College Brings Smiles to ‘Special Olympics Special Smile’

From left, Lieny Padron, PG AEGD resident; Anna Spiller D2 predoctoral student; Dr. Michelle Madera, AEGD faculty; Karen Zapata, PG AEGD resident; Cassandra Gubala, D2 predoctoral student; and Emily Washburn D2 predoctoral student.

Predoctoral students from Special Needs Club, AEGD residents and faculty from Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine provided free dental screening and oral hygiene instruction for special needs individuals at the Special Olympics Special Smile event on Saturday October 15, 2022, at Bamford Sports Complex in Davie.

The Healthy Athletes program launched in 1997, according to the Special Olympics website. It consists of seven areas where Special Olympic athletes can receive free health screenings: podiatry, physical therapy, better health and well-being, audiology, sports physical exams, vision, and dentistry.

Special Smiles is the dental health discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® that provides athletes and individuals with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to take charge of their oral health. Special Smiles provides comprehensive oral health care information, offers non-invasive dental screenings and instructions on correct brushing and flossing techniques to Special Olympics athletes. This also includes issuing preventative supplies, like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and fluoride varnish.

Posted 10/23/22

Event in Orlando Allows NSU to Reconnect with Alumni

Nova Southeastern University recently held an event in Orlando for alumni from NSU’s College of Dental Medicine and the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. Alumni from the region, NSU President and CEO Dr. George L. Hanbury II, Dean Elaine M. Wallace from the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Dean Steven I. Kaltman from the College of Dental Medicine attended the event, which was held August 4 at the Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park.

Maintaining connections with those who graduated is vital for a robust and vibrant university. Having pride in where you earned your degree is something NSU works hard to cultivate and nurture. To that end, the university’s Alumni Relations Department schedules events in various parts of Florida and the nation for alumni to meet, network and catch up on old times.

Posted 08/14/22

Dental Medicine Faculty Member Gets Research Award

From right, Dr. Kenneth S. Kornman, editor-in chief of the Journal of Periodontology; Dr. William V. Giannobile, dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Richard Singer; Dr. Nicholas Jakubovics, editor-in -chief of the the Journal of Dental Research.

Richard Singer, D.M.D., M.S., Ph.D., from NSU’s College of Dental Medicine, received the 2nd place World Perio Research award at the EuroPerio10 Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. The trophy was presented at the Award Ceremony during the Sunstar session in June 2022 in Copenhagen.

Singer’s research paper was selected by the World Perio Research Award Committee, which is composed of representatives of leading dental journals worldwide. His research showed that moderate and severe periodontal diseases are associated with significant cardiovascular disease risk with marked sex disparity and heterogeneity by Hispanic/Latino background.

Since 2003, these awards have aimed to promote further research in the bi-directional relationship between oral health and systemic health to raise awareness about this issue around the world.

Posted 07/28/22

 

College of Dental Medicine Faculty Receives Diversity Honor

Elías M. Morón

Elías M. Morón, D.D.S., M.P.H., M.H.L., M.H.S.M., clinical assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Dental Medicine, was selected for the 2022-2023 American Dental Association’s Institute for Diversity in Leadership Program.

The American Dental Association’s Institute for Diversity in Leadership provides a diverse group of dental professionals with education and experience to develop their leadership skills, strengthen professional networks, and set leadership paths in dentistry and their communities. Dentists are selected by the ADA Board of Trustees and will have the opportunity to interact with ADA leadership, dental industry executives and staff from other non-profit organizations. Alumni from the institute fill leadership roles in organized dentistry and community organizations across the nation.

Dental Medicine SGA Body Holds ‘Everyone Belongs’ Event

The College of Dental Medicine Student Government Association Executive body held an “Everyone Belongs” event on June 30, 2022, in front of the College of Dental Medicine from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Staff, students, faculty, and administration from the college were invited to participate in games and eat ice cream.

Posted 07/03/22

Students Present at Hispanic Student Dental Association Conference

Pre-doctoral students Brett Skillett, Michelle Pinon, and Aura Rivera presented a research project at the Hispanic Student Dental Association National Conference. The topic was aimed at the Hispanic Community in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas.

The main goal of this study was to quantify the success rate of dental school outreach programs that address communities based on their oral health needs. To achieve this, students used a questionnaire designed to track key metrics and oral assessments to substantiate if the type of outreach program used was successful. The questionnaire tracked each patient’s trajectory before and after visit to assess any potential progression of disease that may require referrals.

The surveys reflected patient’s demographic information, the number of teeth with untreated decay, history of dental caries, sealants in permanent molars, dental emergencies, and total number screened. A supplementary document included oral hygiene instruction for patients.

A statement from the students and their faculty mentor Eva Chiang, DDS, stated:

“We are hoping that the success of this program may lead to long-term development of an oral health surveillance system in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties supported by future grants. The survey forms will allow the prospective longitudinal study to observe and survey outcomes from outreach programs in collaboration with dental schools to alleviate caries incidences in Hispanic populations.”

Posted 07/03/22

College of Dental Medicine Brings Smiles to Special Olympics

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) postgraduate program faculty, and residents participated in the June 2022 Special Olympics in Orlando.

Special Olympics Florida is committed to promoting unity and creating a community of belonging, inclusion, respect, growth, and development by valuing, encouraging, celebrating, and supporting our diverse athletes, staff, coaches, family members and volunteers.  They embrace non-discriminatory practices and policies and provide equal access to opportunities for employment, advancement, volunteering, and athletic participation.

The faculty and residents participated in The Special Smiles discipline of Healthy Athletes that provides comprehensive oral health care information, including offering free dental screenings and instructions on correct brushing and flossing techniques to participating Special Olympics athletes.

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Also, AEGD resident, Dr. Veronica Alfonzo Hernandez,  presented the topic of “Autism Spectrum Disorder” at American Academy of Developmental medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) Conference in Orlando June 2022

The AADMD is a national organization with a mission to improve and enhance knowledge and quality in the medical care of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities (ND/ID).

The UMMS Student Chapter actively promotes this mission through student leadership, advocacy, and action.

Posted 06/19/22

College of Dental Medicine Seeks Study Participants

Do you have staining on your teeth? If yes and you are 18 years old or older with no major medical problems, call us to see if you qualify for a study conducted at the College of Dental Medicine at Nova Southeastern University. Upon completing the study, you will be financially compensated for your participation.

Call for an appointment and further details: (954) 245-1284

Posted 05/18/22

NSU’s New Department Specializes in Orofacial Pain

 

Good news! Nova Southeastern University now offers help to those suffering from temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).

Nova Southeastern University’s College of Dental Medicine has opened a new Department of Orofacial Pain with Dr. Harold Menchel, DMD, as clinical director and Dr. Divya Kohli, BDS, MDS, as program director. The department is accredited by the American Dental Association.

NSU is the only university in Florida and one of two in the southeastern United States with an orofacial pain center.

At the practice at NSU, patients will be evaluated for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), headaches, related neck pains, and neuropathic pains, and will be managed in an interdisciplinary setting with coordination of referring dentists and physicians.

According to the National Institutes of Health, TMDs are a group of more than 30 conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles that control jaw movement.

There are three main classes of TMDs:

Disorders of the joints, including disc disorders.

Disorders of the muscles used for chewing (masticatory muscles).

Headaches associated with a TMD.

Posted 04/24/22

College of Dental Medicine Collaborates to Donate Services

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine had a special opportunity to collaborate with Remote Area Medical on March 26-27 at Joseph C. Carter Park in Fort Lauderdale. More than 180 patients were treated for more than $100,000 in donated dental services.

Remote Area Medical is a major nonprofit provider of free pop-up clinics. Its mission is to prevent pain and alleviate suffering by providing free, quality healthcare to those in need. They do this by delivering free dental, vision, and medical services to underserved and uninsured individuals. They have provided care across the world at more than 1,500 events.

The founder of Remote Area Medical was the late Stan Brock. His vision for Remote Area Medical developed when he suffered a personal injury while living among the Wapishana Indians in Guyana, South America. When he left Guyana, he vowed to find a way to deliver basic medical aid to people in the world’s inaccessible regions. So, in 1985 he established the non-profit, Remote Area Medical or as most people know us – RAM™. RAM is the way he has kept that promise, not only to the Wapishana Indians, but to thousands around the world in similar conditions.

The Remote Area Medical Clinic care was provided in special treatment tents at Carter Park in Fort Lauderdale. The team was led by Dr. Mark Schweizer, Assistant Dean of Community Programs and Public Health and following faculty and residents: Drs. Juan Velasco, Aryia Amini, Leo Shushner, Romeo Luo, Victor Cellis, Ray Fan, Matt Kelley, Veronica Alfonso, and Mauro Mesko.

Oral health care was provided by D1, D2, D3, and D4 students in respective capacity with amazing success to transform the lives of patients in our community.”

To put into practice the College of Dental Medicine’s commitment to inclusivity and service, the college has partnered with several community organizations to provide opportunities for student-dentists to build a lifelong enthusiasm for community outreach.

 

These outreach experiences provide an opportunity for dental students to:

  • Develop a broad understanding of the community and social responsibilities they will have as Dental Professionals.
  • Treat a diversity of patients with a variety of oral health care needs.
  • Enhance their clinical skills.
  • Participate in inter-professional learning experiences.

 

Posted 04/10/22

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