From: Durham, Erika
Sent: Wednesday, November 9, 2005 5:34 PM
Subject: UTDB eflash (weekly edition) -- Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Wednesday, November 9, 2005

A winning walk

The Dental Branch walked the talk Nov. 5, during the American Heart Association Heart Walk. Approximately 85 students, staff, faculty and alumni walkers from the Dental Branch registered for the event. The team formed by staff member Mamie Ellis, with 61 walkers, raised a total of $5,326, making Ellis the top team captain at the UT Health Science Center. As a reward, Ellis received tickets and a parking pass to the Nov. 20 Texans vs. Chiefs football game.

“The Heart Walk was a great success because it was the largest participation from the Dental Branch family ever. As we enter our second century, it is satisfying to see increased participation and dedication from our dental community toward the overall health of our region,” Ellis said.

Photo by Nancy Hudgins (Public Affairs)
Top team captain, Mamie Ellis is congratulated by James T. Willerson, M.D., president of the health science center.

The Psi Omega fraternity and the Asian American Student Dental Association also organized teams for the event. Contributing to the spirit of the day was the Dental Branch Alumni Association, which gave special pedometer radios as gifts. The UT dental van was also on hand in its normal and needed community service role.

Photo by Nancy Hudgins (Public Affairs)
Staff member Ronda Lowe shows off the centennial-marked visors made especially for the Heart Walk.

Photo by Inga Leon (Dental Branch)
Dental Branch Dean Catherine M. Flaitz, D.D.S., passes some singing toothpaste on to Justin Frias, son of DB staff member Nancy Frias.

More university-wide photos and information from the Heart Walk are available at http://www.uthouston.edu/community/heartwalk/photos.html.

Faculty featured in Texas Dental Journal

Richard D. Bebermeyer, D.D.S., professor of Restorative Dentistry, and Lisa P. Thomas, D.D.S., associate professor in Diagnostic Sciences and clinical assistant professor in Dental Public Health and Hygiene, have several articles published in the October 2005 issue of the Texas Dental Journal regarding infection control procedures. Thanks go to Dr. Bebermeyer and Dr. Thomas for representing the Dental Branch well.

DB students shine at student research symposium

Congratulations to the students who represented the Dental Branch at the Hinman Dental Student Research Symposium, Oct. 28-30. The symposium is a national meeting that features oral and poster presentations of research studies by dental students and graduate trainees from dental schools across North America. The following students did a fine job as ambassadors for the Dental Branch: Shad Hanis, Helen Martinez, Huong (Kathy) Phan, Matt Steffer, Michael Syamken, Ngoc (Nancy) Tran, Lisa Trevino, Alicia Tsai and Justin Wright.

Proposed tuition and fee changes

All D.D.S. students are invited to an open meeting at noon, Thursday, Nov. 10, in Room 207 of the Dental Branch to discuss proposed changes in the tuition and fees for the 2006-2007 academic year. Student, faculty and staff attendance is welcomed and encouraged.

NASA symposium gets recognition

The NASA symposium, from Skylab to Station … and on to Mars, which took place Sept. 14 and explained the relationship between America’s space program and the UT Dental Branch, was recently featured in the American Gravitational and Space Biology Society newsletter. The article gives a comprehensive overview of the event, which took place during the centennial year of the Dental Branch. This year also marks 40 years since the alliance began between NASA and the Dental Branch. View the article at http://asgsb.org/newsletter/v21_3/fall05.html.

As part of the society’s annual meeting, Nov. 1-4, Pauline Jackie Duke, Ph.D., professor of Orthodontics, who organized the NASA symposium, gave a presentation on "Countermeasures to the Effects of Gravity on the Skulls of Human Infants.”

Health and Technology Week

This week, Nov. 6-12, is Health Information and Technology Week, organized 16 years ago to recognize the professionals who maintain and protect the health information of individuals nationwide.

Several members of the Dental Branch family fit into this category. They are to be thanked for their efforts this week and throughout the year.

Continue your dental education

Ask yourself "Are You Practicing by the Rules,” 9 a.m.-noon, Friday, Nov. 11. This continuing education course will be presented by Boyd Shepherd, D.D.S., J.D., at the Marriott Houston Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Drive. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. Visit http://www.db.uth.tmc.edu/cont-ed.

The UTDBeflash is a weekly publication of The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston. We want to hear from you! Submit items for consideration to dbnewsdesk@uth.tmc.edu.