The personal journey that led Samantha Williams, a Spelman College junior biology major and aspiring dentist, to a classroom at the School of Dental Medicine last month began with a cleft palate and a series of surgeries required to correct it. Williams was one of 30 students from across the country who took part in Destination Dental School (DDS) July 17-25 in Squire Hall, following virtual instruction over the previous six Saturdays. Read more.

As he concluded his fourth year of dental school, Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) student Brett Allen was excited for the school’s second annual Research Day and Student Research Competition. “It’s a great chance to talk about a project I’ve worked on for the last year,” said Allen who together with fellow student Antony Muzika examined the differences between conventional tooth restoration and restoration via state-of-the-art digital dentistry. Read more.

Researchers at NYU College of Dentistry’s Pain Research Center have developed a gene therapy that treats chronic pain by indirectly regulating a specific sodium ion channel, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). “We are at the precipice of a major moment in gene therapy, and this new application in chronic pain is only the latest example,” said Rajesh Khanna, director of the NYU Pain Research Center and professor of molecular pathobiology. Read more.

During a trial for murder or another violent crime in which a victim has been bitten, prosecutors may display photos of the bitemarks next to tracings of the suspect’s teeth. And the two may appear to fit perfectly. Case closed, right? Not necessarily, according to Mary Bush, a forensic dentist and associate professor of restorative dentistry in the School of Dental Medicine. Read more.

The latest PROHmotion blog post explores the value of using silver diamine fluoride (SDF) to improve both individuals’ and the public’s oral health. Since 2014, SDF has been approved as a desensitizing agent for teeth, but pediatric dentists in particular have found other off-label uses for the substance. A hydrophilic liquid that can be painted onto teeth, SDF lends itself to use in children who are too young to cooperate with traditional dental care. Read more.

Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (CDM) will receive a 3-year, $600,000 Delta Dental Community Care Foundation grant. The grant will enable CDM to expand services and access to care for underserved members of the community. CDM is the largest provider of oral health care in the northern Manhattan communities of Inwood, Harlem, and Washington Heights, as well as south Bronx, which are federally designated as areas underserved in health care. Read more.

Rodrigo Lacruz, PhD, MSc, professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU Dentistry, has received a grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and the National Institutes of Health’s INCLUDE project (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE) to study salivary gland and tooth enamel formation on a molecular level in those with Down syndrome. Read more.

Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine is pleased to announce that Laura Shelley has been appointed as its new director of development. As the liaison for the school’s more than 1,500 graduates of the SDM, Shelley will strengthen connections with alumni and raise awareness for the many triumphs at Stony Brook. “I am excited to join the School of Dental Medicine, particularly with our celebration of 50 years as an institution,” Shelley said. “I look forward to connecting with our graduates and partnering with members of the SDM community, both as we mark this momentous occasion and into the future.” Read more.

On Saturday, September 9, Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine (SDM) will host a special 50th anniversary dinner and celebration at the Bauman Center on Stony Brook University’s main campus. Those in the dentistry community, including SDM alumni, are welcome to join current and former students, faculty and staff for a fun-filled night, during which the school will look back on its first 50 years and ahead to its bright future. Learn more and register by visiting the 50th anniversary event website. Additionally, the SDM will host a cocktail reception at Sunwood Estate on Friday, September 8, and an afternoon of activities on campus leading up to the grand event.

At the University of Rochester’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health, dentists train to become specialists, like an orthodontist or an oral surgeon, among others. But the admissions rate is very competitive; they receive some 1200 applications each year for only 50 open spots. Read more.

The Konikoff Education Center is a state-of-the-art venue for academic learning with a unique design that combines small-group and large-group learning spaces. The Center features three independent glass-enclosed seminar rooms that are technologically interconnected, allowing for simultaneous presentations or individual sessions. With interactive seating along the perimeter, students have a conducive environment for socializing, studying or relaxation. Read more.