2022 Spring Newsletter

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4

Off the Cusp Spring Issue - March 2022

Bloom where you are planted.

CONTENT: Powder Days Hobbies Are Good for Your Mental Health and Make You a Better Dentist Life Lessons I’ve Learned From Crocheting How to Have a Green Thumb 5 Personal Benefits of Community Service Dopamine Detox Good Versus Great Patient-Centered Care Tips From a Former Dental Assistant Dental Spanish Terminology A Letter to My Past Self Driving Nowhere Recipe: Empanadas De Pollo Recipe: Pasta E Carbonara Recipe: Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry

Spring is quickly approaching us, along with warmer weather, longer days, and blossoming flowers.

This season is often seen as a time for growth. Let us use this time to reflect on how much we have grown in the past year, whether it be in our knowledge, hand skills, or as a person.

Despite the importance of continuing to strive to grow, we must also remember to take a break to recharge. We can do so by hitting the slopes, going on hikes, or even attending music festivals.

1

2

GET INVOLVED WITH ASDA!

ASDA Chapter Executive Council

Priscilla Leung President

Richelle Castro Vice President

Maddy Tucker Secretary

Ashley Hillock Treasurer

Peter Dang Legislative Liason

ASDA Chapter Board Members

Sharon Su Communications

Amanda Le Blog

Callie Gilbert Historian

Emily Finkbinder Social

Teresa Vu Newsletter

Mady Harris Social

Shiva Naicker Vendor Relations

Jemima Varughese Historian

Sameem Norooz Cultural

Diana Zhen Vendor Relations

Marisa Estipona Pre-Dental

Laura Le Fundraising

Tara Le Health & Wellness

Jody Chiang Community Outreach

Ella Cruz Oral Cancer

Kyle Koch Health & Wellness

3

ASDA National Leaders

Jonathan Wong ASDA District 10 Trustee

Priscilla Leung Council on Membership Chair

Shalini Namathirtham Council on Communications Associate

ASDA District Leaders

Olivia Kalloo Advocacy Co-Chair

Tapasya Gurumurthy Community Outreach Co-Chair

Heather Trinh Newsletter Editor

4

Richelle Castro Conference Chair

Mady Harris Wellness Co-Chair

ASDA Committee Members Community Outreach Hannah Robins, 2023 Erika Karjalahti, 2024 Kyle Howard, 2024 Carol Lee, 2024 Philip Conte, 2025 Gia Le, 2025

Fundraising

Newsletter

Pre-Dental

Erum Rahman, 2023

Sarah Badawi, 2025 Priscilla Marin, 2025

Alexis Marella, 2025 Allyson Hollenbeck, 2025 Claire Reilly, 2025 Ingrid Feder, 2025 Isabella Augustine, 2025 Kade Janes, 2025 Sam Melnitsky, 2025 Sara Qualls, 2025 Jeffrey Tanner Baird, 2025

Reeya Shrestha, 2023 Tanisha Khurana, 2023 Qirrat Aamir, 2023

Historian Kavina Patel, 2025

Cultural Jason Jeon, 2024 Lindsay Chou, 2024 Taroniar Sevathas, 2025 Jobanpreet Singh, 2025 Moneka Erian, 2025 Carlo Lara, 2025 Jesal Patel, 2025

Katie Besson, 2025

Legislative William Kay, 2024 Lavinya Yap, 2025 Allyson Hollenbeck, 2025

Oral Cancer Adam Robbins, 2023 Ben Raymond, 2024 Amir Faraji, 2025

Social Nisha Mody, 2025 Tejasvi Singh, 2025

Vendor Maanik Agarwal, 2025 April Watts, 2025

5

Editor's Note And just like that, the final newsletter of my term as Editor-In-Chief is complete. How fitting is it that this is also the longest Off The Cusp in the history of our school ASDA chapter?

38 pages. That's a lot of content. When I came to dental school, I never would have thought that I would be able to use skills learned from my Honors Creative Writing certificate and experience as a writer for Spark Magazine, but here I am, four quality newsletters later, and I feel nothing but gratitude.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the newsletter this past year: the writers, the newsletter committee, the ASDA Executive Board, and you — the readers. You make Roseman a creative space. And I hope your creativity will continue to bloom forever. Never stop expressing yourself.

Sincerely,

Teresa Vu Roseman ASDA Newsletter Chair and Editor-In-Chief

Editing Team

Sarah Badawi, 2025

6

Priscilla Marin, 2025

Table of Contents Powder Days............................................................................................................................................8-9 Hobbies Are Good for Your Mental Health and Make You a Better Dentist.......................10-11 Life Lessons I’ve Learned From Crocheting.................................................................................12-13 How to Have a Green Thumb.........................................................................................................14-19 5 Personal Benefits of Community Service..................................................................................20-21 Dopamine Detox................................................................................................................................22-23 Good Versus Great............................................................................................................................24-25 Patient-Centered Care......................................................................................................................26-27 Tips From a Former Dental Assistant............................................................................................28-29 Dental Spanish Terminology...........................................................................................................30-31 A Letter to My Past Self.....................................................................................................................32-33 Driving Nowhere.......................................................................................................................................34 Recipe: Empanadas De Pollo.................................................................................................................35 Recipe: Pasta E Carbonara.....................................................................................................................36 Recipe: Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry...................................................................................................37

7

POWDER DAYS Jeffery Toschi, 2024 Growing up in California, snow was always at least a six-hour drive for me. But skiing was such a huge part of my childhood, and some of my best memories are ones with my family and friends on the slopes. When I moved to Utah, I knew that skiing would once again become a big part of my life in the winter season. It’s amazing to be able to ski on the weekends and even sometimes after class on the weekdays since the mountains are only a half-hour drive from school.

There are two main passes that our classmates tend to get for the snow season: Ikon and Epic.

You can't go wrong with either, so my recommendations would be to get the Ikon Pass if you want to ski at Solitude, Brighton, Snowbird, Deer Valley, and my home ski mountain, Squaw Valley/Alpine (now known as Palisades in California), and to get the Epic Pass if you want to ski in Park City and Vail in Colorado, which is an awesome mountain to visit if you're taking a weekend trip.

I, personally, have purchased the Ikon pass for the last two years and it has been an absolute blast skiing the mountains with all my classmates. Getting good at skiing takes time, though, so if you are a beginner, I would recommend taking lessons or having some generous friends come out with you and teach you the ropes. Going on a difficult run before you're ready can result in injuries.

As for equipment, you can either buy or rent them. A lot of classmates purchased gear when they first moved out here, and if that's what you want to do, I recommend going to Utah Ski Gear in Sandy. Everyone there is so helpful and they have awesome deals on used equipment. If you want to take this route, start looking for gear in August even though it seems early because a lot of the good used stuff will sell out quickly.

8

Out of all the ski resorts, I love Brighton and Snowbird best.

Brighton is a great place to start because it has a run for everyone. The mountain is easier to navigate for beginners than some other resorts, and it also has a fair share of more difficult slopes and fun terrain parks for those who want to try new tricks.

Snowbird is a massive mountain, and because of its large size, you can avoid the crowds if you know your way around the mountain. I especially love Mineral Basin for the scenery and snow. Additionally, Snowbird has the MidGad Restaurant located mid-mountain, and it's is always fun to stop by and grab a bite to eat there.

I hope to see all of Roseman out on the slopes at least once on a POWDER DAY.

9

HOBBIES ARE GOOD FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND MAKE YOU A BETTER DENTIST Amanda Le, 2024 Whether or not it is healthy, I derive a lot of my self-worth from achievements. However, four years is a long time to wait for another degree, and I need my validation fix or else I will feel very bad about myself. That is why I tend to gravitate toward activities that allow me to create things. Completing a task with my own hands that results in a tangible product gives me a fleeting feeling of satisfaction, just enough to keep me motivated and stave off the existential dread.

Perhaps you are like this, too. I truly think that hobbyist personalities dominate the dental profession because nearly everyone I have met here at Roseman has a cool and niche passion of some sort (and I mean passion, not just casual interest). I think there is something about love for jargon, erudite discussions, and highly technical skill-building that makes hobbyists pretty decent dentists. It absolutely blows my mind the kinds of hobbies that my peers are experts in (sailing, fishing, drag racing, fashion, house plants, insects, painting, photography, ceramics, martial arts, mountaineering, and every type of Etsy side hustle, just to name a few). It has truly been such a privilege and pleasure to get to know people on a personal level and listen to them talk about their passions because I know how much dedication it takes to reach that level of expertise — the late nights doing research, reading forums, watching YouTube videos, and of course, the physical practice and experience required to push someone beyond the beginner phase.

10

Personally, I couldn’t bring most of my hobbies with me to dental school, and the new hobbies I want to try just aren’t practical to start at this time either. The ones I can indulge in, though, are cooking and baking. Not only is it incredibly cathartic to produce something with my hands, but I am also making nourishing sustenance for myself (and to share).

However, even though I love to cook, it can still be a chore to do day in and day out, so I try to treat it like a hobby when I can.

When I get inspired by something I’ve seen, I do research and find a bunch of different recipes, pick apart how the ingredients and methodology actually work, then envision my own process. Even failing is fun. Making a dish multiple times, each time incrementally approximating my vision of the ideal version of that dish, is my absolute favorite part of cooking. Even with baking, I rarely follow a single recipe as written. By experimenting using my own intuition, I end up with something that I feel is uniquely mine, which is even more gratifying.

In a hyper-curated digital world, it is easy to feel sad and incompetent, even though you as a student in professional school are achieving much more than the average person. If you are a task-oriented person who sometimes struggles with the pace and structure of dental school, consider picking up or returning to a creative hobby. You may find that just building or making something neat for yourself can deeply soothe your soul after a frustrating day of dentistry, more so than lying in bed at 2 AM scrolling through an endless feed of radioactive veneers and Photoshopped waistlines on expensive vacations. What do I know, though? Maybe if you just purchased that gummy supplement subscription box you could be perfect, too.

11

12

Life Lessons I’ve Learned From Crocheting TERESA VU, 2024

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. Ducks are my favorite animals, so when I saw an adorable amigurumi duck pattern show up on my Instagram explore page a few months ago, I added "learn how to crochet" to my list of new year's resolutions. It has been one month since I've made my first amigurumi duck, and my crafting journey has pleasantly surprised me. I knew that crocheting would be fun, rewarding, and stress-relieving, but little did I know that my newfound hobby would also teach me three important lessons about life.

You can find joy in the oddest places.

One day, class had ended early, so I decided to go to JOANN Fabric and Crafts to pick up some safety eyes. I found what I was looking for, but to my excitement, I also saw that yarn was on sale. All sorts of colors, weights, and fiber types — at a discounted price! I didn’t have a shopping cart since I had intended to only buy the safety eyes, so I resorted to carrying three huge skeins of super bulky yarn myself. As I struggled to not drop them, a laugh escaped me. I looked ridiculous. I thought to myself: how did I get to a point in my life where discounted yarn filled me with excitement and joy? I Snapchatted my boyfriend, informing him that I had officially become a grandma. Snapchatting me an amused smile back, he replied that it was a good thing. And you know what? It really was a good thing, because life is already stressful and scary and full of uncertainty, so the more places I can find joy, the better. When you open yourself to new experiences, life becomes a lot more fun.

Strive for progress, not perfection.

This is something I heard a lot in the self-help section of the internet, but it wasn’t something I fully embraced until I had a skein of Bernat Forever Fleece Yarn in my lap and an 8 mm crochet hook in my hand. The first night I attempted to crochet, I spent three hours just trying to create a magic ring. I concentrated so hard that I even got lightheaded. Two Advil tablets later, I realized that demanding perfection right off the bat would ultimately lead to anxiety, a fear of failure, and overall unhappiness. I decided to reframe my mindset: progress was the goal — not perfection. Once I made this distinction, my crochet journey became much more enjoyable. The self-imposed pressure disappeared completely, and I became proud of everything I had created. So proud, in fact, that I gave everything a name. There’s Popplio (my first finished project, a stuffed ball), Egg (a stuffed ball with safety eyes placed too superiorly on it), and Cloud (an adorable blue amigurumi duck that I’m gifting to my boyfriend). As someone who has always been hard on herself (call it Catholic guilt), prioritizing growth and allowing myself to make mistakes has made a profound difference in my life.

Be kind, and do things in love.

Unsurprisingly, the crochet community is full of very nice people. Join the r/crochet subreddit and you’ll see what I mean. No matter the skill level of the crafter or the intricacy of the project, everyone is always hyping each other up.

Kim-Joy Hewlett, Season 9 finalist of the Great British Bake Off, said that “people who bake always tend to be fundamentally nice people because the very act of baking is preparing something for other people to enjoy.” I argue that it’s the same with crocheting. Crafters spend a lot of time handmaking items for their friends, family, and significant others. It took me a whole weekend to finish making Cloud, and I’m currently in the process of crocheting my dad an amigurumi duck (he wants it to be yellow and have a red heart on its belly). There is joy in making something from nothing, and that joy is heightened when it’s intended for someone you love.

13

14

How to Have a Green Thumb ANGELO

MANIEGO,

2023

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many people started to develop new hobbies to keep themselves sane and occupied. I have a friend back home who started making his own hot sauce, an uncle that got into carpentry, and I for one got into plants. It was not intentional, and as a matter of fact, I initially wanted to learn how to play the guitar. I even picked one up at the Guitar Center right before we were forced to quarantine and attend Zoom University. Then, one day while I was watching YouTube for guitar tutorials, I noticed my apartment could use some plants. I started with an overpriced succulent box from a local nursery and a few common household plants such as a snake plant, monstera, and fiddle leaf. I did what every person probably would do: use Google and YouTube to research plant care tips. There were some ups and downs along the way but overall, I was able to learn the foundation of being able to grow plants indoors. I currently live with over 50 plants in my 750 sq. ft. apartment. Since springtime is right around the corner, more and more plants will be sold at your local big box stores and nurseries. Here I will provide the dos and don’ts of plant purchasing, some helpful tips on propagating, and repotting.

Before you start purchasing plants, I recommend evaluating your home which area provides the best natural light. My apartment has south and west-facing windows which provide natural light the entire day. If you live in a dungeon, you can still own plants, but make sure to purchase a good grow light. The cheapest grow lights I found are from Amazon. I also recommend keeping your home at a constant comfortable temperature. There is a lot of research on what exactly is the ideal temperature for plants, but I say that if you’re comfortable, then your plants probably are, too. Furthermore, invest in a humidifier. A typical home averages about 30% humidity, but tropical plants are used to a much higher humidity level and thus will grow more successfully if you invest in a humidifier. I currently have mine set at 65% since anything above that turns my apartment into a rainforest.

15

Now that you’ve assessed your home, it’s time to make that plant purchase. Big-box stores such as Home Depot are notorious for having pests, so just be aware of any bugs that are currently or may be living in it. Inspect for spider webs from spider mites, chewed up leaves, and just anything that crawls. This will prevent you from having the headache of removing these when you get home. Plant nurseries are my preference since they take better care of plants in general. A great local plant nursery is Cactus & Tropicals, located in Salt Lake City and Draper. As soon as you take the plants home, I recommend giving them a light shower to remove any unwanted pests and dust. I use a preventative pest control spray that consists of neem oil, organic detergent, and fungal solution.

Every time I water my plants in the shower, I spray my plants with this solution, and I’ve been pest free ever since.

You can also purchase a premade plant pest control at any store that has a nursery.

16

When and how to water your plants varies on the type of plant and the soil it is in. The rule of thumb is either to use your finger or a wooden skewer to see if the soil is moist or dry. Assess your plant for the next month to see how long it takes for the soil to get dry. The most common issue new plant owners have is overwatering. If you are known to do this, then maybe repot your plant into a soil that allows more drainage such as a cactus soil mix since it retains less water. It’ll take some time for your plants to adapt in your home, so be patient. If you follow the steps I provided above and go do a bit of your research, I think you’ll do great. A great resource is the Planta app, which tells you how often to water and fertilize based on your plant, pot size, soil type, etc.

For those plant owners who have not tried propagating, I’d like to share some tips and tricks that you may find useful. The easiest plants that I found to propagate are trailing plants such as pothos, monstera adonsonii (AKA swiss cheese plant), and philodendron micans. All you need to propagate is a sharp pair of knives or scissors, a container to put them in, and find a place that provides a lot of indirect light.

First, pick a healthy plant that could use a trim. I usually propagate most of my trailing plants when they start hitting the floor or looking uneven. The first step is locating the node on the plant you are propagating. If you’re unsure where the node is on your plant, do a quick google search, but for a majority of plants, the node is located where the leaves are growing from.

The second step is what type of media you’d like to propagate. Some plant owners use perlite, sphagnum moss, or — my personal favorite — water since it’s free. Fill the container of your choice with room temperature tap water.

Any container will do, but make sure it’s clean since it may affect the growth of your propagation. Next, check that the water level is enough to make sure the node is submerged. If the node is not in contact with water, it will not form new roots.

Lastly, place them in an area with good lighting. I personally don’t like putting them too close to the window since algae formation starts to develop, so I’ve been using my kitchen island as my propagation station with grow lights above that I turn on 12 hours per day.

17

On average, root development in water typically takes about a month depending on the species and the health of the plant you are propagating. To make sure the plant is healthy, I recommend replacing all your propagations with fresh water as frequently as you can to provide oxygen. A light rinse under the sink should help remove dust that’s collected on the leaves as well as other debris that may form on the roots. But be careful with the roots since they are very sensitive, and any damage may stunt their growth.

The rule of thumb I have when a cutting is ready to be potted is at least 1-2 inches of root development.

Depending on the plant you are propagating, potting typically requires a different type of moisture level on the media you will be using. The best media I prefer after I propagate is Leca clay pellets. It’s in the category of semihydroponics where you use clay round pellets alternative to soil since it's very porous and absorbs moisture.

With this method, I’m able to control how much fertilizer I’m adding, and I can actually see when I need to water my plants. You’ll need to purchase a bag of fertilizer for hydroponics (I like using Maxigrow). Adding a bit of this fertilizer in a 1-gallon water jug will last you a long time depending on how many plants you’re watering. With any propagation, I usually do a gradual switch from water to fertilized water.

18

Potting with Leca is a lot cleaner, free from pests, and a lot easier to control the nutrition your plant needs to thrive. But before you pot with Leca, do a quick rinse in a large container to remove the clay dust that might have collected. Some people like to let the Leca sit in water for 24 hours, but I don’t think it’s necessary. You can use any container to pot with Leca, such as an old mason jar or a pot with no drainage hole. If you plan on using some type of glassware, just be aware that when it’s time to repot the plant, you might need to break it since the roots end up sticking to the glass and pulling your plant out of it could damage or kill the plant. More recently, I’ve been using old nursery pots and placing them in a decorative pot.

Just like any other plants, when you repot, place some Leca on the floor of the nursery pot 1/3 of the way. Place your plant in the center and fill it up to your desired amount. I typically fill up the pot with water at the line where the roots are and slowly transition from a water environment to a semi-water environment. A week or two later, slowly integrate the fertilized water but now keep it at a level 1/3 of the size of the container. Your plant will slowly adjust and grow new roots to find the water source. After a few weeks or a month, you’ll start seeing new leaves forming if you’ve been maintaining the plant properly. Make sure to continue rinsing your plants and the container its in. If its in a closed container just do a weekly or bi-weekly rinse and drain. If you’re using a nursery pot, you can rinse the entire pot and replace the fertilized water it currently has. Do not over fertilize since it might shock your plant; just follow the instructions on the label of whichever fertilizer you are using and cut that in half.

One last tip that I found helpful is to join a Facebook plant group in your area. People will share common issues they have with their current plants and how they resolved them. You may also find cheaper plants on those plant groups since a lot do sell cuttings for a lot cheaper price compared to purchasing an entire plant from the stores.

I hope you found this article useful. Thanks for reading, and happy planting!

19

5 Personal Benefits of Community Service Jody Chiang, 2024

Some people will wince when they hear the words “volunteer” and “community service.” The idea of unpaid work for the betterment of their community without any form of compensation may seem like a burden or a huge obligation, but little do those people know they are actually missing out on an opportunity for social development and personal growth.

I started my community service journey in high school, hoping to collect volunteer hours to apply to college. Though at first, it was a necessity for college, I found personal fulfillment and my passion for working with others. Here are my 5 reasons why community outreach can be beneficial for you.

1. Allows you to improve your social skills and intentionality - Volunteering at a community service event pushes you to engage and interact with others. Oftentimes, you will meet people for the first time and will want to leave a good first impression, so socializing with new people will give you an opportunity to practice intentionality. It’s never a good feeling when someone asks you a question and then you realize they're not listening to your answer.

Being purposeful and present are meaningful attributes for health care providers in particular because practicing active listening is very useful when providing personalized treatment for patients.

2. Allows you to practice beneficence - As future healthcare providers, we have a responsibility to do good for people and the community. Volunteering your free time is an act of beneficence that not only gives you personal satisfaction but it also impacts the community in a positive way. Additionally, having the willingness to volunteer sets an example for others to follow your steps, which engages more people to volunteer in the community as well.

20

3. Allows you to practice time and stress management - Making time to volunteer allows you to practice being more organized and also manage time and stress. From personal experience, I learned how to manage my schedule by creating a structured calendar and completing small tasks ahead of time. I recommend setting up a weekly calendar and creating a to-do list for the day, so you can have a more efficient schedule ahead of time.

4. Raises your empathy and social awareness of issues involving the community - Getting involved in volunteer events allows you to learn about the vulnerable populations living in that community. Having experience in this type of work makes you more socially aware of others and can be extremely beneficial when you are getting to know a patient personally.

This is also a way to experience empathy and see things from other people’s significant perspectives by treating patients with patient-centered care.

5. Gives you the opportunity to meet new people and diversify social encounters - Through volunteering, you will get to meet new people and learn about them! At volunteer events, you are put in a situation where you could be working with people from completely different backgrounds. This will bring social awareness and diversify your encounters with people, which is extremely beneficial as a future healthcare professional.

21

Dopamine Detox Shalini Namathirtham, 2023

How many of us can confidentially say that we have never struggled with procrastination and motivation? Even though many of us are nearing almost two decades of schooling, we still struggle with discipline from time to time. As an introspective person, I like to research topics like these and figure out why I am the way I am, and I found some interesting things about the science behind motivation. Have you ever heard of the term dopamine detox? I am sure you know about the effects of dopamine on the brain, but have you ever made the connection of its effects on almost all your decisions throughout the day?

The problems I was trying to solve were procrastination, lack of motivation, and discipline. I wondered how this became a bigger issue as I grew older and why it was something that I rarely experienced as a kid. The answer was quite simple. As I grew older, I found more ways to obtain a dopamine hit. For example, social media is one of the biggest distractors that I’ve encountered in my adult life. Why do we scroll for so long when it really seems to provide no significant benefit to us?

It has to do with dopamine. We all know dopamine to be the pleasure molecule, but in fact, it can be better understood as the desire molecule. Any activity that you anticipate giving you a rewarding feeling whether it be sugar, money, love, or humor releases dopamine. Eventually, this release in dopamine is what makes you desire that activity in the future. The highest dopamine release occurs when you get rewarded randomly. This answers the question of why scrolling on social media is so addicting: it is the best random reward system that is easily available to us, rewarding us with humor and novelty periodically.

22

How can we resolve this altered dopamine release caused by being randomly rewarded?

According to my research, the answer is a dopamine detox. Just like a detox before you start a diet, our mind needs a detox from these high-release activities to reach homeostasis.

Cutting out our favorite guilty pleasures for at least one day a week will help make a mindset shift. Embracing boredom and focusing on tasks like exercise, meditation, and learning will help us to start enjoying the simpler things in life, simply because there is nothing else to do.

Looking at the most boring tasks in a more optimistic light can transform those tasks into habits eventually.

Things that are seemingly harmless like comfort food, video games, and social media are changing our brain physiology and affecting all parts of our life whether we see the effects or not. So, reflect on what your major distractors are, and how they are affecting your real longterm goals. I suggest starting with a mini dopamine detox and slowly incorporating these high dopamine release activities into an end-of-the-day reward rather than partaking in them throughout the day. It is not about banning all forms of entertainment but learning how to optimize their usage.

23

Good versus Great Jonathan Wong, 2022

While the difference may be subtle, there is a lot to say between being good and great. “A good dentist may make a living, but a great dentist makes a difference.” Dr. Cesar Sabates, President of the American Dental Association, said these words at the beginning of our American Student Dental Association Annual Session meeting this past February. After hearing him speak, it made me take a step back and re-evaluate the work we do in our student clinics and the work we will do in the future as dentists.

While working in the clinic, you may hear from fellow classmates, upperclassmen, and faculty that we have to learn how to be faster and more efficient with our work. While this is true, there’s a caveat to consider. Although it’s vital to our livelihoods to be efficient, it should not come at the expense of putting our patient’s needs and concerns first. I’ll be the first to admit that many so-called “simple appointments” have run long because I spent a little too much time listening to my patients’ concerns and general life updates. Taking this time makes my patients feel that they are being taken care of as a whole, instead of just their oral health needs, and with this extra information, I can provide more individualized care.

While we have much to learn from our attending faculty and fellow classmates, we have as much to learn, if not more, from our patients themselves. Let your patients teach you how to best care for them. As you may already know from your own patient interactions, through team meeting discussions, or just conversations with your classmates, no two people are the same and some have very unique needs and concerns. By taking the time to learn from your patients, you’ll be much better prepared to treat a wider variety of people.

24

I would like to challenge each of you reading this to weave in a few extra moments to connect with your patients without compromising on the quality of the care you provide.

Allow these moments to become a natural part of your patient interactions and make it an enjoyable part of your appointments for you and your patients and the both of you will appreciate each other even more.

At the end of the Annual Session, I came to a realization similar to that of Dr. Sabates. Treat your patients as people and they will see you as a great dentist and a great person. A good dentist can deal with fillings, but a great dentist can deal with feelings.

25

Patient-Centered Care VICTORIA JUSTUS, 2023 One reason many dentists and dental students choose our profession is that it's a peopleoriented job. Most dentists like people, and we care about our patients. Keeping patients comfortable is a natural extension of this. When patients are comfortable, they are more relaxed, and their dental experience is more positive. They also develop a personal loyalty to the practice.

As a patient, visiting the dentist can be extremely overwhelming. From sharing your medical history with strangers, to having a big machine rotate around your head while you’re told not to move an inch, to having someone you’ve never met potentially finding some of your lunch left behind at 4.5x magnification. It’s easy for patients to feel judged or embarrassed by their oral health. As dentists, it’s our job to not only take care of the patient’s dental needs, but to a certain degree, we help manage their emotional and psychological needs as well.

In order for a patient to feel comfortable, they must trust in the team providing their care, and this begins with building a relationship with the patient. The new patient interview is critical to building this relationship. Why is the patient here? What are their goals? Are they concerned with esthetics or functionality? What type of dental experiences have they had in the past? What can I do to make assure the patient’s needs are met?

When a new patient comes into the 4th-floor clinic for a comprehensive exam, we go through a medical history questionnaire with the patient. However, many students do not take the time to go through the dental history. When we skip over dental history, we are missing half the story and we aren’t delivering patient-centered care.

26

Here are a few tips that I believe will help students when interviewing new patients:

Listening is key.

The patient will tell you what they need. All you must do is listen. So often we are quick to bombard the patient with what we think they want to hear, and we don’t take the time to truly listen to what they are telling us. Ask open-ended questions to invite the patient to share information. For example: “Tell me what you would want to change most about your smile.”

Talk in a language the patient understands There are certain instances when patients want to know every detail of what we are presenting, but often patients are looking for three things when it comes to dental treatment: Does it look good?

Does it feel good?

Will it last a long time?

It’s important to be clear and concise and to use dialogue that fits the patient’s life. For example, metaphors are helpful: “A tooth is a lot like a tire on a car. When a tire has a hole, we can only patch it so many times before it blows out. Your tooth is the same way. It has been patched in the past, but the patch isn’t holding up, and now the tooth needs a crown.”

Use visual aids When a patient leaves the office confused about their dental needs, it is unlikely that they will return for future care. When a patient feels intimidated, it can be difficult for them to ask questions. One way to assure that our patients truly understand what is going on is to use visual aids. Many offices have physical models of things like bridges and implants, so patients can get an idea of what these things look like and how they work. We may not have access to these things here at school, but the internet is a beautiful thing! Just showing a patient a couple of photos of the treatment we are proposing can go a long way.

The bottom line here is trust. When the dentist-patient relationship is built on the foundation of trust, we are able to deliver patient-centered care and the patient will remain loyal to the practice for a lifetime.

27

CREATING A MEANINGFUL PATIENT EXPERIENCE Allyson Hollenbeck, 2025 Prior to the start of dental school, I had the opportunity to assist at a general dentistry practice. While my time as an assistant was short-lived, I learned countless lessons on creating a positive patient experience that I strive to continue to build upon in the clinic today. I have to admit, coming from an environment where I assisted a dentist that had been practicing for well over a decade to now assisting students who are learning everything for the first time took some adjusting for me. As a D1, I can hardly fathom all the stress that is soon to come when I begin performing procedures on live patients.

There are so many overwhelming factors to consider such as adapting my sim clinic skills to the clinic, working with precision and accuracy, and completing the appointment in a timely manner. However, it is important to realize that despite all this, our patients' well-being should always come first. Below are tips I learned from my time assisting that we can use to create meaningful experiences for our patients.

Set aside 1-2 minutes at the beginning of each appointment to get to know/catch up with your patient.

Always begin your appointment by introducing yourself, then take a minute or so to get to know your patient. By showing a genuine interest in your patients, you help them feel heard and begin to develop that relational trust. There is an art to small talk and it takes some practice, but you’ll eventually get the hang of it. You can always talk about weekend plans and/or the weather, but a personal favorite is, “It is so nice to meet you, have you always lived in Utah?”This question allows you to talk about your hometown, learn about their travels, or hear more about Utah. Every second counts in dentistry so be sure to keep track of your time. If your conversation starts going past your allotted 1-2 minutes, don’t be afraid to cut it short and transition the conversation into an introduction of what you will be doing for the patient that day.

28

Be aware of your nonverbal communication.

Positive body language is essential in the field of dentistry and can help calm a patient's dental anxiety.

Through eye contact, posture, and facial expressions, we can relay compassion and understanding to our patients. Especially when there is a language barrier between you and your patient, be aware that your nonverbal communication becomes so much more impactful. As a rule of thumb, if your patient has a translator, look and speak to your patient rather than the translator.

Communicate to your patient what you are doing.

Sitting in the dental chair and not knowing what is about to happen can cause a lot of nerves for a patient. Try your best to always announce each thing that you are doing before you do it. This helps your patients better feel that they have autonomy over what's happening. Here are just a few examples of how you might do this: “I am going to lift your chair up," “I am going to go grab the doctor so he can take a look at my progress,” and “I am going to rinse your mouth with some water.”

Be mindful of dental terminology when speaking to patients.

Practice phrasing each dental procedure in a way your patients will understand. It is your obligation to relay information in a comprehensive way when presenting a treatment plan and/or stating what procedure you will be performing that day. For example, instead of telling the patient which tooth number you will be working on, pull a mirror out and show them. Additionally, be aware of any dental terminology that could potentially concern your patient. My office had a general rule where we tried our best to not say the words “x-ray” or “radiograph.” Instead, we told patients that we would be taking some pictures of their teeth.

29

Dental Spanish Terminology

MADELINE HARRIS (2023) AND PRISCILLA MARIN (2025)

HELLO, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? HOLA, ¿CÓMO ESTÁ USTED HOY?

PLEASE CLOSE YOUR MOUTH POR FAVOR, CIERRE LA BOCA

DO YOU HAVE ANY PAIN? ¿TIENE DOLOR?

PLEASE BITE DOWN POR FAVOR, MUERDA

WHAT BRINGS YOU INTO THE CLINIC TODAY? ¿QUE ES LA RAZÓN DE QUE VIENE A LA CLINICA?

TURN YOUR HEAD TO THE LEFT/RIGHT MUEVE LA CABEZA A LA IZQUIERDA/A LA DERECHA

ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY? ¿HAY CAMBIOS EN SU HISTORIAL MÉDICO?

TOOTHBRUSH EL CEPILLO DE DIENTES

CAN YOU FEEL THIS? ¿PUEDE SENTIR ESTO? HOW DOES YOUR TOOTH FEEL NOW, DOES IT FEEL BACK TO NORMAL? (FOR AFTER FINISHING AND POLISHING A RESTORATION FOR EXAMPLE) ¿CÓMO SE SIENTE SU DIENTE (LA MUELA) AHORA? SE SIENTE NORMAL? HOW OFTEN DO YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH? ¿QUÉ FRECUENTE SE CEPILLA LOS DIENTES? HOW OFTEN DO YOU FLOSS? ¿QUÉ FRECUENTE USA EL HILO DENTAL? DO YOU BLEED WHEN YOU FLOSS? ¿SANGRA CUANDO USA EL HILO DENTAL? PLEASE OPEN YOUR MOUTH POR FAVOR, ABRE LA BOCA

TOOTHPASTE LA PASTA DE DIENTES FLOSS EL HILO DENTAL MOUTHWASH EL ENJUAGUE BUCAL TOOTH EL DIENTE (LOS DIENTES) FOR ANTERIOR TEETH AND LA MUELA (LAS MUELAS) FOR MOLARS GUMS LAS ENCÍAS TONGUE LA LENGUA CHEEK EL CACHETE THROAT LA GARGANTA

30

CLEANING LA LIMPIEZA

MORNING LA MAÑANA

SRP LA LIMPIEZA PROFUNDA

AFTERNOON LA TARDE

RESTORATION RESTAURACION

THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF BLEEDING HAY UN POCO DE SANGRE

FILLING UN RELLENO

THERE IS A LOT OF BLEEDING HAY MUCHA SANGRE

ROOT CANAL LA ENDODONCIA

ANESTHESIA LA ANESTESIA

CROWN LA CORONA

IBUPROFEN EL IBUPROFENO

BRIDGE EL PUENTE

ACETAMINOPHEN EL ACETAMINOFENO

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE GRACIAS POR SU PACIENCIA

AMALGAM LA AMALGAMA

I’M GOING TO CHECK THE HEALTH OF YOUR GUMS VOY A EXAMINAR LA SALUD DE LAS ENCÍAS

COMPOSITE EL COMPUESTO DENTAL

STUDENT EL ESTUDIANTE (MALE)/ LA ESTUDIANTE (FEMALE)

HOW TO DESCRIBE AMALGAM VERSUS COMPOSITE LA AMALGAMA ES DE METAL Y EL COMPUESTO ES DE RESINA. EL COMPUESTO ES DEL MISMO COLOR DEL DIENTE Y EL COLOR DE LA AMALGAMA ES SIMILAR A LA PLATA

DOCTOR EL DOCTOR/LA DOCTORA DENTIST EL/LA DENTISTA

31

A Letter to My Past Self Marisa Estipona, 2025

Dear (Pre-Dental Student) Marisa, Can you believe that it has been one year since you received that call from Roseman? You received your first interview from Roseman in January. Do you remember when you thought that you bombed that interview because you rambled during the first question that Dr. Cheever asked you? Because of those first 1-2 minutes of your interview, you thought that you didn’t make the cut and dejectedly stayed in your bedroom all weekend. But little did you know that you would receive that (801) call in less than a week. You had just gotten back home from dropping off your sister at school and mama at work and your phone began to ring. You will let that phone ring a few times before picking up and hearing Dr. Harman on the other line. Tears will naturally flow then you will look for where that darn tissue box was at last.

It’s going to be difficult to leave your family in California and move to a foreign place like Utah. But your newly made friends here will make that transition easier and even enjoyable. I know that you have always been very strict with yourself whether you were working or studying and didn’t give yourself a chance to freely enjoy yourself. Always thinking and worrying about your family and others. Now that you are here in Utah, give yourself a chance to breathe. Experience new things that you would have never imagined to have experienced. Make decisions that will bring you happiness and not others. Be willing to take healthy risks in order to live the life that you want.

32

There will be a point in your first year of dental school when you will doubt yourself. You will question your capabilities, your leadership, and your character. You will wonder how you even got into dental school. You seem to do this too often, Marisa (SMH). Know that your experiences and character are valued and learn to give yourself more credit. You are capable of way more than you can imagine and you should never forget that. With your determination and the support of your family and friends, you can do anything you put your heart and mind to.

Now I’m a D1 at Roseman, having made the best decision of my life. I have gone ziplining, river tubing, visited art exhibits, went snow tubing, visited ice castles, gotten my car towed, visited a haunted factory for the first time, practiced a few restorations on my typodont, watched a concert, cooked edible food for myself, led a successful Pre-Dental Day within a month into being on ASDA board, (somewhat) mastered Axium, opened an Etsy shop, went on a solo drive on the Alpine Loop, and completed a few hikes with great company. That’s a lot of accomplishments, Marisa and you’ve only been at Roseman for a few months so far.

In the upcoming months, as I transition into becoming a D2, I hope to improve my study schedule by avoiding procrastination and setting a time for eating, exercising, and sleeping. I believe being consistent is key so hopefully having a type of structure or routine will allow me to accomplish more and help me use my time wisely. I want to continue growing as a leader and an individual and I hope to do so as I continue staying involved in ASDA and being there for my classmates and colleagues.

Marisa, I am so proud of all the big things you are doing now and so far. You are doing so well balancing life, school, family, and friends. I know that with your supportive colleagues and family, your determination, and your willingness to learn that you will make these next few years at Roseman amazing, memorable, and worthwhile!

With Love, Marisa, D1 at Roseman

33

DRIVING NOWHERE William Kay, 2024 Dental school is rigorous, stressful, and time-consuming, so the option to escape as soon as an assessment is finished or when there are a few days are open in the schedule is always capitalized upon by students. Most students will book a flight home or to some distant city they've always wanted to visit, but I always like to use this opportunity to explore the environment around me. And while there are many modes of transportation, my favorite means of travel has always been the classic road trip.

I have always loved the idea of throwing everything in the trunk and hitting the open road with no plans and only a vague idea of where we are going. Unlike taking a plane, which focuses on getting somewhere as fast as possible, traveling by car makes the journey just as important as the destination.

To me, there is nothing better than the feeling of leaving when you want, changing directions wherever seems interesting, and stopping whenever it feels right. It allows you to try the quirky roadside diner, see the scenic highway viewpoints, or explore mysterious backroads. Road trips also allow time to grow both individually and communally. Long stretches of highway offer time for self-introspection if you’re alone or the chance to really get to know someone if you’re in a group. A perfect example of this was last summer, during a trip to Telluride, Colorado with my friends.

We wanted to go to Telluride for the hiking scene. The initial plan was to fly directly and save ourselves four hours of driving, but right before we bought our plane tickets, we figured it might be more fun to go on a road trip instead. This ended up being true. On the way there, we spontaneously took a detour off the highway and discovered the town of Ouray, Colorado. There, we tried a delicious bakery, found beautiful hikes, and drove up the side of a mountain. Looking back, the portion in Ouray ended up being my favorite part of the entire trip even though the main destination was Telluride. Had I just flown to Telluride, I would have missed a great chance to discover one of my new favorite places.

By driving, there is always the potential for something more to happen. So, while booking a flight for your next trip may seem convenient, maybe consider a road trip instead, and see where it takes you.

34

empanadas de pollo ASHLEY HILLOCK, 2023 INGREDIENTS Filling 1.5 lbs. chicken breast 1 large yellow onion 1 red bell pepper 2 cups mushrooms 2 tsp. cumin 2 tsp. paprika 2 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. red pepper flakes Dough 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. salt 20 tbsp. butter (cut into quartered cubes) 2/3 cup cold water

2 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. flour 1 cup milk 1 cup chicken broth 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup Italian or mozzarella cheese (optional) Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS 1. Dice up half of your onion and sauté on medium heat in half of the olive oil until seasonings dissolve in the oil.

Lower the heat, add chicken breast, and gently toss the mixture. Add chicken broth to the pan and deglaze. Cook covered on low for at least 2 hours.

2. Combine the flour, butter, and salt in a large bowl. Using fingers, mix the flour and butter together until they become a coarse meal. Add water and mix until the dough can be formed into a compact ball. Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. As you roll the dough lift it up occasionally and dust with flour to prevent sticking. Cut into 5-inch rounds with a cookie cutter or edge of the glass. Use scraps and repeat until you have 28 to 30 discs.

3. Once the chicken is almost finished cooking, dice up the remaining onion along with the red bell pepper. Sauté in remaining olive oil until slightly golden. In a separate pan, sauté mushrooms until golden. Mix vegetables together.

4. Next, prepare hard-boiled eggs. Once cooled, cut into 6 wedges and set aside.

5. Remove chicken from heat and let cool slightly. Shred chicken into cooking liquid (approximately 3/4 cup juice).

Once complete, add to vegetables.

6. Add butter to the pan and let it melt on medium heat. Add flour to the butter little by little while stirring, Allow the flour to turn slightly golden. Next, add half of the milk while continuously stirring. The mixture will thicken.

Add the rest of the milk. If you want to add cheese, do so at this point and let it melt into the roux. Once complete, toss into vegetable/chicken mixture and set aside.

7. Place about 1 small spoon of filling in the center of each disc, leaving the edges exposed. Add a wedge of egg to the filling and fold the empanada in half to form a crescent. Press edges together (either with fingers or by a fork to ensure they are closed).

8. Fry the empanadas in about 2 inches of preferred cooking oil until golden brown. Alternatively, you can bake empanadas (healthy yet still tasty) in a preheated oven to 400 degrees. Arrange empanadas on a lightly floured baking sheet. Brush the top with egg wash to give them a nice sheen out of the oven and sprinkle with a little sugar if desired. Enjoy!

35

pasta e carbonara

Tip: this tastes great with a cup of red wine or carbonated mineral water.

GIA LE, 2025 Ready in 35 minutes Serves 2-4 people 620 calories and 30 grams of fat per serving *Not a dish for the faint of heart*

INGREDIENTS DRY spaghetti/rigatoni This helps achieve a bouncy al dente texture, in contrast with softer handmade pasta 2 cheeses, freshly grated Pecorino cheese Parmigiano-reggiano cheese A good olive oil Guanciale (can use pancetta as sub) Can be obtained from 3 Cups located at 4670 S Holladay Village Plaza #104, Holladay, UT 84117 So far, I find that this is the only store in the Salt Lake area that sells guanciale A good pepper 6 eggs, preferably from a farm NO GREEN PEAS, CHICKEN, CREAM, OR MILK! NO EXCEPTIONS. DA TUO ZIO ITALIANO! DIRECTIONS 1. Fill a pot with clean, salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta until the desired al dente texture is observed.

2. To prepare our carbonara sauce, crack 4 whole eggs into a bowl. Then add 2 egg YOLKS. Add 1 and a half teaspoons of pepper. Slowly whisk the eggs and the pepper together while adding in 1/2 cup of Parmigiano and 1/2 cup of Pecorino cheese. Parmagiano will give the sauce a sweeter taste while pecorino will make it more savory, so adjust accordingly.

3. To prepare the guanciale, dice the meat into 1.5-2.0 cm cubes. Add the guanciale into a separate pan at medium-low heat (we want to render the fat while cooking the meat). After 7-10 minutes of rendering with continuous stirring, a lot of fat should appear from the pan. Remove the majority of this fat, but do not throw it away. This fat can be saved to cook other proteins in your kitchen.

4. Immediately after the pasta has achieved the desired texture, save 1-2 ladles of the pasta water and drain the rest. Add the pasta to the sauce in your pan. Mix well and delicately, and add back the pasta water (doing so will make your pasta much creamier).

5. Add a little bit of olive oil to the pasta. This will give it a glossy look and round out the flavor of the pasta itself.

6. Serve warm, with added pepper, Parmigiano, and olive oil as desired. Buon appetito!

36

chinese tomato egg stir fry DIANA ZHEN, 2024

Being in Utah and away from my family for the first time has made me miss home more than ever. Growing up in an Asian immigrant family, my parents kept my brother and I connected with our culture through food. One of my go-to comfort foods is Chinese tomato egg stir fry. This dish brings nostalgia and is something I find on my dinner table a couple times a month. So, whenever I feel myself missing home, I cook this dish to feel more connected with my family. If you want to try a new dish or want a taste of my home, try out my version of Chinese tomato egg stir fry. It is a combination of juicy tomatoes and soft scrambled eggs served with a bowl of hot steamed rice.

INGREDIENTS 4 eggs, scrambled 2 large tomatoes, quartered 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 stalk green onion 2 tbs cooking oil ½ cup of water 1 ½ tbs ketchup 1 tsp water ½ tsp chicken bouillon ½ tsp sesame oil Salt to taste DIRECTIONS 1. In a small bowl, gently whisk your eggs together.

2. Heat pan to medium heat and add 1 tsp of cooking oil. Add 75% of your egg mixture and lightly scramble for 15-20 seconds before setting it aside.

3. Add tomatoes, the white parts of the green onion, ketchup, water, sugar, salt, and chicken bouillon. Mix well and cover for 2-3 mins until tomatoes are soft.

4. Add the cooked scrambled eggs from Step 2. Mix together, then add the remaining 25% egg mixture. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. The sauce should be thick and creamy.

5. Top with sesame oil and mix together. Garnish with the green parts of the green onion and serve with white rice.

37