University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine: Physicians Perform Landmark Procedure on First Adolescent Sleep Apnea Patient in Buffalo

Eighteen-year-old Rayshawn (Ray) Barrett hadn’t slept soundly in years. His obstructive sleep apnea was so pronounced that he was regularly falling asleep in class, his grades were dropping, and he couldn’t follow the drills on his Sweet Home High School lacrosse team because his short-term memory was so compromised. Read more.

Eastman Institute For Oral Health, University of Rochester: EIOH Researchers Rank Among the Top Scholars Worldwide

A recent global analysis by ScholarGPS has recognized Eastman Institute for Oral Health as home to some of the world’s leading researchers in oral health and related specialties. Using advanced algorithms, ScholarGPS evaluated the scholarly impact of some 30 million researchers from 120,000 institutions across 200 countries. Read more.

Oral Healthcare Access

Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College: The Future Home Of the TouroCares Dental Clinic for Adults With IDD

A groundbreaking new initiative, the TouroCAREs Dental Clinic, is a dedicated facility designed to provide comprehensive, compassionate dental care for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Read more.

Columbia University College of Dental Medicine: AI Streamlines Complex Dental Clinic Scheduling

The scheduling of dental students who work in a busy teaching clinic is no simple task. Schedules need to take into account academic classes, clinical rotations, patient appointments, and faculty availability for close to 200 students. Read more.

Eastman Institute For Oral Health, University of Rochester: Journey to Confidence – Restoring a Smile and Changing a Life

Growing up, Jennifer Smith had sparse and patchy hair, she didn’t perspire normally, and was missing nine permanent teeth. The teeth she did have were misshapen and jagged. Read more.

NYU College of Dentistry Research Finds Dental Fear is Widespread, Most People Are Interested in Treatment to Overcome It

Nearly three out of four adults fear going to the dentist, according to a new study by NYU Dentistry researchers and published in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

While dental fear is common, the study also found that most individuals are interested in treatment to overcome it. People who are anxious about going to the dentist often avoid routine cleanings and care, only visiting a dentist when issues arise. This creates a cycle of fear, as the lack of preventive care can compromise oral health, leading to more fear-inducing pain, infections, and dental work. “A better understanding of dental fear—and how to increase access to effective treatments for it—holds promise for improving oral and overall health,” said Richard Heyman, a professor in the NYU Dentistry Center for Oral Health Policy and Management and co-director of its Family Translational Research Group. Read more.

Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine: Adventureland’s Helping Hands Establishes Endowed Scholarship in Pediatric Dentistry at Stony Brook

Adventureland’s Helping Hands Foundation has established a new endowed scholarship for residents in the School of Dental Medicine’s pediatric dentistry residency program — a vital field that advances children’s health across Long Island and beyond. Adventureland is a family-friendly amusement park for all ages located in Farmingdale, New York. Read more.

Student News

Columbia University College of Dental Medicine Welcomes Class of 2029

On August 4, 2025, Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine welcomed the incoming Class of 2029 at a ceremony during which the future dentists received their white coats. The tradition has deep Columbia roots; Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons was among the first medical schools in the country to establish the annual tradition to reinforce a strong commitment to humanistic practice. Read more.

University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine: Teeth and Team Spirit – UB Dental School and UB Athletics Partner to Provide Student-Athletes With Custom Mouth Guards

In late July, the UB dental school and UB Athletics teamed up to provide UB’s football players with custom mouth guards for the upcoming season. The hands-on project provided dental students with an exciting opportunity to step out of the clinic and into the training room, where they mixed alginate, loaded trays, and took custom impressions for each player. Read more.

NYU College of Dentistry Environmental Sustainability Committee: Curbing Clinical Practice Waste, Promoting Responsible Practice

The recent establishment of the Environmental Sustainability Committee at NYU Dentistry reflects the College’s commitment to preparing students to practice dentistry responsibly, with an awareness of the environmental impact of dental supplies and a goal of curbing unnecessary clinical waste. Members of the existing Student Greening Committee have been joined by faculty and staff representatives in the new, collaborative standing committee, which has already completed a study evaluating the waste generated in the College’s clinical facilities. The Committee is also charged with creating educational resources to help students learn to offset the cost of clinical practice and become leaders in environmentally conscious dental care. Read more.

Faculty News & Awards

Columbia University College of Dental Medicine: CDM Faculty Member Is Awarded Prestigious NIDCR Grant to Advance TMJ “Organ-on-a-Chip” Research

Chang Lee, PhD, associate professor of craniofacial engineering at Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine and director of the Regenerative Engineering Lab, has been awarded a highly competitive $3.8 million, five-year research grant by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). This award is part of NIDCR’s Organs-on-a-Chip in Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research initiative. Read more.

Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine: Romanos Receives IADR Distinguished Scientist Research Award

Georgios Romanos, DDS, PhD, a professor in the Department of Periodontics and Endodontics at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, has been awarded the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR) 2025 Distinguished Scientist Award in Prosthodontics and Implant Research. Presented annually at the IADR’s annual meeting in Barcelona, Spain, the award recognizes an individual who has contributed significantly to advancing knowledge through dental research. Read more.

University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine: Dental Professor Studying Immune System’s role in Sjögren’s Disease

Sjögren’s disease affects about 4 million people in the United States, predominantly women. Characterized by severely reduced tears and saliva, the autoimmune disease makes the sufferers’ mouths feel like they’re filled with cotton and often results in tooth decay and difficulty swallowing. Read more.

More News

NYU College of Dentistry PROHmotion Blog: “Shaping the Future of Dentistry”

The latest NYU Dentistry PROHmotion blog post calls on the newest dental graduates to embrace their professional responsibilities and determine how they will contribute to advancing oral health equity and shaping the future of dentistry. Read more.