GSDM Shines at the 2017 Yankee Dental Congress

From January 26 – 28, 2017, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) in the Seaport area of Boston was bustling with dental professionals from across the country at the 42^nd Yankee Dental Congress (YDC). It is the largest dental meeting in New England, and the third largest meeting in the United States. The three-day event features continuing education courses, lectures, events, and the ever-popular Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) Alumni Reception.

Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving Stacey McNamee played host at the GSDM booth and alumni lounge, which was frequented by hundreds of alumni, students, residents, faculty, staff and friends. New this year was a large screen playing recently produced Patient Treatment Stories that were of great interest to everyone who entered the booth and lounge. In addition, the Impressions Winter 2017 was hot off the presses and available for guests to peruse as was a copy of the lead story in Impressions entitled A Spectacular New Home. Many alumni also posed for photographs with Stacey, fellow alumni, faculty, a large cutout of Rhett, and the GSDM banner.

On the second day of the Congress, the Alumni Board Meeting was held in the Constitution Room of the Seaport Hotel. Board members in attendance were Drs. Nazila Bidabadi, Puneet Kochhar, Bing Liu, Hongsheng Liu, Monique Mabry Bamel, Speideh Novid, Casey Pedro, Sean Rayment, and Mitch Sabbagh. The agenda was as follows:

• Welcome by Dr. Bing Liu, President of the GSDM Alumni Association;
• Introduction of new board member Dr. Hongsheng Liu DMD 10 ENDO 12;
• An update on the GSDM Addition/Renovation Project from Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter;
• A report on recent development efforts from Kevin Holland, Assistant Dean of Development & Alumni Relations;
• Overview of Giving Day, April 5, 2017, by Stephanie Quinn, BU Director of Annual Giving;
• Alumni Attitude Survey by Steve Hall, BU Vice President for Alumni Relations; and
• Student Affairs Update on the Co-Curricular Connection and Dental Career Network by Dr. Joseph Calabrese, Assistant Dean of Students; Ms. Erica Manczuk, Associate Director for Student Affairs; and Ms. Tina Finnegan, Career Resources Manager.

The Alumni Reception in the Plaza Ballroom at the Seaport Hotel followed, and was one of the largest ever during YDC. Alumni, students, residents, faculty, and staff mingled and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, and caught up with old friends. Dean Hutter delivered his remarks, largely focused on the progress of our new building, but he also acknowledged several special guests in attendance:

Members of the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine Dean’s Advisory Board

• David Lustbader CAS 86 DMD 89; Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board and his wife. Mrs. Wendy Lustbader SAR 86;
• Mina Paul SPH 97; Dental Director, Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center, and Immediate Past President of the American Association of Dental Boards and her husband Mr. Ajay Saini QUESTROM 92;
• Bing Liu DSc 99, DMD 03; President of the GSDM Alumni Association, and Clinical Associate Professor in General Dentistry;
• Geoffrey Ligibel, CEO of Gentle Dental;
• Elizabeth Ashworth; Academic Relations and CAD/CAM Dentsply Sirona. Ashworth was representing Dean’s Advisory Board member, Mr. Michael Augins, Group Senior Vice President, Dentsply Sirona; and
• Tim McDonough; GSDM Executive Director of Finance & Operations.

From Boston University

• Steve Hall; Vice President of Alumni Relations;
• Steve Witkowski; Associate Vice President of Development;
• Shadi Daher DMD 90, OMFS 94; Past-President of the GSDM Alumni Association, Past President of the Boston University Alumni Council and now a present member of the University Board of Overseers and his wife Dr. Millie Serrano; and
• Mitch Sabbagh DMD 87; Immediate Past-President of the GSDM Alumni Association and now the GSDM representative on the Boston University Alumni Council and his fiance’ Kelley.

From the American Dental Association:

• Joseph Crowley; President-elect of the American Dental Association
• Kathleen O’Loughlin; Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the American Dental Association.

 From the Massachusetts Dental Society:

• Raymond Martin DDS MAGD; President of the Massachusetts Dental Society;
• David Lustbader DMD 86; President-Elect of the Massachusetts Dental Society;
• Howard Zolot PERIO 85; Vice President of the Massachusetts Dental Society;
• Thomas Trowbridge DDS MD; Treasurer of the Massachusetts Dental Society and his wife Karen; and
• Edward Swiderski DDS MD; Immediate past President of the Massachusetts Dental Society and his wife Joanne.

And From Our Corporate Friends:

Dentsply Sirona:

• Elizabeth Ashworth; Academic Relations and CAD/CAM Dentsply Sirona;
• Joel Monteiro; Key Account Manager;

Bien Air:

• Marla Mattinson; National Account Manager;
• Arthur Mateen; General Manager;

Kavo Kerr:

• Todd Schreiner; Strategic Account Manager;

A-dec:

• Susan Ferrante; Manager of School and Government Relations; and

Midmark:

• Tiffany Crain; Strategic Accounts Manager.

Dean Hutter was proud to update the audience on the progress of the School’s new building plans, having touched on a prior alumni event in which he stated, “At last year’s reception, I made the following bold statement; as a progressive School with a defined vision, we must continue to look to the future with a proposed new facility and a commitment to continue our legacy of innovation in order to create a future that is truly great.”

Descriptions of some of the many activities and events members of the GSDM community participated in are below.

Student Poster Presentation

 Four GSDM students presented at the Yankee Dental Congress on January 28, 2017, and participated in the Student Poster Session. Khalid Alamoud, postdoctoral candidate who works in Dr. Maria Kukuruzinska’s laboratory, was the first-place winner in the Postdoc Category.

The Boston University presenters were:

• Khalid Alamoud, ORTHO 19 DScD 19; Targeting β-catenin/CBP Signaling in OSCC;
• Ahmed Alamoudi, postdoc; Role of Fam20a in Enamel Formation;
• Justine Oliveros, postdoc. Management of Immediate Implant Placement and Loading in the Esthetic Zone; and
• Heidar Zohrehei, AS DMD 17. Effect of Rapid Palatal Expansion on Upper Airway: A Systematic Review.

 Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter remarked, “I would like to congratulate Mr. Khalid Alamoud for winning the YDC postdoctoral research poster session. His research has continually garnered him accolades, and we appreciate him representing GSDM so well.”

American College of Dentists Senior Student Awards

Every year the America College of Dentists, New England Section, presents the Senior Dental Student Awards to a deserving senior dental student from Boston University, Harvard University, Tufts University, New England University and the University of Connecticut. Each of the recipients, as nominated by their respective Schools, have outstanding achievements in academics, leadership, and initiative. The recipient from the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine was Ms. Joanna Song DMD 17. Dean Hutter was on hand to present her award and in so doing remarked,

“Joanna Song truly represents the American College of Dentists’ principles of high achievement, strong leadership, and high ethical standards, “said Dean Hutter. “Since first meeting Joanna, I have been continually impressed with her intelligence, dedication, motivation, can do attitude, and wonderful personality. She is truly deserving of this award and I congratulate her on all that she has accomplished.”

 8^th Annual ASDA District 1 Debate

On Saturday evening, January 28, two DMD 18 students represented GSDM at the student debate held in the Ballroom of the BCEC. Ayinkeran Gunarajasingam DMD 18 and Bennett Galprin DMD 18 represented GSDM against teams from the School of Dental Medicine at Harvard University, Tufts University, the University of Connecticut, and the University of New England. While they did not win the debate, they very well represented GSDM against the competing schools.

Prior to the start of the debate, DMD III student Michael Whitcomb received the MDS EDIC Matthew Boylan Senior Student Scholarship Award. This scholarship was established by the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) and Bank of America in memory of former MDS Executive Director, Matthew Boylan. The scholarship is awarded annually during Yankee Dental Congress (YDC) to a Massachusetts resident and dental student who has provided distinguished service to organized dentistry and the community.