Category: Projects

Dental adhesives are water soluble, non-toxic materials that bind composite resins to dentin and enamel. Adhesive systems are dependent on a polymerization process at the interface and require different moieties to prepare the substrate to effectively interact with the tooth surface. Due to their critical role in restorative procedures, many chemists are interested in strengthening the adhesive bond strength at the interface. The review paper I published in the Pacific Journal of Health covers the evolution of dental adhesive systems over time and provides an extensive overview of what components make up a dental adhesive system. Additionally, the article explores the common issues found in adhesive systems, and how current researchers are working to approach these complications to increase the success rate of dental restorations.

Read more ›

Summary: Senior Smiles and Wellness project, conducted at University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni dental school, had the aim of providing dental care to seniors and elderly individuals who may not have access to such care due to financial or logistical reasons. A team of volunteer dental students, supervised by licensed dental professionals, provided dental screenings to seniors at the school clinic. The dental students used their training to provide dental screenings while also gaining valuable experience working with the elderly population.

Significance: The Senior Smiles and Wellness event was successful in providing dental care to seniors and elderly individuals who may have otherwise gone without it. The project allowed the dental students to gain practical experience and develop their interdisciplinary skills while also giving back to the community. The project also highlighted the need for more dental care services for elderly individuals, especially those who may not have access to affordable dental care.The event also highlighted the importance of community outreach and volunteer projects in addressing this need. The dental school plans to continue conducting similar projects in the future, with the hope of reaching more elderly individuals in need of dental care.

Acknowledgements: We would like to express our gratitude to the school for allowing us to conduct this project, as well as to the faculty who supervised our work. We would particularly like to thank Professor Miller, Carol Weinstein, Eric Bertumen, Karl Pfeifer and Dan Soine for helping put on the event. We would also like to thank the seniors who participated in the project and trusted us with their care. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the students who volunteered their time and skills to make this project a success.

Read more ›

The Senior Smiles Health & Wellness Fair is a community oral health outreach event sponsored by SCOPE (Student Community Outreach for Public Education) at University of the Pacific (UOP), Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. The event is held in San Francisco at the school of Dentistry’s campus and usually held within April. Generally over 100 members of San Francisco’s senior citizen population with limited access to health care attend this event. In 2022 we held the 27th Senior Smiles Health & Wellness Fair; the first after the pandemic. We only had 2.5 months to plan the event (compared to the usual 6 months). 65 Dugoni dental and dental hygiene students volunteered in addition to over 30 volunteers from various other health and wellness groups. Over 70 members of the community were served during the event.
The event is modeled as a hybrid Interprofessional education (IPE) event, with representatives from the school of Pharmacy, Audiology, UC Berkeley Optometry, UOP school of Dentistry, School of Physical Therapy, UOP Master of social work, and the SF department of disability and aging. Each group present provided various levels of screening, education, and services to the clients that attended the event. To promote interprofessional education prior the morning of the event all volunteers attended a breakfast in which each participating group gave a speech introducing their profession, its implication on health equity, and recommended interventions.
This event presented a great opportunity for various health education programs to learn from each other and promote future collaborations among healthcare providers. The ultimate goal is to promote health equity, increase interprofessional education, and to provide a variety of Health Screening Assessments and Referrals for elders 55 years and older, and to facilitate coordination of care rendered for each patient.

Read more ›

As patients age and live longer, patients’ demand for non-removable options to replace teeth grows. In this particular case study, I evaluated and formulated a comprehensive treatment plan to restore form and function in a partially edentulous patient. Considering the patient’s preference for a fixed implant treatment option, I assessed the risks and benefits contributing to the long-term success of implants for this patient. I developed a surgical and restorative plan for implant placement involving both single unit and multi-unit implant prostheses. From implant planning, placement and restoration, I gained a greater understanding for similarities and differences between workflows for single unit and multi-unit implant prostheses. Thank you to my mentors Dr. Allen Wong, Dr. Debra Woo Dr. Michael Beckley, and the whole AEGD faculty team for their support and guidance.
Methods: A group of third year dental students developed a mentoring program for incoming second year students. The program involved a series of workshops and hands-on training sessions where the third year students shared their experiences and best practices for success in the dental school clinic. The program covered a range of topics, including patient communication, treatment planning, financial decisions and diagnostic principles.

Results: The Clinic transitions program was successful in helping incoming second year students navigate the challenges of transitioning into the clinic, as gathered by surveys. The second year students reported feeling more confident and prepared after participating in the program. The third year students also gained valuable leadership and teaching experience, which will be beneficial to them as they continue their dental education and future careers.

Conclusions: The Clinic transitions program was an effective way for third year dental students to share their experiences and knowledge with incoming second year students. The program not only helped the second year students succeed in the dental school clinic, but also provided the third year students with valuable leadership and teaching experience. The dental school plans to continue this mentoring program in the future to ensure that all students have the resources and support they need to succeed.

Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge the support of the dental school faculty and staff in making this program possible. The work of Dr. Gupta, Des Beltran and Marietta Daniel was critical to the success of the program. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the participating second year students who arrived engaged and eager to learn at every session.

Read more ›

Objective: An instructional project designed to provide the necessary knowledge and resources for incoming second year students to successfully transition from providing simulation dental care to clinical dental care at the University of Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.

Methods: A group of third year dental students developed a mentoring program for incoming second year students. The program involved a series of workshops and hands-on training sessions where the third year students shared their experiences and best practices for success in the dental school clinic. The program covered a range of topics, including patient communication, treatment planning, financial decisions and diagnostic principles.

Results: The Clinic transitions program was successful in helping incoming second year students navigate the challenges of transitioning into the clinic, as gathered by surveys. The second year students reported feeling more confident and prepared after participating in the program. The third year students also gained valuable leadership and teaching experience, which will be beneficial to them as they continue their dental education and future careers.

Conclusions: The Clinic transitions program was an effective way for third year dental students to share their experiences and knowledge with incoming second year students. The program not only helped the second year students succeed in the dental school clinic, but also provided the third year students with valuable leadership and teaching experience. The dental school plans to continue this mentoring program in the future to ensure that all students have the resources and support they need to succeed.

Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge the support of the dental school faculty and staff in making this program possible. The work of Dr. Gupta, Des Beltran and Marietta Daniel was critical to the success of the program. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the participating second year students who arrived engaged and eager to learn at every session.

Read more ›

One of the biggest barriers to care in providing oral health care is the fear of dentists from the public. Patients with special healthcare needs may have sensory triggers, anatomical abnormalities, and face other barriers when seeking dental care. When dental needs are unmet, the periodontal condition worsen, and could lead to unwanted tooth decay. Early intervention and maintenance care is important to ensure the patient’s oral health is in good condition. Intervention such as sensory desensitization, caregiver education, removing the barriers to seek care, and utilization of alternative tools such as a universal soft tissue retractor will help increase patient compliance.

Read more ›

The sounds, sights, and smells of a dental office have always been at the forefront of patient dental anxiety. With this in mind, we set out to identify how deafening dental instruments can be. The dental handpieces, suction devices, and hygiene equipment such as the cavitron dental scaler noise levels were measured. In this study, both the hearing of the dentist and patient were analyzed along with the overall decibel level and frequencies to determine what is causing the most negative effect on the hearing of the patient as well as the operator and dental personnel. The materials used in this study were: saliva ejector, high speed evacuation suction, cavitron, slow speed handpiece, electric high speed handpiece, and air driven high speed handpiece. We used a combination of dental instruments simulating what is used in a clinical setting. The collaboration between dentists, dental students, audiologists, and audiology students was strategically used in this study to allow for this study to be highly effective and specialized.

Read more ›