 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

NILOUFAR SHERF
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 WINTER 2011

 SECTION EDITORS:
SAMIR FARHOUMAND
PHILLIP HARRISON
GIANCARLO SANTOS

 LAYOUT:
PUJA PATEL
ALEX SHAU
GOLNAZ YEROUSHALMI

UCLA
The Diastema
School of Dentistry Adopts New Grading System
Alex Shau, 2014
The UCLA School of Dentistry recently
adopted a revised grading system, Former system Revised system
beginning with the Class of 2014. The
Classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013 will
remain on the former grading system until
- Honors (H)
graduation. The accompanying table
compares the grading options in the two Pass (P) Pass (P)
systems.
The IP grade indicates that a student No Pass (NP) No Pass (NP)
needs further work to achieve competency
and earn a Pass. A course chair using this
grade will specify to the student the Marginal (M) -
additional work required, the remediation
to be provided, and the timeline for Conditional (CD) In Progress (IP)
satisfactory completion. An IP will
convert to a Pass (P) when course
competencies have been achieved. If
Incomplete (I) Incomplete (I)
competencies are not achieved within
guidelines defined by the course chair, the No Grade (NG) No Grade (NG)
IP will convert to an NP. The IP grade is
designed to give faculty a way to provide No Pass/Marginal (NP/M) No Pass/Pass (NP/P)
remediation to students who need just a bit
more work to attain competency, but not
enough to warrant an NP. The In Progress Exceptional Performance Report Performance Report
grade replaces the Marginal and the
Conditional grades of the previous system * Abbreviations denoted in parenthesis
and is more compatible with the
See Grading System Page 2 * Hyphens indicate lack of an equivalent grade

Inside This Issue Submissions Editorial Disclaimer

New Grading System 1 HDA 8 If you would like to The opinions
President’s Address 2 SPEC 8 submit an article contained herein do
for The Diastema not necessarily reflect
Honduras Mission 3 District 11 Meeting 9 News or have a
CA Licensure 4 AO and DSD 10 those of UCLA or of
suggestion for us,
ASDA Regionals 5 Intro to PPID 10 please email the the UCLA School of
st editor at Dentistry in particular.
Dentsply Award 6 Meet the 1 Years 11
nsherf@ucla.edu.
ASB Cabinet 7 Q&A 12 Diastema News Writers
 Grading System continued from Page 1
School’s competency-based education points of agreement including the desire of
program. both groups to maintain the essence of the
Additional changes include: NP grades, pass/no pass system while enhancing the
when remediated, will appear as a NP/P on transcript as a record of student
the transcript and, at the discretion of the achievement. The adoption of Honors

course chair, students performing in the top
of the class will be recognized with an H
(Honors) on their transcripts.
Finally, Exceptional Performance Reports
Thank
grades to recognize students who
academically distinguish themselves was
one of the results. Course chairs have the
freedom to decide whether Honors will be

(EPR’s) have been re-titled Performance
Reports (PR’s) which is consistent with their
use to document both satisfactory and
unsatisfactory performance. Like EPR’s,
PR’s will not appear on the transcript, but
will be for internal use only, for example to
clarify the grades to which they are attached.
Discussions to revise the grading system
began in late 2008, due to concerns over the
anticipated switch of the National Board
Dental Examination (NBDE) scores to
Pass/Fail score reports and the inconsistency
of the Marginal grade with the School’s
competency based program.
During this time, the Faculty Executive
Committee (FEC) appointed a team of
faculty and student leaders to review the
current grading system. Discussions of this
team, the FEC, and the full faculty
continued through 2009 and until early
2010. A final version of the revised system
was approved by the faculty on March 17,
2010.
According to Associate Dean of Student
Affairs, Dr. Carol Bibb, and Academic
Coordinator, Dr. Karen Lefever, discussions
among faculty and students identified key
You
awarded for their courses. The
administrative guideline is that no more
than 20% of the class will receive Honors
for any particular course, but the criteria
for earning Honors is ultimately decided
by the course chairs.
Dr. Bibb and Dr. Lefever said that the We would like to
revised grading system is anticipated to
enhance the portfolio of students applying thank the following
to residency programs. Students now have
the opportunity for excellent performance faculty for their
to be recognized on the transcript with
Honors, rather than the current EPR which
support and
does not appear on the transcript.
Additionally, with the introduction of the
mentorship:
In Progress option, students who require
additional time and effort to achieve Dr. Carol Bibb,
competency are less likely to receive a
permanently negative grade such as Dr. Karen Lefever,
Marginal or No Pass/Marginal on the
transcript. Dr. Bibb and Dr. Lefever added
and
that Honors can be an important element of
the student portfolio, especially when
Dr. Ronald Mito.
received in a student’s chosen area of
specialization.
At the moment, further revisions to the
new grading system are not anticipated.

ASDA President’s Address

Mark Hower, 2012

As we kick off the new year, it is never too late to welcome the Class of 2014 to the American Student
Dental Association with the Diastema News.
UCLA ASDA is comprised of 16 committees each with a unique set of functions geared towards
addressing our core mission statement of “advancing the rights, interests and welfare of students pursuing
careers in dentistry.” The Newsletter Committee is responsible for producing the quarterly Diastema
News which disseminates information about ASDA and non-ASDA events to the School of Dentistry.
Other committees provide a myriad of opportunities in both service and leadership. A few of these
include the Community Service Committee, Pre-Dental Committee, and the Three-on-Three Basketball
Tournament Committee. A complete listing of committees is available online at www.bruinasda.com. I
encourage you to contact the respective Chairs if you find any of these opportunities engaging.
While UCLA ASDA does an incredible amount to advocate and improve the lives of our student body,
it is also part of a 17,000 member national organization. The efforts of our local chapter have earned
UCLA a strong reputation across the country. The culmination of these efforts was recognition as the Ideal ASDA Chapter in 2010.
UCLA’s reputation is also communicated by our student involvement in national level leadership. Currently, UCLA holds more national
leadership positions than any other school in the country.
At this point, I hope you are wondering, “How do I get more involved?” Fortunately, this year, it couldn’t be easier. The annual
convention for ASDA, known as Annual Session, will be taking place in our own backyard, the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim from
March 3-6. With hot topics such as the recent changes in licensure, it promises to be an exciting event. I look forward to joining many of
you in representing UCLA as we continue to establish our reputation for leadership in organized dentistry!
 UCLA Student Dentists Go To Honduras!
Anita Kris and Stephanie Cappiello, 2013

UCLA student dentists have made great strides in

helping Honduran villagers attain better oral health.
When Stephanie Cappiello, ’13, was an
undergraduate at UCLA, she visited the sleepy
village of Guaimaca, in central Honduras, to
provide volunteer medical care one summer. The
difficulties that many of the townspeople had in
accessing healthcare, especially oral healthcare,
remained in her thoughts for a long time to come.
As a 1st year dental student last year at UCLA SOD,
she arranged for two groups of 13-14 dental
students to visit Guaimaca during the June and
September quarter breaks and serve in a week-long
dental clinic under the supervision of local dentists.
Thanks to vendor fairs such as ASDA’s Annual
Session in Baltimore and the California Dental
Association in Anaheim, the Honduras mission trip
was well advertised to many high-profile
companies and received generous support from
companies such as Crest Oral-B, Medical
Protective, and Johnson & Johnson.
During the trips, the student dentists worked for
5 days to gain a better understanding of how a lack
of basic oral health education in underserved
communities like Guaimaca can significantly
impact overall health and well-being. Over 200
patients were served, providing 400 fluoride
treatments, and distributing 800 toothbrushes. In a
place where a toothbrush costs more than the
average daily wage, this made a big difference in
the lives of the residents of Guaimaca. For
example, the majority of the high school girls
given oral hygiene instruction had already lost at
least one 1st molar to decay, and some even had
removable partial dentures to replace significant
numbers of missing teeth.
At the end of the week-long clinic, each group
got a bit of a “summer vacation” with a trip to
Roatan, an island off the Caribbean coast of
Honduras. The students were able to indulge in
many outdoor activities, such as snorkeling, scuba
diving, zip-lining through the rainforest, and beach
volleyball.

In 2011, trips to Honduras have been planned for

the following dates: June 11-23, September 4-14,
and December 10-22. For additional
information, please contact Stephanie Cappiello
at Stephanie.cappiello@gmail.com.
 March Madness and California Licensure
Brittany Hazard, 2013
E thical controversy, back-up
patients and insurmountable costs –
these are just some of the challenges
commonly associated with the current
licensing exam dental students must
conquer during March of their
graduating year. The WREB, Western
Regional Examining Board, is one of
five regional licensing examinations
offered to dental students nationwide.
It is the most common choice among
UCLA students. Despite being the
most frequent mode of licensure,
regional licensing exams are facing
nationwide opposition from both
students and dentists alike.
S peaking on behalf of nearly
17,000 dental students across the
country, ASDA has identified key
problems with the current licensing
exams. ASDA criticizes the current
regional exams, stating that they
“encourage marginally unethical
behavior” and are “limiting in the
standard of care.” Additionally, ASDA
recognizes that the exam is subjective
and bureaucratic in nature. One
alternative ASDA proposed is the
implementation of a “portfolio option
with patients of record integrated into
the dental school curriculum.”
I n accordance with ASDA’s outline
of an ideal licensing exam, the
California Dental Association, the six
California dental schools, and the
= States which
accept the WREB
exam for licensure
California Dental Board worked
together to create a portfolio licensure
model that will be an option in
California. The licensure by portfolio
bill, AB 1524, was signed into law by Portfolio Competencies:
Governor Schwarzenegger on
September 29, 2010, and will be
effective as of January 2011.
However, portfolio licensure will not 1. Comprehensive oral diagnosis
be available immediately due to the and treatment planning
amount of time necessary to calibrate
the examiners and implement proper 2. Periodontics
exam procedures in the dental schools.
Thus, the first and second year 3. Direct restorations
students currently enrolled in any of
the six California dental schools are
likely to be the first graduates to be 4. Indirect restorations
able to use this novel pathway to
licensure. 5. Removable prosthodontics
The WREB, in addition to other 6. Endodontics
regional and state exams, will continue
to be accepted for licensure in the state
of California. The portfolio method
requires certain clinical competencies
which are already mandated for
graduation from dental school. In
essence, choosing to create a portfolio A lthough this is a milestone in licensure
for licensure will simply be an examination reform, there is still speculation and
extensive documentation of uncertainty. Students must individually weigh the
procedures that student dentists will be risks and benefits of each exam option in order to
performing during their time in dental determine which licensure alternative best suits
school. Once the portfolio is their own goals and post-graduate plans. While
completed, the student must have it many students may still opt to take the WREB, the
certified by the dean of their dental March madness of securing patients and preparing
school and then submit the portfolio for a high-stakes, three day licensing exam will be
along with $350 to the Dental Board eliminated for the students that choose to venture
of California for approval. down the portfolio path to licensure.
2010 ASDA Western Regional Meeting
Phillip Harrison, 2012

T he 2010 ASDA Western Regional Meeting

took place in Chicago, October 29th through the
31st. Six students from UCLA were in attendance:
UCLA ASDA President Mark Hower, second year
students Jessica Hsieh, Stephanie Cappiello,
Lauren Weber, Hweejo Byun, and first year
student David Sheen. The Western Regional
Meeting allowed participants to learn more about
leadership development and legislative issues
relevant to dentistry. The meeting will be followed
by the ASDA Annual Session, where
representatives will vote on resolutions to
determine ASDA policy. The 2011 Annual
Session will be held in March 2011 at the
Disneyland Hotel.

C orwyn Hopke, national ASDA president,

reported on the lobbying efforts which took place
during the 2010 ADA Annual Session. Hopke
discussed ADA Resolution 42RC, which is
designed to initiate a licensure by portfolio system
nationwide. ADA Resolution 31B was also Lauren Weber, Jessica Hsieh, Stephanie Cappiello, Mark Hower, David Sheen and
discussed; this resolution discourages unethical Hweejo Byun at ASDA Western Regional Meeting.
practices among undertrained individuals during dental mission trips. Hopke also mentioned that UCLA senior Andrew Reed-Fuller will
be speaking to the FDA about the advantages of dental amalgam, the controversial restorative material which has been blamed for causing
a variety of illnesses.

U CLA ASDA President Mark Hower gave an introduction to the Legislative Grassroots Network, the arm of ASDA concerned with
state and federal legislation relevant to dentistry. The Legislative Grassroots Network aims to keep students informed about policies that
will affect them, and also provides a resource for local chapters to achieve their own legislative goals. The council also plans and
organizes National Student Lobby Day, a two day event in which participants lobby House representatives on national legislation.

A nother important aspect of the regional meeting was leadership

development. Dr. Chris Salierno gave a speech entitled “Top Five Things
I Learned From ASDA” which focused on public speaking, motivation,
and networking. First year student David Sheen was inspired by a speech
On Sunday, April 17, 2011, the
given by Dr. Arthur Dugoni, Dean Emeritus of the University of the UCLA School of Dentistry will
Pacific School of Dentistry. “I really enjoyed listening to Dr. Dugoni
speak about leadership and directing change. I was truly motivated to be host its inaugural Walk for Oral
better as he explored the development of the ability to delegate, listen, Cancer Awareness.
excel, and maintain a balanced life. Additionally, I gained an
understanding of the meaning and value of organized dentistry.”
Throughout the weekend, students were encouraged to apply for Join ASDA, as we support
leadership positions and become active in their local ASDA chapters. this cause! Please
W hile there was plenty of work to be done, a major draw of the
register at:
regional conference is the chance to socialize with peers from around the www.giving.ucla.edu/oralcancerawar
country and to network in a new, interesting city. Sheen summed it up enesswalkregister
well, “The ASDA regional meeting was a great opportunity to meet new
people and to learn from others in a professional, collegial, and enjoyable
environment.”
Dentsply Student Clinician Research Program Awards
Chang First Place
Jacob Pack, 2013

A Big Round-of-Applause for… Insoon Chang who placed first at the 2010
ADA/Dentsply Student Clinician Research Program in Orlando, Florida. As one
of three D.D.S./Ph.D. degree candidates in the class of 2013, she surpassed 24
other dental students from around the country in the category of Basic Science
Research. Her winning poster presentation was titled, Synergistic Antitumor
Activities of Proteasome & Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in Head and Neck
Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Insoon’s research examined how two different
anticancer drugs work better when used together than when used separately. The
proteasome inhibitor, PS-341, and the histone deacetylase inhibitor, Trichostatin
A (TSA), were examined both in vitro and in vivo for their abilities to activate
apoptotic and inhibit cytoprotective pathways in malignancies of head and neck
squamous cell carcinomas. According to Insoon’s mentor, Dr. Cun-Yu Wang,
her research emerged victorious in Orlando because “it was a mechanistic study
with translational value to patient care.” He further stated that “Insoon is smart,
she works very hard and has her heart set on research.” Insoon began working
on this project while pursuing a Master’s degree in Oral Biology at UCLA
before starting dental school. Prior to receiving her award in Orlando, Insoon’s
tumor inhibitor research also won 3rd place in the Ph.D. student category of the
School of Dentistry poster competition held at the annual research day on
Feb. 22, 2010.

Crossword Puzzle
Tracy Ha, 2013

1 2
ACROSS
1. Relationship between opposing teeth
4. Hardest human tissue
3 6. Tooth decay
9. Strengthens teeth
4 5 6 7 8 10. Cleans interproximally
12. Method of brushing
13. buccal:lingual :: mesial:_______
14. Prosthetic reconstruction of teeth
9
15. UCLA’s format of documentation
16. An artificial tooth root
10 11

12
DOWN
1. Mouth
2. Most common symptom of dental school
3. Enamel:crown :: ______:root
5. Magnification device
13 14 6. Additional cusp of #14
7. Treats hematomas
8. Prevents caries
9. Dental school is ___!
15 16 11. Anatomic curvature of occlusal alignment
13. Doctor of Dental Surgery
Your ASB, Delivered!
Sean Nolan, 2013
The ASB is charged with the responsibility of being the student voice and representation to the administration. We
thought it would be nice to take an opportunity to get to know this helpful host of individuals who make up the ASB
cabinet, both in a serious and light-hearted fashion.
President, Seth Ichikawa: Raised in Fairfield, Ca, Seth brings
to the cabinet unique traits of a beard
and silky, deep voice. When not doing
the usual dental student routine, his
position requires him to spend a fair
amount of time emailing. Formerly a
fan of croquet, climbing, and horse
shoes, he finds himself more into
hanging out at the beach and “maxing
and relaxing” while enjoying Costco®
Belgian waffles with a dollop of
vanilla bean ice cream. He ran for President with hopes of
making student life easier and more enjoyable. Through his
position he’s gained an appreciation for how much the faculty
care about the students. And last but certainly not least, he’d
like to say, “Mad props to the Giants.”
Vice President, Kevin Chew Lu: We know him for his BBQ
skills, free-spoken personality, and
ability to con anyone into coming to
an activity, but there’s more to him.
He’s a lover of hip-hop, and is also an
avid skier. One of his goals for his
ASB service is to not get caught up in
buying things for the students and
utilize his, “I’ve got nothing to lose,”
attitude to get results with ASB
agendas.
Vice President, Marc Rasmussen: Brevity. This is a skill Marc
brings to the cabinet and life. Some of
his ASB and dental goals are to keep
Kevin under control and one day catch
a bullet with his teeth, administer
anesthesia, and repair his damaged
teeth in a mirror using a mirror…yes,
that’s a double mirror image! When
Marc is not treating patients in the
third floor clinic, he is out fighting
crime as a superhero!
ASB at glance:
Seth Kevin
Favorite tooth 19 Mesiodens
Who would win in an Goldstein, Depends on if
arm wrestling match hands down he’s ticklish
between you and Dr.
Goldstein
Animal you are most Duskie (Duck- Liger
like Huskie mix?)
Secretary, Xuan Yue: Need a bulletin board? Well one of
Xuan’s hobbies is making amazing
bulletin boards. Her goal to bring
better organization to the school and
ASB so things can run smoothly is
evidenced in her weekly emails about
school-related events. She eventually
hopes to utilize her creative prowess
in maxillo-facial prosthedontics, but
first she wants to finish boards and
party like its 1999, Boba all around!
Social Chair, Jaclyn Pak: Even though she likes everything
miniature, there’s nothing mini about
the fun filled, action packed activities
she plans. And if you haven’t enjoyed
any of them yet, get that fixed. She
considers Taylor Swift a musical
genre all her own and her number one
cariogenic delight is lemon cupcakes
from The Frosted Cupcakery. Just
don’t smack your food when around
her, that’s gross!
Student Apollonian Group President, Luke Sharron: Luke
has the unique job of working with
both the alumni and the student body
to enrich the student experience. He
secretly wishes to have the powers to
read and understand Kevin Chew
Lu’s writing style (one can
sympathize). Luke also loves life
after 2nd year, is a Beatles fan, and is
a talented whistler.
Treasurer, Tim O’Brien: Though he’s still not sure what he
wants to be when he grows up, he
does use his out of state flair to make
sure we have great events, while
saving money. He’s really good at
periodic exams and is into holding
doors for the next person, Snickers
bars, and apparently Chris
Strandburg. When asked, “Batman or
Ironman?” he replied, “Trick
question, neither. Chris Strandburg.”
Xuan Jaclyn Luke Tim
Max 1st molar Mand PM2 9 Max Lateral
Probably Goldstein (“ Goldstein Goldstein, for
Goldstein have you seen now…
his guns when
he goes
sleevless”)
Tiger Christmas Koala Bear
mouse
Hispanic Dental Association
Ruth Alvarez, 2013

The Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) at UCLA is actively

reaching out to the community in hopes of emphasizing the importance
of oral health and dental care. Community service is the foundation for
HDA, and HDA members have reinforced this commitment to
community with health fairs, school visits, and participation in the
annual HDA conference held in Chicago. In addition to the community
outreach events, HDA has organized cultural events such as Salsa Night
and Latin Food Potluck.
In association with UCLA Medical School, HDA began the 2010
school year by participating in the biannual Lennox health fair in
Lennox, California, a predominantly underserved area. In addition to
testing blood pressure and blood glucose, oral hygiene instruction, oral
screenings, sealants, and fluoride varnish were provided to over 150
families. This event was followed by participation in the 8th annual Michelle Alvarez, Rupali Gupta, Flora Tang and Jensen Lau at the
LA's Best Health Festival at East Los Angeles College where HDA HDA Annual Meeting in Chicago.
members screened and provided OHI to almost 300 children.
HDA, in conjunction with Latino Dental Services (LADS), visited Palms Elementary School and Suva Elementary School in Bell
Gardens to provide oral hygiene instruction and nutrition counseling, as well as to encourage students to visit the dentist. This interactive
presentation allowed children to demonstrate the art of tooth brushing on large puppets, and to emphasize the importance of the Rule of
Two’s (Brush for 2 minutes, Brush 2x a day, and visit the dentist 2x a year). Over 500 kids Pre-K to 3rd grade were taught the importance
of oral health care and provided with Toy Story or Princess toothbrushes and toothpaste.
At the HDA annual meeting in Chicago, UCLA and over thirty other student HDA chapters were represented. Each chapter
participated in the Orgullo (pride) competition through a poster presentation which focused on HDA’s principle of promoting dental health
awareness, education and quality dental care to underserved Los Angeles communities.

Ethical Dilemmas
Brett Martin, 2013

Respect and honesty are the driving decision-making paths, hopefully leading to
forces behind professional ethics. As professional and ethical behavior. At the
dental providers, we are constantly faced UCLA School of Dentistry, the Student
with situations which require an ethical Professionalism and Ethics Club (SPEC)
decision-based framework. A dentist has was established to spread and enhance the
the opportunity to choose amongst various overall level of professional and ethical
conduct amongst
students. Current
cabinet members include
David White (President),
Phil Harrison (Vice
President), Daniel
Johnson (President
Elect), Jeremy Barrett
(Treasurer), Joshua
Perisho (Secretary),
Marc Rasmussen
(Faculty Liaison), and
Brett Martin (Member-
at-Large).
Once a quarter,
SPEC invites a highly
esteemed professional to
discuss his or her
Marc Rasmussen, Dr. Hewlett, Dr. Bibb, David White, Daniel thoughts and experiences
Johnson, Phil Harrison, and Brett Martin concerning a relevant topic.
Recently, Dr. Edmond Hewlett, Professor
and Vice-Chair of Restorative Dentistry,
provided an insightful presentation titled
Ethics and Esthetics: A Busy Intersection.
During the presentation, Dr. Hewlett
mentioned many key points regarding the
ethical decision making process. He
explained that as dental professionals, we
must always keep our patient’s best interest
in mind. We must advocate for our
patients, always provide the best possible
treatment, and follow the golden rule: one
should treat others as they would like to be
treated. Dr. Hewlett encouraged students to
establish their own ethical code of conduct,
a “mental checklist”, to provide what is
absolutely best for the patient. Furthermore,
he highlighted various risk management
techniques which dental professionals
should follow to avoid potential legal
mishaps: remember to always listen to your
patient, express sympathy, and obtain
informed consent. The best way to avoid
any legal problems is prevention! Be open,
be honest and be cognizant of your
abilities.
 Access to Care and Midlevel Providers
Monika Tincher, 2013

In addition, schools are encouraged to educate parents about the

On the weekend of October 15-17, 2010, students from importance of oral health in conjunction to overall health.
California dental schools met for the first ever District 11
meeting hosted by the University of the Pacific School of However, these measures may not be enough. An adjunct,
Dentistry. While attendees collaborated on a variety of topics albeit controversial solution, is the introduction of mid-level
relevant to dental students, they focused mainly on innovative providers. This concept began with the Dental Health Aid
solutions to oral health access barriers. Program in Alaska, which included the Dental Health Aid
Therapists (DHATs), who are allowed to perform irreversible
A ccess to dental care is an issue facing heath care today. surgical procedures such as extracting teeth, drilling cavities and
Childhood caries has risen to become the most common performing pulpotomies. All other states limit these procedures
childhood disease, affecting as many as 4.5 million children to a licensed dentist, all of who have had eight years of post-high
annually. In 2000, Surgeon General David Satcher released the school education as compared to the 18- 24 months of post high
first ever report on oral health, describing access to dental care school training a DHAT receives. The ADA’s stance is that
as an “oral epidemic.” Dentistry is the first line of “DHAT training is not adequate to help them recognize
defense against early childhood caries and poor complex cases in which patients could be at great
oral health; however, the question remains as to risk.” In such cases they strongly recommend
whether there are sufficient dental providers against DHATs practicing irreversible dental
to render these needed dental services. procedures. A similar concept took hold in
Minnesota, where the roles of dental
In 2006, the Kaiser Family hygienists would be expanded to include
Foundation and the Bureau of Labor extractions and restorations without the
Statistics reported 198,987 active supervision of a dentist. The bill to
dentists in the U.S, or about 1 Key Statistics broaden the dental hygienists’ scope of
dentist for every 1,500 people. practice was passed with the intent of
When taking a closer look into the redirecting the skill set of dental
numbers, however, there is an -4.5 million children hygienists to provide for those with
even greater shortage of dental limited access to conventional care.
specialists. Moreover, the dentist are annually affected However, missing from the bill was
to patient ratio is not indicative
of the geographic distribution of
by caries stipulation that the Advanced
Dental Hygiene Practitioners to
practitioners. According to the circumscribe their services to
Department of Health and underserved population. The ADA
Human Services, there are -A healthy dentist to and CDA’s stance is against this
approximately 1,480 areas in population ratio concept of Mid-Level providers,
the U.S that are designated as and they look toward other
suffering from a shortage of should be around avenues to meet the needs of the
dental providers. How do we
overcome this maldistribution to
1:1500 people.

meet the needs of the people? O pponents of the mid-level

provider model believe that a more
-Approximately 1480 practical solution to the access to
O ne established solution is areas are suffering care problem is to provide dentists
advocacy for prevention. This is a with more attractive incentives to
viable avenue since dental caries and from dental shortage practice in underserved communities.
periodontal disease are preventable Recently graduated dentists hesitate to
diseases. One way the government has work in these areas due to the
sought prevention of caries is through astronomical debt they incur while in
water fluoridation. According to Oral dental school. However, there are programs
Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon like the CDA Foundation’s loan repayment
General, “community water fluoridation program that helps sustain dentists in areas where
continues to be the most cost-effective, equitable they are most needed. So far the CDA Foundation
and safe means to provide protection from tooth decay has been successful in the placement of dentists to
in a community.” underserved areas.

T he Kindergarten Dental Check-Up Requirement, which A ccess to care will continue to be a topic of hot debate.
requires children to get a dental check up before starting school, Through ASDA and the CDA, dental students are encouraged to
follows this theme of prevention. It is an excellent way to begin become informed and continually engaged with issues involving
educating parents about the severity of Early Childhood Caries. our future profession. After all, our opinion matters.

My Journey through the
Melting Pot
Navreet Sidhu, 2013
Let me take you back two years ago to the 4th floor
lab at the UCLA School of Dentistry, where a neat
line of PPID candidates sat, hoping for a good
performance on the bench test and a successful
interview. As I got up to leave, I overheard a voice in
the background: “see you guys next year” –a
collection of words that numbed me. At the moment,
the thought of attending UCLA as a PPID student
opened gates of emotion, but I kept my cool and
causally replied, “Haha! Thanks.” These words,
though trivial at face value, remain in my memory.
Little did I know that I would soon be introduced to
the extraordinary diversity present at UCLA.
Fast-forwarding a year into the future, I still find the
School’s diverse student body the most interesting and
dizzying aspect of the PPID program. On the first day
of class, I was more intrigued by my classmates than
by the material. Never before had I had the
opportunity to meet people from all parts of the world.
Never mind the magnitude of academic work, keeping
up with the wide range of cultures had taken front row
center of my learning experience. Despite the amount
I have learned over the past few months, to this day, I
am daunted by the amount I still need to learn. What I
have learned from experience so far is the necessity of
respect and acceptance for different cultures, without
which one cannot truly appreciate the School. As a
result, hearing greetings and music in different
languages on a daily basis has become sheer bliss.
I was pleasantly surprised when the PPID students
became integrated with the traditional students, and
discovered that they constituted an even more diverse
group of people. This humbling experience has given
me a deep appreciation for my peers, and also a
new found respect for myself. I feel proud to be a part
of this small, but culturally diverse family of
students.
Alpha Omega & Delta
Sigma Delta
Tania Ohebsion, 2012
When we left our
undergraduate institutions,
many of us thought that we
had also left behind the
sweaters embroidered with
Greek letters, initiation
ceremonies, and the exclusive
members-only events that
altogether were benchmarks
of undergraduate fraternity
and sorority life. But UCLA
SOD offers incoming first
years and other interested
students the opportunity to be
a part of two international
professional dental
fraternities: Alpha Omega
(AO) and Delta Sigma Delta
(DSD). Together, AO and DSD boast over 150 members at UCLA
SOD and comprise more than one-third of the student body. With
informational meetings and jam-packed Rush Weeks during the early
part of November, each fraternity is looking to increase its
membership through active recruitment. They both offer students
attractive perks in becoming a member.
DSD, the first dental fraternity in the world, was founded in 1882
by dental students at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry
in Ann Arbor. Since its inception, its philosophy has been to
encourage ethical, professional, and scientific ideals in dentistry. The
current president is third year student Jessica Lee, and the faculty
advisors include Drs. Mito, Spolsky, and Trabert. Many students join
for the networking opportunities that include mentorship, externships,
and invitations to regional and national meetings. In addition, DSD
teaching events such as wax n’ relax, drill n’ chill, and denture
tutorials are a big selling point to students eager to receive helpful tips
from upperclassman. With trips to Mammoth in the winter, Vegas in
the spring, and a camping trip in the summer quarter, DSD offers an
abundance of exciting opportunities.
On the other hand, AO is a dental fraternity founded in 1907 by two
dental students who aimed to combat discrimination in dental schools.
Today, its members stretch across 21 countries around the world. Its
objective is to promote professionalism, fraternalism, and networking
among its members. The current presidents are fourth year student
Makhmal Farhadian and third year student Shahrzad Morim, and the
faculty sponsors include Drs. Diamond and Maiten. This fraternity
offers members the opportunity to attend semi-annual leadership
conferences, mentorship and externship programs, and dine n’
discover events with distinguished lecturers. Social events include the
annual AO ski trip, senior banquets, and socials at faculty homes.
After rush week, students are encouraged to choose between the
two fraternities. The decision is often based on where the student
feels he or she best fits in. The fraternities at UCLA SOD are like
families and the memories made together can last far beyond dental
school!
Ask the Upperclassmen: Questions and Answers
Kathryn Preston, 2014
The first year of dental school can be intimidating. In addition to
the seemingly limitless material to learn, students are often faced
with looming uncertainties of what the next four years will
bring. To alleviate some of this anxiety, Kathryn Preston, a first
year student, approached upper classmen with an arsenal of
questions. The compiled responses reveal what students should
expect and how they can best prepare for upcoming years at
UCLA School of Dentistry:
What are the differences in the roles of the second-, third-,
and fourth-year students in the clinic?
Each student is assigned to a Comprehensive Patient Care
(CPC) team comprised of a second, third, and fourth year dental
student. The CPC team is under the supervision of a Group
Practice Director (GPD), who ensures that all students receive a
sufficient pool of patients to obtain clinical experience. During
fall quarter, second year students begin working with their CPC
team by completing adult prophies [prophylaxis or cleaning] for
patients that their third-year refers to them. In the winter and
spring, they must complete one operative [i.e., amalgam filling]
and one fixed procedure [ex: crown] together with their fourth-
year. The amount of clinical work is limited, as the second year
course load is very heavy. When completing the combined
procedures with their fourth-year counterparts, second-years
should pay attention to the administrative as well as the clinical
details and take notes if necessary.
● ● ● memorize every detail!)
“Keeping track of
graduation
requirements early is a
great way to avoid
rushing to complete
competency
requirements.”
● ● ● in clinic that quarter. In contrast, students who have already
In their third year, students are responsible for managing recall
patients. The status of a patient is changed from “active” to
“recall” patient upon completion of all necessary treatment. A
recall patient is to be followed up for annual periodic exams as
well as hygiene treatment. The transition from pre-clinic to
clinic during the third year of dental school can be tough, but
gets easier with time. To assist the transition, get organized
early. For example, enter all patient recall information into an
Excel spreadsheet.
During the fourth year, students have the opportunity to do
more complicated procedures. They get priority in patient
assignment and can transfer procedures that they have already
completed to their third-year CPC partner. Keeping track of
graduation expectations early is a great way to avoid rushing to
complete competency requirements!
— Class of 2011
What do you wish you knew earlier about second year?
Second year is tough and requires mental preparation. While
the course load is comparable to first year, the amount of lab
work increases significantly. Second year students should
specifically look out for dentures and oral pathology. Dentures
may be the hardest course in dental school, so try to pass the
practical early by committing yourself wholeheartedly. If you
practice denture set-ups seriously before the midterm and pass
early, it will reduce a lot of stress in the future.
● ● ●
Second year
students should
specifically look out
for dentures and
oral pathology.”
● ● ●
For oral pathology, buy the book… and don't fall behind. Try to
review a little bit every night so it doesn’t overwhelm you as the
exam approaches. The class is taught by several professors, each
with their own style of teaching. It’s helpful to note that Dr.
Christensen gives out specific study guides from the textbook,
whereas Dr. Younai focuses on her PowerPoint presentations (so
— Class of 2011
Are there any advantages to taking the boards earlier during
the second year of dental school?
One of the main challenges for graduating dental school is
fulfilling clinic competencies in a timely manner. The advantage
of taking the boards early is being able to get serious about
treating patients. Most students take their boards during the
summer quarter between 2nd and 3rd year and have a limited role
taken the boards will have the privilege of being assigned new
patients. “Get part 1 done early and you will thank yourself
every quarter until you graduate”.
— Class of 2012
By the end of 4th year, it seems like many students are
rushing to get their requirements fulfilled for graduation.
What do you recommend we do in order to get a strong head
start?
Do not miss any clinic time from the first day that you are
eligible to see patients. Be organized, efficient and ready for
each appointment. Ask your Group Practice Director to assign
you new patients regularly. Removable competencies (i.e.
dentures and removable partial dentures) are usually the last to
be fulfilled, so it is a great idea to bring in your own patients for
this treatment.
— Class of 2011
Meet the First Years
Samir Farhoumand, 2014

When I sat down to write an

introduction for the Class of
2014, I felt an overwhelming
sense of writer’s block… not
because I haven’t had enough
time to get to know my
classmates (believe me, these past
few months have paced like a
Lifetime network movie). Rather,
I have problems categorizing a
collection of genuinely talented
people without falling into
clichéd usage of dull and diluted
descriptors (i.e. diverse).
Frustrated by my indecisiveness, I
did as any exacting scientist would do to systematically
categorize people – I used Facebook. Unfortunately, the online
tool yielded nothing new aside from the status of current
relationships. For what seemed like a good two hours, I sat
twiddling my thumbs until finally epiphany struck. I resolved
that to truly capture our class, I would have to elaborate on some
of our peculiarities.
For one, as the first class linked to the revised grading system,
we ALL want Honors, while at the same time we all want to
APPEAR like we don’t. Suddenly, every grade up to 95% has
become the harbinger of tears, causing some of us (myself
included) to beseech the powers of our fairy godmother in an
attempt to squeeze into the .8 slot of the top 8.8 students in the
class. Meanwhile, we hide our ambition behind phrases like,
“All I want to do is pass.” As a result of this interplay, we have distinguish between the functions of Reply vs. Reply-All, I am
grown incredibly vigilant of each other –something I learned able to read and thus confirm the sincere gratitude of the
fairly quickly when I wore my anatomy scrubs to class on a non- recipients.
lab day: “Why are you wearing your scrubs? Why are you Another peculiarity of our class is our unshakable attachment
studying on FRIDAY?!” Alas, I cannot deny that I have not to our ThinkPads. Never in my life had I imagined that I would
participated in these interrogations. But to state that my have difficulty hearing the professor over the chaotic and at
classmates do not want me to succeed is false, as I have never times deafening sound of keyboards clicking. On one occasion, I
encountered a group of more kind-hearted and supportive was convinced that my neighbor had declared war on his
people. One need only access my email account to see the ocean computer as he pounded the individual keys as in a grown-up
of useful study guides and learning aids we send to each other on version of Chuck-E-Cheese’s whack-a-mole. On that same
a daily basis. And thanks to many of my classmates’ inability to occasion, I recall the professor having to speak louder and
slower to overcome the tumultuous clatter, only to incite a
o c c l u s i o n s thunderous uproar of clicking by students perplexed by the
change in tone. The keyboard locusts, as I like to refer to them,
c r t descend upon our classroom from time to time, and while I can’t
e n a m e l c a r i e s r comment on their functional usage (as almost everything
mentioned is plainly described on the PowerPoint), I can say
m l o a c e e they do a mighty fine job of keeping those sitting in the back
e f l u o r i d e a s awake and alert.
To encapsulate our class in a couple of anecdotes is
n u p a f l o s s undoubtedly insufficient so I must emphasize that we indeed are
t n e b a s s a p more than ambitious stenographers (though I would challenge
you to find better note-takers). In reality, the most impressive
u e n e characteristic of the Class of 2014 is not our individual talent,
m d i s t a l d e n t u r e intelligence, or passion, but rather our ability to possess all these
qualities and harmoniously work, respect and love one another.
d l When I imagine the next four years of my life, I can confidently
s o a p i m p l a n t say I wouldn’t have it any other way.