ULSD Newsletter Fall 2022/Winter 2023

Faces of the future

In line with national trends, today’s University of Louisville dental students are more likely to be female than male. In this issue, we explore the history of female students at ULSD and key moments in this demographic shift.

OUR MISSION: To be the benchmark for dental education, patient-centered care, and groundbreaking research.

Dean’s

Honoring the women who paved the way

Alumni & Friends,

Back in 1976, historian Lauren Thatcher Ulrich coined the phrase “well-behaved women seldom make history.” Since then, the saying has been credited to many others and emblazoned on items from t-shirts to refrigerator magnets. However, I can’t help but wonder whether it’s true – especially when it comes to the women who made history here at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.

For example, take our first female graduate: Dr. Aimee L. Jones from the class of 1901. I imagine it took a great deal of courage and determination for a woman to apply to and be accepted into dental school 130+ years ago. The same can be said of the other women who followed in her footsteps in the decades that followed, when women made up only 1-2% of dental school graduates.

I wonder how these groundbreaking women navigated their time in dental school. Perhaps it was best to be well-behaved, attempting to fit in rather than stand out.

What I do know is that I’m thankful to the extraordinary women who paved the way for other female students at ULSD (including me!). I’m also thankful to Dr. Gerry Bradley for giving me the opportunity to be a small part of the school’s rich history as the first female to lead the school as interim dean.

Now the time has come to pass the baton back to Dr. Bradley. In February 2023, he is returning to the University of Louisville School of Dentistry after serving as the Interim Provost for the past year. I will then return to my usual role as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Thank you for supporting me and – more importantly, supporting the School of Dentistry – during the past year. Go Cards, Margaret Hill, DMD ’87 Interim Dean

Save the date for reunion weekend 2023!

This year’s reunions will celebrate DMD and Dental Hygiene classes ending in 3 & 8.

To ensure you receive timely communications, please be sure your Alumni Profile is up to date. If you’re interested in serving on your class reunion committee, contact Fran Williams at 502-852-5077 or fran.williams@louisville.edu.

Dear

In this issue

4 9

Cover Story

• From rarity to majority: Exploring the growth of women in dentistry

Council Updates

• ULSD Alumni Council

• ULSD Orthodontic Alumni Council

• Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council

Alumni News

• Alumna of the year: Dr. Amy B. Farnsworth honored as 2022 ULSD Alumni Fellow

• In the news: Alumni updates

16 24

ULSD News

• 2022 marks a banner year for the ULSD Summer Research Program

• Photo Gallery: Fall at ULSD Calendar

• Alumni Event Calendar

On the cover: Class of 2025 DMD students L’Cris Weathers, Caroline Reed, Kennedy Powell, and Kaylee Uthoff in the Dr. Gary and Allyson Ball Simulation Clinic.

From rarity to majority:

Exploring the growth of women in dentistry

Last spring, as dental schools across the United States granted diplomas to the class of 2022, an important turning point was marked.

In the fall of 2018, statistics from the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) showed that first-time, first-year dental school enrollees were 50.5% female and 49.5% male. As a result, 2022 was the first year that dental school graduates were more likely to be female than male.

For women in dentistry, the path from rarity to majority took many twists and turns.

When Lucy Hobbs Taylor first applied to study dentistry under a Cincinnati dentist in the late 1850s, she was denied admission and advised that “her place was at home taking care of the house.” She tried again in 1861, applying at the Ohio College of Dental Surgery, and was once again denied. Rather than give up, Taylor apprenticed under a licensed dentist and then began practicing without a degree in 1861.

Timeline: Female dental school graduates at ULSD Chart indicates percent of the graduating class that was female. Dashed lines indicate data is incomplete and/or unconfirmed.

Four years later, the Iowa State Dental Society accepted her into membership through a resolution that stated, “The profession of dentistry, involving, as it does, the vital interest of humanity, in the relief of human suffering, and the perpetuation of the comforts and enjoyments of life in civilized and refined society, has nothing in its pursuits foreign to the instincts of women, and, on the other hand, presents in almost every applicant for operations, a subject requiring a kind and benevolent consideration of the most refined and womanly nature.”

Later that year, she was admitted to the Ohio College of Dental Surgery. Because of her experience, she attended only one session before being granted a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1886 — becoming the first female DDS and opening the door for other women in dentistry.

Just 15 years later, the Louisville College of Dentistry – which is now the University of Louisville School of Dentistry –granted a dental degree to a female for the first time. Aimee L. Jones of Kentucky received her degree on May 8, 1901.

L. Jones is the first female graduate of the Louisville College of Dentistry.

The class composite photo gives just one clue to the historical significance of this event: the male graduates wore a white bow tie and she wore a black bow tie. Jones’ graduation was not the start of a trend. In fact, females were specifically excluded from

enrollment at the school shortly after. The 1904 and 1907 Louisville College of Dentistry Bulletins stated, “Only white male students are admitted to the classes.”

Early 1940s

The lone female in this picture of Louisville College of Dentistry students from the class of 1901 is presumably Aimee L. Jones, the first female graduate of what is now ULSD. Photo from University of Louisville Digital Collections.

During World War II, women outnumbered men on the UofL campus two to one. However, the dental school remained mostly male. Female dental school graduates during the war include from left to right Adela Menendez Pfeiffer (class of 1942), Bertha Drake Beazley (class of 1943) and Elly Meissner Wodak (class of 1943).

1919 Ella Ruth Tichenor is the first female to earn a DDS from UofL, which had acquired the dental school in 1918.

Although that policy was short-lived, female students remained outliers for the next 50 years – save for a brief uptick during World War II. Many dental students at the time were part of the U.S. Navy’s V-12 program, which was designed to speed the training of much-needed officers.

The turning point was 1972. That year, Congress approved the legislation known as Title IX. Written by Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana, the statute read: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” These 37 words opened new opportunities for women in all aspects of education and, ultimately, their career paths.

Within 10 years, nearly 1 in 5 ULSD graduates was female. Within 20 years, the ratio was 1 in 3.

However, Title IX is just one part of the equation. Dr. Karen Pierce West, a 1982 ULSD DMD graduate who now serves as President and CEO of ADEA, says other factors have contributed to the growing number of women in dentistry. First, she says, more women are joining the workforce overall. “It’s common to have two working parents just to increase their livelihood. Women are also more open to different types of childcare arrangements, which makes it easier to leave home and go into the workforce.”

In addition, West points out that women are discovering how dentistry can be a great fit for them. “There are a lot of options. You can be a researcher, practitioner, so many other roles. I think it’s also an appealing career because a lot of times you don’t have the type of stress outside of work that you have in other professions. That provides time and opportunity to be involved with your family and your community.”

Finally, West notes that each generation has helped the next. “There are a lot more role models – women in all areas of science. Without these role models and mentors, students and potential students might not feel like they can be successful. When you see these role models in practice, in faculty positions, in dean positions, you see it is possible because others have done it.”

West say mentorship is the key to increasing interest in dentistry not just among women, but among all young people. “Exposing potential students to the workings of a dental practice is a good way to give back to the profession and to the school. Alumni need to reach out to them in a community setting, church environment, wherever you can reach them, and invite them into your office.”

She also points out that mentorship needs to start in middle school or even before, since students are making career decisions earlier than they used to. “When students get into

dental hygiene program, which began in 1952).

high school, they have to make a decision about which track they are going into,” she says. “If we wait until students get into high school, we have missed an opportunity. They might have other interests and dentistry might not even be on their radar.”

While creating a pipeline is the first step, West says dental schools also need to cater to the needs of today’s students – who are very different from those in the past.

As the leader of ADEA, West is advocating for more counseling services. “Our students are under so much stress right now,” she says. “They need a place to go and a person to go to whenever they need it. Because dental schools are often external from main campus and they’re working 8-5 or longer in clinics and labs, we need to work a lot more to make sure our students think their well-being is being considered.”

Heeding this advice, the University of Louisville School of Dentistry added a new resource for students in 2022: an embedded mental health counselor on site.

(continues on page 8)

2010

With 40 males and 40 females, the class of 2010 is the first DMD class at the University of Louisville comprised of at least 50% females. For the classes of 2012 and 2013, the percentage increased to 53% female.

2022

ULSD has its first ever female leader as Margaret Hill (class of 1987) is selected to serve as interim dean.

“When you see role models in practice, in faculty positions, in dean positions, you see it is possible because others have done it.”

- Dr. Karen Pierce West, DMD ’82, President and CEO of ADEA

West says another need is childcare. “I used to have students tell me they came in really early in the morning to study so they could be with their family in the evening. We need to have childcare because students spend so much time in the clinic and lab.”

While much has changed in the past 40 years, West says the class of 2022 has one thing in common with the class of 1982: “I remember when I was in school we talked about the females being there for each other, but it was more than that. The whole class was there for each other. We didn’t pay attention to genders. We just worked together as a group and we supported each other. It is the same today.”

Research, writing, and design by Paige Moore, Director of Communications & Marketing, University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Spotlight: Susan Kennon-Williams, a pioneering female faculty member

When she graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in 1972, Susan Kennon was a rarity: a female in the DMD program. As the doors opened for female students in the years that followed, she served as a mentor and role model not just as an alumna, but also as a faculty member.

Although Susan KennonWilliams passed away in 2002, her influence remains strong on those who knew her as a classmate and as a teacher.

Photos from UofL School of Dentistry archives, UofL Office of Communications & Marketing, and University of Louisville Digital Collections.

Other sources include:

• American Dental Education Association Data, Analysis & Research: Applicants, Enrollees and Graduates https://www.adea. org/publications-and-data/data-analysisand-research/applicants-enrollees-andgraduates.aspx

• Edwards RW (1951). The first woman dentist: Lucy Hobbs Taylor, D.D.S. (1833-1910). Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 25(3), 277–283. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44443642

• Kelso, A (2020). UofL takes a look back at campus milestones to celebrate Women’s History Month https://www.uoflnews.com/ post/uofltoday/uofl-takes-a-look-back-atcampus-milestones-to-celebrate-womenshistory-month/

• University of Louisville School of Dentistry student records, composite photos, yearbooks, and other historical documents.

Dr. Terry Hamblen, class of 1972, remembers her as “very smart and very strong.” He wasn’t surprised that she returned to ULSD after graduation to mentor the next generation of students. “She confided in me as freshmen that her main goal was to eventually teach,” he says. “I am sure that she took an interest in all of her students and would support them in all things ‘life’! Her students, as well as I, were very lucky to have such a wonderful mentor and friend.”

For many ULSD students in the 1970s and 1980s, Susan Kennon was a rare female mentor on the faculty. Photo from the 1982 ULSD Impressions yearbook.

Dr. Laz Kavouklis, also from the class of 1972, describes Dr. Kennon as “a truly good and caring person.” He adds that “it was in her nature to be a good teacher.”

Dr. Karen Pierce West, class of 1982, counts Dr. Kennon among her strongest influences during dental school. Noting that a majority of faculty at the time were male, she says that Dr. Kennon “spent a lot of time trying to nurture the female students.”

Dr. Sherrie Zaino, class of 1980, remembers Dr. Kennon as a cheerleader for all students, but especially females. “Her door was always open,” Zaino says. “She was a trailblazer, a pioneer. She did it all.”

Council update:

ULSD Alumni Council

Fellow alumni,

Happy New Year! Our council is looking forward to 2023 and bringing together alumni and students.

For those going to Atlanta in March for the Hinman Dental Meeting, please stop by ULSD’s annual alumni reception taking place Friday, March 17, from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center. We will be in International Ballroom C, North Tower. If you are registering for sessions, our reception is course #Fr455. Whether you are attending Hinman or live in the Atlanta area, we hope you will stop by and catch up with some friendly faces.

We are planning our 2nd Annual ULSD Alumni Night at the Louisville Bats on May 9. Keep an eye on your inbox for details. This family-friendly event took place during graduation week last year and it was wonderful to welcome the class

of 2022 into our alumni community. The class of 2023 just started their final semester so we look forward to warmer weather and welcoming them to our ever-growing alumni community in just a few short months.

Do you have a job opportunity? Looking for a job? Hoping to sell your practice or buy a practice? ULSD has a new website for just for you: louisville.edu/dentistry/opportunities

You are invited to join our council! Our next meeting is February 22, at 6 p.m. If you would like to learn more please send me an email and I will provide more details.

Go Cards!

Kristen George, DMD ’09 President, ULSD Alumni Council kristenevegeorge@gmail.com

ULSD Alumni Council members

Officers

Dr. Kristen E. George ’09, President

Dr. Mark J. Schulte ’77, Immediate Past President

Directors

Dr. Babatunde Agbola ’16

Dr. Sean A. Aiken ’18

Dr. Jacob R. Bishop ’16

Dr. Christina Delis-Chiambas ’94

Andrea M. Edelen, RDH ’97

Dr. Angela L. Fleace ’01

Dr. Gerald T. Grant ’85

Dr. Richard H. Lin, Jr. ’82

Dr. Marija Sasek ’05

Dr. Jay B. Sheats II ’99

Dr. Jenna Schulten ’10

Dr. Kelly A. Underwood ’06

LASDA Alumni Representative Meghan Greene, DMD ‘24

Council update:

ULSD Orthodontic Alumni Council

Dear Ortho Alumni,

The University of Louisville School of Dentistry Orthodontic Alumni Council’s Annual Meeting returned to Hotel Distil on Friday, September 23, 2022, in downtown Louisville. After a wonderful night of fellowship at Churchill Downs together, we were fortunate to hear from Tom Cartee and Emery Pike with Sheets Smith Wealth Management discussing the psychology of business. We also welcomed the new chair of the Department of Rehabilitative and Reconstructive Dentistry, Dr. Toru Deguchi!

During our program, we awarded Dr. Anthony Savage ’84 with the Distinguished Alumni Award for his dedicated service to the our profession, including his term as president of the Southern Association of Orthodontics. Dr. Savage is another fantastic example of our successful ULSD Orthodontic alumni who continue to proudly

represent UofL throughout the country. We also awarded second year resident Dr. Jansen Nash with our Dr. Robert A. Escher Endowed Graduate Orthodontics Scholarship—congratulations Dr. Nash!

The Annual Meeting is always a great reminder of what makes our program special. I would like to give a special thank you to the terrific support staff at UofL and ULSD for helping make these events possible! Thank you to everyone who continues to support our Orthodontic Residency Program and the Orthodontic Alumni Council!

For more details about the meeting and updates from the program, be sure to check out the 2022 Orthodontic Alumni Council Newsletter

Carl Gioia, DMD ’11, MS ’13 Chair, Orthodontic Alumni Council carldgioia@gmail.com

ULSD Orthodontic Alumni Council members

Officers

Dr. Carl D. Gioia ’11, ’13, Chair Dr. Robert E. Spiller Jr. ’80, ’90, Vice Chair

Dr. Lauren Renaud ’18, ’20, 1st Director and Secretary

Dr. Jacob H. Britt ‘21, 2nd Director Dr. Ariel B. Wong ‘20, 3rd Director

Dr. Jared O. Dean ’09, Immediate Past Chair

Directors

Dr. Raina S. Chandiramani ’18

Dr. Ralph J. DeDomenico ’74, ’77

Dr. Amy B. Farnsworth ’92, ’95

Dr. Eric W. Hickman ’95

Dr. Scott Q. Little ’85

Dr. John K. Newcomb ’07

Dr. Krushan C. Patel ’19

Dr. Danielle L. Periago ’05, ’07

Dr. Carmen A. Quirk ’17, ’19

Dr. David C. Small ’95

Dr. Justin M. Tristler ’12

Resident Representatives

Dr. Lane Steinhaus ’24

Dr. Logan Wedding ’23

gallery:

Orthodontic Alumni meeting

Top left: Dr. Farnsworth with Dr. Nash, 2022 recipient of the Dr. Robert A. Escher Endowed Graduate Orthodontics Scholarship.

Top right: Dr. Savage thanking event sponsors.

Bottom: Alumni Council members Dr. Wedding, Dr. Spiller, Dr. Hickman, Dr. Small, Dr. Farnsworth, Dr. Renaud, Dr. Britt, Dr. Wong, Dr. Dean, Dr. DeDomenico, Dr. Steinhaus, and Dr. Gioia.

Photo

Council update:

Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council

Dear Dental Hygiene Alumni,

Happy New Year! The Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council once again hosted it annual Legacy Symposium, November 12, 2022. It was great to see so many of our colleagues after the COVID-19 drought.

Even with some travel constraints, we were able to host both local and national speakers to provide a challenging program. Hosting a capacity crowd, we were also able to offer scholarships for the dental hygiene students to attend. The symposium was once again generously supported through our industry vendors providing a look at the some newest and most innovative products.

The attendee critiques, which also included some dental colleagues, were thoughtful and will be helpful as we begin planning for this year’s symposium in the fall of 2023.

This spring be on the watch for the annual Woodward/Burch Floss Walk to raise awareness among the university student population, as well as with our community, about how important dental health is to total health.

All 100%, of the funds raised through the Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council are earmarked for student scholarships, dental hygiene educators continuing education, new instruments, and educational materials, as well as support of the Dental Hygiene advisory Committee in other words, the ongoing stability and presence of the University of Louisville Dental Hygiene Program. Your support is much appreciated.

See you in the fall for this year’s Symposium.

Virginia L. Woodward, RDH ’71 Chair, Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council virginiawoodward04@yahoo.com

Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council members

Officers & Directors

Virginia L. Woodward ’71, Chair

Pamela D. Barnes ’77

Mary Ann Burch ’68

Dr. Sharon C. Carpenter ’75

Julie L. Drury ’01

Andrea M. Edelen, ’97

Adam C. Hall ’11

Jennifer L. Hasch ’13

Linda P. Lewis ’85

ULSD Advisors

Sara Dunaway, Ex-officio member, DH Academic Counselor, Sr. Dr. Jacqueline A. Singleton, Dental Hygiene Program Director

Dental Hygiene Legacy symposium

Top right: Dr. Jyme Charette’s continuing education presentation on Implant and Prosthodontic Considerations for the Dental Hygienist drew a large audience.

Top left, bottom left, and bottom right: Vendors, students, and other attendees take part in the product showcase and networking event during the symposium.

Photo gallery:

Alumna of the year: Dr. Amy B. Farnsworth honored as 2022 ULSD Alumni Fellow

A group of distinguished graduates who are exemplary ambassadors for the University of Louisville were celebrated at the University of Louisville Alumni Awards Celebration on Thursday, October 20. Amy B. Farnsworth, DMD ’92, Orthodontics ’95 , was honored as the School of Dentistry’s 2022 Alumni Fellow.

Dr. Farnsworth completed her undergraduate degree at Notre Dame. She says she chose to attend dental school at the University of Louisville based on her impressions during the interview process. “I got such a warm, friendly welcome,” she said. “I knew the kind of environment I would be coming in to.”

After completing her orthodontics residency, Dr. Farnsworth chose to make Louisville her new home. “Overall I spent 7 years at the University of Louisville dental school – nearly a fourth of my life at that point when I graduated – and it was a wonderful experience. I met so many lifelong friends, I met my husband when I was in Louisville, and I even ended up taking over the practice of one of my mentors – my professor Robert Escher.”

In 2014, Dr. Farnsworth established the Dr. Robert A. Escher Endowed Graduate Orthodontic Scholarship in honor of her late mentor. This scholarship provides support to an orthodontic resident with demonstrated financial need.

Dr. Farnsworth stays involved with the School of Dentistry in many ways. She helped create the Orthodontics Alumni Council, where she serves as a director. She is a guest lecturer at the ULSD Orthodontic residency and serves as a mentor for D3 students (juniors) in the ULSD DMD program.

Her commitment to the university extends beyond the dental school. Dr. Farnsworth also serves as chair of the Louisville Alumni Board of Directors. “I come from a family where education is valued,” she says. “Spending my extra time or time outside the office, giving back to the university through time, talent, and treasure is one of the most meaningful ways I can spend that time.”

Outside of her service to UofL, Dr. Farnsworth serves the community. She helped start the Kentucky chapter of Smiles Change Lives, a national braces program for children in need. She remains a provider of free orthodontic care through the organization. She is also a member of several dental and orthodontic associations reaching from Louisville to the national level.

Dr. Farnsworth with her family at the 2022 University of Louisville Alumni Awards.

Alumni updates

John Wells, DMD ’ 83

Dr. Wells retired from his pediatric dental practice in Brownsburg, Indiana in September 2022. Dr. Wells practiced pediatric dentistry in Hendricks County for more than 20 years. He is past president of the Indiana Society for Pediatric Dentistry and has taught lectures at the Indiana University School of Dentistry and Riley Hospital Pediatric Dental Program. Prior to completing his pediatric dental specialty training, Dr. Wells practiced general dentistry in rural Kentucky for 14 years. He and his wife, Lavada, live in Avon, Indiana and are the parents of three children.

Courtney Day, DMD ’ 22

Dr. Day has been hired at the new Grace Health Clinic in her eastern Kentucky hometown of Hyden. Prior to starting dental school, she was awarded a National Health Service Corps scholarship, which requires a three-year post-graduation commitment to providing care in underserved areas. “This scholarship has opened up so many opportunities for me, and it is truly a great way to give back to the community,” she says. During dental school, she got a head start reaching out to underserved areas by working at the Red Bird Clinic.

Morgan D. Rigsby, Orthodontics ’22

Dr. Rigsby is the first African American female graduate of ULSD’s advanced education program in orthodontics. During her time at UofL, Dr. Rigsby was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi’s UofL Chapter. Phi Kappa Phi is the oldest honor society in the United States. Dr. Rigsby recently relocated to Chicago where she works for two corporate dental offices. While in Chicago she has been enthralled by the views, diversity, and welcoming atmosphere that the city has to offer. Apart from loving the field of Orthodontics, she enjoys exploring numerous art scenes and staying active.

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2022 marks a banner year for the ULSD Summer Research Program

With 41 students participating, 2022 was one of the largest years ever for the UofL School of Dentistry’s Summer Research Program. The program offers the opportunity for qualified students in the school’s DMD program and Master of Science in Oral Biology program to work with faculty mentors to conduct research in basic science and clinical science.

On September 19, 2022, program participants showcased their work at the annual Research!Louisville event at the UofL Health Sciences Center campus.

Rachel Scaglione from the DMD class of 2025 collaborated with fellow students Nooreddin Almoutem and Rieser Wells, as well as faculty from the dental school’s department of radiology, to study the use of artificial intelligence software in dental imaging. Their research compared the accuracy of a machine learning program and trained human observers in detecting dental caries (cavities) on X-ray images.

Scaglione says this technology has the potential to help dentists deliver better, more patient-centered care. “When a dentist looks at so many radiographs a day, we get eye fatigue. All the gray values you see on the image can start running together and merge. Artificial intelligence … doesn’t suffer from eye fatigue.”

Payton Lofton from the DMD class of 2024 also performed research on dental technology, focusing on systems that can be used to capture three-dimensional images of a patient’s face. Lofton compared technology that captures dynamic versus static images.

Lofton says doing her own research will make her a better dentist in the future. “Doing research has taught me a lot about how the research process works and how to read research effectively,” she says. “When I am practicing and I am making evidence-based decisions on what dental materials to use or what software I should get, I would be able to look at the research and decide which one would be best.”

DMD student Alec McDonald discusses his research project with faculty member Lisa Sandell, PhD during the AADOCR meeting poster competition.

DMD students Laura Tsiouvaras, Amira Watson, and Abby Wells with Dr. David Scott, Associate Dean for Research & Innovation, at Research!Louisville. University of Louisville

Amira Watson from the DMD class of 2025 focused her research on dental education itself. She created a survey to assess whether students’ prior experiences with death, dying, and grief might affect their comfort level working with anatomical donors during anatomy lab classes, as well as their ability to handle death and dying with professionalism when they are in practice. “On average, the general practitioner is going to lose about eight patients per year in dentistry,” she says. “We think that the dentist only works in the oral cavity, but these issues expand far beyond that.”

Watson says her personal experiences stimulated an interest in this research topic. As she and her classmates started working with anatomical donors in their first year of dental school, she thought about her background compared to her classmates’ background – not just in terms of whether they had worked with anatomical donors, but also whether they had experienced a personal loss. “In 2020, my mother passed away. Just recently, in June, my father passed away… I had the tools that I needed, but I know that not everyone has the tools that they need to deal with these types of issues.”

Dr. Michael Metz, chair of the School of Dentistry’s department of Comprehensive Dentistry, served as a mentor for the Summer Research Program and also helped judge the poster competition. He says being involved in research is a critical part of the educational process. “Being involved in Research!Louisville helps students understand the importance of evidence-based dentistry and how research can improve treatment outcomes on patients.”

2022 ULSD Research Award Winners

Research!Louisville

Basic Sciences category:

• First Place: Alec McDonald; Carly Warden; Jinlian Tan; Jill SteinbachRankins; Marsha Cole; Sudha Gudhimella - A Novel, Nitric OxideReleasing Elastomeric Chain for Antimicrobial Action

• Second Place: Amanda Dilliha; Jinlian Tan; Alec McDonald; Sudha Gudhimella - A Novel Antimicrobial Orthodontic Clear Aligners: A Pilot Study

• Third Place: HeeJue Hong; Jinlian Tan; Gwyneth Lamont; David Scott - The transcriptomic response to CBD of Treponema denticola, a phytocannabinoid-resistant periodontal pathogen

Clinical Sciences category:

• First Place: Cameron Chugg; Michael Metz - Effects of Active Engagement and Spaced Retrieval Practice on Knowledge and Application of a Self-Assessment Rubric: A Phase 2, 12-month Follow-up

• Second Place: Rachel Scaglione; Nooreddin Almoutem; Rieser Wells; Kathleen Fischer; Michael Sekula; Christiano Oliveira-Santos; William Scarfe; Danieli Moura Brasil; Gustavo Machado Santaella - Effect of kilovoltage on the performance of AI and observers in detecting noncavitated proximal dental caries on bitewing radiographs

• Third Place: Courtney Knabel; Holly House; Kristin Kasimati; Michael Sekula; Christiano de Oliveira Santos; Gustavo Santaella; Danieli Brasil; William Scarfe; Kathleen Fischer; David Brock - Analysis of Posterior Composite Restorations Utilizing Bitewings: An In Vitro Study

AADOCR Kentucky Section Fall Symposium

DMD/Undergraduate Category:

• First Place: Mina Iskander - Tobacco smoke augments the pathogenicity of the emerging periodontal pathogen, Filifactor alocis

• Second Place: HeeJue Hong - The transcriptomic response to CBD of Treponema denticola, a phytocannabinoid-resistant periodontal pathogen

• Third Place: Amanda Ramage - Comparison of image quality of CBCT acquired with different milliamperages and with and without metal artifact reduction using two reconstruction methods

Graduate/Resident/PhD student/Postdoctoral Category:

• First Place: Jared Williams - A multi-strain competitive fitness screen for tobacco-essential genes of Porphyromonas gingivalis

• Third Place: Denny Gao - In vitro antifungal activity of antimicrobial peptoids against Candida auris

Faculty & staff updates

Collins selected as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs

Dr. Paula Collins, DMD ’93, has been selected to serve as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs for the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, replacing Dr. Timothy Daugherty who retired in August 2022. Since joining ULSD nearly 20 years ago, she has served as clinical faculty, Director of Quality Assurance, and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at ULSD. She is also a clinical consultant and active site visitor for the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

Abshier completes MS in Health Professions Education

Dr. Wil M. Abshier Jr. was one of two members of the first graduating class for the University of Louisville’s new Health Professions Education master’s program. The program provides in-depth knowledge of critical teaching and learning practices such as communication, course design, planning, construction of learning objectives, assessment and evaluation, and educational leadership.

Clark named Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the UK College of Dentistry Alumni Association

Dr. Stephen Clark, professor of endodontics and former program director for the advanced education program in endodontics, was honored as a 2022 Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry Alumni Association. This award recognizes Dr. Clark for his loyalty to the college, excellence in the profession, and community leadership.

Kushner inducted into Royal College of Surgeons

Dr. George Kushner, chair of the School of Dentistry’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, was inducted into the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in September 2022. Dr. Kushner also served as the chief of staff at UofL Health University of Louisville Hospital in 2022.

Recent faculty features by UofL News

Experience as a patient inspires Vietnamese immigrant to pursue dental degree from UofL DMD student Jake Do explains how mentors including Dr. Sherry Babbage, DMD ’81, helped create a path for his dream of becoming a dentist. Read article

Interim dean makes history as first woman to lead UofL’s School of Dentistry

Dr. Margaret Hill, DMD ’87, GPR ’88, discusses her path to becoming the first female in the top leadership position of the School of Dentistry. Read article

UofL dental school assistant dean describes harrowing experience overcoming Bosnian war Dr. Alma Ljaljevic-Tucakovic, DMD ’02, describes how she overcame adversity in war-torn Sarajevo and made her way to UofL. Read article

Fall at ULSD

August 11: Current and former colleagues bid farewell to Dr. Timothy Daugherty, DMD ’84, at his retirement celebration. To view more pictures, go to louisville.edu/ dentistry/photos

August 26: More than a dozen ULSD students (shown here with Interim Dean Dr. Margaret Hill) attend the Kentucky Dental Association meeting in French Lick, Indiana.

Photo gallery:

August 29:

Dr. Robert Staat is honored as he retires from ULSD after 46 years at the school. Although he retired from full-time teaching in 2017, Dr. Staat has remained active in many roles since then, including director of ULSD’s Sterilizer Monitoring Program (which is continuing operations).

September 10:

UofL School of Dentistry students gather for the annual flag football game against the UK College of Dentistry. Photos provided by Louisville ASDA.

University of Louisville School of Dentistry

September 10:

Students and faculty take part in a health fair in Shelbyville, Kentucky. They provided dental screenings in the Delta Dental mobile unit. Dr. Lee Mayer even came back from (semi-)retirement for the occasion!

September 21:

ULSD faculty, staff, and students take part in Voces en Salud (Voices in Health), an event that connects health care professionals and students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Photos

provided by Bryan Lopez

September 22:

ULSD staff members celebrate the first day of fall by donning their Louisville Cardinal spirit wear.

October 12: The School of Dentistry partners with other Health Sciences Center Campus schools and the university’s LGBT Center to host the annual HSC Pride celebration and resource fair.

University of Louisville School of Dentistry

October 12: Students, faculty, and staff gather in the HSC courtyard for the annual Hispanic Student Dental Association event, Baila Conmigo (Dance With Me). Photos provided by Bryan Lopez. From endowed chairs to one-time donations, gifts from our alumni and friends allow us to attract and retain the best and brightest students, residents, and faculty. Donate today to sustain a legacy of support and assistance at the School of Dentistry.

October 15: ULSD dispensary, supply, and sterilization professionals gather for a celebration of National Sterile Processing week and National Healthcare Supply Week.

Continuing education