Results: 219 news stories
2021 Senior Awards
The School of Dentistry hosted the 2021 Senior Hooding and Awards Convocation Ceremony on May 20.
Dental Student featured in “Real Jobs” video series
Joi Walls, a rising fourth-year dental student, was recently featured by InTheKnow.com for the series titled “Real Jobs” that profiles young adults aspiring to enter various careers. The five-minute video follows Joi through her day caring for patients and creating content for her YouTube channel. Joi speaks about her inspiration for entering the profession of dentistry and her motivation for sharing her journey that she hopes will “usher in the next generation of young, Black dentists,” writes Katie Mather from InTheKnow. Watch Joi’s “Real Story” at InTheKnow.com.
School of Dentistry confirmed as an ITI Scholarship Center
The International Team for Implantology’s (ITI) Board of Directors and Leadership Development Committee confirmed by unanimous vote in May the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry as an ITI Scholarship Center. The center, to be housed in the Department of Periodontics and under the direction of Associate Professor Georgios Kotsakis, DDS, MS, aims to further the training of professional dentists who have completed postgraduate training in implant dentistry or another related field. One ITI Scholar will be hosted by the center for a one-year period, extending from S
Predoctoral Convocation Awards 2021
The 2021 Predoctoral Convocation Award ceremony was held on April 28. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of freshmen, sophomore and junior dental students. Kristi Morris, DS3, was awarded the UT Health San Antonio Ambassador Scholarship. This honor is given each year to one outstanding student from each of the five UT Health San Antonio schools. A $5,000 scholarship was awarded to each ambassador in April. Kristi will represent the dental student body and the university at numerous events throughout the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr.
Brian Mealey stepping down after 15 years as graduate program director
Brian L. Mealey, DDS, MS, professor and director of the Graduate Program in Periodontics, will be stepping down as program director on June 1, 2021. “I have always deeply respected our faculty and staff,” Mealey said. “A fault of mine is that I didn’t tell them how much I appreciated them as often as I should have. These men and women – our faculty, our dental assistants, and our administrative staff – they make our residency what it is. Not the program director. To all of them, I offer my deepest gratitude.” Dr.
39th Annual School of Dentistry Research and Clinical Symposium
The School of Dentistry held its 39th Annual Research and Clinical Symposium on Saturday, April 10, 2021.
Another successful admissions season is due to faculty and student volunteers
The School of Dentistry is in its final stages of selecting the Class of 2025 thanks to the many faculty and dental students who helped interview and evaluate the hopeful applicants this current cycle. A committee of dedicated faculty members makes up the school’s Admission Review Panel (ARP) Committee.
Senior dental student learned more than dentistry on pediatric rotation
Larissa Sanchez is a senior dental student with her sights set on graduation this May. Over the past four years, she and her classmates have been exposed to a number of community-based training experiences meant to enhance their skills for providing dental care and managing a diverse patient population. One such rotation is conducted at Ricardo Salinas Clinic, an affiliated training site, that provides students with valuable clinical training working with children.
Collaboration is king at UT Dentistry
Within a dental practice as large and diverse as the UT Health San Antonio’s School of Dentistry, it’s easy for a new patient to feel a little nervous before their first appointment. This was certainly the case for Jeffrey Almquist, a patient who sought treatment at the school. Mr. Almquist’s hesitation was quickly quelled, though, after meeting Jorge Silva, a senior dental student who would provide his care. “I felt secure and liked him from the start,” says Mr. Almquist of Jorge.
Perio residents sweep 2021 Prichard Research Competition
Ryushiro Sugita, DDS, and Michael P. Vieth, DDS, both third year residents of the Graduate Program in Periodontics have been announced as winners of their respective categories at the Southwest Society of Periodontists’ (SWSP) 2021 John F. Prichard Graduate Research Competition. Dr. Sugita won in the Basic Sciences Research Category for his presentation titled “Evaluation of a Novel Bone Adhesive for Stabilization of Implants in Canine Oversized Osteotomies”. Taking the win for the Clinical Sciences Research Category was Dr.
Entire class of third year Perio residents named Prichard finalists
Every third year resident of the Graduate Program in Periodontics has been selected as a finalist of the Southwest Society of Periodontists’ (SWSP) 2021 John F. Prichard Graduate Research Competition. Hunter Allen, DDS, Amanda Morris, DMD, Ryushiro Sugita, DDS, and Michael Vieth, DDS, were each selected as a competition finalist by SWSP, securing four of six spots. “This speaks highly of our residents and of the quality of their research,” says Brian Mealey, DDS, MS, professor and director of the Graduate Program in Periodontics.
Top 10 School of Dentistry Stories of 2020
There is no denying that the School of Dentistry’s community supports its own.
School-based prevention rotation to distribute over 400 electric toothbrushes to Roy Cisneros Elementary students
Nearly four hundred and fifty students at Roy Cisneros Elementary School, part of the Edgewood Independent School District, will be able to take home electronic powered toothbrushes thanks to a donation by Proctor and Gamble, facilitated by Juanita Lozano-Pineda, DDS, MPH, associate dean of external affairs, and Nora Olivo, academic programs coordinator for the Hispanic Center of Excellence. Each term, second year dental students and senior nursing students complete a school-based prevention rotation by visiting the local elementary to teach good habits in oral hygiene and nutrition. The rot
SADHA members create short video documenting changes to their program post-COVID-19
Members of the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA) answered a challenge by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) to submit a short video showcasing how students are overcoming academic and clinical challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senior dental hygiene student, Leslie Sanchez, serves as the students’ video committee lead and felt it was essential to have fun with the project despite the serious subject matter. “We wanted to give outsiders a glimpse of the adjustments the dental hygiene program has made in the midst of a pandemic,” Leslie said.
DS3 takes first place at OPEN’s 2020 scientific poster competition
Jessica De La Fuente, DS3, was awarded first place in the scientific poster competition at The Oral Health Progress and Equity Network’s (OPEN) virtual 2020 meeting. Her comparative study, “Determinants of Oral Health: Dental Products Availability by Geographic Areas”, investigated the availability of dental products and access to care in different zip codes throughout San Antonio.
School of Dentistry's 50th Anniversary Celebration Recap
The School of Dentistry, in partnership with the Office of Institutional Advancement, hosted their virtual 50th Anniversary Celebration on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. The evening opened with a recorded message from San Antonio Mayor, Ron Nirenberg who congratulated the school on its “historic milestone” and “continuing a trajectory of success” over the course of its 50 years. Dean Peter M.
STOHN intern awarded 3rd place at the 2020 Community Engagement Symposium
The South Texas Oral Health Network (STOHN), a Dental Pratice-Based Research Network funded by the UT Health San Antonio's Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA), is pleased to announce that their intern Karla Garcia was awarded third place by The Institute for Integration Science and Medicine (IIMS) for her poster presentation titled “Silver Diamine Fluoride: A Suit of Armor for Children” at the 2020 Virtual Community Engagement (CE) Symposium held November 7, 2020. Karla is an intern for the STOHN/The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) internship program and a senior s
Call for nominations: 2021 School of Dentistry Faculty Research & Master Clinician Awards
The School of Dentistry is currently accepting nominations for the 2021 Faculty Research and Master Clinician Awards to recognize outstanding faculty performance in both categories. The Faculty Research Award is aimed at acknowledging the outstanding, lifetime scientific achievements made by a dental faculty member, while the Master Clinician Award will honor a full-time dental faculty member who provides direct patient care activities.
Meet the Faculty: Dr. Tiffany Tavares
The School of Dentistry welcomes back to campus Tiffany Tavares, DDS, DMSc, a new clinical assistant professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry’s Oral Medicine Clinic. Dr. Tavares earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Universidade Federal Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and her Doctor of Medical Sciences degree from Harvard School of Dental Medicine. She also completed an oral medicine residency at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching hospital affiliated with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, in 2018. Dr.
50th Anniversary Virtual Celebration
In partnership with the Office of Institutional Advancement, The School of Dentistry is hosting a 50th Anniversary Virtual Celebration on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm via the GoToMeeting platform. In an email announcement to dental faculty, staff, and students, Dean Peter M. Loomer, BSc, DDS, PhD, MRCD(C), FACD, mentioned that program highlights will include a welcome from President William L.