periodontal bone loss in diabetic rats through enhanced apoptosis. Am J Pathol.

2013;183(6):1928-35.

Levin BP, Rubinstein S, Rosenthaler H, Fujiki T, Tawil P. (co-author in Dept. of Preventive & Restorative Sciences) Advanced surgical and restorative therapies aimed at rehabilitation of a severe dentoalveolar defect in the esthetic zone. J Implant Adv Clin Dent. 2013;5(9):17-27.

Paglia DN, Wey A, Breitbart EA, Faiwiszewski J, Mehta SK, Al-Zube L, Vaidya S, Cottrell JA, Graves DT, Benevenia J, O'Connor JP, Lin SS. Effects of local insulin delivery on subperiosteal angiogenesis and mineralized tissue formation during fracture healing. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2013;31(5):783-91.

Li S, Dong G, Moschidis A, Ortiz J, Benakanakere MR, Kinane DF, Graves DT. P. gingivalis modulates keratinocytes through FOXO transcription factors. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(11)

Ponugoti B, Xu F, Zhang C, Tian C, Pacios S, Graves DT. FOXO1 promotes wound healing through the up-regulation of TGF-Ă&#x;1 and prevention of oxidative stress. J Cell Biol. 2013;203(2):327-43.

Yamano S, Haku K, Yamanaka T, Dai J, Takayama T, Shohara R, Tachi K, Ishioka M, Hanatani S, Karunagaran S, Wada K, Moursi AM. The effect of a bioactive collagen membrane releasing PDGF or GDF-5 on bone regeneration.

Biomaterials. 2014;35(8):2446-53.

Also see H Daniell under Biochemistry and DF Kinane under Periodontics, who both have joint appointments in the Dept. of Pathology.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 31

ACADEMICUPDATE PREVENTIVE & RESTORATIVE SCIENCES APPOINTMENTS Dr. Jeffrey Ingber (GD’72), Clinical Professor of Restorative Dentistry, has been named Director of the Honors Program in Clinical Dentistry. He will continue to expand the honors program as a platform for innovative and creative clinical education. Dr. Ingber is one of only 100 international dentists elected to membership in the esteemed American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry.

PUBLICATIONS Recently published work by department researchers (indicated in bold).

Blatz MB. Changing perspectives CAD/CAM ceramic update. J Cosmetic Dent. 2013;29(2):16-22.

Cobanoglu N, Ozturk B, Sengun A, Cetin AR, Ozer F. Effect of accelerated aging on the bonding performance of fluoridated adhesive resins. Dent Mater J. 2014;33(1):92-7.

Dhima M, Petropoulos VC, Salinas TJ, Wright RF. Predoctoral dental students' perceptions and experiences with prosthodontics. Journal of Prosthodontics.

2013;22(2):148-56.

Katsoulis J, Mericske-Stern R, Enkling N, Katsoulis K, Blatz MB. In vitro precision of fit of computer-aided designed and computer-aided manufactured titanium screw-retained fixed dental prostheses before and after ceramic veneering. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2013;0 Katsoulis J, Mericske-Stern R, Rotkina L, Zbären C, Enkling N, Blatz MB. Precision of fit of implant-supported screw-retained 10-unit computer-aideddesigned and computer-aided-manufactured frameworks made from zirconium dioxide and titanium: An in vitro study. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2014;25(2):165-74.

Koizuka M, Komine F, Blatz MB, Fushiki R, Taguchi K, Matsumura H. The effect of different surface treatments on the bond strength of a gingiva-colored indirect composite veneering material to three implant framework materials. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2013;24(9):977-84.

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Lindemeyer RG. Clinical Correlate: Amelogenesis Imperfecta. Chapter 19 In: McCauley LK, Somerman MJ, editors.

Mineralized Tissues in Oral and Craniofacial Science: Biological Principles and Clinical Correlates. Wiley-Blackwell; 2012; p. 163-7.

Mante FK, Ozer F, Walter R, Atlas AM, Saleh N, Dietschi D, Blatz MB. The current state of adhesive dentistry: A guide for clinical practice. Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2013 Nov-Dec;34 Spec 9:2-8.

Ozer F, Mante FK, Chiche G, Saleh N, Takeichi T, Blatz MB. A retrospective survey on long-term survival of posterior zirconia and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns in private practice. Quintessence Int. 2014 Jan;45(1):31-8.

DOI:10.3290/j.qi.a30768.

Takeichi T, Katsoulis J, Blatz MB. Clinical outcome of single porcelain-fusedto-zirconium dioxide crowns: A systematic review. J Prosthet Dent.

2013;110(6):455-61.

Yaman BC, Ozer F, Cabukusta CS, Eren MM, Koray F, Blatz MB. Microtensile bond strength to enamel affected by hypoplastic amelogenesis imperfecta.

J Adhes Dent. 2013 Sep 6.

DOI:10.3290/j.jad.a30554.

RECENT GRANT AWARDS Division of Pediatrics American Dental Association Foundation and Dental Trade Alliance Foundation grants for Books, Brushing, and Bedtime, a pediatric dental clinicbased literacy intervention project to promote oral health education and early childhood literacy.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Rochelle Lindemeyer, Associate Professor

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS Dr. Fusun Ozer, Instructor, Div. of Restorative Dentistry, is the recipient of the 2013-14 Rabinowitz Award for Excellence in Research. This Penn Dental Medicine award, endowed by Josephine and Joseph Rabinowitz, is designed to help Penn Dental Medicine faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them to successfully apply for extramural sources of funding. This year’s applications focused on new projects that also involve new collaborations between Penn Dental Medicine faculty and other investigators within the School or the Penn community. Dr. Ozer’s project is “Influence of PVN/MA copolymer on bacterial adherence to dentin and resin composite surfaces” and will involve a new collaboration with Dr. Joseph DiRienzo, Dept. of Microbiology, who will perform the microbiological analyses. Drs. Francis Mante and Markus Blatz, Dept. of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, will also collaborate on the project. PVM/MA is a copolymer of methylvinyl ether and maleic acid, which has antibacterial properties. The hypothesis of the project is that incorporation of PVM/MA into adhesive bonding agents will reduce bacterial adherence to dentin.

ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS PROFILES, GATHERINGS & ENGAGEMENT

Philly Magazine’s Top Dentists Penn Dental Medicine alumni were once again present in impressive numbers in Philadelphia Magazine’s annual Top Dentists issue, making up 49% of the 212 area dentists recognized in the 2014 Top Dentists listing. Here is a breakdown of the number of alumni included in each specialty:

General Dentistry Cosmetic Dentistry Orthodontics Pediatrics Periodontics Endodontics Prosthodontics Oral Surgery Oral Medicine

7 of 29 (24%) 12 of 26 (46%) 17 of 28 (61%) 9 of 23 (39%) 14 of 27 (52%) 14 of 28 (50%) 16 of 24 (67%) 11 of 22 (50%) 3 of 5 (60%)

Philadelphia Magazine arrives at its Top Dentists listing by sending letters to the address on record for every dentist in Philadelphia and the surrounding seven-county area, inviting them to nominate up to three peers for Top Dentists in each dental specialty via an online survey. Six hundred and fourteen dentists took the survey for 2014, amounting to more than 5,000 votes.

The resulting list of 20 Top Dentists in each specialty (including all those who were tied) was reviewed by an advisory board made up of 11 dentists, chosen for their credentials and the high number of votes they received.

49%

Major Gifts Officer Joins Development, Alumni Team Penn Dental Medicine’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations has added a new member to its team, welcoming Kevin A. Brown in March as a Major Gifts Officer.

Brown brings more than 14 years of experience in alumni relations and development to this new role, most recently working with Arcadia University. A graduate of Hampshire College, Brown worked as an actor in Boston and New York City for 15 years before being asked to head up the Alumni Relations Department at his alma mater. He has also worked in support of development at World Learning Institute (School for International Training) and Trinity College.

“I’m looking forward to getting on the road and meeting Penn Dental Medicine alumni and friends,” says Brown. He can be reached at brokevin@dental.upenn.edu.

of dentists in Philadelphia Magazine’s 2014 Top Dentists issue were Penn Dental Medicine alumni

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 33

ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS

THOMAS EVANS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD DR. THOMAS SOLLECITO (D’89, GD’91) RECEIVES THE PENN DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNI SOCIETY’S HIGHEST RECOGNITION AWARD—THE 7TH RECIPIENT SINCE THE AWARD’S INCEPTION. AS DR. THOMAS SOLLECITO (D’89, GD’91) marks his 25th class reunion at this year’s Alumni Weekend, the Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society is also paying special tribute to his 25-year career in dental medicine with the presentation of the Thomas Evans Achievement Award. The Evans Award is the Society’s highest recognition award, honoring alumni who have shown innovation, excellence, and leadership in the profession of oral healthcare; Dr. Sollecito is only the seventh recipient since the award’s establishment in 1993.

“I’m honored and at a loss for words to receive this award,” he says, “I know four of the previous winners, three of whom were my teachers, and I look at them as true giants in dental medicine. To be included in this group…I am incredibly humbled.”

After earning his DMD and completing general practice and oral medicine residencies at Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Sollecito joined the School’s faculty, rising through the ranks to Professor and then Chair of the Department of Oral Medicine in 2009.

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Through a diversity of leadership roles, Dr. Sollecito’s impact within the School’s Department of Oral Medicine and the field overall has been far-reaching. Prior to serving as department chair, Dr. Sollecito directed both the residency program in oral medicine and the oral medicine clinic at Penn Dental Medicine.

“It is an honor to work with students, residents, and colleagues who are of such a high caliber and who are always academically or intellectually challenging me,” he says.

“It forces you to be a better teacher, investigator, and clinician. It’s also exciting when someone wants to pursue a similar career as you; you realize how much you can learn from someone who has just as much interest in the discipline as you do.”

After 25 years in oral medicine, Dr. Sollecito still is excited about his work.

“I very much enjoy what I am doing. I look

“We can ameliorate many complications from cancer therapy and make early diagnoses when we see cancer patients regularly before, during, and after therapies.”

— DR. THOMAS SOLLECITO, D’89, GD’91

forward to coming to work, enjoy taking care of patients, teaching students and residents, and being involved in research that will have an impact on patients in the future,” he says.

Dr. Sollecito has a particular interest in cancer research and has worked in numerous collaborative roles and on various studies to discover how oral health impacts cancer patients. His most recent research study, which reveals oral medicine-related outcomes of cancer patients receiving high-dose radiation to the head and neck, is a first-of-its-kind, clinical study leading to better understanding of oral and dental complications experienced by patients after radiation therapy. “This study will give us a better understanding regarding damage to tissue that affects a patient’s quality of life, identify risk factors for disease, and improve the ability to deliver the best dental care for these patients,” he says.

In addition, in collaboration with Abramson Cancer Center, Penn Dental Medicine provides diagnostic dental care to patients with cancer, and over his time with the School, Dr. Sollecito has continued to strengthen that partnership, leveraging their collaborative research and clinical care to improve the quality of life for many cancer patients suffering from oral problems caused by cancer metastasis.

“Cancer and cancer therapy often have profound oral implications. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can have devastating effects on oral health, and that’s why a team approach at Abramson is so important,” says Dr. Sollecito. “We can ameliorate many complications from cancer therapy and make early diagnoses when we see cancer patients regularly before, during, and after therapies.”

DR. THOMAS SOLLECITO, D’89, GD’91

Along with his responsibilities at Penn Dental Medicine, where he also served as interim dean from 2008 to 2009, Dr. Sollecito is Professor of Oral Medicine in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine; Attending in Oral Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; and a University Associate at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Abramson Cancer Center. He also consults with the National Naval Dental Center and is a reviewer for The Journal of the American Dental Association.

While his workload often makes others wonder how he achieves as much as he does, Dr. Sollecito maintains that collaborative efforts with colleagues across disciplines make the load not only manageable but

inspiring. “I love to think about a clinical problem that we can immediately translate into a solution for our patients,” he says.

His solution-oriented approach has been influenced by colleagues and mentors alike. “I am particularly fortunate to have had Martin Greenberg, our former Chair, as an invaluable mentor,” he says.

Aside from the Thomas Evans Achievement Award, Dr. Sollecito is particularly proud of winning the 2005-2006 Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Teaching is a passion, and one of the highlights of my career is seeing students open up and express their own ideas.”

He also received the Penn Medicine Award of Excellence in 2006 and has been recognized in Philadelphia Magazine’s Top Dentists.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 35

ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS

Alumni-Student Networking Event > >

On November 6, students networked with alumni, faculty, members of the Board of Overseers, and each other at the 2013 Penn Dental Alumni-Student Networking Event held at the HUB Commerce Square.

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Penn Dental Medicine Tennis Events >

>

This winter, Penn Dental Medicine alumni, students, and faculty came together for two separate round-robin tennis matches at the Levy Tennis Pavilion. Organized by Dr. Lee Durst (D’83), Alumni Society President, nearly 30 participants including Dean Denis F. Kinane participated in each event!

Penn Dental Medicine Tailgate & Basketball Game > On February 8, Penn Dental Medicine alumni and students gathered to cheer the Penn Quakers to victory at The Palestra as the men’s basketball team took on the Columbia Lions.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 37

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THE STUDENTS in Dr. Margrit Maggio’s Operative Dentistry class have seen the future, and it’s called haptic technology.

Interfacing with users through their sense of touch, haptic technology is the force behind the Simodont advanced simulation units that Dr. Maggio (D’87), Assistant Professor of Clinical Restorative Dentistry and Director of Operative Dentistry and the Advanced Simulation Laboratory, introduced to her first-year students last fall as part of a year-long study comparing haptic technology to traditional advanced simulation systems.

Her research results will be published later this year.

Through this year-long pilot, which used two Simodont units, every first-year student was trained on these cutting-edge

clinical situation and varying conditions much more realistically, while objectively assessing and supporting the individual capabilities and needs of each student,” he says. “These virtual reality tools are extremely beneficial in preparing our students for our ultimate goal: highest-quality patient care.”

FEELING THE DIFFERENCE

HAPTICTECHNOLOGY AT THE FOREFRONT OF VIRTUAL REALITY Penn Dental Medicine is moving its instruction forward with a cutting-edge, advanced-simulation training experience that looks and feels like the real thing.

OPPOSITE: With the simulated handpiece (in the right hand) and the simulated mirror (in the left), students feel the tooth preparation in virtual reality and see the tooth preparation and instruments (above) through the Simodont screen.

dental training units, which deliver an incredibly realistic virtual reality simulation of dental procedures.

Although Simodont units are being used at schools in Europe and Asia, Penn Dental Medicine is the first dental school in North or South America to integrate the technology into its curriculum. As the number of units increases, says Dr. Maggio, Penn Dental Medicine will become “a showcase for other schools” across the country.

“Penn Dental Medicine has been at the forefront of virtual reality in preclinical training for the past 13 years,” she says.

“With the use of the Simodont, we are moving into a new phase: we’re matching virtual reality with sensitivity to touch.”

Dr. Markus Blatz, Chair and Professor of Restorative Dentistry, is excited about the many ways in which this advanced-simulation technology will benefit Penn Dental Medicine students. “Through the sheer endless possibilities of these units, we can simulate the

Ask anyone who has tried both traditional advanced-simulation technology, which uses replaceable plastic teeth that fit into plastic model heads, and the advanced haptic simulation experience provided by a Simodont unit, to compare the two, and the answer will most likely be that the difference is in the feel. Manufactured by The Netherlandsbased Moog, which for years has created highly realistic flight simulators for pilots and astronauts in training, haptic technology allows the user to “feel” the difference between different layers of a tooth. “Plastic feels like plastic. But with the Simodont, enamel feels like enamel, dentin feels like dentin, pulp feels like pulp, and a root feels like a root,” explains Dr. Maggio.

The result is a much more realistic training experience that allows students to see (using 3-D glasses for depth perception) and work on a virtual tooth, with different colors representing its layers (dentin is yellow and pulp is red, for example), and to “feel” what makes each layer unique using virtual dental instruments. Most users begin their training by practicing cutting out different shapes with the virtual drill, choosing a level of difficulty, and selecting the proper bur.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 39

HAPTICTECHNOLOGY When they have mastered the various levels of drilling skills, they graduate to working on a virtual tooth, which they select through a virtual case study, complete with patient photo, background, patient history, and treatment plan. They are tasked with selecting the proper virtual tools to drill or scoop out decayed tooth sections and fill the cavity.

In addition, says Dr. Maggio, “By pressing a button, students can see a filling in the tooth that’s been overfilled, and, by choosing the correct hand piece or hand instrument, they can refine the filling back to the anatomy of the tooth.”

In addition, “The Simodont simulation requires students to learn to use the mirror at an earlier stage” than they would otherwise, says Dr. Maggio, and in a more accurate way. With traditional simulations, she explains, it is possible to “cheat” when learning indirect vision procedures on the maxillary arch by repositioning the model or the student’s own body in ways that would not be possible in real life, but with a Simodont, students are required to learn to hold and use the mirror the correct way, and to use it properly each time. She also admires the way that a Simodont unit can adapt, at the click of a button, to a right- or left-handed student.

“With our old units, we had a separate unit for left-handed students that sat idle otherwise,” she says. “That’s not necessary now.”

ABOVE: Students identify the carious lesion and draw the outline for the preparation on the unit’s interactive case presentation screen.

TOP: Dr. Margit Maggio, describing the use of the Simodont.

OPPOSITE: First-year students Brittany Gragg (D’17) and Harold Robinson, III (D’17), working on tooth preparations on the Simodont units.

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that graduates of all ages will have the impressive and eye-opening experience of trying haptic technology—and comparing the state-of-the-art simulation to the reality of practice.

REALISTIC, COST-EFFECTIVE, AND WELL DESIGNED

All of these capabilities mark the advent of a new era in virtual reality teaching, she says: “The Simodont is particularly effective in developing psychomotor skills through the ease of repeating a lesson. And through the way the lessons are structured, it teaches students to think and practice at the same time.”

A COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT Dr. Maggio, who counts advanced simulation among her ongoing research interests, has been following the development of the Simodont with great interest over the past several years. She has been in regular contact with Moog, its manufacturer, to check on its progress, waiting for the right moment to introduce the new technology to her students.

Through an agreement with Moog, she will be continuing to work with the company to establish requirements for new software for the North American market, evaluate the educational benefits of adding Simodont to the curriculum, and developing a cost-ofownership model to help other schools understand the costs versus benefits of the new technology. In addition, Dr. Maggio has agreed to work closely with Moog to explore the development of new curriculum for the units, noting the potential for applications like suturing, periodontic scaling, and lessons in endodontics: “There are so many possibilities!”

Penn Dental Medicine’s fully outfitted advanced simulation lab will feature 12 units —ten new units as well as updates to its two existing units. At press time, it was anticipated that all 12 units would be in place by this year’s Alumni Weekend , May 16-18, so

While this year’s class of first-year students have had a relatively short introduction to this advanced simulation, Dr. Maggio plans to begin next year’s Operative Dentistry class with complete immersion in the technology, using a summer session offered to college students considering the field of dental medicine as a chance to refine the classroom experience. Gradually, she may also bring second-year students into the lab to use the Simodont units to train for more complicated procedures, such as crowns.

Despite their limited time on the Simodont units, members of the inaugural class formed immediate impressions of the technology. “You can tell the difference between enamel and dentin,” says John Shue, (D ’16). “That’s not something we were ever able to do before.”

The beauty of the Simodont unit, he adds, is that unlike the old technology using replaceable plastic teeth, the virtual digital teeth cannot be destroyed. In fact, a new tooth is only a click away.

“There’s a reset button,” says Shue, “so there’s a lot less stress about messing up.”

With this newfound freedom, he says, “you can press the boundaries rather than having to be conservative,” leading to stronger skills overall.

Poolak Bhatt, (D ’16), agrees. “Being able to reset saves time, and we don’t have to worry about wasting materials.” Although he watched a YouTube video on the Simodont before he tried it, he was still unprepared for the intensity of the experience. “It was a lot more realistic than I expected,” he says.

“You can actually feel two [virtual] instruments clicking together,” and it feels just like two metal instruments would actually feel, he adds.

The Simodont is not only highly realistic, cost-effective, and convenient, it’s also well designed and fun to use, says Taylor Hagler, (D ’16), an avid video gamer. “The screen is very cool,” he explains. “The controls are intuitive and they make sense.”

Dr. Maggio looks forward to a day in the near future, when, with all the Simodont units in place, students can receive additional practice at night or during their free time, simply by coming to the lab and swiping a card. “Our old technology was too fragile for me to allow students to use it unsupervised,” she says, but the new units will provide students with as much practice as they need, at no additional cost, in and out of class.

SHAPING THE FUTURE The new Simodont technology is among the first steps in plans for a major transformation of facilities within the historic Evans Building.

This renaissance of this landmark structure will not only include a new space for the Simodont advanced simulation lab, but will also create a new Preclinical Lab and CE Training Center, a new primary care clinic, a new library, and new student spaces and administrative offices. The result will be a state-of-the-art, technologically advanced dental learning environment that will rival any nationwide.

“A Simodont will never replace an instructor,” says Dr. Maggio, whose Simodont teaching screen will allow her to monitor the simulation work of all 12 student users simultaneously, “but it can help students to

practice the same skill over and over” until it’s perfect. Haptic technology is cost-effective and convenient, but most importantly, it greatly increases opportunities for more realistic practice, which she believes will ultimately result in improved skills and better patient care.

—By Juliana Delany

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 41

CLASSNOTES NEWS FROM FELLOW ALUMNI

1960’s

1980s

Arnold S. Weisgold (GD’65) received the 2013 Achievement Medal from the Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity.

Mark B. Desrosiers (D’84) is currently serving as the President of the Connecticut State Dental Association.

He recently became a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics and was inducted into the American and International Colleges of Dentists.

1970s Louis F. Rose (GD’70) received the 2013 American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Gold Medal Award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the AAP. Joseph E. Gian-Grasso (C’67, D’71) has been appointed as President of the Academy of Osseointegration.

Jeffrey S. Ingber (GD’72) was appointed Director of the Honors Program in Clinical Dentistry in the Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences at Penn Dental Medicine.

1990s

Wayne S. Atebara (D’86) was honored for his service as President of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery on October 12, 2013; he continues to serve on the Board as Immediate Past President.

Stuart E. Lieblich (D’81) was promoted to Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. In addition to his faculty responsibilities, Dr. Lieblich is in private practice in Avon, Conn., and has published over 40 articles and 20 textbook chapters in his field.

James P. Murphy (D’88) had the pleasure of performing his craft of dentistry on Tory Island, Donegal Ireland this past November. In the day that he spent there, he treated eight patients who had not seen a dentist on over two years.

Jay M. Rossell (D’73) was a United States Air Force dentist for 24 years before retiring in 1997. Following his service, he was a contract dentist from 1997-2008 before retiring from patient care in 2008 due to glaucoma.

EDITORIAL CORRECTION In the fall issue of the Penn Dental Medicine Journal, the winner of the Charlotte J. Sullivan Award was incorrectly reported. Our apologies and congratulations to Ann E. Eshenaur Spolarich (DH’82, GED’99), who received the Charlotte J. Sullivan Award given by the Penn Dental Hygiene Alumni Association for her significant contributions to advancing the profession.

After 30 years of general practice in Southern California, John Burk (D’74) retired in 2006 and now writes articles for a local newspaper, does wood working, and manages a cattle ranch.

Ellen Eisenberg (D’74) received the first Distinguished Faculty Award from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine Alumni Board on November 2, 2013.

Barry P. Setzer (GD’77) was honored with the 2013 Humanitarian Award from Florida Dental Association’s Florida Dental Health Foundation for 35 years of service to the Jacksonville Cleft Palate Clinic. Dr. Setzer was also inducted into the International College of Dentists in 2012 and was recently elected to the Board of Trustees of the Florida Dental Association in 2014.

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On the cover of the 2014 ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools are Olivia Sheridan (D’90, GD’92), Matthew Ryskalczyk (D’13), and Marni Glick (D’12), featured in a photo at Penn Dental Medicine when Matthew and Marni were still students at the school.

Gerry M. Dubin (D’82) was very proud to attend the white coat ceremony for the Penn Dental Medicine Class of 2017 with his son, Seth Dubin (D'17) and his brother, Brian C. Dubin (D '70). Dr. Dubin started District Mobile Dental LLC, a completely mobile dental services provider, specializing in full- service dental care for assisted living communities, senior homes, and in-home or business concierge dental visits.

CORRECTION OF FY13 HONOR ROLL In the FY13 Honor Roll listing of supporters of Penn Dental Medicine, which appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of the Penn Dental Medicine Journal, the donor category of Olivia Sheridan, D’90, GD’92, was incorrectly noted. In FY13, Dr. Sheridan generously supported Penn Dental Medicine at the Benjamin Franklin Society Associate level ($2,500–$4,999).

2000s Vrishali Gujar (D’09) and husband Gautam Govitrikar (D’07) welcomed their first daughter, Ela, to the world on August 27.

2010s Some of the newest alumni—Dean’s Scholars from the Class of 2014—got together as a group before heading off to the next stage of their dental careers. Margaret Buell is pursuing a GPR; Fred Chen, pediatrics; Milda Chmieliauskaite, oral medicine; Neeti Desai, GPR; Maryam Hajialiakbari, public health; Latisha Henderson, orthodontics; Lamarr Holland, GPR; Isaac Kuyunov, GPR; Everett Lin, orthodontics; Christine Martin, orthodontics; Marla Martinez, private practice; Ronak Mody, orthodontics; Nicholas Mueller, oral surgery; Kruti Patel, GPR; Neel Patel, OMFS; Ernesto Perez, GPR; Alexandra Radu, oral surgery; Scott Sakowitz, orthodontics; Haim Tawil, orthodontics; Carlton Taylor, oral surgery; Daniela Turcinov, GPR; Katharine Woehling, pediatrics; Justin Zimmer, oral surgery; and Matthew Zimmer, pediatrics.

Share Your News We want to hear from you. Share your news on personal and professional accomplishments with your fellow Penn Dental Medicine alumni through the Class Notes section of the Penn Dental Medicine Journal. We have made it easy for you to make a submission—simply go to www.dental.upenn.edu/classnotes where you can quickly send us your information—we welcome photos as well.

Or, you can send your submissions to: Robert Schattner Center University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine Office of Development and Alumni Relations 240 South 40th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030

Save the Date for Alumni Weekend 2015!

Return to Penn Dental Medicine for Alumni Weekend 2015, May 15-17, and join friends and classmates in celebrating reunions for classes ending in “0” and “5”! Stay up to date at www.dental.upenn.edu/AW2015 starting this summer.

GET INVOLVED! If you are interested in volunteering for your class reunion, please contact us at 215-898-8951 or alumnifeedback@dental.upenn.edu

215-898-8951 (p) alumnifeedback@dental.upenn.edu

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 43

INMEMORIAM

B. Rakusin Ableman,(DH’31) Silver Spring, MD; September 13, 2013

Robert D. Schweitzer (D’55) Westhampton Beach, NY; January 2014

Barnet M. Levy (C’38, D’42) Englewood, NJ; March 3, 2014

Daniel A. Bomberger (D’55) Litiz, PA; November 23, 2013

William A. Sheehan (D’39) Albany, NY; December 31, 2013

Leon Kussick (D’56) Redmond, WA; January 29, 2013

Samuel Hahn (C’40, D’42) Palm Harbor, FL; January 20, 2014

Richard J. Zeigler (D’56) Osterville, MA; September 28, 2013

Arnold M. Geiger (D’41) White Plains, NY; January 2014

John Bruce Dunlop (D’57) Stroudsburg, PA; September 20, 2013

James R. Warner, Jr. (C’42, D’43) Bellport, NY; January 17, 2014

Col. Charles L. Hughes (D’57) Sierra Vista, AZ; November 5, 2013

Herbert Paskow (C’43, D’45) Sarasota, FL; November 13, 2013

Paul S. Kaufman (D’57) Floral Park, NY; July 16, 2013

Marilyn Johnson Mannion (DH’45) Falls Village, CT; November 1, 2013

James D. Sheen (D’59) Gettysburg, PA; September 21, 2013

Dr. Golub first joined the School’s faculty in 1977, rising through the ranks to full Professor in 1990. He held the leadership post of Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry from 1996-2003 and later served again as Interim Chair from 2009-2013.

Dr. Golub’s research primarily focused on two key areas: calcification of hard tissues and computer applications in biochemistry and molecular biology. He had been involved in the development of computer programs for prediction and graphical display of protein secondary structure from sequence. In the calcification area, he focused on the cellular mechanisms necessary for initiating hard tissue mineral formation. His teaching activities included biochemistry courses for first-year dental students and lectures to postdoctoral dental students.

Mortimer L. Weisenfeld (D’47) Roslyn Heights, NY; September 2013

Richard P. Dakin (D’59) Philadelphia, PA; December 29, 2013

Joseph E. McKeone (D’47) Rockford, IL; December 20, 2013

Howard S. Glaser (GD’60) Roxbury, CT; May 12, 2013

Mary Ohs Craig (DH’48) Camp Hill, PA; November 16, 2013

Everett P. Borghesani (D’60, GD’64) Berwyn, PA; August 30, 2013

Kenneth E. Lebaron (D’48) Sudbury, MA; August 12, 2013

Carl A. Mohr (D’60) West Chester, PA; September 30, 2013

Maj. Gen. Arthur J. Sachsel (D’50) Riverside, CA; September 19, 2013

Stephen R. Matteson (D’62) San Antonio, TX; January 6, 2014

Leon A. Weiss (GD’50) Swampscott, MA; September 2013

Robert L. Massucco (D’63) Mount Desert, ME; January 21, 2014

Dr. Dakin was a passionate clinical instructor, who also maintained a private practice from 1961-2000. He joined the Penn Dental Medicine faculty in 1963, serving as an Associate Professor of Fixed Prosthodontics till 1974. In 2000, he returned to the faculty as a Clinical Associate, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, and in 2003, he was appointed Clinical Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry.

Chester W. Taylor (D’51) Winchester, VA; December 17, 2013

Stanley E. Ross (D’63, GD’65) Wellington, FL; February 12, 2013

Daniel M. Burns (D’51) East Berne, NY; September 28, 2013

Irving O. Thomas, Jr. (D’64) Naples, FL; August 30, 2013

J. Herbert Arnold (D’51) Charleston, SC; January 31, 2014

Manuel H. Marks (GD’65) Tucson, AZ; December 14, 2013

John W. Burgess (D’52) Central Square, NY; December 10, 2013

Ronald Feldberg (D’75) Voorhees, NJ; October 15, 2013

Jack Wister Thrash (D’52) Dunedin, FL; March 1, 2014

Alice M. Amsterdam (D’78, GD’81) Bala Cynwyd, PA; December 22, 2013

Edward F. Johannemann (D’52) South Orleans, MA; March 16, 2014

Adrian J. Donaghue (D’81) Media, PA; March 12, 2014

Edward R. Knoll (D’53) Fisherville, VA; September 16, 2013

David P. Schleimer (D’83) Alamo, CA; January 11, 2014

REMEMBERING MEMBERS OF THE PENN DENTAL MEDICINE COMMUNITY

The Penn Dental Medicine community warmly remembers four highly respected faculty members—Dr. Ellis Eckstein Golub, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, who passed away on January 22, Dr. Richard P. Dakin (D’59), Clinical Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry, who passed December 29, Dr. Adrian Donaghue, Clinical Associate, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, who passed March 12, and Dr. Alice Morse Amsterdam (D’78, GD’81), who passed on December 22. Drs. Golub, Dakin, and Donaghue were all active faculty members at the time of their deaths.

Dr. Donaghue was a member of the Penn Dental Medicine faculty since 1997 in various roles, remembered by colleagues and students for his great spirit and dedication to teaching. He also maintained a cosmetic dentistry practice in Media, Pa. Dr. Amsterdam, who served as a group leader of clinical instruction during her time on the Penn Dental Medicine faculty in the 1980s, was an inspiration to many. She forged a path for women in dentistry as the first female graduate of Penn Dental Medicine’s combined Periodontic/ Orthodontic postdoctoral program in 1981, and practiced in Havertown for 20 years. She was the wife of Penn Dental Medicine alumnus Dr. John Amsterdam (D’71, WG’72), and the daughter-in-law of Dr. Morton Amsterdam (C’43, D’45), Professor Emeritus, Department of Periodontics.

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Charles H. Wolfe (D’54) Lancaster, PA; February 23, 2014 William A. Margolis (C’54, D’57) Trappe, PA; March 13, 2014 Adrian P. Hulsebosch (D’55) Elmira, NY; October 25, 2013

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNI SOCIETY 2013-2014 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Lee B. Durst-Roisman, D’83 President Robert E. Weiner, C’72, D’79 First Vice-President Bernard W. Kurek, D’73, WMP’03, WEV’04 Second Vice-President Members-at-Large Judith Zack Bendit, DH’81 Hope Berman, C’77, D’83 Stefani L. Cheung, C’08, D’11 Gail Spiegel Cohen, C’76, D’80 Kimberly A. Farrell, D’11 Paul Feldman, D’83 Charlene Fenster, DH’75 Catherine Foote, C’00, D’04, GD’06 Marshall J. Goldin, C’60, D’64 Dan Han, D’07, GD’11 Sam S. Kadan, D’95 Alisa G. Kauffman, D’85 Elena Kurtz, D’04, GD’06 Jeff Li, D’12 Riddhi Patel, D’13 Michael B. Rulnick, D’74, GD’76 Matt Ryskalzyck, D’13 Donald H. Silverman, D’73, WG’74 Thomas L. Snyder, D’71, WG’74 Matt Sones, D’12 Robert Marc Stern, D’87 Elana Walker, GD’09, GD’10 Robert E. Weiner, C’72, D’79 Edwin J. Zimmet, D’70 Past Presidents Keith D. Libou, D’84 Spencer-Carl Saint Cyr, D’97 Tara Sexton, D’88 Marc B. Ackerman, D’98 Anna Kornbrot, D’79, GD’82 Lewis E. Proffitt, D’73, WG’80 Margrit M. Maggio, D’87 Laurence G. Chacker, D’85 Michael D. Yasner, C’79, D’83, GD’84, GD’86

BOARD OF OVERSEERS

PDMJ ADVISORY COMMITTEE

William W. M. Cheung, D’81, GD’82, Chair Stanley M. Bergman Richard Copell, D’80, Campaign Co-Chair William De Vizio, DMD Matthew J. Doyle, PhD Patrik Eriksson Madeline Monaco, PhD, MS, MEd Lewis E. Proffitt, D’73, WG’80 Robert I. Schattner, D’48 Alfred L. Spencer, Jr. David Tai-Man Shen, D’79, GD’81 David S. Tarica, D’83, Campaign Co-Chair Pr. Georges Tawil Umit Yigit, C’81, D’86 Robert Zou, WG’94

Beth Adams Director of Publications

Ex Officio Members Martin D. Levin, D'72, GD'74, Chair, Dean’s Council Lee B. Durst-Roisman , D’83, President, Alumni Society

DEAN’S COUNCIL Martin Levin, D’72, GD’74, Chair Robert Brody, C’80, D’84 Joseph P. Fiorellini, DMD, DMSc Joseph Gian-Grasso, C’67, D’71 Elliot Hersh, DMD, MS, PhD Glen Oxner Howard Rosa, D’82 Louis Rossman, D’75, GD’77 Tara Sexton, D’88 David Silver, D’85, GD’86, GD’88

Dr. Markus Blatz Professor of Restorative Dentistry Chair, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences Sarah Burton Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving Corky Cacas Director of Admissions Maren Gaughan Associate Dean for Development & Alumni Relations Dr. Dana Graves Professor, Department of Periodontics Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship Dr. Margrit Maggio Assistant Professor of Clinical Restorative Dentistry Director of Operative Dentistry Director of the Advanced Simulation Laboratory Dr. Robert Ricciardi Professor, Department of Microbiology Chair, Department of Microbiology Susan Schwartz Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Dr. Thomas Sollecito Professor of Oral Medicine Chair, Department of Oral Medicine

OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS (215) 898-8951 alumnifeedback@dental.upenn.edu

Ex Officio Members Jaclyn M. Gleber, DH’74

The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to the Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Sansom Place East, 3600 Chestnut Street, Suite 228, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6106; or (215) 898-6993 (Voice) or (215) 898-7803 (TDD).

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2014 45

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