Topics at a glance: UTDB team’s summer mission in Nicaragua: Work, play, learn … Dr. Adibi’s occlusion videos now on YouTube …Dr. Hill joins UTDB pediatric dentistry faculty …Follow UT Shuttle on Twitter! …New faculty reception 2009

UTDB team’s summer mission in Nicaragua: Work, play, learn

The UT Dental Branch team of volunteers who went to Nicaragua this summer included, from left, Dr. Arti Gaur, Helene Suh, Dr. Jihoon Rha, Duncan Shepard and Hector Gomez. Shepard is a 2009 bioengineering graduate of Rice University who is working on a dental project.

Volunteers from The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston joined forces with doctors, physical therapists and nurses from The UT Medical Branch in Galveston to spend 16 days in rural Nicaragua earlier this summer, providing free health care to people in the countryside.

The Dental Branch volunteers included fourth-year dental students Helene Suh and Hector Gomez, plus recent UTDB graduate Jihoon Rha, D.D.S. (UTDB ’09), and Clinical Assistant Professor Arti Gaur, D.D.S. (‘06). Assistant Professor Janet Grobe Hood, D.D.S., helped organize the trip. Duncan Shepard, a 2009 bioengineering graduate of Rice University, also joined the dental team. Shepard has been working on a “dental backpack” that would adapt dental equipment for easy transport to areas without electricity, clean water or other modern conveniences.

The team’s experiences over the next 16 days opened their eyes to a different way of life, as they treated patients who ranged from the very young to adults in their 80s. FULL STORY

Shawn Adibi, D.D.S.

Dr. Adibi’s occlusion videos now on YouTube

Orange Practice Leader and Assistant Professor Shawn Adibi, D.D.S., has created a series of short videos on occlusion topics for third- and fourth-year dental students who want to refresh or reinforce concepts they will use in the clinical setting. The videos are posted on YouTube.

Adibi said he hopes the video format will be easy to access and simple to use, allowing students to review the material at convenient times. “I believe our students are receptive to this type of technology,” he said. “It offers flexibility of scheduling. They can watch it whenever they want, or they can read. They don’t need to feel intimidated or feel as if they’re burdening the class by asking questions.”

The current videos are titled, “What Is Occlusal Stability?” and “Why Is It Important to Have Mutually Protected Occlusion?” Adibi also taped an introduction to the series and may cover other topics in the future. Other faculty members interested in producing videos should contact Educational and Technology Services Manager David Taylor, Ed.D., at 713-500-4535.

Dr. Jennifer Hill

Dr. Hill joins UTDB pediatric dentistry faculty

The Department of Pediatric Dentistry welcomes Jennifer Hill, D.D.S., Dr.med.dent, Ph.D., who joined the UTDB faculty on Sept. 1. Hill has completed advanced education programs in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics and oral biology. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry who recently completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center. Her research has focused on a novel oral cancer gene discovery tool, tissue culture assays for evaluation of malignant transformation, and direct delivery of DNA to target tissue using a gene gun.

Follow UT Shuttle on Twitter!

Do you ride the UT Shuttle? Would you like to know when the shuttle is running late and why? These and other interesting bits of information can come to you via Twitter if you follow “UTHSCShuttle.”

New Faculty Reception 2009

Department chairs, associate deans and key staff members joined Interim Dean John A. Valenza, D.D.S., at a New Faculty Reception Aug. 27 at Trevisio in the John P. McGovern Texas Medical Center Commons. The event offered newcomers a chance to be introduced to their colleagues and to each other in a casual setting outside the office. MORE PHOTOS.

In the photo at left are Dr. Juliana Barros, Dr. Felipe Falcao and Dr. Chanseop Park.