Orascoptic dental company has donated three Body Guard Chairs and three Lumen Arc Lights to the Dental Branch School of Dental Hygiene. The School of Dental Hygiene is one of only five schools in the nation to receive this donation of ergonomically safe dental equipment. The equipment is valued at $5,250.

“This donation will benefit the school by allowing both the dental hygiene and dental students, along with the faculty, the opportunity to treat patients using the ergonomically correct positioning,” said Nina Infante, director of the School of Dental Hygiene.  "In the long run, this will allow the practitioners to treat patients longer and more comfortably.”

The chairs will be located in three different places around the school -- the Oral Maintenance and Prevention clinic, the UT Dentists clinic and the Dental Hygiene clinic.

The donation was made by the Orascoptic dental company, which supports a program called Donate to Educate.

Holly Rice (left), clinical associate professor in Periodontics, tested the materials donated by Orascoptic during an equipment presentation in the Clinical Simulation and Learning Center.

The UT Dental Branch is safe and secure, thanks to seemingly ever-present Senior Guard Reginald Rainey.

Rainey, who has worked with the UT Police Department for 20 years, has served 10 of those years at the Dental Branch.

His responsibilities include opening the building each morning at 6:45 a.m.
Every conference room, classroom and lab is checked for security purposes.

Throughout the day Rainey is the eyes and ears for the school. He surveys the premises and assists patients with their needs. He is also extremely helpful to the media relations team during the scheduling of television interviews on campus.

"I truly enjoy working with the people at the Dental Branch,” Rainey said. “That is what has kept me here. And as you can imagine, I have learned a lot about dentistry over the years."

Rainey started off as most UT Police guards with a schedule that required rotation throughout the schools in the health science center, but 10 years ago a group of Dental Branch faculty requested that he be placed at the Dental Branch full-time.

“I enjoy all aspects of the job,” he said. “But helping people is my real passion.”

Rainey is the father of two girls, Raquel, 14 and Symone, 11. In his free time he enjoys movies and yard work.  

If you have a classmate or co-worker who would make a good profile in DB People, send an e-mail to dbnewsdesk@uth.tmc.edu.

Dario Rodriguez, C.D., has joined the department of Prosthodontics as a dental technician II.

Rodriguez is responsible for fabricating removable prostheses, such as dentures, and for developing esthetic metal-ceramic restorations for use in the various clinics at the Dental Branch. 

Prior to arriving in Houston, Rodriguez lived in Brazil, where he received his education from Faculdade De Odontologia de Pernambuc. It was there that he studied to be a certified dental technician and certified dentist, earning him the C.D. credentials. Rodriguez said he does plan to pursue a career as a dentist in the U.S.

Rodriguez’ wife of 30 years, Miriam, also worked as a dentist in Brazil. They have four children, Rene, 24; Dario, 22 ; Carlos, 19 and Anderson, 17.

Rodriguez is located in the first floor outpatient lab. He can be reached at 713-500-4136.

A group of faculty and residents in the department of Prosthodontics presented to the Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry in Dallas, Jan. 18.

Pictured from left to right: Maria Gonzalez, D.D.S., assistant professor, presented on Processed Interim Restorations; Juan Carlos Fernandez, D.D.S., second-year resident, Occlusal Plane Discrepancies; Leticia Perezous, D.D.S., assistant professor, Palatal Tissue Response of HIV Infected Complete Denture Patients; Mayra Wong, D.D.S., second-year resident, worked with Fernandez on the presentation Occlusal Plane Discrepancies.