Penn Dental Medicine Journal, Spring 2020

PDMJ PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020

EMBRACING DIGITAL DENTISTRY STATE-OF-THE-ART DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN TWO NEW CENTERS DELIVER CUTTING-EDGE TRAINING, PATIENT CARE

FROM THE DEAN

United as a Community WHILE THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME has us all needing to stay apart for the safety of each other, I believe that the Penn Dental Medicine community feels closer and more united than ever. I am so proud and appreciative of how our faculty, staff, students, and alumni have come together to support each other and the ongoing mission of our School as we navigate through this new normal.

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic moved Penn Dental Medicine and the entire University to remote operations starting March 16. Since then, our faculty have quickly adapted to virtual lectures and online exams to ensure continued instruction. Our students have remained engaged and dedicated despite the challenging times. Staff across departments are moving vital operations forward, and essential personnel at the School are keeping research activities stable and the facilities secure. In addition, a corps of devoted faculty and staff have continued to volunteer in frontline roles to meet the needs of our patients of record through teledentistry and emergency care (see story, page 2).

To our alumni, we hope you’re staying connected to the School and each other as we’ve enhanced digital communications during this time, and I encourage you to take advantage of the robust virtual continuing education programming now in place and growing (see story, page 3).

This issue of the Penn Dental Medicine Journal was in production when we went to remote operations, and while we decided to forego printing this issue, sharing these stories from the School remained a top priority. As online activities are taking center stage right now, we spotlight in this issue the digital dentistry initiatives advancing our education and patient care with our new Digital Design and Milling Center and the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning (see story, page 14). We’re also pleased to highlight our growing presence in the community with our new care facility within Puentes de Salud (see story, page 24). Though presently closed due to the coronavirus, this new site will play a vital role in expanding our students’ experience in a community setting while providing much-needed care to the immigrant population. And in the area of faculty recruitment, we’ve continued to add to our full-time faculty, welcoming Dr. Esra Sahingur this academic year in the new role of Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research (featured here, see story, page 34).

In addition, I want to take this opportunity to recognize our stellar Class of 2020 — you, your family, and friends can all take great pride in your accomplishments as you prepare to move on to the next stage of your dental career. While this disruption, so close to the end of the academic year, has indeed been stressful, we all observed in awe your strengths and resilience. We celebrate you and your achievements — rest assured that a rewarding future in dental medicine awaits you.

Also know that the Penn Dental Medicine family of fellow alumni, faculty, and staff is always here to support you.

Again, I thank the entire Penn Dental Medicine community for coming together in support of the School and each other during our period apart. The time will come when we can return to campus, and while at the present moment we can’t yet say when that will be or what it will look like, we’ll keep you informed through the process. Till then, please stay well and stay connected.

Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD Morton Amsterdam Dean

INSIDE 14 2 13 20 29 30 38

Embracing Digital Dentistry Two New State-of-the-Art Centers Integrating Digital Capabilities, Delivering Cutting-Edge Training and Patient Care

On Campus School News in Brief Faculty Perspective Views on Dental Topics & Trends Research Spotlight Translating Science to Practice Student Perspective Views on the Educational Experience Academic Update Department/Faculty News & Scholarship Alumni Highlights Profiles, Gatherings & Engagement

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A Shared Vision of Community Health New Dental Facility within Puentes de Salud, Bringing MuchNeeded Care to the Community

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Dr. Esra Sahingur New Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research Advancing Research Opportunities

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Class Notes News from Fellow Alumni

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL: Vol. 16, No. 2 University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine www.dental.upenn.edu

In Memoriam Remembering Members of the Penn Dental Medicine Community

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2020 Calendar Upcoming Events & Programs

Dean: Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement: Elizabeth Ketterlinus Associate Dean for Leadership Giving: Maren Gaughan Director, Publications: Beth Adams Contributing Writers: Beth Adams, Juliana Delany, Debbie Goldberg, Katherine Unger Baillie Design: Dyad Communications Photography: Mark Garvin, Peter Olson Office of Institutional Advancement: 215-898-8951

ON THE COVER: In the new Digital Design and Milling Center students are using intraoral scans and design software to plan implant-related restorations as well as single-unit restorations and digital wax-ups.

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. ©2020 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@upenn.edu.

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SCHOOL NEWS IN BRIEF

Penn Dental Medicine Presses on with Urgent Care during COVID-19 Pandemic As the COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered the nation and the world, dental emergencies carry on. Meeting the needs of Penn Dental Medicine patients requiring emergency care has continued to be a top priority at the School during this unprecedented time.

Normal operations ceased at Penn Dental Medicine and throughout the University on March 13, and starting on March 16, staff began working remotely, students and faculty began making the shift to virtual learning and instruction, and patient care moved to emergency care. But less than a week later, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued guidelines that prevented dental practices without N95 masks and negative-pressure rooms from operating, shutting down emergency operations at the School and nearly every dental practice in the state.

LEFT: Volunteer staff member at the patient check-in for emergency care at the School. RIGHT: Dr. Najeed Saleh, left, and Dr. Bekir Karabucak, right, are among the faculty providing emergency care for patients of record.

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Because of the need for emergency dental care, and in light of the fact that N95 masks were being prioritized for health centers caring for COVID-19 patients, Penn Dental Medicine Dean Mark Wolff teamed with the deans from Pennsylvania’s other dental schools to push the state for a re-evaluation of the guidance from the governor and Pennsylvania Department of Health. On March 30, the guidelines were revised and emergency care resumed with strict screening measures and protocols to protect dental care providers and patients.

“We have been working under the umbrella of patient urgent care,” says Dr. Najeed Saleh, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, who is overseeing emergency care operations at the School, recruiting faculty and staff to volunteer to work in these frontline roles. “We still don’t have the [N95] masks, and that is something we must use for procedures that produce aerosol.” Accordingly, only non-aerosol-producing care has been provided during this period.

Penn Dental Medicine has seen from 12 to 20 patients per day in person and has conducted about 40 teledentistry “visits” daily.

Remotely, they’ve prescribed medications and answered questions, while in person they’ve conducted procedures that do not produce aerosol, such as extractions and temporary crown replacements. Only a handful of cases have had to be referred to the hospital.

“The patients are very pleased their needs are being addressed,” says Dr. Saleh. “It’s certainly not ideal, but they are understanding and there are cases where we resolve the problem completely and they’re very appreciative.”

Dean Wolff points to the success of teledentistry as a significant takeaway of the pandemic response so far. “I think we will find new ways of doing this and interacting with patients going forward,” he says. He’s especially hopeful that current relaxing of HIPAA restrictions will be re-examined once the pandemic ends, which would allow expanded access to dental services remotely.

“What’s next once operations begin to open up is for us to figure out how to safely bring people into the facility,” says Dean Wolff, “and deliver care that is safe to the provider and patients.”

CLINICAL EMERGENCY FUND CREATED In this urgent time, the School has created the Penn Dental Medicine Clinical Emergency Fund to support needs related to patient care during this public health crisis or any that may arise in the future. Donations to the Fund will help obtain essential clinical supplies, support teledentistry programming, and meet other vital needs.

To learn more about the Fund, contact Elizabeth Ketterlinus, Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement, ekett@upenn.edu, or make a gift online at www.dental.upenn.edu/emergencyfund.

Continuing Education Update

While the COVID-19 pandemic has at the time this issue is being produced required that all on- campus/in-person events be put on hold, in their place, Penn Dental Medicine has quickly worked on developing virtual and online continuing education opportunities for alumni and other practitioners across the country and around the world. Following is the schedule of upcoming virtual lectures, others available online, and a look ahead to Advanced Esthetics Week 2020, planned for the fall, which at this time is still scheduled.

A host of new virtual and online courses are in development, so please check in at www.dental.upenn.edu/cde regularly for the latest schedule of all continuing education programs.

LIVE VIRTUAL LECTURES

ONLINE CLASSROOM

DEAN’S SPEAKER SERIES

MEETING THE ORAL HEALTH NEEDS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

FUNDAMENTALS OF CLINICAL EDUCATION

This training program for dentists and their staffs addresses various aspects of managing and providing dental care for persons with disabilities. Available through June 30, 2020 Learn more and register at: www.dental.upenn.edu/online_iddoralhealthneeds

This program in partnership with health and higher education consulting firm AAL provides faculty calibration and orientation for new adjunct, part-time, and other faculty members.

Programming covers practical tools for teaching dental and dental hygiene students.

Learn more and register at: www.dental.upenn.edu/clinicalfundamentals

Dr. Andrew Spielman, New York University May 11 and 19, 2020, 12-1 PM Dr. Bruce Dye, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research May 13, 2020, 12-1 PM

DR. RODRIGO NEIVA PRESENTS THE DEPARTMENT OF PERIODONTICS CHAIR'S LECTURE SERIES Dr. Howard Gluckman, Private Practice, Cape Town, South Africa May 14 and June 18, 2020, 4- 6 PM Dr. Ziv Mazor, Private Practice, Tel Aviv, Israel May 21, 2020, 4-6 PM Dr. Nelson Pinto, University of the Andes, Santiago, Chile May 28, 2020, 5-7 PM Dr. Jorge Campos, Private Practice, Vigo, Spain June 4, 2020, 5-7 PM Dr. Barry Levin, Private Practice June 11, 2020, 5-7 PM Dr. Charles Schwimer, University of Pittsburgh June 25, 2020, 5-7 PM Learn more and register at: www.dental.upenn.edu/cde

RESEARCH DAY 2020

EVIDENCE-BASED ANALGESIA AND OPIOID-SPARING STRATEGIES FOR THE DENTAL PROFESSIONAL Penn Dental Medicine’s Dr. Elliot Hersh, Professor of Pharmacology, discusses evidencebased guidelines for pain management after third-molar extractions and presents meta-analysis data for various analgesics in both dental pain and other post-surgical pain models. Available through June 30, 2020 Learn more and register at: www.dental.upenn.edu/opioided1

NOVEL DRUGS & A CLOSER LOOK AT DRUG INTERACTIONS INVOLVING ANALGESICS

ADVANCED ESTHETICS WEEK 2020 September 23-26, 2020 This four-day program will feature lectures and hands-on courses. Topics will include esthetic direct composite restorations vs. minimal invasive ceramic restorations; CAD/CAM update and new chairside solutions; mastering anterior implant therapy; virtual treatment planning; and, stackable surgical guides. Learn more and register at: www.dental.upenn.edu/aew2020.

Dr. Hersh explores the pharmacokinetics of Liposomal bupivacaine and discusses its cost-effectiveness in the control of pain in dental outpatients. Data on adverse drug interactions involving NSAID analgesic agents is also discussed. Available through June 30, 2020 Learn more and register at: www.dental.upenn.edu/opioided2

Join us virtually on May 14. Learn more at: www.dental.upenn.edu/researchday

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$1M Gift to Support Care Center for Persons with Disabilities, Establish CARE CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES Colgate-Palmolive Innovation Laboratory 1

LEVEL 02 - FLOOR PLAN

SCALE: 1/4" = 1'-0"

SCHATTNER CENTER - LEVEL TWO

Penn Dental Medicine has received a $1 million gift from the Colgate-Palmolive Company to help advance patient care through the new Penn Dental Medicine Care Center for Persons with Disabilities and the development of the Colgate Innovation Laboratory there. Through the Innovation Laboratory, to be embedded within the Center, Colgate experts will work side by side with Penn Dental Medicine faculty, students, and researchers throughout the University of Pennsylvania to assess needs and develop and refine new dental products that facilitate optimal dental care for patients with disabilities.

“This dynamic partnership with Colgate-Palmolive, a global leader in oral care, will help Penn Dental Medicine address the diverse dental needs of patients with a full spectrum of disabilities. For some, that may include the creation of entirely new types of personal care products,” says Penn Dental Medicine Dean Mark Wolff. “Together, we will work to make the lives of this underserved population easier and healthier.”

DECEMBER 19, 2019

ABOVE: The proposed floor plan of the Penn Dental Medicine Care Center for Persons with Disabilities.

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Projected to open in late 2020, Penn Dental Medicine’s new Care Center for Persons with Disabilities will be located within the School’s Robert Schattner Center. The 3,500-square-foot Center will be dedicated to providing preventive and interceptive oral health care for patients of all ages living with all forms of disability and is estimated to serve approximately 10,000 patients per year in the 12-chair facility. The Center will be outfitted to serve patients on wheelchairs as well as a gurney. In addition, there will be a “quiet room” with low lighting and sound baffling to accommodate patients with sensory sensitivities.

Worldwide, millions of people—as many as 57 million in the United States alone—live with acquired and developmental disabilities.

Many lack access to properly trained dentists and dental specialists, and to the equipment and products required for successful treatment.

In addition to providing the highest quality of patient care and support, the Center’s comprehensive educational program will train Penn Dental Medicine students to confidently provide safe, effective, and empathetic care to patients with disabilities.

“A key goal of the Center will also be to educate practicing dentists, hygienists, teachers, nurses, and caregivers on how preventive practices and teamwork can improve the quality of life for both the disabled and their families,” adds Dean Wolff. “We plan to develop and report on best practices through targeted publications as well as organized dental and research groups nationwide.” Penn Dental Medicine will also measure the impact of this type of innovation model on student learning and build data on how a prevention-focused approach can improve the care experience, oral health, and quality of life for patients.

“The creation of the Colgate Innovation Laboratory and innovation team at Penn Dental Medicine marks an unprecedented opportunity to help overcome the disparity in oral health care for patients with disabilities by developing innovative, cost-effective products that will improve the quality of their lives,” says Patricia Verduin, Chief Technology Officer at Colgate-Palmolive. “We look forward to joining forces with our esteemed colleagues at Penn Dental Medicine to aid in the development and implementation of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies to address the oral care needs of people with disabilities in collaboration with their caregivers and healthcare providers, ultimately improving their oral and overall health,” says Maria Ryan, Chief Dental Officer at Colgate-Palmolive.

Major Gifts Bolster Funding Goals

Providing vital support to also help move the plans for the Penn Dental Medicine Care Center for Persons with Disabilities forward are two major gifts to the project — a $250,000 contribution from Dr. Joan O’Shea and $100,000 from The Baker Foundation. A board-certified neurosurgeon, Dr. O’Shea is the founder and president of The Spine Institute of Southern New Jersey and recently joined Penn Dental Medicine’s Board of Overseers (see story, page 9). The Baker Foundation is a family foundation, the members of which have long-time connections to the School, including Nancy L. Baker, who is also a current member of the Board of Overseers.

“Our family has been connected to the School of Dental Medicine for decades,” says Nancy, whose father, Dr. Robert W. Baker, Sr. (D’52) and brother, Dr. Robert W. Baker, Jr. (D’85) both graduated from Penn Dental Medicine; Dr. Robert Baker, Sr., also served on the Board of Overseers for many years.

“Our father was firmly committed to giving back to the institutions that helped him achieve his education and his ability to help others, and he passed this charge along to the family,” she says. “It is our honor be to in a position to support the Care Center.”

The Bakers see the Care Center playing a vital role in training students to fill unmet needs in dentistry now and in the future and their gift will support the creation of the “quiet room” operatory that is planned for the Care Center.

This specially designed space will be outfitted with low lighting and sound baffling to accommodate patients with sensory sensitivities.

The Bakers share that the decision to help fund this room was a personal one. “In her later years, our mother was stricken with Alzheimer’s disease and we saw how this disease robs individuals of their ability to be cared for in a dental setting,” says Nancy. “A quiet room would have been a perfect place to help calm her agitation, and we would like to offer that ability to find peace to others being treated for their oral health.”

“It will help students to solve the truly complex problems they will face in practice and promote interdisciplinary collaborations,” she adds. “The benefits and real-life experience the students will gain at the Care Center will be invaluable.”

Penn Dental Medicine Named Apple Distinguished School

Penn Dental Medicine has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School (2019-2022) for its digital learning technologies that are transforming the way it delivers a dental education. The School’s established digital learning technologies and online resources have greatly supported remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of innovation, leadership, and educational excellence that use Apple products to inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. They showcase innovative uses of technology in learning, teaching, and the school environment and have documented results of academic accomplishment.

“The Apple Distinguished School designation honors our long-term commitment to using innovation and technology to enhance teaching and learning,” says Penn Dental Medicine’s Dean Mark Wolff.

In 2015, the School launched its one-to-one iPad initiative, which provides each first-year student with an iPad, along with the digital learning content and comprehensive support to use it as an educational tool. As iPads have become fixtures in the classrooms, faculty members have steadily adapted lecture materials to digital format.

“Our goal is always the advancement of learning,” says Chia-Wei Wu, Director of Learning Sciences and Technologies and head of the Learning Technology Team (LTT), which works with faculty to develop education technology solutions. “We strive for a level of digital literacy among students and faculty that enables a seamless integration of technology into the learning experience.”

To date, 76 digital textbooks have been developed, becoming primary classroom resources. They can be continually updated and offer a variety of interactive and video features that bring complex topics to life.

This digital technology is transforming the learning process at Penn Dental Medicine as the passive lecture hall model is being replaced by “flipped learning” models, which supplement traditional content with online resources and small group discussion. Students access digital material ahead of time, opening up more classroom time for discussion, analysis, and mentoring. In addition, the iPad features make studying and note-taking more convenient.

Many exams and quizzes are now also done on the iPad, making the exam process more efficient for both students and faculty, who are using data generated to evaluate learning.

For Wu, the Apple Distinguished School designation pays tribute to the School’s dedication to a digital environment that takes learning to a new level.

“At Penn Dental Medicine, we are all speaking the same language,” he says, “and it’s the language of education technology.”

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Two Students Honored as Delta Dental Community Scholars

Recognized for their commitment to serving the community, fourth-year students Irada Rahman (D’20) and Goldie Razban (D’20) have been selected as this year’s Delta Dental Community Scholars. Each will receive $25,000 scholarships through the Delta Dental Endowed Community Scholars Program. This is the second year for the scholarship program, established by a $1 million gift in 2018 from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic branch of insurer Delta Dental of Pennsylvania. Recipients are selected based on their records of student community service, academic achievement, and plans to work with vulnerable populations after graduation.

IRADA RAHMAN (D’20) Irada arrived at Penn Dental Medicine with a range of community experiences, from working with Alzheimer’s patients in assisted living to volunteering for Give Kids the World, a non-profit that serves terminally ill children.

As a dental student, Irada has participated in mission trips within the U.S. and to the Dominican Republic and serves as an Oral Ambassador to Philadelphia’s Youth Crisis Center, where she conducts screenings and presents educational health modules to teens.

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Most recently, she joined a team of dedicated fourth-year students who provide dental care at no cost to victims of torture and asylum seekers at Penn Dental Medicine, an initiative launched in partnership with Nationalities Service Center, a Philadelphia-based refugee service organization. Irada helped to organize Penn Dental Medicine’s participation in Angel Tree, which provides holiday gifts to victims of child abuse, and volunteers with both the Special Olympics and the School’s Philadelphia Oral Cancer Walk.

Irada, who will graduate this year with both clinical honors and community oral health honors, has been a recipient of the Penn Dental Medicine Dean’s Merit Scholarship for all four years of dental school. Her interest in pediatric dentistry is reflected in her research interests, which have included working with Penn Dental Medicine’s pediatrics department to assess the needs of young patients with special health care challenges.

As she prepares for the next stage of her dental education, Irada appreciates the support her Delta Dental scholarship will provide. After graduation, she plans to complete a pediatric dental residency at the University of Florida.

“I will have more freedom to be involved in community service without worrying about loans,” she says. “I am looking forward to contributing in this underserved area and giving kids better smiles.”

GOLDIE RAZBAN (D’20) A Dean’s Scholar and an honors student in community oral health, Goldie also has served the Penn Dental Medicine and Philadelphia community in many significant ways. She is currently a dental predoctoral fellow at Aetna

Better Health Pennsylvania, where she is working to educate Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program members about early preventive dental care and to improve access to care. Through the community oral health honors program, she serves as the lead predoctoral student at Philadelphia’s Youth Emergency Services, where she provides dental screenings and oral education to at-risk youth in temporary housing. Goldie also serves as a student dentist in Penn Dental Medicine’s clinic that serves survivors of torture, is an educational volunteer with KidSmiles, and has served as an intern at the Hebrew Immigration Aid Society, assisting in the refugee resettlement process.

“I am grateful for Penn Dental Medicine’s community oral health program and Delta Dental for fueling my passion for public health dentistry.”

By the Numbers: Scholarships

224

DMD students received tuition support this academic year through the School’s Dean’s Scholarship program.

$3.398M

Scholarship support was provided this academic year to DMD students through the Dean’s Scholarship program.

$552,956

Scholarship support was provided from endowed/named scholarship funds, grants, and gifts to DMD and postdoctoral students in this academic year.

58

Students are pursuing their dental degrees on military scholarships. Each “pay back” one year of military dental practice for each year of their scholarships, with a minimum of three years of service required.

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Students are currently National Health Service Corps scholars, receiving funding for their dental education in exchange for working in an underserved area after graduation.

For each year of their scholarships, graduates complete a year of paid service at one of more than 5,000 NHSC-approved health sites.

— GOLDIE RAZBAN (D'20)

On campus, Goldie is president of the Penn Dental Women’s Network and an executive board member of the University’s Interprofessional Women’s Council. She has been a student coordinator for Bridging the Gaps, the interdisciplinary public health program that brings together students from Philadelphia’s professional schools. She has gained extensive student research experience in pediatric dentistry, and will attend Eastman Institute for Oral Health in Rochester, New York to complete a pediatric dentistry residency.

“I am very excited to be able to train and practice in an area that has such a large need for pediatric dentistry,” she says. “I am grateful for Penn Dental Medicine’s community oral health program and Delta Dental for fueling my passion for public health dentistry.”

Alumni Scholars Program Opening Doors Through the recently created Alumni Scholars Program, alumni are expanding the School’s financial aid resources for students and helping to open the door to a Penn Dental Medicine education. Scholarships can be directed to a predoctoral student through the four years of their education or to a postdoctoral resident. Donors receive an annual stewardship report with news about their named scholar so they can follow them through their time at Penn Dental Medicine.

We thank the following alumni for choosing to support current students through this program since its launch this past fall: Martin D. Levin, (D’72, GD’74), Hamid Kazemi (D’90), Philip L. Michaelson (D’99), and Trina Sengupta (D'08).

A named scholarship can be established with a minimum donation of $10,000 (paid in a single installment or equal installments of $2,500 over four years). For more information on the program and naming a scholar, contact Sarah Burton Flynn, Director of Strategic Development and Alumni Relations, sburton@upenn.edu, or visit www.dental.upenn.edu/alumnischolars.

LEFT: Delta Dental Scholars Irada Rahman (D’20), left, and Goldie Razban (D’20), right.

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ONCAMPUS time management: practicing on his own at lunch and between classes, and leaving rehearsal early to make it to class on time. The extra effort is well worth it, he says—not only to keep his musical skills sharp, but for the rich experience of collaborating with so many members of Penn’s medical community.

For Minh, having a routine is an important part of this balancing act. “There are times when I love practicing the piano and times when I detest it due to frustration and fatigue,” he says, “but I believe the key to success is practicing regularly despite the setbacks.”

“That is also what it takes to be a successful student,” he adds.

STUDENT PROFILE: MINH NGUYEN (D’22)

Perfect Harmony

Second-Year Student Minh Nguyen (D’22) is Balancing his Career Goals in Dentistry with a Lifelong Passion for Music When Minh Nguyen’s parents and grandparents immigrated to the United States from Vietnam, they overcame significant challenges to provide him with better opportunities.

Today, as both a second-year student at Penn Dental Medicine and a skilled pianist for the Penn Medicine Symphony Orchestra (PMSO), he enthusiastically tackles the hurdles and relishes the rewards that his family’s sacrifices have made possible.

“The obstacles my family had to face in order to survive and escape a war-torn, poverty-stricken country were very real,” the second-year dental student explains. “It seems like a distant memory, but in reality it was only a generation ago.”

LOVE OF MUSIC, SCIENCE As a toddler in Fountain Valley, California, Minh got his parents’ attention when he played Frere Jacques from memory on a toy xylophone, and he began piano lessons a few years later. The strength and sacrifice of his family are why he has viewed his 20 years of musical instruction, practice, and performance as less of a chore and more of an advantage—one that was unavailable to his father, who had also loved music as a boy but could not afford lessons.

Along the way, Minh also mastered the organ, and played the violin for several years.

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As Minh got older, his love of music was matched by a love of science, and he came to view dentistry in the same way he viewed music: as a way to make people smile by using his hands. He chose Penn Dental Medicine because of a campus environment that fosters individual goals. “Penn Dental will provide you with whatever you need to succeed in the future, whether it is clinical mastery or specialization,” he says.

PASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS The PMSO was founded in 2016, bringing together medical professionals and students, researchers, and community members—all skilled musicians motivated to make time for the orchestra in their hectic schedules. The 60 member group gathers for rehearsals (every other Tuesday) and performances (twice a year in the spring and fall, and free to the public), both held at Penn’s Irvine Auditorium.

Last fall, Minh had the honor of performing as a concert soloist with the group. He chose to perform Camille Saint-Saens Piano Concerto Number 2, a piece with an unconventional progression that is one of his father’s favorites.

A BALANCING ACT Like many Penn Dental Medicine students, Minh balances extracurricular activities that offer creativity, growth, and relaxation with rigorous academic and clinical demands. His participation in PMSO often requires clever

PAYING IT FORWARD Minh envisions himself continuing to balance his passions for dentistry and music after graduation. He hopes to complete a residency in maxillofacial surgery, and to “pay it forward,” returning to Vietnam to treat children with cleft lips and palates, and working with other professionals to create better opportunities for people in developing countries.

Regardless of his career path, he believes that music will always be a critical part of his life: “Music is the one language that everyone understands, no matter where they are from.”

MUSIC IN THE AIR AT PENN DENTAL Putting their musical talents to work in the Penn Medicine Symphony Orchestra alongside Minh Nguyen (D’22) are these Penn Dental Medicine students: - Richard Che (D’23), Cello - Dane Kim (D’22), Cello - Jake Lee, (D’21), Clarinet - Andrew Ng (D’20), Violin - Tiana Piscitelli (D’23), Violin And, while they might not perform in the orchestra, many more Penn Dental Medicine students enjoy making music. For each incoming class, the Office of Admissions asks students if they play an instrument — while there is a host of musical talent across the entire student body, from the admissions information gathered this academic year from the current freshman class, there are students who play: guitar (acoustic and electric), piano, keyboard, organ, Indian percussion instruments, drums, viola, violin, flute, saxophone (alto, baritone and tenor), cello, trumpet, clarinet, Chinese Guzheng, and ukulele.

Penn Dental Welcomes New Board Members

Penn Dental Medicine has added to the depth of its Board of Overseers, welcoming four new members. Joining the Board is Dr. Joan O’Shea, Daniel Perkins, Dr. Garry Rayant, and Dr. Tony Saito. Their appointments for three-year renewable terms were officially approved by the University of Pennsylvania’s Board of Trustees at its November meeting.

A board-certified neurosurgeon, fellowship trained in orthopedic spinal surgery, Dr. Joan O’Shea is the founder and president of The Spine Institute of Southern New Jersey. In 2005, she developed the South Jersey Surgical Center, the first outpatient ambulatory spine surgical center in the tristate area. A national authority on minimally invasive surgery, Dr. O’Shea has been on staff at Cooper Medical Center in Camden and Virtua Health System. She lectures annually at the national scientific meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. A Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, she earned her MD at Upstate Medical School in Syracuse, part of the State University of New York. She completed her residency in neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center, and fellowships at NYU Hospital for Joint Disease and Beth Israel Medical Centers. Dr. O’Shea is also board certified in Integrative Health, bringing a holistic as well as highly technical view to health care. She currently serves on the national medical board for Surgical Care Affiliates, advising in the development of outpatient complex spinal surgery. With her appointment, Dr. O’Shea is the second physician member on the Board, providing valuable input and counsel on strategies to advance interdisciplinary education, research, and practice.

Daniel Perkins joins the Board from AEGIS Communications, LLC, where he is President and CEO. AEGIS is one of the largest oral health publishing outlets in the U.S., founded in collaboration with Penn Dental Medicine’s Emeritus Dean, the late Dr. D. Walter Cohen. Along with its publishing arm, the company’s continuing education platform, CDEWorld, is globally recognized for its continuing education content development.

And, another division of the company, AEGIS

Media, provides visual media services to create interactive content for patient education, sales training, and product development/sales needs.

Mr. Perkins has served on the Dean’s Advisory Board of Harvard University School of Dental Medicine, the International Advisory Board of Hadassah University School of Dental Medicine (Israel), Oral Health America, The Dental Trade Alliance, Friends of the NIDCR, and the Corporate Councils of the National & Hispanic Dental Association. He has also chaired the American Dental Education Association’s Corporate Council. Through these roles, Mr. Perkins has served as a liaison between corporate groups and academic leaders at dental schools nationwide and has been instrumental in championing projects, studies, and reports that have advanced the profession of dentistry. His philanthropic support has included a recent gift to the D. Walter Cohen Endowed Scholarship Fund at Penn Dental Medicine.

As graduates of Penn Dental Medicine, Board appointees Dr. Garry Rayant (GD’77) and Dr. Tony Saito (D’95) bring invaluable ties and perspective for engaging fellow Penn Dental Medicine alumni. Dr. Rayant is a 1977 graduate of the School’s postdoctoral program in periodontics and Dr. Saito earned his DMD here in 1995.

Dr. Garry Rayant is a specialist in periodontics and implant dentistry, an entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who retired from clinical practice in December 2018. He is also editor-in-chief emeritus of Dear Doctor Magazine Inc., a print and online national consumer health care magazine, for which he was co-founder and partner. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Rodan & Fields, a premium skincare brand built on a legacy of innovative dermatologically based skincare products. Dr. Rayant earned his dental degree at London Hospital Medical College Dental School, London University

(1972); holds a Master’s degree in Behavioral Science, London University (1975); and was an Annenberg Scholar in Penn Dental Medicine’s postdoctoral periodontal program (1977). He brings a background and interest in oral epidemiology and dental public health and the future of dentistry to the Board. Dr. Rayant is also active in the area of educational reform, serving on the advisory board of Stanford University’s Challenge Success program. He also serves on the AIPAC National Council; the Board of Overseers of the University of Pennsylvania Advanced Judaic Studies Program; Tulane University’s President’s Council; the International Board of Governors of Tel Aviv University; American Friends Tel Aviv University Board of Directors; and the Center for Children & Youth, JFCS Bay Area.

A pediatric dentist, Dr. Tony Saito owns a private practice based in West Boylston, Mass., which he opened in 2001. After earning his DMD from Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Saito completed a general practice residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center and went on to a pediatric residency at Columbia University Medical Center. Since 2017, Dr. Saito has been an active member of the Dean’s Council at Penn Dental Medicine, another external advisory group to the Dean. An Adjunct Assistant Professor at Penn Dental Medicine, he lectures to both the DMD students and the postdoctoral students in the pediatric program. In addition, Dr. Saito has been a volunteer for the Penn Alumni Interview program and has served as a career mentor for predental students and current DMD students and residents. He has also served as President of the Massachusetts Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Saito recently made a gift to name the pediatric care center at Penn Dental Medicine. The Saito Pediatric Care Center is the 16-chair teaching clinic for the School’s pediatric program, where postdoctoral students as well as DMD students provide care to children of all ages. With a strong commitment to advancing the field of pediatrics and supporting care for individuals with special needs, he can be a valuable sounding board as the School expands its care centers in these areas as well as on other clinical education initiatives.

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AADR Travel Awards Recognize Student, Junior Investigator Research

The AADR Travel Award program was launched by Penn Dental Medicine in 2014 to advance student/junior investigator research, providing funds toward their travel to the annual AADR meeting where awardees have the opportunity to present their work. Recipients are selected by a faculty panel of judges at Penn Dental Medicine’s annual Research Day. The following recipients were selected at Research Day 2019 and were to have attended and presented their research at this year’s IADR/AADR/ CADR General Session & Exhibition in Washington, DC, this March.

While the meeting was cancelled due to COVID-19, these students/ junior investigators were recognized for their research by being selected to receive an AADR Travel Award.

DMD STUDENT AWARDEES

Student/Project Sahil Gandotra (D’20): Determining the immunologic profile of primary HSV-1 infections in humans

Faculty Advisor Gary H. Cohen, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences; Eric T. Stoopler and Thomas P. Sollecito, Dept. of Oral Medicine

Grace Huang (C’18, D’20): Cytolethal Distending Toxin Induces Macrophages to Release Pro-Inflammatory Mediators

Bruce J. Shenker, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences

Alisa E. Lee (D’22): Senescent CancerAssociated Fibroblasts Promote Head and Neck Cancer Progression

Anh D. Le, Qunzhou Zhang, Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery & Pharmacology

Yun Jee Lee (D’21): Oral Channels Mediate Antimicrobial Peptide and Neuropeptideinduced Mast Cell Degranulation

Hydar Ali, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences

Elaine H. Lee (D’21): Effects of YAP & TAZ depletion on osteocyte mechanotransduction

Joel D. Boerckel, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine

Sujeong Lee (D’21): Effects of MRGPRX2 Inhibitors on G-protein and β-arrestin Dependent Signaling in Mast Cells

Hydar Ali, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences

Peter Rekawek (D’21): Genetic Expression of Lef1, Axin2, Wnt9b and Wnt7b in an E10.5 Esrp1 (CL/P) KO Mouse Model

Hyun-Duck Nah Cederquist, Dept. of Orthodontics

Jose A. De La Guerra (D’21): Autophagy in Host Response to Porphyromonas gingivalis

Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences

GRADUATE DENTAL EDUCATION STUDENT AWARDEES

Student/Project Grace E. Beck Coburn (GD’20): A tastier mouth: new taste structure in the oral cavity

Faculty Advisor Marco Tizzano, Dept. of Endodontics

Stephen M. Cross (GD’20): Use of Digital Technology to Restore Function to a Pediatric Patient with Ectodermal Dysplasia

Evanthia Anadioti, Dept. of Preventive and Restorative Sciences

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GRADUATE DENTAL EDUCATION STUDENT AWARDEES (CONTINUED)

Student/Project Mark E. Herring (GD’19): Defects to the developing dentition after distraction osteogenesis: A systematic review

Faculty Advisor Evlambia Hajishengallis, Division of Pediatric Dentistry

Wael F. Isleem (D’16, GD’22): Multilayered Full Contour High Translucent Zirconia and 3D Face Scan Technology

Howard P. Fraiman, Dept. of Periodontics

JUNIOR RESEARCHER AWARDEES

Researcher/Project Tetsuhiro Kajikawa: Metabolic nuclear receptor signaling in periodontitis relating to leukocyte adhesion deficiency

Research Lab George Hajishengallis, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences

Hye-Eun Kim: Effect of Saliva on Cross-Kingdom Biofilm Development and Acidogenicity

Hyun (Michel) Koo, Dept. of Orthodontics & Divs. of Community Oral Health & Pediatrics

Jong-Hyung Lim: Del-1 suppresses Th17 cell differentiation by modulating IL-12/ IL-23R in the T-DC interaction

George Hajishengallis, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences

Qunzhou Zhang: NCSCs Nongenetically Reprogrammed from Gingiva-derived MSCs Promote Peripheral Nerve Reg

Anh Le, Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Two Postgraduate Researchers Recognized by IADR The work of two Penn Dental Medicine postgraduate researchers has been recognized by the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) with Dr. Aurea Simon-Soro named the recipient of the 2020 IADR Oral Health Research Young Investigators Travel Award and Dr. Yuan Liu (GD’19) honored with the 2020 IADR Women in Science Promising Talent Award. Both women are part of the research lab of Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Divisions of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health at Penn Dental Medicine.

"Yuan and Aurea are perfect examples of perseverance, dedication and creative thinking of women in science,” says Dr. Koo. “They are true talents, who I am sure will be superstars in the field of dental and craniofacial research" The Oral Health Research Young Investigator Travel Award is open to predoctoral students, postdoctoral students, and students who are in a certified dental hygiene program who have an accepted abstract in Oral Health Research and would be presenting the abstract themselves at the IADR General Session.

Selection is based on originality, scientific rigor, and potential impact on global oral health.

The award is meant to help cover travel to and accommodations at the General Session (With the cancellation of the 2020 IADR General Session due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IADR Oral Health Group has offered to support travel to the 2021 IADR General Session in Chengdu, China, through this award.)

Presently in the Biomedical Postdoctoral Program at Penn (her second PhD program at Penn), Dr. Simon-Soro has been conducting research within the Koo lab for three years, applying her skills in bioinformatics, microbiome analysis, and biofilm imaging.

She was selected for a study that investigated an animal model that looked at modifications of microbiota related to oral disease and therapeutic intervention, examining specific microbiota composition and changes at different body sites. “We employed a host oral infection rat model using suspended cages to investigate the gastrointestinal microbiota,” explains Dr. Simon-Soro. “We also assessed the impact of topical oral applications of a repurposed FDA-approved drug thonzonium bromide (TB) to acquire new knowledge about shared and unique microbiota related to topical drug treatment and its effects from local (oral) to distant (gut) body sites.”

She found a well-defined and distinctive site-specific microbiota in the animal model, mirroring the characteristics found in the human microbiome across different body sites.

The TB applications substantially perturbed the local oral microbiota based on oral swab and dental plaque analysis, while no impact on the fecal bacterial community was observed, indicating localized microbiota disturbances may not necessarily inflict major changes of the distant microbiomes.

“Our findings demonstrate a robust animal model for site-specific assessment of the gastrointestinal microbiome and provide a novel and comprehensive computational pipeline for oral-gut microbiome assessment,” adds Dr. Simon-Soro.

The Women in Science Promising Talent Award recognizes young members of the IADR Women in Science Network who are dedicated to research as part of their postdoctoral training. Dr. Liu completed her DScD at Penn Dental Medicine in 2019 (and also holds an MS, a certificate in pediatric dentistry, and a PhD) and has been conducting research in Dr. Koo’s lab since 2014. Her research focuses on understanding the relationship between biofilms and dental caries and seeking novel therapeutic strategies to control cariogenic biofilms.

“Over the years, I have developed a keen interest and passion for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of dental caries, especially early childhood caries,” says Dr. Liu. “It’s been exciting to help advance the knowledge about the microbial role in caries pathogenesis, while also developing novel therapeutic strategies to combat cariogenic biofilms.”

Among those advances, her work with polymicrobial biofilms helped define a new role for Candida albicans in the etiopathogenesis of severe childhood caries, while also identifying potential fungal biomarkers associated with caries severity. She also has been working on low-cost biotechnology- and nanotechnology-based approaches to precisely target cariogenic biofilms.

“Ultimately, my career goal is to translate cost-effective and practical technologies from bench to clinical applications for caries diagnosis and prevention in susceptible children population,” says Dr. Liu, “while at the same time, bring research ideas from clinical practice to the bench to promote better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of cariogenic biofilms.”

Drs. Liu and Simon-Soro were both previously recognized for the research by the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) and the IADR. Dr. Liu was awarded second place (postdoctoral category) in the 2018 AADR Hatton Awards and Dr. Simon-Soro was the 2019 recipient of the IADR Women in Science Award for Distinguished Research.

ABOVE: Dr. Aurea Simon-Soro, left, and Dr. Yuan Liu (GD’19), right.

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Taking a Top Prize for Innovation, Entrepreneurship Third-year Penn Dental Medicine student Ola Adel Farrag (D’21) was recognized for her innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, taking first place in the third annual Shils Stars Dental Student Competition.

Presented by the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to innovation in health care, the Student Competition included submissions from U.S.- and Canada-based dental students who pitched their ideas, innovations, and inventions to a panel of judges led by Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. Farrag took the top prize for her “P-File”, a design for a new endodontic file.

“You don’t need to be a genius to become an inventor, you just need to observe things happening around you, and let your creativity lead you. When an idea strikes you, never let it go no matter how simple it could seem,” says Farrag, who said her idea for a new design of an endodontic file came to her while assisting in the School’s endodontic clinic. She sees potential for her file helping to solve a challenge in retreatment cases.

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“This was such an exciting event and a memorable experience. Winning the competition is just the beginning,” she adds. Farrag has applied for a patent in the U.S and Egypt and for international protection and is currently working on manufacturing and testing the prototype.

Ola Adel Farrag (D'21) took the top prize for her "P-File", a design for a new endodontic file.

“Our event is an exciting opportunity for health care entrepreneurs to motivate, educate, and engage with one another in a mission to advance innovation in oral health,” said Steven W. Kess, President of the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund’s Board of Directors. “From our competition showcasing young entrepreneurs to the recognition of social entrepreneurs who help expand access to care, Dr. Shils’ legacy lives on in elevating the contributions of the next generation of health care leaders.”

FACULTYPERSPECTIVE VIEWS ON DENTAL TOPICS & TRENDS

Applying Our Basic Science Knowledge to Clinical Care To appreciate my faculty perspective, I need to briefly tell you about myself. I’ve always been fascinated by the basic sciences — the biological sciences in particular — leading me to pursue a PhD in immunology and a career in academic dentistry. I earned my PhD here at Penn (1991) after my DMD at Penn Dental Medicine (1985) and went on to complete postdoctoral training in periodontics here as well in 1992. Since then, I have been a full-time faculty member at our school and the bulk of my didactic teaching has been in the areas of immunology and oral microbiology. I’m also a periodontist and have been teaching and practicing the discipline for over 25 years.

I routinely find myself applying my scientific knowledge to clinical scenarios I encounter in my practice. Often times, this involves addressing a question I’m asked by a patient or explaining the rationale for proposed treatment to one of them. This being said, one of my frustrations as an educator is the resistance of some students and alumni to appreciating the relevance of the basic science component of our education to clinical practice.

In recent years, we ran a mini-course during the orientation for first-year dental students, during which I had the opportunity to discuss the applications of basic science to various aspects of clinical dentistry. One example I discussed relates to the impact of oral disease on systemic health. This concept, to a certain extent, dates back to the focal infection theory.

Taken to an extreme, dental proponents of this argued that bacteria from dental caries could spread from the teeth to other parts of the body and subsequently cause secondary infections with distinct signs and symptoms from

caries. These individuals advised that pulp-involved teeth be extracted rather than performing endodontic therapy, which they perceived as ineffective at eliminating bacteria. Of course this has been shown not to be the case.

Starting in the late 1980’s, a large body of literature started to develop suggesting an association between severe chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Many of you might have had patients calling you out of fear, as I did, because they read about this in the lay press and were convinced that their periodontal problems were inevitably going to result in myocardial infarctions. This was followed by other studies indicating a potential role for periodontitis in the pathogenesis of other conditions, including diabetes and pre-term low-birthweight pregnancy outcomes.

“I routinely find myself applying my scientific knowledge in clinical scenarios.”

— DR. JONATHAN KOROSTOFF Appreciating these relationships, the periodontal community came up with a “subspecialty” known as periodontal medicine. In more recent years, severe periodontitis has been associated with a diverse array of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease, among others.

Contributed By: Dr. Jonathan Korostoff, Dept. of Periodontics

To date, none of the relationships have been shown to be causal in nature. This being said, it is becoming increasingly clear that localized inflammation anywhere in the body can have systemic implications. Basic and translational research are revealing potential mechanisms to explain how oral inflammation can function as a risk factor for numerous systemic diseases. We as health care professionals must have a reasonable understanding of this information. It will allow us to quell the fears of anxious patients, but more important, enables us to explain to patients why treatment will not only help maintain their dentition but also potentially improve their overall health.

Needless to say, there are many more examples that illustrate my point. I’m not advocating that everyone go back to their textbooks and notes from dental school. What I do hope is that those of you who have finished dental school keep informed about the science behind what we do. For those of you still in school, please appreciate that the purpose of your basic science courses is not simply to prepare you to pass board exams, but to enable you to become a well-rounded member of the medical community.

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EMBRACING DIGITAL DENTISTRY

TWO NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART CENTERS INTEGRATING DIGITAL CAPABILITIES, DELIVERING CUTTING-EDGE TRAINING AND PATIENT CARE

To train dental professionals who will be leaders in their respective fields in years to come, their education needs to encompass the techniques and technology that are on the verge of transforming the profession. Enter the ever-growing advances in digital dentistry, and to that end, Penn Dental Medicine’s Digital Innovation Initiative — aimed at fully integrating the latest in digital dental technologies at almost every stage of education and patient care.

OPPOSITE: The resources of the new Digital Design and Milling Center (top) and the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning (bottom) represent the culmination of the School’s Digital Innovation Initiative.

Two gleaming new spaces in the lower level of the School’s Thomas Evans Building opened earlier this year and mark an evolution toward embracing digital dentistry and digital workflow across the School. With state-of-the-art equipment, the new Digital Design and Milling Center and the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning, together with new staff and curriculum changes, represent a culmination of the School’s Digital Innovation Initiative, opening up new possibilities for training students, conducting research and continuing education, and delivering seamless and cutting-edge patient care.

“The many types of digital technologies working together is the key to effective application and outcomes in patient care and education and that is our goal,” says

Dr. Markus Blatz, Professor and Chair of Preventive and Restorative Sciences and Assistant Dean for Digital Innovation and Professional Development, who has championed and led the School’s Digital Innovation Initiative.

“The stage of taking a digital impression and fabricating a restoration are at the end of the game, but there are additional technologies that help us right from the beginning — in treatment planning, in face scanning, with electronic health records. All this information interconnects, and this, I think, is one of the big advantages of digital dentistry.”

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DIGITALDENTISTRY BUILDING A DIGITAL DESIGN TEAM Ever since joining Penn Dental Medicine’s faculty in 2006, Blatz has worked to integrate digital technologies into many aspects of the School’s operations, notably in his areas of expertise: materials science, prosthodontics, and esthetic dentistry.

Recruiting expert faculty was a key part of this effort. In 2008, Michael Bergler, who trained in Germany, joined the School, bringing with him many years of education and practice as a master dental technician with extensive experience in both traditional laboratory methods as well as CAD/CAM (computer aided-design and computer-aided manufacture) technology.

“My philosophy in life is that you can either go against the technology, and say,

“It’s rewarding to see where we are today with intraoral scanners in all our clinics and the many resources of our new Digital Design and Milling Center.”

– DR. JULIAN CONEJO ‘I don’t want to have anything to do with it,’ or you can make yourself an expert and try to get as much knowledge as you can.

This is what I did, because I saw such a big opportunity in doing so,” says Bergler, who is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Digital Technology to stay on top of the latest developments. “I’m highly motivated to share my experience with students and faculty.”

Together, Blatz and Bergler built the Penn Dental Medicine CAD/CAM Ceramic Center, formerly located on the third floor of the Evans Building, (and now evolving into the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning) to enhance the School’s digital competencies in research, education, and clinical care. For the last dozen years, the facility has been involved in every level of digital technology development and a centerpiece of materials research, complex esthetic case design, and

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related software development. “This lab built the foundation for the new Center for Virtual Treatment Planning,” said Bergler, Director of the CAD/CAM Ceramic Center.

Meanwhile, five years ago, Blatz recruited Dr. Julian Conejo, Clinical CAD/CAM Director, a prosthodontist who had been using digital technologies in his own private practice since 2010, to continue to enhance the Penn Dental Medicine community’s

digital expertise. Conejo’s focus was in furthering research in these efforts, particularly in chairside CAD/CAM dentistry. With Blatz, he began a pilot study to test a fully digital workflow, using one intraoral scanner and one milling machine, Conejo personally assisting each student who wanted to complete a fully digital case. Quickly, the pilot proved to be a success.

“We were quickly able to ramp up that pilot study to a bigger scale,” says Conejo.

“And now, it’s rewarding to see where we are today with intraoral scanners in all our clinics and the many resources of our new Digital Design and Milling Center.”

Upon arriving at Penn Dental Medicine in 2018, Dean Mark Wolff also recognized the importance of training dental students in digital dentistry and embraced and bolstered their efforts to continue to move the School’s Digital Innovation Initiative forward, fast-tracking plans to create these new facilities.

TOP: Dr. Markus Blatz with a student in the Digital Design and Milling Center, which features 12 PCs loaded with three types of design software for different applications.

OPPOSITE: The Center is equipped with 10 high-speed milling machines for producing restorations that range from one to eight units; Dr. Julian Conejo milling a restoration with a student (bottom). Soo Ann (top, left) works with a student to fire and finish a restoration; there are eight ceramic furnaces in the Center.

NEW DIGITAL HUBS Those plans became a reality this year when the two adjacent spaces opened — the Digital Design and Milling Center, with a focus on chairside CAD/CAM applications and headed by Conejo, and the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning, led by Bergler and addressing complex cases and full-mouth restorations. Both spaces are outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment and technology and came together in part through generous in-kind support from corporate partners.

The Digital Design and Milling Center features 12 computers/design PCs loaded with three types of software for different applications: one for designing and milling single-unit restorations like inlays, crowns, and veneers; another for implant-related restorations and surgical planning; and a third laboratory-oriented program for digital wax-ups. Students can 3D print models from the digital wax-up at Penn’s Biomedical Library free of charge, but soon there will be 3D printing capabilities at the School as well.

In addition, ten high-speed milling machines line one wall of the Center, producing restorations that range from one to eight units, and there are also eight ceramic furnaces for firing and finishing restorations.

Full-time dental technician Soo Ann, who joined the School in June, manages daily operations in the Center. Students are assigned a PC where they can pull up their patients’ digital scans, and then, Ann supervises the design milling process. Second-year prosthodontics residents also do a rotation in the Center once a week, assisting DMD students with their cases.

“The residents are a great asset,” says Conejo, “for they learn as well by teaching and getting more hands-on in the lab.”

Centralizing the entire design and production process in the Center, as opposed to dispersing design software and milling units across the School’s clinics, ensures better quality control and helps Conejo and others track trends, such as which cases are being addressed digitally most often, and what materials are most popular.

A goal of Conejo’s is for the School to eventually be alginate-free, referring to the material typically used to make dental impressions. With 17 intraoral optical scanners now dispersed throughout the School’s clinics, the School is moving in that direction. A top priority has been to significantly increase the number of scanners to ensure all students and faculty across clinical departments are able to apply this technology to patient care.

“Our faculty and students have been trained to use this technology,” says Conejo, “and I foresee that in the next couple of years we’d be doing 100% digital impressions.”

Along with being more comfortable for patients, Conejo explains that digital impressions have a host of benefits over traditional ones. “The scanning process is fast, it provides files that can be easily shared among specialists or a dental lab, and if needed, part of the mouth can be quickly reimaged,” he

says, “while if a portion of a traditional impression comes out faulty, the entire process needs to be repeated.”

Incorporating digital design files into a patient’s electronic health records also then ensures that an identical restoration could be replicated if needed in the future, making work flow much more reliable.

With the digital transformations, information technology needs are changing as well. Sam Bogharas was hired two years ago to ensure that IT issues were being met, including aspects related to patient privacy and adhering to best practices for digital storage. The Center is also reaching across clinical departments at the School. “Our goal is to strengthen and support all departments with digital cases and applications,” says Conejo. “And to use the resources of the Center to train other clinicians as well through hands-on continuing education.”

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DIGITALDENTISTRY

For cases that require more complex planning, next door is the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning. The vision for this new facility is to educate, train, and support postdoctoral students in digital case set-up and give them the opportunity to use the latest software tools for virtual treatment planning. The Center’s six work stations are outfitted with a full spectrum of digital technology for planning implant- or toothsupported restorations.

“We have a total of 24 licenses of professional 3D designing software,” says Bergler, “and each one has over 50 designing tools — from digital denture set up and an implant planner to wax-up and model creators, just to name a few. It is important that residents understand how different digital tools interact with each other and see the impact they have on the success of a restoration.”

However, the centerpiece of the new center is the newly developed virtual treatment planning software — features of which were developed in conjunction with the School’s CAD/CAM Ceramic Center to establish digital wax-ups in a timely and predictable way. Bergler explains that files can easily be interchanged with other software for smooth and predictable workflow. The software’s newly developed tools include digital tooth extraction, digital pontic design, and face morphing to simulate face and jaw movements in real time.

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“This can give the patient more security in going through the treatment,” says Bergler.

In terms of production technology for executing treatment plans, the Center features three industrial five-axis milling machines that can mill a full spectrum of materials, building residents' understanding of the milling process as well.

The Center’s design and production capabilities also allow research to be conducted under controlled circumstances, evaluating how a particular intervention went, and evaluating new materials and technologies.

One area of recent research is 3D printing oxide ceramics, a technology Bergler believes could hold promise for the future. “We get very valuable data out of our work that we’re able to give back to industry,” Bergler

“Based on the huge amount of data we can collect via scans, we are able to create a virtual patient on screen…and most importantly, simulate different treatment options.”

— MICHAEL BERGLER The driving concept Bergler developed for the Center is focused on creating “a virtual patient.” “Based on the huge amount of data we can collect via an intraoral and/or laboratory scanner, a [cone beam tomography] scan, a face scan, we are able to create a virtual patient on screen,” he says. “Residents can basically superimpose all of these data sets, and then most importantly, simulate different treatment protocols for their particular cases.”

In addition to helping residents learn in a more comprehensive fashion, the sophisticated combination of technology helps patients directly, too. Clinicians can develop personalized approaches, and show them to the patient in advance, allowing them to offer feedback to shape the clinician’s vision.

says, “in order for them to make changes and improve CAD/CAM systems and materials for better patient care.”

TOP: Michael Bergler working with a prosthodontics resident on a case in the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning. The design stations are outfitted with 24 licenses of professional 3D designing software.

OPPOSITE: Residents working on treatment planning.

AN EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE While many long-established private practices may not yet embrace digital dentistry, it’s clear that it’s the way of the future, and as part of the Digital Innovation Initiative, both the predoctoral and postdoctoral curriculum has been adjusted to incorporate experience with CAD/CAM technology. Presently, DMD students are required to do two completely digital cases, but Conejo anticipates that now with the additional resources in the Digital Design and Milling Center that may increase.

Bergler’s changes for the curriculum aim to prepare the residents for an independent and confident handling of complex digital planning.

“We have seen students heavily engaged,” says Blatz. “They’re digital natives

protocols without even touching a patient, which is giving them detailed impressions about the opportunities and impacts of digital technologies in dentistry. This is making their learning experience much greater.”

Conejo is also working on an e-book to serve as an on-the-go reference for students and faculty as they prepare to use this in their everyday patient care.

Students on the cusp of entering the workforce feel they are gaining invaluable experience working in the Digital Design and Milling Center. Aledy Moreta Abreu (D’20), a fourth-year DMD student, says she’s gained the hands-on knowledge in her time working with digital technologies at Penn to feel confident about eventually employing them in a career as a general dentist.

“We have seen students heavily engaged. They’re digital natives and are eager to engage with these new technologies.”

– DR. MARKUS BLATZ

and are eager to engage with these new technologies.”

Even first- and second-year students are now learning to use intraoral scanners in the preclinical simulation labs, scanning mannequin mouths as they simulate procedures to begin refining their techniques before entering the clinic. By the time students reach their third and fourth year, they’ll be ready to apply these techniques in patient care.

For postdoctoral students, too, digital design enables entirely new ways of approaching challenging cases.

“Our Center for Virtual Treatment Planning has a huge effect on the quality of our teaching,” says Bergler. “Our residents are able to simulate a variety of treatment

“In the past, you would take an impression for the patient, send it to the lab and they would take care of everything,” she says.

“With digital scanning and design, we’re involved in every step.”

William Kessler (D’20), another fourthyear DMD student, had the opportunity to work on a case with Conejo and Bergler, addressing a gap between the patient’s front teeth and replacing an existing crown on one of the front teeth at the same time with two preparations designed to match perfectly.

Conejo, Bergler and Kessler documented the case and Kessler presented it at the Society for Color and Appearance in Dentistry meeting in September 2019, winning first place in the clinical case report competition.

“This was definitely one of the highlights of my time here,” Kessler says. “Everyone went so above and beyond to allow me to learn something I had not encountered before.”

RELENTLESS IMPROVEMENT As anyone who has owned a laptop or cell phone knows, digital technologies are not static; they’re constantly evolving. To ensure that the technological resources and techniques on which Penn Dental Medicine depends are the best available, faculty and students are engaged in research projects to identify best practices and provide feedback to industry partners to continue refining their products.

“We’re doing studies on some of the new materials, on 3D-printed materials, and we’ve done retrospective studies to see what is working best for our patients,” says Blatz. “We work across the board with dental manufacturers, because they trust us to give them unbiased feedback about their materials and equipment.”

In the future, faculty envision every patient coming through patient admissions at the School to be scanned, and Blatz foresees more and more restorations being manufactured in-house.

“We’re now up over 50% of all the indirect restorations being done in house,” Blatz says.

“The Center’s only been open a few months.

It’s far exceeded my expectations.”

And though some may believe that a greater use of technology means less personal care, Blatz underscores that quite the opposite is the case.

“Some people think that with CAD/CAM technologies, everyone is getting the same smile, but in fact we can individualize care like never before by using scan files of natural dentition to design and restore teeth and smiles,” he says. “With costs coming down and these technologies becoming more accessible, my hope is that ultimately, dentists are going to be able to provide more and more patients with customized restorations that look nice, that are well-fitting, and that have quality materials. That is the goal.”

— By Katherine Unger Baillie

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 19

RESEARCHSPOTLIGHT TRANSLATING SCIENCE TO PRACTICE

Discovery Across Disciplines

The Penn Dental Medicine research enterprise spans scientific disciplines to translate new knowledge into clinical therapies that are expanding our understanding of disease and advancing patient care.

In 2019, faculty and research staff throughout the School continued to move research and scholarship forward across their respective fields and beyond. On the pages that follow, we highlight some of these research and scholarly activities for 2019.

FY19 Patents Awards

The following patents were awarded to Penn Dental Medicine faculty in fiscal year 2019 as part of their research activities.

Compositions and Methods for Suppression of Inhibitor Formation against Coagulation Factors in Hemophilia Patients Lead Investigator/Co-Inventor: Dr. Henry Daniell, Basic & Translational Sciences Antivirals against Molluscum Comtagiosum Virus Lead Investigator/Co-Inventor: Dr. Robert Ricciardi, Basic & Translational Sciences

Funding by Investigators

Among the Penn Dental Medicine faculty, following are the total funds (direct and indirect) spent by each investigator in the 2019 calendar year.

FACULTY/DEPARTMENT

2019 TOTAL

Dr. Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, Basic & Translational Sciences

$2,197,822

Dr. George Hajishengallis, Basic & Translational Sciences Dr. Dana T. Graves, Periodontics

$1,531,383

Dr. Henry Daniell, Basic & Translational Sciences

$1,263,550

Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Orthodontics/COH/Pediatrics

$1,238,257

Dr. Shuying (Sherri) Yang, Basic & Translational Sciences

$902,668

Dr. Gary H. Cohen, Basic & Translational Sciences

$887,265

Dr. Patricia Corby, Oral Medicine

$849,825

Dr. Claire H. Mitchell, Basic & Translational Sciences

$669,098

Dr. Thomas Sollecito, Oral Medicine

$585,894

Dr. Yan Yuan, Basic & Translational Sciences

$565,705

Dr. Bruce J. Shenker, Basic & Translational Sciences

$496,179

Dr. Hydar Ali, Basic & Translational Sciences

$446,706

Dr. Geelsu Hwang, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

$333,765

Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Basic & Translational Sciences

$324,750

Dr. Flavia Teles, Basic & Translational Sciences

$287,752

Dr. Joan Gluch, Community Oral Health (COH)

$283,495

Dr. Robert P. Ricciardi, Basic & Translational Sciences

$226,160

Dr. Chider Chen, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Dr. Nataliya Balashova, Basic & Translational Sciences

$206,830 $170,658

Dr. Kang Ko, Periodontics

$86,638

Dr. Anh Le, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

$73,929

Dr. Joseph P. Fiorellini, Periodontics

$33,986

Dr. Qunzhou Zhang, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

20 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

$1,804,530

$652

Scholarly Impact

CLINICAL DEPARTMENTS (CONTINUED)

The impact of faculty publications measured by the h index* is presented for a selection of faculty within both the clinical departments and the Department of Basic & Translational Sciences for the past five years.

Career h-indexes are also included.

FACULTY

CLINICAL DEPARTMENTS

SCOPUS H-INDEX LIFETIME 5-YEAR

Dr. Evanthia Anadioti, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

3

2

Dr. Temitope Omolehinwa, Oral Medicine

2

2

Dr. Neeraj Panchal, Oral Surgery

2

2

FACULTY

SCOPUS H-INDEX LIFETIME 5-YEAR

Dr. Fusun Ozer, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

22

1

Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Ortho/COH/Community

50

19

Dr. Peter Quinn, Oral Surgery

15

1

Dr. Dana Graves, Periodontics

66

15

Dr. David Stanton, Oral Surgery

11

1

Dr. Chider Chen, Oral Surgery

23

14

4

1

Dr. Geelsu Hwang, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

18

13

Dr. Alan Atlas, Endodontics/Preventive & Restorative Sciences

Dr. Bekir Karabucak, Endodontics

16

9

Dr. Joan Gluch, Community Oral Health

2

1

Dr. Betty Hajishengallis, Pediatrics

14

9

Dr. Brian Ford, Oral Surgery

1

1

Dr. Patricia Corby, Oral Medicine

20

8

Dr. Katherine France, Oral Medicine

1

1

Dr. Mark Wolff, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

26

8

Dr. Takako Tanaka, Oral Medicine

1

1

Dr. Markus Blatz, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

26

7

Dr. Steven Wang, Oral Surgery

1

1

Dr. Anh Le, Oral Surgery

39

7

Dr. Thomas Sollecito, Oral Medicine

17

6

Dr. Elliot Hersh, Oral Surgery

27

5

Dr. Qunzhou Zhang, Oral Surgery

25

5

Dr. Jonathan Korostoff, Periodontics

21

5

Dr. Muralidhar Mupparapu, Oral Medicine

16

5

Dr. Rodrigo Neiva, Periodontics

24

5

Dr. Esra Sahingur, Periodontics

11

5

Dr. Frank Setzer, Endodontics

16

5

Dr. Joseph Fiorellini, Periodontics

33

4

Dr. Sunday Akintoye, Oral Medicine

22

4

Dr. Manju Benekanakere, Periodontics

17

4

Dr. Chun-His Chung, Orthodontics

16

4

Dr. Eric Stoopler, Oral Medicine

15

4

Dr. Rabie Shanti, Oral Surgery

13

4

Dr. Hellen Teixeira, Orthodontics

12

4

Dr. Hyeran (Helen) Jeon, Orthodontics

4

4

Dr. Syngcuk Kim, Endodontics

31

3

Dr. Francis Mante, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

17

3

Dr. Helen Giannakopoulos, Oral Surgery

8

3

Dr. Eric Granquist, Oral Surgery

5

3

Dr. Su-Min Lee, Endodontics

3

3

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES FACULTY

SCOPUS H-INDEX LIFETIME 5-YEAR

Dr. George Hajishengallis

56

24

Dr. Henry Daniell

63

20

Dr. Claire Mitchell

34

12

Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia

27

10

Dr. Shuying (Sheri) Yang

19

10

Dr. Tetsuhiro Kajikawa

11

8

Dr. Gary Cohen

66

7

Dr. Kelly Jordan-Sciutto

24

7

Dr. Flavia Teles

18

7

Dr. Hydar Ali

36

6

Dr. Yan Yuan

29

5

Dr. Cagla Akay Espinoza

13

5

Dr. Faizan Alawi

15

4

Dr. Nataliya Balashova

15

4

Dr. Bruce Shenker

34

3

Dr. Robert Ricciardi

32

2

Dr. Joseph DiRienzo

24

1

* The h-index was developed by J.E. Hirsch, Department of Physics, UCSD and attempts to measure the impact of an individual’s publications. As an example, an h-index of 20 means there are 20 publications that have 20 citations or more each in journals covered by the Scopus database.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 21

RESEARCHSPOTLIGHT

2019 High Impact Original Articles: Clinical Sciences

Within the School’s clinical departments, following is a selection of original research articles with Penn Dental Medicine faculty as first or senior authors published in 2019 in journals with high impact factors.* AUTHORS

ARTICLES

JOURNAL

IMPACT FACTOR*

DEPARTMENT

Hwang, G.; Paula, A.J.; Hunter, E.E.; Liu, Y.; Babeer, A.; Karabucak, B.; Stebe, K.; Kumar, V.; Steager, E.; Koo, H.

Catalytic antimicrobial robots for biofilm eradication

Science Robotics

19.4

Orthodontics/ COH/Pediatrics

France, K.; Stoopler, E.T.; Tanaka, T.I.

Palatal Swelling in a Patient with Refractory Leukemia

JAMA Dermatology

8.0

Oral Medicine

Ko, K.I.; Syverson, A.L.; Kralik, R.M.; Choi, J.; DerGarabedian, B.P.; Chen, C.; Graves, D.T.

Diabetes-Induced NF-kappaB Dysregulation in Skeletal Stem Cells Prevents Resolution of Inflammation

Diabetes

7.2

Periodontics

Stoopler, E.T.; Shanti, R.M.

Dyskeratosis Congenita

Mayo Clinic Proceedings

7.1

Oral Medicine/ OMFS

Zhang, C.; Feinberg, D.; Alharbi, M.; Ding, Z.; Lu, C.; O'Connor, J.P.; Graves, D.T.

Chondrocytes Promote Vascularization in Fracture Healing Through a FOXO1-Dependent Mechanism

Journal of Bone and Mineral Research

5.7

Periodontics

2019 High Impact Original Articles: Basic & Translational Sciences

Within the School’s Department of Basic & Translational Sciences, following is a selection of original research articles with Penn Dental Medicine faculty as first or senior authors published in 2019 in journals with high impact factors.* AUTHORS

ARTICLES

JOURNAL

IMPACT FACTOR*

Kourtzelis, I.; Li, X.; Mitroulis, I. ;Grosser, D.; Kajikawa, T.; Wang, B. ;Grzybek, M.; von Renesse, J.; Czogalla, A.; Troullinaki, M.; Ferreira, A.; Doreth, C.; Ruppova, K.; Chen, L.S.; Hosur, K.; Lim, J.H.; Chung, K.J.; Grossklaus, S.; Tausche, A.K. ;Joosten, L.A.B.; Moutsopoulos, N.M.; Wielockx, B.; Castrillo, A.; Korostoff, J.M.; Coskun, U.; Hajishengallis, G.*; Chavakis, T.* (*co-senior authors).

DEL-1 promotes macrophage efferocytosis and clearance of inflammation

Nature Immunology

24.0

Roy, S., Gupta, K., Ganguly, A., Ali, H.

β-Arrestin2 expressed in mast cells regulates ciprofloxacin-induced pseudoallergy and IgEmediated anaphylaxis

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

14.1

Wang, B.; Lim, J.-.; Kajikawa, T.; Li, X.; Vallance, B.A.; Moutsopoulos, N.M.; Chavakis, T.; Hajishengallis, G.

Macrophage β2-Integrins Regulate IL-22 by ILC3s and Protect from Lethal Citrobacter rodentiumInduced Colitis

Cell Reports

7.8

Ng, A.Y.H.; Li, Z.; Jones, M.M.; Yang, S.; Li, C.; Fu, C.; Tu, C.; Oursler, M.J.; Qu, J.; Yang, S.

Regulator of G protein signaling 12 enhances osteoclastogenesis by suppressing Nrf2dependent antioxidant proteins to promote the generation of reactive oxygen species

eLife

7.6

Daniell, H.; Rai, V.; Xiao, Y.

Cold chain and virus-free oral polio booster vaccine made in lettuce chloroplasts confers protection against all three poliovirus serotypes

Plant Biotechnology Journal

6.8

22 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

2019 High Impact Review Articles

Following is a selection of review articles with Penn Dental Medicine faculty as first or senior authors published in 2019 in journals with high impact factors.* AUTHORS

ARTICLES

Chavakis, T.; Mitroulis, I.; Hajishengallis, G. Hematopoietic progenitor cells as integrative hubs for adaptation to and fine-tuning of inflammation

JOURNAL

IMPACT FACTOR*

DEPARTMENT

Nature Immunology

23.5

Basic & Translational Sciences

Daniell, H.; Kulis, M.; Herzog, R.W.

Plant cell-made protein antigens for induction of Oral tolerance

Biotechnology Advances

12.8

Basic & Translational Sciences

Hajishengallis, G.; Chavakis, T.

DEL-1-Regulated Immune Plasticity and Inflammatory Disorders

Trends in Molecular Medicine

11.0

Basic & Translational Sciences

Graves, D.T.; Milovanova, T.N.

Mucosal Immunity and the FOXO1 Transcription Factors

Frontiers in Immunology

4.8

Periodontics

Nagendrababu, V.; Pulikkotil, S.J.; Suresh, A.; Veettil, S.K.; Bhatia, S.; Setzer, F.C.

Efficacy of local anesthetic solutions on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block in patients with irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

International Endodontic Journal

3.3

Endodontics

*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 Clarivate Analytics InCites™ Journal Citation Reports®. The JCR, 2017, was used for these figures.

2019 New Grant Awards In 2019, the following new grants were awarded to Penn Dental Medicine faculty.

ARMOR Trial Principal Investigator: Dr. Patricia Corby, Associate Professor of Oral Medicine (NIH; Total Award [transfer grant to Penn Dental Medicine]; $7,146,747, 5 years)

Roles of Novel MRGPRX2/MrgprB2 Signaling in Mast cells on Host Defense and Inflammation Principal Investigator: Dr. Hydar Ali, Professor, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH; Total Award $2,029,270, 5 years)

Modeling CNS Dynamics in HIV Infection and Cannabinoids with Forebrain Organoids Principal Investigator: Dr. Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, Professor, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH; Total Costs: $3,487,412, 5 years MPI R01)

Oral Tolerance for Hemophilia Principal Investigator: Dr. Henry Daniell, Professor, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences (Indiana University; Total Award $1,156,921, 3 years) Ryan White Part A CARE Services — AACO Principal Investigator: Dr. Thomas Sollecito, Professor of Oral Medicine (City of Philadelphia; Total Award $944,742, 3 years) FAS Controls Exosome-Mediated miRNA Transfer in MSC-Based Therapy Principal Investigator: Dr. Chider Chen, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (NIH; Total Award $732,171, 3 years for R00 Phase)

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 23

“We are bringing culturally appropriate primary dental care directly to patients in their community. Every student at Penn Dental Medicine will have the valuable experience of interacting with the immigrant population and learning about these patients as people.”

— DR. JOAN GLUCH, CHIEF, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ORAL HEALTH

A SHARED VISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH

WITH A NEW DENTAL FACILITY WITHIN PUENTES DE SALUD, PENN DENTAL MEDICINE IS BRINGING MUCH-NEEDED CARE TO THE COMMUNITY

OPPOSITE: Penn Dental Medicine students at Puentes de Salud with the public health dental hygienists who also support care and education at the center; Dr. Joan Gluch, Chief, Division of Community Oral Health; and Dr. Steven Larson, Executive Director and Cofounder of Puentes de Salud.

Since 2007, Penn Dental Medicine students and faculty have been providing education, oral health screening, and referral services at Puentes de Salud, a non-profit health center that serves a vibrant community of Latin American immigrants in and around South Philadelphia. With the recent opening of a full-time, on-site dental care center at Puentes de Salud, Penn Dental Medicine has taken on a significant role in the well-being of this community, many of whose members have limited access to dental care.

The three-seat Penn Dental Medicine at Puentes de Salud Dental Care Center is operated by Penn Dental Medicine faculty, staff, and third-and fourth-year dental students, who provide examinations and preventive and restorative dental care for patients of all ages. Faculty and students work with the Puentes de Salud health center staff to include oral health as an essential part of health care.

Establishing a dental care center at Puentes de Salud embodies the missions of both the University and the School: to educate students to serve the public and contribute

to the common good. It is another step in Penn Dental Medicine’s ongoing initiative to improve access to care while better understanding the needs of Philadelphia’s underrepresented communities.

“This is something that we’ve wanted for so long,” says Dr. Joan Gluch, Chief, Division of Community Oral Health, who estimates that the center will provide approximately 2,500 patient visits a year. “In the past, we educated and screened patients at Puentes de Salud and referred them for care at the School’s clinics. Now, we are bringing

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 25

COMMUNITYHEALTH culturally appropriate primary dental care directly to patients in their community. Every student at Penn Dental Medicine will have the valuable experience of interacting with the immigrant population and learning about their patients as people.”

“The new dental care center is the final piece of the plan,” says Dr. Steven Larson, Executive Director and Cofounder of Puentes de Salud and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Larson started Puentes de Salud in 2006 in a church basement in South Philly, moving to 1840 South Street in 2010 and to a Penn-owned facility at 1700 South Street in 2015. (See the sidebar on Puentes de Salud on page 28.) “Having primary dental care available to our patients completes the model of community health that we have been building for decades.”

For Penn Dental Medicine Dean Mark Wolff, the opening of the center is a major achievement in delivering the kind of holistic care that has long been a cornerstone of Penn Dental Medicine. “We want our students to care for the whole patient, and understanding the community in which they live is part of achieving whole patient health,” he says.

“We both understood the importance of going where the need is,” he says. “Disparities in health care are only addressed by going into the communities, by taking book smarts and giving them a twist to solve the problems at hand.”

Dean Wolff agrees: “Meeting our patients where they are, in the communities where they live, work, and attend school, is

“Meeting our patients where they are, in the communities where they live, work, and attend school, is what our mission is all about."

— DEAN MARK WOLFF

A SHARED VISION Though the architects of Puentes de Salud’s South Street home had roughed in an area for dental care, it had been used for storage since the building opened in 2015. Then, when Dean Wolff arrived at Penn Dental Medicine in 2018, “the planets aligned,” says Dr. Larson, who has partnered with Penn Dental Medicine since students first began providing preventive care at Puentes. At his first meeting with Dean Wolff, Dr. Larson remembers, the two men discovered a shared vision of community health.

26 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

what our mission is all about. Our partnership with Puentes de Salud is helping us achieve that goal.”

A DRASTIC NEED FOR DENTAL CARE The Latino immigrant community has unusually complex dental issues, for a range of reasons: financial restrictions, lack of health insurance, lack of access to providers, a low level of trust in the medical profession, and fear of drawing attention to undocumented status. Most are used to going without even the most basic health care, including dental.

This lack of preventive care, paired with poor nutrition, is reflected in the mouths of patients at Puentes de Salud, says Lorena Garcia, the public health hygienist who runs the daily operations at the new dental center.

“Our students see patients with oral health conditions that they have never encountered,” she says. “Years without dental treatment have resulted in drastic levels of inflammation and broken-down teeth. Students are deeply touched when they realize that a simple extraction or debridement can make a huge difference in everyday lives, and that each case has huge importance.”

“I come from an immigrant family, so I know how frustrating and painful it is to have a family member with an untreated toothache,” adds Garcia, a fluent Spanish speaker who came to the U.S. from Colombia and grew up in New York City. “It’s important for us to gain the trust of this community so we can help them overcome these issues.”

In addition to treating advanced dental problems, the center’s first-line defense against disease and decay will always be preventive care and education.

“Most dental diseases are totally preventable,” says Dean Wolff. “Whether it’s gum disease or tooth decay, it’s prevention and early detection that makes the difference in outcomes.”

A SAFE HAVEN

A RETURN TO CORE VALUES

Garcia explains that Penn Dental Medicine consulted with the engineers, architects, and designers of the space to ensure that the dental center is “a safe haven”: warm, welcoming, and comfortable, with soothing colors and an open, transparent feel. The center is outfitted with both new and gently used dental equipment from Penn Dental Medicine, and she is especially grateful for the panoramic radiograph machine, which provides an instant, comprehensive picture of each patient’s mouth.

The center also is equipped to provide chair-side translation for nearly any language through a portable system that enables on-screen interaction with a live translator.

“Although 99.9% of our patients are native Spanish speakers, there are also Russian and Vietnamese families in the community we serve,” she says. “We want everyone to feel welcome.”

Current honors students value the program for many reasons. For Araxi Kalach Mirzoyan (D’21), who immigrated to the United States from Venezuela in 2015, the experience of those she serves at Puentes is strikingly familiar.

“When I moved to America, I was lost.

I struggled to find health care for my needs

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE Garcia, a registered dental hygienist and public health dental hygiene practitioner, works closely with Dr. Gluch and Penn Dental Medicine faculty to oversee thirdand fourth-year students, each of whom will rotate through the center once a week for block rotations of six to ten weeks. Two other public health dental hygiene practitioners, Karoline Genung and Cynthia Gonzales, also work with dental students and patients to round out the Puentes de Salud team.

Community oral health honors students will spend even more time at Puentes throughout the year, working closely with faculty and training fellow students as they begin their rotations. This deep dive into community health is a window to a world rarely experienced by dental students, says Dr. Gluch, who coordinates the community honors program.

“There are few practices that will serve immigrants,” she says. “This is truly a realworld experience that engages students in citizenship and increases access to dental care for vulnerable and underserved patients.”

being educated in oral hygiene can make in someone’s life,” she says. “We’ve given presentations at Puentes on topics such as how diabetes can affect oral health, and the audience has expressed how eye-opening it was for them. It’s gratifying when all of our hard work in dental school culminates in improving the health of people who wouldn’t otherwise get such good care.”

“Being at Puentes, serving people who are often misunderstood and helping them get comfortable talking about their problems in their own language has been absolutely rewarding."

— ARAXI KALACH MIRZOYAN (D’21) and that I could relate to, something close to the health care I got at home,” she remembers. “Being at Puentes, serving people who are often misunderstood and helping them get comfortable talking about their problems in their own language has been absolutely rewarding.”

Stefanie Kligman (D’21) has learned firsthand how education impacts community health. “It’s exciting to see what a difference

Herta Granado (D’21), a first-generation Hispanic college and professional school student, values the opportunity to step outside the boundaries of the School and immerse herself in a community in need.

“It’s very easy to get caught up in the clinical aspects of dentistry as a student,” she says. “Being at Puentes takes us back to one of the core values of our profession: to provide dental education and preventive care

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 27

COMMUNITYHEALTH

Puentes de Salud: Compassionate, Culturally Appropriate Care

“It has allowed me to strengthen my Spanish-speaking skills in a dental setting and better understand the barriers to care that exist in our society. These are things that can’t be taught in a classroom."

— CRISTINA SANCHEZ (D’22)

to populations. It’s a consistent reminder that our impact extends beyond a single filling or cleaning — it is our ability to approach individuals who may not know where to begin in regard to their dental care that is truly fulfilling.”

As a Cuban-American from Miami, Fla., Cristina Sanchez (D’22) feels that working at Puentes has diversified her dental and professional experience. “It has allowed me to strengthen my Spanish-speaking skills in a dental setting and better understand the barriers to care that exist in our society. These are things that can’t be taught in a classroom,” she says. “I feel honored to be able to serve the Latino immigrant population and improve their access to care.”

A POWERFUL TOOL For all students, Puentes exemplifies a successful model of health care based on a truly multidisciplinary community—one where professionals and volunteers come together to solve problems and improve the quality of their patients’ lives.

“This interconnectedness is a powerful tool for students,” says Dr. Larson.

“They learn to respect the knowledge and skills of others. It enforces their idealism and helps preserve their passion and curiosity.”

For Garcia, students are a key component of a committed team—one whose unified purpose has made the dental care center at Puentes a sustainable reality.

“We’ve put labels aside,” she says, “and all joined hands to put our mission into action.”

— By Juliana Delany

28 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

The idea for Puentes de Salud (which means “health bridges” in Spanish) took root in Kennett Square, Pa., in the 1990s, when Dr. Steven Larson, an emergency room physician at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, learned about the dire need for health care among immigrants who came to the Chester County town for agricultural jobs. “Caring for immigrants just felt right,” says Dr. Larson, whose grandparents came to the U.S. from Puerto Rico. With the mentorship of Peggy Harris, a family nurse practitioner in Chester County, he began working at a small, all-volunteer medical clinic that served immigrant farm workers, most of whom hailed from the same village in Mexico.

As friends and family members of this group continued to arrive in the City of Brotherly Love for restaurant and domestic jobs, settling in South Philly, Dr. Larson moved his volunteer practice into the basement of St. Agnes Church on South Broad Street. The practice partnered with local nonprofits and the School District of Philadelphia to include not only medicine, but social, legal, and educational services as well. With the help of promotoras, community health educators trained to engage with their neighbors on important medical issues, Puentes has fundamentally changed the health landscape for this community.

Today, Puentes de Salud, now located in 7,000 square feet at 1700 South Street, provides primary health care and associated services for nearly 9,000 patients, most from Mexico but also from other Latin American countries and beyond. Its staff, many of whom speak Spanish fluently, is 98 percent volunteer.

Patients pay just $20 for basic office visits.

To sustain Puentes, Dr. Larson fundraises continuously, reaching out to people and organizations across the city for resources and skills.

“When you don’t have money, the way that you grow is to collaborate,” he says. “Everyone is invited to the table. We are rich in volunteers and partners from all disciplines whose expertise strengthens the fabric of Puentes.”

STUDENTPERSPECTIVE VIEWS ON THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Getting Involved in the Community Contributed by Marie-Elena Cronin (D’20) When I reflect back on the last four years, I am so happy that I chose to attend Penn Dental Medicine. The school has provided me with many opportunities to learn and grow as I develop into a dental professional.

One of my passions here at Penn Dental Medicine has been working with the Homeless Health Initiative, a multidisciplinary program that provides free education and health services to children living in local homeless shelters. On Tuesday evenings, I volunteered along with my dental school colleagues and a pediatric dental resident. We work with medical students, social workers, and nurse practitioners to offer health care exams to these children. For the dental component, we perform an oral exam, apply fluoride varnish, and provide oral hygiene instruction. At first, I was naïve to think that the most important part of our visit was the physical exam we were performing. Now, I see that the true value and difference we are making is through patient education. At the Homeless Health Initiative, we have the advantage of intervening during one’s childhood, when healthy

Last year, we had a great turnout of about 500 participants. This past year, we created a fund where all the money we raise goes directly to oral cancer research right here at Penn Dental Medicine. In between studying for exams and treating patients in the clinic, we work diligently to bring this event to fruition each May. All of the hard work pays off when we see many oral cancer survivors and the families of those who have lost loved ones to this devastating disease participating in our race. It is an important reminder of our responsibility as dental professionals to raise awareness about oral cancer and fundraise for research breakthroughs.

The organizations that I highlighted above are just a few of the many wonderful student groups here at Penn Dental Medicine. The school has provided me with the resources and opportunities to grow as a leader and develop into a clinician. I am proud to be part of a school that has such an emphasis on community outreach and a mission of responsibility to help those in need.

“When I reflect back on the last four years, I am so happy that I chose to attend Penn Dental Medicine. The school has provided me with many opportunities to learn and grow as I develop into a dental professional.”

— MARIE-ELENA CRONIN (D'20) habits are more easily formed. Through this experience, I have seen firsthand the importance of preventative dentistry, which starts by educating our patients. We have such a unique privilege and important obligation to make a difference in the lives of these children.

Another organization at Penn Dental Medicine that I am so proud to be a part of is the Philadelphia Oral Cancer 5K and Walk. For the past three years, I served on the executive board, made up entirely of dental students. We raise about $20,000 each year for oral cancer research and to support oral cancer survivors.

Penn Dental Medicine offers countless opportunities to enrich our dental education and apply our profession in a variety of ways.

As a fourth-year student graduating soon, I am very grateful for the strong clinical and didactic education I have received and am so excited to see what the future holds for our profession.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 29

ACADEMICUPDATE

DEPARTMENT/FACULTY NEWS & SCHOLARSHIP

BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

Bond S, Lopez-Lloreda C, Gannon PJ, Akay-Espinoza C, Jordan-Sciutto KL. The integrated stress response and phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha in neurodegeneration. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2020 Feb 1;79(2):123-43.

Bostanci N, Abe T, Belibasakis GN, Hajishengallis G. TREM-1 is upregulated in experimental periodontitis, and its blockade inhibits IL-17A and RANKL expression and suppresses bone loss. J Clin Med. 2019 October 01;8(10):10.3390/ jcm8101579.

Dr. Carolyn Gibson, Professor Emeritus, was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science among 443 members recognized this year for their “scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.”

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS A selection of recently published work by department faculty (indicated in bold).

Albino, J, Teles, F, Cohen, L. Challenges and opportunities for women in dental research. Adv Dent Res. 2019 Dec; 30(3): 119-123. PubMedPMID: 31746649.

Alawi F. Using rare diseases as teaching models to increase awareness. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. 2019;128(2):99-100.

Bao K, Li X, Kajikawa T, Toshiharu A, Selevsek N, Grossmann J, Hajishengallis G, Bostanci N. Pressure cycling technology assisted mass spectrometric quantification of gingival tissue reveals proteome dynamics during the initiation and progression of inflammatory periodontal disease. Proteomics. 2020 February 01; 20(3-4):e1900253.

Belibasakis, GN, Hajishengallis, G, Bostanci, N, Curtis, MA, SpringerLink.

Oral Mucosal Immunity and Microbiome. 2019th ed. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2019.

30 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

Chang EH, Giaquinto P, Huang J, Balashova NV, Brown AC. Epigallocatechin gallate inhibits leukotoxin release by aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans by promoting association with the bacterial membrane.

Molecular Oral Microbiology.

2020;35(1):29-39.

Daniele LL, Caughey J, Volland S, Sharp RC, Dhingra A, Williams DS, Philp NJ, Boesze-Battaglia, K. Peroxisome turnover and diurnal modulation of antioxidant activity in retinal pigment epithelia utilizes microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B). American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology. 2019; 317, (6): C1194-204.

Daniell H. PBJ ranks higher, despite publishing more original articles, very few editorial materials and offers free global access. Plant Biotechnol J. 2020 Jan;18(1):3 Festa L, Roth LM, K Jensen B, Geiger JD, Jordan-Sciutto KL, Grinspan JB. Protease inhibitors, saquinavir and darunavir, inhibit oligodendrocyte maturation: Implications for lysosomal stress. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2019 November 28.

Ghura S, Gross R, Jordan-Sciutto KL, Dubroff J, Schnoll R, Collman RG, Ashare RL. Bidirectional associations among nicotine and tobacco smoke, NeuroHIV, and antiretroviral therapy.

J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2019 December 13.

BATTLING PAH, EXPLORING COVID-19 APPLICATION

With a goal of developing a more effective, convenient, and affordable therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), research led by Dr. Henry Daniell produced a protein drug in lettuce leaves to treat it.

The drug can be taken orally and, in an animal model of PAH, reduced pulmonary artery pressure and remodeling. Coincidentally, ACE2 is the binding site for SARS-COV-2 entry into the lungs. Decrease of ACE2 in COVID-19 patients leads to acute lung and cardiac failure; clinical trials are getting started to orally deliver ACE2 directly to the lungs to relieve these symptoms in COVID-19 patients. See the following article: Daniell H, Mangu V, Yakubov B, Park J, Habibi P, Shi Y, Gonnella PA, Fisher A, Cook T, Zeng L, Kawut SM, Lahm T. 2020. Investigational new drug enabling angiotensin oraldelivery studies to attenuate pulmonary hypertension. Biomaterials. 233, (Mar): 119750.

Hajishengallis G. New developments in neutrophil biology and periodontitis.

Periodontol 2000 [Internet]. 2020 Feb;82(1):78-92.

Hajishengallis G, Li X, Mitroulis I, Chavakis T. Trained innate immunity and its implications for mucosal immunity and inflammation. Adv Exp Med Biol.

2019;1197:11-26.

Hu L, Xu Z, Wang M, Fan R, Yuan D, Wu B, Wu H, Qin X, Yan L, Tan L, Sim S, Li W, Saski CA, Daniell H, Wendel JF, Lindsey K, Zhang X, Hao C, Jin S. The chromosome-scale reference genome of black pepper provides insight into piperine biosynthesis. Nat Commun. 2019 October 16;10(1):4702-6.

Ioannidou E, Letra A, Shaddox LM, Teles F, Shaddox LM, Ajiboye S, Ryan M, Fox CH, Tiwari T, D’Souza RN. Empowering women researchers in the new century: IADR’s strategic direction. Alexandria, VA: International & American Associations for Dental Research; 2019. 69 p DOI: 10.1177/0022034519877385.

Jensen BK, Roth LM, Grinspan JB, Jordan-Sciutto KL. White matter loss and oligodendrocyte dysfunction in HIV: A consequence of the infection, the antiretroviral therapy or both? Brain Res. 2019 August 20:146397.

Lakkaraju A, Umapathy A, Tan LX, Daniele L, Philp NJ, Boesze-Battaglia K, Williams DS. The cell biology of the retinal pigment epithelium. Oxford: Pergamon Press; 2020. 100846 p DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100846

Ziogas A, Maekawa T, Wiessner JR, Le TT, Sprott D, Troullinaki M, Neuwirth A, Anastasopoulou V, Grossklaus S, Chung KJ, Sperandio M, Chavakis T, Hajishengallis G, Alexaki VI. DHEA inhibits leukocyte recruitment through regulation of the integrin antagonist DEL-1. J Immunol.

2020 Jan 24.

Lamont, RJ, Hajishengallis, G, Koo, H, Jenkinson, HF, EBSCOhost (co-author Dept. of Orthodontics/Divs. of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health).

Oral microbiology and immunology.

Third ed. Washington, DC: ASM Press; 2019.

Zuo Y, Charles Whitbeck J, Haila GJ, Hakim AA, Rothlauf PW, Eisenberg RJ, Cohen GH, Krummenacher C. Saliva enhances infection of gingival fibroblasts by herpes simplex virus 1. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(10).

Mastellos DC, Blom AM, Connolly ES, Daha MR, Geisbrecht BV, Ghebrehiwet B, Gros P, Hajishengallis G, Holers VM, Huber-Lang M, Kinoshita T, Mollnes TE, Montgomery RA, Morgan BP, Nilsson B, Pio R, Ricklin D, Risitano AM, Taylor RP, Mantovani A, Ioannidis JPA, Lambris JD. 'Stealth' corporate innovation: An emerging threat for therapeutic drug development. Nat Immunol. 2019 November 01;20(11):1409-13.

Park, J, Yan, G, Kwon, KC, Liu, M, Gonnella PA, Yang, S, Daniell, H. Oral delivery of novel human IGF-1 bioencapsulated in lettuce cells promotes musculoskeletal cell proliferation, differentiation and diabetic fracture healing. Biomaterials. 2020. 233, 119591. doi:S0142-9612(19)30690-8 [pii] Shenker BJ, Walker LM, Zekavat A, Weiss RH, Boesze-Battaglia K. The cell-cycle regulatory protein p21(CIP1/ WAF1) is required for cytolethal distending toxin (cdt)-induced apoptosis. Pathogens. 2020 Jan 2;9(1):10.3390/pathogens9010038.

Shenker BJ, Walker LM, Zekavat Z, Ojcius DM, Huang PR, Boesze-Battaglia K. Cytolethal distending toxin-induced release of interleukin-1beta by human macrophages is dependent upon activation of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3beta, spleen tyrosine kinase (syk) and the noncanonical inflammasome. Cell Microbiol.

2020 February 18.

Xu L, Yuan Y. Two microPeptides are translated from a KSHV polycistronic RNA in human cells by leaky scanning mechanism. Biochem Biophys Res Commun.

2020;522(3):568-73.

ENDODONTICS

2020

Lally ET, Boesze-Battaglia K, Dhingra A, Gomez NM, Lora J, Mitchell CH, Giannakakis A, Fahim SA, Benz R, Balashova N. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans LtxA hijacks endocytic trafficking pathways in human lymphocytes.

Pathogens. 2020 Jan 21;9(2):10.3390/ pathogens9020074.

MAY 14, 2020 | 8AM – 6PM | PENN DENTAL MEDICINE

JOIN US VIRTUALLY KEYNOTE AND FACULTY SPEAKERS | POSTER PRESENTATIONS Learn more at www.dental.upenn.edu/researchday

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

ORAL MEDICINE

A selection of recently published work by department faculty (indicated in bold).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Golabek H, Borys KM, Kohli MR, Brus-Sawczuk K, Struzycka I. Chemical aspect of sodium hypochlorite activation in obtaining favorable outcomes of endodontic treatment: An in-vitro study.

Adv Clin Exp Med. 2019 October 01;28(10):1311-9.

Mupparapu M, Shi KJ, Ko E. Differential diagnosis of periapical radiopacities and radiolucencies. Dent Clin North Am. 2020;64(1):163-89. 45.

A selection of recently published work by department faculty (indicated in bold).

Chen YC, Hong D, Wu CW. Mupparapu M. The use of deep convolutional neural networks in biomedical imaging. A review.

J Orofac Sci 2019; 11: 3-10.

Hossein E, Jazayeri, Lee SM, Kuhn L, Fahimipour F, Tahriri M, Tayebi L. Polymeric Scaffolds for Dental Pulp Tissue Engineering: A Review. Dent Mater. 2020 Feb;36(2):e47–e58.

Jayaraman J, Mupparapu M. Dental age estimation using radiographs: an unsettling conflict between ethical principles and scientific evidence. Quintessence Int. 2020;51(1):5–6. doi:10.3290/j. qi.a43754

Kang S, Yu HW, Shin Y, Karabucak B, Kim S, Kim E. Topographic analysis of the isthmus in mesiobuccal and mesial roots of first molars in a south Korean population.

Sci Rep. 2020 Jan 27;10(1):1247-1.

Kulkarni R, Payne AS, Werth VP, Sollecito TP, Stoopler ET. Custom dental trays with topical corticosteroids for management of gingival lesions of mucous membrane pemphigoid. Int J Dermatol. 2020.

Lee J, Kang S, Jung HI, Kim S, Karabucak B, Kim E. Dentists' clinical decision-making about teeth with apical periodontitis using a variable-controlled survey model in South Korea. BMC Oral Health. 2020 Jan 29;20(1):23-z.

Magill D, Korman S, Felice M, Mupparapu M. Assessment of dental radiation dose reduction utilizing mathematical pediatric phantom models: applications in clinical practice. Berlin: Quintessenz Verlags-GmbH; 2020. 238 p DOI: 10.3290/j.qi.a43951

Nagendrababu V, Ahmed HMA, Pulikkotil SJ, Veettil SK, Dharmarajan L, Setzer FC. Anesthetic efficacy of gowgates, vazirani-akinosi, and mental incisive nerve blocks for treatment of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis. J Endod 2019;45:1175-83.

Park YT, Lee SM, Kou X, Karabucak B. The role of interleukin 6 in osteogenic and neurogenic differentiation potentials of dental pulp stem cells. J Endod. 2019 Nov 01;45(11):1342-8.

Mupparapu M, Baddam VRR, Lingamaneni KP, Singer SR. Dental x-ray exposure is not associated with risk of meningioma: A 2019 meta-analysis. Quintessence Int. 2019;50(10):822-9.

Mupparapu M. Intraoral scanning and digital impression techniques in dentistry.

Journal of Orofacial Sciences. 2019;11:1.

Singer S, Mupparapu M. Tobacco Cessation: Right for the Dental Office. Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India: SIBAR Institute of Dental Sciences; 2019. 71 p DOI: 10.4103/jofs.jofs_138_19 Stoopler ET, Charmelo-Silva S, Bindakhil M, Alawi F, Sollecito TP (co-author Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences).

Oral lichen planus pemphigoides: Three cases of a rare entity. Am J Dermatopathol. 2019 December 03.

Stoopler ET, Shanti RM (co-author in Dept. of Oral Surgery/Pharmacology).

Dyskeratosis congenita. Mayo Clin Proc.

2019;94(9):1668-9.

Stoopler ET. Oral amyloid: What you see is not necessarily what you get. Int J Dermatol. 2020 Feb;59(2):e37-8.

Sun M, Sollecito TP, Greenberg MS, Pinto A, Stoopler ET. Analysis of clinical oral medicine practices at the University of Pennsylvania: A 5-year retrospective study. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. 2020.

Mupparapu M, Ko E, Omolehinwa TT, Chhabra A. Neurologic disorders of the maxillofacial region. Dent Clin North Am. 2020;64(1):255-78.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 31

ACADEMICUPDATE ORAL SURGERY/ PHARMACOLOGY

ORTHODONTICS

PERIODONTICS

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A selection of recently published work by department faculty (indicated in bold).

A selection of recently published work by department faculty (indicated in bold).

Carr BR, Boggess WJ, Coburn JF, Chuang S-, Panchal N, Ford BP. Is alcohol consumption associated with protection against peri-implantitis? A retrospective cohort analysis. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery [Internet].

2020;78(1):76-81.

Hersh EV, Saraghi M, Moore PA. Recommendations for selecting 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine or 3% mepivacaine. Gen Dent. 2020 MarApr;68(2):16-19.

Iocca O, Sollecito TP, Alawi F, Weinstein GS, Newman JG, De Virgilio A, Di Maio P, Spriano G, Pardinas Lopez S, Shanti RM (co-authors in Depts. of Oral Medicine and Basic & Translational Sciences). Potentially malignant disorders of the oral cavity and oral dysplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of malignant transformation rate by subtype.

Head Neck. 2020 Mar;42(3):539-55.

Panchal N, Mahmood L, Retana A, Emery R. Dynamic navigation for dental implant surgery. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America.

2019;31(4):539-47.

Sevari SP, Shahnazi F, Chen C, Mitchell JC, Ansari S, Moshaverinia A. 2020.

Bioactive glass-containing hydrogel delivery system for osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A 108, (3): 557-64.

Shanti RM, Alawi F, Lee SM, Henderson AJ, Sangal NR, Adappa ND (co-authors in Depts. of Basic & Translational Sciences and Endodontics). Multidisciplinary approaches to odontogenic lesions.

Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.

2020 Feb;28(1):36-45.

Ellepola K, Truong T, Liu Y, Lin Q, Lim TK, Lee YM, Cao T, Koo H, Seneviratne CJ. Multi-omics analyses reveal synergistic carbohydrate metabolism in streptococcus mutans-candida albicans mixed-species biofilms. Infect Immun. 2019 Sep 19;87(10):10.1128/IAI.00339,19.

Li C, Ha P, Jiang W, Haveles CS, Zheng Z, Zou M. Fibromodulin - A new target of osteoarthritis management? Frontiers in pharmacology. 2019;10:1475.

Li C, Zheng Z, Ha P, Jiang W, Berthiaume EA, Lee S, Mills Z, Pan H, Chen EC, Jiang J, Culiat CT, Zhang X, Ting K, Soo C. Neural EGFL like 1 as a potential pro-chondrogenic, anti-inflammatory dual-functional disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug.

Biomaterials 226:119541, 2020.

Matsumoto K, Sherrill-Mix S, Boucher N, Tanna N. A cone-beam computed tomographic evaluation of alveolar bone dimensional changes and the periodontal limits of mandibular incisor advancement in skeletal class II patients. Angle Orthod. 2020.

Negrini TC, Koo H, Arthur RA. Candida-Bacterial Biofilms and Host-Microbe Interactions in Oral Diseases. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1197:119-141. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-28524-1_10.

Review. PMID: 31732939.

Note: Koo, H also has appointments in the Divisions of Community Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry.

NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS Dr. Chenshuang Li, Assistant Professor, was a New Investigator Recognition Award finalist at the Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting and took second place in the Orthopaedic Research Society Scientific Photo Competition (photo below)

Sperry MM, Yu YH, Kartha S, Ghimire P, Welch RL, Winkelstein BA, Granquist EJ. Intra-articular etanercept attenuates pain and hypoxia from TMJ loading in the rat. J Orthop Res. 2020 Jan 5.

Zhang QZ, Chen C, Chang MB, Shanti RM, Cannady SB, O'Malley BW, Shi S, Le AD. Oral rehabilitation of patients sustaining orofacial injuries: The UPenn initiative.

Adv Dent Res. 2019;30(2):50-6.

32 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

ABOVE: Fibromodulin Reprogrammed Cells: A Novel and Safe Cell Source for Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH RECOGNIZED

Dr. Dana Graves, Professor, Dept. of Periodontics, has been recognized with the 2020 IADR/PRG Award in Regenerative Periodontal Medicine for outstanding contributions to the advancement of periodontal regeneration through pioneering and innovative research.

Through this award, the IADR/PRG honors those who have made substantial contributions to the field of periodontology throughout their careers; Dr. Graves’ work has focused on the areas of wound healing and bone coupling in periodontal disease.

Dr. Yu Cheng Chang (GD’15, GD’16, D’18), Assistant Professor of Clinical Periodontics, was awarded an American Academy of Periodontology Foundation Teaching Fellowship. Awarded annually to two individuals nationwide, the Fellowship is designed to support and encourage a career in academia. Dr. Chang was also awarded the Schoenleber Pilot Grant from Penn Dental Medicine in support of his research.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS A selection of recently published work by department faculty (indicated in bold).

Bonfante EA, Jimbo R, Witek L, Tovar N, Neiva R, Torroni A, Coelho PG. Biomaterial and biomechanical considerations to prevent risks in implant therapy. Periodontol 2000. 2019 October 01;81(1):139-51.

Faciola Pessoa de Oliveira, P G, Pedroso Bergamo ET, Bordin D, Arbex L, Konrad D, Gil LF, Neiva R, Tovar N, Witek L, Coelho PG. Ridge architecture preservation following minimally traumatic exodontia techniques and guided tissue regeneration. Implant Dent. 2019 August 01;28(4):319-28.

Fiorellini J, Luan K, Chang Y, Kim D, Sarmiento H. Peri-implant Mucosal Tissues and Inflammation: Clinical Implications.

Chicago, Ill: Quintessence Pub Co; 2019. s25 p DOI: 10.11607/jomi.19suppl.g2 Gonzales-Martin O, Lee E, Weisgold A, Veltri M, Su T. Contour Management of Implant Restorations for optimal emergence profiles guidelines for immediate and delayed provisional restorations. Int.Jrl Perio and Restorative Dent, 2020,40:61-70.

Koutouzis T, Huwais S, Hasan F, Trahan W, Waldrop T, Neiva R. Alveolar ridge expansion by osseodensification-mediated plastic deformation and compaction autografting: A multicenter retrospective study. Implant Dent. 2019 August 01;28(4):349-55.

Li Y, Mooney EC, Holden SE, Xia XJ, Cohen DJ, Walsh SW, Ma A, and Sahingur SE. A20 orchestrates inflammatory response in the oral mucosa through restraining NF-κB activity. Journal of Immunology 2019:202 :2044-2056

Atlas, A, Isleem W, Bergler M, Fraiman HP, Walter, R, Lawson ND (co-author Dept. of Periodontics). Factors Affecting the Marginal Fit of CAD-CAM Restorations and Concepts to Improve Outcomes. Curr Oral Health Rep (2019) 6: 277. https:// doi.org/10.1007/s40496-019-00245-2

Li Y, Mooney EC, Xia XJ, Gupta N and Sahingur SE. A20 restricts inflammatory response and desensitizes gingival keratinocytes to apoptosis. Frontiers Immunology. 10 March 2020 | https:// doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00365 Ramalho I, Bergamo E, Lopes A, Medina-Cintron C, Neiva R, Witek L, Coelho P. Periodontal tissue regeneration using brain-derived neurotrophic factor delivered by collagen sponge. Tissue Eng Part A. 2019 August 01;25(15-16):1072-83.

Witek L, Tian H, Tovar N, Torroni A, Neiva R, Gil LF, Coelho PG. The effect of platelet-rich fibrin exudate addition to porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold in bone healing: An in vivo study.

J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater.

2019 August 19.

PREVENTIVE & RESTORATIVE SCIENCES NEWS/ACHIEVEMENTS

Dr. Joy Bockstein Abt (D’94), Clinical Associate Professor of Restorative Dentistry, has been recognized by Penn for excellence in teaching with the 2020 Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence

by Non-Standing Faculty. The award is given each year to two members of the non-standing faculty — one in Penn’s non-health schools and one in the health schools.

Dr. Beverley Crawford, Associate Professor of Clinical Restorative Dentistry, was selected as a 2020 Women of Color at Penn Honoree.

Calabro DE, Kojima AN, Gallego Arias Pecorari V, Helena Coury Saraceni C, Blatz MB, Ozcan M, Mikail Melo Mesquita A. A 10-year follow-up of different intra-radicular retainers in teeth restored with zirconia crowns. Clin Cosmet Investig Dent [Internet]. 2019 December 27;11:409-17.

Dr. Mark Wolff, Professor and Dean, was inducted as a Fellow of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, alongside 23 other prominent leaders in medicine, academia, and public health advocacy. Dr. Wolff was the only dentist among the new inductees, who were inaugurated at a ceremony held in November at the College.

Two students within the postgraduate prosthodontics program — Dr. Nupur Patel (GD’21) and Dr. David Kim (GD’21) — were recognized for their research, taking first place in the poster competition at the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics 66th Annual Meeting, held in Miami, this past fall. Their collaborative study was titled Biomechanical Considerations for Prosthetic Reconstruction of Acquired Mandibular Defects with Free Fibula Flap: Systematic Analysis and was conducted with faculty mentors Dr. Eva Anadioti, Director of the Postgraduate Prosthodontics Program, and Dr. Brian Chang, Associate Professor of Clinical Restorative Dentistry and of Clinical Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS A selection of recently published work by department faculty (indicated in bold).

Division of Community Oral Health Oishi MM, Gluch JI, Collins RJ, Bunin GR, Sidorov I, Dimitrova B, Cacchione PZ. An oral health baseline of need at a predominantly african american program of all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE): Opportunities for dental-nursing collaboration. Geriatr Nurs. 2019;40(4):353-9.

Division of Pediatric Dentistry Macaraeg K, Lee SM, Kalra L, Velasco M, Hajishengallis E (co-author Dept. of Endodontics). Multiple external root resorption in a pediatric patient with familial expansile osteolysis. Pediatr Dent. 2020 January 15;42(1):62-5.

Division of Restorative Dentistry Atlas A, Grandini S, Martignoni M. Evidence-based treatment planning for the restoration of endodontically treated single teeth: Importance of coronal seal, post vs no post, and indirect vs direct restoration.

Quintessence Int. 2019;50(10):772-81.

Conejo J, Atria PJ, Hirata R, Blatz MB. Copy milling to duplicate the emergence profile for implant-supported restorations.

J Prosthet Dent. 2019.

Esquivel J, Lawson NC, Kee E, Bruggers K, Blatz MB. Wear of resin teeth opposing zirconia. J Prosthet Dent. 2020 Jan 14.

Farias DCS, Goncalves LM, Walter R, Chung Y, Blatz MB. Bond strengths of various resin cements to different ceramics. Braz Oral Res. 2019 October 14;33:e095,2019.vol33.0095. eCollection 2019.

Gamborena I, Sasaki Y, Blatz MB. Updated clinical and technical protocols for predictable immediate implant placement.

J Cosmet Dent 2020;35(4):36-51.

Rhoades KA, Heyman RE, Eddy JM, Fat SJ, Haydt NC, Glazman JE, Dispirito ZF, Rascon AN, Guerrera CM, Wolff MS. Patient aggression toward dental students.

J Dent Educ [Internet]. 2020.

JDR CENTENNIAL ARTICLE

In celebration of the Journal of Dental Research’s Centennial year, it is featuring a yearlong series that highlights topics that have transformed dental, oral, and craniofacial research over the past 100 years. Among the featured articles is one by Dr. Markus Blatz, Professor and Chair, on the evolution of esthetic dentistry.

See the following article: Blatz MB, Chiche G, Bahat O, Roblee R, Heymann H. The evolution of aesthetic dentistry. J Dent Res 2019;98(12):12941304.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 33

DR. ESRA SAHINGUR

IN THE NEW ROLE OF ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND STUDENT RESEARCH, DR. SAHINGUR IS EAGERLY TAKING UP THE TASK TO HELP SUPPORT STUDENTS’ RESEARCH INTERESTS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS why joining Penn Dental Medicine was an attractive opportunity for Esra Sahingur, DDS, MS, PhD, who in September took on the newly created role of Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research and also joined the Department of Periodontics as Associate Professor.

“Penn Dental Medicine is a great school, world-renowned with a lot of resources,” says Dr. Sahingur. And when she met with Morton Amsterdam Dean Mark Wolff to discuss the position, “he shared my vision to enhance programs to involve students with more research and scholarly activities and provide the resources to make it happen.”

OPPOSITE: Esra Sahingur, DDS, MS, PhD, joined Penn Dental Medicine in September in the newly created role of Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research; she is Associate Professor in the Department of Periodontics.

34 WWW.DENTAL.UPENN.EDU

Furthermore, she says, “The responsibilities of this new role aligned perfectly with my career path.” For the previous 13 years, Dr. Sahingur had been a professor, researcher, and active mentor at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry, where she most recently served as Professor in the Department of Periodontics.

“We are thrilled that a world-class scientist and educator like Dr. Sahingur has joined us at Penn Dental,” says Dean Wolff. “This new Associate Dean role will help provide strategic vision and leadership to support and expand student research endeavors and the graduate studies at the School, and I know Dr. Sahingur’s commitment and engagement as a mentor, educator, and researcher will be a great asset to our current and future students.”

Now settling into her role at Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Sahingur says one of her priorities is to “find ways to inspire next-generation clinicians and scientists who will be the leaders of our profession and further the legacy of Penn Dental Medicine.”

“There is a huge decline in the number of dental professionals pursuing advanced graduate degrees and staying in academia, leading to a shortage of faculty,” she says, citing a 2018 American Dental Education Association report. “My goal is to bridge the gap between clinical and basic sciences and work closely with faculty and students to train not only competent clinicians, but also future scientists and scholars.”

One way to facilitate that goal is by bringing existing student research programs at Penn Dental Medicine under one umbrella through her office. “It will be more efficient to facilitate the delivery of knowledge and make it a more productive experience for students and faculty,” Dr. Sahingur says. “My first goal is to increase communication between disciplines.”

She stresses that faculty play a big part in engaging students in research methodology, publishing manuscripts, and presenting at professional conferences. “There are many ways one can be involved in shaping the future of our profession, and part of our job

as educators is to make our students aware of these areas and promote academic careers by creating opportunities to be involved in scholarly activities.”

Eagerly taking up that task, she is working closely with faculty to build student interest and involvement in the two main research programs at the School for DMD students — the School’s long-standing Summer Research

Program. The popular Research Honors Program is open to incoming, first- or second-year students who plan, implement, and execute a hypothesis-driven research project over a one-to-two year period in conjunction with a faculty mentor. Each year, three to six students are being admitted to the program.

Students in both programs present their work at the School’s annual Research Day.

“Part of our job as educators is to make our students aware of these areas and promote academic careers by creating opportunities to be involved in scholarly activities.”

— DR. ESRA SAHINGUR Program and the Basic & Translational Research Honors Program. In the competitive Summer Research Program, students work full time in July and August with a faculty advisor on a mutually agreed upon research project. Presently, eight to 12 students are selected each year for the Summer Research

“These well-established programs are providing unique research opportunities for our DMD students,” notes Dr. Sahingur. “My goal is to work with our faculty to help build upon them and engage students more in research activities based on their interests so they are curious and excited about the studies they are conducting. I want our students

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 35

ESRASAHINGUR to feel part of the research teams, authoring manuscripts and presenting on national and international platforms.”

Her other main responsibility as Associate Dean is oversight of graduate research programs, and Dr. Sahingur is working with the faculty to develop several new programs targeting different groups of students, including some for predental and foreign-trained dentists seeking to enter dental schools and others that would offer advanced degrees for those in clinical specialties.

As hybrid programs that would include both online and in-class settings, she says some of these new programs “would be the first of their kind both at Penn Dental Medicine and nationwide.”

She is particularly interested in the integration of disciplines and wants to encourage students to consider combined degree programs — whether one of the eight dual-degree programs presently available to DMD students at Penn Dental Medicine or the MSOB or DScD programs for postgraduate students. A multidisciplinary education will make it easier for graduates “to tackle problems for better health, not just oral health,” says Dr. Sahingur.

“For dentists to continue to deliver cutting-edge research and be part of decision-making in science and health care policy, we need to inspire and educate next-generation clinician-scholars and cultivate a culture for curiosity, forward thinking, and active learning,” Dr. Sahingur says.

“This will ensure our profession is leading in the introduction of new advances and evidence-based practices.”

Dr. Sahingur believes Penn Dental Medicine, with strong leadership, an accomplished faculty, and highly engaged alumni, is in an excellent position to leverage existing and newly developed programs and educate future academicians.

Dr. Sahingur’s journey to West Philadelphia started in her hometown of Istanbul, Turkey, where her father, who died when she was 11, was a physician and scientist at Istanbul University. “He was my inspiration for academia,” she says.

After earning her DDS at the Istanbul University School of Dentistry in 1994, she continued her postgraduate training in the United States at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where she earned her MS in Oral Sciences and Microbiology in 1999 and her PhD in Oral Biology and Immunology, as well as a clinical certificate in periodontology, in 2004.

Dr. Sahingur is working with the faculty to develop several new programs targeting different groups of students, including some for predental and foreign-trained dentists seeking to enter dental schools and others that would offer advanced degrees for those in clinical specialties.

ABOVE: Dr. Sahingur’s research has focused on understanding the mechanisms of how inflammation is initiated and regulated in the oral cavity and how it affects systemic inflammation.

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INSPIRATION FOR ACADEMIA

“I always had an eye for academia during my dental school years, but it was my education and experiences at the State University of New York at Buffalo that shaped my career path as a periodontist and immunologist,” says Dr. Sahingur. “I got to work with some of the best and brightest in our profession, who inspired me even more to be a dentist scholar.”

During her time in Buffalo, Dr. Sahingur also started a family. This was the beginning of a long period during which she and her husband, Emre, balanced a dual-career household, sometimes living in different locations, which ultimately led to a long daily commute from Washington, D.C., to her job as professor, researcher, and clinician at VCU School of Dentistry in Richmond, Va. At VCU, Dr. Sahingur developed a research program that received more than $5 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources. During this time, her achievements also included receiving the Women in Science, Dentistry and

Medicine Award and Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research and Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award. She also was the inaugural recipient of the VCU C. Kenneth and Diane Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research endowment fund grant.

Dr. Sahingur is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, an editorial board member of the Journal of Dental Research and Molecular Oral Microbiology, and has published numerous scholarly journal articles, and presented at conferences worldwide.

A FOCUS ON INFLAMMATION With degrees in periodontology and immunology, Dr. Sahingur’s research has focused on inflammation: understanding the mechanisms of how inflammation is initiated and regulated in the oral cavity and how it affects systemic inflammation — and thus overall health — throughout the body.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of Americans over the age of 30 have periodontitis, a more advanced form of periodontal disease.

“We want to define the key regulatory pathways and molecules during the initiation and resolution of inflammation in the oral cavity and find more effective therapeutic targets and markers,” says Dr. Sahingur.

Through their pioneering studies, she and her team, who also have joined Penn Dental Medicine, revealed the involvement of nucleic acid sensing and ubiquitination in periodontal disease pathogenesis, as well as the link between the oral cavity, gut, and liver axis.

The positive news, as a recent study from her research team reported, is that if periodontal disease is treated, it improves other disease sequels, including that of the liver. “It’s very promising to show that other disease outcomes can be improved by simple periodontal therapy such as cleaning,” she says.

At Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Sahingur is focused on supporting and building collaborative research within the School as well as across the University of Pennsylvania, including with medicine, engineering, and nursing.

“It’s very important as we move to a new era of precision medicine and personalized treatments to make sure dentistry is included, and expand opportunities for our students and their interests,” she says. “Those interdisciplinary connections will be very important, we can’t just think of ourselves as one entity.”

As she works to meet her goals in this new role, Dr. Sahingur is gratified to be in a position to support and enhance opportunities for students in research and advanced degrees, as well as continue her research to improve the health and lives of patients.

“It’s very important as we move to a new era of precision medicine and personalized treatments to make sure dentistry is included, and expand opportunities for our students and their interests.”

— DR. ESRA SAHINGUR

“If not treated, periodontal disease provides a constant reservoir of inflammatory mediators and dysbiotic microbiota for sites distant from the oral cavity, which can impact many diseases,” Dr. Sahingur says, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and arthritis. “It doesn’t matter if the inflammation is in the knee or in the mouth,” she adds. “If a patient has unresolved inflammation, it is constantly moving through the body.”

“Being part of Penn Dental Medicine and the University is a true honor, and my research team is enjoying Penn as well,” she adds. “I look forward to many pleasant memories in Philadelphia with my colleagues, family, and students.”

— By Debbie Goldberg

ABOVE: Dr. Sahingur is meeting with students to help identify research interests and faculty labs where they can get hands-on research experience.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 37

ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS

PROFILES, GATHERINGS & ENGAGEMENT

2020 Alumni Awards

The Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society is pleased to once again recognize the accomplishments and dedication of alumni with its annual awards. These awards are presented each year at a special celebration as part of Alumni Weekend. Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in the cancellation of Alumni Weekend 2020, this year’s recipients will be honored along with next year’s awardees at Alumni Weekend 2021, to be held May 14-15, 2021. The 2020 Alumni Award recipients include the following.

ALUMNI AWARD OF MERIT

The Alumni Award of Merit recognizes love for and loyalty to Penn Dental Medicine, excellence in the profession of dentistry, and community involvement. The award acknowledges graduates who have maintained their ties with the School through their support of alumni activities, demonstrated leadership in the dental profession, and fostered and maintained the ideals of the School. This year’s recipients include:

Tony Saito, D’95

THOMAS EVANS AWARD

The Thomas Evans Achievement Award is Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society’s highest award of recognition, honoring alumni who have shown innovation, excellence, and leadership in the profession of oral health care nationally and internationally. This year’s recipient is Daniel Fine, D’65.

Daniel Fine, D’65 Dr. Daniel H. Fine is currently a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Oral Biology and Director of the Center for Oral Infectious Diseases at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Queens College, his DMD from Penn Dental Medicine in 1965 and his certificate in periodontology in 1967 from New York University. He served on the dental faculties of the University of Pittsburgh (1967-1970) and the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery (1971-1994) before going to Rutgers in mid-1994 as Director of the Dental Research Center.

Dr. Fine's research focuses on host/parasite interactions in periodontal disease with a special emphasis on molecular genetics related to virulence of actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. His group also investigates genetic susceptibility of individuals to juvenile periodontitis. In addition, Dr. Fine's laboratory participates in studies of biofilm development and methods that would interfere with development.

Eric Stoopler, D’99, GD’02

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD OF MERIT The Young Alumni Award of Merit recognizes Penn Dental Medicine alumni one to 15 years from graduation who have maintained their ties with the School through their support of alumni activities, demonstrated leadership in the dental profession, and fostered and maintained the ideals that the School of Dental Medicine has stood for since its founding. This year’s recipient is: Maria Velasco, D’10, GED’10.

DENTAL HYGIENE ALUMNI SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD The Dental Hygiene Alumni Special Achievement Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of dental hygiene alumni to the growth and development of the profession of dental hygiene.

This year’s recipient is: Ann Robyn Watson, DH’69.

HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD The honorary alumni awards are presented to individuals who are not graduates of Penn Dental Medicine, but have demonstrated a strong commitment to Penn Dental Medicine through their service to and involvement with the School.

This year’s recipient is: Marianne Contino, RDH

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FLORIDA EVENTS Amid the cold of Philadelphia in January, Dean Mark Wolff, Dr. Rodrigo Neiva, Dr. Joan Gluch, and members of the Institutional Advancement team gathered with alumni in Florida. Dr. Neiva presented a continuing education course in Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, and an alumni reception was held in Naples.

ALUMNI TRAVEL Penn Dental Medicine expanded our continuing education opportunities exponentially in the last year, including with two destination travel programs that offered continuing education credits. This year was our first annual Caribbean trip to Bonaire, February 2-7, and we had over 35 attendees at this year’s ski trip to Vail, CO, March 4-8.

SAITO PEDIATRIC CARE CENTER CELEBRATION Recognizing the generosity of Dr. Tony Saito (D’95), the School’s newly renovated pediatric clinic is now named “The Saito Pediatric Care Center.” A celebration with the Penn Dental Medicine community and his family was held at the School on December 20.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 39

ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS Since joining Pitt’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery faculty in 1991, he has served as Senior Associate Dean and Director of Translational Research and the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program and is currently Director of the Pediatric Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Fellowship Program.

In addition to his position as Dean and Thomas W. Braun Endowed Professor, Dr. Costello serves as chief of the Division of Craniofacial and Cleft Surgery in the School of Dental Medicine and the Division of Pediatric Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

AN ADVOCACY ROLE

Alumni profile: Bernard J. Costello (D’94, M’97, GD’00, RES’00) When Bernard J. Costello (D’94, M’97, GD’00, RES’00) was named Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in 2018, he took inspiration for maintaining a robust surgical practice while carrying out his myriad responsibilities as dean from his time at Penn Dental Medicine.

When he started dental school in 1990, Dr. Raymond Fonseca was Dean. “I watched Ray be an effective dean, but also a relevant surgeon,” Dr. Costello recalls. With that in mind, he has honed his own surgical practice to “a limited but very precise scope of practice” one day a week.

The rest of the time he puts on his tie and steps into his role as dean, working to guide the School of Dental Medicine in the “best possible direction.” For Dr. Costello, this means growing the research enterprise — in particular translating basic research to clinical application; attracting top-tier faculty and researchers; enhancing dental education; improving the clinical experience for patients; fostering collaborations throughout the university and, not the least, raising funds to support these goals.

“The biggest challenge is having all the resources to do all the wonderful things you want to accomplish,” he says. “Dental school is a very expensive investment for

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our students, so we try to keep tuition as low as possible, and have enough money to hire the best talent and build the best clinic,” he adds, while at the same time dealing with cuts in federal and state budgets and medical assistance programs.

THE TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL After earning his B.S. at the University of Scranton, Dr. Costello came to Penn Dental Medicine knowing it was an institution “that valued scholarly activity, research and innovation as much as clinical training, and I wanted to be in that environment,” he says. “Penn gave me all the tools I needed to be successful.”

At Penn Dental Medicine, his path was influenced by Dr. Fonseca, an expert in cleft and craniofacial surgery, and Dr. Peter Quinn, D’74, GD’78, Schoenleber Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology at Penn Dental Medicine, Vice Dean for Professional Services, Perelman School of Medicine, and Senior Vice President, University of Pennsylvania Health System.

After completing his oral surgery training at Penn, Dr. Costello was accepted to a new fellowship program at Georgetown University Medical Center that “combined what I loved about oral and maxillofacial surgery with pediatric craniofacial training.”

Cleft lip and cleft palate are the most common birth defects in the U.S., affecting one in every 600 newborns, according to the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, for which Dr. Costello served as president last year. These defects occur very early in pregnancy and often can be detected after approximately 12 weeks through routine prenatal imaging.

“One fun part of my job is I get to meet some of these kids through an ultrasound,” Dr. Costello says. “It’s an opportunity to meet the parents before delivery and put them at ease.”

While cleft lips and palates are fairly common, Dr. Costello says there are about 400 syndromes of the head and neck that can result in face and skull deformities. While his surgical skills can correct many of these problems, Dr. Costello also serves as an advocate for patients.

"[Penn Dental Medicine] valued scholarly activity, research and innovation as much as clinical training, and I wanted to be in that environment. Penn gave me all the tools I needed to be successful."

— DR. BERNARD J. COSTELLO

Recently, he and two colleagues admonished talk show host Wendy Williams for mocking the upper lip scar on actor Joaquin Phoenix. In a January 23 article in the online forum “The Conversation,” the authors used the teachable moment to explain what a cleft lip is and note that those with facial differences “often feel stigmatized and can face discrimination and social isolation.”

In the laboratory, he’s encouraging research that can lead to workable solutions for patients by enhancing opportunities to “put clinicians together with researchers to solve problems.” His own research has focused on regenerative medicine, using the body’s own tissues and resources for healing, including work on bone scaffolding and bone tissue engineering.

One promising innovation is the use of resorbable metal magnesium to promote bone regeneration in facial surgery. The magnesium ion, which like calcium dissolves over time, offers a multitude of advantages over commonly used titanium plates and screws, which can attract bacteria and become infected.

The resorbable material also eliminates the need to surgically remove those metal parts that children frequently outgrow. The research, which Dr. Costello believes could be “revolutionary,” is in pre-Food and Drug Administration trials, but could be available for use in the next several years.

While he has outlined an ambitious agenda as Dean, Dr. Costello says his experience at Penn Dental Medicine prepared him for the challenge. But with schools of similar size and scope at opposite ends of the state, he also acknowledges that he competes for talented faculty and students with his colleagues at Penn.

“But that’s okay,” Dr. Costello says, “we’re all trying to get better and make each other better. Institutions like ours are built to innovate and train the best scientists and practitioners to take the field to the next level.”

Board Chair Dr. William W. M. Cheung (D’81, GD’82) Receives Penn’s Alumni Award of Merit

Dr. William W. M. Cheung (D’81, GD’82), Chair of Penn Dental Medicine’s Board of Overseers, was recognized with one of Penn alumni’s highest awards as a 2019 Alumni Award of Merit recipient. Selected by the Awards and Resolutions Committee of the Penn Alumni Board of Directors, recipients are recognized for exemplifying what it means to be a truly "involved" Penn alumnus. Active within the School and across Penn, Dr. Cheung has led the School’s Board of Overseers as Chairman since 2008 and is an Emeritus Trustee of the University.

The Award was presented at a special gala held over Homecoming Week. Above, Dr. Cheung (left) with other award recipients and Penn President Amy Gutmann.

Resources to Stay, Get Connected Looking to find a former classmate? Get your practice in front of potential patients? Hire a new associate? There are a number of resources to help Penn Dental Medicine alumni do just that. Here is a brief review of these easy online resources:

QUAKERNET

FIND A PENN DENTIST

QuakerNet is Penn’s secured alumni directory, where you can keep your contact information current as well as search for fellow classmates and peers. Simply create an account at www.myquakernet.com/dental. You can now also view Penn Dental Medicine news and Tweets directly from your QuakerNet profile. It’s an easy way to catch up on the latest news from the School, while connecting with other alumni!

Find a Penn Dentist, located prominently on the Penn Dental Medicine web site, allows visitors to the site (whether other clinicians or potential patients) to search a directory of Penn Dental Medicine alumni practices by city/state, zip code, or specialty. Register your practice by contacting the Office of Institutional Advancement at 215–898–8951 or through the site directly at www.dental.upenn.edu/map.

CAREERS

SOCIAL MEDIA

Career Opportunities is an online resource for those beginning a job search and a place to submit a posting if you are seeking a new employee or looking to sell your practice. Visit www.dental.upenn.edu/careers.

Social Media offers a number of ways you can engage with Penn Dental Medicine. Join “Penn Dental Medicine” on Facebook or follow “PennDentalMed” on Twitter and Instagram.

You can also connect to “Penn Dental Medicine Alumni” on LinkedIn (a private group of nearly 400 Penn Dental Medicine alumni and current students).

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 41

ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS

INDUSTRY MEETING RECEPTIONS The Office of Institutional Advancement has been at many of the industry meetings around the country, hosting receptions to connect with alumni. Among them: Greater New York, December 2; Chicago Midwinter, February 20, 2020; and Valley Forge, March 5, 2020.

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CLASSNOTES

NEWS FROM FELLOW ALUMNI

1960s

Daniel B. Green (D’60) will receive the Thomas F. Winkler Award at the 2020 ACD New England Section Annual Meeting for his leadership and dedication to the dental profession and the New England Section. The award holds special meaning for Dr. Green as he and the late Dr. Winkler had a close 50-year friendship, serving important roles in each other’s lives.

The Center for Research and Education (CRET) Inc., celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2019. CRET is a dental industry non-profit founded by Edward F. Rossomando (D’64) to promote the introduction of digital technologies into dental schools. In its 15 years, CRET has opened Innovation Centers at four dental schools in the United States.

1970s

Scott Dubowsky (D’75) was elected President of American Friends of Dental Volunteers for Israel’s Board of Directors, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote children’s oral health in Jerusalem while promoting volunteerism and cross-cultural understanding. David Weinstein (D’92), Saul Pressner (D’79), Deborah Weisfuse (D’77), and Robert Lipner (D’77) also serve on the board at AFDVI. Scott currently serves as a Region IV Trustee for the American General Dentistry Association.

2010s James D. Hudson (D’82) founded a not-for-profit organization, World of Smile Inc., that provides care for the underserved in the La Romana province in the Dominican Republic. He also serves on the Board of Somos Amigos, another medical/dental outreach organization in the Dominican Republic. Additionally, he just became President of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics for 2020. He is especially honored of this role given that his father (D’45) and grandfather (D’17) also served in this role.

Bryan Boosz (D’84) was happy to retire from dentistry in 2017 after a successful and rewarding career. Now he is busy with his hobbies.

1980s Ronald Hwang (D’81) reports that he fully retired from dentistry last October, and is now focusing his time on the PEACH Foundation (Promoting Education, Art and Community Harvest).

PEACH was formed in the U.S. in 2001 to give children from the poorest parts of China and Southeast Asia opportunities to complete a college education with the hope of breaking the vicious cycle of poverty by increasing equality of opportunity, and raising educational standards of the regions in which the children live.

Jeffrey Ginsberg (D’81) reports that his daughter Keira Ginsberg (C’12) graduated from Tufts Dental this year and is now a first-year pediatric dentistry resident at Colorado Children’s Hospital in Denver, CO.

The American Board of Periodontology named periodontists Caleb Cross (D’11, GD’15) and Brian Kasten (D’13, GD’17) Diplomates on November 13, 2019. The Diplomate appointment reflects their “significant achievements beyond the mandatory educational requirements of the specialty” according to the American Board of Periodontology. Both Dr. Cross and Dr. Kasten currently work with the Amsterdam Dental Group, a Philadelphia-based practice specializing in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry, periodontics, and prosthodontics. Both have also been named Philadelphia Magazine’s Top Dentists of 2019 in Prosthodontics and Cosmetic Dentistry.

While visiting the Pyramids of Giza, Egidio Farone (D’84) could not help but show his Penn pride.

1990s David Weinstein (D’92) — See Scott Dubowsky (D’75)

2000s Lala Asif (D’06) sends a shout out to all 2006 Penn Dental graduates. She reminisces of the time shared in the basement of the dental school and misses the times spent together. She wishes everyone well and hopes they are enjoying life with their loved ones.

Aws Aldarkazali (D’13), his wife Ruth, and recently promoted big brother Ari, are excited to announce the arrival of the newest member of their family, baby Alma Aldarkazali. Born on President’s Day, February 17, 2020, in Dallas, TX, Alma weighed 7 lbs, 3oz. and measured 19.5 inches. The family is overjoyed and looking forward to creating new memories.

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 43

CLASSNOTES Emily Wible (ENG’10, D’15) recently won the American Dental Association’s 2019 John W. Standford New Investigator Award for her research paper evaluating the effects of eight cleaning methods on copolyester polymer, a material commonly used in clear thermoplastic retainers.

Share Your News Submit a Class Note to www.dental.upenn.edu/ classnotes

Catherine Campbell (D’17) has recently qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Atlanta, GA. This will mark her 11th marathon. Her qualifying race took place on January 19 at the 2020 Chevron Houston Marathon where she ran a 2:43:57, meeting the b-standard qualifying time of 2:45:00. Catherine is also excited to announce that she will complete her orthodontic residency program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in May 2020.

Nishat Shahabuddin (C’14, D’18, GR’18, GD’20) married Shawn Shafiei W’13 on September 22, in Brooklyn, in the presence of friends and family.

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

Elysha Rothenberg (D’19) married her high school sweetheart and moved to Los Angeles for residency.

Double the Power. Double the Impact.

Imagine generating 2x the innovations, discoveries, and advancements happening at Penn Dental Medicine. Now there are two ways to fuel the Power of Penn Dental Medicine with a gift using your retirement plan.

1. The IRA Charitable Rollover.

Age 72 or older? Satisfy all or part of your Required Minimum Distribution while helping to make an immediate difference. You can make a qualified charitable distribution up to $100,000 from your IRA directly to Penn Dental Medicine without having to recognize the transfer as income.

For more information contact: Elizabeth Ketterlinus Vice Dean Penn Dental Medicine Office of Institutional Advancement 215.898.3328 ekett@upenn.edu www.powerofpenn.upenn.edu/gift-planning

2. Include PENN DENTAL MEDICINE as a BENEFICIARY of your Retirement Plan.

Simply name Penn Dental Medicine as a full, partial, or secondary beneficiary of your 401(k), 403(b), or similar retirement account, and support your passion. Naming the School as a beneficiary of your retirement plan can help reduce the size of your taxable estate and minimize income taxation of your heirs.

Request a “change of beneficiary” form from your plan administrator.

It’s that easy!

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INMEMORIAM Remembering R. Roberta Throne

Lorraine S. Mashioff (DH’48) New York, NY; May 7, 2019

Peter Demas (D’59) Alexandria, VA; August 21, 2019

The Penn Dental Medicine community warmly remembers R. Roberta Throne, who was a leader in the former oral hygiene department at the School for many years. She died December 15 in York, Pa. She was 99.

Throne joined Penn Dental Medicine in 1955 as an assistant Instructor in oral hygiene. She was promoted to assistant professor and, starting in the early 1960s, served for 10 years as supervisor of the department. During her tenure, the course was strengthened in many areas, including the introduction of a course in public health dentistry and promotion of a continuing education course. She also served on the Penn Dental Medicine admissions committee.

Throne strongly influenced the dental hygienist movement. A charter member of the Iota Chapter of Sigma Phi Alpha, she served as president of the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists Association in 1970. She was one of the first hygienists appointed to the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association and was one of the first consultants appointed by the American Dental Hygienists Association and American Association of Dental Schools to assist new dental hygiene schools.

A native of Bridgeton, Pa., Throne graduated from the Course in Oral Hygiene in 1939 and interned at Harrisburg State Hospital. In addition to working in private practice in Pennsylvania and Chicago, she served for two years as a Pharmacist’s Mate 3/c in the United States Navy Women’s Reserve prior to joining Penn Dental Medicine.

She later earned a BS from West Chester State College and an MS in education from Penn. Throne left Penn in 1972.

Mary G. Maddox Silverstein (DH’49) Eugene, OR; September 22, 2019

Franklin M. Barber (D’61) New Hartford, NY; December 19, 2019

Henry A. Geidel (D’50) Columbia, SC; January 4, 2020

Arthur J. Dinick (D’61, GD’62) Pompano Beach, FL; November 1, 2019

Paul J. McKenna (GD’50) Longmeadow, MA; November 8, 2019

Burton J. Lavin (C’56, D’61) Yardley, PA; November 23, 2019

Sally A. Kneeland (DH’51) Greenville, ME; January 26, 2020

Lula C. Dillard (DH’62) Philadelphia, PA; February 4, 2020

Norman C. Koehler (D’51) Sun City Center, FL; November 16, 2019

George Georgieff (GD’62) Anaheim, CA; July 10, 2019

Natalie R. Anderson (DH’52) Clearwater, FL; February 13, 2020

Janet Messner Grosh (DH’62) Lititz, PA; February 21, 2020

Glenn F. Bitler (C’50, D’52) Raleigh, NC; March 3, 2018

William B. Drake (D’63) Elbridge, NY; January 16, 2020

Raymond K. Clark (D’52) Sarasota, FL; November 29, 2019

Peter C. Elarde, Jr. (D’64) Long Beach, NY; October 26, 2019

H. Foster Mitchem, Jr. (D’52) Holly Springs, NC; February 7, 2020

John E. Potochny (D’65) Nesquehoning, PA; September 9, 2019

Joseph O. Stevens (D’52) Huntingdon, PA; January 26, 2020

Albert G. Senger, Jr. (D’66) Secaucus, NJ; December 15, 2019

Edward N. Green (D’53) Westerville, OH; July 13, 2019

David O. King (GD’67) Lady Lake, FL; June 10, 2019

George S. Johnson (C’50, D’53) Amityville, NY; December 28, 2019

Samuel E. Lippincott (D’68) Moorestown, NJ; April 6, 2020

Harold C. Wegman (D’53) Reading, PA; November 6, 2019

Richard C. Drummond (D’71, GD’73) Gladwyne, PA; December 29, 2019

Austin Robbins (D’54) Southampton, NJ; October 22, 2019

Marc W. Heft (EE’70, D’74) Gainesville, FL; February 8, 2020

R. Roberta Throne (DH’39, GED’67) York, PA; December 15,2019

Virginia Davis Miers (DH’45) Allentown, PA; December 22, 2019

Donald F. Hockman (D’57) Norristown, PA; February 14, 2020

William P. Mara, Jr. (D’74) Greenwich, CT; October 5, 2019

Milton Dalitzky (D’44) Lake Worth, FL; January 10, 2020

Walter Baron (D’46) Bayville, NY; November 14, 2019

Richard V. Lolla (D’57) Toms River, NJ; January 20, 2020

Kristin M. Erk (D’04) Honesdale, PA; December 20, 2019

Muriel Miller Wensely (DH’44) Chicago, IL; October 8, 2019

Betty Kauffman Pryor (DH’46) West Chester, PA; December 19, 2019

Edward P. Rich (D’57) Halls, TN; August 28, 2019

Harry R. Bruhn (D’45) Cheyney, PA; January 6, 2020

Elvira Margarite Kennedy (DH’47) Ashby, MA; January 20, 2018

Victor J. Hajjar (D’58) Harrisburg, PA; January 24, 2020

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2020 45

2020CALENDAR

UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS

With COVID-19 requiring events to be postponed/ rescheduled, a firm calendar for the summer and fall is still uncertain as this time, visit www.dental.upenn.edu/events to stay up to date on upcoming events.

Visit www.dental.upenn.cde for information on upcoming continuing education programs, including a host of new virtual lectures.

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PENN DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNI SOCIETY 2019–2020 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Eric Spieler, D’84 President Scott Chanin, D’83 Vice-President Members-at-Large Deena Alani, D’13 Pam Alberto, D’80 Judy Bendit, DH’81 Hope Berman, C’77, D’83 L. Bui, D’18 Jennifer Caughey, D’19 Larry Chacker, D’85 Stefani L. Cheung, C’08, D’11 Gail Spiegel Cohen, C’76, D’80 Keith Dunoff, D’84 Lee B. Durst-Roisman, D’83 Mickey Goldin, C’60, D’64 Alyssa Marlin Greenberger, D’02 Wendy Halpern, D’99, GD’02, GD’03 Se He Han, D’18 JV Kracke, D’17, GD’19 Daniel Kubikian, D’01, GD’04, GD’05 Bernard Kurek, D’73, WMP’03, WEV’04 Bret Lesavoy, D’19 Rachel Levarek, D’11 Mana Mozaffarian, D’06 Ngozi Okoh, D’12 Michael B. Rulnick, D’74, GD’76 Trevan Samp, D’14 Joshua Simpson, D’16 Matt Sones, D’12 Joseph Spina, D’02 Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, DH’82, GED’99 Gary Wegman, D’83 Michael Yasner, C’79, D’83, GD’84, GD’86

BOARD OF OVERSEERS

PDMJ ADVISORY COMMITTEE

William W. M. Cheung, D’81, GD’82, Chair, Power of Penn Dental Medicine Campaign Co-Chair Nancy L. Baker, Esq. Stanley M. Bergman Sidney M. Bresler, Esq. Dirk Brunner Julie Charlestein Joanne Chouinard-Luth, D’79 Richard Copell, D’80 Teresa Dolan, DDS, MPH Matthew J. Doyle, PhD Patrik Eriksson Anne E. Klamar, MD Anne L. Koch, D’77, GD’93 Madeline Monaco, Phd, MS, MEd Haruo Morita Vincent Mosimann Joan O’Shea, MD Daniel W. Perkins Lewis E. Proffitt, D’73, WG’80 Garry Rayant, GD’77 Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD Tony Saito, D’95 Ken Serota David Tai-Man Shen, DMD, D’79, GD’81, Power of Penn Dental Medicine Campaign Co-Chair Alfred L. Spencer, Jr. David S. Tarica, D’83 Larry L. Turner, Esq. Robert Zou, WG’94

Beth Adams Director of Publications

Ex Officio Members Martin D. Levin, D’72, GD’74, Chair, Dean’s Council Eric Spieler, D’84, President, Alumni Society

DEAN’S COUNCIL Martin D. Levin, D’72, GD’74, Chair Robert Brody, C’80, D’84 Egidio Farone, D’84 Charlene Jennings Fenster, DH’75 Joseph Fiorellini, DMD, DMSc Howard P. Fraiman, D’91, GD’93, GD’94 Joseph E. Gian-Grasso, C’67, D’71 Jeffrey Grove, D’04 Elliot Hersh, DMD, MS, PhD Anil J. Idiculla, C’98, GD’06 Brian Lee, D’00, GD’04 Susan Lee, D’72 Saul M. Pressner, D’79 Howard Rosa, D’82 Louis Rossman, D’75, GD’77 Gail E. Schupak, D’83 Tara Sexton, D’88 Robert M. Stern, D’87 Susan Stern, C’77, D’81 Arnold Weisgold, GD’65

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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 Universityadministered 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).

Dr. Faizan Alawi Associate Professor, Basic & Translational Sciences Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Dr. Markus Blatz Professor of Restorative Dentistry Chair, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences Corky Cacas Director of Admissions Sarah Burton Flynn Director of Strategic Development & Alumni Relations Maren Gaughan Associate Dean for Leadership Giving Dr. Joan Gluch Division Chief and Professor of Clinical Community Oral Health, Associate Dean for Academic Policies Dr. Dana Graves Professor, Department of Periodontics Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship Elizabeth Ketterlinus Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement Dr. Robert Ricciardi Professor, Acting Chair, Department of Basic & Translational Sciences Susan Schwartz Director of Career Services Dr. Thomas Sollecito Professor of Oral Medicine Chair, Department of Oral Medicine

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Elizabeth Ketterlinus, ekett@upenn.edu Vice Dean of Institutional Advancement Maren Gaughan, gaughan@upenn.edu Associate Dean for Leadership Giving Sarah Burton Flynn, sburton@upenn.edu Director of Strategic Development & Alumni Relations Lindsay Murphy, lhonzak@upenn.edu Assistant Director of Annual Giving Megan Connolly, megcon@upenn.edu Assistant Director of Development & Alumni Relations Events Yarrow Randall, yrandall@upenn.edu Development Assistant Beth Adams, adamsnb@upenn.edu Director, Publications Pam Rice, pamrice@upenn.edu Director of Continuing Education Shaunna Lee, shaunna@upenn.edu Continuing Education Program Manager Delanie Wampler, wdelanie@upenn.edu Continuing Education & Communications Administrative Assistant Office of Institutional Advancement: 215–898–8951

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