Topics at a glance: 2009 DDS WHITE COAT CEREMONY UTDB welcomes future dentists to health care profession… 2009 DH WHITE COAT CEREMONY Dental hygiene Class of 2011 accepts duties of health care providers… UTDB dental hygiene students volunteer at health fair…SAVE THE DATE: Pediatric fundraiser set for March 19, 2010… Newspaper notes passing of Dr. Thoma, UTDB pathology chair…State Employees Charitable Campaign has new DB representatives

New dental students recite The Dentist’s Pledge at the end of the White Coat Ceremony Aug. 15. Photo by Brian Schnupp.

2009 DDS WHITE COAT CEREMONY
UTDB welcomes future dentists
to health care profession

Eighty-six new dental students participated in The University of Texas Dental Branch’s White Coat Ceremony Aug. 15, symbolically marking their new responsibilities in health care. This year’s participants included 84 members of the Class of 2013 and two transfer/advanced standing students who will join the Class of 2012. Keynote speaker
W. Kenneth Horwitz, D.D.S., UTDB Class of 1961, focused on ethics and professionalism. “The future of our profession is in your hands,” he said. “Treat it thoughtfully … trust your instincts and let truth be your guiding light.” FULL STORY.

New dental hygiene students take The Dental Hygiene Oath at the end of their Aug. 14 White Coat Ceremony.

2009 DH WHITE COAT CEREMONY
Dental hygiene Class of 2011
accepts duties of health care providers

The University of Texas Dental Branch School of Dental Hygiene welcomed 40 new students to a White Coat Ceremony Aug. 14, marking the students’ transition into the role of health care providers. The annual event was sponsored by the UTDB Dental Hygienists Alumni Association. Among the speakers was Interim Dean John A. Valenza, D.D.S., who described the history of the white coat. What began as a tool for enhancing cleanliness eventually became a symbol, he noted. “The white coat is the most recognizable symbol of the profession. … (It) introduces you, before you say a word, as someone committed to a higher standard of competence and caring,” he said. FULL STORY.

UTDB dental hygiene students volunteer at health fair

Dental hygiene students from the UT Dental Branch volunteered to help at the St. Martin’s Health Fair Aug. 1, where they did dental screenings and gave oral health instructions to approximately 150 children. The health fair drew approximately 700 people. Other volunteers provided hearing and vision screenings, immunizations, and information on nutrition and exercise, and the Houston Zoo donated 200 tickets. St. Martin’s provided school supplies for all the school-age students whose families received at least four of the 10 health services provided.

UTDB Dental hygiene volunteers included (from left) Dandi Johnson, Kathy Colston, R.D.H. (faculty); Marge Batterson, Lindsey Us, Ashton Spiller, Jessica McCrorey, Kari Szymanski and Claudette Mims.

SAVE THE DATE: Pediatric fundraiser set for March 19, 2010

The Department of Pediatric Dentistry is planning for the future – big time. When the Dental Branch moves to a new building in 2012, the Pediatric Department would like the new predoctoral clinic to be decorated as a “kid-friendly, calming environment,” with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology.

Toward that end, UT Dental Branch friends and alumni are invited to save Friday, March 19, 2010 for a fundraising event that will serve up a continuing education course, dinner and dance at The Aquarium in Houston. “Sand Sea Sounds and Stainless Steel Crowns” will feature a Caribbean theme from start to finish, from the CE course topics to the food and steel drum music.

Pediatric Dentistry Department Chair Sanford J. “Sandy” Fenton, D.D.S., plans to ask for donations of $1,000, which will entitle the giver to two tickets to the dinner-dance, as well as the CE course that several renowned speakers have volunteered to teach. At the dinner event, Fenton is hoping some tables will have corporate sponsors, making it possible for students and residents to attend.

The event planning committee includes Drs. Fenton, Ken Jones, Susie Seybold, Freddy Cessac, Regina Lewis, Laji James and Rita Cammarata, and Fenton said they’ll be working on spreading the word in the dental community and to possible sponsors. More information is available by contacting Fenton at 713-500-4176 or Sanford.J.Fenton@uth.tmc.edu.

Save the date, but don’t start shopping for fancy attire. “You’ll be at the beach, kid,” Fenton said. “It’ll be completely casual. We want people to have fun.”

Newspaper notes passing of Dr. Thoma, UTDB pathology chair

George W. Thoma, M.D.

An obituary in the Aug. 16 Houston Chronicle noted the Aug. 8 death in Galveston of George William Thoma, Jr., M.D., a former professor of general pathology at the Dental Branch. According to the obituary, Thoma joined the staff in 1961, and went full-time at the Dental Branch in 1967 when the school adopted a self-paced curriculum that allowed him to test his ideas about reforming education. He is credited with enlarging and expanding the diagnostic biopsy service, expanding the clinical diagnostic service and establishing the first approved residency training program in oral pathology in Texas. He was the first pathologist to chair the combined Departments of General and Oral Pathology. The author of 24 scientific publications, Thoma was thesis chairman of pathology for many graduate dentists working on master’s degrees in dental specialties. After retirement in 1983, he moved to Galveston and taught weekly seminars in pathology at The UT Medical Branch for the residents in oral and maxillofacial surgery until his 80th birthday.

State Employees Charitable Campaign has new DB representatives

Jayne Little, executive assistant in the Office of the Dean, and Deborah Noel, senior executive assistant in the Office of Patient Care, have agreed to serve on the Steering Committee for the State Employees Charitable Campaign. They replaced John O’Black and Mamie Ellis.