November 2013

As we look ahead to the new year, we are begin-ning our next strategic planning cycle. At the December retreat we will start with results from cur-rent surveys and a preview of the planning schedule. The new plan will be a roadmap of what we hope to accomplish during the next five years. The strate-gic plan will help us set priorities, focus our resources and establish intended outcomes/results. It also helps us to assess and adjust our direction in response to a changing environment. The decisions we make will shape and guide what we are as an institution, what we do and why, with a focus on the future. I wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. Sincerely,

Learning about the latest techno-

logical advancements in dental educa-tion will be a major focus of the fourth quarter faculty retreat. The retreat will be a full day with an emphasis on technology, but it will also include an introduction to our strategic planning process. Participants will receive three Continuing Dental Educa-tion credits for the session. The keynote speaker will be Heiko Spallek, DMD, PhD, MSBA (CIS), from the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is an expert in the application of Internet-based technologies for dental educa-tion, research, and practice. Dr. Spallek is an associate professor of dental public health in the Center for Dental Informatics at Pittsburgh, with secondary appoint-ments in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and the School of Informa-tion Sciences. He graduated from the School of Dentistry at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, in 1993, and continued as a faculty member in the Department of Periodontology there. He received his PhD in dental material sciences, and in 2000 he earned an MSBA with a concentration in Computer and Information Science (CIS) from the Fox School of Business and management at Temple University. He joined the faculty at the SDM at Pittsburgh in 2002. He is a graduate of the American Dental Education Association’s Lead-ership Institute and currently serves as the director of the Online Certificate Program in Biomedical Informatics.

In this issue:

1. Cleft mission to Bangladesh 2. Scientist honored for therapy 3. Donor/Scholar Reception

Retreat to Feature Technology Expert

Message from the

Dean

Dr. Heiko Spallek

December 16, 2013

Faculty Retreat

8 am to 4 pm

Delta Dental Educational

Conference Center

Employee Recognition Ceremony

12:30 to 1:30 pm

Multipurpose Room

Delta Dental Educational Conference Center

Calendar of Events

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Scott Kachlany, PhD, associate professor, oral biology, received one of the prestigious 2013 Thomas Alva Edison Patent awards from the Research & Development Council of New Jersey. Dr. Kachlany was honored for his invention, known as Leukothera ® a promising new drug that has been shown to be effective in the treatment of some leukemias and autoimmune diseases. Leukothera ® specifically targeted and killed malignant white blood cells in animal models with very mild side effects, unlike the conventional cancer treatments of chemotherapy and radiation. The scientist received his award at a ceremony and reception at Liberty Science Center (LSC) on November 7. LSC is home to the country’s largest IMAX theater, where a short, original film was shown that honored each of the recipient’s work. “For 34 years, the Council has recognized the outstanding contributions of New Jersey’s research community and honored those who are transform-ing the way the world works,” said Anthony S. Cicatiello, president of the council. “This year’s ceremony illuminates the full spectrum of innovation in the Garden State, from inventions that support natural disaster relief to technologies that increase handgun safety.”

Scott Kachlany, PhD, associate professor, oral biology, proudly displays his Edison Patent Award at Liberty Science Center.

RSDM Scientists Honored

Honors and Awards

Endodontics Marianella Natera, BDS, assistant professor, passed the American Board of Endodontics Oral Examination. She completed the Advanced Education Program in Endodontics in June 2013.

Restorative Dentistry The following members of the Restorative Dentistry Department successfully completed the board exam and are now Diplomates of the American Board of Prosthodontics: Efterpi Deegan, DMD, clinical assistant professor; Mohammed Kamel, DMD, assistant professor; Yatin Khanna, DDS, clinical assistant professor; and Hoda Yousef, DMD, associate professor.

Professional Acitivities

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Shahid Aziz, DMD, MD, has led numerous cleft/lip palate missions to Bangladesh, but the most recent trip to Mymensingh took on a somewhat different meaning. What made this mission unique was that one of the RSDM residents, Shenjuti Choudhary, DMD, was born in Bangladesh and had a cleft lip and palate repaired by missionary surgeons when she was a child. She emigrated to the US at 16, put herself through Barnard College and the Col-lege of Dental Medicine at Columbia University and is now a RSDM postgraduate in orthodontics. "Dr. Choudhary is a shining example of how repairing a cleft can change a life," says Dr. Aziz. "She went from rural Bangladesh to becoming an orthodontist." Other members of the team included: Dr. Rabie Shanti, chief resident, and Dr. Andrew Yampolsky, resident, both oral and maxillofacial surgery; and Dr. Janet Yueh, chief resident, plastic and reconstructive surgery at NJMS.

RSDM Postgraduate goes Home to Help Others

Dr. Rabie Shanti holds one of the 40 children who had cleft surgery

during a recent mission to Bangladesh.

Donors and Scholars Meet Students who received scholarships had the opportunity to meet their benefactors at the Donor/Scholar Awards Reception, held on November 13. The reception was jointly sponsored by the Dental Alumni Association and RSDM. Nearly 100 people gathered in the Delta Dental Educational Conference Center to witness the event. This year more than $100,000 in scholarships was awarded. Rosa Chaviano-Moran, DMD,’86, president of the Alumni Association, welcomed everyone to the

event. Dean Feldman followed and began by pointing out that the cost of a dental education continues to soar. “It is especially significant that our donors continue to provide assistance, so that our students have the opportunity to learn,” she said. “Without these scholarships, many of these bright, talented students would not be here. Tonight we celebrate the generosity of our donors and the many amazing accomplishments of these outstanding students.”

Allison Striano,’15, received the William Cinotti Endowed

Scholarship, from alumni (l) George Bambarba, DMD, and William

Ranucci, DMD, both Class of 1989.

A ‘Spooktacular’ Event Things were frightfully delightful in pediatric dentistry on October 31, when many of the faculty, staff and students donned Halloween costumes for the day. Superman, SpongeBob Square Pants and a coven of witches, among others, were part of the celebration. At right: Gerald Guzy, DDS, (aka penguin) assistant professor, pediatric dentistry (rear) poses with (l-r) Karen Floriani and Chandrika Bhanaushali, both dental assistants, and Maria LaBoy, clinical supervisor.

Tasting wine and mingling were the order of the day when the Ital-ian Dental Society held their an-nual wine tasting event at Gelone's Restaurant in Lyndhurst NJ. All RSDM students were invited, not only members of the organization. A total of 50 people attended, including several faculty members. The evening gave students and faculty a chance to get to know one

another in a more casual environment. Thomas Scorziello, DMD, clinical assistant professor, periodontics (right front) moderated the event, discussing different types of wines and pointing out some of their characteristics. An abundance of appetizers and light fare complemented the various wines from California and Italy. The event was organized by the club's officers, Geena Russo, Jackie Marano, David Serratelli and Anthony Randazzo, all in the Class of 2014.

Italian Club has a Sip of Wine and a Taste of Fun

RSDM will be hosting a Surgical and Restorative Excellence in Dentistry Symposium on April 4 and 5, 2014, at the newly renovated Marriott Hotel at Newark Airport. The symposium will feature a roster of internationally acclaimed experts. For general practitioners, this symposium will provide a comprehensive understanding of evidence-based philosophies that specialists use to achieve out-standing results in surgery and restorative dentistry. Attendees will earn 14 CDE credit hours. For more information go to: cde.sdm.rutgers.edu.

Save the Date

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