The Diastema News

ASDA Lobbies Capitol Hill

see Lobby Day, page 15

Melissa Bailey, ASDA Legislative Liaison, 2010

bridging the information gap Spring 2008

Inside This Issue

Lobby Day 1Meet Your Cabinet 2President’s Message 3Editor’s Note 3Venice Dental Center 43 on 3 Tournament 4Golf Tournament 5Student Voices 6Ask a Dental Student 7Faculty Interview 8G.V. Black 9Honduras Mission 10Asahi-UCLA-Meikai 11HDA 12VDSA 12The Odonto-BLAST 13AO 14DSD 14Dental Fun Facts 15Dental Diversions 16

Editorial Disclaimer:The opinions containedherein do not necessar-ily reflect those of UCLAor of the UCLA Schoolof Dentistry inparticular.

Editor-in-ChiefKristen Lowe

Section EditorsThuy Tran Hoang

Deema SaadTamar SardarianWilliam Trevor

LayoutNancy ChenKristen Lowe

SubmissionsIf you would like to

submit an article forThe Diastema News orhave a suggestion forus, please email the

editor at:Diastema.News@gmail.com

Volume 6, Issue 3

This March, seven students from our ASDA chapter(Melissa Bailey, Eddie Surger, Gil Ivry, Tal Masserman,Will Trevor, Andrew Read, and Suzin Um) attended theNational Dental Student Lobby Day. This year’s LobbyDay had the highest attendance in the event’s history,with more than 300 dental students from 50 dentalschools present. The first day was devoted to seminars, guestspeakers, and training on how to deliver effectivemessages to policymakers. We heard from thehonorable Elijah Cummings about his experience as alawmaker and the bill that he sponsored, Deamonte’sLaw. Represenatative Cummings spoke about thetragic death of a 12-year-old boy, Deamonte Driver,who died because of an untreated tooth abscess thatspread to his brain. Deamonte’s family lost theirMedicaid coverage and could not find a dentist in timeto treat his tooth abscess. Deamonte’s tragic deathillustrated the importance of access to care andheightened Congress’ and the nation’s attention tothe need to increase access to oral health care forunderserved populations. This bill would authorizeten million dollars for two pilot programs: a fivemillion dollar grant to support education and trainingfor dental health professionals who will care for children and a five million dollar grant for communityhealth centers to increase the access to oral health care for patients seeking treatment. Next, Gina Luke, Director of Legislative Policy Development from ADEA, discussed the HigherEducation Act Reauthorization Bill. This loan forgiveness program would provide $2,000 per year forup to five years for individuals who are employed in targeted areas where there is a demonstratednational need or shortage. The Perkins Loan program would increase the annual Perkins Loan limitfrom $6,000 to $8,000 and aggregate limit from $40,000 to $60,000.

Finally, Jennifer Fisher, Congressional Lobbyist fromthe ADA, spoke about the Meth Mouth Prevention andCommunity Recovery Act. An unforeseen consequenceof the methamphetamine epidemic has been thealarming rise in the cases of meth mouth. The methmouth legislation would increase education to 12-17year-olds and promote a series of continuing educationactivities for dentists to learn about substance abusedisorders. The next day, over three hundred dental studentsconverged on Capitol Hill to attend the scheduledmeetings. We met with Congresswoman Diane Watson

Diastema News 2

ASDA NewsASDA News Meet Your New Cabinet

Alaina Fenton,Vice President

Chris Chau, Treasurer

Nancy Chen, 2010

David Avenetti, President I am very excited to serve as ASDA President during the upcoming year. My goal for nextyear is to make sure every dental student is benefited by ASDA and its resources. This willinclude educating students about the various committees, encouraging students to getinvolved in committees, and motivating students to attend ASDA sponsored events. Thoughmost of my time is devoted to completing the rigors of dental school, participation inextracurricular activities, such as ASDA, continues to be the most rewarding aspect of beinga dental student. During my free time, I enjoy sleeping, going to the beach, listening to music,seeking new adventures (whatever they may be), spending time with friends and family,playing sports, and engaging in any activities that remind me that there is life outside ofschool. If I were given one superpower, it would be to stop time. If I were granted threewishes, they would be health, happiness... and I’d save the 3rd. My ideal vacation is an African

Safari or a tour of Central and South America. My mantra is “do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.”

Gil Ivry, Vice President

Tal Masserman, Legislative Liaison

Nancy Chen, Secretary

As many of youmay have guessed,I'm a kindergartenteacher at heart.However... becauseI'm afraid of kids,I've instead de-cided to pursue dentistry and promote ASDA with my loveof arts and crafts. In all seriousness, I am very excited toserve as one of your ASDA VPs this next year. We havean amazing new cabinet, and with your help, I think wecan do some great things this next year. I wouldencourage anyone interested to get involvedas ASDA has a lot to offer.

My hobbies include snowboarding, jetskiing, and any other water sport. Ialso enjoy fishing, traveling, andplaying poker. My goals for next yearinclude getting more students toappreciate the importance of ASDA,both locally and on a national level,and increasing student participation

in the various ASDA events. I am very excited about thenew ASDA cabinet as we are all very passionate, hardworking, and have many great ideas to make next year agreat one! Oh, and I want UCLA to win “ideal ASDAchapter” award at the national meeting, because we rock!“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistentone.” “The only thing that interferes with my learning ismy education.” -Albert Einstein

I grew up in Denver, Coloradobut rarely went skiing orsnowboarding until I went backhome after college. In my sparetime, I enjoy reading magazines,playing tennis, taking pictures, andrunning errands. I’m really excitedto work with the ASDA cabinet and

all the committees this year. I hope that everyoneparticipates in the many opportunities and events thatASDA offers. It’s going to be a great year!

I’m really into watching and playingsports, especially tennis or basketball.I think it’s a crime if you don’t go to aUCLA basketball game by the time yougraduate. I’m excited to be workingwith such an awesome ASDA cabinetand I can’t wait to see who will be nextyear’s committee chairs.“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what youcan do.” - Coach John Wooden

My vision for the coming year is to help every dental student at UCLA find anissue that they are enthusiastic and passionate about when it comes to legislationaffecting the dental community. I believe that knowledge is the most valuable asseta person can attain because it is a possession that can never be taken away. Myfavorite musician is Oren Masserman because he is one of the few artists whotruly makes the world a better place by “spreading the aloha.”“You shouldn’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out alive.” -Van Wilder

Diastema News 3

ASDA NewsPresident’s Closing RemarksEddie Surger, ASDA President 2007-2008

When I was informed thatelections for the new ASDAcabinet were around thecorner, it felt like the schoolyear had gone by morequickly than usual. However,in this seemingly brief time,this year’s UCLA ASDAchapter was able toaccomplish an incredibleamount. I would like toextend a big thank you and

congratulations to all of the 2007-2008 ASDA leaders.Very few weeks went by this year without some sort ofASDA event, and none of those events would have beensuccessful without the arduous efforts of all individualsinvolved. The UCLA ASDA chapter has continued to excel onboth local and national levels. At the 2007 ASDA AnnualMeeting, our chapter received the National Crest HealthySmiles Award along with a first place prize of $2,500 forour dedication to community service for children. In

nationwide. Our chapter is truly an amazing model fororganized dentistry and demonstrates the impact that anorganization of young dentists can have when they worktogether. We should be proud that our chapter haseducated, entertained, and raised the morale of ourstudents, faculty and staff, all the while providing servicesto those in our community who are most in need. With that said, I would like to offer a few final words.To those first and second years who have yet to becomeinvolved: I encourage every one of you to take part inASDA and/or any other organization within our schoolto balance out your dental school experience. To ourgraduating seniors: Always remember that there aremany exciting opportunities for you to stay involved inorganized dentistry. If you ever feel inspired to diversifyyour experience within the private sector, please do nothesitate to email me for ideas on getting started. However,for now, let me close by saying congratulations for yourcompletion of one of the most challenging and wellrespected dental programs in the country! I wish eachof you success and happiness in the coming years!

addition, the structure of our committees continues toserve as an inspiration for other ASDA chapters

From The EditorMark Your Calendars!

ASDA's 38th Annual Sessionwill be on August 27-31 at the

Westin Kierland Resort and Spain Scottsdale, Arizona. ASDA

members and leaders from eachof the 56 dental schools attendthis meeting to network, learnabout issues of importance to

dental students and setassociation policy.

Please contact David Avenettifor more information:avenetti@gmail.com

As the school year comes to aclose, I want to thank all of ourwriters, photographers, andeditors for making UCLA ASDA’snewsletter, The Diastema News,such a fantastic success. I wouldalso like to express gratitude to Dr.Carol Bibb for being anoutstanding advisor and takingthe time from her busy schedule

to review this publication each quarter. Because ofeveryone’s dedication and hard work, we were able totriple production and introduce many new, and hopefullyentertaining, features, such as the crossword puzzles,legislative updates, and student opinion pieces. I would also like to congratulate the co-editors selectedfor next year, Nancy Chen and William Trevor (2010).Both have worked very hard this year, and I have no doubtthat they will carry forward the great momentum wehave built. However, they will need your help! I encourage any students interested in becominginvolved with this exciting and rewarding project tocontact Nancy (nancychen@ucla.edu) or Will(williamtrevor@gmail.edu) directly. I believe that thispublication is great way to showcase all of our diverseactivities, opinions and interests, so take advantage of it.Thank you for reading! :)

-Kristen Lowe, 2009

Diastema News 4

ASDA News UCLA Venice Dental CenterSandra Shagat, UCLA SOD Director of Communications, and Nancy Chen, 2010

ASDA 3-on-3 Basketball TournamentMichael Shoff, 2010

On February 23, 2008,the ASDA Chapter ofUCLA hosted its annual3-on-3 BasketballTournament. Teamsfrom other schools,including USC DentalSchool, were invited toparticipate in the event,and sixteen differentthree or four man teamsparticipated. Thetournament consisted ofa morning round robinto determine seeds forthe single eliminationtournament thatafternoon. The game play was broken up by a lunchcatered by Subway and contests throughout the day. UCLA was able to put an end to USC’s three yearwinning streak, as competitors Mark Terry (2010), KirkMorris (2011), Ryan Hodges (2009) and Kevin Andrus(2009) handily beat last year’s champions. The

championship teamstumbled in the lastgame of the round-robin and was grantedthe 6th seed, but theycame back frombehind to win it all. “Ithink our size,teamwork, and will towin were thedifference makerswhen it came toelimination time,” saidTerry, “we knew oneteam had to go home,but it wasn’t going tobe us.” UCLA players also

performed well in the individual contests: SahandZarrabian (2010) won the “Bump” contest and a pair ofshoes, and Sharone Pazooky (2009) edged out DaveFeller (2010) in the three-point shooting contest.

The School of Dentistry formally dedicated the newpediatric dentistry wing at the Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center on Saturday, April12, 2008. The ribbon-cutting ceremony recognized theproject’s donors for their longstanding generosity andcelebrated the official launch of the new community-based pediatric dentistry residency training program. Itwas a project made possible by a generous gift-in-kindfrom longtime clinic supporters, Bob and Marion Wilson,their son Tom Wilson, and Peggy Bloomfield. Founded in 1969, the Venice Dental Center is acommunity-oriented clinic that provides comprehensivedental care to many ethnically diverse and lower incomepatients from Venice and the surrounding area. Alreadyequipped with 20 chairs, the 1,500-square-foot additionto the Dental Center consists of a waiting room, 4 openoperatories, 3 closed operatories, a supply closet, areception desk, and a charting area. Other renovationsinclude re-designing the landscape, painting the interiorpatient care areas, and improving the graphical elementsto the building. To officially unveil the new wing and the improvementsto the pre-existing building, the School of Dentistryproudly hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with remarks

from Dean No-Hee Park, Venice Clinic Director, Dr. JohnYamamoto, and Pediatric Dentistry Chair, Dr. Jim Crall.In addition to the ceremony, the clinic parking lot wasconverted into a festival of games and activity boothsfor children during the community oral health fair. Thesmell of hotdogs and popcorn and live music entertainedhundreds of guests. More than 40 student volunteersparticipated by providing oral hygiene instruction,mural-painting, face-painting, and arts and crafts!

Diastema News 5

ASDA News

The 1st annual UCLA ASDA golf tournamentwas a smashing success! The perfect weather,cloud cover but no rain, set the tone for the day.All involved had a wonderful time. It was aterrific opportunity for students to mingle withother students and faculty in the relaxing settingof the Brookside Golf Course. The golfers in thetournament were treated like kings, as they weregiven warm-up buckets of balls, golf carts, t-shirts,dinner, and awards. Matt Harvey, Greg Smith,and all other committee members should becommended for their outstanding efforts inpreparing the tournament. One of the most memorable moments of theday involved Dr. Christensen exclaiming, “Oh mygosh!” and throwing his hat on the grass whena member of his group hit a particularly goodshot. Overall, each group had a good mix of skilllevel, which allowed for helpful tips to be exchangedwithin the group. The groups were also beneficialbecause they allowed students and faculty to get to knoweach other in wonderfully nonchalant circumstances. The

Inaugural ASDA Golf TournamentGrant Stucki, 2009

scramble format of the tournament was perfect. It madethe game fun and relaxing while still involving all of theteam members in the game. We appreciate all of the planning and support we

received from the students and faculty. TheUCLA chapter of ASDA hopes to make thisanother fabulous annual tradition. We hopewe will continue to receive similar superbsupport from students and faculty during thecoming years.

Student Voices

Diastema News 6

Green is the New BlackMichael Oladubu, 2009

Earlier this year, Timemagazine had a special green-themed environmental issue. AsI thumbed through the pages ofthe publication, I came acrossan article by Ban Ki Moon, theU.N Secretary General, whichargued that a greener planetwould be a more peaceful one.His stated that, “Many of thechallenges we face, from poverty to armed conflict, arelinked to the effects of global warming. Finding a solutionto climate change can bring benefits in other areas.” Ipondered this for a bit. The armed conflict in Darfur doesrevolve around arable farmland, or the lack thereof. Theglobal hunger riots stem from a combination of drought,increased consumption by the rising super powers India

and China, diversion of grain to provide energy throughbiofuels and the ever increasing price of oil. I could notagree more with Mr. Secretary General; confronting thethreat of climate change is a task for all of us. Global warming, climate change andenvironmentalism have become the celebrity causes dujour. Everybody, from Beyonce’s beau and his Water forLife project to baby-faced movie star, Leonardo Di Caprio,and his eco-foundation, has been giving us spiels in anattempt to raise our eco-consciousness. A plethora ofideas has been proposed to help save the planet, such asCarbon Cap-N-Trade, solar technology, and the cultivationof petroalgae. In my opinion, most of these utilize threecommon principles: conservation, improved efficiencyand innovation. These are principles that we mayintegrate into our daily lives, school and profession. Take a walk through the clinics any day of the week,

The World May Never KnowWilliam Trevor, 2010

“Are you bitter that youdidn’t get into MedicalSchool?” Are you bitter that thepublic education system failedyou so effectively? I reflect. However, my actual, andsomewhat dissatisfying,response is to mutter that - infact - I did not apply to medicalschool. This befuddling

revelation for our questioner often resolves into: “I don’tunderstand.” I shrug my shoulders. You wouldn’t. How can dentistry be such a respected profession,when I constantly find myself having to explain thatdentists go to school? (Yes, believe it or not, most of useven have our bachelor’s degrees.) However, thosepeople who actually know that dental school exists seemto regard it as a lackluster second chance bobbingconveniently in the wake of unpleasant MCAT scores. Itdoes not matter that our curriculum is more challenging.It does not matter that our admissions standards aremore rigorous. In the public eye, dental school ismedical school’s ‘plan B’. I wonder why this is the case. I think it might havesomething to do with the popular notion that no one intheir right mind would willingly choose to stare intomouths all day. Somehow, proctologists escape similarcriticism. In any case, it is not well understood that

dentistry is a first choice. I wanted to become a dentistbecause of the wonderful opportunities dentistry has tooffer: A rewarding career with job diversity and a meansto satisfy my tooth fetish. By and large, it is my optimistic belief that the generalpublic respects dentists as doctors. After all, we garnerthe salutation. Though, I find it wholly plausible thatpatients rinse the word ‘doctor’ from their mouths thirtyminutes after each appointment. Many consider dentistsdoctors like they consider Coco the Gorilla a fluentspeaker of the English language; a cute thought, butgenerally understood as a limited comparison. Doctorsare curing cancer. Dentists are inching toward a breakin the case of how many licks it takes to get to the centerof a Tootsie Pop. Of course it isn’t fair, but not all blame can be placedon the uneducated masses that believe dentists springforth from an ooze of over-parenting and shattereddreams. I think we, as dentists, have allowed thesemisguided perceptions to persist. Too many in ourcommunity do not practice the medicine of dentistry, andthereby earn us our lot. If we wish to change ourreputation, we need to sever ourselves from theapprenticeship model of dentistry once and for all. Weare not cobblers, and we don’t ‘fix’ teeth. We are doctors.We make diagnoses, and we treat within the context ofoverall medical health. However, to earn our rightfulplace in society, we must practice by these virtues andeducate our patients that dentistry is a still branch ofmedicine, though awkward its childhood may have been.

see Oladubu - page 15

Student Voices

Diastema News 7

Cristen DismukeGPR at the VA Long Beach

Ask a (Graduating) Dental Student:Chanel McCreedy, 2010 and Kristen Lowe, 2009

Regina EspinozaAEGD in Maui, Hawaii

Jared LeeOrthodontics residency atColumbia University

Alex MolayemAEGD at Columbia University

Raquel UlmaOMS residency at UCLA

Niki ZarabianGPR at the VA Sepulveda

Advice for Getting Through Dental School

“Always make time for yourselfto do what you enjoy. Don’t letdental school overwhelm you;take time for your favorite show,exercise routine, sport, orhobby.”

“When the pressure and stress ofdental school seemoverwhelming andinsurmountable, smile big andlaugh at yourself for taking lifetoo seriously.”

“Don’t be afraid to stick up foryourself and stand out, but if

you’re going to do it, make sureyou know what you’re talking

about.”

“1st yrs: Don’t spend too muchtime in the library...you will pass.2nd yrs: Take your boards early,and enjoy your summer.3rd yrs: Your peers are yourcolleagues now. Work as a teamto make the most out of the clinicexperience.”

“The best advice to the first yearsis that second year is not the end

of the world. It is the hardest year,but DON’T GIVE UP. Secondyears: ask a lot of questions

before and during the first coupleof weeks in clinic. Also, make sureto take boards before clinic starts.”

Nga (Natalie) NguyenOMFS residency at Harvard/

Massachusetts General Hospital

“Advice to 1st/2nd years: Takeadvantage of all the wonderful

resources our school has to offer.This is your chance to learn the

most that you can. Of course,make good friends along the way

and be sure to help others.”

“As 3rd year students, prioritizeand be organized in the clinic sothat you accomplish at least one

clinical requirement everyday.There are many requirements, sohave an Excel spreadsheet handy,

and track them as you completethe requirements.”

"Start early on competencies.Have the forms in your cube atall times. These are frustratingto have as loose ends close tograduation, especiallywhen you have done the proce-dures many times beforebut just forgot to ever get gradedfor it."

Cynthia MorfordProsthodontics residency at UCSF

“Request RPD patients and start them ASAP. Everythingseems to take longer than you initially plan. Also, tell yourpatients it's going to take X number of appointments or Xnumber of months and over estimate the time so whenyou deliver early you look good but if things take longeryou're still in the time range.”

Liz MiltnerGPR at Mare Island VA (Sacramento/Vallejo)

Diastema News 8

Faculty Interview

Dr. Richard Stevenson was first inspired to pursue a careerin health care when he took a year off in college to volunteer invillages outside of Kathmandu, Nepal. During his four monthsin the foothills of the Himalayas, he developed water cisternsand ran pipes out of these cisterns so villagers had access to afresh water supply. Upon returning to the States, he found a jobin dental research. Working on the early stages of implantresearch and performing cephalometric tracings inspired Dr.Stevenson to become a dentist.

“I want to change things. I want to leavea mark. I want people to be improved by

me being around this place. I feel likeI’m making a difference, and that’s

very encouraging.”

Dr. Richard StevensonThe Diastema News’ Nancy Chen, 2010, interviews

Associate Clinical Professor and Chairman of Restorative Dentistry

“Don’t get frustrated, ask instructors for help,work together as a class and become each

other’s allies. A class as a unit can be muchmore powerful than all the elements divided.Help each other; it makes a big difference.”

What is your proudest accomplishment in dentistry?Becoming Board Certified – I’m the only board certifiedoperative dentist at UCLA and one of only 65 in the world.The American Board of Operative Dentistry has a threepart certification exam consisting of an 8-hour writtenexam, a 3-day clinical exam, an oral exam with threeboard members and 2 full-mouth rehabilitationpresentations. It’s the WREB on steroids.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Full-time faculty are saddled with more administrativeresponsibilities than in the past because of the changingculture in the dental school. Many full-time faculty serveon multiple committees and have huge responsibilitiesoutside of just teaching. This can sometimes be one ofthe most challenging aspects of this job – trying to keepit all together. You can’t be good at everything; you haveto pick and choose and that’s hard.

What about challenges in the dental profession?There are so many different techniques andprocedures out there. The challenge is to getgood at so many different things; continuingeducation is really essential. Post-graduatetraining is really important; as a generalpractitioner, I can’t see going into generalpractice right now without a GPR or an AEGD. Ifyou apply yourself well in a one year program,

the payback is five- or ten-fold in terms of your knowledge. . . and you save a lot of money on continuing education.

If you could choose a dental specialty to go into, whatwould it be?If I were to do it over again, I would go intoprosthodontics. However, I think general practice isprobably the most interesting because you can learn todo everything: orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, oral andperiodontal surgery, and implant placement.

What are your hobbies?Mountaineering pursuits such as climbing 14,000-footpeaks across the high Sierra. I take all those pictures thatDr. Morgan shows of himself; I’m right there with him.Dr. Morgan once showed a picture of the two of us on topof a mountain, and someone asked, “Oh, Dr. Morgan, whois that with you – your son? And he goes, “No! That’s Dr.Stevenson. Do I look old enough to be his father?”

Faculty Interview

Advice for dental students?Don’t get frustrated, ask instructors for help, worktogether as a class and become each other’s allies. A classas a unit can be much more powerful than all theelements divided. Help each other; it makes a bigdifference. I remember to this day my classmates whohelped me, either finding patients for the board or gettingthat last partial denture that I needed to graduate.

After graduation, you really have to seek out a mentorwho you can rely on for help in all aspects of dentistry.Find a group of dentists who’re dedicated to excellencewith senior people there who can mentor you. Mostdental students today don’t really think about the studyclub as an important part of their future. Join a studyclub to keep you active and enhance your hand skills.

Dental students are familiar with G.V. Black, but fewappreciate his innumerable contributions to the dentalprofession. A musician, an artist, an educator, a clinician,a dean, a scientist and an inventor, Dr. Black pioneeredmany ideas and techniques that continue to shapeoperative dentistry. Awarded both honorary dental and medical degrees,Dr. Black related the clinical practice of dentistry to ascientific basis. Dr. Black almost single-handedlytransformed the dental profession from uneducated“barber-dentists” to dentists trained in basic sciences andclinical dentistry. Greene Vardiman Black (1836-1915) was born inIllinois and grew up on farm. He studied medicine atage 17 before studying dentistry. After practicing inIllinois, he served as the Illinois State Dental Societypresident, during which time he also invented one of thefirst cord driven, foot power dental engines. He was thefirst to use nitrous oxide for painless teeth extractions.

Dr. Black was also a lecturer at Missouri Dental Collegeand the first Dean of Northwestern University DentalSchool. Dr. Black advocateddentistry as a learnedprofession. Instead ofsimply filling cavities,he understood thelink betweenmicroorganisms anddisease, arevolutionary idea ofLouis Pasteur. Hetaught dentistry as ascience, emphasizingthe cause and effectrelationships betweentreatment planning,

The Evolution of Modern Dentistry:A Tribute to G.V. Black

Thuy Tran Hoang, 2009

Diastema News 9

see G. V. Black - page 15

Roatan Island Dental MissionsAldrich Sy, 2009

What do you get when you leave 19 dental studentson a secluded tropical island beach during spring break?If you guessed 332 amalgams, 333 extractions, 40prophies, 2 root canals, and hundreds of improvedsmiles, then you are right. This March, a group of 10third years, 8 second years, and 1 first year ventured tothe remote island of Roatan, Honduras, accompanied bysix practicing dentists, to offer dental care services tothose in need. Immediately after finals, everyone stuffed their bagswith army-grade insect repellant and Pepto-Bismol inpreparation for departure. After 30 large crates of dentalsupplies were checked in, everyone settled down for the6 hour flight. Upon arrival, students were packed five toa room and shared three bunk beds and one bathroomfor the week long trip. In the days that followed, a church hall and small

medical office were transformed into fully functional dental clinics.When these clinics opened on Monday morning, countless people stoodin line, and some waited an entire day just to be seen. Each day in theclinic was a fast paced and intense environment that lacked x-raymachines, adjustable chairs and fluorescent lights. Dentistry was

performed in untried positions,while students contorted themselvesto extract abscessed third molarsusing only headlamps for light. Sixfloor instructors, who offeredguidance and expertise along theway, were led by Dr. Mike Roberts, aUCLA alumnus who spearheaded thetrip for the Christian DentalFellowship. By the end of the week, over 400 citizens of Roatan, mostly children,had been provided free dental care. While clinic life was hectic, students also had the chance to enjoy other activitieson Roatan. Free timeconsisted ofsnorkeling, hiking orrelaxing on beaches,while group outings

included a beachside barbecue, dinner at a local mansion,and a farewell lobster fest. At the end of our time on Roatan, we had gainedclinical skills and expanded our Spanish vocabularies.However, more importantly, this trip allowed all of us tohelp a community in desperate need of care, and I believethis experience will leave a lasting impression on ourlives. Surely, each of us came away with a renewedappreciation for dentistry and the differences we canmake as dentists for people in any part of the world.

Global Outreach

Diastema News 10

Asahi-UCLA-Meikai Japan TripKim Quilao, 2009

As part of theAsahi-UCLA-MeikaiDental StudentExchange program,Brian Asbury,Andrew Chang, IzzyTrujillo, BobSharobiem, LaurenAdams, SamBrenner, NilouN o u r i - M a h dav i e ,Jane Refela, KristenLowe and I hosted

ten Japanese dental students last summer.Since then, we counted down the days untilwe’d be reunited with our friends in Japanover spring break. The program, generously sponsored by Dr.Susumu Miyata, provides dental students fromUCLA, Meikai and Asahi Universities the opportunity for aneducational and cultural exchange. We began our experience on March 21st accompaniedby Drs. Christine Quinn and Lawrence Wolinsky. The firsthalf of our trip was spent in Tokyo with our friends fromMeikai. On our first night, Professor Jun Miyata (Dr. Miyata’sson) hosted us at a sushi restaurant where we learned howto make sushi. Included on the menu was the notorious“fugu,” or pufferfish. (Ask us in person exactly what part ofthe Fugu we ate). With only five days in Tokyo, there wasmuch to do. We visited the famous Tsukiji Fish Market,attended Meikai graduation ceremony, ascended TokyoTower, shopped in Harajuku, ate more sushi, enjoyed thecherry blossom season, and experienced Tokyo night life. From March 26-31, we spent our time in Gifu with ourAsahi friends. They made sure ourtime there was nothing buteventful. We toured the university,visited the historical Gifu Castle,the Golden Kinkakuji shrine, theToyota museum, and partied at akaraoke bar! Also, at the university,we did inlay preps on typodontswhich were scanned by a laser andgraded by a computer. Good news:we all passed! On March 31, we left our friendswith hugs, promises of seeing eachother again, and some tears. It wasindeed an educational andexhilarating experience full ofmemories to cherish with our lifelong friends.

Global Outreach

Diastema News 11

Hispanic Dental AssociationMichelle Alvarez, 2011

Recently, members of the Hispanic Dental Association(HDA) chapter at UCLA had the opportunity to volunteerat the annual “CampMed” program held in CampHollywoodland, Los Angeles. Members of the group wereable to share their knowledge and personal experiencesas dental students with approximately 140 disadvantagedhigh school teenagers. The teenagers were also given anopportunity to practice taking alginate impressions oneach other with supplies provided by HDA and membersof the 2010 and 2011 classes. The event was a great

New Club Supports a CommunityJeffrey Nguyen, 2010

The School of Dentistry, with 375 students, is arelatively small program compared to other graduatelevel programs at UCLA. For instance, the David GeffenSchool of Medicine has more than 750 students, and theSchool of Law enrolls 320 students a year for a total of960 students in a three year program. There areapproximately 11,500 graduate students at UCLA, whichmakes the dental student population roughly 3.2% of thetotal graduate student population. Within thiscommunity, there is an even smaller community ofstudents who share a common heritage and language withone another. This community is represented by theVietnamese Dental Student Association. VDSA has participated in three health fairs inWestminster, a predominately Vietnamese community,under the guidance of Dr. Nancy Reifel. Each health fairhad a huge turnout of students and visitors, and the clubhas been recognized in local newspapers for its efforts. In the future, the club hopes to expand its scope andlevel of participation by enlarging its membership base

opportunity to expose camp members to dentistrythrough a unique hands-on experience and an insider’sperspective into the field of dentistry. Here at UCLA, HDA hosted a lunch and generalmeeting with special invited guest, Dr. Jorge Alvarez. Dr.Alvarez, Immediate Past President and current Treasurerof the HDA Los Angeles Chapter, spoke of his experiencesas a Latin-American dentist working in Los Angeles.Other speakers, including Dr. Irubiel Barbosa (Trusteeof the National Hispanic Dental Association) and UCLA’sDr. Marvin Marcus, were also on hand to givemotivational advice and guidance to HDA members. Lastly, HDA held their traditional pre-midterm tutorialin the 4th floor lab for its first-year members. First-yearswere taught useful techniques for achieving the perfectfull gold crown by Verna Lee Schuetter (2010). Please visit HDA’s new bulletin board on the “A” floorof the dental school for news, pictures, and informationregarding the organization. If you are interested in joiningHDA at UCLA or would like more information, pleasecontact UCLA_HDA@yahoo.com.

to students of all backgrounds. Fundraising is currentlythe club’s top priority and is necessary to fund morehealth fairs and social events. Expect to see a lot ofdelicious ethnic food being sold in the breezeway. Lastly,the VDSA hosts a senior banquet every year to honor itsgraduates.

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Clubs & Community

The ASB Odonto-BLASTAmy Yen, 2009

Those who came out to the spring formal “Odonto-BLAST” will agree that it truly was a blast. TheAssociated Student Body did a great job. This year, theASB went all out and booked a mansion right on SunsetBoulevard. The venue was perfect; convenient forpeople to come and go as they pleased.

Bouncersguarded thedoor, lettingonly invitedguests ascendthe stairstoward theblaring musicprovided bythe talented DJ Mike Intellect, 2009. The venue itself was amazing, completewith a pool table, foosball, lounge area, flat screen television built in the wall,two bars, hottub, and a firepit. The viewfrom thebalcony wasbeautiful, anda huge glassw a l l

overlooked the whole sunset strip. The atmospherewas somewhere between an episode of MTV’s RealWorld and a night of clubbing on Sunset. It was so niceto find an excuse to wear something other than bluescrubs and dress up in gowns and suits. Everyonelooked so much happier, not to mention moreattractive. The night began kind of slow, with people justchatting and hanging out, but the place soon becamepacked as the night progressed. DJ Mike kept the beat pumping and dance floor full. Around the room, everyonewas dancing and enjoying themselves. In addition to the open bar with icy margaritas and other drinks, ASB providedlight appetizers: mango salsa, guacamole, and ice cream puffs. The Odonto-BLAST was a great way to mingle withdental students from the different classes and a nice way to end the year.

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Clubs & Community

Delta Sigma Delta fraternity proudly held their FirstAnnual Senior/FacultyAppreciation Banquet onMay 23, 2008 at Fu’s Palace.Graduating seniors werehonored and recognizedthrough a slideshowcapturing great memoriescreated in the past fouryears at the UCLA OmegaOmega Chapter. We alsomingled with faculty DSDalumni: Dr. Ron Mito, Dr. ValSpolsky, Dr. Ken Trabert,and Dr. Jay Watson. A few years ago, thechapter almost ceased to exist due to the absence ofpassionate members and leadership; however, it wasrevived under the enthusiasm and support of Dr. Watson,our chief faculty advisor. Many graduating seniorsrevitalized DSD, notably Varo Boyajyan and CristenDismuke, the past grandmasters. They actively recruitedmembers, networked with other DSD chapters, andcompleted the registration of the fraternity at thenational level. With hard work and dedication, the Omega

This year, Alpha Omega is proud to celebrate itscentennial year. The organization was founded by dentalstudents as a way to fight discrimination against Jews indentistry and is now the oldest dental fraternity, withchapters all around the world. Although the fraternityoriginated with only Jewish members, we are proud tosay that we now have a group of fraters that includespeople of all different religions and cultural backgroundsthat offer much to our organization. The UCLA chapter is concluding anothersuccessful year. We began the year with a relaxingbarbeque at Dr. Diamond’s beach house andorganized a social event for our new members. Thepledges were then initiated by the regional AOleaders at Hillel and received their “special”initiation at our annual ski trip in Big Bear.Throughout the year, we held a multitude of eventsthat provided opportunities for networking, havingfun, learning and traveling. We hosted lectures byrenowned dental experts every month and providedour members with tutorials in areas such as clinicpreparation and dentures. This year, we had severalmembers attend the annual leadership conference

Alpha Omega Update

Delta Sigma Delta Appreciation Banquet

Adrienne Hecht, 2009

Amy Yen, 2010

in Boston, and we also sent some members to the 2007International Convention in Israel. To conclude this year, we will hold a banquet andawards ceremony to honor our graduating seniors. Eachsenior will receive an AO placard and a yearbook. Thishas been another amazing year, and we thank both ourmembers, who make the fraternity possible, and thecabinet who has put a lot of hard work into running theorganization and keeping the tradition going.

Omega Chapter quickly re-established its presence atUCLA. At the Senior/FacultyAppreciation Banquet,delicious nine-courseChinese dishes were servedto more than forty guests.The decor lookedremarkable: the partybanquet hall was decoratedwith blue and gold balloons,candles, lavender flowers,and confetti. The celebrationwas filled with facultyrecalling their days as DSDofficers and an amazing

slideshow recapturing the fun events that took place thispast year. Thirteen new initiates received their lifetimememberships while graduating seniors were presentedthe official Delta Sigma Delta gold pin. The seniors alsospoke about how much the fraternity influenced theirlives at UCLA, touching many DSD members and bringingsome to the verge of tears. It was sad to say goodbye,but bright futures awaits our graduating seniors. Best ofluck, Class of 2008 Delts!

Clubs & Community

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and estimate the number of patients seen and the amountof consumables used. Undoubtedly, we consume a lot ofmaterials and energy at the dental school. The vagariesof the student experience practically demand a highcarbon footprint, but severally and together, we canchannel our inner Al Gores. We have a social andenvironmental responsibility to conserve energy, reducewaste and ensure a sustainable future for theenvironment. To use an apt and true maxim, we mustthink globally and act locally. We can start with simple actions, such as: switchinglights and computers off after hours, recycling all paperand plastic waste, conserving water, reducing waste inthe clinic (employ the right technique, and get thatimpression in one try!), and adjusting the thermostat acouple of degrees higher in the summer and lower in thewinter to help reduce production of fluorocarbons thatcontribute to global warming. On a grander scale, wewould ideally retrofit the school of dentistry to be greener.We could utilize low energy lighting in communal areas,switch to digital radiography, employ filters that reducedeposits in liquid waste and install energy efficientoperatories. I could go on, but you get the idea; conserve,improve efficiency and innovate.

tooth preparation and prevention. His principle ofextension for prevention is widely used today, as well ashis organization of Black’s Classification of CariesLesions. Throughout his life, Dr. Black wrote severalbooks on pathology, caries and micro-organisms, anddental anatomy. Also an astute researcher, he published his firstimportant dental paper on “Gold Foil” in 1869.Additionally, he investigated the cause of dental fluorosisand the composition of dental amalgam and itsproperties. Aside from his love for science, Dr. Black enjoyedsinging in his church choir and playing the violin, thecello, the cornet, flute and piccolo. Occasionally, an intellectual giant comes along whochanges the course of science. In our chosen professionof dentistry, Dr. G.V. Black undoubtedly is this man. Ableto humble and inspire dental students and dentists alike,we owe him much gratitude.

and the health aides of Senator Diane Feinstein,Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, CongresswomanMaxine Waters, and Congressman Henry Waxman todiscuss the legislative issues that may impact the dentalprofession. Overall, it was a great experience for all ofus, and we felt privileged to contribute, in our own smallway, to the successful future of the dental profession.

Oladubu, continued from page 6

What is the most common, widespread,and oldest disease of human kind?

Tooth decay

What group of people first described toothdecay in writing?

The Sumerians (found on a 5,000 year old clay tablet)

In what year was the first aromatictoothpaste introduced to the public?

1873

When did collapsible toothpaste tubes hitthe scene?

1896

What kind of floss does Jerry Seinfeld useon the show?

Glide

Dental Trivia! Two weeks after reading Mr. Moon’s article, Iwas playfully spinning the carousel on Sha’Ron’sdesk when I suddenly had an epiphany that couldeliminate the need for paper copies of unchargedreports at UCLA forever. Like all modestly goodideas, it was simple. Whenever a student signs intoSOE, there would be an electronic notification ofuncharged reports, much like a Facebook poke.Bradley Chin and Dr. Goldstein took to the idea, andI gather that they will be working to implementthis small step as we inch closer to completelypaperless patient records. I thought of the treesthat will be saved by the execution of this idea, andI admit the feel good factor was substantial. As I write this article, I am sitting down atStarbucks with a classmate. As he sips his latte froma recycled cup, Carlos Mendoza informs me that hetakes the bus to and from school every day. Goodfor you my friend – reducing your carbon footprintand saving gas and money through your self-sacrifice. Now, if we could get more thumbs thatwield handpieces to (pun intended) go green…

Lobby Day, continued from page 1

G.V. Black, continued from page 9

Dental Diversions

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Grant Stucki, 2009

Who was the first person toget a patent for a tooth brush?

H.N. Wadsworth

Which mammal has the mostteeth?

The long snouted spinner dolphin (252)

Which country sets adside anational holiday each yearknown as “Love Your TeethDay”?

China

How many sets of teeth doelephants have in their life?

6

Which United State lawfullyforbids women from wearingfalse teeth without the writtenpermission of their husband?

Vermont

Picture Puzzles

CrosswordChanel McCreedy andWilliam Trevor, 2010

Across2 Can be a skin lesion orsomething that forms on yourteeth (one word)5 Shapes amalgam preps & carriedby Mel Gibson in “The Patriot” (oneword)6 Bet you cannot spell the name ofthis chisel (one word)10 5th cusp on maxillary firstmolar (one word)11 Occupies the cervicalembrasure (one word)13 Best party host (two words)14 A 3D pixel (one word)15 Studying for oral pathology orsharp internal line angle both yieldthis (one word)Down1 Specialty with the inside info(one word)

3 Redness of the skin or gingiva (one word)4 Dr. Wong’s favorite band (holds in amalgam) (one word)7 Lowering of viscosity with rapid shear stress (oneword)8 In brief, Dr. White’s radiology mantra (one word)9 Golden Gate and George Washington (one word)10 Math for dentists (one word)12 These make permanent teeth in young kids look liketulips (one word)

More Dental Trivia!

Jonathan Hsu, 2010

Dental Diversions

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