The Diastema News

Volume 6, Issue 3 bridging the information gap Spring 2008

Inside This Issue

Lobby Day 1
ASDA Lobbies Capitol Hill
Melissa Bailey, ASDA Legislative Liaison, 2010
Meet Your Cabinet 2
President’s Message 3 This March, seven students from our ASDA chapter
Editor’s Note 3 (Melissa Bailey, Eddie Surger, Gil Ivry, Tal Masserman,
Venice Dental Center 4 Will Trevor, Andrew Read, and Suzin Um) attended the
3 on 3 Tournament 4
National Dental Student Lobby Day. This year’s Lobby
Golf Tournament 5
Student Voices 6 Day had the highest attendance in the event’s history,
Ask a Dental Student 7 with more than 300 dental students from 50 dental
Faculty Interview 8 schools present.
G.V. Black 9
The first day was devoted to seminars, guest
Honduras Mission 10
Asahi-UCLA-Meikai 11 speakers, and training on how to deliver effective
HDA 12 messages to policymakers. We heard from the
VDSA 12 honorable Elijah Cummings about his experience as a
The Odonto-BLAST 13
lawmaker and the bill that he sponsored, Deamonte’s
AO 14
DSD 14 Law. Represenatative Cummings spoke about the
Dental Fun Facts 15 tragic death of a 12-year-old boy, Deamonte Driver,
Dental Diversions 16 who died because of an untreated tooth abscess that
spread to his brain. Deamonte’s family lost their
Medicaid coverage and could not find a dentist in time
Editor-in-Chief to treat his tooth abscess. Deamonte’s tragic death
Kristen Lowe illustrated the importance of access to care and
heightened Congress’ and the nation’s attention to
Section Editors the need to increase access to oral health care for
Thuy Tran Hoang
underserved populations. This bill would authorize
Deema Saad
Tamar Sardarian ten million dollars for two pilot programs: a five
William Trevor million dollar grant to support education and training
for dental health professionals who will care for children and a five million dollar grant for community
health centers to increase the access to oral health care for patients seeking treatment.
Layout
Nancy Chen Next, Gina Luke, Director of Legislative Policy Development from ADEA, discussed the Higher
Kristen Lowe Education Act Reauthorization Bill. This loan forgiveness program would provide $2,000 per year for
up to five years for individuals who are employed in targeted areas where there is a demonstrated
Submissions national need or shortage. The Perkins Loan program would increase the annual Perkins Loan limit
If you would like to
from $6,000 to $8,000 and aggregate limit from $40,000 to $60,000.
submit an article for
The Diastema News or Finally, Jennifer Fisher, Congressional Lobbyist from
have a suggestion for the ADA, spoke about the Meth Mouth Prevention and
us, please email the Community Recovery Act. An unforeseen consequence
editor at:
of the methamphetamine epidemic has been the
Diastema.News@gmail.com
alarming rise in the cases of meth mouth. The meth
Editorial Disclaimer: mouth legislation would increase education to 12-17
The opinions contained year-olds and promote a series of continuing education
herein do not necessar-
ily reflect those of UCLA
activities for dentists to learn about substance abuse
or of the UCLA School disorders.
of Dentistry in The next day, over three hundred dental students
particular. converged on Capitol Hill to attend the scheduled
meetings. We met with Congresswoman Diane Watson

see Lobby Day, page 15

 ASDA
ASDA News
News Meet Your New Cabinet
Nancy Chen, 2010
David Avenetti, President
I am very excited to serve as ASDA President during the upcoming year. My goal for next
year is to make sure every dental student is benefited by ASDA and its resources. This will
include educating students about the various committees, encouraging students to get
involved in committees, and motivating students to attend ASDA sponsored events. Though
most of my time is devoted to completing the rigors of dental school, participation in
extracurricular activities, such as ASDA, continues to be the most rewarding aspect of being
a dental student. During my free time, I enjoy sleeping, going to the beach, listening to music,
seeking new adventures (whatever they may be), spending time with friends and family,
playing sports, and engaging in any activities that remind me that there is life outside of
school. If I were given one superpower, it would be to stop time. If I were granted three
wishes, they would be health, happiness... and I’d save the 3rd. My ideal vacation is an African
Safari or a tour of Central and South America. My mantra is “do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.”

Alaina Fenton, Gil Ivry, Vice President

Vice President My hobbies include snowboarding, jet
As many of you skiing, and any other water sport. I
may have guessed, also enjoy fishing, traveling, and
I'm a kindergarten playing poker. My goals for next year
teacher at heart. include getting more students to
However... because appreciate the importance of ASDA,
I'm afraid of kids, both locally and on a national level,
I've instead de- and increasing student participation
cided to pursue dentistry and promote ASDA with my love in the various ASDA events. I am very excited about the
of arts and crafts. In all seriousness, I am very excited to new ASDA cabinet as we are all very passionate, hard
serve as one of your ASDA VPs this next year. We have working, and have many great ideas to make next year a
an amazing new cabinet, and with your help, I think we great one! Oh, and I want UCLA to win “ideal ASDA
can do some great things this next year. I would chapter” award at the national meeting, because we rock!
encourage anyone interested to get involved “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent
as ASDA has a lot to offer. one.” “The only thing that interferes with my learning is
my education.” -Albert Einstein

Nancy Chen, Secretary Chris Chau, Treasurer

I grew up in Denver, Colorado I’m really into watching and playing
but rarely went skiing or sports, especially tennis or basketball.
snowboarding until I went back I think it’s a crime if you don’t go to a
home after college. In my spare UCLA basketball game by the time you
time, I enjoy reading magazines, graduate. I’m excited to be working
playing tennis, taking pictures, and with such an awesome ASDA cabinet
running errands. I’m really excited and I can’t wait to see who will be next
to work with the ASDA cabinet and year’s committee chairs.
all the committees this year. I hope that everyone “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you
participates in the many opportunities and events that can do.” - Coach John Wooden
ASDA offers. It’s going to be a great year!
Tal Masserman, Legislative Liaison
My vision for the coming year is to help every dental student at UCLA find an
issue that they are enthusiastic and passionate about when it comes to legislation
affecting the dental community. I believe that knowledge is the most valuable asset
a person can attain because it is a possession that can never be taken away. My
favorite musician is Oren Masserman because he is one of the few artists who
truly makes the world a better place by “spreading the aloha.”
“You shouldn’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out alive.” -Van Wilder

Diastema News 2
President’s Closing Remarks
Eddie Surger, ASDA President 2007-2008
ASDA News
addition, the structure of our committees continues to
When I was informed that serve as an inspiration for other ASDA chapters
elections for the new ASDA nationwide. Our chapter is truly an amazing model for
cabinet were around the organized dentistry and demonstrates the impact that an
corner, it felt like the school organization of young dentists can have when they work
year had gone by more together. We should be proud that our chapter has
quickly than usual. However, educated, entertained, and raised the morale of our
in this seemingly brief time, students, faculty and staff, all the while providing services
this year’s UCLA ASDA to those in our community who are most in need.
chapter was able to With that said, I would like to offer a few final words.
accomplish an incredible To those first and second years who have yet to become
amount. I would like to involved: I encourage every one of you to take part in
extend a big thank you and ASDA and/or any other organization within our school
congratulations to all of the 2007-2008 ASDA leaders. to balance out your dental school experience. To our
Very few weeks went by this year without some sort of graduating seniors: Always remember that there are
ASDA event, and none of those events would have been many exciting opportunities for you to stay involved in
successful without the arduous efforts of all individuals organized dentistry. If you ever feel inspired to diversify
involved. your experience within the private sector, please do not
The UCLA ASDA chapter has continued to excel on hesitate to email me for ideas on getting started. However,
both local and national levels. At the 2007 ASDA Annual for now, let me close by saying congratulations for your
Meeting, our chapter received the National Crest Healthy completion of one of the most challenging and well
Smiles Award along with a first place prize of $2,500 for respected dental programs in the country! I wish each
our dedication to community service for children. In of you success and happiness in the coming years!

From The Editor

As the school year comes to a Mark Your Calendars!
close, I want to thank all of our
writers, photographers, and
editors for making UCLA ASDA’s
newsletter, The Diastema News, ASDA's 38th Annual Session
such a fantastic success. I would
also like to express gratitude to Dr.
will be on August 27-31 at the
Carol Bibb for being an
outstanding advisor and taking
Westin Kierland Resort and Spa
the time from her busy schedule in Scottsdale, Arizona. ASDA
to review this publication each quarter. Because of
everyone’s dedication and hard work, we were able to members and leaders from each
triple production and introduce many new, and hopefully
entertaining, features, such as the crossword puzzles, of the 56 dental schools attend
legislative updates, and student opinion pieces.
I would also like to congratulate the co-editors selected
this meeting to network, learn
for next year, Nancy Chen and William Trevor (2010).
Both have worked very hard this year, and I have no doubt
about issues of importance to
that they will carry forward the great momentum we dental students and set
have built. However, they will need your help!
I encourage any students interested in becoming association policy.
involved with this exciting and rewarding project to
contact Nancy (nancychen@ucla.edu) or Will
(williamtrevor@gmail.edu) directly. I believe that this
publication is great way to showcase all of our diverse
Please contact David Avenetti
activities, opinions and interests, so take advantage of it.
Thank you for reading! :)
for more information:
-Kristen Lowe, 2009 avenetti@gmail.com
Diastema News 3
 ASDA News
UCLA Venice Dental Center
Sandra Shagat, UCLA SOD Director of Communications, and Nancy Chen, 2010
The School of Dentistry formally dedicated the new from Dean No-Hee Park, Venice Clinic Director, Dr. John
pediatric dentistry wing at the Wilson-Jennings- Yamamoto, and Pediatric Dentistry Chair, Dr. Jim Crall.
Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center on Saturday, April In addition to the ceremony, the clinic parking lot was
12, 2008. The ribbon-cutting ceremony recognized the converted into a festival of games and activity booths
project’s donors for their longstanding generosity and for children during the community oral health fair. The
celebrated the official launch of the new community- smell of hotdogs and popcorn and live music entertained
based pediatric dentistry residency training program. It hundreds of guests. More than 40 student volunteers
was a project made possible by a generous gift-in-kind participated by providing oral hygiene instruction,
from longtime clinic supporters, Bob and Marion Wilson, mural-painting, face-painting, and arts and crafts!
their son Tom Wilson, and Peggy Bloomfield.
Founded in 1969, the Venice Dental Center is a
community-oriented clinic that provides comprehensive
dental care to many ethnically diverse and lower income
patients from Venice and the surrounding area. Already
equipped with 20 chairs, the 1,500-square-foot addition
to the Dental Center consists of a waiting room, 4 open
operatories, 3 closed operatories, a supply closet, a
reception desk, and a charting area. Other renovations
include re-designing the landscape, painting the interior
patient care areas, and improving the graphical elements
to the building.
To officially unveil the new wing and the improvements
to the pre-existing building, the School of Dentistry
proudly hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with remarks

ASDA 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament

Michael Shoff, 2010
championship team
On February 23, 2008, stumbled in the last
the ASDA Chapter of game of the round-
UCLA hosted its annual robin and was granted
3-on-3 Basketball the 6th seed, but they
Tournament. Teams came back from
from other schools, behind to win it all. “I
including USC Dental think our size,
School, were invited to teamwork, and will to
participate in the event, win were the
and sixteen different difference makers
three or four man teams when it came to
participated. The elimination time,” said
tournament consisted of Terry, “we knew one
a morning round robin team had to go home,
to determine seeds for but it wasn’t going to
the single elimination be us.”
tournament that UCLA players also
afternoon. The game play was broken up by a lunch performed well in the individual contests: Sahand
catered by Subway and contests throughout the day. Zarrabian (2010) won the “Bump” contest and a pair of
UCLA was able to put an end to USC’s three year shoes, and Sharone Pazooky (2009) edged out Dave
winning streak, as competitors Mark Terry (2010), Kirk Feller (2010) in the three-point shooting contest.
Morris (2011), Ryan Hodges (2009) and Kevin Andrus
(2009) handily beat last year’s champions. The

Diastema News 4
 ASDA News

Inaugural ASDA Golf Tournament

Grant Stucki, 2009
The 1st annual UCLA ASDA golf tournament
was a smashing success! The perfect weather,
cloud cover but no rain, set the tone for the day.
All involved had a wonderful time. It was a
terrific opportunity for students to mingle with
other students and faculty in the relaxing setting
of the Brookside Golf Course. The golfers in the
tournament were treated like kings, as they were
given warm-up buckets of balls, golf carts, t-shirts,
dinner, and awards. Matt Harvey, Greg Smith,
and all other committee members should be
commended for their outstanding efforts in
preparing the tournament.
One of the most memorable moments of the
day involved Dr. Christensen exclaiming, “Oh my
gosh!” and throwing his hat on the grass when
a member of his group hit a particularly good
shot. Overall, each group had a good mix of skill
level, which allowed for helpful tips to be exchanged scramble format of the tournament was perfect. It made
within the group. The groups were also beneficial the game fun and relaxing while still involving all of the
because they allowed students and faculty to get to know team members in the game.
each other in wonderfully nonchalant circumstances. The We appreciate all of the planning and support we
received from the students and faculty. The
UCLA chapter of ASDA hopes to make this
another fabulous annual tradition. We hope
we will continue to receive similar superb
support from students and faculty during the
coming years.

Diastema News 5
Student Voices
Green is the New Black
Michael Oladubu, 2009

Earlier this year, Time and China, diversion of grain to provide energy through
magazine had a special green- biofuels and the ever increasing price of oil. I could not
themed environmental issue. As agree more with Mr. Secretary General; confronting the
I thumbed through the pages of threat of climate change is a task for all of us.
the publication, I came across Global warming, climate change and
an article by Ban Ki Moon, the environmentalism have become the celebrity causes du
U.N Secretary General, which jour. Everybody, from Beyonce’s beau and his Water for
argued that a greener planet Life project to baby-faced movie star, Leonardo Di Caprio,
would be a more peaceful one. and his eco-foundation, has been giving us spiels in an
His stated that, “Many of the attempt to raise our eco-consciousness. A plethora of
challenges we face, from poverty to armed conflict, are ideas has been proposed to help save the planet, such as
linked to the effects of global warming. Finding a solution Carbon Cap-N-Trade, solar technology, and the cultivation
to climate change can bring benefits in other areas.” I of petroalgae. In my opinion, most of these utilize three
pondered this for a bit. The armed conflict in Darfur does common principles: conservation, improved efficiency
revolve around arable farmland, or the lack thereof. The and innovation. These are principles that we may
global hunger riots stem from a combination of drought, integrate into our daily lives, school and profession.
increased consumption by the rising super powers India Take a walk through the clinics any day of the week,
see Oladubu - page 15

The World May Never Know

William Trevor, 2010
“Are you bitter that you
didn’t get into Medical
School?”
Are you bitter that the
public education system failed
you so effectively? I reflect.
However, my actual, and
somewhat dissatisfying,
response is to mutter that - in
fact - I did not apply to medical
school. This befuddling
revelation for our questioner often resolves into: “I don’t
understand.”
I shrug my shoulders. You wouldn’t.
How can dentistry be such a respected profession,
when I constantly find myself having to explain that
dentists go to school? (Yes, believe it or not, most of us
even have our bachelor’s degrees.) However, those
people who actually know that dental school exists seem
to regard it as a lackluster second chance bobbing
conveniently in the wake of unpleasant MCAT scores. It
does not matter that our curriculum is more challenging.
It does not matter that our admissions standards are
more rigorous. In the public eye, dental school is
medical school’s ‘plan B’.
I wonder why this is the case. I think it might have
something to do with the popular notion that no one in
their right mind would willingly choose to stare into
mouths all day. Somehow, proctologists escape similar
criticism. In any case, it is not well understood that
Diastema News 6
dentistry is a first choice. I wanted to become a dentist
because of the wonderful opportunities dentistry has to
offer: A rewarding career with job diversity and a means
to satisfy my tooth fetish.
By and large, it is my optimistic belief that the general
public respects dentists as doctors. After all, we garner
the salutation. Though, I find it wholly plausible that
patients rinse the word ‘doctor’ from their mouths thirty
minutes after each appointment. Many consider dentists
doctors like they consider Coco the Gorilla a fluent
speaker of the English language; a cute thought, but
generally understood as a limited comparison. Doctors
are curing cancer. Dentists are inching toward a break
in the case of how many licks it takes to get to the center
of a Tootsie Pop.
Of course it isn’t fair, but not all blame can be placed
on the uneducated masses that believe dentists spring
forth from an ooze of over-parenting and shattered
dreams. I think we, as dentists, have allowed these
misguided perceptions to persist. Too many in our
community do not practice the medicine of dentistry, and
thereby earn us our lot. If we wish to change our
reputation, we need to sever ourselves from the
apprenticeship model of dentistry once and for all. We
are not cobblers, and we don’t ‘fix’ teeth. We are doctors.
We make diagnoses, and we treat within the context of
overall medical health. However, to earn our rightful
place in society, we must practice by these virtues and
educate our patients that dentistry is a still branch of
medicine, though awkward its childhood may have been.

Ask a (Graduating) Dental Student:
Advice for Getting Through Dental School
Chanel McCreedy, 2010 and Kristen Lowe, 2009
Cristen Dismuke
GPR at the VA Long Beach
“Always make time for yourself
to do what you enjoy. Don’t let
dental school overwhelm you;
take time for your favorite show,
exercise routine, sport, or
hobby.”
Jared Lee
Orthodontics residency at
Columbia University
“When the pressure and stress of
dental school seem
overwhelming and
insurmountable, smile big and
laugh at yourself for taking life
too seriously.”
Niki Zarabian
GPR at the VA Sepulveda
“1st yrs: Don’t spend too much
time in the library...you will pass.
2nd yrs: Take your boards early,
and enjoy your summer.
3rd yrs: Your peers are your
colleagues now. Work as a team
to make the most out of the clinic
experience.”
Student Voices
Regina Espinoza
AEGD in Maui, Hawaii
“The best advice to the first years
is that second year is not the end
of the world. It is the hardest year,
but DON’T GIVE UP. Second
years: ask a lot of questions
before and during the first couple
of weeks in clinic. Also, make sure
to take boards before clinic starts.”
Alex Molayem
AEGD at Columbia University
“Don’t be afraid to stick up for
yourself and stand out, but if
you’re going to do it, make sure
you know what you’re talking
about.”
Raquel Ulma
OMS residency at UCLA
“Advice to 1st/2nd years: Take
advantage of all the wonderful
resources our school has to offer.
This is your chance to learn the
most that you can. Of course,
make good friends along the way
and be sure to help others.”

Cynthia Morford Nga (Natalie) Nguyen

Prosthodontics residency at UCSF OMFS residency at Harvard/
Massachusetts General Hospital
"Start early on competencies.
Have the forms in your cube at “As 3rd year students, prioritize
all times. These are frustrating and be organized in the clinic so
to have as loose ends close to that you accomplish at least one
graduation, especially clinical requirement everyday.
when you have done the proce- There are many requirements, so
dures many times before have an Excel spreadsheet handy,
but just forgot to ever get graded and track them as you complete
for it." the requirements.”
Liz Miltner
GPR at Mare Island VA (Sacramento/Vallejo)
“Request RPD patients and start them ASAP. Everything
seems to take longer than you initially plan. Also, tell your
patients it's going to take X number of appointments or X
number of months and over estimate the time so when
you deliver early you look good but if things take longer
you're still in the time range.”
Diastema News 7
 Faculty Interview

“I want to change things. I want to leave

a mark. I want people to be improved by
me being around this place. I feel like
I’m making a difference, and that’s
very encouraging.”
The Diastema News’ Nancy Chen, 2010, interviews

Dr. Richard Stevenson

Associate Clinical Professor and Chairman of Restorative Dentistry

Dr. Richard Stevenson was first inspired to pursue a career

in health care when he took a year off in college to volunteer in
villages outside of Kathmandu, Nepal. During his four months
in the foothills of the Himalayas, he developed water cisterns
and ran pipes out of these cisterns so villagers had access to a
fresh water supply. Upon returning to the States, he found a job
in dental research. Working on the early stages of implant
research and performing cephalometric tracings inspired Dr.
Stevenson to become a dentist.

What is your proudest accomplishment in dentistry? the payback is five- or ten-fold in terms of your knowledge
Becoming Board Certified – I’m the only board certified . . . and you save a lot of money on continuing education.
operative dentist at UCLA and one of only 65 in the world.
The American Board of Operative Dentistry has a three If you could choose a dental specialty to go into, what
part certification exam consisting of an 8-hour written would it be?
exam, a 3-day clinical exam, an oral exam with three If I were to do it over again, I would go into
board members and 2 full-mouth rehabilitation prosthodontics. However, I think general practice is
presentations. It’s the WREB on steroids. probably the most interesting because you can learn to
do everything: orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, oral and
What is the most challenging part of your job? periodontal surgery, and implant placement.
Full-time faculty are saddled with more administrative
responsibilities than in the past because of the changing What are your hobbies?
culture in the dental school. Many full-time faculty serve Mountaineering pursuits such as climbing 14,000-foot
on multiple committees and have huge responsibilities peaks across the high Sierra. I take all those pictures that
outside of just teaching. This can sometimes be one of Dr. Morgan shows of himself; I’m right there with him.
the most challenging aspects of this job – trying to keep Dr. Morgan once showed a picture of the two of us on top
it all together. You can’t be good at everything; you have of a mountain, and someone asked, “Oh, Dr. Morgan, who
to pick and choose and that’s hard. is that with you – your son? And he goes, “No! That’s Dr.
Stevenson. Do I look old enough to be his father?”
What about challenges in the dental profession?
There are so many different techniques and
procedures out there. The challenge is to get “Don’t get frustrated, ask instructors for help,
good at so many different things; continuing
education is really essential. Post-graduate work together as a class and become each
training is really important; as a general other’s allies. A class as a unit can be much
practitioner, I can’t see going into general
practice right now without a GPR or an AEGD. If
more powerful than all the elements divided.
you apply yourself well in a one year program, Help each other; it makes a big difference.”

Diastema News 8
 Faculty Interview

Advice for dental students?

Don’t get frustrated, ask instructors for help, work
together as a class and become each other’s allies. A class
as a unit can be much more powerful than all the
elements divided. Help each other; it makes a big
difference. I remember to this day my classmates who
helped me, either finding patients for the board or getting
that last partial denture that I needed to graduate.
After graduation, you really have to seek out a mentor
who you can rely on for help in all aspects of dentistry.
Find a group of dentists who’re dedicated to excellence
with senior people there who can mentor you. Most
dental students today don’t really think about the study
club as an important part of their future. Join a study
club to keep you active and enhance your hand skills.

The Evolution of Modern Dentistry:

A Tribute to G.V. Black
Thuy Tran Hoang, 2009
Dr. Black was also a lecturer at Missouri Dental College
Dental students are familiar with G.V. Black, but few and the first Dean of Northwestern University Dental
appreciate his innumerable contributions to the dental School.
profession. A musician, an artist, an educator, a clinician, Dr. Black advocated
a dean, a scientist and an inventor, Dr. Black pioneered dentistry as a learned
many ideas and techniques that continue to shape profession. Instead of
operative dentistry. simply filling cavities,
Awarded both honorary dental and medical degrees, he understood the
Dr. Black related the clinical practice of dentistry to a link between
scientific basis. Dr. Black almost single-handedly microorganisms and
transformed the dental profession from uneducated disease, a
“barber-dentists” to dentists trained in basic sciences and revolutionary idea of
clinical dentistry. Louis Pasteur. He
Greene Vardiman Black (1836-1915) was born in taught dentistry as a
Illinois and grew up on farm. He studied medicine at science, emphasizing
age 17 before studying dentistry. After practicing in the cause and effect
Illinois, he served as the Illinois State Dental Society relationships between
president, during which time he also invented one of the treatment planning,
first cord driven, foot power dental engines. He was the
first to use nitrous oxide for painless teeth extractions. see G. V. Black - page 15

Diastema News 9
 Global Outreach
Roatan Island Dental Missions
Aldrich Sy, 2009

What do you get when you leave 19 dental students

on a secluded tropical island beach during spring break?
If you guessed 332 amalgams, 333 extractions, 40
prophies, 2 root canals, and hundreds of improved
smiles, then you are right. This March, a group of 10
third years, 8 second years, and 1 first year ventured to
the remote island of Roatan, Honduras, accompanied by
six practicing dentists, to offer dental care services to
those in need.
Immediately after finals, everyone stuffed their bags
with army-grade insect repellant and Pepto-Bismol in
preparation for departure. After 30 large crates of dental
supplies were checked in, everyone settled down for the
6 hour flight. Upon arrival, students were packed five to
a room and shared three bunk beds and one bathroom
for the week long trip.
In the days that followed, a church hall and small
medical office were transformed into fully functional dental clinics.
When these clinics opened on Monday morning, countless people stood
in line, and some waited an entire day just to be seen. Each day in the
clinic was a fast paced and intense environment that lacked x-ray
machines, adjustable chairs and fluorescent lights. Dentistry was
performed in untried positions,
while students contorted themselves
to extract abscessed third molars
using only headlamps for light. Six
floor instructors, who offered
guidance and expertise along the
way, were led by Dr. Mike Roberts, a
UCLA alumnus who spearheaded the
trip for the Christian Dental
Fellowship. By the end of the week, over 400 citizens of Roatan, mostly children,
had been provided free dental care.
While clinic life was hectic, students also had the chance to enjoy other activities
on Roatan. Free time
consisted of
snorkeling, hiking or
relaxing on beaches,
while group outings
included a beachside barbecue, dinner at a local mansion,
and a farewell lobster fest.
At the end of our time on Roatan, we had gained
clinical skills and expanded our Spanish vocabularies.
However, more importantly, this trip allowed all of us to
help a community in desperate need of care, and I believe
this experience will leave a lasting impression on our
lives. Surely, each of us came away with a renewed
appreciation for dentistry and the differences we can
make as dentists for people in any part of the world.

Diastema News 10
Asahi-UCLA-Meikai Japan Trip Global Outreach

Kim Quilao, 2009

As part of the
Asahi-UCLA-Meikai
Dental Student
Exchange program,
Brian Asbury,
Andrew Chang, Izzy
Trujillo, Bob
Sharobiem, Lauren
Adams, Sam
Brenner, Nilou
N o u r i - M a h dav i e ,
Jane Refela, Kristen
Lowe and I hosted
ten Japanese dental students last summer.
Since then, we counted down the days until
we’d be reunited with our friends in Japan
over spring break.
The program, generously sponsored by Dr.
Susumu Miyata, provides dental students from
UCLA, Meikai and Asahi Universities the opportunity for an
educational and cultural exchange.
We began our experience on March 21st accompanied
by Drs. Christine Quinn and Lawrence Wolinsky. The first
half of our trip was spent in Tokyo with our friends from
Meikai. On our first night, Professor Jun Miyata (Dr. Miyata’s
son) hosted us at a sushi restaurant where we learned how
to make sushi. Included on the menu was the notorious
“fugu,” or pufferfish. (Ask us in person exactly what part of
the Fugu we ate). With only five days in Tokyo, there was
much to do. We visited the famous Tsukiji Fish Market,
attended Meikai graduation ceremony, ascended Tokyo
Tower, shopped in Harajuku, ate more sushi, enjoyed the
cherry blossom season, and experienced Tokyo night life.
From March 26-31, we spent our time in Gifu with our
Asahi friends. They made sure our
time there was nothing but
eventful. We toured the university,
visited the historical Gifu Castle,
the Golden Kinkakuji shrine, the
Toyota museum, and partied at a
karaoke bar! Also, at the university,
we did inlay preps on typodonts
which were scanned by a laser and
graded by a computer. Good news:
we all passed!
On March 31, we left our friends
with hugs, promises of seeing each
other again, and some tears. It was
indeed an educational and
exhilarating experience full of
memories to cherish with our life
long friends.

Diastema News 11
 Clubs & Community
Hispanic Dental Association
Michelle Alvarez, 2011

Recently, members of the Hispanic Dental Association
(HDA) chapter at UCLA had the opportunity to volunteer
at the annual “CampMed” program held in Camp
Hollywoodland, Los Angeles. Members of the group were
able to share their knowledge and personal experiences
as dental students with approximately 140 disadvantaged
high school teenagers. The teenagers were also given an
opportunity to practice taking alginate impressions on
each other with supplies provided by HDA and members
of the 2010 and 2011 classes. The event was a great
opportunity to expose camp members to dentistry
through a unique hands-on experience and an insider’s
perspective into the field of dentistry.
Here at UCLA, HDA hosted a lunch and general
meeting with special invited guest, Dr. Jorge Alvarez. Dr.
Alvarez, Immediate Past President and current Treasurer
of the HDA Los Angeles Chapter, spoke of his experiences
as a Latin-American dentist working in Los Angeles.
Other speakers, including Dr. Irubiel Barbosa (Trustee
of the National Hispanic Dental Association) and UCLA’s
Dr. Marvin Marcus, were also on hand to give
motivational advice and guidance to HDA members.
Lastly, HDA held their traditional pre-midterm tutorial
in the 4th floor lab for its first-year members. First-years
were taught useful techniques for achieving the perfect
full gold crown by Verna Lee Schuetter (2010).
Please visit HDA’s new bulletin board on the “A” floor
of the dental school for news, pictures, and information
regarding the organization. If you are interested in joining
HDA at UCLA or would like more information, please
contact UCLA_HDA@yahoo.com.

New Club Supports a Community

Jeffrey Nguyen, 2010
to students of all backgrounds. Fundraising is currently
The School of Dentistry, with 375 students, is a the club’s top priority and is necessary to fund more
relatively small program compared to other graduate health fairs and social events. Expect to see a lot of
level programs at UCLA. For instance, the David Geffen delicious ethnic food being sold in the breezeway. Lastly,
School of Medicine has more than 750 students, and the the VDSA hosts a senior banquet every year to honor its
School of Law enrolls 320 students a year for a total of graduates.
960 students in a three year program. There are
approximately 11,500 graduate students at UCLA, which
makes the dental student population roughly 3.2% of the
total graduate student population. Within this
community, there is an even smaller community of
students who share a common heritage and language with
one another. This community is represented by the
Vietnamese Dental Student Association.
VDSA has participated in three health fairs in
Westminster, a predominately Vietnamese community,
under the guidance of Dr. Nancy Reifel. Each health fair
had a huge turnout of students and visitors, and the club
has been recognized in local newspapers for its efforts.
In the future, the club hopes to expand its scope and
level of participation by enlarging its membership base
Diastema News 12
The ASB Odonto-BLAST
Amy Yen, 2009
Clubs & Community

Those who came out to the spring formal “Odonto-

BLAST” will agree that it truly was a blast. The
Associated Student Body did a great job. This year, the
ASB went all out and booked a mansion right on Sunset
Boulevard. The venue was perfect; convenient for
people to come and go as they pleased.
Bouncers
guarded the
door, letting
only invited
guests ascend
the stairs
toward the
blaring music
provided by
the talented DJ Mike Intellect, 2009. The venue itself was amazing, complete
with a pool table, foosball, lounge area, flat screen television built in the wall,
two bars, hot
tub, and a fire
pit.
The view
from the
balcony was
beautiful, and
a huge glass
w a l l
overlooked the whole sunset strip. The atmosphere
was somewhere between an episode of MTV’s Real
World and a night of clubbing on Sunset. It was so nice
to find an excuse to wear something other than blue
scrubs and dress up in gowns and suits. Everyone
looked so much happier, not to mention more
attractive.
The night began kind of slow, with people just
chatting and hanging out, but the place soon became
packed as the night progressed. DJ Mike kept the beat pumping and dance floor full. Around the room, everyone
was dancing and enjoying themselves. In addition to the open bar with icy margaritas and other drinks, ASB provided
light appetizers: mango salsa, guacamole, and ice cream puffs. The Odonto-BLAST was a great way to mingle with
dental students from the different classes and a nice way to end the year.

Diastema News 13
Clubs & Community
Alpha Omega Update
Adrienne Hecht, 2009

This year, Alpha Omega is proud to celebrate its in Boston, and we also sent some members to the 2007
centennial year. The organization was founded by dental International Convention in Israel.
students as a way to fight discrimination against Jews in To conclude this year, we will hold a banquet and
dentistry and is now the oldest dental fraternity, with awards ceremony to honor our graduating seniors. Each
chapters all around the world. Although the fraternity senior will receive an AO placard and a yearbook. This
originated with only Jewish members, we are proud to has been another amazing year, and we thank both our
say that we now have a group of fraters that includes members, who make the fraternity possible, and the
people of all different religions and cultural backgrounds cabinet who has put a lot of hard work into running the
that offer much to our organization. organization and keeping the tradition going.
The UCLA chapter is concluding another
successful year. We began the year with a relaxing
barbeque at Dr. Diamond’s beach house and
organized a social event for our new members. The
pledges were then initiated by the regional AO
leaders at Hillel and received their “special”
initiation at our annual ski trip in Big Bear.
Throughout the year, we held a multitude of events
that provided opportunities for networking, having
fun, learning and traveling. We hosted lectures by
renowned dental experts every month and provided
our members with tutorials in areas such as clinic
preparation and dentures. This year, we had several
members attend the annual leadership conference

Delta Sigma Delta Appreciation Banquet

Amy Yen, 2010

Delta Sigma Delta fraternity proudly held their First Omega Chapter quickly re-established its presence at
Annual Senior/Faculty UCLA.
Appreciation Banquet on At the Senior/Faculty
May 23, 2008 at Fu’s Palace. Appreciation Banquet,
Graduating seniors were delicious nine-course
honored and recognized Chinese dishes were served
through a slideshow to more than forty guests.
capturing great memories The decor looked
created in the past four remarkable: the party
years at the UCLA Omega banquet hall was decorated
Omega Chapter. We also with blue and gold balloons,
mingled with faculty DSD candles, lavender flowers,
alumni: Dr. Ron Mito, Dr. Val and confetti. The celebration
Spolsky, Dr. Ken Trabert, was filled with faculty
and Dr. Jay Watson. recalling their days as DSD
A few years ago, the officers and an amazing
chapter almost ceased to exist due to the absence of slideshow recapturing the fun events that took place this
passionate members and leadership; however, it was past year. Thirteen new initiates received their lifetime
revived under the enthusiasm and support of Dr. Watson, memberships while graduating seniors were presented
our chief faculty advisor. Many graduating seniors the official Delta Sigma Delta gold pin. The seniors also
revitalized DSD, notably Varo Boyajyan and Cristen spoke about how much the fraternity influenced their
Dismuke, the past grandmasters. They actively recruited lives at UCLA, touching many DSD members and bringing
members, networked with other DSD chapters, and some to the verge of tears. It was sad to say goodbye,
completed the registration of the fraternity at the but bright futures awaits our graduating seniors. Best of
national level. With hard work and dedication, the Omega luck, Class of 2008 Delts!
Diastema News 14

Lobby Day, continued from page 1
and the health aides of Senator Diane Feinstein,
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Congresswoman
Maxine Waters, and Congressman Henry Waxman to
discuss the legislative issues that may impact the dental
profession. Overall, it was a great experience for all of
us, and we felt privileged to contribute, in our own small
way, to the successful future of the dental profession.
G.V. Black, continued from page 9
tooth preparation and prevention. His principle of
extension for prevention is widely used today, as well as
his organization of Black’s Classification of Caries
Lesions. Throughout his life, Dr. Black wrote several
books on pathology, caries and micro-organisms, and
dental anatomy.
Also an astute researcher, he published his first
important dental paper on “Gold Foil” in 1869.
Additionally, he investigated the cause of dental fluorosis
and the composition of dental amalgam and its
properties.
Aside from his love for science, Dr. Black enjoyed
singing in his church choir and playing the violin, the
cello, the cornet, flute and piccolo.
Occasionally, an intellectual giant comes along who
changes the course of science. In our chosen profession
of dentistry, Dr. G.V. Black undoubtedly is this man. Able
to humble and inspire dental students and dentists alike,
we owe him much gratitude.
Dental Trivia!
Grant Stucki, 2009
What is the most common, widespread,
and oldest disease of human kind?
Tooth decay
What group of people first described tooth
decay in writing?
The Sumerians (found on a 5,000 year old clay tablet)
In what year was the first aromatic
toothpaste introduced to the public?
1873
When did collapsible toothpaste tubes hit
the scene?
1896
What kind of floss does Jerry Seinfeld use
on the show?
Glide
Dental Diversions
Oladubu, continued from page 6
and estimate the number of patients seen and the amount
of consumables used. Undoubtedly, we consume a lot of
materials and energy at the dental school. The vagaries
of the student experience practically demand a high
carbon footprint, but severally and together, we can
channel our inner Al Gores. We have a social and
environmental responsibility to conserve energy, reduce
waste and ensure a sustainable future for the
environment. To use an apt and true maxim, we must
think globally and act locally.
We can start with simple actions, such as: switching
lights and computers off after hours, recycling all paper
and plastic waste, conserving water, reducing waste in
the clinic (employ the right technique, and get that
impression in one try!), and adjusting the thermostat a
couple of degrees higher in the summer and lower in the
winter to help reduce production of fluorocarbons that
contribute to global warming. On a grander scale, we
would ideally retrofit the school of dentistry to be greener.
We could utilize low energy lighting in communal areas,
switch to digital radiography, employ filters that reduce
deposits in liquid waste and install energy efficient
operatories. I could go on, but you get the idea; conserve,
improve efficiency and innovate.
Two weeks after reading Mr. Moon’s article, I
was playfully spinning the carousel on Sha’Ron’s
desk when I suddenly had an epiphany that could
eliminate the need for paper copies of uncharged
reports at UCLA forever. Like all modestly good
ideas, it was simple. Whenever a student signs into
SOE, there would be an electronic notification of
uncharged reports, much like a Facebook poke.
Bradley Chin and Dr. Goldstein took to the idea, and
I gather that they will be working to implement
this small step as we inch closer to completely
paperless patient records. I thought of the trees
that will be saved by the execution of this idea, and
I admit the feel good factor was substantial.
As I write this article, I am sitting down at
Starbucks with a classmate. As he sips his latte from
a recycled cup, Carlos Mendoza informs me that he
takes the bus to and from school every day. Good
for you my friend – reducing your carbon footprint
and saving gas and money through your self-
sacrifice. Now, if we could get more thumbs that
wield handpieces to (pun intended) go green…
Diastema News 15
Dental Diversions

Crossword
Chanel McCreedy and
William Trevor, 2010
Across
2 Can be a skin lesion or
something that forms on your
teeth (one word)
5 Shapes amalgam preps & carried
by Mel Gibson in “The Patriot” (one
word)
6 Bet you cannot spell the name of
this chisel (one word)
10 5th cusp on maxillary first
molar (one word)
11 Occupies the cervical
embrasure (one word)
13 Best party host (two words)
14 A 3D pixel (one word)
15 Studying for oral pathology or
sharp internal line angle both yield 3 Redness of the skin or gingiva (one word)
this (one word) 4 Dr. Wong’s favorite band (holds in amalgam) (one word)
Down 7 Lowering of viscosity with rapid shear stress (one
1 Specialty with the inside info word)
(one word) 8 In brief, Dr. White’s radiology mantra (one word)
9 Golden Gate and George Washington (one word)
10 Math for dentists (one word)
More Dental Trivia! 12 These make permanent teeth in young kids look like
Who was the first person to tulips (one word)
get a patent for a tooth brush?
H.N. Wadsworth
Picture Puzzles
Jonathan Hsu, 2010
Which mammal has the most
teeth?
The long snouted spinner dolphin (252)
Which country sets adside a
national holiday each year
known as “Love Your Teeth
Day”?
China
How many sets of teeth do
elephants have in their life?
6
Which United State lawfully
forbids women from wearing
false teeth without the written
permission of their husband?
Vermont

Diastema News 16