University of the Pacific Blogs

Message from Dean Ferrillo:

I have just returned from the American Dental Education Association meeting in Phoenix.  I was pleased to see so many of our faculty, staff, and students engaged at the meeting, both as participants in the various conferences, as well as actual presenters.  It was rewarding to see so many of our people also receiving awards.  The following received recognition and awards during the meeting:

• Dr. Art Dugoni was awarded the ADEA Gies Award for Vision, Innovation, and Achievement in the category Outstanding Achievement - Dental Educator.  At the Saturday evening dinner, he received a standing ovation from the vast community of educators present.
  
• Dr. Elisa Chavez Luna won the 2009 ADEA/International Federation of Dental Educators and Associations Orna Shanley Prize for Enhancing Access to Care
  
• Ms. Deborah Horlak was awarded a $4,000 grant as a recipient of the ADEA/Colgate-Palmolive Allied Dental Educators Fellowship
  
  Dr. Lisa Itaya and Dr. Nick Morton (former student body president and graduate who is attending the endo graduate program at the University of Florida) each received the Journal of Dental Education Outstanding Manuscript Award, winning two of the five awards
• Our students won the ADEA Council of Students Award for Advocacy and Ethics

On Sunday evening, it was a pleasure to participate in a dinner attended by all the faculty, staff, and student participants as well as alumni who live in the immediate area.  We had more than 100 people at that dinner.  It was great for people to renew their relationships.

As dean of the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, I was very proud to watch the people of the Dugoni School receive their awards, participate in ADEA, and also have a great time.  Congratulations to all.

Patrick J. Ferrillo, Jr., DDS

Dean

The following is an email that was sent to faculty and staff at our school, describing a very nice thing that our students did for one of their professors.

Subject: surprise for Howard Landesman

Hello all —

The administrative team should know that Howard lost a fountain pen in our clinic & was unable to find it in spite of extensive searching.  It was a Mount Blanc given to him by his wife 20 years ago & he was sentimentally attached to it — now gone forever.

Today in clinic he went to a chair number that was on our list & instead of a patient in the chair there was a new Mount Blanc pen, courtesy of the Class of 2009.  They had taken up a collection (in less than 2 hours) & bought him the new pen.  Howard was speechless, then verklempt, & I've never seen him at a loss for words.

When he recovered, he told me he never got anything like that when he was dean.  Then he wanted to graduate the whole Class of 2009 with "A's," right away. More Pacific magic, this time carried on by the students — a pretty nice moment for the school. 

Annaliese Carlsmith was the ringleader, but there were lots of accomplices.  Thought this story was worth sharing — Gene LaBarre

We agree.

University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry is pleased to announce that our Design and Photo creative team has won three awards in Higher Education Marketing Report's 24th Annual Admissions Advertising Awards competition.

The three winning publications competed with 2,000-plus entries received from more than 1,000 colleges, universities and secondary schools.

Our 2008 annual report won a Gold award and was also named one of 16 "Best in Show" winners. Our Continuing Education catalog and 2008 student yearbook each garnered a Silver award.

The Admissions Advertising Awards is the largest educational advertising competition in the country. The entries were judged by a national panel of admissions marketers, creative directors, marketing and advertising professionals and the editorial board of Higher Education Marketing Report.

Expecting moms are already advised to load up on the prenatal vitamins. A new study gives one more reason to do so: it may help your little one's future oral health.

Dr. Robert Schroth from the University of Manitoba reported that mothers of children who developed cavities at an early age had significantly lower vitamin D levels during pregnancy than those whose children were cavity-free.

Since many Americans don't get enough vitamin D in their diet, this gives one pause. So take those vitamins, get out in the sun, eat some D-fortified foods.

(Mothers whose little ones have needed cavities filled are ordered not to beat themselves up about it, though.)

Like most newspapers these days, the New York Times is struggling to attract readers, so there is sometimes the temptation to spice up headlines a bit. Hence "New Oral Cancer Tests: Crucial or Wasteful?" The reality isn't quite so controversial. Takeaways from the article:

• Visual exams by dentists trained to perform them have caught cancers in the mouth and saved lives.
• Many dentists don't feel comfortable doing them because they haven't learned how or been encouraged to do so
• Dental insurance doesn't cover such exams
• Using high-tech screening methods can result in a high number of (expensive) false positives
• Lower-cost testing, dental school training, and dental education could make oral screenings work.

In conclusion...

Researchers are working on the holy grail of oral cancer screening: a test that can analyze saliva for early gene changes that could lead to the disease.

Most experts agree that everyone should have an annual visual exam and that it should be thorough. A dentist or trained hygienist should examine the cheeks, the gums, the floor of the mouth, the area behind the teeth, the palate and the tonsil area, pulling the tongue forward — often to the point of gagging. The dentist should also feel the lymph nodes of the neck, sometimes the first visible sign of oral cancer.

“The emphasis should also be placed on educating physicians about oral cancer,” said Dr. Kerr, of N.Y.U. Only 60 percent of adults see a dentist at least once a year, he continued, adding, “The 40 percent who never go to the dentist are likely to have the highest risk factors.

“When I teach my students,” he said, “I say at the end of the day, all you need is to have one patient with an early cancer that you picked up and you will do this for the rest of your career.”

The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry is justifiably proud of its Design & Photo department. What's not to love? They make us look good — literally! From postcards to posters to the photos on our Web site, they do it all, and they do it well.

Recently, Design & Photo produced a spiffy Flash-based portfolio/slideshow showcasing their favorite projects. Check it out!

As everyone knows, Tuesday's presidential inauguration ceremony was a hot ticket — so hot, people were willing to do just about anything to score one. Hence this ad on Craigslist:

I am a general dentist, practicing in DC. I would like to trade my services for inauguration tickets and/or inaugural ball.

I want tickets to any or all of following: - Obama swearing-in ceremony (prefer reserved seats but I'm flexible) - inaugural balls (any of the balls that week-end up to 1/20) - taping to Oprah's show - celebrity-studded events/balls

Value: let's negotiate. Ex: I charge $4000 for one full set of braces

I need at least 4 tickets but would welcome one at a time. As I need multiple tickets, I will offer my services to more than one person.

In addition to providing general dental care, I also provide short term braces (take about 6 months in treatment depending on the case) for persons aged 14 years and adults. I have been practicing dentistry for more than 5 years and have some wonderful, multilingual staff members and a very nice office.

Braces: Very cosmetic, tooth colored brackets and wires, you can barely see them. Work faster than invisalign. Need one visit for adjustment once a month so you can commute to DC by bus if your ride is cheap, and still get a good deal

General Dental care: almost everything including sedation

You will be invited to check out my office prior to a final agreement if you want to see it first. I will also give you any information needed to verify my credentials. I attend my mayor's and council member's functions and small business neighborhood meetings, so I have a real face. My staff and I are great, my office is neat and attractive. You will like it very much. References can be provided from patients and fellow business persons.

If you, your friends/family need dental care including braces, I would be more than happy to trade my services for free in exchange for tickets.

Let's talk, email me through the link above with an email address or telephone number. I will respond within 24-48 hours.

No word on whether or not he managed to get tickets this way, or if he did, if he was able to get in (many ticket-holders did not, after all). Still, something dental students might consider for 2013, perhaps? Eek!

For nearly 15 years, U.S. dental schools have averaged between 300 and 400 vacant budgeted faculty positions. The majority of these positions are full time. Given this trend, one might argue that several hundred vacancies is now the norm. Private practice has become the revolving door through which faculty enter in and exit from academic dentistry. The American Dental Education Association reports that approximately 40% of those who leave dental school do so to immediately enter private practice. At the same time, nearly 50% of new faculty members come from private practice. Those departing dental schools for private practice are on average 10 years younger than those departing from private practice to dental schools.

Maintaining a strong dental faculty workforce requires strategies targeted at both recruitment and retention, and professional development is a critical link. The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry has a long history of supporting faculty through professional development opportunities. In March 2008, the Dugoni School launched a new initiative, the Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching (CalTEACH), with the Academy for Academic Leadership to foster career development in the areas of learning, teaching and leadership.

A Brief History

While serving as the founding dean of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Patrick J. Ferrillo, Jr. identified the need to assist new faculty in enhancing their teaching skills. Many faculty members were transitioning into academic appointments from private practice, while others were young faculty in the early stages of their academic careers. Ferrillo contacted me, as founder of the Academy for Academic Leadership, to create a professional development experience to assist faculty in pedagogy, career planning and understanding the overall academic environment. Our work at UNLV led to the establishment of a national Institute for Teaching and Learning. In 2007, the American Dental Education Association became a collaborating partner in the Institute for Teaching and Learning. Dr. Lisa Itaya ’98, assistant professor in the Department of Dental Practice and director of the Emergency Clinic, attended the inaugural program.

Ferrillo became a strong supporter of the Institute for Teaching and Learning, and after faculty input, concluded that a similar program customized to the needs of faculty at the Dugoni School would provide essential training in pedagogy for new and existing faculty. In March of this year, the Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching, or CalTEACH, was born. “The program is designed to take the practitioner—who has the skills and knowledge of the practice of dentistry—and prepare them as educators for today’s students,” said Ferrillo.

Twenty-eight faculty members and alumni participated in the first program. Another 16 faculty members are enrolled for a second course. CalTEACH is one clear example of how the dental school is moving forward with its strategic plan, specifically Strategic Direction 5: Create a resource rich, supportive and diverse culture to develop, retain and recruit outstanding individuals. “The CalTEACH program was highly influential and grounded in many elements of what teaching and learning should be; both for the educator and the student,” said Teresa Kulhman, manager of Integrated Clinical Sciences Curriculum and a CalTEACH participant.

The Curriculum

In a recent session on teaching and learning, 35 dental educators from various institutions were asked if they had studied or were familiar with the concept of learning style. Learning style includes a number of factors important for educators to understand, such as a person’s preferred or habitual patterns of mental functioning, information processing, the formation of ideas and making decisions. No one raised a hand to answer the query, even though the room contained nearly four centuries of higher education experience combined. This example illustrates that higher education in general, and dental education in particular, has historically done an inadequate job in preparing teachers to teach. The assumption seems to be that the educational process itself is sufficient, with most faculty members teaching the way they were taught.

CalTEACH is an initiative to close the gap between professional education, the practice of dentistry and the conveyance of knowledge in an effective learning environment. The program takes place over six days, conducted in two phases, with homework assignments between phases. Approximately 70% of the curriculum focuses on effective teaching. Given the diversity of a faculty member’s job, all faculty members need an understanding of how to function in and contribute to the academic environment. Sessions about the academic environment and career planning round out the curriculum. Dr. Doug Young, associate professor in the Department of Dental Practice and a CalTEACH participant, commented, “What I enjoyed most about this program was the ability to combine learning experiences with open and honest discussions of opportunities for improvement at the dental school.”

Future Plans

The Dugoni School plans to offer the six-day CalTEACH program annually. Plans are underway to open the course to other fields in the health professions education. In doing so, the dental school will foster the importance of oral health among other health professions and will assist in addressing the need for teachers that spans nearly all of the academic health professions. Alumni who have an interest in academic careers are encouraged to consider participation in the program. Positioning CalTEACH as a resource available to dentists, dental educators and other health professionals is one means of moving forward with the dental school’s vision of “leading the improvement of health by advancing oral health.”

The Leadership Nexus

Learning, teaching and leadership are all connected, especially at the Dugoni School. The Roman statesman and Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote these words to a young protégé, docendo discimus: we learn by teaching. This motto might well characterize the motivation of the exemplary teacher, one who is first and foremost a lover of learning. Exemplary teachers pass on their knowledge and, more importantly, the joy of discovery to students. These teachers multiply their impact on patients, society and the profession with each student they influence. Exemplary dental educators are not simply interested in developing excellent clinicians. Like Seneca, they help to weave the moral fiber of their students. They are leaders developing future leaders by shaping character. The mission of the Dugoni School of Dentistry, its core values and the school’s humanistic environment create a unique place to teach and to learn. As CalTEACH evolves, the program will continue to inculcate the dental school’s model of learning that goes beyond the acquisition of skills to engage the whole person. Dean Emeritus Arthur A. Dugoni best captures the spirit and the practice of this core institutional value: “We grow people and along the way, they become doctors.”

N. Karl Haden, Ph.D., is the founder and president of the Academy of Academic Leadership and has worked with 100 higher education institutions and associations through faculty development programs and consulting services since 2006.

This article originally appeared in Contact Point's Fall 2008 issue.

Is good oral health valued in the labor market?  While there are obvious health benefits to fluoridated water, there are economic benefits as well.  Co-authors Sherry Glied and Matthew Neidell of Columbia University studied the effect of oral health on adult wages by examining the variation in access to fluoridated water during childhood.

If you're a woman, a nice set of teeth makes all the difference to your career prospects, according to a recent study...

They found:

• Women who resided in communities with fluoridated water during childhood earn about 4 percent more than women who did not
• However, there is no effect of fluoridation for men.
• Furthermore, the authors estimate that losing one tooth results in an annual earnings loss of $720 a year for a typical urban woman working full-time at $11/hour.

But why does fluoridation affect women's wages and not men's?  The authors hypothesize that:

• Women are more likely to be affected by consumer or employer discrimination on the basis of appearance.
• Women are more likely to select into occupations based on their physical appearance.

Talk about unintended side effects.

"Open wide! Hold still. Hold still!" Every morning after breakfast, and every night before bedtime, we go through the same routine in my household. We all know our parts. We, the parents, try to brush our toddler's teeth; she, the toddler, tries to thwart our attempts by clamping down on the toothbrush, batting our hands away, wiggling, giggling, protesting. I'm sure the bacteria in her mouth are happy, but nobody else is!

Fortunately, I belong to a wonderful mailing list where moms and dads discuss these and other dilemmas, and one parent had some helpful suggestions for conning kids convincing kids to let them have their teeth brushed.

We have lots of games you might try.

Who Do We Have Here?
I named all the teeth after all the people we saw that day in order, or made up names.  I'd greet each one as I brushed it and say they were welcome for the bath. Some of the younger teeth needed to be chased about the mouth.

A Great Day for Brushing
There was the NASCAR style pit stop/golf commentator where I did a running commentary about the style and speed of the team (“Those of you unfamiliar with competitive toothbrushing are in for a treat...'')

Food Inventory
I'd pretend to grab and scrape off particular bits of food and mock disgust at the build-up of stuff based on the things she ate that day. 

Songs
Take any song or tune (marches are good) and throw in flossing and brushing and teeth characters/themes.

World in the Mouth
Narrate a fantastic trip through the mouth.

Professional Tooth Care Person
Invent an imaginary tooth care professional and be that character. Or some character the kid knows about. Kid knocks on the door and you introduce yourself and begin the appointment. We have a bunch of different ones and she likes to pick.

Disgust
Involves lots of face making on the brusher's part at the dirty filthy teeth and gums. “YUCK!” Halfway through, you may comment that although they aren't the best-looking teeth, they might be redeemable with some work. At the end, the teeth become dangerously glamorous, shiny and hard to look at. (The key test of your style on this one is that the ''staring at gleaming teeth'' look should be distinguishable from the ''staring at filthy teeth'' look.

Finally, do check that the taste of the toothpaste is ok with your kid. I really hate some flavors and so did my kid.

Source: Berkeley Parents Network

I have been trying various combinations of these suggestions, mostly switching between doing an inventory of what our daughter has been eating that day and singing songs involving brushing teeth. Distraction probably buys me about 30 seconds of time, but hey, I'll take it!

Eventually she'll stop thinking of teeth brushing as something to be dreaded, and she'll be able to take over the task herself. Hopefully we will have been able to convince her it's worth doing (and can avoid unpleasant encounters with dentists.)