The Pre-Dent PressUC Berkeley Pre-Dental Society

Volume 8, Issue 5April 17th, 2013

Challah for Hunger

[4.4.13]

Eggster[3.16.13]

[4.1.13-4.5.13]Dental Health Awareness Week

Dental Education Outreach Program [4.16.13]

Cal Pre-Dental SocietyUniversity of California, Berkeley

c/o ASUC Office of Student Affairs400 Eshelman Hall, MC 4500

Berkeley, CA 94720-4500

The Pre-Dent Press

The Pre-Dent Press is an ASUC sponsored publication. Cal Pre-Dental Society general meetings are ASUC sponsored and wheelchair accessible. For information on publications, please contact Amy Zhao and Corissa Chang at cal.pds.publicity@gmail.com. For information on advertising with Cal PDS, please contact Raymond Lee and Michelle Khouri at cal.pds.finance@gmail.com.

Publicity Committee: Corissa Chang, Amy Zhao, Mina Arbabaraghi, Sameera Arbabaraghi, Kenneth Chan, Arjun Gupta, and Tanya Varimezova

Contact us at calpredentalsociety@gmail.com,visit us online at http://pds.berkeley.edu/

For active PDS membership status, members must complete 5 events: 1 community service event, 1 social, and 3 other events of choice. Active members may miss no more than two general meetings. Any further missed meetings are required to be made up through attending officer meetingsMembership fees are curretly $25. New members must submit a membership appplication along with fees.

The Pre-Dent Press is accepting article submissions for the next issue. Articles may be on anything dental-related, including but not limited to information on dental schools, community outreach opportunities, and PDS events. Please submit materials to cal.pds.publicity@gmail.com. Articles should be approximately one page, double-spaced, and 12 pt font. An article submission counts as 1 credit towards active membership.

PDS is also currently accepting donations of new and used DAT preparation material. If you would like to make a donation, please email calpredentalsociety@gmail.com. These materials will be made available for active members to rent.

Member Reminders

Contribute to the Pre-Dent Press

Donate DAT Materials

2

In this Issue...

Letter

Sincerely,Corissa Chang and Amy ZhaoPre-Dent Press Editors

from theEditors

3

Hello Pre-Dents! We would like to remind you all that in order to attain active membership, you need at least one community service credit, one social credit, and three other event credits. Further, as this school year is coming to an end, we have opened up PDS officer applications for the 2013-2014 school term! We encourage you to all apply! Amidst all the final papers, projects and midterms, have you ever paused to wonder what possible effects that chewing gum in your mouth has on your oral health? If so, this issue can answer your question! Apart from interesting dental-related research articles, we have also included short descriptions of each of the current Publicity and Finance Committee members as well as a recap of our annual Dental Health Awareness Week that took place during the week of April 1st. If you would like to submit an article or have any suggestions about the Pre-Dent Press, please do not hesitate to e-mail us at cal.pds.publicity@gmail.com.

Letter from the EditorsDental School Spolight: Lake ErieDEOP CornerChewing Gum: Myths & Truths

Publicity & Finance CommitteeDental Health Awareness Week

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5544

8-9Dental Anesthesia Linked to Missing Wisdom Teeth In ChildrenObesity and Gum DiseaseThe DAT Corner

Dental Crossword6-7

10

1111

Making Memories with PDS 12-13Officer Contact List 14

SUNDAY MONDAY THURSDAYWEDNESDAYTUESDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

15 16

APRI

L 1714 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 1 2 3

8765 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18Good Luck on Finals! :)

6th General Meeting

7th General Meeting

Active Members Banquet

MAY

Pacific Pride Day

Dinner with Alumni

Bare Abundance

UCSF Impressions Conference

Restore Habitat at

Lake Merritt

UC Green Day with Cal

Rotaract

DEOP at YMCA

DEOP at YMCA

DEOP at YMCA

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Biology Requirement8 semester hoursChemistry Requirements8 semester hours general chemistry with lab8 semester hours organic chemistry with labEnglish Requirement6 semester hoursAdditional Required Courses3 semester hours biochemistryAverage Class StatsNumber of Seats: 100Overall GPA: >3.2 Science GPA: >3.2DAT AA: 16 or higher2 Letters from Core Science Professors or a Pre-Health Committee Letter

The Lake Erie School of Dental Medicine, a private school located in Bradenton, Florida, just recently opened to its inaugural class in 2012. It is a branch of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania. The LECOM School of Dental Medicine stands out through its unique curriculum that is not only innovative, but also centered around patients.

The curriculum students will follow is known as Problem-Based Learning (PBL) , which accentuates self-directed

study incorporated in a team approach through mentored, small-group, case-based study. Through the curriculum at LECOM, students have the advantage of being exposed to patients during their first year by providing care as dental assistants in local primary care dental clinics.

LECOM School of Dental Medicine’s mission statement is to develop dentists with programs of excellence in education, research, clinical care, and community service in order to improve the quality of life by creating

better health for humanity. LECOM plans to serve residents of the Bradenton community who have difficulties acquiring dental care by providing care to patients at their educational patient clinic in Bradenton.

Dental School Spotlight:

by Sameera Arbabaraghi

by Arjun Gupta

Chewing Gum:Myths and Truths

It is an age old question that has mystified teens and young adults all over the world. “Is chewing gum really bad for your teeth?” It has been a debated topic for years within popular culture, but is not much of a mystery within the scientific community. It is a question that has been answered time and time again with definitive proof and a gargantuan amount of data over the past two decades. In a nutshell, chewing gum is not bad for your teeth—in fact, it is the opposite.

Chewing gum has been a longstanding tradition that has continued for hundreds of years. Why has it survived this long? Many recognized the beneficial effects long before complex scientific tests were even thought of. Whether it was the Greeks, Mayans, or even the Native Americans, the different cultures had their own form of gum derived from

tree sap. Since then, gum has come a long way to the countless flavors, advertisements, and supposedly beneficial effects. Unfortunately, the advertised benefits of gum regarding major teeth whitening or some other trumped up claim from a company are probably not true. However, there are indeed great benefits in chewing gum as recent research has shown.

The ADA (American Dental Society) seal officially recognizes that chewing gum does provide beneficial results in terms of oral health. The actual physical act of chewing gum greatly increases the saliva flow within your mouth. Saliva carries various enzymes that help break down any food or debris that are in your mouth. In addition, the saliva you produce also carries calcium and phosphate which helps greatly strengthen your teeth enamel which reduces your chance of gaining cavities.

In fact, a study suggests that chewing gum for 20 minutes following a meal can help reduce the chances of tooth decay. In truth, excessive gum chewing really poses no threat. Still, it is recommended that very young children to not chew gum often because their teeth are still growing into place and taking shape.

Gum chewing has received a terrible rap over the past few years, but actually it causes no real problems and can actually help prevent tooth decay. While it cannot replace brushing or flossing, it is a great complement to the primary methods of oral care. So next time, after your meal, instead of reaching for a popsicle stick, munch down on a stick of gum!

LAKE ERIE SCHOOLof DENTAL MEDICINE

ADMISSIONRE

QUIR

EMEN

TS

Source: America Dental Association. “Chewing Gum”. http://www.ada.org/1315.aspx.

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Dental Crossword: Are You Ready To Become a Dentist?Across:1) Stationary dental prosthesis that replaces one or more missing teeth and is cemented/bonded to supporting teeth2) Removable appliance to keep teeth in a certain position4) Dental restoration made of porcelain, composite, or metal that is placed on top of damaged tooth6) Back teeth used for chewing7) Doctor of Dental Surgery8) Mold made of the teeth and soft tissues

Down:1) Devices used by orthodontists to straighten teeth3) Removal of a tooth5) Infection of a tooth, soft tissue, or bone

(See crossword answers on page 10)

DENTAL EDUCATION OUTREACH PROGRAM C

ORN

ER

4

Chloe Tsang, Kathering Leung, and Lawerence Vo are teaching the kids at the YMCA how to brush off the sugar bugs.

Dental Health

Tuesday’s emphasis was on Oral Diseases. The Publicity Committee made posters that featured various types of oral diseases such as periodontitis, gingivitis, and halitosis, and preventative care. At the PDS table, there was a prize wheel students could spin in an opportunity to win floss, toothpaste, and xylitol gum which were all donated by local dentists. Before spinning the wheel, the student must complete a survey on dental hygeine. The PDS member in the toothpaste costume ran up and down Sproul which attracted many students to come by our table to ask about dental and oral health.

Friday’s focus was on Dental Technolgoy. The Publicity Committee made posters on modern, innovative dental technology. In addition, the committee also created a poster that asked “Which dental item would you be?” Students got to choose from toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, and mouthwash. The most popular choice was mouthwash. Becuase Friday was the last day of Dental Health Awareness Week, the surveys that were completed all week and were tallied and presented on a graph. The demographics of students who completed the survey was roughly even among the class levels. It was extremely surprising to see that the percentage of students who either rarely or never floss was greater than the percentage of students who flossed either everyday, once a week, or every other day.

Did you know that only 50% of Americans obtain constant oral health care? As Dental Health Awareness Week continued, the theme for Wednesday was Oral Health Prevention. Many people seem to forget how much oral health has an impact on their health. Throughout the world, 60-90% of school children and almost 100% of adults have cavities. In addition, 15-20% of adults aged between 35 and 44 have been diagnosed with gum disease. A link has been found between gum disease and oral cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and various respiratory diseases. Every year, more than 34,000 Americans learn that they have oral cancer. Many of you may not know that more deaths occur due to oral cancer than due to cervical cancer, thryoid cancer, skin cancer, and Hoddgkin’s lymphoma.It is so simple to maintain oral health to prevent cavities or disease. With a small amount of fluoride, the prevention of dental cavities are possible. There are several ways to consume fluoride to prevent cavities, including milk, fluoridated drinking water, salt, toothpaste, and mouth rinse. Taking four minutes out of your day to brush your teeth twice a day consumes so little time and is so beneficial to your health. Additionally, many Americans do not realize the importance of their six-month cleanings at the dentist, continuously pushing their appointments back because it does not seem to be as important as the many other tasks they need to complete in their lives. These simple cleanings can prevent the onset of oral health diseases.

TUESDAY

MON

DAY

WED

NESD

AY

FRIDAYAwareness Week

Dental Health Awareness Week kicked off on Monday, April 1st, 2013. The Publicity Committee worked months and months in preparation of this week dedicated to spreading awareness of dental and oral health to the campus and community. Each day of the week has a dedicated theme. Monday’s theme was Food and Oral Health. At 7AM, the publicity committee put up Dental Health facts in buildings and classrooms to bring attention to the importance of having good oral health. At the PDS table on Sproul, there were bags of sugar that displayed the amount of sugar in grams of certains foods such as orange juice, cereal, yogurt, candy, and bananna. Many were suprised that the amount of sugar in just a yogurt or orange juice is close to the daily recommended value.

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April 1st, 2013 to April 5th, 2013by

Cor

issa C

hang

by Kenneth C

han

by Kenneth C

han

by M

ina A

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hi

Yes61.4%

No38.6%

Have You Received Orthodontic Treatment?

How Many Times A Day Do You Brush Your Teeth?

Twice78.1%

Once13.1%

Three times

8.8%

How Often Do You Floss?

Rarely/Never36.8%

Everyday31.6%

Once

a W

eek

13.2

%

Ever

y Ot

her

Day

18.4

%

How Many Times Do You Think You Should Visit A

Dentist For Dental Checkup?

Twice58.8%

Once 17.5%Three Times

13.2%

3+6.1%

Prizes that were given out during Dental Health Awareness WeekLeft: dental floss; Right: toothpaste

PDS External Affairs officer, Eric Lin, holding the “Oral Disease” poster, and Publicity Committee member, Kenneth

Chan, in our toothpaste costume!

COMM

ITTEE

Publicity Coordinators

ARJUN GUPTA

I love reaching a wide range audiences with various articles.

AMY ZHAO

KENNETH CHAN

MINA ARBABARAGHI

Major: Integrative Biology

Major:Chem

istry

I love coming up with new ways of publicizing PDS and the dental

field in general. I also really enjoy the teamwork

involved.

FINANCECOMMITTEE

Finance CoordinatorsMIC

HELL

E KH

OURI

RAYMOND LEE

I love learning about recent dental technological advances.

SAME

ERA

ARBA

BARA

GHI

I love reaching out to our own community and helping spread awareness about dental health.

I love delving deeper into the dental field & looking at various

perspectives of dentistry.

TANY

A VA

RIM

EZOV

A

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT

KATH

ERIN

E SH

ITI

MOT

HY T

ANG

LEEA

NNE

HARD

ENAL

INA

MIL

LER

I LOVE

because...

of the supportive atmosphere of a community of teeth-lovers!

of all the fun we have when planning for different events.

Major: Nutritional Science

of getting invaluable experience in management & team-building.

of the people I work with--we’re a fun (but productive!) bunch.

Major: Molecular Cell Biology

98

CORI

SSA

CHAN

G

Majo

r: In

tegr

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Bio

logy

Major: Molecular Cell Biology

Major: Integrative Biology

Major: Molecular Cell Biology

Major: Molecular Toxicology

Obesity andGum Disease:What’s the link?

For the past few decades there has been continuous research regarding the connection between oral and physical health. Some scientists have dismissed this possibility, while others have embraced it as well as the research that accompanies it. As a result of years of hard work and research projects, a recent connection has been discovered between obesity and gum disease. More specifically, people who have been found to be obese are at far greater risk for developing gum disease.

It seems that part of the connection has to do with the chemicals that are produced in excess when one is obese. The body produces large amounts of cytokines, proteins with inflammatory

properties. Production of these proteins actually damage gums. In addition, the proteins may also reduce blood flow to the tissues, which can lead to necrosis and cell death. The loss of gum tissue that surrounds the teeth can easily lead to infections and thus marks the beginning of gum disease. Cytokines are produced naturally, and if obesity is combined with this process, the levels of cytokines in the system drastically rises and a leads to a negative impact not only on the oral health of the patient, but the overall physical well-being as well.

At this point, research is still investigating the exact correlation, since data suggests a multitude of

different causes as well as implication of such a connection. Some patients show no correlation which has led scientists to believe that body type and genetics may also play a very large role. Additionally, scientists are trying to see whether the correlation exists vice versa: the sign of gum disease suggests an increased chance of developing obesity. Regardless, being mindful of physical health (eating right, exercise, etc.) and good oral hygiene (brushing and flossing consistently) will be great preventative care for either ailment.

Dental Anesthesia Linked to Missing Wisdom Teeth In Children

A study conducted in Tufts University School of Dental Medicine has revealed a statistical association between dental anesthesia used on children between the ages of two and six, and terminated development of lower third molars. This recent finding was published in the latest issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association. Leading author and clinical professor in orthodontics and operative surgery at Tufts, Anthony R. Silvestri, D.M.D., states, “This is the first study in humans showing an association between a routinely- administered, minimally-invasive clinical procedure and arrested third molar growth.”

Researchers looked back in the Tufts digital dental systems, and collected 220 patients records of children between the ages of two and six, who had received anesthesia in the lower jaw, or inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANBs), and had X-rays taken three or more years after their initial treatment with the anesthesia in the pediatric clinic. Of those cases, 439 lower third molar sits were studied. The groups were

divided into a control group of 376 wisdom tooth sites and treated group comprised of 63 sites. Analysis of past X-rays taken from both groups revealed that of the children who had not received dental anesthesia, 1.9% of the wisdom tooth sites never exhibited wisdom tooth buds. However, the comparison group yielded far more baffling results. Of the 63 sites, 7.9% exhibited missing wisdom tooth buds. The two groups were selected in a way such that confounding variables, like delayed dental development, were removed from the cases chosen. “The incidence of missing wisdom teeth was significantly higher in the group that had received dental anesthesia; statistical evidence suggests that this did not happen by chance alone,” says Dr. Silvestri.

The nature of the wisdom tooth is such that it begins forming as a bud the size of the diameter of a dental needle. It develops over a very long time, eventually erupting in early adulthood. Buds are generally covered in soft tissue, rather than bone. This leaves them fragile, while their environment is subjected to stress, such as injection from dental anesthesia in cases of

treating cavities. The significance of this research

may impact future generations. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons has revealed that in nine out of ten cases, at least one wisdom tooth can have negative impacts, from causing bad breath and pain, to more serious infection in the oral cavity. Thus, entirely removing wisdom teeth in their early stages is quite desirable. To understand the result of this study requires further research on a much larger scale. As Dr. Silvestri states, “We hope our findings stimulate research using larger sample sizes and longer periods of observation to confirm our findings and help better understand how wisdom teeth can be stopped from developing.”

by Tanya Varimezova

Source: Tufts University. “Dental anesthesia may interrupt development of wisdom teeth in children, study suggests.” ScienceDaily, 3 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.Journal Reference:Jerry Swee, Anthony R. Silvestri, Jr., Matthew D. Finkelman, Alfred P. Rich, Stanley A. Alexander, and Cheen Y. Loo. Inferior alveolar nerve block and third-molar agenesis: A retrospective clinical study. JADA, April 2013 144(4): 389-395Image Source:http://www.novadentalcr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wisdom-teeth-anesthesia.jpg

Dental Crossword Answers:Across:1) Bridge; 2) Retainer; 4) Crown; 6) Bicuspid; 7) DDS; 8) Impression

Down:1) Braces; 3) Extraction; 5) Abscess;

The DAT CornerBIOLOGY1. The phenomenon that occurs when one gene pair masks or modifies the expression of another gene pair called:a. Pleiotrophyb. Epistasisc. Modulationd. Cooperativitye. Mutation

GENERAL CHEMISTRY2. How many electrons are in the selenide and aluminum ions respectively?a. 36, 13b. 34, 13c. 36, 10d. 45, 10e. 37, 10

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY3. Which compound is most acidic?a. p-chlorophenolb. p-nitrophenolc. phenold. p-ethylphenole. p-methylphenol

QUANTITATIVE REASONING4. Beth was 30 years old when her son William was born. How old will William be when his age is 1/3 that of his mother Beth?a. 15 years oldb. 17 years oldc. 22 years oldd. 26 years olde. 7 years old

PERCEPTUAL ABILITY5.

Answers

1)b, 2)c, 3)b, 4)a, 5)b

(See DAT Corner answers below)

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by Tanya Varimezova

Courtesy of:DAT Destroyer 2010, http://illinoispredental.org/?page_id=51

ZENA JANDALI

Year: JuniorMajor: Molecular ToxicologyWhat I like about PDS: The officers and members in PDS share a lot of invaluable information and dental-related experiences with each other that you can’t find anywhere else on campus!

MEMBER Why do you want to pursue dentistry?I have always really enjoyed working with my hands, learning new scientific knowledge, and helping people. To be honest, I have working in a lab, but nearly went insane going hours without any direct human.interaction!

What was you favorite PDS event?I really enjoyed Eggster; it was held on a beautiful day and offered so many fun activities for children. It was very similar to DEOP in a way, since we were given the opportunity to educate children about oral health and how to properly brush their teeth. Apart from teaching others, I also learned about the benefits of xylitol!

What else are you involved with at Berkeley?I’m an active member of the Toxicology Student Association, which also has an education program for children.

Making

Zena Jandali

memories with PDS

Entering Hillel, we joined fellow PDS and other student volunteers in braiding challah. Varieties included chocolate chip, rosemary garlic, and cranberry orange zest. They were sold the next day to raise money to combat world hunger. The dough was sticky and difficult to work into three flattened snakes - after the first handling and a gained sense of increased dexterity we felt like pros as we admired our first, second, and third beautiful challahs. The first batch completed baking and subsequently everyone gathered and held hands or placed a hand on a shoulder so that all connected, spidering out from a large chocolate challah which, after a voluntary group prayer, we shared - gooey, warm, and chocolate-y.

UC Berkeley’s Memorial Glade became a playground for hundreds of families that came out with their kids to explore the many educational and fun opportunities that the Eggster Festival had to offer. Eggster is a student non-profit organization sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California. The organization holds an annual learning festival and a free egghunt for the Bay Area Community. In 2012, the festival hosted over 1,000 children with their families and over 300 student volunteers organized over 40 learning booths. PDS took part in the event by providing oral health education to youngsters. As the kids came by our table, we used interactive sets of teeth and toothbrushes to demonstrate proper brushing and spoke to them about flossing every day. We also talked to the kids about what foods are good and bad for their teeth by playing the “My Dinner Plate” game. The youngsters were shy when approaching our table, but left smiling ear to ear, eager to show their parents what they had learned. PDS was very grateful to take part in such a wonderful event that supports our community.

Challah for Hunger [4.4.13] by Zena Jandali

Eggster [3.16.13]

As we all entered one by one, some of us dressed to kill, the members mustered their skills of courage, honor, and slyness to prepare for the night. After making name tags with our pseudonyms for the night, the members set about the room looking for hidden ribbons that would earn extra points for their family. With all in good spirits and competition in the air, the members started a game of Mafia. Tensions ran high as accusations went back and forth, but in the end, it was to no avail as the Mafia had quickly taken out both the doctor and the detective.With the Mafia proving to be indomitable, the food prepared by Michelle, Raymond, Alina, and Sogole had arrived. Fragrant spaghetti with crunch garlic bread and delicious meatballs. The feast was a success! With bellies full, the members departed; another exceptional fundraiser was finished!

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Mafia Night [3.13.13] by Michelle Khouri

of theISSUE

by Tanya Varimezova

CONTACT

NAMEEmily YangEric LinMichael ShenCari YangCorissa ChangAmy ZhaoMichelle KhouriRaymond LeeSharlene CamChloe Tsang

POSITIONPresidentExternal AffairsInternal AffairsSecretaryPublicity CoordinatorPublicity CoordinatorFinance CoordinatorFinance CoordinatorCommunity Service CoordinatorDEOP Coordinator

CELL PHONE408-806-3677650-3802658650-862-7515916-307-8063949-903-9079510-604-2422408-506-5083714-833-4803909-659-5908650-307-7666

EMAIILemilypyang@gmail.comcal.pds.external@gmail.comcalpds.internal@gmail.comc.yang@berkeley.educorissapchang@gmail.comamy.z@berkeley.edumkhouri@berkeley.eduraymondhlee@berkeley.edusharlenecam@berkeley.educal.pds.deop@gmail.com

YOUR OFFICERS

Check out our website at pds.berkeley.edu

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