GSDM Holds 2015 Winter Faculty and Staff Meeting
On Wednesday, December 16, 2015, faculty and staff at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) gathered in the Bakst Auditorium at the Boston University School of Medicine for the 2015 Winter Faculty and Staff Meeting.
Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter started the meeting by welcoming the nearly 200 faculty and staff in attendance. He then asked all of GSDM’s faculty and staff who joined the School after the date of the last Faculty and Staff Meeting, July 1, 2015, to stand and introduce themselves. A total of 22 new GSDM staff and faculty stood up and were recognized.
Dean Hutter then acknowledged both the attendance of Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at Boston University Dr. Scott Nichols, as well as the recent appointment of Dr. Celeste Kong to the position of Chair of the Department of General Dentistry.
After these acknowledgments, Dean Hutter announced the winner of the 2015 Goldman Award for Distinguished Service, Ms. Luz Lebron, Senior Administrative Secretary in the Department of Restorative Sciences & Biomaterials.
Dean Hutter read several remarks about Luz provided by her current and former supervisors.
Dr. Dan Nathanson, Professor and Chair of the Department of Restorative Sciences & Biomaterials, remarked, “She is well versed in all aspects of her position and has always been willing to take on tasks that made the department run smoother. Our faculty rely on her in many capacities and she has always been an upbeat and delightful person to work with.”
Dr. Arthur Sun, Director ad interim of the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Prosthodontics, and Clinical Professor of Restorative Sciences & Biomaterials, remarked, “Luz is resourceful and always willing to help residents and faculty. She is an invaluable asset to the Department and a treasured colleague for me personally. We are all fortunate to have the opportunity to work with her on a daily basis.”
“I know I speak for the entire faculty and staff when I congratulate Luz Lebron on receiving the Henry M. Goldman Award for Distinguished Service,” said Dean Hutter.
Ms. Lebron was joined her daughter, Ashley Lebron; her mother, Julia Lebron; and her sister, Maria Nunez.
The agenda for the 2015 Winter Faculty and Staff Meeting involved updates on nine topics:
- Boston University’s Fundraising Campaign
- Boston University’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Office
- GSDM’s Faculty Forum
- GSDM’s Staff Forum
- GSDM’s Office of Clinical Affairs
- Interpretive Services
- GSDM’s Office of Admissions
- New capital improvements at GSDM
- Space programming and master planning.
Special guest Dr. Scott Nichols presented first as he delivered an inspiring fundraising update. He announced that, as a result of the remarkable success of The Campaign for Boston University, the initial goal of $1 billion had been increased to $1.5 billion, extending the campaign through 2019. He applauded GSDM’s development efforts, which are on track with more than 62 percent of the GSDM campaign goal already reached.
The GSDM Campaign will support plans for a new clinical facility, endowed professorships, and increased scholarship aid. Dr. Nichols thanked everyone for their support, and urged all of GSDM’s faculty and staff to continue their exceptional work.
Next, Karen Brouhard, Employee Assistance Counselor, presented about the various programs and services available to BU faculty and staff through BU’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Office.
Dr. Gail McCausland, Clinical Assistant Professor and Clinical Director in the Department of Periodontology, then gave an update about the GSDM Faculty Forum. Dr. McCausland explained that the last meeting of the Faculty Forum, which took place on July 16, 2015, was attended by approximately 30 faculty members. At that meeting, the faculty discussed topics such as best practices in supporting digital dentistry and addressing medical emergencies in the Patient Treatment Centers. The Faculty Forum also voted on two proposed election-related amendment changes to its bylaws. Both changes passed.
Ms. Pamela Simmons, Infection Control Manager, next spoke about the Staff Forum. Ms. Simmons explained that on October 27 and 29, the Staff Forum met for its fall meeting and social, which proved to be productive and also resulted in the creation of at least one new interest group.
Dr. John Guarente, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Clinical Professor in the Department of General Dentistry, then provided all of those in attendance at the Faculty and Staff Meeting an update about the Office of Clinical Affairs at GSDM.
Mr. John Reilly, Director of Compliance and Quality Management, next provided an update about GSDM’s Interpretive Services. Mr. Reilly explained that over the course of the next several months dual handset phones will be installed at the Clinical Operations locations and iPads will be utilized for voice-over internet service for students and faculty to have access in each treatment room at each of the Patient Treatment Center locations.
Dr. Catherine Sarkis, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research, delivered an update about GSDM’s Office of Admissions. Dr. Sarkis explained that the office is in the beginning of the predoctoral and postdoctoral admissions cycles.
Tim McDonough, Executive Director of Finance & Operations, and Andrew Burke, Director of Facilities & Operations, next gave a presentation about new capital improvements at GSDM. They delivered an update on the facility construction/renovation projects that GSDM has undertaken during the last six months, as well as a brief summary of projects that are planned to be undertaken in the next year. Highlights of the completed projects included the installation of three Sirona Galileo 3D imaging units at 100 East Newton Street as well as the construction of new front stairs. Some upcoming projects include the renovations of bathrooms and painting of several common areas at 100 East Newton Street.
After all the presentations, Dean Hutter thanked the presenters and, as with past Faculty and Staff Meetings, delivered an update as to where GSDM is with its quest to acquire a new facility for the School. Dean Hutter explained that he is expecting to have finalized proposals in 2016 from both Leggett McCall Properties and SmithGroupJJR assessing the cost of purchase and renovation of space located in the Newton Pavilion at 88 East Newton Street, which will become vacant in 2017 when Boston Medical Center leaves the building.
Dean Hutter then provided a few closing remarks. In these remarks he explained that GSDM has been successful in completing two very important objectives: revamping curriculum and operations to focus on the Group Practice, Patient Centered Model, and introducing new technology in the form of seamless Digital Dentistry.
Dean Hutter also shared the news that GSDM was ranked 13 of 46 United States Dental Institutions that received federal grant funding form the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health for Fiscal Year 2014.
While the results are good, Dean Hutter said GSDM cannot rest on its laurels.
“It is absolutely a priority that we continue our efforts in this important area in order for us to maintain our competitiveness in obtaining grant funding, identifying and nurturing our best researchers with the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, recruiting the best researchers from outside our institution, providing research opportunities for our students and residents, and most important of all, maintaining our stature within the University as an integral member of what Boston University Present Robert Brown describes as a great urban research university,” said Dean Hutter.
Dean Hutter also spoke about GSDM’s impressive yield rates and selectivity rates for the DMD 19 and AS 17 class. The School’s yield rates were the highest of any school and college of Boston University.
Dean Hutter ended his closing remarks by sharing with the faculty and staff in attendance that, for the first time ever, Dentistry was added to the 2015 list of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by subject. On these rankings, GSDM placed thirtieth in the world and eighth within the United States.
After an open dialogue session that followed Dean Hutter’s closing remarks, Dean Hutter closed the meeting by saying, “In all aspects, it has truly been a wonderful year for our School, and it is again a privilege and an honor for me to serve as your Dean.”
Photos from the 2015 Winter Faculty and Staff Meeting can be found on Facebook and Flickr.