Topics at a glance: 2009 Student Table Clinic Presentations draw a crowd...NEW FACULTY: Dr. Ali Obeidi brings expertise in lasers, biomaterials...NEW EMPLOYEE: Jayne Little joins development staff...SEEN ON TV: Dr. Johnson, Urgent Care Clinic featured on Channel 11...April 12-18 is Health Information Privacy, Security Week...First-year DH student elected to ASDHA position...UTDB faculty, students turn out for biomedical engineering conference...

2009 Student Table Clinic Presentations draw a crowd

Dr. Rick Bebermeyer listens as fourth-year dental students Charles Nguyen and Hanh Hoang describe their project to Dr. Sandy Fenton at the 2009 Student Table Clinics. Hoang and Nguyen presented “Cariogenicity of Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate.” Their sponsor was Assistant Professor Cynthia Trajtenberg, D.D.S.

The program for this year’s 2009 Student Table Clinic Presentations held April 3 listed 32 projects featuring research and case studies. Many will be presented later this month at the Star of the South Dental Convention sponsored by the Greater Houston Dental Society at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. CLICK HERE to see a list of presenters, sponsors and topics at the Dental Branch’s student table clinics




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NEW FACULTY:
Dr. Ali Obeidi brings expertise in lasers, biomaterials

Ali Obeidi, D.D.S.

Ali Obeidi, D.D.S., is a new assistant professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials. He is a graduate of Beheshti Medical University (formerly National University) School of Dentistry in Tehran, Iran, and holds two master’s degrees, including one in clinical dentistry and biomaterials from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and another in laser dentistry from RWTH Aachen University in Germany. His research interests include clinical applications of lasers in dentistry, and dental biomaterials.

A native of Iran, Obeidi was in clinical practice from 2000-2006 and before deciding to continue his education, worked in government services, private practice and hospital-based dental clinics. He is a country representative member in the World Federation for Laser Dentistry and an active member of Academy of Laser Dentistry (ALD) and American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS), Emirates Medical Association and the Iranian Medical Council. He is the winner of the student-resident research award from ASLMS (2003) and ALD (2008). He also won the Academic Excellence Award from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2008.

Obeidi’s office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in Room 479, and he can be contacted at Ext. 4261 or ali.obeidi@uth.tmc.edu.

NEW EMPLOYEE:
Jayne Little joins development staff

Jayne Little

The UT Dental Branch has a new employee, Jayne Little, who joined the staff April 1 as an executive assistant in the Development Office. She is a former 15-year employee of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where she worked as an executive assistant in administration, clinical and research settings until late last year, when UTMB had to lay off thousands of workers after Hurricane Ike. The storm sent nearly 7 feet of flood water into the office where Little had worked, “and everything literally floated away,” she says. The Santa Fe resident comes from a big family and says she’s “a great aunt 10 times over.” This time of year, she spends a lot of time at baseball games where her grand-nieces or grand-nephews are playing, and she also enjoys arranging flowers, working in the garden and taking care of her two beloved Chihuahuas, Hanna and Molly. In her new job, Little will assist Development Director John Greer and others in the dean’s office. Her hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays in B-28. Reach her by phone at 713-500-4386 or Jayne.Little@uth.tmc.edu.

SEEN ON TV:
Dr. Johnson, Urgent Care Clinic featured on Channel 11

KHOU (Channel 11) came to the Dental Branch this week to do a story about affordable dental care in the predoctoral clinics. Reporter Sherry Williams interviewed Urgent Care Clinic Director C.D. Johnson, D.D.S., in a segment titled, “Inside One of the Best Dental Bargains in Houston.” If you missed the broadcast, see it on the Channel 11 Web site http://www.ahima.org/hipsweek/HIPS09_logo.jpg .

April 12-18 is Health Information Privacy, Security Week

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) will sponsor the sixth annual Health Information Privacy and Security Week April 12-18. The theme this year is “Protecting Information — It’s a Top Priority.” Medical identity theft is a fast-growing problem in the United States. The Justice Department estimates that personal health information has a street value of $25 to $50. Criminals heavily pursue the opportunity to buy and sell health information and will often enlist employees who work in facilities to steal patient information, or entice physicians to submit claims and create false billing accounts. An MIT Response Checklist developed by AHIMA provides free response guidance for victims of this crime. To access the checklist, visit www.myphr.com, click on the “Keep Your Health Information Safe” button, and scroll down to the “Medical Identity Theft Response Checklist” link. Visit myPHR.com for detailed consumer health information and consumer privacy rights. AHIMA represents more than 53,000 specially educated HIM professionals who serve health care and the public by managing, analyzing and utilizing data vital for health system management. www.ahima.org

First-year DH student elected to ASDHA position

Detra Early

First-year dental hygiene student Detra Early has been elected as an alternate delegate for the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA). The ADHA has 12 districts throughout the nation. One student delegate and one student alternate delegate are chosen to represent each district/area. The selected delegates represent all student ADHA members at the Center for Lifelong Learning and the annual meeting June 17-23 in Washington, D.C. While there, Early will have the opportunity to network with other students and registered dental hygienists while being introduced to policy issues and advocacy efforts. She will also see the latest cutting-edge products and can attend scientific sessions. At UTDB, advisors for the Student ADHA are Nina Bay Infante, R.D.H. and Margo Y. Melchor, R.D.H

UTDB faculty, students turn out for biomedical engineering conference

"Changes in Gloss after Aging, Straining, and Polishing of Pre-veneered Stainless Steel Crowns"
• Dr. Bret Ibarra
• Dr. Joe Ontiveros
• Dr. Jung-Wei Chen
• Dr. Robert Tate
• Dr. Rade Paravina
• Dr. Leslie Roeder

"The Effects of Aging and Staining on Preveneered Stainless Steel Crown"
• Dr. Joi Shaw
• Dr. Jung-Wei Chen
• Dr. Sudarat Kiat-amnuay
• Dr. Joe Ontiveros
• Dr. Rade Paravina

"Biometric Functionally Graded Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering"
• Dr. Jai Kim
• Dr. Y. "Peter" Yang

"Chitosan-Ellagic Acid Composite Film Displays an Anti-Tumor Effect on Brain Cancer as a Local Delivery System"
• S. Kim (University of Tennessee)
• Dr. Y. "Peter" Yang

"Time Course of Healing in Skull Defects Implanted with Engineered Cartilage"
• Dr. P. Jackie Duke
• Dr. Lan Doan
• Connor Kelley
• Heather Luong
• Hector Gomez
• Evan Johnson and Dr. D. Cody (University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

"Quartz Crystal Microbalance for the Study of Complex Living Cell System"
• Dr. Tiean Zhou

COMING APRIL 20:
Future professionals team up to solve problems for elderly

Thirty-two students from dentistry, dental hygiene, medicine, nursing, health information sciences, public health, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work and pharmacy will team up to solve one big problem at the second annual Interdisciplinary Team Competition set for 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 20 at the first-floor auditorium of The University of Texas School of Nursing and Student Community Center, 6901 Bertner. Two teams will compete to develop a disaster plan for Harris County elders. A panel of judges will choose the best of the two plans. The public is invited to this event, sponsored by the Houston Geriatric Education Center. A reception honoring the participants will follow the competition. At the orientation and pizza party on Jan. 26, the students were divided into two groups to work as interdisciplinary teams. Team members bring their knowledge and training to bear as they visit senior housing facilities for hurricane evacuees, interview social service agencies, investigate Houston resources and search the disaster literature. Dental Branch students who are participating include Thanh Kim Le, Tanya Miller, Yudith Rodriguez and Karen Wen. Faculty participants from the Dental Branch are Assistant Professor June Sadowsky, D.D.S., and Associate Professor Donna Warren-Morris, R.D.H. For more information, contact Kyler Godwin at (713) 500-9170 or kyler.m.godwin@uth.tmc.edu.