GSDM Volunteers Contribute 1011 Hours During 2016 Global Days of Service!
During 2016’s Global Days of Service (which wrapped up on May 31, 2016), 251 students, faculty, and staff from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) volunteered a total of 1011 hours at several different community service locations throughout Boston.
Boston University’s Global Days of Service is an approximately one-month-long annual event that allows alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends from all areas of the Boston University network to give back to their local, national, and international communities.
Members of the GSDM community served their 1011 volunteer hours (a more than 100 percent increase from 2015) at 41 different service events across Boston, helping to make this year’s Global Days of Service a huge success.
In her role as Oral Health Promotion Director at GSDM, Ms. Kathy Lituri served a crucial role in the planning and coordination of most of the events. Ms. Lituri worked with Stacey McNamee, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving; and Sheree Norquist, Program Administrator to plan the events.
“I am so proud to be Dean of an institution comprised of so many students, faculty, and staff members who are engaged in and committed to our community,” said Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter. “I would like to thank all who volunteered with a special thank you to Ms. Lituri, Ms. McNamee, and Ms. Norquist for their tireless dedication to making sure all these events were successful.”
Ms. Lituri said she is grateful for all the volunteers, even those who may have simply volunteered on their own time during Global Days of Service.
Greater Boston Food Bank
On March 30, 2016; and April 5, 6, 12, and 21, 2016; students, faculty members, and staff from GSDM gathered at the Greater Boston Food Bank to help provide food to Boston residents in need.
During the five visits, the volunteers were tasked with sorting and packing donated grocery products that were then distributed to hunger relief agencies. Some volunteers loaded boxes onto conveyer belts, other volunteers inspected products, others sorted products, and others checked and labeled boxes. One group was even charged with helping the food bank get ready for an audit the next day.
The Greater Boston Food Bank’s mission is to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. The organization distributed 54 million pounds of food in 2015, enough for more than 42 million meals.
Photos from GSDM’s time at the Greater Boston Food Bank can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Volunteers:
March 30, 2016:
Student and resident volunteers: Dr. Mona Hatami ENDO 18.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Other volunteers: Sara Ahmad, Uzair Abu Bakar, Ali Abu Bakar, Divya Kanodia, Nitender Kumar, Meghana Lanka, Shafaq Nomani, Gautam Mahendra Shirodka, Gurleen Kaur Sidhu, and Isha Singh.
April 5, 2016:
Faculty and Staff volunteers: Kristin Bradley, Research Project Assistant; Jobina Cabrera, Research Project Assistant; Lilliam Ciprian, Oral Health Advocate; Dee Devlin, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Courtney Diamond, Research Compliance Manager; Limbania Fernandez, Research Data Clerk; Evelyn Herrera, Research Project Assistant; Melida Jean, Oral Health Advocate;; Ramona Lara, Research Project Assistant; Hector Mendoza, Program Administrator; Alicia Muzzi, Research Project Coordinator; Roxanne Solis, Senior Research Assistant; and Marisela Soriano-Pitre, Oral Health Advocate.
Other volunteers: Aaron Aaker; Sunayana Basa; Mooly Kate Carven; Bethany Ellis; Nitender Kumar; Katherin Lampa; Patrick Lawlor; Drew Marrochello; Virginia Roa; Brittany Shepard; Sang-ook Shin; William Smyth; Ellen Starnes; Jennifer Stasburger; Eline Vermeulen, and Erica Kosienski.
April 6, 2016:
Student and resident volunteers: Dr. Shelby Curtis DMD 16.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director; Kara Boucher, Manager of Faculty & Staff Administration; Elizabeth Bouhmadouche, Registrar & Director of Enrollment Services; Janina Brown, Practice Manager; Patricia Dirksmeier, Surgical Assistant; Diane Dougherty, Administrative Assistant for Meetings & Events; Tina Finnegan, Career Resources Manager; Erica Manczuk, Associate Director of Student Affairs; Catherine Mirarchi, Administrative Coordinator; Amy Nelson, Student Affairs Coordinator; Aiesha Pringle, Patient Intake Coordinator; John Reilly, Director of Compliance and Quality Management; Jessica Santos, Program Coordinator; Alexandra Singer, Graphic Designer; and Stacey Soldan, Practice Manager.
Other volunteers: Ziad Hennawi; Nitender Kumar; and Wellington Tejeda.
April 12, 2016:
Student and resident volunteers: Dr. Alaa Qari DPH 18; Dr. Layla Abuljadayel DPH 17; and Dr. Meyassara Samman DPH 18.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Dr. Joseph Boffa, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Dr. Belinda Borrelli, Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research and Director of Behavioral Science Research; Christina Gebel, Data Manager/Analyst; Sharron Rich, Systems Analyst; Thayer Scott, Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Astha Singhal, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; and Woosung Sohn, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research and Director of the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Dental Public Health.
Other volunteers: Abeer Mogem.
April 21, 2016:
Faculty and Staff volunteers: Dr. Lina Benslimane, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Dr. Gladys Carrasco, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Sara Hassan, Research Dental Assistant; Raffi Kazanjian, Research Dental Assistant; Dr. Mohammad Mourad, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Global & Population Health; Daniel Nayebi, Research Dental Assistant; Nekou Nowrouzi, Research Dental Assistant; Jeselene Andrade, Program Coordinator; Lisa Collins, Program Administrator; Dr. Corinna Culler, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research and Director of School-based Programs; Roberta Flynn, Dental Assistant; Camille Kardoose-Michelini, Administrative Manager; Brian Mahoney, Dental Assistant; Maria Nunez, Research Clinical Examiner; Paula Pina, School Based Program Coordinator.
Other volunteers: Ziad Hennawi, Ahmad Nachawati, and Moaz Zanbarakji.
Boys and Girls Club
On April 1 and 13, 2016, The GSDM chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) provided free, interactive dental education to approximately 200 children between the ages of 7 and 12 at the Yawkey Club of Roxbury, a Boys and Girls Club in Boston.
The GSDM chapter of ASDA works with the Office of Global and Population Health to host the Passport to a Healthy Smile event each year as part of Give Kids a Smile, a nationwide initiative co-sponsored by the American Dental Association (ADA).
The ADA launched the Give Kids a Smile program nationally in 2003 as a way for dentists across the country to join with others in their community to promote oral health and/or provide dental services to underserved children.
At the April event, children visited six dental themed tables with their “passport” to learn about proper brushing and flossing; healthy eating; tooth protection such as mouth guards, fluoride, and sealants; smoking and oral piercing; and careers in dental medicine. In addition, the children had the opportunity to learn about dinosaur teeth (meat eaters and plant eaters) and decorate a bookmark and tooth necklace. Once their passport was filled they received a goody bag with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Photos from GSDM’s time at the Boys and Girls Club can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: Vibha Babbar DMD 17; Lauren Aber DMD 19; Jessica Collins DMD 19; Dr. Shelby Curtis DMD 16; Tien Do DMD 18; Palwasha Durrani DMD 17; Brieanna Gresh DMD 19; Neha Gupta DMD 17; Vaibhav Jagad DMD 17; Neha Jhala DMD 17; Dr. Anna Komnatnaya DMD 16; Pooja Palaksha DMD 17; Jignesh Rudani DMD 17; Mansi Shah DMD 17; Kushan Shah A DMD 17; Rohan Shah DMD 17; Chandini Shaikh DMD 19; Dr. Olga Spivak DMD 16; Nobiru Suzuki DMD 18; and Mike Whitcomb DMD 17.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Other volunteers: Moaz Zanbarakji.
In addition, three ASDA leaders put in two hours each on April 1, 2016 to help prepare for this event: Mike Whitcomb DMD 17; Amanda Alon DMD 19; and Jayesh Patel DMD 18.
Al Huda Society
On April 2, 2016, GSDM’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosted a volunteer event at the Al Huda Society in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
The volunteers offered a wide range of oral health promotion and education activities. The volunteers also provided dental screenings and provided referrals to families that were in need of dental care. On this day, an interactive oral health lesson was provided to more than 200 children of various ages and grade levels. The volunteers screened 64 people, mostly children.
The Al Huda Society is a Chelsea-based organization that offers a wide variety of programs for Muslims in the greater-Boston area.
This effort yielded 78 hours to our Global Days of Service Count!
Photos from GSDM’s time at the Al Huda Society can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: Chandini Shaikh DMD 19; Farah Al Ayyoubi DMD 19; Dr. Ahmed Al Najjar DMD 16; Amr Aly DMD 17; Osman Choudhry DMD 19; Sara Elashaal DMD 17; Tamanna Gandhi, DMD 18; Muntaha Hasan DMD 19; Dr. Ahmed Jawad DMD 16; Safeer Jiwa DMD 17; Dr. Nora Nakshabendim DMD 16; Yousef Sidki DMD 17; Dr. Mona Alenezi Hatami ENDO 18; and Dr. Alaa Qari DPH 18.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Dr. Lina Benslimane, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Dr. Gladys Carrasco, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; Sara Hassan, Research Dental Assistant; Raffi Kazanjian, Research Dental Assistant; Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director; Dr. Mohammad Mourad, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Global & Population Health; Daniel Nayebi, Research Dental Assistant; and Nekou Nowrouzi, Research Dental Assistant.
Other volunteers: Moaz Zanbarakji.
Susan S Bailis Assisted Living Facility
On April 4, 2016, GSDM volunteers from ASDA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee served at the Susan S Bailis Assisted Living Facility in Boston. The volunteers delivered an oral health presentation and helped run a game of bingo for the residents in the facility. The GSDM volunteers also handed out toothbrushes and other oral health supplies.
Located on Massachusetts Avenue, the Susan S Bailis Assisted Living Facility offers a variety of programs for its residents including the program in which GSDM volunteers promoted oral health.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: Vibha Babbar DMD 17; Debbie Desravines DMD 17; Sally Jacob DMD 17; Jaegak Kim DMD 17; Mahzad Koochaki DMD 17; Binna Lee DMD 17; Armita Mashkouri DMD 17; Nikkita Muwanguzi DMD 17; and Rutu Patel DMD 17.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Other volunteers: Sara Ahmad.
Uphams Corner Branch of the Boston Public Library Raising A Reader Dino-Themed Family Fun Day
On April 7, 2016, GSDM volunteers participated in an event at the Uphams Corner Branch of the Boston Public Library with Raising a Reader, a Boston-based non-profit dedicated to improving childhood literacy scores. Raising a Reader provides a lending library of multicultural, multilingual, children’s books to families. There were also parent workshops and other family events to develop parents’ understanding of shared reading techniques that can be used at home to help their children succeed in school.
The volunteers promoted oral health in an interactive, hands-on dinosaur-themed manner.
Photos from GSDM’s time at the Upham’s Corner branch of the Boston Public Library can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: John Barrett DMD 17; Shawn Jones DMD 18; Manish Juneja DMD 17; and Sofyan Sayfo DMD 17.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Rosie’s Place
On April 8, 2016, GSDM volunteers served at Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for homeless, battered and displaced women in the South End of Boston.
The GSDM volunteers participated in the Women to Women Program, which is a collaborative effort with the Wellness Clinic at Rosie’s Place and the GSDM Student Chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD).
The volunteers answered oral health related questions, distributed home care products, and offered dental screenings and related advice
This program, which sees students volunteer at Rosie’s Place on a monthly basis, strives to assess and address the oral health needs of the women that seek services at Rosie’s Place.
Dee Devlin, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research, and three friends of GSDM also made sandwiches for Haley House.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: Sudarvizhi Sivaraman DMD 17; Grace Hannawi DMD 17; Caroline Michaels DMD 18; Muhammad Nayyaar DMD 17; Kanika Sachdev DMD 17; Neha Shresta DMD 17; and Dr. Abrar Tounsi, DPH 18.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director; and Dr. Kady Rawal, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences & Biomaterials.
St. Catherine of Siena School
On May 4, 2016, Dr. John Costello DMD 16 visited a classroom at St. Catherine of Siena School in Norwood, Massachusetts, to talk with the children about the importance of taking care of one’s teeth and how to do so. A variety of educational materials were used, which allowed for an exciting and interactive experience for the children. Goodie bags were handed out at the conclusion of the program.
Cradles to Crayons (Open to entire BU community)
On April 22, 2016, members of the GSDM community volunteered with the nonprofit Cradles to Crayons at the organization’s headquarters in Brighton.
The volunteers received an introduction to Cradles to Crayons before being assigned to project areas where they worked with a Cradles to Crayons staff member on projects that would benefit the organization’s various programs.
Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school and at play. Items are supplied free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have items with communities that need them.
Photos from GSDM’s time at Cradles to Crayons can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: Bart Knowles DMD 19.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director; and Dr. Martin Ugarte-Chavez, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research.
Other volunteers: Mariah Alexander, Jennifer Amador, Rachel Bloznalis, Philippe Bouzy, Jaclyn Carty, Hannah Ciolek, Olivia Closson, Kristen Dallesandro, McKenna Doyle, Akshay Gopal, Christopher Gordon, Kelly Harris, Sarah Hoenes, Beth Houston, Erica Kosienski, Loren Larson, Royce Light, Marina Mikael, Lauren Morales, Kimberly Roberts, Gabriella Ryan, Pietra Sweeney, Rafaela Ugarte, and Juan Luis Ugarte.
St. Francis House (Open to entire BU community)
On April 23, 2016, GSDM volunteers prepared and served food for those in need at St. Francis House, a homeless shelter in Boston.
For more than 30 years, St. Francis House has welcomed poor and homeless men and women. It provides services, support, and a glimpse of what their lives can become; productive, healthy, and fulfilling. St. Francis House provides guests with everything they need to reclaim their dignity and rebuild their lives; nutritious meals, clothing, access to medical care, counseling, vocational rehabilitation, and housing.
Photos from GSDM’s time at St. Francis House can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: Michelle Poon DMD 18.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Other volunteers: Nelson Chin, and Michelle Chin.
Haley House (Open to entire BU community)
On 14 separate days—April 23, 28, and 30, 2016; as well as May 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 22, 23, 29, and 31, 2016—GSDM volunteers served at Haley House Soup Kitchen in Boston.
GSDM volunteers filled in during a crucial time at Haley House—many of the organization’s volunteers are undergraduate college students, many of whom had left the city in the month of May for the summer. Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director, says the staff at Haley House were overjoyed with the amount of volunteer hours that the GSDM community provided at this important time.
The GSDM volunteers assisted in the preparation of fresh meals (chopping vegetables, scrambling eggs on a grill, baking banana bread, boiling water for pasta, tossing a salad, etc.); cleaned and organized the kitchen space; cleaned basement storage areas, including food and clothing donation; took out trash and recycling; processed food deliveries; organized and sorted clothing room items; and participated in a guided reflection around the experiences of the day after each meal shift.
Haley House was founded in 1966 when Kathe and John McKenna began offering homeless Bostonian’s a place to stay and a simple meal in a small South End apartment. Since then, Haley House has grown into one of Boston’s foremost homeless support centers, offering meals, groceries, housing, and other necessities to those in need.
Photos from GSDM’s time at Haley House can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Volunteers:
April 23 (Organized by GSDM’s chapter of the Student National Dental Association)
Student and resident volunteers: Jobren Dingle DMD 17; Tamara Gordon DMD 18; Charles Lewis DMD 18, and Nikkita Muwanguzi DMD 17.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Other volunteers: Steven Hurley. And Sarah Ahmad.
April 28, 2016:
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director; Raffi Kazanjian, Research Dental Assistant; Dr. Mohammad Mourad, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Global & Population Health; Daniel Nayebi, Research Dental Assistant; and Nekou Nowrouzi, Research Dental Assistant.
Other volunteers: William Johnson
April 30, 2016:
Faculty and staff volunteers: Dr. Mohammad Mourad, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Global & Population Health; Sarah Adela Irias, Manager of Central Sterilization; and Pamela Simmons, Infection Control Manager.
Other volunteers: Sage Hollingsworth, Samantha Salanitro, and Kimberly Kibler.
May 2016:
Students and residents volunteers: Ashish Agarwal DMD 17; Tamara Gordon DMD 18; Manish Juneja DMD 17 (2x); Suhina Kapoor DMD 17; Dr. Anna Komnatnaya DMD 16; Sarah Kim DMD 18; Dr. Andrea Lam DMD 16 (2x); Ashish Ramesh DMD 17 (2x); Kanika Sachdev DMD 17; and Neha Shresta DMD 17.
Faculty and staff volunteers:
Dr. Corinna Culler (2x), Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research and Director of School-based Programs; Kathy Lituri (2x), Oral Health Promotion Director; Kathy Held (2x), Director of Global Initiatives and Assistant Professor in the Department of General Dentistry; and Camille Kardoose-Michelini, Administrative Manager.
Other volunteers:
Joseph Absi; Firas Alsaid; Samara Aoun (2x); Zara Ashfaq; Christine Chang-Chein; Natalie Donabedian (2x); Claudia Gibson (3x); Juliette Mann; Stefanie Moreno; Stephanie Souza (2x); and Moaz Zanbarakji (3x).
Notre Dame Education Center
On April 26, 2016, GSDM volunteers served at the Notre Dame Education Center in Boston.
The volunteers offered oral health promotion and dental screenings to the patrons of the education center.
The Notre Dame Education Center is a comprehensive adult education center located in Boston. The center provides a diverse, caring community in which students are empowered to develop their full potential as scholars, workers, and citizens.
Volunteers:
Student and resident volunteers: Ashish Agarwal DMD 17; Vibha Babbar DMD 17; Ismaeel Badri DMD 17; Debbie Desravines DMD 17; Mohammad Abbas Khan DMD 17; Muhammad Nayyaar DMD 17; and Luis Perez DMD 18.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Other volunteers: Moaz Zanbarakji.
American Red Cross
On April 26, 2016, GSDM volunteers served at the American Red Cross’ blood drive on the Charles River Campus.
Student and resident volunteers: Mohit Garge DMD 17.
Faculty and staff volunteers: James Howard, Associate Director of Clinical Finance.
Franklin Field
On April 27, 2016, GSDM volunteers served at Franklin Field, a public housing facility in Boston.
The volunteers gave a talk on tobacco and oral health at the senior center located at Franklin Field. Built in 1954, Franklin Field is located just off of Blue Hill Avenue in Dorchester
Student and resident volunteers: Dr. Israel Korobkin DMD 16.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Photos from GSDM’s time at Franklin Field can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
Work Inc.
On April 8, 2016, GSDM volunteers with GSDM’s Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) served at Work Inc.
The volunteers spoke with people who use Work Inc.’s resources about oral health and the importance of good oral hygiene.
Work Inc. is an organization that provides job training and resources to people with intellectual disabilities and their families
Student and resident volunteers: Dr. Ana Keohane DMD 16.
Faculty and staff volunteers: Dr. Ana Zea, Director of Community-Based Education, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of General Dentistry, and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; and Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director.
Photos from GSDM’s time at Work Inc. can be found on Facebook and Flickr.
MGH Bloodmobile
On March 29, 2016, two GSDM volunteers—Dr. Elizabeth Kaye, Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research; and Sheree Norquist, Program Administrator—volunteered with the Massachusetts General Hospital Bloodmobile blood drive.
Global Days of Service Preparation:
On March 30, 2016, members of the March 16 preceptorship program volunteered with Global Days of Service Preparation.
The volunteers are Sara Ahmad; Divya Kanodia; Nitender Kumar; Shafaq Nomani; Gautam Mahendra Shirodka; Gurleen Kaur Sidhu; and Isha Singh.
Charles River Cleanup
On April 30, 2016, four GSDM community members from the Dental Health Center at 930 Commonwealth Avenue volunteered at the Charles River Clean up.
The volunteers are Amanda Barber, Clinic Care Coordinator; Helen Flagg, Clinic Financial Manager; Dr. Cindy Leung, Clinical Instructor; and Alicia Petrin, Patient Coordinator.
Ricesticks and Tea Asian Food Pantry
On June 11, 2016, volunteers from GSDM’s Asian Dental Student Organization (ADSO) will lend their time to Ricesticks and Tea Asian Food Pantry to help the organization sort and bag food for area residents in need.
Ricesticks and Tea Food Pantry is a Boston-based food pantry program that serves more than 120 pre-screened low-income Asian immigrant and refugee families each month. The 120 households represent over 300 children, adults, and seniors.
Student and resident volunteers: Vibha Babbar DMD 17; Joanna Song DMD 17; Jimmy (Lok Ching) Li DMD 17; Lee (Lihsin) Wu DMD 17; Jon Kuang DMD 17; Danny Nguyen DMD 17; Richelle Chin DMD 17; Christine Chiao DMD 19; Harry Lee DMD 19; and Tiphannie Yin DMD 17.