Cusp, Summer 2022, UIC College of Dentistry

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

2022 70

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CUSP

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2022 70

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

CUSP COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION

PHOTO CREDITS

Interim Dean Susan Rowan, DDS, MS

Renee Gooch Photography

Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Michael Spector, DMD, MS Interim Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs Danny Hanna, DDS Associate Dean for Finance Michael Harner, MBA, EdD ON THE COVER

Members of the Leadership Team, (L to R) Drs. Michael Harner, Stephanie Ward, Susan Rowan, Scott Tomar and Darryl Pendleton CUSP STAFF

Editor-in-Chief Ana Lisa Hendricks Editorial Writer Bruce Adams Contributing Writers Daniel P. Smith Elly Rivera William S. Bike UIC News Design Multiple, Inc. Project Assistant Janette Guzman

Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Health Sciences and Interim Associate Dean for Research Scott Tomar, DMD, MPH, DrPH Associate Dean for Student and Diversity Affairs Darryl Pendleton, DMD OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT

Assistant Vice Chancellor of Advancement - Health Sciences Steven George

UIC Creative and Digital Services Photography UIC Marketing and Brand Management QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

Editor – Cusp Magazine UIC College of Dentistry 801 S. Paulina St. (MC 621) Chicago, IL 60612

SOCIAL MEDIA

UICDentistry UIC College of Dentistry @UICDentAlumni UIC College of Dentistry

Director of Development Bruno Mancari Director of Donor Relations Ana Lisa Hendricks Editorial Writer Bruce Adams Administrative Aide Janette Guzman

© 2022 University of Illinois Chicago All Rights Reserved.

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

DEAN’S MESSAGE

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MY FOREMOST AIM IS TO ENSURE THE UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY CONTINUES ITS SPIRITED EVOLUTION I will start with the obvious: the departure of Dr. Clark Stanford leaves big shoes to fill. Over the last eight years, Dean Stanford guided the UIC College of Dentistry to new heights in research, clinical operations, education, and fundraising. I join so many others in thanking Dr. Stanford for his thoughtful leadership and wishing him well as dean of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

DEAN’S MESSAGE

As a Chicago area native, the daughter of a dentist, and a UIC College of Dentistry alumnus, I am incredibly honored and humbled to serve as interim dean of the College. I have spent well over half of my life as an active member of the UIC community, and it has been a consistently transformative and uplifting experience.

I graduated from a community college dental hygiene program at a time when women received little support at dental schools. In fact, I began my career as a dental hygienist presuming that would be the entirety of my professional life. When I entered the field, though, I hungered to do more. From the moment I stepped onto the UIC campus as a bright-eyed dental student in 1980, the College inspired, challenged, and encouraged me to grow personally as well as professionally.

More than 40 years later, I remain at UIC, grateful for the people – the faculty, staff, students, and patients – who have enriched and enhanced my life. The opportunity to interact with and learn from individuals representing incredibly diverse backgrounds and perspectives has been the most fulfilling part of my career and a rich, central part of what distinguishes UIC from so many others.

UIC and UI Health have emerged strong leaders at the state and national level, recognized in recent years for spurring advancements in education, healthcare, discovery science, and community engagement. I could not be any prouder of our institution’s ascent and its unwavering dedication to scholarship, service, and research.

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UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

DEAN’S MESSAGE

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I appreciate the strong engagement of the many alumni who contribute to our institution’s mission through foundational support and active engagement as well as the many corporate partners who share our vision of changing the future of oral health by offering gifts supporting patient care, education, and research initiatives. Your giving ignites us, inspires us, and energizes us.

As interim dean, my foremost aim is to ensure the UIC College of Dentistry continues its spirited evolution, building trust and equity with all those we touch. And I promise a full-hearted effort to seeing that is the case.

Sincerely,

DR. SUSAN ROWAN, DDS, MS, FACD, FICD

Interim Dean

PLAN FOR TODAY INVEST IN TOMORROW The UIC College of Dentistry is continually strengthened by the generosity of our dedicated alumni and friends. As you reflect upon your goals, we hope that you will consider including the College as a part of your legacy with a gift through your estate.

Legacy gifts can be made by naming the University of Illinois Foundation for the benefit of the College in your will or living trust. You may also name the University of Illinois Foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, insurance policy, or brokerage account.

You Are UIC, Now Get UIC Connected UIC Connected is a virtual networking platform exclusive to UIC where alumni and students can go to connect and grow.

• Create connections, build networks.

• Mentor students.

• Seek advice or expertise.

• Customize involvement to meet your needs.

Join now at go.uic.edu/connected.

To learn more about ways to make a legacy gift, receive customized language to direct your commitment to a particular purpose within the College, or to share your intentions, please reach out to Geoff Hammond, JD, Associate Director of Gift Planning, for more information on how to invest in the future of UIC’s College of Dentistry at 217.332.5714 or gh15@uif.uillinois.edu. We would love to hear from you and say thank you for your investment in our future!

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5

52

06

14

01

Dean’s Message

06

Profile: Dr. Clark Stanford

12

University Updates

14

IGNITE Report

28

Honor Roll

36

Feature: Leading Together

48

Scholarship Recipients

50

Research

52

Student Activities

56

Alumni Class Notes

58

In Memoriam

60

Continuing Education / Calendar

36

PROFILE

6 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

DR. CLARK STANFORD, DDS, PHD, MHA ‘14

DR. STANFORD ARRIVED AT THE UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY IN 2014 EAGER TO BUILD POSITIVE MOMENTUM. OVER EIGHT YEARS, HE DID EXACTLY THAT.

BY DANIEL P. SMITH

Dr. Clark Stanford, DDS, PhD, MHA, arrived at the UIC College of Dentistry in October 2014 with the highest of hopes, attracted to a diverse, global city and a Big 10-caliber institution with hearty research chops and a mission-driven focus on creating pathways to success for students, staff, faculty, and patients.

Dr. Stanford’s tenure as the College’s newly installed dean, however, did not enjoy a calm start.

In the opening months at his new professional home, Dr. Stanford recalls a contractor lighting the roof on fire, two floods, and the biggest cockroach he had ever seen. Dr. Stanford chuckles about the rookie-year follies now, something easier done since the College has dodged additional fires, floods, and massive cockroaches. At the time, though, the misfortunes seemed apocalyptic.

“It was a total biblical experience in this building,” says Dr. Stanford on a sunny March afternoon from his West Campus office. “But I never wanted the building to be symbolic of the College. People were symbolic of what the College could be and I was proven right time and time again.”

Days before his departure from UIC and the start of a new professional adventure as dean of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics on April 1, Dr. Stanford spent time with Cusp reflecting on his nearly eight-year run as dean, a period universally lauded for strengthening morale, bolstering operations, advancing research, and positioning the UIC College of Dentistry for a more fruitful future.

“What can we do so we’re all winning? We’ve built more interdepartmental collaboration here and a willingness to work together on joint initiatives that I’m incredibly proud to see.”

DR. CLARK STANFORD

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01. Patient Care, 2016 02. Farewell reception for Dr. Clark Stanford with Dr. Robert Barish, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, 2022 03. Dr. Clark Stanford receiving a White Coat from Sparky JR., 2022

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

PROFILE

9

STABILIZING THE COLLEGE

Upon Dr. Stanford’s appointment as UIC College of Dentistry dean in 2014, then-UIC provost Lon Kaufman called Dr. Stanford “a star hire.”

“His illustrious career as a clinician-scientist and faculty administrator has prepared him perfectly to lead one of the best colleges of dentistry in the country,” Kaufman said.

Dr. Stanford entered the post with an open mind. He performed a thorough autopsy of the College, examining existing strengths and areas of opportunity while listening to feedback from stakeholders across the College and establishing priorities.

Finding the student and patient pipeline healthy and the clinic running in a reasonable state, Dr. Stanford focused on incremental progress, looking to avoid rapid or aggressive moves that could be viewed as dictatorial.

“It was clear to me that the bones of the place were solid,” he says. “My job was to move the College forward while keeping with its mission and vision.”

A clinical researcher throughout his career, Dr. Stanford inherited a $53 million enterprise that required a different skill set, not to mention a budget impasse that prompted uncertainty and stifled action. He faced strong personalities, Chicago politics, and novel topics.

“It was like drinking from a firehose at the start,” he says.

Dr. Stanford learned to navigate it all and steadied the College’s financial position. He built a finance team that established more efficient billing and collections operations and instituted the 7/70 Plan, which adjusted class sizes for the DMD program and shifted the length of the DMD-AS program in response to faculty input and concerns about student calibration.

alongside two other junior faculty members, including Dr. Seung Chung, DVM, PhD. Reed, who was brought in by Dr. Stanford’s predecessor, Dr. Bruce Graham, DDS, MS, MEd, feared his ouster – an academic career in peril before it ever really began.

“I was anxious,” Dr. Reed recalls. “It could have been the case Dean Stanford wanted to free up faculty lines, which would have been his prerogative as the new dean.”

Instead, Dr. Stanford asked earnest questions about Dr. Reed’s research interests and goals. He pledged to support the development of junior faculty and the College’s overall research enterprise.

“I went from being intimated to being relieved,” Dr. Reed says.

“Dean Stanford had a plan to support us and wanted us to be successful.”

Interactions such as that generated valuable equity for Dr. Stanford among faculty and staff, who largely came to trust Dr. Stanford’s ability to perform the necessary analysis and make decisions in the best interest of the College, even amid tenuous circumstances.

Consider the opening of the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation Pediatric Dentistry Outpatient Care Center in late 2020. In that project, Dr. Stanford noticed a waiting list of more than 1,000 children who needed oral healthcare under general anesthesia. Alongside Dr. Marcio da Fonseca, DDS, MS, head of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Stanford evaluated different possibilities for a new pediatric clinic and determined that renovating space in the existing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic stood the best option.

Reallocating department space is often a dicey proposition in academia, triggering the potential for territorial battles, hurt feelings, and cooperation-thwarting grudges. Dr. Stanford, however, built consensus among department heads and thoughtfully sold his plan as the right move for the College and its mission.

“The system kept throwing roadblocks in front of us and it’s a credit to our leadership team, faculty, staff, and students that we kept hurdling them,” Dr. Stanford says. “There is something about this place, where change is so constant and frequent that no one is surprised. Instead, there’s a spirit of figuring things “That’s not an easy thing to do, but he led that effort and secured out and moving ahead.” the collaboration,” says Dr. Susan Rowan, DDS, MS, FACD, FICD, the College’s interim dean following Dr. Stanford’s FOCUSING ON MISSION recent departure.

Beyond the budget challenges, Dr. Stanford identified faculty In its first 18 months of operation, the pediatric clinic cleared morale as an immediate priority. He made it a point to recognize its waiting list and has provided care to more than 1,500 young faculty’s dedicated efforts, careful to pay equal attention to the patients, delivering heightened efficiency to operations and College’s academic, clinical, and research arms. improving patient safety in the process by taking a two-year “No one is more important than the other,” Dr. Stanford says. waiting list down to two weeks.

“I wanted faculty across the College to feel supported and confident in our future.”

“What can we do so we’re all winning? We’ve built more interdepartmental collaboration here and a willingness to Not long after Dr. Stanford’s arrival, Dr. David Reed, PhD, then a work together on joint initiatives that I’m incredibly proud to fresh post-doc in his first faculty position in the Department of see,” Dr. Stanford says. “It’s a sign of the positive spirit that Oral Biology, remembers being summoned to the dean’s office exists here.”

Overseeing a college with an ambitious mission to educate students, produce research, and serve patients, the Stanford Years can claim many accomplishments, even as the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to derail the College’s rising momentum.

On the academic side, the small group learning model installed just prior to Dr. Stanford’s arrival has matured and emerged an integral part of educational delivery at the College. Dr. Stanford credits the academic model with fostering improved knowledge sharing, collaboration, skill building, and patient care.

On the research front, elevated funding, support, and mentorship has fueled enterprising scientific discovery around regenerative medicine, pediatric dentistry, and oral surgery among other areas.

PROFILE

UIC ON THE RISE

It’s a fact evident in the more than $29 million the College raised during the IGNITE capital campaign. Those funds created 14 endowed scholarships and six endowed faculty positions.

Nearly $5 million, meanwhile, has been funneled to supporting the student experience and driving their success in changing the future of oral health.

ONWARD AND UPWARD

Returning to the University of Iowa represented an exciting opportunity for Dr. Stanford – and one too good to ignore when the position opened last June. Dr. Stanford retains strong ties to Iowa City where he spent the overwhelming bulk of his adult life and where his husband still lives. Still, he acknowledges it was a tough call to leave UIC, where he grew as a professional and crafted deep relationships.

“Remember,” he says, “it’s about the people.”

“Look at every department and you’ll see a notable point of pride over recent years,” Dr. Stanford says.

Over the last eight years, Reed credits a “dramatic transformation” in the College’s research infrastructure with facilitating new collaborations, powering graduate training, broadening research capabilities, and providing an engine for growth.

“Dean Stanford has unquestionably built a stronger research ecosystem at the College,” says Reed, who holds an NIH grant investigating TMJ osteoarthritis. “He knew the support we needed to succeed and he delivered.”

Dr. Fatemeh Afshari, DMD, MS, says Dr. Stanford’s support of clinical operations, including educational methodologies, faculty calibration, and quality assurance measures, has enhanced patient care, students’ academic experience, and the College’s educational mission. During the College’s recent accreditation process, Dr. Afshari witnessed Dr. Stanford’s ability to lead a process of self-reflection and improvement firsthand.

“We followed in his footsteps for the betterment of us all,” Dr. Afshari says. “Dean Stanford is an intellectual leader who has a plan and strategy for every action he takes to help ensure a positive outcome.”

For his part, Dr. Stanford never saw himself as the captain of the ship, the singular leader dictating plans and unilaterally determining next steps.

“I’m the rudder on the ship helping it get to port,” says Dr. Stanford, who also steered a $22 million infrastructure project to upgrade the College’s physical facilities with Dr. Rowan. “I sought direction from my stakeholders – the faculty, staff, students, and patients – to make sure we were mission driven and I’m grateful people trusted our leadership to put the College in a better place.”

Dr. Stanford says he will miss faculty and staff who are as friendly and outgoing as they are dedicated and ambitious as well as incredibly intellectual and diverse students who never fail to demonstrate their grit and perseverance.

“Most get the mission of UIC and embrace it,” he says. “It was impressive and really inspiring to see that day after day.”

Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson famously defined success as leaving the world in an improved state. At the UIC College of Dentistry, Dr. Stanford accomplished that.

Academic, clinical, and research operations – the three pillars of the College’s mission – reside in a stronger state, and Dr. Stanford says he will be excited to follow the College’s continued evolution. Specifically, he hopes the College can establish a geriatric special needs program and clinic as well as a rural dentistry program stimulating deeper interprofessional relationships between UIC Dentistry and its healthcare colleagues across the state.

“I hope our community believes the UIC College of Dentistry is in a better place, a stronger position,” Dr. Stanford says. “Even more, though, I hope the College community is motivated to build on that and accomplish even more because there are so many more important, wonderful things it can do.”

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PROFILE

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04. Welcome reception for Dr. Clark Stanford with former Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares, 2014 05. Check presentation from Dr. Tom Sullivan, ISDS Foundation, with Dr. Clark Stanford and student Benjamin Richardson, 2020.

06. During the Hooding Ceremony, 2021 07. Receiving the Center of Excellence Award by LIBERTY Dental Plan, 2018

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“Dean Stanford has unquestionably built a stronger research ecosystem at the College.”

DR. DAVID REED

UNIVERSITY UPDATES

CHANGES AT THE TOP

BY BRUCE ADAMS

In January, Michael Amiridis announced that he would be leaving his position as Chancellor of the University of Illinois Chicago to serve as the President of the University of South Carolina. Amiridis became the chancellor of UIC in 2015. Under his leadership, the university expanded enrollment, surpassed $400 million in research awards, updated and built facilities, created Chicago’s first public law school, and exceeded the ambitious goal of the Ignite fundraising campaign. Amiridis is justified in describing UIC as “the country’s model urban research university.”

UIC Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Javier Reyes will serve as interim chancellor of the university while a search for a permanent chancellor gets underway. Reyes joined UIC in August 2021 after serving as West Virginia University’s Milan Puskar Dean of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics and vice president for Startup West Virginia.

He has a PhD in economics from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Estado de México.

On his arrival at UIC as Provost, Reyes noted that the university recruits, enrolls, and supports students from underrepresented populations: ”This university has invested in multicultural centers and student success centers, so we have this constellation of assets that not many universities have.” Reyes spoke of the opportunities to grow the UIC research infrastructure and align it with important initiatives like the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) when he said, “The clusters where DPI wants to focus are also where [UIC] wants to focus—workforce development, education, health, innovation, entrepreneurship infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, transformative infrastructures, sustainability, and inclusive communities.”

As University of Illinois System President Timothy Killeen put it Reyes’ “work as provost and his almost two decades of higher education experience make him the right person to lead UIC and its more than 34,000 students and 13,000 faculty and staff while a search is conducted for a permanent chancellor.”

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UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

UNIVERSITY UDPATES

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“This university has invested in multicultural centers and student success centers, so we have this constellation of assets that not many universities have.”

UIC INTERIM CHANCELLOR, PROVOST AND VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS JAVIER REYES

IGNITE REPORT 15 Boldest goal, beaten 16 IGNITE Campaign 18 Expanding access to pediatric care 20 I want to be able to give back 22 In dentistry the future is now 26

Fulfilling a dream

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

IGNITE REPORT

15

BOLDEST GOAL, BEATEN.

BY UIC NEWS

IGNITE: The Campaign for UIC, the most ambitious fundraising effort in the university’s 163-year history, exceeded its $750 million goal more than five months ahead of schedule. A total of almost $774 million was committed before the official end of the campaign on June 30, 2022.* “The monumental milestone of reaching our goal early is a grand statement by our alumni, donors and friends who believe in the transformational work and impact our students and faculty are demonstrating in and beyond UIC,” UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis said.

Every gift to IGNITE directly supports UIC’s long-standing mission to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of intellectual excellence. As of April 1, UIC approximates donors gave $261.3 million to drive discovery that will deliver solutions to the world’s crucial challenges and promote social equity. Student success attracted $114.7 million from supporters. Empowering faculty drew $57.8 million, helping recruit and retain prominent scholars who inspire bright minds, train engaged citizens and drive courageous inquiry.

And, $33.8 million came in to connect to the communities we

serve and expand access to comprehensive health care for all Illinois populations. A crucial $207.1 million was donated without restrictions, allowing UIC to put it toward pressing and emerging needs.

Over 138,200 gifts — large and small — from 51,232 donors have made a tremendous impact on the lives of UIC students, faculty, caregivers, and the communities they serve. In fact, donors proved that collectively small donations add up — totaling more than $17.6 million*.

In addition, 119 gifts were seven figures and above, while 137 donors gave $1 million or more cumulatively over the campaign. The largest campaign gift, and the largest in UIC history, came from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Her $40 million contribution created a Student Success Fund to provide life-changing support for first-generation and low-income students attending UIC and will address timely graduation, living-learning communities, internships, and food insecurity among students. *All IGNITE figures reported as of April 1, 2022

IGNITE CAMPAIGN TOTALS AS OF AUGUST 1, 2022

COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY TOTALS

29,484,392

$

(80% OF $37,000,000 GOAL)

GIFTS

DONORS

2,488 FACULTY

$

3.68M

STUDENTS

$

4.2M

RESEARCH

$

1 2

4.47M

As of 8/1/22 34% increase from FY21

6,114 PUBLIC SERVICE

$

2.8M

CAPITAL PROJECTS

$

2.795M

PROGRAMS

$

1M

UNRESTRICTED

$

11.2M

ANNUAL FUND1

$

4M

FY22 NEW BUSINESS2

$

4.3M

UNIVERSITY TOTALS

804,032,682

$

(107% OF $750,000 GOAL)

GIFTS

DONORS

138,536 51,297 IGNITE

REDEFINING student experience and success, cultivating and EMPOWERING faculty leaders, driving LIFE-CHANGING discoveries, strengthening connections to COMMUNITIES .

IGNITE REPORT

18 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

01. Official ribbon-cutting ceremony, (L to R) Drs. Susan Rowan, Marcio da Fonseca, ILCHF representatives Dr. Peter Flynn, Chair, Healther Alderman, President, Bob Egan, Sr. Program Officer, with Dean Clark Stanford and VCHA Robert Barish 02. ILCHF President Healther Alderman 03. Members of the ILCHF Board 04. Dr. Marcio da Fonseca provided a tour of the facilities.

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UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

IGNITE REPORT

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EXPANDING ACCESS TO PEDIATRIC CARE

BY ELLY RIVERA

A year and a half after its soft-opening in September 2020, the UIC College of Dentistry proudly hosted the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation Pediatric Dentistry Outpatient Care Center (ILCHF PD-OCC) on March 10, 2022. The formal dedication was delayed out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and held after the announcement that the ILCHF PD-OCC treated its 1,000th patient back in September 2021.

Driven by Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation’s (ILCHF) primary grant, the ILCHF PD-OCC created an opportunity to provide comprehensive dental care under general anesthesia (GA) in a timely and efficient manner. ILCHF was beneficial in connecting the College to other private foundations that allowed the College establish the ILCHFF PD-OCC, which fulfills a crucial part of the College’s own mission and vision. The funds from supporters like the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation, Coleman Foundation, Healthy Communities Foundation, Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation, the Bisco Charitable Foundation, the UIC Division of Specialized Care for Children and program alumni, among others, totaled $3.3 million for the infrastructure to create the ILCHF PD-OCC.

The ILCHF PD-OCC was an ongoing project that began due to a high number of children who have come to the department’s clinics at the College in need of dental care under GA. In total, there are two GA suites and four procedure rooms for oral, nasal, or intravenous sedation for oral surgery procedures.

The center serves 1,000 children annually between 3 and 16 years of age who are in need of oral health care under GA. Pediatric dentistry faculty and residents, three nurses, two university hospital anesthesiologists, three social workers, and auxiliary staff, among other members, are a part of the team serving healthy children at low risk for complications.

The Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the UIC College of Dentistry is the largest provider of pediatric dental care in Illinois, serving almost 9,000 individual patients from birth to 16 years of age in over 25,000 appointments every year. The College is honored and grateful for the generous donations which allow us to continue serving underserved populations in an even greater way. The ILCHF PD-OCC has treated over 1,600 children under GA to date, decreasing the wait for treatment from two years to approximately 3 weeks.

IGNITE REPORT

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK

BY BRUCE ADAMS

The Romo Dental Scholarship Fund was established in January 2022 by Dr. Genaro Romo, Jr. and Sandy Romo to support DMD and DMD-AS students at the College of Dentistry, giving preference to students from underrepresented communities.

As Dr. Romo describes it, endowing a scholarship has been “years in the making.” He had been supporting an individual yearly scholarship for the Hispanic Dental Association. When the IGNITE campaign launched, Dr. Romo says, “The timing lined up correctly, and I thought this is the perfect time to do it.”

Dr. Romo was an undergraduate at the University of Illinois Chicago and graduated from the College of Dentistry in 1997.

“I had a scholarship and grants and didn’t have to take out a loan. When I went to dental school, the grants disappeared. I had to take out loans. But I remembered how grateful I was that part of my education was from scholarships and grants.

And I thought to myself, if ever I’m in a position where I can help people out, especially people of minority backgrounds like myself, I want to be able to give back.”

After graduating, he worked as an associate for several private practices and as a clinical extern for the University of Illinois Chicago Pediatric Dentistry department for two years. Dr. Romo says that “I grew up in the Little Village neighborhood, and when I graduated from dental school, I wanted to work in my neighborhood, but there were no positions available.” Dr. Romo opened his dental practice in 2005 in Chicago. He now has two offices in the city: “One is in Brighton Park, on the southwest side, and then my other location is in West Lawn, further south.

They’re both primarily Latino neighborhoods, and that’s my niche. That’s what I do.”

Dr. Romo has a passion for dentistry and is a fervent supporter of the University of Illinois Chicago. He is the past president of the Hispanic Dental Association Greater Chicago Chapter.

He is also past President of the Chicago Dental Society North Side Branch, the University of Illinois Chicago Dental Alumni Board, and a Delta Dental of Illinois board member. He has received numerous awards, including the UIC trailblazer award and a community leadership award by the Chicago Southwest Chamber of Commerce. Several of Dr. Romo’s colleagues are also college alumni. As he notes, “when somebody tells me that they went to the UIC College of Dentistry, I know they’re coming from a solid dental education background. I knew right away that we would have a lot in common. The College of Dentistry has been so good at training dentists; there was no doubt in my mind that I was getting someone that was very well qualified and who shares the same philosophies that I have. And I was 100% correct in those assumptions.”

Now Dr. Romo can help prepare the next generation of Latino dentists to serve their community. Beyond a shared background, Dr. Romo’s practice provides excellent care to meet its community’s needs: “Many patients tell me how they had a hard time finding a Spanish-speaking dentist. They realized we were all bilingual and that we were taking their type of insurance and public aid and providing several options for times. The state of the equipment is very advanced, and they weren’t losing out on anything or leaving their neighborhood to go far to the dental office. I feel that has contributed to expanding access to oral health care for those communities.”

Through his generosity, Dr. Romo is aiding in the educations of new dentists from underserved communities who will go on to deliver excellent healthcare where it is needed most.

20 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

“Many of my patients are from the same towns and states in Mexico where my parents are from. They’re raising the kids the same way I was raised.

I understand their culture; they understand my culture.”

DR. GENARO ROMO, JR.

IGNITE REPORT

IN DIGITAL DENTISTRY, THE FUTURE IS NOW

BY BRUCE ADAMS

The development and performance of the technology in restorative dentistry applications are progressing at a dizzying pace. Information technology is now leveraged to efficiently produce a high-quality, functional, aesthetic design for clinical situations.

As Dr. Rand Harlow, DDS, FACP ’92, Prosthodontics ’97 says, “digital technology in dentistry has grown by leaps and bounds,” and the College of Dentistry has been “pioneering those efforts at the national level and the international level.”

Dr. Harlow is Head of Restorative Dentistry at the college and the first recipient of the Dr. Robert G. Brunetti Professorship, established by 2021 Dr. Robert G. Brunetti, DDS, MBA, FICD. The Brunetti Professorship offers an opportunity to support recruitment at the college for expertise in restorative digital dentistry and expand on technologies in Restorative Dentistry.

The two dentists met at sea, as Dr. Harlow recalls: “Dr. Brunetti had sponsored an alumni cruise, and the person asked to do the continuing education course on the cruise couldn’t do it. I was the second choice. I didn’t know Bob at the time, so I spent a cruise in Alaska, where my wife and I met Bob and his wife, and I’d learned what he was about. That makes having this professorship a lot more meaningful to me because we met, and we’ve kept in contact over the years.”

“Dr. Brunetti has had a huge influence on our implant clinic’s growth,” he continues. Dr. Brunetti’s generosity has “allowed the postgraduate prosthodontics program to advance and become one of the national if not world leaders, in prosthodontics. In implant dentistry and digital dentistry, his grants over the years have allowed us to rehabilitate clinics so that we now have state-of-the-art prosthodontics, implant clinics, and surgical suites. His commitments have allowed us to take our clinical capabilities to the next level in complex implant dentistry and prosthodontics.”

Dr. Robert Brunetti told Cusp in 2021 that “the College will be compelled to continually be at the vanguard… by educating young dentists in advanced treatment and technology...”

He defined the endowed professorship as “critical to engendering and spurring a sincere spirit of true professionalism and compassion in our future dentists of America.” He says that “Rand is the epitome of those criteria and a superb educator! I am honored and fortunate to count him and his wife Jean, amongst my friends.”

As Dr. Harlow confirms, digital processes now make restorative procedures more accurate and efficient:

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UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

IGNITE REPORT

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“Now we’re able to plan complex implant surgeries using digital technologies. And then we’re able to take that complex implant planning and move it into a digital realm to fabricate the actual restorations that we put on top of the implant.”

DR. RAND HARLOW

“The College will be compelled to continually be at the vanguard… by educating young dentists in advanced treatment and technology...”

DR. ROBERT BRUNETTI

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

IGNITE REPORT

25

“For example, implant planning has traditionally been mostly analog. You take x-rays, you might do a CT scan, and then it has been an analog process. Now we’re able to plan complex implant surgeries using digital technologies. And then we’re able to take that complex implant planning and move it into a digital realm to fabricate the actual restorations that we put on top of the implant. We also work with oral surgery to see maxillofacial patients, using digital planning to provide them with complex implant prostheses.”

For the college’s clinical work, “digital dentistry tends to be more accurate than analog. Studies have shown that the accuracy of dental prostheses and implant surgeries is higher than with traditional analog methods. It’s incorporated into all levels of dentistry and allows us to more efficiently do better work and provide better outcomes for our patients.”

The potential “really is limitless.”

But the potential is not easily fulfilled.

The swift and ongoing changes in technology require creating practical applications for deployment in both the novice learning environment and complex applications in the advanced education programs in Prosthodontics. The college must be in the vanguard of educating young dentists in advanced treatment and digital technology. And as Dr. Harlow puts it, this challenge is “complex and expensive. So that means that we need to, number one, train the current faculty and staff to work with that technology, which takes time and effort. And we also need to recruit new faculty and staff that have experience and use the technology, and we’re doing both of those things.”

Outside the College of Dentistry and its clinics, there are implications for practicing dentists in private practice; he says: “we’re a dental school, and we train dentists, so the students who graduate largely go out into private practices. If they’re working with someone who doesn’t understand digital technologies, they can bring that additional feature into the practice, and if they’re working with someone who does have it, they’re already equipped to use it. As you go into private practice, I think you’ll see that what you learn in dental school filters into that arena.”

The Department of Restorative Dentistry is currently the largest in the College. It has programs covering didactic, clinical care, research, and scholarship missions related to Biomaterials, Operative Dentistry, and Advanced Prosthodontics. This is where the philanthropic role of Dr. Robert Brunetti has been so crucial, as Dr. Harlow has witnessed: “He truly has a passion for dentists and students to learn and continue their education. Dr. Brunetti is a Loyola graduate.

Unfortunately, Loyola’s dental school closed. Most people at that point would probably say, ‘well, okay, I’m donating to my alma mater.’ He didn’t want to stop there. He sought us out. He wants his name to be associated with excellence in education.

I respect him because he’s always been concerned about how dental education progresses, and he wants to be involved. I think that’s extremely impressive.”

Dr. Rand Harlow is a graduate of UIC (DDS, 1992); after that, he did a GPR residency (Jessie Brown VA, 1993), followed by a Geriatric Dental Residency (Jessie Brown VA, 1994) and then the post-graduate Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics (UIC, 1997). He is a diplomat of the American Board of Prosthodontics and a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists. In his faculty roles at UIC, he has been a Managing Partner, Director of the Pre-Doctoral Implant Program, Associate Director of the Advanced Prosthodontics Program, and Director of the Advanced Prosthodontics Program.

The College leadership is working closely with Dr. Harlow as plans are being completed for significant investments in digital dentistry and related technologies to complement the new vision and missions he has articulated for the Department.

IGNITE REPORT

“This scholarship will enable Joshua’s passion for the dental profession to be shared with any student interested in dental science.”

BRIDGET WILLIAMS, JOSHUA’S MOTHER

26 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

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FULFILLING A DREAM

BY BRUCE ADAMS

UIC College of Dentistry, alongside his parents Jason and Bridget Williams, has established the Joshua E Williams Scholarship for first-year dental students, named after and in memory of the late first-year student. Over 110 donors, including College and UIC leadership, contributed to the scholarship fund.

This speaks volumes about Joshua’s impact on the College of Dentistry community. This endowed scholarship will be presented each year to a first-year student, with a preference for those from underserved populations.

Joshua’s mother, Bridget Williams, says that his family is “overwhelmed and excited.” She affirms that “This scholarship will enable Joshua’s passion for the dental profession to be shared with any student interested in dental science. Joshua used many vehicles to promote and share his journey as a dental student to support and spark interest in dentistry. The scholarship will help Joshua’s dream of helping fellow dental students fund their dental school education come true.”

This year’s recipient is Briana McGee. Briana attended the same high school as Josh, Plainfield East High School, and graduated three years earlier. During his junior year in high school, Joshua Williams became intrigued with oral healthcare when he shadowed his family’s dentists, Doctors Dilip and Vishruti Patel (UIC College of Dentistry class of 2002). He planned to specialize in oral surgery.

Joshua Williams left a legacy of joyous support for his fellow students and the communities they served. As his mother puts it: “UIC College of Dentistry was always Joshua’s first choice because of the mission and vision of serving surrounding communities and his love for serving others, particularly underserved communities. He was so excited when he received his acceptance and offer for enrollment at UIC and worked diligently in his studies, encouraged those around him, and enjoyed having fun during his dental school experience.”

HONOR ROLL

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS FISCAL YEAR 2021

$50,000 TO $99,999

$10,000 TO $24,999

We gratefully acknowledge the following alumni and friends for their generous support of the College of Dentistry between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

3M Unitek

American Orthodontics

American Association of Orthodontists Foundation

Dr. Gerald M. Bieze, ‘70 and Mrs. Sarah A. Bieze

Dr. Daniel R. Brunetti, ’11, and Mrs. Tracy K. Brunetti

Dr. Thomas B. Braun, ‘85*, and Mrs. Maria C. Braun

Dr. Robert G. Brunetti, Loyola ‘78, and Mrs. Alice A. Brunetti

Dr. Paul V. Caputo, ‘83 and Mrs. Cindy J. Caputo

Envista Holdings

Dr. Sham S. Chandok

Guy D and Rebecca E Brunetti Foundation

Dr. Miguel J. Farolan and Dr. Leslie R. Farolan

$1,000,000 AND ABOVE Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation

$500,000 AND ABOVE Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation

KLS Martin LP

Dr. Ronald M. Milnarik, ’67, and Mrs. Pauline A. Milnarik

Dr. Jerome Fein, ‘51*

Litowitz Foundation

VNA Foundation and the Visiting Nurse Association of Chicago

Dr. Lee W. Graber and Dr. Jane B. Graber

$100,000 TO $149,999

$25,000 TO $49,999

Mr. Jack D. Graber and Mrs. Violet F. Graber

$150,000 AND ABOVE KaVo Kerr Dental Technologies

Dentsply Sirona Ormco Corporation QOL Medical, LLC

Ms. Kimberly J. DiFranco Dr. Samuel Berkowitz* and Mrs. Lynn Berkowitz Dr. Charles C. DiFranco, ‘11*, and Mrs. Marissa DiFranco

GC America

Dr. Thomas S. Lightfoot, ’73, and Mrs. Maude E. Lightfoot Ortho Classic Orthodontic Alumni Association of Illinois The Periodontal Alumni Association

Dr. Syed S. Rehman, ‘15 Dr. Thomas A. Sarna, ‘06* and Mrs. Heidi J. Sarna Wm. Wrigley Jr. Foundation

28 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

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JULY 1, 2020 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2021

$5,000 TO $9,999

$2,500 TO $4,999

Dr. James W. Blackburn* and Mrs. Jennifer Blackburn

Dr. James H. Bryniarski, ’78, and Dr. Leona M. Hubatch

Dr. Michael E. Bond, ‘83 and Mrs. Cherie L. Bond

Dr. Michael D. Colvard, Loyola ‘85*, and Mrs. Kathleen M. Colvard

Dr. Barry E. Booth, ’84, and Mrs. Jane E. Booth

Edgar Coolidge Endodontic Study Club

Dr. Barry M. Cherny, ‘90 and Mrs. Lauren Cherny

Forestadent USA Inc.

Dr. Tricia R. Crosby, ‘04* Dr. Firas Dairi and Mrs. Hala Dairi Dr. Trucia A. Drummond, ‘81 DynaFlex Dr. Mohamed I. Fayad* and Dr. Marilia J. Montero-Fayad

Dr. Jason A. Edwards* Foundation for Endodontics

Dr. Paul L. Glick, ‘70*, and Mrs. Dyanne Glick Dr. Bennett Klavan, ‘44 Reliance Orthodontic Products, Inc. Dr. Martin J. Rogers, ‘92*, and Mrs. Christy J. Rogers

Dr. Robert W. Glineburg*

Dr. Susan A. Rowan, ’84, and Dr. Daniel A. Rowan

Dr. William B. Hamel, ’83, and Mrs. Belinda Lutz-Hamel

Dr. Timmothy J. Schwartz, ‘79 and Mrs. Christine A. Schwartz

Dr. Jianjun Hao* and Dr. Lihong Lin*

Dr. Gabriel D. Hostalet, ‘00

Dr. Clark M. Stanford and Mr. Alan Light

Illinois State Dental Society

Dr. Stephanie M. Ward, ‘01

Dr. Mulokozi Lugakingira* and Mrs. Kos Lugakingira

Dr. Paul E. Wine, ‘03, and Mrs. Sarah Wine

Dr. Mohmedvasim R. Momin*

Dr. Dale C. Nickelsen, ‘62* and Mrs. Caren C. Nickelsen Dr. Thomas E. Resnick, ‘71* and Mrs. Barbara S. Resnick

$1,000 TO $2,499 Dr. Alexander G. Alemis, ’85, and Mrs. Matina V. Alemis Mr. Panagiotis Alemis

Dr. Toni M. Roucka, ’90, and Mr. Edmund A. Roucka

Align Technology

Dr. Benjamin D. Scott* and Mrs. Amanda Scott

Dr. Bruce W. Allen, ’66, and Mrs. Edith Allen

Dr. Anda F. Sokalski, ’68, and Dr. Stephen J. Sokalski

Dr. Vincent J. Arpino, ‘93* and Dr. Tina Smith Arpino, ‘93

Prof. Lin Tao and Dr. Renjie Chang

Dr. Mark C. Baker, ‘77*, and Dr. Ayse U. Baker

Dr. Stephen B. Towns, ’73*, and Dr. Jeanette Sabir-Holloway

Dr. Veerasathpurush Allareddy

Dr. Victoria A. Ursitti*

Dr. Robert M. Bara, Loyola ’89, and Mrs. Annamarie A. Bara

Dr. Shawn M. Velez, ‘04*

Mrs. Jennifer Bereckis Jacobucci* Dr. Bamini Blau* and Dr. Robert E. Blau*

Dr. William J. Bleecker, ’71, and Mrs. Ada M. Bleecker Dr. Bryan C. Blew, ’98, and Mrs. Michele A. Blew

Dr. Paul S. Burkey, Loyola ’83, and Mrs. Alisa F. Burkey Dr. Andrew J. Calhoun*

Dr. Rhonna L. Cohen, ’72, and Dr. Donald A. Chambers Dr. Harry O. Channon, ‘63*, and Mrs. Frances L. Channon Dr. William C. Cheng, ‘15* Dr. Lyndon F. Cooper and Mrs. Lisa Cooper Dr. Theodore Damas* Dr. Milton L. Davenport* Dr. Ira A. Satinover, ‘79*, and Dr. Luisa A. Dipietro, ‘80* Dr. Anthony J. Domenico, Loyola ‘76 Dr. Robert Druzinsky and Mrs. Renee M. Friedman

Dr. Michael G. Durbin, ‘88*, and Dr. Renee P. Pappas, ‘88 Dr. Scott A. Emalfarb, Loyola ‘89 Dr. James C. Davis, ’83, and Dr. Arlene M. Engert, ‘83 Dr. Melvin J. Flamenbaum

Dr. Nona C. Flores Dr. Bruce S. Graham and Mrs. Linda M. Graham Dr. Michael D. Han and Mrs. Sue Bin Park Dr. Jonathan G. Hanson, ’68, and Mrs. Margaret A. Hanson Dr. Robert E. Haraden, ‘98 Dr. Dustin B. Haupt* and Dr. Anastasia M. Haupt* Dr. Gary R. Herberger, ’78, and Mrs. Dale R. Herberger

Dr. Stephen R. Hertzberg, ‘70*, and Mrs. Alice E. Hertzberg Dr. Nicola Hill-Cordell, ‘89*, and Mr. Laurence J. Msall Dr. Manal Ibrahim LaVacca, ‘93*, and Dr. Anthony LaVacca Dr. James H. Isaacson, ‘71 Dr. Lee M. Jameson, Loyola ‘74 Dr. Lars B. Jonsson*

Dr. Gene R. Kantack* and Mrs. Sandra Kantack

Dr. William J. Quest* and Dr. Diane Johnson* Dr. Scott R. Rehm*

Dr. Louis G. Karras, ‘89*, and Mrs. Angie Karras

Dr. James B. Ricker and Mrs. Susan C. Ricker

Dr. George F. Kennedy, ‘59

Dr. Timothy J. Rogers, ‘11*

Dr. Hammad A. Khan, ‘03* and Mrs. Henna Khan

Dr. Ross E. Rubino, ’77, and Mrs. Terri Rubino

Dr. Kevin M. King, ‘86

Dr. Michael L. Schmerman and Mrs. Sandy Schmerman

Dr. Thomas J. King Jr., ’71, and Mrs. Maureen King

Dr. Robert S. Schmidt*

$500 TO $999 Dr. Junaid M. Ahmed, ‘05 Mr. James N. Alexander and Mrs. Cleopatra B. Alexander Dr. Donald S. Amano* and Mrs. Nettie Amano Dr. Sloan Ashabranner* Dr. James Benz, ’79, and Mrs. Margo Benz

Dr. Randy L. Bisping, ’82, and Mrs. Joy L. Bisping

Dr. Dushanka Kleinman, ’73, and Mr. Joel E. Kleinman

Dr. Amy L. Seagraves* Dr. Peter Q. Shelley*

Dr. Joel R. Korczak, ‘81

Dr. Andrew W. Browar, ‘79*, and Dr. Taisa L. Szeremeta-Browar*

Dr. Thomas Skiba, ‘68*, and Mrs. Joan R. Skiba

Dr. Blase P. Brown, Loyola ’81, and Mrs. Nancy Brown

Dr. Jin-Moon Soh* and Mrs. Duckui Soh

Dr. Joseph E. Canzona, ‘69*

Dr. Clarence G. Krebs* and Mrs. Beverly Krebs Dr. Anthony M. LaPorte, ‘12 and Mrs. Lina LaPorte Dr. Julie A. Laverdiere Beck, ‘90*, and Mr. James Beck Dr. Yi-Chen Liu* Dr. Richard P. Martino, ’64, and Mrs. Margot F. Martino Dr. Richard A. Munaretto, ‘01*, and Mrs. Gretchen A. Munaretto

Dr. Milton M. Murasaki, ’66, and Mrs. Virginia Stein NACCME

Dr. Edward H. Song* and Mrs. Catherine Kim Dr. Anupama Sridhar*

Dr. Lawrence R. Voss, ’78, and Mrs. Marie C. Voss Dr. Brian S. Wardell* and Mrs. Heather Wardell Dr. Peter C. Wasilkoff, ‘69*, and Mrs. Donna J. Wasilkoff Dr. Chad R. Wiersema, ‘03*, and Mrs. Michelle Wiersema

Dr. Timothy D. Conway, ’77, and Mrs. Kathy L. Conway Ms. Jayne Daniel Dr. Preston J. Dekker* Dr. Alison F. Doubleday Dr. John S. Fox, ‘84* Dr. Melvyn A. Golden, ‘74 Dr. Lisa Gabrish Grabovac* Dr. Jorge Carlos P. Griswold* and Ms. Rachael Cropper Dr. Tyler H. Haeffs*

Dr. Charles R. Neach, Loyola ’70, and Mrs. Peggy D. Neach

Ms. Barbara P. Wiley

Dr. Michael B. Hagearty*

Prof. Christine D. Wu

Dr. John Nowak, ‘98*, and Mrs. Renee Nowak

Dr. Qian Xie*

Dr. Michael D. Harner and Mrs. Eileen H. Harner Dr. Ashley N. Houle*

Dr. Joanne R. Oppenheim, ‘89*, and Dr. Kenneth Kromash

Dr. Mark J. Humenik, ‘88 and Mrs. Mary E. Humenik

Dr. Rosa N. Ortega, ‘04*, and Mr. Ashley Richardson

Dr. Raza A. Hussain* and Dr. Nadia S. Hussain

Dr. Ruhan S. Ozgen, ’90, and Mrs. Bobbi-Jo Ozgen

Dr. N. O. Jackson, ‘71

Dr. Hui J. Park, ‘99

Dr. Alan W. Kaplin, ‘60*, and Mrs. Marcia S. Kaplin Dr. Cathy E. Longos* and Dr. Thomas J. Longos

HONOR ROLL

Dr. Yena Jun*

30 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

HONOR ROLL

31

JULY 1, 2020 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2021

Dr. Donald B. McElroy and Mrs. Julie B. McElroy

Mrs. Irma A. Butler

Dr. Maria Therese S. Galang-Boquiren, ‘09*, and Mr. Allan D. Boquiren

Dr. Sarah L. Moles*

Mrs. Phoebe Cabanban and Mr. Aquilino R. Cabanban

Dr. Alexander M. Munaretto, ‘16*

Dr. Robert J. Cabay, Loyola ‘86

Dr. Salvador Nares and Mrs. Celia Nares

Ms. Janice Y. Carter

Dr. Kenneth W. Gehrke, ‘82*, and Mrs. Theresa Gehrke

Mr. David B. Casper

Prof. Anne George

Dr. John M. Nusstein, ’87, and Mrs. Tammie L. Nusstein

Dr. Wendy L. Cerny

Dr. Sepideh Ghanbarzad Dashti, ‘21

Prof. Yinghua Chen

Mrs. Jill E. Glascott

Dr. Thomas E. Parry, ’68, and Mrs. Doris Parry

Dr. Shu F. Cheuk, ‘76

Mr. Christopher E. Goc

Dr. Christyne M. Chmil*

Dr. Daniel M. Greising, ’90, and Mrs. Rebecca L. Greising

Dr. Rajiv Puri, ’05, and Mrs. Shannon A. Puri Dr. Stephen L. Rider, ’80, and Mrs. Karen S. Rider Dr. Vaibhavi J. Shah, ’09, and Mr. Milap Shah Dr. Russell P. Umbricht, ’68, and Mrs. Margaret M. Umbricht

Dr. Anthony W. Chulick, ’73, and Mrs. Micki R. Chulick Dr. Seung Hyuk Chung Dr. Kyint Chwa Dr. Vincent L. Conforti, ’72, and Mrs. Kathleen Conforti Ms. Sara Connell

Dr. Alma D. Gallegos, ‘20

Dr. Ann M. Grieve, ’84, and Mr. Douglass V. Grieve Dr. Charles A. Gutweniger, Loyola ‘55 Ms. Janette Guzman Dr. Allan L. Hablutzel, ’82, and Mrs. Gail Hablutzel Mr. Geoffrey R. Hammond and Mrs. Heidy Hammond

Mr. Mark J. Valentino and Mrs. Carmen P. Valentino

Ms. Margaret Cormack

Dr. Florian H. Zablotny, ‘68

Dr. Robert S. Deaver, ‘82

$1 TO $499

Dr. Sydney R. Demovsky, ’62, and Mrs. Dianne E. Young

Prof. Guy R. Adami

Mr. Jaideep Deshpande

Dr. Adegbenga A. Adepoju, ‘17

Dr. Robert W. Hawkinson, ‘72*, and Mrs. Susan Hawkinson

Dr. Thomas R. Dirksen, ’57, and Mrs. Jean T. Dirksen

Mrs. Ana Lisa F. Hendricks

Dr. Michael H. Anderson, ’80, and Mrs. Linda Anderson

Dr. H. T. Cubbon, ’70

Miss Monty L. Dixon

Dr. Phimon Atsawasuwan*

Dr. John T. Dominici, ‘83

Dr. Bobby W. Austin, ’75, and Mrs. Joan T. Austin

Ms. Ann B. Doolen

Dr. Danny Hanna Dr. Thomas A. Harris, ’82, and Mrs. Patricia Harris

Dr. Ralph E. Horton, ’61, and Mrs. Mary E. Horton Mrs. Meredith R. Howell and Mr. Jonathan Howell

Dr. David Avenetti

Dr. Eliza P. Drobny, ’09, and Mr. Roman J. Drobny

Dr. Michael P. Hoyland, ‘74

Dr. Kurt A. Barth, ’97, and Mrs. Tracy L. Barth

Dr. Michael A. Dunlap, ‘92

Dr. Kenneth C. Hyten, ’66, and Mrs. Jane G. Hyten

Dr. David R. Behringer, ‘89

Dr. Asha S. Eapen and Mr. Chacko P. Eapen

Mrs. Ina Beierle and Mr. John Beierle

Mr. Everett C. Earley

Mr. William S. Bike and Ms. Anne M. Nordhaus-Bike Dr. Richard A. Bona, ’78, and Mrs. Mary P. Bona Ms. Saundra E. Brady Dr. William M. Brennan, ’76, and Mrs. Mary N. Brennan Dr. Matthew Bruksch, ’09, and Mrs. Sarah L. Bruksch Ms. Virginia H. Buglio

Mr. Ghassem J. Ebadi and Mrs. Mary L. Ebadi

Ms. Judith A. Eisenmann Mr. Kassapa J. B. Ellepola and Mrs. Indira Singaram Dr. Norman L. Eskoz, Loyola ‘79

Dr. Caswell Evans and Mrs. Arlene G. Evans Dr. John W. Fischer, ’79, and Mrs. Amy F. Fischer Dr. James P. Frett, ’79, and Mrs. Jacqueline Frett

Mrs. Mary L. Hummons

Dr. Kenneth J. Jozwiak* Dr. Sameer Kapil, ’16, and Mrs. Sonia Kapil Dr. Linda Kaste Dr. Nadia Kawar and Mr. Rami Haddad Ms. Ji Hyun Kim Dr. David W. Kinsinger, ’76, and Mrs. Janice M. Kinsinger Dr. Walter Y. Kitajima, ‘68 and Mrs. Diana M. Kitajima

Dr. William B. Kort, ’61, and Mrs. Nancy B. Kort Dr. J. M. Krisko, ’90, and Mrs. Mary B. Krisko

Dr. Mohammad H. Mohammadi* and Mrs. Gity Mohammadi Mr. Francis L. Mon and Mrs. Lourdes G. Mon

Dr. Michael J. Seelig* Dr. Melvin P. Sered, ‘58+, and Mrs. Hedy R. Sered Dr. Steven M. Shikami, Loyola ‘93

Dr. Scott R. Musil, ’83, and Mrs. Roseanne R. Musil

Dr. Darryl R. Smith, ’88, and Mrs. Janice K. Smith

Dr. Laura M. Neumann, ’77, and Dr. Charles A. Neumann

Dr. James W. Soderstrom, ’72, and Mrs. Barbara L. Soderstrom

Dr. Jennifer C. Langner, ’95, and Mr. Thomas J. Langner

Dr. Christina L. Nicholas

Spoon River Electric

Mrs. Khatija Noorullah

Mr. Mark S. Laurenz

Dr. Gerald M. Noskin, ’57, and Mrs. Shari C. Noskin

Dr. Rutger W. Stache, ‘16*, and Dr. Laurie E. Susarchick Stache*

Dr. Ronald R. Kubiak, ’76, and Mrs. Diane M. Kubiak Mrs. Valerie J. Kuhl

Dr. Randall E. Lawson, ’85, and Mrs. Mary A. Lawson Dr. Charles W. Le Hew Dr. Chuljoo Lee, ‘78 Dr. Mary A. Licking, ‘77 Mrs. Susan D. Lloyd Dr. Richard M. Loochtan, ‘77 Mrs. Blanca E. Luna CAPT Cornelius T. Lynch, ‘89 Ms. Aurora O. Madrid Mr. Bruno Mancari and Mrs. Gina M. Mancari Dr. Johanna Manous Dr. Thomas W. Mansfield, ’65, and Mrs. Susan W. Mansfield

Dr. Steven T. Olson

Dr. Lindy A. Kona, ’89, and Dr. Bradley J. Stanciu, ’90

Dr. Ralph M. Orland and Mrs. Anna Korkatsch

Dr. Paul H. Stines, ’63, and Mrs. Joan M. Stines

Dr. Ryan J. Pasiewicz* and Dr. Colleen Flahive

Dr. Frederick M. Stroner, ’87, and Mrs. Jenny Stroner

Dr. Sylvia I. Pavlova

Mr. Timothy P. Sullivan

Dr. Darryl D. Pendleton

Mr. Vinay A. Surpuriya

Dr. Sharon J. Perlman, ’90, and Mr. David K. Perlman

Dr. Thomas J. Tax, ’68, and Mrs. Joanne C. Tax

Ms. Elisabeth Purkis

Dr. Scott L. Tomar and Mrs. Jill Tomar

Dr. Robert E. Rada, ‘85 Dr. Amsaveni Ramachandran Dr. Gerald Raybeck, Loyola ‘79 Dr. Ann Marie Redmond, ‘13

Mrs. Michelle A. Marcano

Dr. Benjamin Q. Richardson, 21

Dr. Thomas M. Mareing, ‘75

Dr. James R. Ridlen, Loyola ‘84

Dr. Paul R. Martineau, ’74, and Mrs. Janet Martineau

Ms. Sandra R. Ritter

Dr. Theodore F. Mayer, ’82, and Mrs. Lisa D. Mayer

Dr. Candido Rivera, ’14, and Mrs. Lucia Rivera

Mrs. Ramona R. Maza

Dr. Gary A. Rodgers, ’83, and Mrs. Mary Rodgers

Dr. Richard F. McBride, ‘67*

Dr. Alexandra E. Rodriguez Senior

Dr. Alvin G. Medvin, ’59, and Mrs. Deborah R. Medvin

Dr. Surekha Sakala, ‘98

Dr. Robert J. Michet, ‘78 Dr. Charles W. Miller* and Mrs. Dru A. Miller Dr. Edward M. Miller, ’69, and Mrs. Martha Miller+ Dr. Miloslava M. Miller, ’09, and Mr. Kevin R. Miller Dr. Steven Miller Dr. M. Beth Miloro and Dr. Michael Miloro

Dr. Robert S. Salk, ’49, and Mrs. Harriet J. Salk

Dr. Ronald E. Trapp, ’69, and Dr. Sue E. Trapp-Hamilton, ’71 Mr. Robert J. Tucker and Mrs. Abbie Tucker Dr. Ryan A. Grelle Tuscher, ’09, and Mr. Seth Tuscher Mr. Paul Tuszynski and Mrs. Judith Tuszynski University Of Texas Dr. Nancy M. Unti Mrs. Rebecca A. Van Horn Ms. Florida T. Verzosa Dr. Marlos A. G. Viana and Mrs. M. Grace C. Viana

Mrs. Leticia R. Sanchez

Dr. Daniel R. Vodvarka, ’72, and Mrs. Deborah J. Vodvarka

Dr. Steven B. Schroyer, ‘89, and Mrs. Kathi S. Schroyer

Mr. Thomas F. Wamsley and Mrs. Libby Wamsley

Ms. Michele A. Schultz-Robins and Mr. Andrew Robins

Mrs. Robin J. Waner-Iser and Mr. Michael H. Iser

Mrs. Colleen P. Scroll and Mr. Joseph Scroll

Dr. Christopher S. Wenckus, ‘71*, and Mrs. S. Elaine Wenckus Dr. Samuel S. Wexler, ’64, and Mrs. Charlene S. Wexler Dr. John F. Wonderlick, ‘71* Dr. Jianchun Wu Mrs. Helen Zarczynski

HONOR ROLL

Ms. Kathryn Kmiecik

32 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

HONOR ROLL

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JULY 1, 2020 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2021

CLASS OF 1968

CLASS OF 1975

Dr. Jonathan G. Hanson Dr. Walter Y. Kitajima Dr. Thomas E. Parry Dr. Thomas Skiba* Dr. Anda F. Sokalski Dr. Thomas J. Tax Dr. Russell P. Umbricht Dr. Florian H. Zablotny

Dr. Bobby W. Austin Dr. Thomas M. Mareing

Dr. Jerome Fein*

CLASS OF 1969

CLASS OF 1977

CLASS OF 1957 Dr. Thomas R. Dirksen Dr. Gerald M. Noskin

Dr. Joseph E. Canzona* Dr. Edward M. Miller Dr. Ronald E. Trapp Dr. Peter C. Wasilkoff*

CLASS OF 1958

CLASS OF 1970

Dr. Melvin P. Sered+

Dr. Gerald M. Bieze Dr. H. T. Cubbon Dr. Paul L. Glick* Dr. Stephen R. Hertzberg*

GIVING BY CLASS YEAR

CLASS OF 1944 Dr. Bennett Klavan

CLASS OF 1949 Dr. Robert S. Salk

CLASS OF 1951

CLASS OF 1959 Dr. George F. Kennedy Dr. Alvin G. Medvin

CLASS OF 1960 Dr. Alan W. Kaplin*

CLASS OF 1961 Dr. Ralph E. Horton Dr. William B. Kort

CLASS OF 1962 Dr. Sydney R. Demovsky Dr. Dale C. Nickelsen*

CLASS OF 1963 Dr. Harry O. Channon* Dr. Paul H. Stines

CLASS OF 1964 Dr. Richard P. Martino Dr. Samuel S. Wexler

CLASS OF 1965 Dr. Thomas W. Mansfield

CLASS OF 1966 Dr. Bruce W. Allen Dr. Kenneth C. Hyten Dr. Milton M. Murasaki

CLASS OF 1967 Dr. Richard F. McBride* Dr. Ronald M. Milnarik

CLASS OF 1971 Dr. William J. Bleecker Dr. James H. Isaacson Dr. N. O. Jackson Dr. Thomas J. King Jr. Dr. Thomas E. Resnick* Dr. Sue E. Trapp-Hamilton Dr. Christopher S. Wenckus* Dr. John F. Wonderlick

CLASS OF 1972 Dr. Rhonna L. Cohen Dr. Vincent L. Conforti Dr. Robert W. Hawkinson* Dr. James W. Soderstrom Dr. Daniel R. Vodvarka

CLASS OF 1973 Dr. Anthony W. Chulick Dr. Dushanka Kleinman Dr. Thomas S. Lightfoot Dr. Stephen B. Towns*

CLASS OF 1974 Dr. Melvyn A. Golden Dr. Michael P. Hoyland Dr. Paul R. Martineau

CLASS OF 1976 Dr. William M. Brennan Dr. Shu F. Cheuk Dr. David W. Kinsinger Dr. Ronald R. Kubiak

Dr. Mark C. Baker* Dr. Timothy D. Conway Dr. Mary A. Licking Dr. Richard M. Loochtan Dr. Laura M. Neumann Dr. Ross E. Rubino

CLASS OF 1978 Dr. Richard A. Bona Dr. James H. Bryniarski Dr. Gary R. Herberger Dr. Chuljoo Lee Dr. Robert J. Michet Dr. Lawrence R. Voss

CLASS OF 1979 Dr. James Benz Dr. Andrew W. Browar* Dr. John W. Fischer Dr. James P. Frett Dr. Ira A. Satinover* Dr. Timmothy J. Schwartz

CLASS OF 1980 Dr. Michael H. Anderson Dr. Luisa A. Dipietro* Dr. Stephen L. Rider

CLASS OF 1981 Dr. Trucia A. Drummond Dr. Joel R. Korczak

CLASS OF 1982 Dr. Randy L. Bisping Dr. Robert S. Deaver Dr. Kenneth W. Gehrke* Dr. Allan L. Hablutzel Dr. Thomas A. Harris Dr. Theodore F. Mayer

CLASS OF 1990

CLASS OF 2005

Dr. Michael E. Bond Dr. Paul V. Caputo Dr. James C. Davis Dr. John T. Dominici Dr. Arlene M. Engert Dr. William B. Hamel Dr. Scott R. Musil Dr. Gary A. Rodgers

Dr. Julie A. Laverdiere Beck* Dr. Barry M. Cherny Dr. Daniel M. Greising Dr. J. M. Krisko Dr. Ruhan S. Ozgen Dr. Sharon J. Perlman Dr. Toni M. Roucka Dr. Bradley J. Stanciu

Dr. Junaid M. Ahmed Dr. Rajiv Puri

CLASS OF 1984

CLASS OF 1992

Dr. Barry E. Booth Dr. John S. Fox* Dr. Ann M. Grieve Dr. Susan A. Rowan

Dr. Michael A. Dunlap Dr. Martin J. Rogers*

CLASS OF 1985

Dr. Vincent J. Arpino* Dr. Tina Smith Arpino Dr. Manal Ibrahim LaVacca*

Dr. Alexander G. Alemis Dr. Thomas B. Braun* Dr. Randall E. Lawson Dr. Robert E. Rada

CLASS OF 1986 Dr. Kevin M. King

CLASS OF 1987 Dr. John M. Nusstein Dr. Frederick M. Stroner

CLASS OF 1988 Dr. Michael G. Durbin* Dr. Mark J. Humenik Dr. Renee P. Pappas Dr. Darryl R. Smith

CLASS OF 1989 Dr. David R. Behringer Dr. Nicola Hill-Cordell* Dr. Louis G. Karras* Dr. Lindy A. Kona CAPT Cornelius T. Lynch Dr. Joanne R. Oppenheim* Dr. Steven B. Schroyer

CLASS OF 1993

CLASS OF 1995 Dr. Jennifer C. Langner

CLASS OF 1997 Dr. Kurt A. Barth

CLASS OF 1998 Dr. Bryan C. Blew Dr. Robert E. Haraden Dr. John Nowak* Dr. Surekha Sakala

CLASS OF 1999 Dr. Hui J. Park

CLASS OF 2000 Dr. Gabriel D. Hostalet

CLASS OF 2001 Dr. Richard A. Munaretto* Dr. Stephanie M. Ward

CLASS OF 2003 Dr. Hammad A. Khan* Dr. Chad R. Wiersema* Dr. Paul E. Wine

CLASS OF 2004 Dr. Tricia R. Crosby* Dr. Rosa N. Ortega* Dr. Shawn M. Velez*

CLASS OF 2006 Dr. Thomas A. Sarna*

CLASS OF 2009 Dr. Matthew Bruksch Dr. Eliza P. Drobny Dr. Maria Therese S. Galang-Boquiren* Dr. Miloslava M. Miller Dr. Vaibhavi J. Shah Dr. Ryan A. Grelle Tuscher

CLASS OF 2011 Dr. Daniel R. Brunetti Dr. Charles C. DiFranco* Dr. Timothy J. Rogers*

CLASS OF 2012 Dr. Anthony M. LaPorte

CLASS OF 2013 Dr. Ann Marie Redmond

CLASS OF 2014 Dr. Candido Rivera

CLASS OF 2015 Dr. William C. Cheng* Dr. Syed S. Rehman

CLASS OF 2016 Dr. Alexander M. Munaretto* Dr. Sameer Kapil Dr. Rutger W. Stache*

CLASS OF 2017 Dr. Adegbenga A. Adepoju

CLASS OF 2020 Dr. Alma D. Gallegos

CLASS OF 2021 Dr. Sepideh Ghanbarzad Dashti

HONOR ROLL

CLASS OF 1983

34 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

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HONOR ROLL

35

JULY 1, 2020 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2021

SPECIALTY DEGREES

LOYOLA

Dr. Donald S. Amano, ‘66 Dr. Sloan Ashabranner, ‘21 Dr. Phimon Atsawasuwan, ‘11 Mrs. Jennifer Bereckis Jacobucci, ‘21 Dr. Samuel Berkowitz, ‘59 Dr. James W. Blackburn, ‘02 Dr. Bamini Blau, ‘03 Dr. Robert E. Blau, ‘05 Dr. Andrew J. Calhoun, ‘09 Dr. Christyne M. Chmil, ‘20 Dr. Theodore Damas, ‘07 Dr. Milton L. Davenport, ‘07 Dr. Preston J. Dekker, ‘22 Dr. Jason A. Edwards, ‘08 Dr. Mohamed I. Fayad, ‘00 Dr. Robert W. Glineburg, ‘81 Dr. Lisa Gabrish Grabovac, 91 Dr. Jorge Carlos P. Griswold, ‘15 Dr. Tyler H. Haeffs, ‘22 Dr. Michael B. Hagearty, ‘72 Dr. Jianjun Hao, ‘11 Dr. Anastasia M. Haupt, ‘16 Dr. Dustin B. Haupt, ‘16 Dr. Ashley N. Houle, ‘21 Dr. Raza A. Hussain, ‘10 Dr. Diane Johnson, ‘87 Dr. Lars B. Jonsson, ‘05 Dr. Kenneth J. Jozwiak, ‘74 Dr. Yena Jun, ‘20 Dr. Gene R. Kantack, ‘65 Dr. Clarence G. Krebs, ‘71 Dr. Lihong Lin, ‘08 Dr. Yi-Chen Liu, ‘00 Dr. Cathy E. Longos, ‘92 Dr. Mulokozi Lugakingira, ‘11 Dr. Charles W. Miller, ‘82 Dr. Mohammad H. Mohammadi, ‘82 Dr. Sarah L. Moles, ‘21 Dr. Mohmedvasim R. Momin, ‘15 Dr. Ryan J. Pasiewicz, ‘18 Dr. William J. Quest, ‘87 Dr. Scott R. Rehm, ‘91 Dr. Robert S. Schmidt, ‘11 Dr. Benjamin D. Scott, ‘08 Dr. Amy L. Seagraves, ‘20 Dr. Michael J. Seelig, ‘20 Dr. Peter Q. Shelley, ‘06 Dr. Jin-Moon Soh, ‘73 Dr. Edward H. Song, ‘19 Dr. Anupama Sridhar, ‘06 Dr. Laurie E. Susarchick Stache, ‘21 Dr. Victoria A. Ursitti, ‘95 Dr. Brian S. Wardell, ‘08 Dr. Qian Xie, ‘11

Dr. Robert M. Bara, ‘89 Dr. Blase P. Brown, ‘81 Dr. Robert G. Brunetti , ‘78 Dr. Paul S. Burkey, ‘83 Dr. Robert J. Cabay, ‘86 Dr. Michael D. Colvard, ‘85* Dr. Anthony J. Domenico, ‘76 Dr. Scott A. Emalfarb, ‘89 Dr. Norman L. Eskoz, ‘79 Dr. Charles A. Gutweniger, ‘55 Dr. Lee M. Jameson, ‘74 Dr. Charles R. Neach, ‘70 Dr. Gerald Raybeck, ‘79 Dr. James R. Ridlen, ‘84 Dr. Steven M. Shikami, ‘93

KEY Italic names: The UIC College of Dentistry recognizes those members of the University of Illinois Foundation’s Presidents Council. + Deceased. * UIC College of Dentistry post-graduate program alumnus/alumna.

Specialty Degree category lists alumni who have received their specialty degree from UIC, but their dental degree from another university.

Donors of $1,000 or more are members of the College’s Dean’s Council, a prestigious group of some of the College’s most generous supporters.

Every effort has been made to list all contributions correctly. We apologize for any oversight or error and ask that you please report it to Ana Lisa Hendricks, Director of Donor Relations at (312) 996-0485 or email DentAdvancement@uic.edu.

BY DANIEL P. SMITH AND BRUCE ADAMS

With the departure of Dr. Clark Stanford, DDS, PhD, MHA, as dean of the UIC College of Dentistry earlier this spring, Dr. Susan Rowan, DDS, MS, FACD, FICD, stepped into the role of interim dean on April 1. Rowan is the first female to serve in that role since the College’s founding in 1913.

A dual graduate of the UIC College of Dentistry – she earned her BS in 1982 and her DDS in 1984 – Dr. Rowan joined the UIC faculty ranks in 1984. The Oak Lawn, Illinois, native has served as the College’s associate dean for clinical affairs and its executive associate dean since 2014 and 2018, respectively.

In those key leadership roles, Dr. Rowan has provided administrative oversight for all clinical services at the College, including clinical education courses and programs, as well as the College’s patient care quality assurance program and its physical facilities.

“Dr. Rowan’s significant experience as an academic and clinical leader and her longstanding commitment to both the College and the UIC community make her an outstanding individual to lead during this time of transition,” UIC vice chancellor for health affairs Dr. Robert Barish said in a statement announcing Dr. Rowan’s appointment.

Dr. Stanford, who recommended Dr. Rowan for the interim dean post, described his former colleague as a detailed, prepared, and collaborative administrator.

“Dr. Rowan has all of the great qualities to be a leader – a strong listener, thoughtful, and caring,” he says. “She has the full faith and confidence of the faculty and I’m sure she will do magnificent things.”

Rowan, who also serves as a professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, calls building upon the momentum created during Dr. Stanford’s tenure her primary focus as interim dean.

“I want to be cautious about making any longer-term decisions that are best made by a permanent dean, but I also want to make sure we’re not stagnant,” says Dr. Rowan, who also earned an MS in Patient Safety Leadership from the UIC College of Medicine in 2019. “Dean Stanford put us on a great path and I want to continue pushing important in-progress initiatives ahead.”

Specifically, Dr. Rowan looks to continue renovating faculty offices and student spaces, some of which have not been touched in more than 25 years; to enhance access to care and the patient journey by installing a phone system and contact center within the College; to proceed in the search for a new associate dean for research to propel discovery science; and to advance the creation of an adult special care clinic.

“In fact, if I do nothing else as interim dean, I want to propel that clinic and its corresponding curriculum toward completion,” Dr. Rowan says. “It’s an important project whose time has come.”

Calling the strength of the College “its people and the rich diversity that we embrace,” Dr. Rowan aims to ensure the College continues being an inclusive, mission-oriented environment where individuals across the College – from students and staff to facilities team members and faculty – feel valued and heard.

“I am well aware of the sensitivities people have if they feel they are being overlooked or undervalued, and I don’t ever want that to be the case here,” Dr. Rowan says.

As word of her interim dean appointment spread, Dr. Rowan says she was touched by the many faculty, staff, students, and alumni who contacted her to share congratulations and well wishes, including one veteran faculty member who shared especially meaningful advice: “Be yourself.”

“And that’s what I plan to do,” Dr. Rowan says. “I’ll give my best in support of the College’s mission to serve students, staff, faculty, and patients.”

A group of experienced and innovative individuals has joined Dr. Rowan as interim leaders at the college.

Excitement and pride during the 2021 Hooding Ceremony.

LEADING TOGETHER

DR. SUSAN ROWAN TAKES ON THE ROLE AS COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY’S INTERIM DEAN

38 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

“I’ll give my best in support of the College’s mission to serve students, staff, faculty, and patients.”

DR. SUSAN ROWAN

Dr. Michael (Mickey) Spector has accepted the role of Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the College of Dentistry.

He is replacing Dr. Toni Roucka, who is taking the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs position at Marquette University School of Dentistry. Dr. Roucka is maintaining her adjunct faculty appointment at UIC College of Dentistry.

Dr. Spector is currently a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry and is the Executive Director of Academic Affairs. He earned his BS in Psychobiology from Binghamton University in New York State; his DMD from Temple University in Philadelphia; his Master’s and Certificate in Periodontics; and his Certificate in General Dentistry from Columbia University in New York City.

Before he arrived at UIC in 2015, Dr. Spector taught at Columbia University, the University of Iowa, and Midwestern University.

He has served as Managing Partner for the College of Dentistry Mozart Predoctoral Group Practice. In addition to these duties, he serves as the Director of Assessment and Training, in which he is responsible for guiding faculty and staff in assessment and evaluation practices. Dr. Spector was instrumental during the College’s recent accreditation process, oversaw program review and accreditation initiatives, and created a professional calibration standard for faculty and graduate students with a teaching component.

“As I have learned from working with this team, they are dedicated, nimble, and able to turn any challenge into an opportunity for growth.”

DR. MICHAEL SPECTOR

LEADING TOGETHER

DR. MICHAEL SPECTOR REPLACES DR. TONI ROUKA

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LEADING TOGETHER

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His strong academic, clinical, and leadership background Dr. Michael (Mickey) Spector observes, “The accreditation will help provide the necessary stability while the College process was a fantastic opportunity to look introspectively conducts an internal search for a permanent Associate Dean at all aspects of our curriculum. The best lesson learned was for Academic Affairs. As Dr. Roucka confirms, “Dr. Spector that the College community as a whole was able to identify has the knowledge and skills to lead the Office of Academic potential vulnerabilities and very rapidly come up with effective Affairs as Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs through mitigation strategies that not only helped us with accreditation this transition period. His work ethic, knowledge of dental but enhanced our curriculum. The community identified education, and leadership skills have prepared him well.” Dr. potential vulnerabilities and rapidly developed effective Spector notes that his “main charge as Interim Associate Dean mitigation strategies. We built, measured, and learned from for Academic Affairs is to provide stability and leadership until our deep dive and implemented successful initiatives. These the new Associate Dean of Academic Affairs is chosen. I will initiatives benefited all our stakeholders: our students, our continue with the key initiatives that have helped propel UIC patients, and our profession.”

College of Dentistry to a model of academic excellence. Dr. Roucka and the Office of Academic Affairs team have created As a new member of the College leadership team, Dr. Spector many innovative protocols, procedures, and educational sees “a very positive trajectory” for the College of Dentistry. methodologies that I will continue to implement. As I have “With Dr. Rowan at the helm, we are headed in the right learned from working with this team, they are dedicated, nimble, direction with the right leader. She possesses the unique and able to turn any challenge into an opportunity for growth.” combination of a tremendous work ethic, superior intellect, and a truly empathetic heart. She is uniquely qualified. I cannot Dr. Roucka’s leadership since joining the college as think of a better person to lead UIC College of Dentistry into a Academic Dean in 2016 is illustrated by her role as chair very bright future.” of the Accreditation Steering Committee in the successful Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accreditation in 2021. Dr. Roucka describes the accreditation process, which takes place every seven years, as “an interesting journey.” The college began preparing in the summer of 2018 for a site visit in November 2021. As with so many things, the COVID pandemic complicated matters. Dr. Roucka notes that Through an amazing team effort, the site visit went as well as possible. The site visit team was extremely pleased with our institution on all levels. Dr. Michael Spector, the Director of Assessment and Calibration at the time, and Dr. Fatemeh Afshari, Assistant Director of Assessment and Calibration, played instrumental roles. One crowning achievement was developing the D4 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), a high-level assessment of our D4 / A4 students’ readiness to graduate, which multiple other schools have now emulated.

Dr. Toni Roucka and Dr. Michael Spector partnering during the transition of responsibilites.

Three floors of clinics that serve tens of thousands of patients yearly present quite an administrative challenge. Dr. Danny Hanna, DDS, accepted the Interim Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs position, starting April 1, 2022, as he continues to direct Urgent Care Patient Services. And as he says, he did so for a simple reason: “Dr. Rowan asked. It’s something I wanted to do to help her out in her new role as interim dean.”

Dr. Hanna is a Clinical Associate Professor in Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences at the college and has served in several roles and contributed to initiatives and the Electronic Patient Record, including influenza vaccination training, the electronic prescription process, tobacco cessation, medical consultation workflow, medical risk identification and consent, the initiation of the Antibiotic Stewardship Program, and more.

He jokingly comments that “sometimes it feels like the only time I’m not in a meeting is when I’m walking to the next meeting. So in between that, I tried to get some patient care in.”

Patient care has been a challenge during the pandemic, which prompted adjustments to operations, as Dr. Hanna explains: COVID mitigation measures prompted one of the major things we did initially. We changed some of the clinic start times to stagger them. Beyond the time that this was required, we saw the value in this. The staggered times helped with managing the rush. The standard opening time created a rush of patients coming into check-in. Staggering openings diffused that because only a percentage of the patients were checking in the same time versus 100% of the patients previously. That has repercussions not just at check-in but patient checkout and getting instruments from sterilization and turnover of instruments. We saw the benefit in continuing that policy of staggered start times. It requires a little more planning administratively with different staff and the different clinics. There are some challenges with doing it. But it’s worth the effort.

Dr. Danny Hanna with Dr. Judy Yuan reviewing clinic protocols.

The college’s commitment to providing quality oral healthcare to underserved populations drew Dr. Hanna to UIC. “Many, many moons ago, I decided to work in either an underserved environment or an academic environment, “he says. “In addition to teaching, most academic environments also see a lot of underserved patients. And that’s a lot of what we do.”

He observes that “UIC is maybe even a little more committed to serving underserved patients than other schools. When we had past leadership changes, it was noted that they see the difference in our faculty and our students and our staff’s commitment to seeing underserved populations.”

Dr. Hanna is optimistic about the future of the UIC College of Dentistry, especially in the aftermath of CODA accreditation: “We had to show that we had our ducks in a row for our accreditation recently. We did very well on our site visit. You just can’t ask for better than that. We were able to document and show all the good work we were doing. It’s about telling your story. And we have a good story.”

Dr. Hanna describes the goal before college leadership as “to keep it going. Not get lax with our good policies and initiatives and find new initiatives as we move forward.” Dr. Hanna confirms that “many of the key people that got us here are still here. All these policies are here that the stakeholders took ownership of. Most of them are still here, though we’re transitional in some of our leadership roles. And we’re going to see it through. They have other ideas that they’ve had on the back burner. Now we have the opportunity to move forward on our back burner ideas and get them in place and solid.”

LEADING TOGETHER

DR. DANNY HANNA BECOMES INTERIM ASSISTANT DEAN FOR CLINICAL AFFAIRS

42 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

“It’s about telling your story.

And we have a good story.

We know what we’re doing.”

DR. DANNY HANNA

Dr. Scott Tomar, DMD, DrPH, can be forgiven for any sensations of whiplash he may have felt over the last two years. Amid a pandemic with all the complications of moving, he joined UIC College of Dentistry in April 2020 as Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Sciences.

Then, in April 2022, he was asked to take on the Interim Associate Dean for Research and Department Head of Oral Biology positions. Dr. Tomar recalls that

Dr. Tomar succeeds Dr. Lyndon F. Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., who was named Dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry in early January 2022. Dr. Cooper served as the associate dean for Research and head of the Department of Oral Biology since November 2015.

Dr. Cooper’s guidance to the College has strengthened the community and brought positive developments to the faculty and facilities at the College. Dr. David Reed, Ph.D., Associate Professor for the Oral Biology department expressed that “ As a scientist, colleague, and leader, he was a strong and engaged role model for our entire research community.”

When Deans Stanford and Rowan asked me to serve as Interim Associate Dean for Research and Interim Head of the Department of Oral Biology, my initial reaction was surprise, honor, and trepidation. However, I quickly agreed to take on these new responsibilities out of a sense of commitment to the College of Dentistry and appreciation for the trust that the deans placed in me.

Dr. Tomar is also grateful to his colleagues in the Division of Prevention and Public Health Sciences for their “patience and understanding as I’ve taken on these new commitments and responsibilities.”

“UIC is an outstanding tier 1 research institution and is ideally situated to become a global leader in urban health research.”

DR. SCOTT TOMAR

LEADING TOGETHER

DR. SCOTT TOMAR IS INTERIM ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND DEPARTMENT HEAD OF ORAL BIOLOGY

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LEADING TOGETHER

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Research at the College of Dentistry is supported by more than Dr. Tomar says that the pandemic also “created an opportunity $7 million in annual extramural funding, with about $6 million to show that various models of teledentistry could be effective from NIH or other federal agencies. About half of the 100 fulland cost-effective approaches to increasing access to oral time faculty are actively engaged in research and scholarly health care.” Dentists adapted to the airborne virus when activity, and more than 20 faculty members have primarily “concerns about generating aerosols during dental treatment research appointments. The College has about 100 residents in led to greater adoption of conservative approaches to oral its advanced education specialty programs, all of whom engage disease management.” in research as part of their educational programs. In addition, there are 11 student researchers in the Ph.D. or DMD/Ph.D. Dr. Tomar is energized when asked about the future of the program and five post-doctoral fellows.

University of Illinois Chicago and the College of Dentistry: Dr. Tomar observes that “it’s important for the College to expand its research capacity and portfolio in translational science around clinical and community-based disease prevention and control, health services research, and oral health policy.”

If there was any doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic brought the importance of the public health structure in the United States into stark relief. Dr. Tomar states, “every challenge creates opportunities, and there are a number of examples of how the oral health care community grasped those opportunities.”

As the summer 2021 issue of Cusp demonstrated, UIC College of Dentistry faculty and students joined the public health workforce and helped deliver COVID vaccines.

Dr. Tomar observes that “Dentists have a strong grounding in basic and clinical sciences and have more experience with giving injections than most health care providers, and the pandemic provided the opportunity for the dental community to demonstrate that it can be an important part of a public health response to an emerging crisis.”

Dr. Scott Tomar welcomes the chance to discuss research, service, and more with students.

UIC is an outstanding tier 1 research institution and is ideally situated to become a global leader in urban health research. As a public university, we have a unique mission to address the challenges facing Illinois and large urban areas everywhere.

We are in the heart of the UI Health Science Center and the Illinois Medical District and have a network of community partners. The college can continue to build in areas of current research strength while also making strategic investments in promising new directions. It’s exciting to be part of the UIC College of Dentistry and to help expand our research to improve population oral health, confront inequities, and improve quality of life.

Face your challenges head-on.

That is a distinguishing characteristic of the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. Dr. Stephanie Ward exemplified this when she accepted the position of Acting Director of Patient Care Services this past April. “We all need to do things that are sometimes outside our comfort zone. I felt humbled and honored that they would even ask me to do it.”

Interim Dean Susan A. Rowan included Dr. Ward in the college leadership team, and, as Dr. Ward puts it, “If high-level administrators feel that I’m up to the task then I’m more than willing to take on the responsibility.” And as befits someone who has spent her professional career at the College of Dentistry, Dr. Ward states that “I thought it would be an excellent learning experience for me.” Dr. Ward continues in her position as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Restorative Department.

Dr. Ward’s experience as a managing partner at Brahms Clinic, in general practice, and as a clinical instructor and small group learning facilitator informs her approach to patient care: “When patients have concerns, I believe in addressing those concerns as early on as possible. When they asked me to take on this position to oversee patient concerns relative to patient services, I thought, ‘okay, it’ll be more expanded. And it will give me insight into what goes on in other clinics around the building.’”

Dr. Ward has been around the building. In 2001, she obtained her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. Dr. Ward began teaching in the college’s Urgent Care Department in 2002. She sees her contribution to teaching and administration as part of a shared effort to ”advance dentistry, and support the college at all times so that we can continue to train students and build a community here that’s diverse and welcoming.”

As a practicing dentist and college instructor, Dr. Ward is in an excellent position to guide students in their studies, school activities, and volunteering. The effort starts in the admission process. “When we interview candidates, we talk to them about our extramural rotations. When they enter the clinic, we talk to them about balancing and trying to organize themselves,” she says. “I define their first responsibility as to finish this program. And to make sure they care for the patients assigned to them. Then prioritize those things that are most important to them. They will participate in extramural rotations where they serve the community. That’s built into the curriculum. We also encourage them to think about some student organizations.”

Dr. Ward started teaching at the college two months after graduation in the urgent care department, following two temporary positions in two clinics. “I had to deal with patients who were not always happy; they were in pain, some discomfort,” she recalls. “I learned then how to help manage patients that might sometimes seem difficult to some clinicians.”

In 2016, she applied to become a Managing Partner at Brahms Clinic. As Dr. Ward notes: “It was a humbling experience going through the interview process. I had a lot of people guide me.

It’s never an effort of you on your own.”

Describing herself jokingly as having “been here a very long time,” Dr. Ward has a carefully considered perspective on the future of the college; “We were always working over the last five years to be a strong program and be the kind of program that students all over the country want to apply to. And they do. We had good leadership, and we continue to have good leadership.”

Dr. Stephanie Ward with Dr. Milica Novakovic, ‘20 in Brahms Clinic.

LEADING TOGETHER

DR. STEPHANIE WARD JOINS LEADERSHIP TEAM AS ACTING DIRECTOR OF PATIENT CARE SERVICES

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“It’s never an effort of you on your own. You put forth lots of effort and accept new roles and responsibilities as they’re offered.”

DR. STEPHANIE WARD

RESEARCH

RESEARCH The College of Dentistry’s commitment to discovery science has resulted in a productive FY 2021 as measured by support dollars and more importantly, life-changing research.

UIC Awards for Creative Activity Program. For this project, Dr. Sukotjo is collaborating with Dr. Judy Yuan and Dr. Markus Santoso Ph.D. (University of Florida).

Richard and Loan Hill Biomedical Engineering Department Professor Christos Takoudis, with Professor Cortino Sukotjo from the College of Dentistry and their colleagues, investigated new ways to create N95 masks that are highly protective and retain that protective ability even after having been washed, so they can prolong their lifespans and cut down on costs. They did so by spinning in tiny pockets of silver.

Dr. Scott Tomar, Dr. Patrick Smith, and Khatija Noorullah are working on a project doing build-out of 3 dental operatories in a Pilsen clinic with money from the ILCHF, ISDS, and now HRSA. In addition, Congressman Chuy Garcia presented a $500,000 Community Project Funding (CPF) grant to the Pilsen Project, organized by the College of Dentistry and Oral Health Forum.

The funds will go towards modest renovation, equipment, and staffing to coordinate services and supervise UIC dental students, who will provide dental services to patients.

In this study, published in the journal Applied Surface Science, the team used a patented version of a technique called atomic layer deposition to imbed the filter of an N95 mask with tiny nano-islands of silver. They then exposed the masks to antimicrobial tests, finding a 76% reduction in bacteria content after 24 hours of biofilm development on the mask surfaces.

Dr. Sukotjo has also received funding for “Immersive Learning with AI-enhanced Virtual Standardized Patient (VSP) to Improve Dental Students’ Communication Proficiencies,” through the

Dr. Afsar Naqvi, collaboration with Dr. Deepak Shukla from the UIC Department of Ophthalmology, received an NIH Multiple Principal Investigator award and Research Project Grant.

Their work is focused on influence of herpes viruses in disease progression/severity.

48 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

RESEARCH

49

FY 21 RESEARCH FUNDING Federal Government

Foundations & Philanthropy

$1,250,957 FOUNDATIONS & PHILANTHROPY

20% $

3,306,065

53%

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH (NICDR)

14%

$918,417 HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA)

13% $795,504 OTHER NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH INSTITUTES

TOTAL

$

60

6,270,943

14

170

100 +

FULL-TIME

VISITING

FACULTY-PUBLISHED

STUDENTS PRESENTED

RESEARCH FACULTY

RESEARCHERS

PAPERS PER YEAR

ABSTRACTS AT THE COLLEGE’S 2022 CLINIC AND RE SEARCH DAY

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

2021-2022 SCHOLARSHIP AND AWARD RECIPIENTS A.C.E. Student Scholars Heinery Arevalo Dominique Bertucci Marisol Garcia Polina Gubareva Katharine Howard Jennifer Jan Kevin Maloney Amanda Nikho Moses Rasberry Jane Sobczak Subeena Thomas Bryant Ukaigwe American Institute of Orthodontics Award Malissa Arroyo Katharine Howard Dr. Kamlesh Amin Scholarship Nidhi Mahajan Dr. Jerry F. Balaty Award Dominique Bertucci Evan Chwa Margarita Morales Karim Rizk Radhika Shah Bisco, Inc. Award - Pediatric Dentistry Kathryn Grunenwald Bisco, Inc. Award – Restorative Dentistry Ayesha Khan

Eugene S. and Pauline Gucker Blair Endowed Scholarship Samim Taraji

Dr. Susan and James Edukutharayil Scholarship Ayesha Khan

Luz Bondoc Award Jennifer Jan

Dr. Caswell A. Evans Dental Public Health Scholarship Award Moses Rasberry

Dr. Leslie J. Braun Jr. Award Damaris Ionut Berj Latchinia Sonal Patel Faisal Saadoon Jane Sobczak Samuel J. Cascio, DDS Scholarship Dominique Bertucci Lauren Rubino Dr. Oltea Cotofrea Scholarship John (Oganes) Gegamyan Dr. Amy J. Cummins Scholarship Amber Dansby Lazma Deeb Andres Martinez John W. Davis Orthodontic Scholarship Award Shaymaa Mohsin Dr. Trucia A. Drummond Scholarship Fund Amanda Nikho Delta Sigma Delta Michael Steinmetz

Dr. Jerome and Mrs. Joy Fein Endowed Scholarship Ruidan Ma Edgar D. Gifford DDS Scholarship Brian Currie Dr. Gerson Gould and Mr. Sol. H. Gould Memorial Scholarship Alero Agberen Malissa Arroyo Karolina Bartnicki John Oganes Gegamyan Elizabeth Guirado Noor Qasim Saul Ramirez Raquel Saavedra Michael Steinmetz Subeena Thomas Dr. Curt J. Gronner Award Moses Rasberry Ann Tschirley Gunatillike Scholarship Mustafa Siddiq Ali Dr. James R. Havera Scholarship Elizabeth Guirado

50 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

UIC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

51

JULY 1, 2020 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2021

International College of Dentists Student Humanitarian Award Sara Imtiaz

Dr. Toni M. and Mr. Edmund A. Roucka Scholarship Harry Ruther

International College of Dentists Student Leadership Award Sonal Patel

Dr. Susan A. and Dr. Daniel A. Rowan Scholarship Katharine Howard

Milton and Dorothy H. Jacobson Scholarship Saul Ramirez

Leo & Wanda Sabien Class of 1955 Scholarship Luke Archer

Dr. Bennett Klavan Scholarship Pamela Kowalik

Dr. Robert Savage Memorial Award Sofia Thompson

Dr. Joseph Kolodziejck Award Justin DeGuzman Sara Imtiaz Harry Ruther

Dr. Harry Saxon Scholarship Jennifer Jan Patrick Sofer Dr. Daniel Seldin Award Joseph Schlosser

Thomas S. Lightfoot Award Devin Crockett Natalia Pena Dr. Donald L. McElroy Memorial Award Mutasem Al-Thweib Patrick Sofer Dr. Marshall W. Milnarik Scholarship Monica Hochberg Clay Kamezo Ogata Scholarship Shivani Patel Orthodontics Resident Scholarship Raj Desai Peter Durbin Matan Farhi Jessica Hedger Vivian Snider Kayla Yip

Dr. Lina K. Tharp Award Justin DeGuzman Dr. Stanley Tylman Award Mutasem Al-Thweib Kathryn Grunenwald Sara Kanchwala Hajir Mohammed Chelsea Schultz Dr. Adalbert L. Vlazny Award Susie Shin Frances Best Watkins Award Muhanad Al Khatib Mutasem Al-Thweib Tam Le Vincent Mui Oluwatoyin Oresanya Raquel Saavedra Juaquan Savage Shrasta Tamrakar

Dr. Rodney E. Sippy and Polly Palmer Sippy Scholarship Shira Berger John (Oganes) Gegamyan Lucas Hooker Jeanne Le Steffy Macwan-Christian Margarita Morales

Dr. Gerald L. Wine Scholarship Oluwatoyin Oresanya Joshua E. Williams Scholarship Briana McGee

Smith Barney Mercantile Scholarship Heinery Arevalo Joseph Fagbamigbe Marisol Garcia Oluwatoyin Oresanya

2021 - 2022 SCHOLARSHIP FACTS

Dr. Alan C. Peterson Scholarship Jeanne Le Dr. Earl W. Renfroe and Hilda F. Renfroe Scholarship Nana Owusu Dr. Donald W. Rice Scholarship Kunbi Adefeso Joseph Fagbamigbe Marisol Garcia Karina Golubyants Zahraa Hasan Lucas Hooker Oluwatoyin Oresanya Gretel Rubio Rios Roger Salazar Ilya Zingher

$

250,000

Over in scholarship support was awarded.

6

There were new scholarships presented.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

STUDENT ACTIVITIES UIC ADEA STUDENT CHAPTER

UIC held its 50th Annual Chancellor’s Student Service and Leadership Award (CSSLA) ceremony on April 14, 2022.

Nominated by Dr. Kevin Luan, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Periodontics, Jessica Poon and Kheya Patel received awards for their hard work with the UIC ADEA Chapter. In addition, Moses Rasberry was nominated and also recognized at the 50th Annual Chancellor’s Student Service and Leadership Awards Ceremony. The UIC ADEA Student Chapter received a Gold Level Chapter Award and Best National Chapter of the Year Award for the year 2021-2022 at the March 19-22 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition in Philadelphia.

The Student Research Group was founded in 2021 with the goals to promote student research and advancement in dentistry and provide collaborative opportunities across the country. The group advocates for student participation in research and provides students an avenue for research resources within the college. The organization has implemented the Student Research Group Award for Clinic and Research Day 2022. In addition, the group hosts events including “What’s It Like to be a Clinician/Scientist” information sessions.

OKU INDUCTS EIGHT ALUMNI, ONE STAFF MEMBER

The University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry-based Sigma Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) on May 4 inducted members of the Class of 2022, and one staff member, into membership. The event also recognized 2020 and 2021 inductees in attendance. It was the first in-person dinner and induction since 2019, as during the COVID-19 pandemic the inductions were held virtually.

Chosen by the chapter’s active members, Class of 2022 alumni inductees were Drs. Mutasem Al-Thweib, Gregory Benz, Lily Fayz, John Gegamyan, Elizabeth Guirado, Sara Imtiaz, Jeanne Le, and Patrick Sofer. Nancy Norman, the College’s Instructional Technologist and Instructional Development Specialist, was inducted as an honorary member.

Interim Dean Susan Rowan, ’84, in one of her first major speeches since assuming the deanship, said, “OKU membership gave us all a great honor, and our OKU colleagues expect great things from us—great care for our patients, great collaboration with colleagues, great mentorship for young people who look up to us, and great service to the UIC College of Dentistry and to Omicron Kappa Upsilon.”

Student Brian Currie earned the William S. Kramer Award, which recognizes a student who has demonstrated scholarship, character, and the potential for advancing dentistry and serving humanity. Dr. Fayz and Dr. Guirado also received the Lina K. Tharp Award for graduating students. Graduates who received OKU awards at Clinic & Research Day were recognized. They were Kheya Patel, for basic sciences, and Jeanne Le for clinical sciences.

Alumni Drs. Alina Catana-Macovei, Simona Katona, Maria Molnar, and Sonia Scheiky established a new scholarship named for Dr. Oltea Cotofrea, an advanced standing student who passed away in 2021. The scholarship is awarded to a graduating advanced standing student who excels in dental school while taking care of his or her family. The awardee was John Oganes. The donors hope to award the scholarship annually.

The event had two sponsors this year, Patterson Dental, represented by Territory Manager Alec Jarvis, and Delta Dental of Illinois, represented by Dr. Frank Maggio, Clinical Assistant Professor of Periodontics.

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STUDENT ACTIVITIES

53

CHICAGO AREA SCHWEITZER FELLOWS

STUDENTS PROVIDE HANDS-ON WORKSHOP

Juaquan Savage was named a 2022-2023 Schweitzer Fellow for his proposal for weekly Mouth meetings to address nutrition, oral health, and socio-emotional support. These classes will provide education and mentorship for students on the Southside of Chicago. Each year, the Schweitzer Program provides 30 exceptional students with opportunities to design and implement projects to improve the health and well-being of underserved Chicago communities.

The Hispanic Student Dental Association volunteered at the Chicago Health and Medical Careers Citywide Conference by providing a dental hands-on workshop for aspiring physicians, nurses, and Allied Health professionals that took place on May 2, 2022.

STUDENT RUN CLINIC RELAUNCH

UIC partnered with Refugee One to bring back the Student Run Clinic. A lunch and learn session of May 31 was held to prepare students for the relaunch.

GRADUATES RECOGNIZED

STUDENTS PROVIDE CARE AT ADVENTHEALTH MISSION CLINIC

Dental students from the Special Care Track and Pediatric Track provided care at the AdventHealth Mission Clinic in Glendale Heights on June 11, 2022. The clinic provides multidisciplinary medical care and social services to people with limited access to these services. 103 people in total attended the event. 60 people were seen by the dental team. 50 people received prophy and fluorides, 10 received dental exams. Consultations, oral hygiene, instructions, and referrals for continuing care were made.

The Middle Eastern Dental Student Association (MEDSA) second annual Spring Dinner was held on April 28, 2022.

MEDSA recognized graduates, provided them with gifts, and enjoyed a wide selection of Middle Eastern cuisines.

02

01

03 01. Schweitzer Fellow Juaquan Savage 02. 2022 OKU Inductees with OKU President William S. Bike 03. Volunteering at AdventHealth Mission Clinic

04

04. UIC ADEA Chapter.

The Class of 2022 Commencement took place on May 5 at the UIC Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum. Degrees were conferred on 120 DMD candidates and 3 MS candidates, and 31 Advanced Certificates were awarded. Following the ceremony, the College of Dentistry hosted a cake and coffee reception on the 4th and 5th floors for the College community.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

COMMENCEMENT

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

55

DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS: I am privileged and pleased to write to you as the UIC Dental Alumni Board of Directors president. The Dental Alumni Board has virtually met regularly over the past year. As Directors and alumni of the UIC, Loyola, and Northwestern dental programs, we have been continually impressed with the ongoing achievements of college faculty, students, and residents. This magazine details many of them. Reading about the work in and outside the building demonstrates how the College continues to serve, innovate, and evolve.

The pandemic forced us into differing degrees of isolation.

The Dental Alumni Board is here and actively preparing for a future where we alumni can gather, connect, share, and network. Remaining engaged with the College brings connection to alumni resources, leadership, and continuing education opportunities. More than ever, investing in our professional and personal relationships, professional development, and learning from each other are essential.

Please keep an eye on your email for more information.

I would be remiss if I didn’t express the Board’s gratitude to Dr. Clark Stanford for the lasting impact his leadership as Dean has made on the college. We wish him well at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics.

I hope you and your families are healthy and enjoying summer for all its worth. I look forward to the coming academic year at the College that brings an innovative curriculum, research that expands the boundaries of knowledge, remarkable achievements from faculty, students, and residents, and accessible, compassionate, and life-changing oral health care for thousands across our state. I also wish you, our alumni, and friends continuing health and success.

With a new leadership team in place, Dr. Susan Rowan will undoubtedly maintain the college’s upward trajectory in her new role as Interim Dean. We’re grateful to all those stepping up to leadership in this time of transition. The students, faculty, and staff at the college have taken on the tasks necessitated by the pandemic. They are shaping a new normal that will see even more significant strides in education, research, and service to the community.

This is a great time to be an alum or friend of the College of Dentistry, work at the College of Dentistry, and partner with the College of Dentistry. The future of oral health truly is being changed at the UIC College of Dentistry.

Warm regards and well wishes,

DR. PAUL S. BURKEY

Loyola, DDS ’83, MS Orthodontics University of Iowa ‘85

The College successfully graduated its DMD, DMD-AS, and postgraduates amidst the trials of the pandemic, which was no small achievement. Congratulations to all the graduates and the intrepid faculty and staff who deftly steered our students and residents towards graduation. This accomplishment was a true reflection of the excellence of the College!

JOIN OUR ALUMNI BOARD Activity on the UIC Dental Alumni Board offers the opportunity to network, engage with alumni, and effect change at the College.

2022-2023 OFFICERS

President Dr. Robert M. Bara, Loyola ‘89 Vice President Dr. Ryan Tusher ‘09 Secretary Treasurer Dr. Evan Fry, ‘21 Immediate Past President Dr. Paul S. Burkey, Loyola ‘83

To view the current list of Board Directors, or for an application, please visit: https://dentistry.uic.edu/ alumni-giving/alumni-affairs/alumni-board/

Questions?

Email DentAlumniBoard@uic.edu

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

CLASS NOTES 1977

1984

1986

Dr. Mary Licking was featured in an AAWD Chronicle Monthly article in which she reflects on and celebrates the 100 years of AAWD.

Dr. Michael and Mrs. Georgiann Kazmer announce their son, Alexander, was accepted into the 2024 MD Class at the Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago.

Dr. Thomas Schneider was elected as President of the Chicago Dental Society for 2022. He was interviewed by the Dental Tribune about his new role and what it means for him to be part of the CDS.

1985

1987

Dr. Alaa Al Aswany, MS Histology ‘85, received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters at the 2022 ccommencement ceremony at Bard College

Dr. Leila Younger was inducted to the Evergreen Park Community High School Alumni Hall of fame in April 2022.

Dr. George Zehak was awarded the Chicago Dental Society Foundation (CDSF) Vision Award for his efforts to mobilize dentists to provide free care to disadvantaged communities

1979 Dr. Frank McMenamin currently spends his time with family and writing books on firefighting memorabilia and collectibles after retirement as Director of Dental Programs for the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Dr. Anthony Markiewicz was awarded the Mundelein Gold Star Award for his lifetime commitment to improving the Mundelein community both inside and outside of the dental office.

1988 Dr. Elizabeth Shapiro was promoted to Chief of Governance and Strategy Management of the American Dental Association on August 18, 2021.

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ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

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2004

2010

2018

Dr. Yasir Bahrani was promoted to rank of Captain in the US Navy on July 9, 2021

Dr. Tatiana Toquica (Hoyos) was in active duty in the Air Force for six years, and is now serving in the Air Force Reserves.

Dr. Matthew Bernard was featured in a Moody on the Market article for earning Board Certification by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. It is the highest level of certification attainable by a Pediatric Dentist.

Dr. Maggie Augustyn has started her own column in Dentistry Today titled “Mindful Moments.” It is the very first dedicated column in the magazine.

2006 Dr. Flavia Lamberghini, MS Oral Sciences ’06, Pediatric Dentistry ’06, received the ISDS Humanitarian Award during the ISDS Annual Session on September 10, 2021. The ISDS Humanitarian Award recognizes member dentists who have dedicated multiple levels of impact on the oral health of our communities.

2007 Dr. Melissa Amundson received the UIC Alumni Rising Star Leadership Award on April 7, 2022.

2008 Dr. Roshan Parikh was part of a live panel during the American Dental Association’s 2021 SmileCon conference in Las Vegas on October 11. He, along with other health experts, talked about how technology will continue to shape the future of dentistry. Dr. Parikh was also named the first President of New York City’s rising DSO in February 2022.

2012 Dr. Brian Homann was featured in an ISDS News article for his work with RefugeeOne Dental Clinic.

2013 Dr. Benjamin Youel was awarded the “William J. Greek Memorial Leadership Award” during the ISDS Annual Session on September 10, 2021. The award is presented annually to an ISDS member who has demonstrated leadership qualities and a sincere involvement in ISDS and in dental practice for less than 10 years. He was also featured in the November 2021 issue of the Illinois Dental News for winning the award.

2014 Dr. Cristian Pavel’s Instagram was featured in the August 2021 edition of the Illinois Dental News in an article titled “Tips for Promoting Your Practice on Social Media.”

2017 Dr. Hector Cabrera opened up his own dental practice in Clermont, Florida in December 2021.

Dr. Brittaney Hill was part of a health professional panel during an Urban Health Program open house on October 21, 2021.

Dr. Stephen Martin participated in a panel entitled “Life After Dental School” during Black History Month at the College of Dentistry.

Dr. Daniel Rosales was part of a health professional panel during an Urban Health Program open house on October 21, 2021.

2019 Dr. Christian Caicedo Moreno’s Instagram was featured in the August 2021 edition of the Illinois Dental News in an article titled “Tips for Promoting Your Practice on Social Media.”

2020 Dr. Juweria Amjed participated in a webinar hosted by the Islamic Medical Association of North America titled “Why Oral Hygiene Matters?” on October 5,

2021 Drs. Chloe Andrews, Maame-Ama Antwi, and Angel Frazier participated in a panel entitled “Life After Dental School” during Black History Month at the College of Dentistry.

2022 Dr. Justin Deguzman was featured in Disruptors Magazine article titled Top 30 Dentists to Look Out for in 2022.

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM DR. WALTER F. LAMACKI, ‘61

DR. DANIEL LASKIN, ‘52

Walter F. Lamacki, D.D.S. passed away on July 27, 2021.

Dr. Lamacki graduated from Loyola University Chicago School of Dentistry in 1961. He served his country as a Captain in the U.S. Army Dental Corps for two years and then started a practice in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood in 1963, moving to Burbank, Illinois, in 1973, where he would practice for more than three decades. Dr. Lamacki was a longtime advocate and leader in organized dentistry at the local, state, and national levels.

Dr. Daniel Laskin passed away on December 8, 2021. Dr. Laskin was Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at VCU School of Dentistry and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry.

Dr. Lamacki was a member of the Englewood Branch of the Chicago Dental Society for more than 50 years and volunteered for various officer positions with CDS, the Polish Dental Arts Club, the Illinois State Dental Society, and the American Dental Association, serving as Trustee of the American Dental Association, and President of the Chicago Dental Society in 1985.

From 1990-to 91, he served as chairman of a committee to study the AIDS crisis and represented the ADA at a public hearing before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which led to an appearance with Bryant Gumbel on the Today Show to explain the ADA’s position. His last post was as editor of CDS Review, where he was the publication’s longest-serving editor.

Dr. Laskin received his Master of Science degree from what was then the University of Illinois College Dentistry and completed his Oral and Maxillofacial training at Cook Country Hospital.

From 1950 to 1983, Dr. Laskin served in numerous teaching, research, and leadership positions at the University of Illinois, including as Professor and Head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from 1973 to 1983. Early in his career in Chicago, he collaborated with several clinician-scientists, including Dr. Chuck Greene, to establish the College of Dentistry’s Temporomandibular Joint and Facial Pain Research Center, and performed pioneering work in the diagnosis and management of temporomandibular joint abnormalities and facial pain that define the current therapy of these complex multidisciplinary disease processes.

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IN MEMORIAM

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Dr. Michael Miloro, Professor and Head of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, established the Daniel M. Laskin Lectureship at UIC College of Dentistry. This annual event began in 2009 and has featured renowned Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Dr. Laskin was the first speaker, and he reunited with friends and colleagues, including Dr. Irwin Robinson. The latter was the first graduate of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery program at the University of Illinois in 1947. Dr. Laskin made it a priority to attend every Laskin Lectureship. Dr. Miloro also established the UIC Daniel M. Laskin Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, which includes the prior residents who have trained at the college under the continued lineage of Dr. Laskin. Dr. Miloro also established the Daniel M. Laskin Research Fund to support research in the UIC Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

APRIL 2021

DR. ROBERT C. MUSIL, LOYOLA ‘54 JUNE 2021

DR. DANIEL SULLIVAN, ‘89 JULY 2021

DR. WILLIAM M. PAKOSZ, LOYOLA ‘64 DR. CHRISTOPHER SEIDEL, LOYOLA ‘84 DR. ERIC STELTENPOHL, ‘80 DR. EDWARD RYAN, LOYOLA ‘65 SEPTEMBER 2021

DR. DONALD TUCK, ‘69

DR. CLARENCE TOWNS JR., ‘45

OCTOBER 2021

DR. LAURENCE FITZPATRICK, LOYOLA ‘55 DR. RICHARD RENWICK, ‘68 NOVEMBER 2021

DR. GARY N. TAYLOR, LOYOLA ‘71 JANUARY 2022

DR. LOUIS DIMAS, ‘56 DR. DAVID JOHNSON, ‘71 Dr. Clarence Towns, Jr. passed away on June 9, 2022. It is believed that he was one of the last surviving members of the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry class of 1945. Dr. Towns attended as the only African American student through matriculation. After practicing for several years, he returned to the University of Illinois Chicago. He completed his specialty training in Endodontics, becoming one of the few African American Endodontists in the US in 1955. He also earned his Masters of Science degree in Histology at UIC and taught Histology at the College of Dentistry for over thirty years.

Dr. Towns was an avid runner, participated in the Chicago, Boston, and New York marathons, continuing to compete into his late eighties. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity for 82 years and received the “Distinguished Alumnus” award from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry in 2008. He was also a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.

DR. WILLIAM J. JONES, ‘64 FEBRUARY 2022

DR. JOANNE M. MAURER, LOYOLA ‘84 DR. JAMES LEKAS ‘60 MARCH 2022

DR. RONALD C. MANUS, ‘60 DR. KANDY SAYRS, ‘86 DR. RICHARD KIRCHOFF, ‘77, PEDIATRICS ‘79 APRIL 2022

DR. DENNIS PIETRINI, ‘70

ISDS COURSE OFFERINGS AT UIC SEPTEMBER 17

NOVEMBER 19

DECEMBER 7

Coronal Polishing

Coronal Polishing

Nitrous Oxide

OCTOBER 5

NOVEMBER 9 & 10

Nitrous Oxide

Anesthesia Sedation

For more information, please visit www.isds.org or contact Mattea Tavernor at mtavernor@isds.org.

CALENDAR OCTOBER 7 Alumni Reunion Lombard, IL

OCTOBER 7 - 8 MicroRNA Symposium Chicago, IL

CONTINUING EDUCATION / CALENDAR

CONTINUING EDUCATION

60 SUMMER 2022 NUMBER 70

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Please take our survey at this link go.uic.edu/dentmagazine to let us know how you would like to receive CUSP magazine, which types of content you prefer, and any suggestions for the editor.

We want to hear from you! go.uic.edu/dentmagazine

Alumni Reunion OCTOBER 7, 2022 The Carlisle Banquets 435 East Butterfield Road Lombard, IL 60148 Celebrating UIC DDS/DMD, Specialty Degree, and Loyola School of Dentistry DDS years.

For more information visit go.uic.edu/DentReunion or email DentReunion@uic.edu

Hosted by the UIC College of Dentistry and the UIC Dental Alumni Board

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Dr. Amarjit S. Marwah, MS ’56 Distinguished Dental Alumnus Award Dr. Stacey K. Van Scoyoc, ’95 Dr. F. William Towner Organized Dentistry Award Dr. Alice G. Boghosian, Loyola ’85 Dr. Raffaele Suriano Award Dr. Priscilla P. Chang, ’07 Dr. E. Lloyd Du Brul Faculty Achievement Award Dr. Tariq F. Riyal, ’11 C.A.R.E. Alumnus Award Dr. Jon D. Nickelsen, ’03 Dr. Paul S. Burkey, Loyola ’83 Dr. Irwin B. Robinson President’s Leadership Award

CUSP

801 South Paulina Street (MC 621) Chicago, Illinois 60612-7211

“I minored in Communication Sciences and Disorders and gained a passion for re-instilling patient confidence, especially those with speech impediments. That passion grew to involve patients who are embarrassed of their smile. I look forward to changing that.”

ALLYSON CASELBERRY, DMD ‘21