Alumni Connections Winter 2017

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

1917-2017

WINTER 2017

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Table of contents Guess who?

Recognize these past alumni

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Greetings School of Dentistry

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Greetings Dental Hygiene Alumni Chapter

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Greetings Dentistry Alumni Chapter

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Canadian Family Owned & Operated

100 Years in Photos Blast from the past

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Memories Stories as shared by you

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New book

CONGRATULATIONS on 100 YEARS OF SUCCESS! The Sinclair Dental family is honoured to be a supporter of the University of Alberta School of Dentistry Centennial Celebrations.

Our best wishes for many more years to come!

History of Dentistry

Page 15 Canada - Wide: 1-800-663-7393 • Online Store: www.SinclairDental.com Edmonton Branch: 3844-53rd Avenue NW • Phone: 780-440-1311

PATTERSON DENTAL SENDS CONGRATULATORY WISHES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY AS THEY CELEBRATE 100 YEARS!

WE ARE... ...YOUR EVERYDAY PARTNERS. ...FOCUSED ON MAKING YOUR JOB EASIER. ...SUPPORT LONG AFTER THE SALE. ...READY TO HELP. ...ALWAYS HERE. ONLINE. ...TRUSTWORTHY. ...WHERE YOU ARE.

WE ARE PATTERSON THE BEST PART: OUR NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF BRANCHES MEANS WE’RE ALWAYS NEARBY, AND WE’RE ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE.

We have made the Forbes List of Most Trustworthy Companies List 4 years in a row; 2012-2015.

Answers 1. Sharon Compton 2. Bernie Linke 3. Loretta Hursin 4.William Preshing 5. Arlynn Brodie 6. Tom Stevenson 7. Doris Lunardon 5. Tyler Verhaeghe 6. Alexandra Sheppard 7. Ava Chow 8. Steven Patterson 9. Sally Lockwood

Do you recognize these former graduates and current faculty members?

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Message from the School The School of Dentistry has reached a 100-year milestone. So what does turning 100 mean to the School and for you? It’s a symbol of strength—many of you know that we had some turbulent times, but with the support of many, we got through that, and now we continue to excel and graduate the best and brightest healthcare practitioners. It also means that for all those folks out there who have graduated from the School, you can now proudly say that you are an alumnus of a 100-year-old dental school. In other words, ‘bragging rights’, which according to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, means “a good reason to talk with pride about something you have done.”

With our upcoming events and our book, we are hopeful that we will pique the interest of our valued dental community and provide an opportunity for alumni to reconnect.

School of Dentistry Executive

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA FACULTY OF MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

YOU HAVE A DREAM. We’re here to help you realize it.

Congratulations on the past 100 years.

We look forward to partnering with you on the next 100.

Henry Schein believes in helping our customers operate more efficient practices so they can focus on delivering quality patient care. You can rely on us, as trusted advisors, to understand your challenges and offer industry-leading solutions and services to help you reach your goals.

1-800-668-5558 | www.henryschein.ca

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Greetings from the Dental Hygiene Alumni Chapter Congratulations to the School of Dentistry on its centennial birthday!

This milestone year offers an occasion to celebrate the achievements of an exceptional learning institute. The School continues to be a leader in providing excellence in teaching, innovative research and enriched learning experiences. Today, the School of Dentistry provides students with diverse opportunities to learn in various environments’ external to the School. Students are able to apply their learning in settings such as, long-term care, rural placements, and hospitals.

Kimi Khabra DH ‘13

Faculty, students and alumni should be proud of the accomplishments and transformation of the School of Dentistry over the past 100 years.

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Greetings from the Dentistry Alumni Chapter The time has finally arrived! We have been talking about it for several months now and I’m happy to say: “Happy Birthday to the School of Dentistry!”

As the president of the Dental Alumni Association, I’m over the moon that I get to be part of the School’s celebrations this year. We have been blessed with a great education, which led to a rewarding career.

Granted, dental school was tough, yes, but it prepared us for something bigger and better and that is the privilege of helping people with their healthcare needs.

At the end of the day, I feel good about what I do. I hope you do, too.

Bill Sharun DDS ‘74

During the School’s centennial, please consider giving a gift so that future healthcare practitioners will get the same or better opportunity as we have.

HUND

DRED

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Memor Most memorable moment in dental school? Oh boy! Where do I start? I think it’s going to have to be a bunch of moments: • All the great TGIF’s with almost 200 people jammed into a lounge built for 30. The chance for students and staff to relax after long weeks of learning and teaching.

• Hiding each other’s mobile instrument units. Moving them two floors away and tucked into an obscure corner was the favourite trick. Once we ran out of hiding spots the favourite pastime was locking the handles together with methyl methacrylate. It would take an hour of grinding to get it off!

• Who can forget Skit Nite! Those with amazing musical, creative and acting skills carrying those of us with no musical, creative or acting skills.

• Going up north to work in the mobile dental clinics. The mandatory two-week rotation was fun. But it had nothing on those of us fortunate to get a four-week summer job - six dental students, six hygiene students, two instructors in High Level for a month - what stories could come from that?

• But I would have to say the most memorable moments were the ones with fellow students. Through exams, pub crawls, late night studying, impromptu ear piercing, treating patients for the first time, bailing people out of jail - we made lifetime friendships.

Mintoo Basahati Class of 1984

My most fondest memories were of my classmates. Most were given nicknames based on characters from Damon Runyon’s Books. I also admire the old building that I became more familiar with during my time on staff. It was a grand old lady.

Jim Plecash Class of 1957

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ries from the past My most memorable moment was being accepted into dental school. I had dreamed from childhood to become a dentist. I applied for dentistry after completing my second-year of science and when the acceptances came out, I found out I was 17th on the alternate list. Chances of getting in were slim to none! So, as a dutiful student, I applied for my 3rd year of Science.

The Thursday before classes started, I received a phone call at home around 8 pm. The gentleman claimed to be with the Registrar’s office and he was calling to indicate that I had been accepted into Dentistry. Needless to say, I did not believe him, considering that it was 8 pm and who would ever be working at that hour…….especially at the university?

I told the fellow in no uncertain terms that it was a very sick joke and was about to hang up on him. He asked if I knew Dr. MacGregor. Well, yes I do. Would you please contact him tomorrow? Now I am starting to think this call may be for real. Ummmm…..OK…?

What do I have to do? We require a $50.00 deposit to hold your spot. Well, that was a real restless night.

The next morning, I headed to the garage where I was working for the summer, jumped into the tow truck, parked in front of the Dent/Pharm building with the emergency light on and raced up the stairs to the Dean’s office. When I walked in there was Dr MacGregor with a huge smile on his face. I just looked at him and asked, “is it true?” YES!!! We have been trying for days to reach you. (We didn’t have answering machines then.) I paid my $50 and the rest is history.

My dream to be a dentist became a reality when I was accepted at the University of Alberta some 47 years ago.

I could not think of a more exciting, rewarding, helping profession. I am proud to be a Dentist! I am very grateful to the excellent dental education that I received. I am also grateful for the loyalty and support of family / staff / patients and ALL those that made this such a rewarding profession for me.

Bill Sharun Class of 1974

AS TOLD BY YOU

Of course there are so many memories from dental school that it is so hard to pick just one.

Professionally speaking, I would say that the pace of learning was intense. Upon admission we are a green layman, and within days we are learning complex anatomy, physiology, and much more, to a very high standard. It is so dramatic how a sophisticated professional can be created in a relatively short period of time.

On a personal level, I would say the true friendships that developed are the most memorable. Also, it is amazing how varied students are in the same program. The range of personalities and traits of the classmates is amazing and inspirational.

Hans Herchen Class of 1989 I attended dental school at the University of Alberta from September 1968 until May of 1972. I think our class of 1972 was the end of an era in dental education at the U of A. Dental education at the University of Alberta had not changed since the end of the Second World War. We were the last class to wear “white” in the clinic. The class behind us, the class of1973, had demanded change! They were not going to wear whites in the clinic, they were going to wear blue tunics. They also began to demand student input into dental education. I look back with envy at this class as they were trying to implement change at the dental school and they did.

At the beginning of our clinical years new young specialists were arriving at the dental school. These new young specialists began to introduce new ideas to our dental education and I felt a resurgence in our class to embrace these new ideas. These young guys gave us role models that we could look up to and a positive energy was introduced to the dental school.

I have fond memories of our last days of dental school. We all gathered at the Administration building to see if our name was on the posted graduation list for the DDS degree. I found my name and noticed all of our class of 1972 had graduated. It was a great day!

Rick Beauchamp Class of 1972

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When I was a dental hygiene student here at the University of Alberta, what I remember the most is the Northern rotation at High Level, big Class 3’s and playing tennis. I was in the first rotation in the fall. Many other memories come to mind as well. I remember the Dentistry Pharmacy Building locker room conversations, a favourite hide-out for all.

We even ate lunch down there! I also recall embryology with Dr. Sperber.

Arlynn Brodie Class of 1988 Congratulations on the wonderful occasion.

I truly value my experience at the school as an great part of my life and preparing me for the many things that I get to do with our profession around the world. Most likely I will be working in Ethiopia and Rwanda at the time of the celebration but I would personally like to pass along my congratulations and great success over the next 100 years.

Ralph Dubienski Class of 1984 I found out I had been accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program while on a holiday in Europe in Bonn, Germany. I loved being part of the Dental Hygiene Program and in the old Dentistry Pharmacy Building there was a special scent that was reminiscent of being in a dental office. The white and black square tiles were unique to the building.

Being part of a group of students in such a highly demanding program created a special bond and I am still best friends with Barbara Wildman-Spencer, who named her daughter after me! Certainly my most memorable time was my 4 weeks in the summer on the satellite rotation in High Level. Only a few dental hygiene students could apply to go on satellite and it was a fabulous experience of learning and appreciating how effective people can work and live together. At the end of the year my classmates and clinical faculty and professors presented me with the Award of Merit. It was truly an honour.

Alexandra Sheppard Class of 1993

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When navigating through the U of A dental school, I became aware of a dissonance between the faculty’s expectation that students act like doctors in training, and the students’ expectation that we be treated like doctors in training. Although there was a student-faculty committee designed to discuss student concerns, as well as annual surveys asking us what problems might be addressed (for the benefit of the next class), it seemed that these efforts produced very few improvements for our class.

One day, toward the end of third year Dr. Robert Blackmore, who was an operative faculty member as well as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, casually asked if I was enjoying dental school. He was quite surprised when I said ‘no.’ He went on to inquire as to the source of my discontent. My response was that I had expected to be treated much better as a doctoral student than was often the case. As an example I described what I felt to be the excessive tension that accompanied the evaluation of a student’s clinical performance. All the instructors carried around a ‘little black book’ into which they dutifully entered daily grades. Unfortunately, what they wrote was almost never discussed with the student. Instead of reviewing student shortcomings, or occasional progress, in a collegial fashion, the evaluation process was usually quite secretive.

I offered other examples and at the end of our chat he made a suggestion that ultimately re-shaped my career. He asked if I would like to embark on a summer research project that would analyze the school’s teaching practices in a scholarly fashion. He applied, on my behalf, for a Medical Research Council of Canada summer grant and we developed a research protocol whereby I would: collect a baseline of opinions from the student body regarding a variety of educational practices; and then review the existing academic literature with regard to ‘best practices.’ I would then finally visit several other dental schools to inquire first hand as to how these schools address the same educational practices.

I spent the summer under his tutelage and in mid-September I completed a 73-page monograph that chronicled my findings. To Dr. Blackmore’s chagrin, the research was not well received by many members of the faculty. However, the research opened up a challenging new option for my career, and within a few months I had been accepted into a masters/phD program in higher education at the University of Michigan. Many years, three different dental schools (including Dalhousie University in Halifax) and many challenges later, I received the highest academic awards for educational innovation in both Canada and the US while also starting a successful software company ­— the products from which now support thousands of health professions programs.

Thank you Dr. Blackmore !!

John (Jack) Eisner Class of 1968

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It’s been a beautiful journey From a young age I was interested in the health care profession and the ability of care givers to help others.

By the end of high school my interest had grown and I had narrowed it down to a career in either medicine or dentistry. By the end of fall term, during my first year in university, I knew that my passion was dentistry. In the summer of 1968, I was accepted into the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Alberta and the excitement of that moment is still a fresh and vibrant memory.

In the fall of that year I entered dentistry with the enthusiasm and vigor , and immersed myself in my new found passion, a passion that still endures, over four decades later. I have many outstanding memories of my first year of dental school, but one that dominates is the degree of professionalism and the high standard set by many of my preceptors and mentors. These were, for the most part, a group of individuals who did what they said and said what they did, without fanfare or an expectation of reward or recognition. Clearly, no quest for Facebook notoriety or viral acclaim. Also, while never stated, I always felt that they, with my engagement and effort, were there to ensure my success.

While I fondly recall many of my professors, one stands out. Near the end of my second year, I had decided that I wanted to specialize in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Looking back, I think that this was in part because of my exposure to the surgeons who lectured in the Faculty, but also because of my early interest in medicine and oral surgery unquestionably had the flavor of medicine. During the summer and fall of 1969 I spent every spare evening and weekend shadowing a number of the faculty oral and maxillofacial surgeons. From the onset, one in particular stood out as a mentor. Most who knew him liked him, those of you who didn’t know him would have liked him and many of us students adored him. I vividly recall one particular Saturday evening when I was following him from emergency room to emergency room and eventually to the operating room at the Misericordia Hospital. Thinking back, I must have been exceedingly annoying, not unlike a Labrador retriever, always at his heels, waiting for him to toss another stick so that I could fetch it back, never tiring and always bubbling and salivating. That night I was expounding on the drama and excitement of being an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, treating trauma, and helping patients, when he patiently took me aside and gently said ,“even the operating room lights can get dim.”

I never forgot this and it served to help me weather the ups and downs of practice. It is an incredibly simple yet so useful bit of advice that I was able to pass on to my students. However, my story doesn’t end here. The other lesson that I learned from this individual was the gift and challenge of mentorship and giving back. We never discussed it but I always understood that his expectation

Having fun with a junior colleague on the last day of clinics.

was that I would become his colleague and eventually, his mentor. This was an unspoken obligation that I carried with me throughout my career and it shaped my early participation in teaching at the school.

Looking back I have always realized and valued my good fortune to have ‘rubbed shoulders’ with so many outstanding individuals. Clearly, my success has not been entirely through my efforts, but rather made possible through the efforts and roll modeling of so many others before me. Because of this and because of the magnanimous actions of my mentor, in 2009, I made the decision to complete the last leg of my career as a member of the full-time faculty at the School. Apart from the girl that I married, this has been one of the best decisions that I have made. It has allowed me the opportunity to give back by teaching my students what I have learned. They will still have their own challenges but, in the end, they will be better than me. It has also allowed me to challenge them to make the journey from student (junior colleague) to colleague to mentor. If you come to one of my clinics you may even hear me tell my students that “even the operating room lights can get dim,” — just like him.

Tom Stevenson Class of 1974

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100 years novel in the works Taylor Lambert on writing our School’s history Dentistry is one of those things that most people don’t think much about until they have a problem, in the same way most car owners don’t spend time pondering their mechanic until the fuel pump goes.

Yet teeth — and their care and maladies — are central to human existence, and Albertans have a rather intriguing history in that regard. With the University of Alberta’s School of Dentistry marking its first century in 2017, the time is perfect to revisit some of those remarkable stories and reflect on the important role of the school in this province over the past hundred years.

Since September, I have been researching and writing a narrative history of the School of Dentistry, but the end result will be different from the typical history books that schools often commission for a major anniversary. In seeking to tell stories rather than simply compile the facts, the School of Dentistry is publishing an engaging literary work that will appeal to dentists and non-dentists alike. The intention is to tell the remarkable tale of UAlberta dental education not just to alumni of the school, but to Edmontonians, Albertans, and anyone who likes a good yarn.

A century of history provides a wealth of material, but close inspection can yield unexpected details. Margaret Berry MacLean, for example, is renowned as the founder of the dental hygiene program — but she wouldn’t have gotten that gig if her friend hadn’t secretly filled out an application form for a federal health job on her behalf. Meanwhile, Harry Bulyea failed as an Okanagan fruit farmer before coming to Edmonton, and he only became the dental director at UAlberta because he was Henry Marshall Tory’s dentist.

The characters are fascinating, but so is the locale. It’s easy to forget in modern Edmonton how remote a place UAlberta was when it opened the third dental school in Canada, the first one west of Toronto. The next closest schools were Portland and Denver. Today the legacy of serving remote communities carries on with satellite clinics in McClennan, High Level and La Crete.

The book — still untitled — will be available Autumn 2017.

I’m very excited to tell the remarkable story of UAlberta dentistry in a way that brings this oft-forgotten history back to life.

Thank you for your support

100 Years of history