newsletter - School of Dentistry

S P R I N G
2 0 1 5
Family and Friends Association
The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston
Contents
Letter from the President Page 2
Dental
Prom 2014
The 2014 UTSD Dental
Prom is an annual
tradition held every
winter by the school's
Student Council in order
to celebrate the end of the fall semester. This great social event
featured music, dancing, drinks, and hors d’oeuvres at The De
Gaulle, a beautiful wine, champagne, and cocktail bar with the look
and feel of old Paris. This December, we had a record turnout with
over 240 people in attendance. Needless to say, with each
passing year, this tradition becomes better and better.
Letter from the Dean
Page 3
Membership Form
Page 4,5
UTSD Student Council
Page 6
PSI Omega Fraternity
Page 7
White Coat
Page 8
Fellowtrack
Page 9
Class of 2018
Page 10
Class of 2016
Page 11
Class of 2015
Page 12
DH Class of 2016
Page 13
DH Class of 2015
Page 14
Family and Friends President’s Message
Greetings from the UTSD Family and Friends Association!
Happy New Year 2015!!! What an exciting year this has been so far. Our class of
2015 has a little over 100 days left before graduation and they are very excited
about the next chapter in their life. I have had the privilege to be President the last
2 years of my 4 years on the board and want to thank all the board members and
our Dean, Dr. Valenza and Associate Dean, Dr Pierpont for an a wonderful 4 years.
I have had the privilege of meeting and working with many of your daughters and
sons. It has also afforded me the opportunity to work with an outstanding
administration, faculty, and staff of UTSD. I have seen the dedication these people
have to dental education and to making certain that your sons and daughters are
successful.
For the past 27 years, the Family and Friends Association has continued to support
student activities and programs including the White Coat Ceremony for entering
dental and dental hygiene students, the annual Dental Prom, Dental Olympics,
ASDA, TAWD, and other activities. When finances are requested by the Dental and Dental Hygiene organizations and
classes, Family and Friends tries to help. Three years ago, the association helped furnish the new Student Lounge in their
beautiful new building with industrial refrigerators and microwaves. This area is where our students can go and eat or
relax during their hectic hours at school. We continue to maintain this lounge, and this year helped with the purchase of
another industrial refrigerator and two more microwaves.
As parents you may wonder what your students are up to, what is happening at the school or wanting to know more about
UTSD. If you have not seen “UTSD eFlash!”, you need to check it out! It is a weekly update on what is going on in and
around the school. The website for UTSD, https://dentistry.uth.edu has a lot of updated information for you to read. It
took me a few years to find out on my own, so I am passing it on to you.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your generous contributions in the past and to ask for your continued
financial support. The Family and Friends Association cannot exist without this continued support in order to sponsor
activities that will benefit as many students as possible. We also are selling T-shirts, coffee mugs and tumblers. You can
contact me via email to purchase. We are set up now to take credit cards for membership, T-shirts, mugs and tumblers.
I have included our membership form in this newsletter. I hope you will take the time to continue with your support.
One other topic is the snacks we do for the students during finals. This is funded by the parents themselves. We
purchase snacks and drinks to help the students get some fuel so they can do their best. The students truly appreciate
this and look forward to it. If you think you would like to help with the set up and/or monetary donations toward feeding
them, please contact me and I will get you on board. Our wonderful parents step up to handle this year after year.
Good luck to your sons and daughters as they continue in this wonderful world of dentistry.
Pam Sowa
President, 2014-2015
Officers for 2014-2015
Claire Dill
Monica Grover
Carol Nelson
Dr. Linda Sierra
Miquette Uhrenholdt
2|Page
Dr. Yolanda Franzen
Riplee Ganaway
Sherry Noblett
Dr. Bruce Smith
Dr. John Valenza
Dr Gary Frey
Karen Mactier
Michele Rooney
Robin Stephens
Dr. Phil Pierpont
Letter from the Dean
Dear UTSD Family & Friends,
th
This year, our school will celebrate its 110 year, having been founded in 1905 as the
“Texas Dental College. Wow! It was the first professional school in Houston and the
first dental school in Texas, though the State Dental College in Dallas (later to be
known as Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry) was a very close
second.
To entice dental students back then, our school’s catalog described the facilities and
equipment as second to none: “The second floor is given up to a large infirmary hall.
Tall windows on all sides assure an abundance of light and ventilation. Over each
chair in the infirmary is an electric drop light, so that on dark days and late winter
afternoons, the most difficult operations may be done.”
Houston was described in a way that makes us wonder today whether the writer had ever been here in August: “… The
mild weather, with almost ceaseless Gulf breezes in summer, results in a temperature and atmospheric condition in which
sunstroke is unknown.”
The catalog promised that “board and lodging convenient to the college may be obtained for $3.50 to $4.50 per week.”
The college collected annual fees of $155 from freshmen, $150 from juniors, and $160 from seniors for its three-year
program. The minimum education required for admission was two years of high school.
We look back and marvel at how much things have changed in 110 years, knowing that 2015 will look just as quaint in
2125 to those who will follow in our footsteps. I have no doubt, though, that those who teach and learn here in the future
will be just as dedicated to excellence as those who pooled their own funds to organize the Texas Dental College in 1905.
I want to thank the UTSD Family & Friends Association, as well as our students, faculty and staff, for a great 2014 and for
what we will accomplish in 2015. Now almost 3 years into our new building and a wide range changes to curriculum,
patient care and research, we have achieved some incredible goals that have improved our school in so many ways.
Happy New Year, and remember, the best is yet to come!
Sincerely,
John A. Valenza, DDS
William N. Finnegan, III Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Dental Sciences
The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston
3|Page
A MESSAGE FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY FAMILY & FRIENDS
ASSOCIATION
Dear Family and Friends,
The University of Texas School of Dentistry Family & Friends Association is an organization of dental and
dental hygiene parents, spouses, families and friends who want to support their student’s activities,
programs and projects. New members are always welcome and encouraged to be as active as possible.
The Family & Friends Association provides assistance for:










The Annual Open House and White Coat Ceremony
School of Dentistry Holiday Dance
Upkeep and improvements to the Student Lounge (future purchase of 4th refrigerator and microwave
due to class size increase)
Dental School Olympics
Emergency Student Loans
Snacks, cookie, brownies, etc. during final exams
Graduation banquet for both Dental and Dental Hygiene (held separately)
Dental prom for Dental/Dental Hygiene
Freshman Bar B Que
ASDA (American Student Dental Association) plus many other organizations
When parents and spouses find themselves considering membership, the question naturally arises:
“What will I get for joining the association?” You’ll benefit by being connected to the UTSD community
that is now your student’s home away from home. You’ll meet other UTSD parents and spouses and get
the peace of mind that comes from having a resource for getting answers to questions or help when you
wouldn’t otherwise know where to begin. You’ll be supporting your student’s school.
If you need more information, please contact me at [email protected] or 713-443-4571. I hope you
will consider membership in the UT School of Dentistry – Family & Friends Association (Houston). Together,
we can make our students’ lives a little easier. Please support us by signing up today and/or purchasing
our Mugs, Tumblers or T-shirts. We now take cash, checks and credit cards.
Sincerely,
Pam Sowa, President
UTSD Family & Friends Association
4|Page
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY
FAMILY AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP AND SUPPORT FORM
2014-2015
Please Check Your Preferred Activity:
___ Help with snacks during Finals for your student’s class (December and May only)
(You do not have to live in Houston to help, but we need at least 2 people in Houston to help).
___ Help 2015/2016 White Coat Ceremony (Dental and Dental Hygiene)
___ Serve on the board (we meet approximately 3 to 4 times a year)
___ Help with the newsletter, ASDA Vendor Fair, student organizations when asked
Membership Levels:
____ Family & Friends Membership $40 per person annually ($100 per family annually)
Please note: We do not send out renewal notices; it will be the person’s/family’s responsibility.
____ Chairmen’s Membership (one-time dues) $101 to $200. Receive a mug or tumbler.
____ President’s Club Membership (one-time dues) $201 to $500. Receive 1 mug or tumbler and T-Shirt.
____ Dean’s Circle Membership (one time dues) $501 or more. Receive 2 mugs or 2 tumblers and 2 T-Shirts.
To purchase T-shirts, coffee mugs and/or tumblers separately:
T-Shirts $20
Coffee Mugs $10
Tumblers $15
PLEASE PRINT
Your Name(s) ____________________________________________________ Family ________
Friend________
Address ___________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip ______________________________________________________________
Telephone (Home)________________________ Cell ___________________ Office ________________________
Email address (please print) ______________________________________________________________________
Your Student’s name _______________________________________DDS______DH______ Class Year ________
We accept cash, checks or credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express)
Please make check to: UTSD Family & Friends Association
Enclosed is my check for ______________ Please note level__________
Credit Card #__________________________________ Card Type ______ Exp Date _____ CVV#_____
Names as appears on card ________________________________________________ Zip code _______
Please mail to:
UTSD Family & Friends Association
Office of Student & Alumni Affairs
Attn: Pam Sowa, President
7500 Cambridge, Suite 4120
Houston, TX 77054
For more information, please contact Pam Sowa, president, at [email protected] or 713-443-4571.
5|Page
UTSD Student Council
The Student Association of the UT School of Dentistry (more commonly referred to as the Student Council)
serves multiple purposes and objectives including, but not limited to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Promotion of student welfare
Provide opportunities for leadership development
Administer student affairs
Provide a forum for students to express their concerns to the administration and each other
Our primary activities include, but are not limited to:
1. Monthly meetings with the administration and other student leaders to represent the student body of UTSD
and address their concerns
2. Organizing and hosting the Dental Prom every winter
3. Organizing the Dental Olympics with both UTHSCSA and BCD every spring.
4. Hosting the Dental Olympics every three years.
This year’s officers are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Andre Nguyen - President
Alicia Bush - Vice President
Macey Cartrite - Treasurer
Hieu Pham - Secretary
For the academic year of 2014-2015, aside from our normal
monthly meetings, we hosted the annual Dental Prom, and
will be preparing our fellow students to compete at the Dental
Olympics in San Antonio (Spring 2015).
The Dental Olympics is a proud tradition shared between the three Texas dental schools. Each year, students
gather at one of the participating schools for friendly competition in a variety of sports and activities. This event
is a great opportunity for students to bond with their classmates, reconnect with old friends, and form new
friendships as well. The 2014 Dental Olympics was organized and hosted by the UTSD Student Council. Last
year, UTHSCSA took first place with BCD and UTSD following close behind, only a handful of points
separating the schools.
6|Page
Psi Omega Dental Fraternity
During dental school, every semester with the Delta Upsilon chapter of Psi Omega is fun, but this fall semester
was packed with so many great activities, fundraisers, socials, and even better, more new members. The Fall
is one of our favorite times of the year because we get to meet our incoming first-years and introduce them to
our Psi-Omega family and of course, our infamous Halloween party.
Before school started this semester we held our annual meet and greet with the incoming dental students.
They had the chance to learn what Psi Omega is about and also meet the upperclassmen that they will run into
in the hallways in the coming years. Our Dirty Rush event always brings in new smiling faces and gives the
current students a night off with free drinks and appetizers!
A welcome week like no other, Psi Omega introduced the firstyears with a whole week full of activities, lunch-and-learns, and a
big karaoke social to top off the first Friday of the school year.
This week brought out the current members, upperclassmen, the
new first-years, and their dogs, too, when we had our friendly
volleyball competition!
Our fundraising this semester included collecting pop tops for
Ronald McDonald House in October and in November (I mean
MO-vember) we had our 3rd annual Movember fundraiser along
with ASDA. Movember is very popular with our male students,
most who you don’t even recognize after a week or so! Our own dean, Dr. Valenza, and other male faculty
agreed to auction off their mustaches to be professionally shaven and all in the name of helping the Prostate
Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG. Psi-O offered Frito pies in
exchange for donations towards the Prostate Cancer Foundation. We
were impressed by how much our faculty and students donated, more
than $500, and also with the sales of our Movember T-shirt.
This semester was full of socials and lunch-and-learns. Some of the
most memorable socials were our first-ever Bingo and Bonding night
and a Retro Arcade Night. Sadly, no one hit the jackpot during bingo
night, but we all won by getting to spend a Saturday evening together.
Our members were treated to free food during our monthly lunch and
learns, but besides gaining a few pounds from the food, they gained
knowledge about lasers and Implantology from our wonderful faculty.
I can’t end this before telling The Frater about our wicked Halloween Party. A favorite among dental students,
this year was no different. Of course, you’ll have your typical Tooth Fairy and Crown every year, but we had
some pretty creative dental costumes, such as a set of 4 fabulous X-ray bitewings. The winners of our costume
contest were the Ninja Turtles, all second-years who said they spent hours fabricating their costumes from
papier mache. An exciting night off after all the exams in October is just what the doctor ordered, and we all
agree!
This semester was a busy one, but we made it through and had lots of fun while going through it. We cannot
wait to share what we had in store for the Spring semester with y’all!
Happy Holidays to everyone from our chapter to yours!
Zelina Moncivais
Recorder
UTSD C/O 2016
7|Page
FAMILY & FRIENDS
WHITE COAT CEREMONY
8|Page
FELLOWTRACK
The FellowTrack is an active organization that has been
meeting up monthly for dinner and 1 hour of CE credit.
This organization is growing as more students are
becoming aware of the many benefits of being part of
the Academy of General Dentistry’s FellowTrack.
Students are broadening their knowledge of dentistry as
well as building connections with practicing dentists. The
continuing education hours they earn while attending the
meetings will count towards the 500 hours needed to
earn a FAGD. This organization will continue to grow
with the help and time commitment of Dr. Geno, Dr.
Delattre, and Dr. Yammine.
9|Page
DDS Class of 2018
It has been an already astounding ride for the Class of 2018. With a semester under our belt already, we are on
our way and ready to take on the next one, one day at a time. The fall semester was a great one as so much was learned
and new friendships were molded. Late night study marathons, Sunday afternoon wax-ups, early morning workouts in the
gym, and weekend socials around the town, were all just a few of the main things that brought our class closer together.
Joseph (Psi O Joe) Farias said that, “The fall was a lot of fun; it had great activities that made for a good way to
make friends and meet your future colleagues. We are trying to figure out dental school and find our groove, but with all
the events and everything, it really makes it worth it. Seeing everyone every day and knowing they are going through that
same grind as you and getting through it all just makes for great camaraderie that will only continue to strengthen in our
time in dental school.”
It began with a few days of orientation in which all the nerves and anxiety were slowly eased by the kind and
exciting welcoming. A few days later, we received our white coat and social media exploded with proud photos and
captions of the excitement and professionalism felt from the new coat. The semester started out a bit slow in school the
first two weeks, really allowing us to meet and get our feet wet with everything. After two weeks, the tests began. Not one
week went by after that in which we did not take a test. Some weeks were super hard, and some weeks were just hard,
but we found our way and couldn’t be happier about how much we have already learned and how many great people
(faculty and classmates) we have met.
Ryan Jones stated that “On the first day, I was unsure of what to expect. There was new people, new classes, and basically a
new way of life. Throughout the semester, you start to create friendships amongst like-minded people. Sure, everyone is getting
along, but you find the people you really build chemistry with, and these are the people that are going to help you formulate your
perspective on school and even life outside of academics. By the end of the semester, you have pretty much figured out what works
best for you and what it takes to be successful both in and out of the classroom. The first semester is designed to be an
accommodating transition from your previous life to what will be expected of you in your years to come.”
The eagerness and motivation from the fall semester will carry on to the next one, and that to the next one, and so on, and
so on. It has been a good start to the journey, and it’ll only continue to get better and better for us young and willing future dentists.
Denver Diefenbach
UTSD Class of 2018 President
10 | P a g e
DDS Class of 2016
Friends & Family,
As we begin the spring semester, it is astonishing to look at the many firsts we have experienced as a class. Since the
White Coat Ceremony in August, we have been greeted with a new building, signifying our entrance into a field, which,
for many of us, has been a life-long dream. A new curriculum greeted us as well, focusing on systems-based learning and
evidenced-based dentistry. We have all been very excited by the way classes have been combined and scheduled to
complement one another and maximize our
learning.
We have also begun to work on our hand skills as
we entered Dental Anatomy Lab. While the work
has been hard, our class has bonded in a way
that will form lasting relationships even after the
completion of our time at UTSD. In addition,
there are even more friendships that have the
potential to form due to the increase in our class
size to 103! We are all incredibly grateful for the
donations that went to make this and the new
building possible. We have arrived in a state-ofthe-art environment in which we can excel.
As spring semester kicks off, it holds many exciting opportunities. We will be able to study Head & Neck Gross Anatomy.
While the course will be challenging, we plan to honor the memory of those who have donated themselves to science by
fully applying ourselves to learning the intricacies of the human body.
Yet dental school isn’t just about studying,
we’ve discovered many of Houston’s hotspots
and bonded during a number of activities
including the recent end of the year party
affectionately called Dental Prom. Many of us
have also joined one or more of the clubs and
associations UTSD has to offer, including the
Psi Omega and Delta Sigma Delta dental
fraternities, Texas Association of Women
Dentists, the Hispanic Student Dental
Association, ASDA, and the newly formed Alpha
Omega dental fraternity.
Our class would like to say thank you to the
family and friends who have helped us to
succeed as we adjust to life in a new dental
school. Your love and support pushes us to
excel and makes UTSD the wonderful new
home that it has become.
C/O 2016 Officers
11 | P a g e
DDS Class of 2015
This year has been very exciting for Student Council and the Class of 2015. We are currently seeing patients
almost full-time, participating in various off-site rotations, preparing for our National Boards Part II and the WREB exam,
and anxiously awaiting graduation in May! We have been rapidly increasing our experience treating patients and have
enjoyed the many learning opportunities these experiences have offered.
As members of Student Council, we have worked hard to represent our class’s needs and interests to the
administration. We are planning our Senior Banquet and Party and are looking forward to all the fun that Spring will
bring! We are proud to announce that we were recently named class champs at ASDA’s Girls’ Arm Wrestling
Tournament for the fourth consecutive year! We also attended the GHDS October General Meeting, thanks to the
generous sponsorship by many local dentists, and enjoyed meeting practitioners from the Greater Houston area and
getting to see organized dentistry in action. This has been a wonderful year so far, and we look forward to graduation
and joining the ranks of the many proud alumni from UTSD.
SAVE THE DATE: Graduation May 22, 2015!
12 | P a g e
Dental Hygiene Class of 2016
On August 11, 2014, a group of forty students
walked into the dental school, our soon-to-be
second home for the next two years, to start the first
milestone of the dental hygiene program. We were
all anxious and filled with thousands of nerves
because we didn’t know what to expect. We’ve
heard the stories; “You all will soon become a
family,” “You will be giving up a lot these next two
years,” “First semester is one of the hardest.” You
take all of this in but can’t relate to it until you face it
yourself. It didn’t take long until we all started
understanding and believing all of the statements
that were told to us.
Within a week, all of us classmates started
to become really close, just like a family. We see
each other five days a week and spend time
together studying even after all classes are over for
that day. We all started to connect and began to
push each other with positivity in order to get
through each week. The tests don’t ever get easier,
so our spirits have to be raised; we do that by
leaning on each other. The song “Lean on Me”
couldn’t be a better fit for this program. Together
we have already conquered nine weeks of the
semester, put on a bake sale to raise funding for our
class, and planned upcoming events such as Thirsty
Thursday and a holiday party. It’s a team effort for
all that we do.
These next two years are about our class of
2016 joining forces to persevere through all
hardships that may be thrown our way while also
coming together to help our community in every
way possible. It’s about having fun and enjoying this
amazing opportunity we have received. Although
times are stressful right now, it is a great feeling to be surrounded by the people who are going through the exact same as
you. As class president, I want to see my class excel in everything that they do. I want all forty students to be walking
across the stage in May of 2016. As long as we have each other, there is nothing that we won’t be able to achieve.
“Lean on me, when you’re not strong. I’ll be your friend. I’ll help you carry on!” – Bill Withers
13 | P a g e
Dental Hygiene Class of 2015
We are the Dental Hygiene class of 2015, and are getting so excited to graduate in May. We continually participate in
health fairs and screening events, because we love teaching the children how to care for their teeth! Also, in order to
fund our graduation banquet we have been trying to raise as much money as we can. We have designed several T-shirts,
koozies, and successfully hosted several bake sales. We are very close to our goal, needing approximately $2000. Any
help will be appreciated
SAVE THE DATE: Graduation May 22, 2015
!
14 | P a g e
FAMILY AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION
SPRING 2014
Questions or Comments?
This newsletter was made possible thanks to the contributions
of classes and organizations. If there is anything you would
like added or if you have any other comments, please contact
me, Dr. Linda Sierra, at [email protected]. If you are
interested in becoming a Family and Friends Association
member, please print and send the form on page 4.
Thanks!
15 | P a g e