UFCD ASDA News November 2011

Gator Dentist Times 6 Coming

Soon to a

Clinic Near

You!

8 Crossword

10 11 Mighty

Molar

12 Steve Jobs

14 15 Dominican

Republic Service

Trip

17 Sudoku

18 19

UFASDA.com

The Mid Level

Provider Solution

to Access

Samuel Low, DDS, MS

Assoc. Dean & Professor

Department of Periodontology

R ecently the phrase “fair

and balanced” reso-

nates as a need to ob-

jectively characterize

opinions on critical issues. The de-

bate over the validity of the mid-

level provider in dentistry could

have used the phrase yesterday.

Access to care/ barriers to

care in dentistry is a major topic of

discussion in dental circles. Lack of

care to the underserved is a given

and moreover a highly multivaria-

ble complex issue. Our students at

UFCD are well versed on the sub-

ject with a curriculum that provides

an excellent community health

background. The core fundamental

end point is to decrease oral disease

by access and effective utilization

in disease management. And while

we could expand on the “solution of

the month” to resolve the disparity

issue, let’s consider the suggested

mid level possibility.

The mid level hypothesis

is primarily based on an insufficient

workforce driver. And any study

that purports a scarcity of dentists

in the future can be countered by

surveys that demonstrate the “right”

amount or too many practitioners.

Note the recent “tug of war” over

the need for more dental schools in

the State of Florida. Most health

care economic models suggest in-

creasing numbers of workforce do

not directly impact care since those

practitioners will not necessarily

relocate to “underserved” areas and

moreover, they need to get paid.

The energy expended by

all players engaged in the argument

over midlevel scope of practice and

levels of supervision has been sub-

stantial and while necessary to de-

fine, possibly tangential to any real

comprehensive answers. (ADA:

http://www.ada.org/sections/

advocacy/pdfs/

ada_workforce_statement.pdf) .

And what complicates the midlevel

solution are studies that suggest

advantages of adding the mid level

practitioner to the dental workforce

are fraught with study design limi-

tations that would not pass the scru-

tiny of evidence based dentistry. A

critical aspect is very small num-

bers of midlevel’s actually practice

in the United Sates (Alaska) and

data is scant.

Bottom-line is that until

the midlevel solution can be tested

to determine safety and efficacy, a

responsible society would suggest a

strategic approach to barriers of

care with a comprehensive oral

health management plan. Utilizing

tax dollars to create another provid-

er level when a variety of solutions

have not been explored may be

considered myopic. Also consider

in the mix unemployed hygienists

and the increasing debt load of

Continued on Page 2.

theNEXTDDS Visit theNEXTDDS.com and enroll yourself

in this new dental student portal. It’s free and

will require your ASDA membership number.

Another reason to belong to ASDA.

Some articles from the Practice Management

section will be used as required readings in

DEN 8321 Small Business Principles and

Practices, which starts for seniors in Septem-

ber.

Enroll now and start using some of the other

resources on the website and connect with

other dental students in different parts of the

country.

2

Continued From Page 1

graduating dental students.

There is no simple solution to this very complex

problem and unless there are systems to train such mid

level individuals in a fiscally effective model and provide

salaries in a current state and federal tattered safety net,

(ADA: http://www.ada.org/sections/advocacy/pdfs/

breaking-down-barriers.pdf) common sense suggest mid

levels will end up in a corporate setting as in the recent

experience with New Zealand and Canada workforce

models. A more plausible and timely process to truly help

our underserved would be to take the political debate of

the midlevel out of the equation and replace it with effec-

tive and sustainable and encompassing solutions.

Erin Zimmer mymilktoof.blogspot.com

3

Club President, Sara El-Sherbini, opened the first General

Body Meeting of the Association of Public Health Dentistry by asking

a few of the officers to share what they love about public health dentis-

try.

“I feel that as dentists we have skills that we can pay forward,

and we can do that through public health dentistry,” offers club Histo-

rian, Lorielle Alter. Treasurer, Ron St. John, highlights the abil-

ity“ ...to reach many instead of just a few.”

The American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) was

founded in 1937 to meet the challenge of improving the oral health

care of many. Not only does it focus on disease prevention and service

delivery, but also on the education of health professionals and legisla-

tors on the importance of oral health to overall well-being. Now in its

third year, the UF chapter of AAPHD aims to provide opportunities

for students and faculty to learn more about Public Health Dentistry,

be it through hands on service experiences or discussions with influen-

tial leaders in the field.

During each upcoming month, the organization will focus on

a particular segment of the community. In October the club concentrat-

ed on pediatric preventative care. The timing was appropriate, as dur-

ing September and October the Alachua County Health Department,

UF College of Dentistry, and the Alachua County School Board will

perform oral health screenings on every third grader in the county and

the club encouraged people to volunteer to help with this endeavor.

With Halloween, October was also a big time for candy-binging and to

help combat the potentially harmful effects of excessive sugar con-

sumption, AAPHD and SNDA had a Halloween party at the Boys and

Girls Club on October 18th to re-enforce and educate about oral hy-

giene while throwing in some non-confectionary fun,

like face-painting. For those interested in career

paths in legislative and organizational public health

dentistry with a focus on prevention, there’s a

“Brown Paper bag lunch-in” with past National

AAPHD and UF faculty member, Dr. Tomar to dis-

cuss prevention.

The club is excited to dive into this year; upcoming

months hold discussions and activities centered on

care for Geriatric, Native American, Urban and Rural

populations. With all the fun, interesting opportuni-

ties, and no dues, there is no reason not to get in-

volved with the UF Chapter of AAPHD. Those inter-

ested in further information should contact Iris Gar-

cia, club secretary at igarcia@dental.ufl.edu.

AAPHD

Caitlin Buchanan

4

Organized Dentistry

Beyond ASDA Christopher Shannon, D3, ASDA

Organized Dentistry Chair

A SDA at

UF has

been dedicated

to making all

our ASDA

members more

aware of orga-

nized dentistry.

We have been

working hard to create opportunities for each

member to get involved. Each district in Flori-

da Dental Association has been contacted in an

effort to expand dental student participation and

understanding about the topics affecting dentis-

try.

The Central Florida District Dental

Association, which Alachua County falls into,

has invited UF dental students to attend their

annual meeting in Daytona Beach on April 27

and 28, 2012. Seniors should be aware that the

Alachua County Dental Association holds bi-

monthly meetings and invites up to 15 dental

students to each meeting. Students are able to

attend an elegant dinner while learning about

the newest legislation or dental technology.

We are also trying to strengthen the relation-

ship that dental students have with the Acade-

my of General Dentistry. As organized dentis-

try chair, I talked to Tony Menendez, the cur-

rent Membership Chairman and future Presi-

dent of the AGD. He is highly interested in

hearing the opinions of dental students at their

meetings. He also wants more young dentists

and dental students to get involved with AGD

so that AGD can better represent general den-

tists in all stages of learning and practice. Cur-

rently membership is free to all Junior and Sen-

ior dental students at the University of Florida.

Melissa Alfonso has been gracious to

take the lead in planning a first ever ASDA

State Lobby Day for UF ASDA dental students

to get more involved in the political issues af-

fecting dentistry. This march to Capitol Hill

took place on November 15, 2011. Some of the

issues that ASDA members will address with

legislatures include new dental schools in Flori-

da, continued availability of TED funds, and

loan repayment options after dental school. UF

is one of the only schools nationally where stu-

dents are organizing a state lobby day. We also

plan to team up with the FDA on February 1st

for their lobby day.

This past June, UF ASDA lobbied

hard to get 2 dental students added to the FDA's

Council on Membership, Council on Education

and Licensure, and the Subcouncil on the New

Dentist. At the American Dental Association,

Florida Dental Association allowed several

dental students to sit in upon their meetings.

As you can see, UF ASDA is making it easier

for dental students to get more involved in

making a difference in the dental profession

through organized dentistry.

For more information regarding at-

tending Alachua County Dental Association

meetings, AGD meetings, and/or becoming

members of these organizations you can contact

me at cshannon@dental.ufl.edu.

What is the best part of dental school

so far? Class of 2015 Answers!

Sergio Jacas: A great family atmosphere amongst our class.

Yosvel Blanco Sanchez: The new and diverse family that we

gained. I love all my fellow classmates already and the faculty are also

incredible.

Kirsten Kimbler: Mighty Molar!

Michael Yuan: I love how our class is so tight knit like

one big family.

Vikash Dahya: Embryology :)

Olga S Luaces: Learning about all the opportunities we

have to utilize our knowledge and improve the oral hygiene

of the Gainesville community. Through volunteering at the

Equal Access Clinic and with other dental service organiza-

tions at UFCD, I feel that I have been able to reach out to

people of various age groups and teach them about preven-

tive dental practices, enabling them to improve their oral

health.

Phillip Claassen: Waxing teeth!

Desmond Foster: The excitement of beginning the initial

steps on the path of becoming a dentist.

Join Our Facebook Group! UF ASDA CHAPTER

5

Cosmetic Dentistry:

Breaking the Trends of

the National Recession

D uring

these

hard economic

times, it is no

secret that

Americans are

cutting back in

non-essential

expenditures.

One may be

surprised, however, to find that these cuts are

not reflected in revenue spent on cosmetic

dental procedures. According to a recent study

by the American Academy of Cosmetic Den-

tistry (AACD), the number of cosmetic dental

procedures increased significantly over the

last five years, with a 300% increase in teeth

whitening procedures and a 250% increase in

porcelain dental veneers.

Such an increase in cosmetic proce-

dures may suggest a grand turn-around from

the recession and a new, booming economy.

This proves not the case, as the nation’s unem-

ployment rate continues to soar. In fact, in the

last five years that marked such an increase in

elective dentistry, the unemployment rate rose

from 4.6% in 2006 to the current 9.1%. Why

then is there such an increase in cosmetic

work? Another study by the American Acade-

my of Cosmetic Dentistry shows that 75% of

Americans believe an unattractive smile could

potentially harm a person’s chance for em-

ployment success. Thus, what may have once

been deemed an “optional” or “luxurious”

expense is actually an asset in obtaining and

maintain a successful career.

As for dentists, the added interest in

cosmetic procedures also comes with added

pressures in keeping up with new products and

procedures. So refresh on your dental anato-

my, practice your composite layering tech-

niques, subscribe to an aesthetic dentistry

journal, and take special care in choosing your

lab technicians, as the results will pay off for

your patient and your practice.

http://www.designerforsmiles.com/news/

houston-cosmetic-dentist-discusses-latest-aacd

-statistics/

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/

A0104719.html

Jessica Biggs, D2

ASDA Community Service

Chair

6

Coming Soon to a Clinic Near

You: 5 Phases of Treatment! Tavis Sisson, D3, ASDA Synergy Weekend Chair

T he UF College of Dentistry has

recently approved a new method

of organizing treatment. While this is

still a work in progress the roots of the

new treatment plan phases are estab-

lished.

The first phase of therapy is

titled the ‘Systemic Phase’ and is to be

completed before progressing to other treatments. The Systemic

Phase consists mostly of items discovered in the medical history or

physical exam. Possible actions necessary in the Systemic Phase

would include medical consults, biopsies, and any ‘action steps’ nec-

essary for any conditions or medications. Examples of an action step

would include getting an INR for patients on Coumadin or making

sure a patient has their inhaler at the beginning of every appointment

for patients with asthma.

The ‘Acute Phase’ of therapy is begun after systemic com-

plications have been addressed and is broken up into first addressing

emergency problems followed by urgent problems. Problems such as

trauma, pain, and infection are addressed as emergency problems.

This is not just limited to extractions and root canals as large carious

lesions may be addressed as well as rapidly progressing periodontal

diseases, such as ANUG.

The second part of the Acute Phase treats urgent problems.

What we currently consider to be a ‘caries control’ situation with

multiple sedative restorations would be considered an urgent prob-

lem. Extraneous patient needs as well as pure dental needs can also

classify something as urgent. For example, a patient who has a

chipped front tooth and is getting married in two weeks makes that

class IV restoration an urgent problem based on the time limitations.

What we currently think of as Phase I therapy would be con-

sidered the third phase of treatment in the new model called the

‘Disease Control Phase’. In the Disease Control Phase we are ad-

dressing the prime dental diseases: caries and periodontal disease.

This phase is also broke up into two parts. The first part is disease

control treatment and primarily would revolve around oral health

instructions, scaling/root planning, and adult prophylaxis. This is

essentially periodontal in nature since ‘caries control’ patients are

addressed in the Acute Phase. The second part of the Disease Control

Phase is the ‘initial restorative phase’. During this portion of treat-

ment you are utilizing your standard compliment of operative ADA

codes and should bring the patient to a stable restorative situation.

Even if the ultimate goal is an indirect restoration in the Definitive

Phase you are most likely completing a core buildup here in the ini-

tial restorative phase.

Also considered to be part of the Disease Control Phase is a

Re-Evaluation. During this re-evaluation all actions taken up until

this point are reviewed for their ability to control disease in the

mouth. We would typically think of this as our Phase I Evaluations

(both perio and operative). The question to answer here is “Is the

patient ready to move to the Definitive Phase?”.

In the ‘Definitive Phase’ (4th phase for those who are count-

ing) we are preparing for and completing any prosthetic restorations

deemed necessary. This is what we normally would consider to be

Phase II and is broken up into two parts.

The first part of the Definitive Phase is adjunctive therapy

and consists of pre prosthetic surgery, crown lengthening, orthodon-

tics, etc. Anything that is necessary to get the patient ready for their

final prosthesis would be considered adjunctive therapy as well as

definitive therapies for patients not needing prosthetic devices

(orthodontics). This is followed by the second part of the Definitive

Phase called the prosthodontic phase where fixed and removable

prosthetics are fabricated and delivered.

Following the Definitive Phase is another evaluation step

called ‘post assessment’ and is essentially what we would currently

consider a case completion. After this, the patient is placed on a re-

call schedule and has entered the ‘Maintenance Phase’. This fifth and

final phase is meant to support the long term dental health of the pa-

tient and can feed back into the previous phases as situations arise in

that patient’s maintenance.

The presented phases of treatment, while approved, are still

being tweaked and the final presentation may differ slightly from

what you see above. For example, they may be listed as phases 0-3 +

maintenance rather than phase 1-5 as listed above. However, the

numbering system assigned should not change what is addressed in

each of the phases. I hope this helps prepare you for what is coming

down the pipeline in the near future, and I preemptively wish you

good luck in explaining the 5 phases of treatment to your future pa-

tients.

1. Systemic Phase

2. Acute Phase (Emergency Problems and Urgent Problems)

3. Disease Control Phase (Disease Control Phase and Initial Re-

storative Phase)

Re-Evaluation

4. Definitive Phase (Adjunctive Therapy and Prosthodontic Phase)

Post-Assessment

5. Maintenance

7

Staying Healthy

In Dental School Mikilena Hall, D3, ASDA

Community Service Chair

F all is here,

and so are

boards, block

exams, the rush

to complete re-

quirements

and… runny

noses. I know

I’m not the only

one who hears

sniffles in the hallway and sees puffy eyes and

the hunched backs of colleagues

hard at work. As UFCD students

strive to be their best, flu season

approaches and brings with it the

possibility of missed appointments

and wasted hours of brainpower that

could be better put to use. With that

in mind, I encourage our student

body to be mindful of the environ-

ment and changing weather. Bring

a sweatshirt to school and keep an

umbrella at hand. Speaking of

hands, anti-bacterial sanitizer is

around every corner, so use it! We work and

learn in a hospital full of patient traffic with

many sick people so be

mindful of that elevator but-

ton and (ick) bathroom door.

Flu shots are available all

over Gainesville and can be

found at little to no cost for

students. Also, remember to

eat healthy and stock up on

vitamins (2nd years, get some

vitamins for nothing else but

to study their names and

effects for boards). Being healthy is not just

about you; it’s about taking care of your pa-

tients and being there, ready and alert, for them

when they have a scheduled appointment.

For those students who are already

prepared for flu season and take daily sanitation

precautions, keep it up! Think about other

ways you can be healthy and set a good exam-

ple for your patients.

Take a few minutes

to stretch during an

appointment or after

an hour of studying.

Drink plenty of wa-

ter every day and

take out some of that

angst about not hav-

ing this requirement

done yet or having

to take yet another

quiz – there’s a great

indoor track at Southwest Rec, go do some yo-

ga with friends, or take a walk with your dog.

We live in Florida, so get out there

end enjoy it! You owe it to your-

self!

Research @

The ADA

Conference

It is widely recognized that research is an

essential part in the future of dentistry. The

UFCD curriculum is continuously being

supplemented with research based presenta-

tions, so that students will be able to adapt

to innovative technology that will be availa-

ble in the future. In addition, our UFCD

faculty is continuously conducting research

to advance the field as we speak and they

offer generously their time, knowledge, and

experience to students who want to partici-

pate in research. Additionally, the ADA

supports students who conduct research, and

at the ADA conference in Las Vegas there

was a display of research from both United

States and International dental

schools. Projects displayed at the confer-

ence were conducted by student clinicians

under a competition supported by both

DENTSPLY and the ADA. Their projects

ranged from testing the pH of distilled

drinking water to understanding the molecu-

lar players involved in the competence path-

way of Streptococcus mutans. It was a fan-

tastic display of support for research in den-

tistry and, to me, made a statement that both

clinical and basic science research continues

to further our knowledge and clinical prac-

tice of dentistry. Thank you to our Dean, Dr.

Dolan; Associate Dean of Research, Dr.

Burne; all of the research faculty, graduate

students, and dental students conducting

research; as well as dental students and fac-

ulty/professionals who utilize research in

their everyday practice for having the fore-

sight to advance the future and also patience

to help students understand how to apply

these concepts to their work. Your work and

efforts will change the practice of dentistry

and the lives of our patients.

Ann Sagstetter, D2, ASDA Education Chair

8

Biomaterials Crossword:

A Tribute to KJS

By Stacy M

ichelle N

edru

d D

2

Across

5 Pneumatic Mallets Use This

7 First Country to Ban Amalgam (Gasp!)

9 Best Generation of Self-Etching

11 Module of __________

13 Seaweed Impression Material

14 White Filling Material Pre-Dating Composite

15 Component of Amalgam

17 Squeeze Cloth’s Material

19 Dentinal Tubule Sealer Brand Name

21 Sport Using Gutta Percha in the 1840s

22 Measurement of Force

Down

1 KJS’s Homeland

2 George Washington’s Teeth Material

3 Impressive Crown and Bridges

4 Process of Bending Metal, Displacing Defects

6 KJS’s Catchphrase

8 Old-Fashioned Permanent Cement (Duralon)

10 Strain’s Counterpart

12 Makes a Good Impression

16 Calcium Hydroxide Use

18 Dentinal Tubule Opener

20 First Country to Use Mercury-Containing Dental

Fillings

For

An

swer

s Se

e Pa

ge 1

7

9

HSDA Ali Best, D2, ASDA Special

Events Director

W ith a significantly increased mem-

bership and a great new board, the His-

panic Student Dental Association has

started off the 2011-2012 school year in a

fantastic direction! Thus far, we have

held a Spanish Dental Terminology Ses-

sion, organized a visit to Eastside High

School to give a presentation on “Careers

in Dentistry,” and we finished out the

month of October with salsa lessons that

were open to the whole school. The les-

sons were taught by our own members,

and everyone seemed to have a blast.

HSDA will be continuing its involve-

ment in the dental community by sending four

members to the HDA Annual Meeting in San

Diego, CA, the first weekend of November,

where they will be presenting the Orgullo Pro-

ject, a project designed to promote outreach

and recruitment of minority middle school and

high school students to careers in dentistry.

We then plan to finish out the fall semester

with two more salsa classes held during lunch

on November 22nd and December 6th, a Lunch

& Learn given by Dr. Lense in mid-November,

another Spanish Dental Terminology Session

on November 29th, a Thanksgiving Potluck,

and finally a joint Holiday Social with SNDA.

It’s been a great year so far, and

we’re looking forward to all of our future

events!

From Lectures

to Clinics

D ear

friends,

Now we are

well into the

fall semester

and I thought I

would share

what the transi-

tion from 2nd to 3rd year of dental school has

been like.

To start, there is definitely more time

to relax and to enjoy the week—I am sure

first and second years are relieved to hear this.

Lectures are Wednesday afternoons and Fri-

day mornings. Tests are very few—usually a

midterm and a final, and some classes give

quizzes in between.

Now there are different stresses such

as meeting requirements, looking for patients

and procedures to do, dealing with cancella-

tions, and let us not forget the lab work. Most

of us get to school before 8 am to set up for

our morning patients and to be present for the

morning’s Team Huddle. Sometimes we

spend a big part of our lunch break working

on lab projects, and/or we stay past 5 pm to

finish them.

Despite the new stressors, every day

I am happy to wake up and go to school.

Sometimes I find myself daydreaming about a

procedure: how to prepare for it, how to speed

it up, and how to make it better. That is how I

feel before every new procedure I do on a

patient. Tips from faculty and friends start

becoming like gems because they save a

lot of time and effort. A lot of times,

oddly enough, I actually open books and

peruse their contents to look for tips,

different treatment modalities, and to

learn what to do in different scenarios.

We are the only professional

career that allows us to do such invasive,

irreversible, and potentially dangerous

procedures such as drilling a tooth, cut-

ting tissue flaps, giving anesthesia, and taking

out teeth as 3rd year students. During the first

two years we are taught about dental proce-

dures, treatment planning, and how to manage

complications, but it is the 3rd year when eve-

rything starts to come together and the im-

portance of some steps and precautions start

to become evident. Every day I learn some-

thing new and every day I feel like I acquire a

new skill—I never felt that when I was work-

ing on mannequins.

Thank you for reading,

Jorge del Valle, D3, ASDA

Education Chair

10

Mig

hty

Mo

lar

20

11

Congratulations

No

D4

s :

(

11

Mig

hty

Mo

lar

20

11

Trayless

Impressions

1st 2013

2nd 2014

3rd Pre-Dent

4th 2015

Egg Toss

1st 2013

2nd 2014

3rd 2015

4th Pre-Dent

Relay Race

1st 2013

2nd 2015

3rd Pre-Dent

4th 2014

Tug-of-War

1st 2015

2nd 2013

3rd 2014

4th Pre-Dent

Final points

2013: 18

2015: 9

2014: 9

Pre-Dental: 7

UFASDA Class of 2013!

D1s

12

A Reflection: Steve Jobs 1955-2011 Wednesday evening

October 5th, 2011, Steve Jobs,

Founder of Apple, lost his battle

with pancreatic cancer at age 56.

Jobs, who originally founded

Apple in 1976, will forever be regarded as a

visionary and master innovator who arguably

had one of the most profound impacts on a

generation that has ever been seen. A college

dropout, Jobs pursued his passion for innova-

tion and built the world’s first personal com-

puter in his parent’s garage at age 21. By age

25 his net worth was more than 100 million

dollars and by age 30 he was ousted from the

company he founded only to return in 1997 to

build it into one of the highest valued compa-

nies in the world. Jobs, by the standards of

society, had everything any individual could

ever want.

When I first heard the news of Steve

Jobs’ death I was stressed out while in the

midst of an intense cram session because of

the six exams I have coming up over the next

two weeks. The joys of being in my second

year of dental school were taking their toll on

me. However, after learning the sad news of

his death, I suddenly realized how insignifi-

cant my stresses really were. In dental school,

all of us students get worked up about the next

big midterm or practical, board examinations,

and patients. Too often I hear others, and at

times I have been the one, to complain about

school. In reality though, we are fortunate. We

are fortunate to wake up each day and be

able to attend that dreaded lecture or lab

session. We are fortunate to be able to enter

into a profession where our goal is to help

improve the quality of life for our patients. We

are fortunate to be able to go home at the end

of each day to see our friends, family, spouses

and significant others. Plain and simple, we

are fortunate.

I know school will continue to stress

out every dental student across the country.

This is not an attempt by me to write the mag-

ic words to eliminate this from all of our lives.

Consider this a reminder that even though you

may think getting a bad grade on an exam or

practical is the end of the world, it is not. In

the end you can’t take it with you. It is one of

the oldest clichés, but today it is truer than

ever. Steve Jobs was worth 8.3 billion dollars

when he passed away. Until six weeks ago he

continued to be the CEO of one of the largest

companies in the world while simultaneously

fighting for his life each day. I don’t think it

was the need or desire for money that kept

him motivated. Individuals like Steve Jobs

should be inspiration for all of us. He was

passionate about his life’s work. For him, it

was about the impact he had on those around

him. The man revolutionized the way Ameri-

cans operate in their day to day lives. As fu-

ture healthcare providers I hope this resonates

deep within all of you. We are in an extraordi-

nary position to change the lives of our pa-

tients every time they come in for an appoint-

ment.

I issue this challenge to all of you.

Next time you are stressed out and feel like

the world is weighing down on you, take a

step back and reflect. Appreciate all that you

have been given and find that passion that

brought you to the place you are today. It may

require you to do something impromptu, like

write a blog post even though you have six

exams to study for, but in the end it will serve

as a reminder of what really matters. Cherish

each day and don’t let the insignificant stress-

es of school make you forget why you are

there. Rest in peace, Steve Jobs.

~Michael Pappas, Ohio ’14,

Chapter President

This article has been reprinted with the per-

mission of the American Student Dental Asso-

ciation. It originally appeared as a blog post

on Mouthing Off, www.ASDAblog.com.

Considering Ethics

While Abroad

Deborah Lowry, D2, ASDA

Professional Issues Chair

A s increasing attention is gained by

dental outreach programs, the Ameri-

can Student Dental Association

(ASDA), the American Dental Education As-

sociation(ADEA), and the American Dental

Association(ADA) have found the need to

address concerns facing pre-dental students,

dental students, and dentists nationwide for

participating in these programs.

As members of ASDA, we are urged

to comply with the ASDA Code of Ethics for

dental students. The values proposed are to be

used as a guide for the progression of a den-

tist’s career, beginning as a pre-doctoral stu-

dent to a fully credentialed professional. As

dental students we not only need to have,

“concern for the welfare of our patients,” but

also need to be competent in the care we de-

liver. The values of Non-maleficence and

Beneficence are to be considered daily as

well. Careful treatment planning and supervi-

sion by a licensed dentist lends to avoiding

harm to the patient. Also, students are,

“encouraged to participate in community out-

reach programs to improve the dental health

of the public” as an act of beneficence. The

ASDA Ethics Code, last revised in 2010, lays

a good foundation that if followed will aid in

upholding the

integrity of den-

tistry as a pro-

fession.

In accordance

with their Ethics

Code, ASDA

also addressed

dental outreach

programs in a

Continued on

page 16.

13

FDA MENTOR/

MENTEE PROGRAM

Melissa Alfonso, D3, ASDA

Government Affairs Chair

A t FNDC

this past

year it became

apparent to

me the need

for mentor-

ships for stu-

dents prepar-

ing to enter

the dental

profession. Among the many benefits, men-

torships allow students the opportunity to

make connections in a particular region in

Florida and gather information about the

career from an experienced and willing

professional. The Florida Dental Associ-

ation offers a program that can help stu-

dents develop such a mentorship. I would

like to encourage all of our students to look

into becoming a part of this program. If you

know of any doctors interested in becoming

mentors you can also refer them to the same

contact information.

The Florida Dental Association's

(FDA) Dr. Louis J. Atkins Mentor Pro-

gram offers pre-dental students, dental school

students, and new dentists in Florida the op-

portunity to develop a professional mentor/

mentee relationship with an FDA member

dentist. Usually this is in the form of phone

calls, emails and shadowing the mentor dentist

in the office for a period of time agreed upon

by both parties.

Contact information, organized by

region in Florida, can be found in a blog post

on the UF ASDA blog, www.ufasda.com. For

additional information you can also contact

your local district office.

14

All of the mission trips at UFCD seek

to set themselves apart from the others. For

the Dominican Republic trip I described this as

being a more “rugged” trip at our interest

meeting in November 2010. What I forgot to

mention at that meeting was the life changing

experience that this would become for those

who went on this trip. This past August break,

30 students and 4 dentists found themselves in

Las Matas de Farfan, Dominican Republic

after traveling more than 15 hours. We stayed

at Centro Padre Julio in the city center without

any access to everyday luxuries such as air

conditioning, phone reception, hot water, and

internet.

The Dominican Republic trip has

been one of the longest standing mission trips

in the college. As Dr. Timothy Garvey has

recounted to many of us, this trip developed

from several dentists who sat around in one of

their living rooms one day in 1987, considering

the need in Dominican Republic for dental

care. For the majority of years since then, a

group from UF’s College of Dentistry, accom-

panied by Dr. Garvey has gone to Las Matas

de Farfan to treat those less fortunate. Within

the country, 30% of its population lives below

the poverty line. Some communities shared

with us that our trips there were the only

means of dental care they received, notably in

the mountains where people do not have access

to transportation to the city where the local

dentist and hospital are located.

For five days we worked in four

groups endlessly to help as many people as

possible. Our team worked in four teams, each

headed by one dentist, one team staying at the

center and three going to smaller towns in the

suburbs surrounding the center. At the center

we utilized generators run on gasoline to pow-

er two dental units to perform

restorations. At all of the loca-

tions we made the most of the

minimal resources we had and

performed extractions using

headlamps as a light source, fluo-

ride varnish treatments for chil-

dren, and oral hygiene instruc-

tions for all. After returning to

the center on most days, we re-

ceived lectures from the dentists

there, including some on provid-

ing local anesthetic, anatomy,

and suturing.

When we had just found

ourselves comfortable in

the Dominican Republic on the first day

of working, we received a series of

phone calls from UFCD and concerned

parents regarding Hurricane Irene. It

was forecasted to go directly through

the center of the island joining Domini-

can Republic and Haiti, right where we

were located. Located five hours away

from the capital where the airport was,

evacuating the island seemed like it

would be a difficult task given that we

would likely encounter the storm on the

way there. With the help of Padre

Franquelo, we determined that the saf-

est plan would likely be to remain there

given that the structures were concrete and we

were located in a valley where we would most

likely be

protected

from strong

winds and

rain. With

the help of

my father,

Cayetano

Alfonso,

who hap-

pened to be

there as

well, we

were able

to acquire

phones to

allow stu-

dents to

call home

to their

families

and contact

the college

who proceeded to also contact all emergency

contacts. Hours later, we learned that the

storm had slightly turned to the north. We

informed all those there that we would still

likely get some rain and wind from the outside

of the storm sometime in the middle of the

night. When we awoke the following morning,

we were surprised to see sunny skies and dry

grounds. Not a drop of rain had touched our

area. We were fortunate enough to not have

been affected by the hurricane, but what we

did receive was a big lesson on the importance

of planning ahead for situations like this.

ONE MUST ATTEND EVERY MEETING

INCLUDING THIS ONE. So if you’re inter-

ested, be sure to mark your calendars!

15

Many of those who went on this trip

were challenged and further empowered by

various hurdles we faced while there. We sur-

vived a hurricane, treated over 600 patients

within 16 communities, and learned the value

in giving to those who truly NEED you. After

the fun times, the bonding, and the shrieks

when you come across the occasional unex-

pected bug, there were human beings that

without our help would never be able to rid

their bodies of dental infection. These teeth

would have likely resulted in abscesses and

maybe the further complications that many of

us have seen in the news in our own country.

Although there were many parts of the week

that are difficult to overcome, I am sure that

those who attended the trip found it absolutely

rewarding.

Like all mission

trips at UF, the

Dominican Repub-

lic trip continues to

strive to improve

the mission trip

experience for stu-

dents. We promote

continued learning

throughout our trip,

a positive group

attitude towards

fundraising, and

cohesiveness

among those who

go. At the end of

our trip we met to

discuss improve-

ments that could be

made to this trip. Some of

the suggestions included

planning ahead for potential

unexpected emergencies

such as hurricanes and pro-

motion of better oral health

and self-care among those in

the communities we treat for

better sustainability. We are

look-

ing

for-

ward

to

seeing

the

im-

provements that those

planning the 2012 trip

have in store for the

trip.

We would also like to

thank all of those who

supported our trip and

helped make it possible

including Dr. Timothy

Garvey, Dr. Rosalia

Rey, Dr. Rafael Urbino, Dr. Randall Hancock,

Dr. Sposetti and Ayleen Alexander. We also

had extreme support from several local den-

tists, organizations, and dental supply compa-

nies. A final thank you also to those who pur-

chased items we sold through t-shirt, hoodie,

and decal sales.

Interested in attending the

2012 trip?

The introductory meeting for next

year's Dominican Republic Dental Mission

Trip will be on Monday, November 14 at 5:30

PM in D3-3. This dental mission trip takes

place annually during the August break and is

open for any member of the Class of 2013,

2015, and 2015, however, there are a limited

number of seats available. If we have enough

interest we are looking into possibly having a

second trip during the June break. This second

trip would be to serve the northern part of the

Dominican Republic. During this meeting we

will present some details on both trips as well

as get a count on “interest” between the classes

of who would like to go. IN ORDER TO BE

ELIGIBLE TO GO ON EITHER TRIP, ONE

MUST ATTEND EVERY MEETING IN-

CLUDING THIS ONE. So if you’re interest-

ed, be sure to mark your calendars!

Melissa Alfonso, D3, ASDA

Government Affairs Chair

2012 DR Trip Leaders: Eddy Sedeño, Stacey

Nedrud, Jan García, Danny García, and Valen-

tina Espinosa.

16

Continued from page 12.

resolution titled B-8 Dental Outreach Pro-

grams. This resolution, submitted at the 2010

Annual Session to the Council of Professional

Issues, addressed both U.S. dental students as

well as pre-dental student programs that partic-

ipate in dental outreach programs (e.g. interna-

tional service trips, domestic service trips, or

volunteerism in underserved areas). This

statement emphasizes three main aspects when

it comes to dental outreach programs. First, to

adhere not only to the ASDA Code of Ethics,

but also to the ADA Principles of Ethics and

Code of Professional Conduct. Secondly, stu-

dents are to be directly supervised by dentists

licensed to practice, or teach, in the United

States. Lastly, the volunteer is to perform only

procedures for which they have received prop-

er education and training for. By taking these

aspects into consideration, the ethical values of

non-maleficence and beneficence can be up-

held.

In addition to ASDA, the ADEA has

also addressed the concerns about students

participating in dental outreach programs.

They composed a guideline regarding provid-

ing patient care during clinical experiences

abroad. While this is aimed towards pre-

dental students, it addresses many issues

faced when participating in these pro-

grams. The ADEA guidelines can be ex-

tended to dental students who haven’t yet

received the appropriate education and

training for common procedures that take

place on these trips (e.g. administering

anesthesia, performing extractions, restor-

ing teeth irreversibly, etc.).

As dental students, it is important to

remain aware that it is not necessary to travel

abroad to serve those less fortunate. Locally, in

our community, there is plenty of need for

dental care and there are programs set up local-

ly that we can assist with, such as the ACORN

Dental Clinic, Gainesville Community Minis-

tries, and We Care Clinic at Santa Fe Commu-

nity College. While assisting as first and se-

cond years, or doing procedures as third and

fourth years, invaluable knowledge and experi-

ence will be gained while abiding to the ethics

codes presented by ASDA and ADA.

For more information regarding reso-

lution B-8 please visit the ASDA and ADA

websites.

17

Discovering My

Passion for Dentistry Quyen T. Pham

UF Pre-Dental Society President

Upon entering college, I knew I want-

ed to pursue a profession in healthcare. How-

ever, I did not know my vision of “providing

healthcare” would involve the dental profes-

sion. My preconceived

view of dentistry as just

an esthetic care and lux-

ury was a reflection of

my seldom visits to the

dentist as a child and

initial shadowing expe-

riences only at high-end

private practices.

Uncertain

about which pre-health

route I would commit to

as an undergraduate, I

continued to volunteer

and shadow in different

clinics. During the fall

semester of my sopho-

more year, I met Dr.

Garvey who inspired me

to be more than just a

dentist, but also a com-

munity leader and teacher who genuinely

serves from the heart to make a difference.

Dr. Garvey is an assistant clinical

professor of pediatric dentistry in the UF Col-

lege of Dentistry, who also focuses on provid-

ing dental care for patients with disabling con-

ditions. While he serves at the dental school,

he also sees patients at Tacachale dental clinic

and at We Care clinic on Monday nights. Dr.

Garvey also leads student service trips for UF

dental students in different countries.

I first met Dr. Garvey at We Care

night clinic, where I was able to sit chair side

and serve as an assistant. At the end of the

night, Dr. Garvey invited myself and several

other pre-dentals to assist at Shands operating

room. During the few opportunities I had in

the Shands OR with Dr. Garvey, I witnessed

the energy, skills, and

passion Dr. Garvey elic-

ited as he treated his

patients. During those

times, Dr. Garvey

demonstrated what it

meant to truly make a

difference by providing

care in dentistry.

Away from the

clinic, he also manages

his time to lead dental

health presentations to

grade schools. Recently,

Dr. Garvey has intro-

duced me to Pamela

Fitzgerald (Alachua

County Volunteer Pro-

gram Specialist) to work

on presentations year-

round, rather than just

one or two months of

the year, to Alachua County’s public schools.

Dr. Garvey enabled me to see dentistry in an

entirely different way then how I obliviously

viewed it before.

Not only does Dr. Garvey make a

difference in his patients’ lives, but

also unconsciously to those who have the op-

portunity to shadow and work with him. Lead-

ing by example, Dr. Garvey has positively

influenced my life by demonstrating the many

ways to serve, teach, and lead through dentis-

try. “Paying it forward”, I hope to influence

lives the way he has on his patients and others,

like myself, in the future.

My experiences with Dr. Garvey fur-

ther affirmed my understanding that pursuing a

career in dentistry isn’t just about becoming a

dentist, but the compassionate role you adopt

and examples you lead by to make a differ-

ence. Dr. Garvey authenticates what Woodrow

Wilson once said, “You are not

here merely to make a

living. You are here in

order to enable the

world to live more am-

ply, with greater vision,

with a finer spirit of

hope and achievement.

You are here to enrich

the world, and you im-

poverish yourself if

you forget the errand.”

Sudoku (

Med

ium

)

Crossword

Answers

From Page 8 Across

5 gold_foil

7 Norway

9 four

11 elasticity

13 agar

14 silicate

15 tin

17 amalgam

19 copalite

21 golf

22 newtons

Down

1 Sweden

2 ivory

3 poly_ether

4 coldwork

6 basically

8 polycarboxylate

10 stress

12 alginate

16 dycal

18 primer

20 China

18

VISIT THE NEW

UFASDA.COM!!! The University of Florida ASDA has

recently developed a new, cutting edge website

full of useful information and helpful features-

UFASDA.COM. Some of the features include

an updated calendar of all ASDA events, an

interactive photo gallery, a custom search bar,

useful links and current news feeds, and a fully

integrated blog. All of these features make

UFASDA.COM a great resource for any updat-

ed information related to UF ASDA as well as

National ASDA, the ADA, and the FDA. The

website can be easily navigated using the menu

bar located at the top of each page and quick

links in the side bar.

Calendar

UFASDA.COM is linked to ASDA’s

Google® Calendar which is constantly being

updated with all upcoming events. All these

events are automatically added to the calendar

on the website. Every page on

UFASDA.COM contains a mini calendar in the

side bar which allows users to quickly view

upcoming events from anywhere on the web-

site. By following the calendar link on the

menu bar you can view events in a monthly

view.

Photo Gallery

Another great feature is the interactive

photo gallery where you can view pictures and

videos from recent ASDA events. Photos and

videos are organized into albums for each

event and can be viewed as slideshows. If you

have any photos or videos of events that you

would like added to our photo gallery feel free

to email them to webmaster@ufasda.com.

Custom Search Bar

One of the best resources on

UFASDA.COM for finding up to date infor-

mation on state or national issues and even

clinical resources is the custom Google search

bar. This allows visitors to perform a single

search that will find results from a select num-

ber of websites including UFASDA.COM,

DENTAL.UFL.EDU, ASDANET.ORG,

FLORIDADENTAL.ORG, and ADA.ORG.

Next time you are doing some research try

using this feature to find your

answers, it may prove very

helpful.

Links and News Feeds

On every page of the

UFASDA.COM visitors will

see the side bar and footer

which are full of helpful links

and current news feeds. At the

very top of the side bar there is

a link bar for many relevant

websites like The Next DDS

and our Facebook and Twitter

pages which we encourage eve-

ryone to join. Lower on the

side bar you can digitally view

the most current issue of the UF

ASDA Newsletter, the National

ASDA News, and the Mouth

Magazine. At the very bottom

of each page you can view a list

19

SPEA: Student

Professionalism and

Ethics Association

Angie McNeight, D3, ASDA

Ethics Chair

D id you know that in

Las Vegas in early

October, there was another meeting

being held besides the ADA Conven-

tion? It was the inaugural meeting of

the Student Professionalism and Ethics

Association, a new national organiza-

tion that has now officially formed.

Debbie Lowry, the current ASDA

professionalism chair, and I attended

the inaugural sessions where we

helped create the association’s first

bylaws and strategic plan, elect the

first national officers, and meet the

American College of Dentists trustees

that helped the organization get started

on a national level.

In the new bylaws, SPEA is

defined as “a national, student driven

association that was established to

promote and support a student’s life-

long commitment to ethical behavior

in order to benefit the patients they

serve.” In summary, SPEA is a club

made up of dental school students that

will provide a forum to discuss ethical

dilemmas, study cases, and help stu-

dents form their own set of ethical

values which will provide them a

foundation to build on upon gradua-

tion.

The current Ethics Club at

UFCD is changing their name to

SPEA so that we will have a chapter

affiliated with this national organiza-

tion. If you would like to join SPEA

here at UFCD or get involved on a

national level, please let myself or

Debbie Lowry know and we will be

able to direct you to the right person.

Be sure to look out for more infor-

mation in the near future about the

first SPEA meeting here at UF!

of current news feeds from UFCD, our Twitter

Page, and ASDA’s Mouthing Off. By clicking

these links you will be redirected to the full

articles.

UF | ASDA Blog

One of the most interactive features

of UFASDA.COM is the powerful WordPress

Blog which is integrated into the site. This

allows board members to login and create

posts with up to date information, pictures, and

videos about events and other announcements.

Any visitor can also register for the UF ASDA

Blog by following the Subscribe links which

will give you the option to receive emails

when new posts are made. After reg-

istering you can also follow the log in

links and leave comments on posts

that have been created.

We would like to encourage

everyone to regularly visit UFASDA.COM to

get the most up to date information from UF

ASDA, National ASDA, the ADA, and the

FDA. You should also consider using all the

great features and resources, especially the

blog, for your benefit. New features are al-

ready in the process of being developed but If

you have any suggestions or ever run into

problems while using the website, please feel

free to email them to webmaster@ufasda.com.

Eddy Sedeño, D2, ASDA

Webmaster

Letter From the Editor

There is so much great information in this edi-

tion of the newsletter. I encourage all of you to

read these articles and see what your peers have

to share with you about current events in dentis-

try, nationally and locally. I thank each and eve-

ry one of you who wrote articles for this news-

letter; without you this newsletter would not be

possible. I would also like to thank our own Dr.

Samuel Low and Michael Pappas from The

Ohio State College of Dentistry . If you are in-

terested in writing for Gator Dentist Times

please contact me at cnorton@dental.ufl.edu.

Carolyn A. Norton, D2, ASDA

Newsletter Editor

The publication of this newsletter was made possible by UF Student Government.

October ADA Convention, Las Vegas!