Results: 295 news stories

UT Health San Antonio scientist discovers stress-triggered pathway behind migraines

Migraines are more than just bad headaches; they stem from a genetic neurological disease that causes suffering for one in seven people. Those who experience migraines can have a myriad of debilitating symptoms, including pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and visual disturbances that prevent them from participating in work and family life. Pain is one […]


What causes TMJ pain and what can I do about it?

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is a common issue for many patients seen in UT Dentistry clinics. In an interview, Felix Amarista, DDS, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery clinical assistant professor at UT Health Science Center San Antonio, discusses the primary causes and treatment for TMJ injury and pain. 


Flossing is a simple step toward big health benefits

Small steps can lead to big improvements in oral health, and regular flossing is a key part of that. Experts at the School of Dentistry share advice on how to floss correctly, the benefits of different flossing tools and why keeping your gums clean is crucial to overall health.


Orthodontics: More than meets the eye

Orthodontics is often seen as a way to achieve a beautiful smile, but it offers so much more. Maria Karakousoglou, BDS, MS, explains how orthodontic care can improve speech, breathing and overall health while preventing chronic issues like jaw pain and even headaches.


Dental and speech-language pathology students learn from each other during interprofessional activity focused on dysphagia management

  When people with swallowing disorders also have poor oral health, they are at greater risk of serious health complications — including aspiration pneumonia. Dentists and speech-language pathologists encounter patients with swallowing disorders, including dysphagia, a condition that affects millions of Americans — particularly older adults. To ensure that dental students and speech-language pathology students […]


Historic milestone for Texas dental hygienists: Brenda Wertman becomes first at UT Health San Antonio to obtain local anesthesia license

In a significant advancement for the dental hygiene profession, Brenda Wertman, MPH, RDH, assistant professor/clinical of UT Health San Antonio’s dental hygiene program, became the first dental hygienist at the institution to receive a license for local infiltration anesthesia. 

This historic achievement not only marks a turning point for dental hygienists in Texas but also celebrates the shared journey of advocacy for this expanded scope of practice for over 35 years.


School of Dentistry volunteers transform lives through Communities Under the Bridge Program

With the guidance of Mitzi Roberts, area director of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) in San Antonio, the Communities Under the Bridge program has been connected with faculty and students from the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry to help make meaningful impacts on underserved communities in San Antonio. 


Kenneth M. Hargreaves honored with the 2025 Edgar D. Coolidge Award

Kenneth M. Hargreaves, DDS, PhD, professor of endodontics and director of the Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research at UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Edgar D. Coolidge Award.


Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research earns first NIH grant

The School of Dentistry earned the first National Institutes of Health grant under its new Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research, addressing pain in patients with head and neck carcinoma.


Oral health’s hidden role in cancer care

Dental care is crucial for cancer patients and survivors to help reduce complications, improve treatment tolerance and enhance overall quality of life, according to oral medicine specialist Tiffany Tavares, DDS, DMSc.


National Dental Hygiene Month: Protecting the body starts with a smile

The condition of teeth and gums plays a crucial role in overall well-being, according to Veronica Ledesma, MS, RDH, an assistant clinical professor and dental hygiene program co-director at UT Health Science Center San Antonio School of Dentistry.

National Dental Hygiene Month is a good reminder of the importance of oral health and the work of prevention professionals like Ledesma. She explains that proper dental hygiene not only creates a bright smile but also contributes significantly to protecting the body from disease and inflammation.


Germanic News: Das NIH unterstützt die Forschung zur nicht-opioiden Schmerzlinderung bei Mundkrebspatienten

Shivani Ruparel, PhD, associate professor of endodontics; Kenneth M. Hargreaves, DDS, PhD, professor of endodontics; and Peter M. Loomer, DDS, PhD, MBA, professor and dean, all with the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry, are quoted in this article.   Read More


News-Medical: NIH supports research on non-opioid pain relief for oral cancer patients

Shivani Ruparel, PhD, associate professor of endodontics; Kenneth M. Hargreaves, DDS, PhD, professor of endodontics; and Peter M. Loomer, DDS, PhD, MBA, professor and dean, all with the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry, are quoted in this article.   Read More


School of Dentistry emphasizes need for preseason dental screenings for athletes

Preventive dental screenings are not considered part of preseason physicals for athletic teams, but through partnerships, the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry has made those exams and custom mouth-guard fittings routine for UTSA football and the San Antonio Spurs.


San Antonio Express-News: How the UT System is supporting Laredo’s workforce, economy and future

UT Health San Antonio was mentioned in this opinion article.   Read More (subscription required)


UT Health San Antonio, UTSA salute health care workers at homecoming game with free and BOGO ticket offers

  Join UT Health San Antonio and The University of Texas at San Antonio as they celebrate health care workers during the Roadrunner’s Oct. 19 football game. As part of the UTSA Athletics Salute to Hometown Heroes initiative, UT Health San Antonio dignitaries will recognize the unwavering commitment of health care workers at the homecoming […]


UT Dentistry is going pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This October, UT Dentistry clinics will be donning pink personal protective equipment (PPE) in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection and education and to raise funds for research.


Christina M. Meiners, DDS, named Texas Dentist of the Year

We are proud to share that Christina M. Meiners, DDS, FICD, director of community learning and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, was presented with the 2024 Texas Dentist of the Year Award. 


Sterile Processing Department Receives the 2024 Superior Lab Safety Award

The School of Dentistry is proud to announce that the Sterile Processing Department at the Center for Oral Health Care and Research has been honored with the prestigious Superior Lab Safety Award. This award, traditionally given to research labs, was presented in recognition of the department’s exceptional efforts in fostering a positive culture of safety, making it the first non-research lab to receive this distinction.


UT Health San Antonio dental student recipient of ICD-WUDAA Scholarship for a fourth year

For the fourth year in a row, a School of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery student is named the recipient of the International College of Dentists (ICD) and Washington University Dental Alumni Association (WUDAA) Scholarship Award. The 2024 awardee for this highly competitive national scholarship is senior Tyler Stevens.