Dear Colleagues:

This past weekend, our American Student Dental Association (ASDA) members, along with faculty volunteers and staff from our Office of Admissions, hosted our annual Pre-Dent Day. This tradition started long before I arrived at Ohio State and it's one that benefits us in more ways than I could have imagined.
 
Like many of our exciting events, this one is predominantly student-run. They reach out to pre-dent groups at colleges and universities throughout the region, inviting students who are considering dentistry as a career to come and experience all that our college has to offer. They organize a morning session full of activities that help prospective dental students gain first-hand knowledge about what dental school is really like, both professionally and personally.
 
The program starts with everyone assembled to hear some welcome remarks from me and some inspiring words from our ASDA faculty advisor, Dr. Sara Fowler. This year's event began in one of our largest classrooms -- and it was a full house! Our dental students filled the back and side sections, and the center from aisle to aisle was packed with pre-dental students. They totaled 102 in all, coming from 19 different colleges and universities and from nine states. The enthusiasm and excitement was palpable. 
 
Although our introductory remarks about the dental profession seemed to hold our visitors' attention, the experience they were most waiting for, and the one that our faculty and students had spent so much time preparing, was a chance for them to "get a taste of being a dental student." This included drilling into typodont teeth, taking impressions of the typodonts, and pouring impressions, all with the guidance and oversight of our students and faculty.
 
As I walked through the pre-clinic lab I was overwhelmed by the level of activity. The place was humming. Everyone was doing something. Faculty provided thoughtful explanations for each step in the pre-dent students' work. And our dental students helped and offered pointers, but there was something impressive and special about their interactions. I sensed that our students were proudly sharing the knowledge and skills they had acquired in dental school. It was rewarding and inspiring for me to see this -- and it was such a compliment to the faculty who have taught our students what they can now share with others. 
 
After the formal part of the program was completed, I saw the pre-dent students talking with our students throughout the building. The impact of the program clearly affected everyone. For the pre-dents, it showed them a side of the profession that could only be learned through such an immersion into our system of experiential learning. For our students, it was a chance to take what they had learned, repackage it, and pass it along to others so the next generation of prospective dental students could benefit. What an amazing day it was!
 
This is a great tradition we must continue. It says so much about our profession -- the way we learn, the approach we take in teaching, and the pride we feel when we master the skills that are the foundation of our clinical competence. 

  
February 2017 Edition
COLLEGE NEWS
Building Our Future: Plans Underway for Partial Replacement of Postle Hall 

At a Council of Deans' meeting in August 2016, Ohio State's President Michael V. Drake, MD spoke about the university's commitment to building top-notch facilities, saying, "We need modern facilities for our faculty to do their best work."

To provide an optimal facility for faculty, staff, and students, the College of Dentistry's leaders have worked closely with the university's senior leaders for the last several years to begin the process of replacing Postle Hall. Significant milestones have already been realized in the first phase of this process, and the college is on track to open its doors to a new and improved facility in 2020. 

Commenting on the plans that are underway, Dean Patrick M. Lloyd said, "Our college is a statewide resource for improving access to dental care and student education." He added, "Once it is completed, this project will enhance the next generation of dental professionals, provide state-of-the-art oral health care, and conduct research that affects dentists and the dental profession worldwide."

Read more in the Fall/Winter 2016 edition of the Dental Journal.
Annual Research Day: February 28  

Research Day at the College of Dentistry is an annual event that showcases research conducted by dental and dental hygiene students, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and residents. More than 40 oral and poster presentations will offer a comprehensive perspective on the college's many research initiatives. The event also features a distinguished lecturer from among the world's leading oral health researchers.   

Date:  February 28, 2017
Time:  8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Ohio Union
Distinguished Lecturer: J. Timothy Wright, DDS, MS, Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry. A recognized authority on oral and craniofacial developmental anomalies, Dr. Wright will provide a presentation on etiologies of abnormal enamel and dentin formation. 
Lecture title: Tooth Development: The Good, Bad, and Ugly
CE credits available: Please email Swiantek.3@osu.edu for more information.
Annual Carl O. Boucher Prosthodontic Conference: April 6-8
The annual meeting of the Boucher Prosthodontic Conference  provides continuing education in the art, science, and practice of prosthodontics. Held each year in Columbus, Ohio, the event is dedicated to Dr. Carl O. Boucher, who devoted his career to the advancement of prosthodontics.  

The conference program includes an exceptional group of speakers who will share their knowledge and expertise. Please join this year's outstanding event!

Location:  The  Fawcett Center  at The Ohio State University; 2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210
Date: April 6-8, 2017
Registration:   Click here  for more information and online registration!
Kelly Kennedy, DDS, MS Joins ADEA Leadership Institute
 
Dr. Kelly Kennedy, an Associate Professor-Clinical in the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Anesthesiology, has been selected as an American  Dental Education Association  Leadership Fellow for 2017-18. A highly competitive program that accepts only 20 participants each year from throughout the U.S., the Leadership Institute is designed to help develop the nation's most promising individuals at academic dental institutions to become future leaders in dental and higher education.

An alumna of the College of Dentistry, Dr. Kennedy is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and she is a Fellow of the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. She currently serves as President of the college's Faculty Council and she is the President-Elect of the Ohio Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. 
Dental Journal Available Online Now! 
 
Give Kids a Smile Day: Saturday, February 4
Dentistry's pediatric dentists, residents, dental hygiene and dental students will join together on Saturday, February 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the college's bi-annual Give Kids a Smile Day, which offers free dental exams and dental treatment to children in need.  

T he Ohio Dental Association (ODA) has selected the College of Dentistry's GKAS event as the 'kick off' for a state-wide effort to increase children's access to dental care in Ohio.  Senior leaders of the ODA will attend, along with legislators from Columbus and Franklin County.
 
The event is offered as part of the national  Give Kids a Smile program sponsored by the American Dental Association. GKAS is dedicated to nurturing and enhancing community-based children's health and wellness programs that are expandable, sustainable, and innovative.
Alumni and Friends Reception; Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting: Friday, February 24
 
The Chicago Dental Society will host its 152nd Midwinter Meeting from February 23-25. In conjunction with the meeting, the college will host a reception for alumni and friends the evening of Friday, February 24. 

We invite you to join Dean Patrick Lloyd and fellow alumni for this gathering that will include college news and the latest updates on the first phase of plans to replace Postle Hall. We look forward to seeing you there!  

Date:  Friday, February 24   
Time:  5:00 - 7:00 p.m.   
Location:  Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile; 540 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois

For more information or to RSVP, please call 614-247-8621 or send an email to:  DentalAlumni@osu.edu.
Medical Updates for the Dental Professional: Friday and Saturday, March 3-4

Join us for "Medical Updates for the Dental Professional." This course will help you maximize your role in improving the overall health of your patients, while also providing strategies for treating medically complex patients.

Presented by physicians from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, this course focuses on topics that are relevant for today's health care professionals, including autism spectrum disorders, esophageal reflux, osteoporosis, zika virus updates, cancer screenings, skin cancer, bipolar disorders, polypharmacy, and more.

Dates and Times: Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Blackwell Inn and Pfahl Conference Center (Ohio State's Columbus campus)
CE credits: 12
Questions? For more information and online registration, please click here.
Restorative Dentistry Update: Friday, March 31

Join us for this clinically-orientated lecture that will provide an update on dental materials and restorative techniques.
The presentations are designed to review new materials and techniques that are available. 

Date: Friday, March 31
Time: 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Biomedical Research Tower  (Ohio State's Columbus campus) 
Presenters: Sarah Mikhail, BDS, MS; Assistant Professor-Practice, Division of General Practice and Materials Science
Robert Seghi, DDS, MS; Professor, General Practice and Materials Science 
CE credits: 7
Questions? For more information and online registration, please click here.


Brutus D.D.S. 
Find us on Facebook

 

Follow us on Twitter

View our videos on YouTube

 

 




Postle Hall
305 W. 12th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210

 

OSU College of Dentistry