Topics at a glance: Dental Branch informatics research nominated for awards at American Medical Informatics Association meeting … KTRK comes to Dental Branch for CT scan story … Wanted for WinterFest: "Happy Holidays" in your native language … Second Annual Holiday Sale set for Dec. 6 at UTDB … TCH prepares for Dec. 11 groundbreaking beside UTDB … Town hall meeting with Dr. Shine Dec. 11 at IMM … DH students present oral health program to students at Rice University … Dec. 14 is deadline for Jimenez Leadership Award nominations

Dental Branch informatics research nominated for awards
at American Medical Informatics Association meeting

Two UT Dental Branch presentations were finalists for outstanding informatics research awards at the recent 2007 American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) conference in Chicago.

Jung-Wei (Anna) Chen, D.D.S., M.S., presented “Comparing Text-Based and Graphic User Interfaces for Novice and Expert Users.” The paper, written in collaboration with Jiajie Zhang, Ph.D., professor and associate dean for research at the UT School of Health Information Sciences (SHIS), was one of seven finalists selected from more than 130 papers by students who were first-authors of full papers in the Student Paper Competition.

The other award nominee was James “Jim” Spence’s poster on clinical workflow, a finalist in the best poster competition. In all, eight UTDB faculty and staff members attended the conference, presenting one paper and six posters showcasing innovative informatics initiatives at the Dental Branch.

The six projects illustrated by posters included work generated from the electronic patient record system, the simulation center and new research exploring an online, shareable digital radiography project and a decision support tool for patients.

Those attending from UTDB included Chen, who is a doctoral candidate at SHIS and interim Program Director of the Pediatric Dentistry Postgraduate Program at the Dental Branch; Spence, manager of Clinical Information Resources; Muhammad Walji, Ph.D., assistant professor in diagnostic sciences at UTDB and adjunct assistant professor at SHIS; second-year dental student John Loeffelholz; Executive Associate Dean and Associate Professor John Valenza, D.D.S.; David Taylor, Ed.D., adjunct associate professor in diagnostic sciences; Sheryl Kim Chambers, M.B.A., director of patient services; and Learning Resources Center Manager Randolph "Randy" Baber.

Chen’s co-author and mentor, Jiajie Zhang, Ph.D., is the Dr. Doris L. Ross Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the UT School of Health Information Sciences.

“The speakers were truly among the elite in the field of medical informatics,” Spence said. “I was also impressed by the number and quality of posters and papers that were authored by the faculty and staff of the Dental Branch, and that two were nominated for awards. This strong showing further solidifies our national leadership and commitment to the increasingly important field of medical and dental informatics. I felt honored to be a part of the team representing our institution.”

Taylor said the event “was a great opportunity to be introduced to what's going on in the fast-growing field of medical informatics, and I especially enjoyed socializing with our colleagues from the (UT) School of Health Information Sciences, who attend this conference regularly."

Walji said he hopes the momentum generated by the conference will help UTDB continue to strengthen its informatics initiatives to improve patient care and research. Chen said the convention offered opportunities for professional growth.

“AMIA is a great learning experience, you have the chance to learn, explore and network with health informaticians,” she said.

The AMIA (www.amia.org) is dedicated to the development and application of biomedical and health informatics in the support of patient care, teaching, research and healthcare administration. More than 2,000 people attended the conference, where 170 scientific papers and 320 posters were presented.

Abstracts of all the presentations will be indexed in Pubmed.

For a list of UTDB Presentations at the AMIA, Click here.

KTRK comes to Dental Branch for CT scan story

An unidentified camera man for television station KTRK filmed reporter Christi Meyers and Jeryl English, D.D.S., chairman of the Orthodontics Department.

KTRK-TV (Channel 13) came to the Dental Branch recently for a story on a newly recognized link between multiple CT scans and increased cancer risk. In the 6:30 p.m. broadcast, reporter Christi Meyers interviewed UT Assistant Professor of Radiology Charles Beasley, Ph.D., about the report, then spoke with Orthodontics Chairman Jeryl English, D.D.S., about the Galileos 3-D Conebeam Scanner, which greatly reduces the amount of radiation patients get during oral scans. The edited segment posted on the KTRK Web site features Orthodontics Clinic Director Kathleen McGrory, D.D.S., and Clinical Assistant Professor Robert Lee, D.D.S., demonstrating how the scanner works. To see the segment, visit the KTRK Website.

Wanted for WinterFest:

In advance of the Dental Branch’s Dec. 19 holiday party, International WinterFest 2007, the UTDB Employee Relations Committee is collecting translations of the words “Happy Holidays” in the wide variety of languages spoken by students, faculty and staff at the Dental Branch. These translations will be featured on a large sign at the party. WinterFest will be held from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19 in the First Floor Lobby.

Translations received so far are in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Arabic (Egyptian) and French. If you can speak another language and would like to see it represented, please e-mail the translation to John.OBlack@uth.tmc.edu by Friday, Dec. 7. If your language requires a different alphabet and can’t be e-mailed, please write out the phrase and drop it off at the Instructional Media Department, Room 161-A, where it will be scanned into the computer.

TCH prepares for Dec. 11 groundbreaking beside UTDB

Beginning Wednesday, Dec. 5, Texas Children's Hospital will begin preparing the JJ Lot for a Tuesday, Dec. 11, ground-breaking event as the formal kick-off for the new Texas Children’s Neurological Research Institute. A tent will be installed within the existing construction barrier surrounding the majority of the site. The service drive will remain open. The tent will be removed and the site cleared on Wednesday, Dec. 12.

DH nacho fundraiser
lures buyers to basement

Third-year DDS students Katy Poramapornpilas and Quoc-Thang Lam survey the possibilities at the recent Nacho Sale in the Dental Branch basement sponsored by UT dental hygiene students as a fund-raising event. Connie Deleon, a first-year dental hygiene student, waits for a decision about dessert.

Town hall meeting with Dr. Shine Dec. 11 at IMM

Kenneth Shine, M.D., executive vice chancellor for health affairs for The University of Texas System, will conduct a Town Hall meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 11, in the Atrium of the Institute of Molecular Medicine. As the chair of the Advisory Committee that will recommend candidates to the Board of Regents, Shine will outline the process for the selection of the next president of UTHSC-H. He also will answer questions and solicit comments from the audience.

Second Annual Holiday Sale coming Thursday to UTDB

Barbecue, tacos, sweets, arts and crafts, jewelry, cosmetics, toys and scrap-booking materials are just a few of the items that will be offered at the Second Annual Holiday Sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 6, in the basement at the Dental Branch. More than 20 vendors have signed for the UTDB Employee Relations Committee-sponsored event.

The UTDB Research Office will have a table at the sale offering complimentary gift wrapping and featuring a 3 p.m. drawing for prizes (need not be present to win). A special guest will be certified healing touch therapist Yvonne Debina. Brochures, handouts and therapeutic oils will be available. Personalized ornaments made by Patty Adams will be available, as will Home Interior TM items. Types of payment accepted will vary; some are accepting cash, checks, MasterCard or Visa, but other vendors may or may not be able to accept the full range of payment options. To be safe, bring cash!

DH students present oral health program to students at Rice University

In November, UTDB dental hygiene students Jana Mannen, Deissy Ayala and Patricia Mitchell gave an oral hygiene presentation to students at Rice University as part of a Wellness Program lecture series. They covered prevention of oral diseases, the links between oral diseases and systemic diseases and contemporary topics such as whitening. This is the second year that UT dental hygiene students have been invited to participate in this lecture series.

UT Dental Hygiene students (from left) Jana Mannen, Deissy Ayala and Patricia Mitchell were presenters in a Wellness Series at Rice University in November.

Dec. 14 is deadline for Jimenez Leadership Award nominations

Faculty and staff around the UT Health Science Center are urged to nominate a deserving colleague for the Third Annual Michael J. Jimenez Leadership in Action Award. The ongoing award honors the memory of the late Mike Jimenez, former vice president and chief human resources officer. The third annual award will be presented in February 2008 at The STAR Awards luncheon, the annual occasion honoring personnel on multiples of five-year service anniversaries.

“Eligible persons are those individuals among our faculty, A&P and classified staff who have demonstrated the traits that we so admired in Mike,” explained Health Science Center President James T. Willerson, M.D. “The award is a great honor for a deserving campus leader.” Willerson added that a $5,000 cash prize underscores the importance of leadership within the health science center community. Submit nominations by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, by e-mail to UT Counseling & WorkLife Services. For more information, contact Sam Hester at 713-500-3013 or sam.hester@uth.tmc.edu.