November 21, 2011

American Student Dental Association (ASDA), in cooperation with Community Health Programs (CHP), volunteered at the Notre Dame Educational Center (NDEC) Dental Health Fair on November 9. Fransheska Ovalles DMD 13 and Jenny Lorenzo DMD 13 took the lead in organizing the event on behalf of the ASDA Community Outreach Committee.

 

Ovalles said, “Our event at the Notre Dame Education Center was a great success. More than 30 people received dental screenings and many more interacted with us and learned about important topics related to oral health such as diabetes, oral cancer, and smoking.”

About 15 dental students volunteered. ASDA has volunteered at NDEC on prior occasions and explains that they continue to be interested in following up with the students of NDEC and providing oral health information and services to a population in need.

Ovalles said of her fellow volunteers: “I think the dental student volunteers felt a great sense of satisfaction after all of the thanks we received from the NDEC students and staff. Also teaching the young students about oral hygiene was very rewarding. We had a 19-year-old student that stayed for the entire session and continued to ask questions such as ‘How do caries form? How does fluoride prevent cavities? Is that really oral cancer and does smoking really cause that?’” Ovalles continued, “It was gratifying for me and the rest of the students to see him genuinely interested in dentistry and interacting in a way that taught him so much. Making a difference one person at a time is a great start to educate our community on oral health and we all felt that we contributed to all of the students’ oral health education at this event.”

NDEC students were mainly interested in learning about oral cancer and smoking, as well as how and where they can access dental care. One of the resources that the dental students were pleased to explain was the BU Student Dental Plan, which was recently extended as an option to the students of NDEC.

Photos are available on facebook and flickr.

 

Kathy Lituri and Mahesh Sadhnani DMD 12 Help Kids Get a Head Start

October 18, 2011

On September 28, CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri and Mahesh Sadhnani DMD 12 participated in a Health and Resource Fair at Head Start and Early Head Start in Dorchester. Also joining them was Devin McClintock, an intern from Sargent College who is interested in attending dental school.

The trio set up a table to promote oral health, education, and age appropriate hands-on activities relevant to the parents whose children qualify for Head Start and Early Head Start.

Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which serve low income children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. The program has a long tradition of delivering comprehensive and high quality services designed to foster healthy development in low-income children including individualized services in education and early childhood development; medical, dental, and mental health; nutrition; and parent involvement.

 

 

Changing Smiles, Changing Lives

October 18, 2011

Katy Bednar DMD 12 recently returned from a mission trip with Dentistry for All (DFA) to Comitancillo, in the region of San Marcos, Guatemala. Her stay in Guatemala lasted a total of 18 days, including travel time to the remote rural area, ten hours outside of any major city. Bednar had an excellent experience on the trip, led by DFA Directors Drs. Shane Fisher and Brad Krusky DMD 97, and was really happy that she chose to participate in two weeks of this mission.
She said, “The first week there were five dentists, including me and also an oral and maxillofacialsurgeon. All of the dentists were phenomenal teachers and I saw amazing oral surgeries performed, including surgery to correct ‘tongue-tied’ conditions.” Bednar continued, “The first week I really was able to learn a lot and get my feet wet, then the second week it was just me and the two directors, so I was able to work independently.”

Bednar commented that the trip was very well organized including everything from transportation for volunteers, to triage practices, to the fact that each dentist had an assistant working with them at all times. “When you’re working out of a tackle box, having an assistant really helps you work more efficiently,” said Bednar. She also joked that now that she’s back at School she “really misses her assistant.”

Bednar performed numerous extractions and was able to gain more experience suturing. Together the group treated 433 patients over the two-week span, with an average of 3.7 procedures completed per patient.

“One of the highlights of the trip for me was treating a lot of older men and women with root tips that needed to be removed,” explained Bednar. “These people have just been living with pain I can’t imagine. Being able to remove the tips, suture them up, and know that in a few weeks they will be pain free is really rewarding.”

She also enjoyed that the dentists were able to treat entire families at once. She cited one example where a mother of eight brought in all of her children for treatment, so that at one point all of the chairs were filled with her kids and she was just walking around in a circle checking on all of them.

Bednar did have to navigate a few challenges, including treating patients that only spoke the mountain dialect of Mam. However, she said that the organization of DFA, paired with the partnerships they have with local Peace Corps workers and the nonprofit Asociacion Maya-Mam de Investigacion y Desarrollo (AMMID), makes it easy for the volunteer group to come into the community and treat patients from all of the neighboring villages.

“I would absolutely recommend this trip to other students. DFA not only brings dental care to those without access, but restores a quality of life that would otherwise be intangible. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to volunteer with DFA; changing smiles, changing lives, one tooth at a time.”

In fact, Bednar enjoyed the trip so much she is hoping to volunteer again and is working on recruiting her fiancé to come along too.

Photos are available on facebook and flickr.

Two short video clips: A Little Perspective and Pep Talk from Brad are also available on GSDM’s youtube channel.

 

Spanish-speaking Students Get the Word Out on Oral Health

October 3, 2011

The BU chapter of HSDA attended the Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción & Thrive in 5 Educational Family Fair with CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri on Saturday, September 24, at Plaza Batances. Just down the street from GSDM, the event drew a large group of families from the South End and Roxbury with pre-school age children.

HSDA members that were fluent in Spanish were encouraged to volunteer, as that was the first-language of many of the families in attendance, and it was useful to be able to present the oral health information in both English and Spanish for maximum impact. HSDA is also known at GSDM for being a student resource for those wishing to learn Spanish appropriate to a dental setting. So it was fitting that volunteers from this group participated in this lively local event.

The HSDA group set up a table where they provided oral health education and age-appropriate hands-on activities for the young children in attendance as well as their parents. They also passed out goodie bags with school supplies including crayons, pencils, and books. The goal of the fair was to highlight community resources available to attendees and provide workshops on a variety of topics, including: parenting strategies; navigating the child-care system; oral health; WIC resources and the importance of healthy nutrition. CHP and HSDA presented two of these workshops. Both focused on oral health, with one being geared toward young children and one geared toward parents and guardians of young children.

GSDM participants included: Fransheska Ovalles DMD 13, Marian Ibarra DMD 13, Danny Galvez DMD 15, Kenia Rodriguez DMD 14, Lily Santana DMD 12, and Antonio Maceda-Johnson DMD 15.

Photos are available on facebook and flickr.

 

Students Gain Perspective at Mattapan Health Care Revival Fair

September 26, 2011

Fourteen student representatives from GSDM, including students from the BU chapter of SNDA attended the Mattapan Health Care Revival Fair on Saturday, September 13. The group was led by Clinical Instructor Dr. Corinna Culler, and they provided screenings and information to the attendees. In total they screened about 60 people, mainly adults.

Culler said of the people they saw, “Many of the adults we screened already receive dental care through the Mattapan Community Health Center, yet they still seemed eager to have us do screenings.  Several people also stopped by to ask our advice about what to do since they don’t have dental insurance. In that case we gave them the number to call MassHealth to see if they are eligible and also information on how to seek out free care if they are not eligible.”

CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri set up the volunteer effort for this event. She encourages students to get involved with events of this type because: “I think at these types of events students learn things from a few different perspectives. First, they realize how a screening in a community-based setting can be done in a useful way. Screenings are often a good way to introduce someone with anxiety to having someone look in their mouth in a friendly, non-invasive manner. Second, they get to learn first-hand about some of the concerns or issues folks may have. And finally, they learn how to “break the ice” with folks and to get them talking about oral health and mouths and teeth.”

 

SNDA Educates Middle-Schoolers at Fenway Park

September 20, 2011

Students from the GSDM chapter of the Student National Dental Association (SNDA), along with faculty sponsor Clinical Instructor Dr. Corinna Culler, reached out to middle-school age children at the annual Middle-O event held at Fenway Park. The event took place on September 6 and eight members of the SNDA attended.

When asked what the number one thing the volunteers emphasized to the middle school students in attendance, Wyatt Traina DMD 14 said, “Diet recommendations and the benefits of oral hygiene were the hot topics.”

Brittney Barrows DMD 14 added, “Considering the age group, we focused on handing out mouth guards with education pamphlets, and awareness on complications of piercings in the oral cavity.” She continued, “We also took this opportunity to speak on issues outside of basic oral hygiene instruction, and exposed them to other topics that were relevant to their age group. The students and parents alike were all very receptive.”

The volunteers also made sure to speak to the parents in attendance.

Barrows said, “It’s important for parents to know that middle school is an optimal time to impress good oral health habits on their children. Emphasis on the importance of oral care will perpetuate healthy habits that last throughout adulthood. The transition from child to teenager is the perfect time to instill these values. This is what makes Middle O such a great event for GSDM to participate in!”

Traina also said, “I think it is important for parents to make sure they keep their children going to the dentist on a regular basis. It is just as important as regular doctor visits.”

 

Chelsea Students Go Back to School Armed with Oral Health Smarts

September 12, 2011

Seven staff members-Dr. Lina Benslimane, Dr. Martin Ugarte, Anuj Goyal, Krissie Gibbs, Joyce Ganas, John D’Adamo, and Flor Amaya-from the School-Based Health Programs at GSDM attended the 8th Annual Chelsea Back to School Celebration on August 25. This annual event was sponsored by Chelsea Community Organizations and was held at the Williams Middle School.

More than 20 organizations from the local community attended the event to provide a host of information for the approximately 1,000 children and their family members in attendance. GSDM representatives provided toothbrushes, toothpaste, stickers, and informational flyers. They also taught visitors to their table about oral health, and handed out coloring and activity sheets to the children and information on the Chelsea School Dental Center to parents.

Photos are available on facebook and flickr

 

USSDA Students Stand Up for Veterans at Operation Stand Down

September 6, 2011

The 2011 Massachusetts Operation Stand Down was held on August 26 and 27, at the IBEW 103 in Dorchester. GSDM, under the leadership of CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, has volunteered at this event for several years running, but this year they collaborated with Dr. Al Filzer and Healthcare for the Homeless to provide the best services possible to the homeless veterans in attendance. The group screened 143 veterans over the course of the two-day event and provided denture cleaning and referrals for oral health issues when needed.

 

All dental students were welcome and encouraged to participate, however students of GSDM’s Uniformed Services Student Dental Association (USSDA) really turned out in force for the event. USSDA is a fairly new student group whose goals are to promote awareness of dentistry in the Armed Forces and the Public Health Service, provide support and assistance to fellow dental students in the Uniformed Services, and to uphold their commitment to service through community outreach in local areas of need.

Said USSDA leader John Greiner DMD 13, “I emailed all of our members to attend Operation Stand Down, and got a great response. This event was so important to us because we were able to directly help military veterans. Without these selfless individual’s service to our country we wouldn’t have people to serve as dentists. Being in the military, as an officer, has provided me and others in our organization with a deeper respect and thankfulness for the people who serve currently, and who have served in the past.”

Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter added, “As a retired Captain of the United States Navy Dental Corps, with 21 years of service, I think it is very important to support local veterans in their time of need. Operation Stand Down is an excellent way for our students to reach out to these veterans and I am extremely proud of their efforts at this year’s event.

In addition to the services that GSDM provided veterans also received a variety of other goods and services at the event including: food, shelter, clothing, and other health screenings.

Greiner added, “This was the least we could do for these individuals who have invested so much time and energy into the country we love.”

USSDA will begin welcoming new members as well as holding officer elections in mid to late September. This will mark the second full year that USSDA has been active at GSDM and their goal is to grow and increase their presence. For more information contact Greiner at jgreiner@bu.edu.

Photos are available on facebook and flickr.

 

Oral Health Exam? All in a Day’s Play for Kids at Boston Children’s Museum

September 6, 2011

The line stretched around the block as excited Boston children and their parents, siblings, and friends waited to get into the Boston Children’s Museum for the Countdown to Kindergarten event. The August 30 event was an annual celebration for families with children entering kindergarten at Boston Public Schools. The event attracted hundreds of families that not only got to see the museum, but also got to learn about a variety of kindergarten-related resources.

Twenty-four GSDM students and CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri set up a command center in The Common on the second level of the museum. First children stopped at the GSDM registration table where they made festive bedazzled tooth necklaces, and then they had a chance to win oral health prizes as part of a revamped Celebrity Smiles game featuring cartoon and other characters relevant to their age range. From there they moved on to another table where they could learn about brushing by cleaning Doogie’s teeth and about oral health. After that the real fun began as the children were greeted and brought to the screening area where the students and Ms. Lituri screened them for any oral health-related problems and made referrals if needed. Most of the children received a clean bill of health and a reminder to brush and floss regularly.

Said one child to his mother, after his exam was complete, “Can we do that again?”

Another, who needed to work a little more on brushing, promised Ms. Lituri that he and his mom would brush together every day so his teeth would be healthy and strong for kindergarten.

Overall the GSDM command center was a popular place, and sounds of laughter and fun could be heard throughout the evening.

 

Let’s Picnic!

September 6, 2011

The annual Healthy Baby/Healthy Child (HBHC) Picnic was held on August 23, at the Stony Brook Reservation. Participants were treated to a day of sunshine and lots of good food.

HBHC is an innovative home-visiting program whose mission it is to promote the health and well-being of women, children, and families in Boston, particularly those living in communities that are disproportionately impacted by infant mortality and other health disparities. The program has been in operation for 18 years and has demonstrated success in providing free services and linking clients with systems of care throughout Boston.

Every summer HBHC hosts a picnic to celebrate the end of a six-week summer program for high risk mothers and children. GSDM is a part of this picnic each year because of the outstanding oral health services that the School provides. Students are encouraged to volunteer because this is a great opportunity for them to learn what HBHC is all about and to interact with the women and children who are part of the program.

This year CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, Doaa Alsaggaf DPH 15, Berokh (Brooke) Bavar DMD 13, and Richa Mehta DPH 12 attended.

 

It’s in the Bag

September 6, 2011

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Boston Public Health Commission’s Connecting Families to School Program gave away close to 1,000 book bags to area children on August 24, filled with school supplies. The goal of the giveaway event, held at the Salvation Army in Dorchester, was to help prepare Boston students for the upcoming school year.

But the event didn’t stop at the book bags. Children and their families were also put in touch with local officials, business leaders, and volunteers who staffed information tables and provided free health screenings, raffles, prizes, food and entertainment.

GSDM attended and students, led by CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, provided oral health screenings to 58 children and interacted with hundreds more.

GSDM volunteers included: Bethany Polnar DMD 15, Michelle Holzinger DMD 13, Joe Bousaba DMD 13, Kajel Shah DMD 12, Mahesh Sadhnani DMD 12, Antonio Maceda-Johnson DMD 15, Varun Arya DMD 13, Alexis Beetar DMD 15, Daria Molodtsova DMD 15, and Justine Karanian DMD 15.

High School Students Learn About Oral Health Disparities at GSDM

August 22, 2011

On August 5, nine high school students enrolled in the Community Voices program at Northeastern University visited GSDM. The purpose of their visit was to learn more about oral health disparities, especially in the context of racial and ethnic health disparities. In addition, the students had the opportunity to learn about various oral health careers and to ask two current dental students—Jenny Lorenzo DMD 13 and Peter Lee DMD 12—about their experiences.

CHP staff members, Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri and Dental Assistant John D’Adamo organized and volunteered as staff participants for the visit.

Community Voices is a program of the Center for Community Health Education, Research and Service, Inc. The program incorporates arts, education, research, and service and the high school students who participate are taught a curriculum of health, photography, journalism, and community advocacy by experts employed in community health centers.  Students are trained in “Photovoice”, a community-based participatory research method that incorporates photography, writing, and social action to document their experiences throughout the program. The end result is a collective photo essay, which becomes part of an ongoing public outreach project.

 

Energetic GSDM Volunteers Welcome Blackstone Elementary School Students

June 20, 2011

The 12th Annual Blackstone Elementary School Field trip took place on June 16. Eighty-four third grade students arrived at the Dental School for a day of interactive fun and learning. The large group of energetic children was shepherded through the day’s activities by Captain Cavity Fighter (Sarah Courtney DMD 12) and a host of volunteers including numerous students and faculty and staff from the Division of Community Health Programs.

Courtney did an excellent job getting the kids interested in oral health. She presented a lesson on teeth and gums in the SLC that had the children cheering and rushing to raise their hands to answer questions.

The children also participated in interactive activities in the SLC that taught them about sealants and dental impressions. Courtney had a variety of helpers for these activities including Derek Song DMD 12, Clinical Associate Professor Dr. Mark Ferriero, and field trip organizers CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri and Assistant Director of Extramural Programs Kathy Held—even Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter joined in! Using alginate and stone the children took impressions of their thumbs, which is always a crowd-pleasing activity.

After helping several children pour the stone, Dean Hutter said, “I am a big fan of this new element that Kathy Lituri has recently implemented for local children who visit our Dental School. I think it is something they don’t get to experience elsewhere in their early education and I hope that all of the fun and interactive activities they participate in here at the School stick in their minds and inspire them to consider dental education in the future.”

To end the field trip the children enjoyed the sunny summer weather with a pizza party and fun outdoor games on the Talbot Green.

 

Dorchester Families Start Living SMART

June 20, 2011

CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, Felicia Smith DMD 15,  Thomas Horton DMD 14, Lillelenny Santana AS 2012, and Danielle Collins (a former dental hygiene student of Lituri’s) volunteered at the Living SMART Community Health Fair on June 11. The fair was held at the Perkins Community Center in Dorchester.

Living SMART is a campaign that was designed for the Dorchester community to get smart about living a healthy life. The acronym SMART stands for select healthy foods, make an appointment with your doctor, adopt an exercise regimen, reduce your stress, and tell others about living smart. The related health fair targeted local families and  included a zone featuring community exhibitors and providing health care resources, a kid’s zone to engage children in physical activities, heath screenings, HIV testing, and health workshops. The fair was sponsored by the Young Professionals Network (YPN) of The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. Smith is a member of this group and served as one of the organizers of the fair.

She says she got involved with the group because, “When moving to Boston, I wanted to establish a network with young professionals aspiring to accomplish goals such as closing equality gaps, improving race relations, and empowering underserved communities. Before I joined the YPN of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts I had prior knowledge, as an adolescent growing up in Chicago, of the Urban Leagues’ historic contribution to the civil rights movement and 20th Century Freedom Movement. The turning point for my affiliation with YPN Urban League was when I was informed of the chapter’s development of a Public Health Committee. This was the first Public Health Committee in the YPN Urban League.”

Smith reached out to Lituri to get the Dental School involved with this fair. She said, “Since our organization is focused on strengthening the community resources through partnership, we solicited the expertise of Ms. Kathy Lituri and the Dental School students for promoting oral health through education and dental screenings. From personal experience working with Ms. Lituri on previous events, I knew she had a wealth of knowledge on engaging various communities in and around the Boston area on oral health issues.”

GSDM volunteers promoted oral health and provided screenings to the children and adults in attendance. They also participated in a round-robin discussion on oral health promotion in the kid’s zone.

Smith encourages other dental students to get involved, adding, “Joining the YPN Urban League is a great opportunity for dental students to network with other young professionals and other leaders, expand leadership skills, and develop an active role in the community on various issues.”

 

Incisors, Canines, Premolars, and Molars Descend on GSDM

June 6, 2011

On May 27, four classes of third grade students from the Edward W. Brooke Charter School in Roslindale, took a field trip to GSDM. The children were divided into four groups: Incisors, Canines, Premolars, and Molars, then the day of educational and fun activities got underway in both the classroom and the SLC. The children were very eager to learn about life as a dental student and many came armed with questions to ask the students.

The children learned about nutrition and sealants, dressed up as dental students, and made models of their thumbs using an alginate impression and dental stone.

Special guest Captain Cavity Fighter, played by Sarah Courtney DMD 12, was on hand to guide the children through the various activities.

She said, “I had a fun day with the students. They were extremely enthusiastic, especially during the hands-on session in the SLC. It was great to see how excited they were when learning about sealants, fluoride, healthy eating, and taking care of their oral health.”

 

Speaking the Language: GSDM Volunteers Help Local Haitians

May 23, 2011

For the second year in a row GSDM headed to the Inite Pou La Sante / United for Health Fair to provide outreach to the more than 500 families of Haitian descent who attend the annual fair at the Voice of the Gospel Tabernacle Church in Mattapan.
GSDM volunteers provided dental screenings to more that 50 individuals and Derek Song DMD 12 and Oral Health Advocate Melida Jean also offered translation services to the French-speaking attendees.

Song explained why he got involved, “This particular event was special to me, because I’ve always been interested in the Haitian culture, their beautiful language, and their bright Caribbean spirit. I’ve also been to Haiti as part of the relief effort by the International Medical Relief last December, so the Pou La Sante health fair was an excellent opportunity for me to remind myself of all the great things I’ve deeply felt during my short trip to Haiti.” He continued, “Events like this are truly a good opportunity for students to experience dental volunteerism without having to fly overseas. I feel very lucky to attend a school that is exceptionally active in outreach programs. BU rocks!”

 

GSDM Takes Aim at Good Oral Health

May 23, 2011

Roxbury families turned out in force for the Aim for Healthy Living Health Fair held on Saturday, May 14 at Roxbury Community College. GSDM, in cooperation with Roxbury Community College and the Newton Chapter Jack & Jill of America, Inc. sponsored the fair. Jack & Jill of America is an African-American organization of mothers who nurture future leaders by strengthening children ages 2-19 through chapter programming, community service, legislative advocacy, and philanthropic giving.
The fair targeted families living in and around Roxbury Community College and/or associated with the Newton Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. GSDM volunteers provided dental screenings and oral health information at a booth that proved to be very popular.

For several of the GSDM volunteers this was their first experience providing outreach to the neighboring community with the School. Second-year AS student Dhwani Upadhyay wanted to get involved because as she explained, “I thought that this health fair event was a great way of reaching out to the local community and creating oral health awareness among them.”

 

Dental School Gets a “Thumbs Up” From Local Children

May 23, 2011

The 8th annual Orchard Gardens field trip to GSDM took place on May 16. Around 40 first and second grade children made the trip from the nearby Orchard Gardens K-8 School for a day filled with educational and fun activities.

“This day is a lot of fun and a good way for the dental students to inspire a young child to pursue a higher education and a maybe even a career in dentistry,” said organizer and CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri.

The highlight of this year’s field trip was a new activity introduced to the program where the children took an alginate impression of their thumb and then used dental stone to create a model. Volunteer GSDM students helped mix the alginate and stone, while explaining to the children the more common dental uses for the materials.

During this activity the Simulation Learning Center (SLC) was filled with the sounds of laughter and a few “ewws” when the children had to stick their thumbs into the gooey mixture.

Said one child, “I am having soooo much fun today!”

After the projects in the SLC were completed the children moved on to lunch where Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter was there to welcome them. He said, “I was pleased to have an opportunity to meet with the students from Orchard Gardens. They were very enthusiastic about the day’s activities and I was thrilled to see so many of our GSDM students getting involved in this day of meaningful interaction with the children of our local community. I hope to see some of these children return to GSDM in the future as dentals students.”

 

GSDM Students Join Dentistry For All Effort in Guatemala

May 2, 2011

Earlier this Spring Paula Ancelson and Stephanie Trahan, both fourth-year DMD students, traveled to Guatemala for separate two-week trips with Dentistry For All. The mission of Dentistry For All, a Canadian non-profit, is to change lives through dental education, prevention, and corrective treatment. Directors Brad Krusky DMD 97, Shane Fisher, and Guatemala Director Rebecca Smith donate their services and expertise several weeks each year to those without access to care. Most of their trips are to Guatemala but they have also provided outreach in Nicaragua and the Philippines.

Trahan and Ancelson both joined larger groups of volunteers (between 15 to 18 people) once they arrived in Guatemala and each estimated that they treated between 80 and 100 patients. Dentistry For All travels around Guatemala providing outreach, so Trahan worked mainly in Antigua and El Remante—somewhat populated areas with a lot of tourists, while Ancelson worked in more rural areas including Guatemala City, Comitancillo, and Santa Isabella—a refugee camp.

Ancelson described how her group was fed home cooked meals by the locals in their adobe huts. “I was amazed at how welcoming the locals were and also how gracious and thankful they were for our help.”

They were both also impressed with how well funded the trip was, compared to others they had heard about. Ancelson said, “This mission had as much, if not better supplies than the Dental School. They are very well funded which is largely due to the fact that Brad donates 30 percent of his career to these missions.”

Despite their wealth of supplies and volunteers, the non-profit group is still fighting an uphill battle, traveling to areas where most people don’t have regular access to care. In many areas of Guatemala Coca-Cola is cheaper than water and many mothers transition from feeding their babies breast milk to Coca-Cola because the children need the calories it contains.

Trahan pointed out that though the work of Dentistry For All is excellent, there are still unmet oral health needs among the Guatemalan people, “I saw a great need for dentures in people, because many patients had so many teeth extracted they could barely chew. There was also an abundance of root tips visible from teeth that had rotted out.” She continued, “I was concerned about the lack of education among the population. Patients just wanted us to take care of the pain, they didn’t care about prevention or learning about how to maintain their teeth.”

Overall both students had an enjoyable time and learned a lot. They were full of colorful stories and recommendations for the Extramural Programs office upon their return, including some that might address the lack of oral health education.

 

Name That Smile!

April 25, 2011

CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri recently lead two teams of volunteers to outreach events geared toward college students. The first was the BU Be Well Fair on April 6 and the second was the Wellness Fair at Roxbury Community College (RCC) on April 7. Mahesh Sadhnani DMD 12 volunteered at both events and introduced a new interactive game designed to engage college students calledCelebrity Smiles.

Said Sadhnani, “Ms. Lituri and I met and discussed how we could have informative activities that would enable us to dissipate oral hygiene awareness while at the same time being interactive within the college students’ age group. The result was Celebrity Smiles, which is a game where we have just the smiles of popular celebrities displayed and ask participants to identify a celebrity based on their smile. The idea is to reiterate that a person’s smile is vital to their personality. Taking care of one’s teeth (and hence a healthy smile) is essential to a person’s identity.”

Sadhnani continued, “The celebrities were chosen from various walks of life and included areas such as music, sports, and politics. We gave out a toothbrush to every person who identified at least three celebrities.”

Lituri added, “Celebrity Smiles was Mahesh’s brainchild and it has become really popular! Everyone likes it and it crosses all language and ethnic boundaries. Mahesh’s background in public health, paired with the work experience he gained before arriving at GSDM for dental school, makes him a real asset to CHP and the School’s outreach efforts. He has tons of great ideas!”

Additional volunteers at the BU Be Well Fair included Lucinda Barry DMD 12, Neelam Shah DMD 14, and BU pre-dental students and CHP interns Sebastian Mendoza and Michelle Prieto. Additional volunteers at the RCC Wellness Fair included Brittney Barrows DMD 14, Lindzy Goodman DMD 14, Kinna Shah DMD 12, Sheede Khalil DMD 12, Lillelenny Santana DMD 12, and Myrna Zohni DMD 12.

 

GSDM Expands Effort at BU Relay for Life

April 25, 2011

The BU Relay for Life took place on April 16 to 17, at the BU Track and Tennis Center. For the third year in a row, GSDM put together a team to participate in the overnight event and raise money for the American Cancer Society. Ten members of the GSDM faculty and staff participated along with more than 55 students. ASDA Community Outreach Chair and Vice Chair Courtney Brady DMD 11 and Jenny Lorenzo DMD 13 organized GSDM’s participation and under their leadership the team raised $4,628.13, more than four times the amount raised last year.

The volunteers took turns walking laps around the Center and also participated in theme laps. One of the more poignant theme laps was the first of the night, the “Survivor Lap” in which teacher, mentor, and friend of many in the GSDM community, cancer survivor Associate Dean for Advanced Education & International Programs Dr. Thomas Kilgore participated. Other sillier laps included the “Bring Your Own Snuggie Lap” and the “I Got Your Back” piggy-back lap. In addition to walking, members of the GSDM team participated in an Ice Cream Eating Contest and other fun activities.

“I am so proud of the students, faculty, and staff who got involved in this event,” said Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter. “Kathy and I attended and were inspired by their enthusiasm and willingness to dedicate their time and sacrifice a night of sleep to raise money for such a worthy cause. It is also wonderful to see GSDM’s participation in this event expand so greatly each year. In comparison to last year there were more than double the participants who raised more than four times the dollars for the American Cancer Society. Great job all around!”

 

Students Face Challenges; Gain Fresh Perspective on Mexican Outreach Trip

April 19, 2011

Hamed Aleriezi DMD 11 and Adeel Khan DMD 11 traveled to Mexico in early March to participate in a 12-day elective externship in the Copper Canyon region as part of a small outreach team. This trip was affiliated with Liga International – The Flying Doctors of Mercy, but consisted of a much smaller group of volunteers than usual: just the two GSDM students and longtime trip organizer Dr. Fred Kalinoff.

The group provided outreach to children and adults in several areas of Mexico including the Tarahumara Indians. In recent years the Tarahumara Indians have gained international fame for their distance-running abilities, most notably in the best-selling book, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, by Christopher McDougall. Khan said that prior to the trip he had read the book and was amazed to meet some of the book characters while in Copper Canyon. During a break from the outreach Dr. Kalinoff also participated in the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon on March 6.

In contrast to some of the other Liga trips, portions of this mission were spent fact-finding and traveling to new areas to gauge the need for outreach services. Transportation between remote areas of Mexico can be tricky and the trio often experienced delays when traveling from place to place. Aleriezi also got sick during the trip which made it hard for him to care for as many patients as he would have liked. Challenges of this nature might cause students to arrive home with a negative opinion of the trip, but in this case the opposite is true. Khan says, “For these kinds of trips, you must go with an open mind. There are bound to be frustrations, but you will get to see beautiful scenery, travel to destinations you might not otherwise have the opportunity to visit, and provide dental care to some of the most gracious and thankful people you may ever meet.”

Aleriezi added, “Trips like these are an incredible learning experience. They teach you to not be so rigid and to let go of certain ways of doing things. And helping the patients on this trip was really a rewarding experience.”

Both students had a great time and look forward to volunteering on future missions. Khan’s photos are available onflickr and facebook.

 

Outreach a Component of ACP Prosthodontics Awareness Week

April 19, 2011

Pre- and postdoctoral students from GSDM joined forces on April 9, at the Health Family Day event, sponsored by Dana Farber Center for Community Based Research and UMass Boston.

Similar to last year, CHP organized GSDM participation in the event and then invited the Massachusetts Section of the American College of Prosthodontics to participate as part of ACP Prosthodontics Awareness Week planned out by Clinical Associate Professor and President of the Massachusetts Section of the ACP Dr. Shiro Kamachi.

Postdoctoral students from the GSDM Department of Restorative Sciences/Biomaterials partnered with DMD students to provide dental outreach at the fair, held at Primera Iglesia Bautista in Jamaica Plain. The students screened 35 fair participants.

“I really want to thank the students for volunteering and Dr. Kamachi for getting the Massachusetts Section of the American College of Prosthodontics involved,” said CHP Oral Health Promotion Director and organizer Kathy Lituri. “This is the second year in a row that we have teamed up and I look forward to next year.” Lituri continued, “I’d also like to thank Liz Montero for getting the word out to the BU chapter of the HSDA. Having several predoctoral students helping out, and that also spoke Spanish, was a real asset.”

 

Helping the Homeless

April 19, 2011

Female GSDM students Olga Krikunenko DMD 12, Moira Sinnott DMD 12, Vera Chernomordik DMD 12, and Alicia Cook DMD 11 joined Research Dental Hygienist Dee Devlin and Clinical Instructor Dr. Corinna Culler at the Suffolk University Health Fair on April 8.

The volunteers provided dental screenings and oral health materials to local homeless women.

“I am confident that the students involved impacted the lives of the women they encountered in a positive way,” said CHP Oral Health Promotion Director and organizer Kathy Lituri. “It is truly the volunteer spirit of student and faculty that enables the School’s Division of Community Health Programs to effectively engage in community outreach events such as this.”

 

AAWD Launches New Monthly Program at Rosie’s Place

April 19, 2011

Spearheaded by Josephine Verde DMD 13 of the GSDM chapter of AAWD, the student group launched a monthly community service initiative named, “Women to Women,” that is aimed at improving the oral health of the women of Rosie’s Place. GSDM has volunteered at Rosie’s Place in the past, but this initiative steps the efforts up a notch with a standing monthly commitment.

Verde said that the AAWD came up with the plan for Rosie’s Place after brainstorming ways to get involved with women of the local community and speaking with CHP Oral Health Promotion Director and organizer Kathy Lituri. Said Verde, “I met with Ms. Lituri and she suggested getting involved in the Wellness Fair at Rosie’s Place. In cooperation with CHP, AAWD launched the outreach program in March. We have two upperclassmen scheduled to attend the Wellness Fair each month until June and it’s really been successful so far.” She continued, “It was touching to be able to be there for the women who go to Rosie’s Place. The main goal of the events is to improve the oral health of the women by providing screenings and educational information. In addition, we are there to answer any medically-related questions.”

Thus far, the AAWD has attended Wellness Fairs on March 11 and April 8, and volunteers have screened 18 women, with many more stopping by for information or a toothbrush. An added bonus for the student volunteers has been getting to know some of the other groups volunteering at the Wellness Fair, including a group of nursing students from Regis College, and learning about their perspective on health and oral health.

 

Kids and Their Families Get Motivated About Oral Health

April 11, 2011

GSDM students Lauren Greco DMD 12, Mahesh Sadhani DMD 12, Thomas Keeling DMD 14, and Maidelys Oliva DMD 14 accompanied CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri to the Family Wellness Fair and Saturday Open Gym at Madison Park Community Center in Roxbury on April 2.  Doggie, the official stuffed animal mascot of CHP, was also in attendance to help children learn about oral health care.

The event was sponsored by The Boston Public Health Commission’s Office of Oral Health and the ADA Foundation in partnership with Child Development and Education, Inc., GSDM, and Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures. It was open to families with children three to eight years of age, with the goal of getting families with children up, out, and moving around together. Oral health promotion activities were targeted to families with young children. Volunteers provided age-appropriate, interactive, dental-related activities and dental screenings.

 

Getting Behind the Heart and Soul of Good Health

April 11, 2011

GSDM student volunteers and Assistant Dean for Community Partnerships & Extramural Affairs Dr. Michelle Henshaw headed to the Vine Street Community Center in Roxbury on April 2. They were part of a series of volunteers that were offering free health screenings, including oral health screenings for people of all ages; exercise including yoga, tai chi, and meditation; healthy food tasting and cooking demonstrations; and fun activities for children.

The health fair was put on by Cherishing Our Hearts and Souls (COHS), a community coalition that promotes the heart and soul of good health.

“The health fair focused on wellness across the lifespan,” said Dr. Henshaw. “In addition to health screenings, some of the highlighted offerings were yoga demonstrations, vegan food samples, and nutritional Twister. The numerous children, adults, and elders who came to our table benefited greatly from the oral health education and dental screenings that the GSDM students provided.”

Student volunteers included Mathew Annese DMD 12, Dhara Shah DMD 13, Fransheska Ovalles DMD 13, Jun Hwang DMD 12, Grant Murray DMD 14, Sybil Padavathil DMD 12, Zara Nensey DMD 14, Pankau Singhvi DMD 11, and Lindzy Goodman DMD 14.

 

Children of the Yawkey Boys and Girls Club Fill Their Passports

April 11, 2011

The GSDM Chapter of ASDA, in collaboration with CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, held their annual Passport to Dental Health Fair at the Yawkey Boys and Girls Club of Roxbury on March 31. Jenny Lorenzo DMD 13 spearheaded the effort this year by coordinating the logistics of this interactive event.

More than 100 children of the Yawkey Club, who range in age from elementary to high school ages, attended this event. The fair featured the popular passport format with several stations at which GSDM students taught the children about oral health issues including hygiene, nutrition, consequences of tobacco use, tooth protectors, and dental occupations. The children were encouraged to visit each station to have their passports stamped.

“This year’s Passport to Dental Health Fair was a big success,” said Lituri. “The children were engaged and shared a lot of what they learned. It’s really the commitment of student volunteers that make these events work!”

 

SNDA Raises Oral Health Issues with Middle Schoolers

April 4, 2011

SNDA, in combination with CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, recently paid a visit to 6^th and 7^th grade classrooms at Higginson/Lewis K-8 School, in Roxbury. SNDA volunteers included Wyatt Traina DMD 14, Kandiss Smith DMD 12, Myrna Zohni DMD 12, and Serena Jacobs DMD 11.

The volunteers taught a lesson on oral health issues related to sixth and seventh graders. Topics were healthier snack choices, the hazards of oral piercing and tobacco use, and dental career possibilities.

“Part of SNDA’s mission is to increase minority enrollment in dental school,” said Smith. “At Higginson, we set out to teach the students about oral health care and prevention but we also learned that many of the students wanted to know more about dental health professions. It was rewarding to meet the objectives of our lesson plan and organization.”

Dr. Michelle Henshaw Honored at 2011 ADEA General Session

March 28, 2011

The 2011 ADEA General Session took place in San Diego, California from March 12-16. At the Session the ADEA Gies Foundation honored Assistant Dean for Community Partnerships & Extramural Affairs Dr. Michelle Henshaw with the 2011 William J. Gies Award for Innovation in the Dental Educator category. Dr. Henshaw was selected for the award based on her successful integration of teaching, translational research and clinical service, and outreach activities within the GSDM curriculum.

Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter attended the General Session and had the honor of presenting the award to Dr. Henshaw. He said, “Dr. Henshaw has been deeply committed to the integration of teaching, research, and service. She successfully fostered partnerships that resulted in more than 50 community-based service programs that provide oral health care to underserved populations throughout Massachusetts. Her efforts have served to transform the institutional culture of our School.”

Also at the Session Clinical Associate Professor Dr. Mark Ferriero presented a poster titled, “The OSCE: A Picture IS Worth a Thousand Words!,” Professor and Director of Predoctoral Restorative Dentistry Dr. Celeste Kong presented a poster titled, “Electronic Portfolios That Make Learning Visible,” and Associate Director of Extramural Programs Ms. Meg Loadholt presented a poster titled, “Development of Critical Thinking Skills In Dental Students and Methodology of Evaluation.” In addition, Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Negar Nasseripour, Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Frederick Hains, and Clinical Associate Professor Dr. George Keleher presented a lecture titled “Treatment Planning and Risk Assessment.”

More than 2,300 people attended including many others from the GSDM community.

A Healthy Nation, One Child at a Time

March 2011

Elizabeth Johnson believes in planning ahead. She moved from her native Jamaica to the United States in 1999 to pursue her educational and career goals. She worked towards an associate’s degree in medical assisting, hoping to secure her future.

Then, a “miracle” changed her plan.  Elizabeth, who’d been told by doctors that she would not be able to have children, learned she was pregnant.

“You can imagine my surprise!” Elizabeth says. “I thought it must be a miracle. But after the shock settled, fear set in. I had some health concerns that I thought could affect my unborn child. And most of all, I felt unprepared for parenthood and frightened by the enormous responsibility. I wasn’t sure if I would be a good mother.”Scared and lacking confidence, Elizabeth enrolled in Boston Public Health Commission’s Healthy Baby/Healthy Child Program (HB/HC). Soon, nurse Marce Peters began visiting Elizabeth in her home to teach her how to have a healthy pregnancy. Marce monitored Elizabeth’s diabetes and hypertension, the conditions she worried might compromise her pregnancy.

“Finding this program gave me hope that my baby would be okay,” she says.

What Elizabeth did not expect Marce to check was her oral health. Elizabeth laughs when she remembers that she rarely saw a dentist before she met Marce. Now, the idea of ignoring her oral health seems so unbelievable, it’s humorous.

“I used to think that if I’m brushing my teeth, I’m fine,” Elizabeth says. “But now I know if your teeth are not well that can affect your entire system.”

Around the same time, new mom-to-be Marisol Viera came to HB/HC when she learned she was pregnant with her first daughter, Mayah. Unlike Elizabeth, Marisol received care from a dentist at nearby Dorchester House. Marisol, however, was just as concerned as Elizabeth about her ability to care for a newborn’s mouth.

“My nurse, Elsie, taught me what to look for because Mayah is my first child and I didn’t know much about oral hygiene,” Marisol says. “I’ve learned to wash Mayah’s mouth and tongue after every feeding and what to look for when she starts teething.”

During her home visit, Marce begins her screenings of Elizabeth’s son Matthew with a check of his gums. The little boy, dressed in powder blue, does not make a sound; he shares an infectious smile and seems to thoroughly enjoy Marce’s check up. This exam is familiar to Matthew as his mom and dad, Raymond, check his gums and clean his mouth regularly.

Both nurses are able to care for the families’ oral health as the result of funding received in 2008 by the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) Division of Community Health Programs from the National Institutes of Health to support a feasibility study, “Public Health Nurses as Oral Health Advocates.” CHP trains nurses to incorporate oral health promotion into their ongoing pre- and postnatal home visits.

At trainings, GSDM Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri and her staff teach nurses to provide risk assessment and screenings, assess common dental problems and related risk factors, make referrals for care, and provide anticipatory guidance.

Elizabeth and Marisol agree that so far, receiving oral health education from HB/HC nurses works and even has one advantage over visiting the dentist’s office.

“Marce makes me feel comfortable asking questions I might not feel comfortable asking a doctor,” Elizabeth says.

“I know I can call Elsie between visits if I need to,” Marisol adds.

“The long term goal of this study is to design and test a multifaceted intervention to prevent early childhood caries that incorporates patient-centered counseling in a home visiting setting,” says the study’s Principal Investigator and Assistant Dean for Community Partnerships & Extramural Afffairs Dr. Michelle Henshaw.

“Healthy Baby/Healthy Child is a sound investment,” Elizabeth says. “It builds a solid foundation for children like Matthew so they can go on to make a positive impact on society. Healthy children mean healthy communities, which will make for a healthier America.”

Now that’s a plan we can all believe in.

Boston Families Learn the Value of Being Prepared

March 7, 2011

Preparing children to enter kindergarten is a year-long process in Boston. Through the Countdown to Kindergarten program, parents receive help registering their child for kindergarten at Boston Public Schools and are connected with resources that help children thrive in school. GSDM is one of these resources and, under the leadership of CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, are regularly involved in events that are part of the Countdown program.

The most recent school-readiness event was held on Saturday February 26, at Jubilee Christian Church & Academy in Mattapan. GSDM volunteers were on hand to provide age appropriate, interactive, dental related activities and dental screenings for the children. Most of the parents and attendees at this event reside in Mattapan.

Peter Meaney DMD 14 was one of the GSDM volunteers, and when asked why he wanted to be a part of this event he replied, “I grew up in a less than affluent area in Boston so I know what its like to have nothing. Therefore I want to help out whenever I can. Also any opportunity to work with the brilliant woman known as Kathy Lituri is embraced.”

Students Can Fend Off Lions, but Not Cavities

February 22, 2011

GSDM CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri led a team of student volunteers to

the Notre Dame Educational Center (NDEC) in South Boston, where they provided outreach to adult learners on February 15. This is the second outreach effort that GSDM has organized at NDEC.

Derrick Call DMD 12, whose wife is a former teacher at NDEC, explained why he feels it’s important for GSDM to get involved, “When my
wife taught at the school they had cultural day and one of the students from Sudan was chosen to give a speech. He spoke about how to hold off a threatening lion, how to move your herd across a river when it’s full of crocodiles, and how to run away from an elephant and other wild animals. But then he spoke about how, after he came to America, it was hard to use a stove and other similar things which we take for granted.”

Call continued, “I think that seeing a dentist regularly is another thing we take for granted that the NDEC students don’t really know how to do. Oftentimes my wife would say her students don’t know how to go out and find a dentist, doctor, lawyer, etc when they are in desperate need of one. So I think this type of service is extremely important to the students at this school and other schools like it.”

GSDM’s efforts at NDEC involved health promotion, education, screenings, and referrals. The volunteers screened 62 adults.

SNDA Supports South Boston Head Start

February 14, 2011

SNDA members Wyatt Traina DMD 14, Brittney Barrows DMD 14, Lindzy Goodman DMD 14, and Serena Jacob DMD 11, along with CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, brought interactive classroom education to the South Boston Head Start program on February 7.  Also accompanying the SNDA members were two pre-dental students Michelle Preito and Sebastian Mendoza.

The group split into pairs to work with the children on age-appropriate oral health activities.

The volunteers were very excited to participate in the event explained Goodman, “As a DMD1, every moment outside of room G301 is bound to be a captivating experience. I enjoy taking advantage of opportunities that get me out of the classroom and into thecommunity.”

Traina added. “I wanted to participate because I think it is important for health professionals to set a good example and begin educating the public about their area of expertise. I also wanted to raise the profile of the SNDA, and positively impact children in the area who wouldn’t normally have access to such things.”

Dr. Raul Garcia Elected to IADR/AADR Publications Committee

January 10, 2011

Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research Dr. Raul Garcia has been elected to serve on the IADR/AADR Publications Committee for a three-year term.

The Committee’s role is to review the quality and financial status of the Journal of Dental Research and other journals owned jointly by IADR/AADR. They will also report annually to the IADR and AADR Councils through the Joint Boards of Directors.

Dr. Garcia was selected for this honor based on his contributions to the IADR and AADR, including his participation on numerous committees, such as the AADR Fellowships Committee, AADR Hatton Awards Committee, and the JDR Editorial Board.

Dr. Garcia added, “The creation, dissemination, and application of new knowledge are fundamental to the mission of the IADR and AADR. Maintaining and enhancing the intellectual rigor and fiscal health of the Associations’ publications are essential. I look forward to the privilege of contributing to the IADR and AADR as a member of the Publications Committee, and in particular to serving to ensure the quality and reach of the JDR.”