2010 - UCSF School of Dentistry - University of California, San ...
2010 - UCSF School of Dentistry - University of California, San ...
2010 - UCSF School of Dentistry - University of California, San ...
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<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>California</strong>, <strong>San</strong> Francisco<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
magazine<br />
Volume 5 / <strong>2010</strong><br />
CA N D O<br />
Tackles<br />
Tooth<br />
Decay<br />
ALSO INSIDE:<br />
Message from<br />
Dean John D.B.<br />
Featherstone<br />
Pre-Clinical<br />
Laboratory<br />
Dedicated<br />
Research<br />
Faculty<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>iles<br />
New Associate<br />
Dean for<br />
Research<br />
Class<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1959<br />
Notes
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>California</strong>, <strong>San</strong> Francisco<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
Editorial Advisory Board:<br />
John D.B. Featherstone<br />
Dean<br />
Susan Schultz<br />
Associate Dean for Administration and Finance<br />
Dorothy A. Perry<br />
Associate Dean for Education and Student Affairs<br />
Chris Ruetz<br />
Senior Director <strong>of</strong> Development and Alumni Relations<br />
Mission Statement<br />
The <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> seeks to improve<br />
public health through excellence in teaching,<br />
research, patient care and public service in<br />
the dental and crani<strong>of</strong>acial sciences. We foster<br />
an inspired environment where individuals<br />
identify themselves as scholars and realize<br />
their scholarship through service as clinicians,<br />
educators and scientists.<br />
The goal <strong>of</strong> the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> Magazine is to<br />
advance the mission <strong>of</strong> the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>.<br />
The magazine is published annually for the alumni,<br />
students, faculty, staff and friends <strong>of</strong> the <strong>UCSF</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>.<br />
The <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> Magazine is produced by:<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
513 Parnassus Avenue, Room S-630<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco, CA 94143-0430<br />
Editor/Writer: David Hand<br />
Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Norris,<br />
Mary Sornborger Porteous<br />
Design: Laura Myers Design<br />
Photography: Elisabeth Fall, David Hand,<br />
Carmen Hipona<br />
© <strong>2010</strong> The Regents <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>California</strong><br />
dentistry.ucsf.edu<br />
magazine<br />
VOLUME 5 / <strong>2010</strong><br />
news<br />
> DEAn’S CoUnCIL REACHES oUT FoR SUPPoRT / PAGE 2<br />
> CLASS STATS 2008 & 2009 / PAGE 2<br />
> MASTER’S In DEnTAL HYGIEnE UPDATE / PAGE 3<br />
> PRE-CLInICAL SIMULATIon LABoRAToRY DEDICATED / PAGE 3<br />
faculty pr<strong>of</strong>iles<br />
> STEFAn HABELITz — Investigating the secrets <strong>of</strong> enamel and dentin<br />
collaboratively at <strong>Dentistry</strong>’s Marshall Lab / PAGE 4<br />
> SUSAn HYDE — Engaging an interdisciplinary approach to making<br />
knowledge and care more broadly available / PAGE 6<br />
> oPHIR KLEIn — Seeking the role <strong>of</strong> oral stem cells in regenerative<br />
medicine and possible clinical applications / PAGE 8<br />
features<br />
CAn Do<br />
Jane Weintraub and the CAN DO team break new ground and win<br />
support in the cause <strong>of</strong> children’s oral health / PAGE 10<br />
new Associate Dean for Research<br />
Richard Jordan – from excellence in oral medicine to research<br />
leadership / PAGE 15<br />
alumni update<br />
> BEAR BASH 2009 / PAGE 16<br />
> SCIEnTIFIC SESSIonS / PAGE 16<br />
> CLASS noTES / PAGE 17<br />
> ALUMnI PRoFILES / PAGE 19<br />
> In MEMoRIAM / PAGE 20<br />
on THE CoVER: Kaitlin Jennison (Class <strong>of</strong> 2013) <strong>of</strong>fers child-<br />
friendly dental hygiene information during the Hayes Valley Fair at<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco’s John Muir Elementary <strong>School</strong>. (See story, page 10)
Message from the Dean<br />
Dear Alumni and<br />
Friends <strong>of</strong> the <strong>UCSF</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>:<br />
2009 was a year <strong>of</strong> challenge and<br />
transformation at the school, from<br />
which we’ve emerged strong –<br />
retaining our leadership and<br />
dedication to excellence in the<br />
teaching <strong>of</strong> clinical dentistry,<br />
research and patient care.<br />
With ideas and input from across the school<br />
community, we made tough decisions and worked<br />
together to significantly increase clinical and operational<br />
efficiency, and with outstanding support from generous<br />
donors we’ve moved forward on key projects,<br />
including the implementation <strong>of</strong> digital radiography,<br />
the ongoing renovation <strong>of</strong> patient reception areas,<br />
and the floor-up modernization and rededication <strong>of</strong><br />
the Fleming Pre-Clinical Simulation Laboratory,<br />
named for <strong>Dentistry</strong> Dean and <strong>UCSF</strong> Chancellor<br />
Willard C. Fleming, DDS ’23.<br />
At the gala dedication in November, we were<br />
honored by the presence <strong>of</strong> <strong>UCSF</strong>’s dynamic new<br />
chancellor, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, who has proven<br />
to be a great friend <strong>of</strong> the school and a powerful<br />
advocate for our mission.<br />
Look for the story <strong>of</strong> the new Fleming Lab in this<br />
magazine, along with an in-depth look at the widely<br />
applauded work <strong>of</strong> CAN DO, recognized in 2008 with<br />
a National Institutes <strong>of</strong> Health grant <strong>of</strong> more than<br />
$1.3 million; pr<strong>of</strong>iles <strong>of</strong> three members <strong>of</strong> our faculty<br />
who are redefining the frontiers <strong>of</strong> dentistry and<br />
oral-crani<strong>of</strong>acial science; and a pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> our new<br />
associate dean for research, among other features.<br />
I’d like to invite you to stay in touch by visiting<br />
the school and our sites on the Web, including<br />
Facebook (facebook.com/ucsfdentistry) and Twitter<br />
(twitter.com/ucsfdentistry).<br />
As a new decade dawns, much exciting work and<br />
discovery await. Please join us!<br />
John D.B. Featherstone, MSc, PhD<br />
Dean, <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
Why We Give<br />
Continued from back cover<br />
“One who had a pr<strong>of</strong>ound effect<br />
on my pr<strong>of</strong>essional development was<br />
Dr. Perry Ratcliff, chair <strong>of</strong> the Division<br />
<strong>of</strong> Periodontology at the time,” he<br />
added, detailing efforts to establish<br />
an endowed chair<br />
in his name (see<br />
story, page 20).<br />
“It should become<br />
a goal to have<br />
an endowed<br />
chair for every<br />
faculty position.<br />
Those sorts <strong>of</strong><br />
tributes last.”<br />
In the Otago<br />
editorial, Armitage<br />
distilled his<br />
thoughts about giving into three<br />
focused objectives:<br />
“The culture<br />
<strong>of</strong> giving is<br />
now part <strong>of</strong><br />
our pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
fabric<br />
as graduates<br />
from <strong>UCSF</strong>.”<br />
– Gary C. Armitage,<br />
DDS, MS<br />
n The majority <strong>of</strong> graduates should<br />
become donors.<br />
n Establish endowment funds for<br />
specific educational programs in the<br />
names <strong>of</strong> widely respected mentors<br />
and teachers.<br />
n Recruit and cultivate major donors<br />
in order to form the financial base for<br />
named distinguished pr<strong>of</strong>essorships<br />
and endowed chairs.<br />
“The culture <strong>of</strong> giving is now part<br />
<strong>of</strong> our pr<strong>of</strong>essional fabric as<br />
graduates from <strong>UCSF</strong>,” Armitage said.<br />
“We give because we firmly believe<br />
that it is essential for the future<br />
existence <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>California</strong> as a first-rate institution <strong>of</strong><br />
higher learning. As <strong>University</strong><br />
graduates, it is our responsibility to<br />
support the schools we attended to<br />
make sure future generations have<br />
the same opportunities we had.<br />
“We have been recipients <strong>of</strong> the<br />
many benefits that come with a<br />
<strong>University</strong> education, and it is our<br />
obligation to pay back the system so<br />
it is still there for our grandchildren.<br />
The <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> cannot<br />
maintain its position as a premier<br />
institution without strong alumni<br />
support on a continuing basis.” n<br />
1
news<br />
Dean’s Council Reaches out for Support<br />
2<br />
In summer 2009, Dean<br />
Featherstone announced the<br />
formation <strong>of</strong> a new volunteer<br />
advisory board with the mission <strong>of</strong><br />
supporting the fundraising efforts<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>.<br />
The Dean’s Council, comprising<br />
community and industry leaders<br />
in addition to faculty, administration<br />
and alumni, assists in the identification,<br />
cultivation, solicitation and<br />
stewardship <strong>of</strong> individual, corporate<br />
and foundation donors who will<br />
financially support the projects<br />
and programs <strong>of</strong> the school.<br />
“I am pleased to have<br />
assembled such a dedicated<br />
team committed to raising the<br />
financial resources so urgently<br />
needed to support our school,”<br />
said Featherstone. “With the<br />
continued engagement <strong>of</strong> faithful<br />
alumni, faculty, grateful patients<br />
and friends, the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong> will continue to maintain<br />
its ranking as one <strong>of</strong> the top<br />
dental schools in the nation.”<br />
Quarterly Dean’s Council<br />
gatherings have included serious<br />
conversation and strategic<br />
planning as well as fun social<br />
activities, including a champagne<br />
brunch at the dean’s residence,<br />
an alumni-hosted wine tasting<br />
and a reception at the dean’s<br />
Lake Tahoe home.<br />
Looking ahead, Featherstone<br />
welcomes the participation <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Class Stats: Graduating Seniors Surveyed<br />
CLASS oF 2008<br />
Postgraduate Studies Plans<br />
Advanced Education<br />
in General <strong>Dentistry</strong> 5<br />
Dental Public Health 1<br />
Endodontics 1<br />
General Practice Residency 13<br />
Oral & Maxill<strong>of</strong>acial Surgery 4<br />
Oral Pathology 0<br />
Oral Radiology 0<br />
Orthodontics 3<br />
Pediatric <strong>Dentistry</strong> 2<br />
Prosthodontics 0<br />
Other Graduate Program<br />
Not Listed 5<br />
None 59<br />
Postgraduate Practice Plans<br />
Solo private practice, full-time 17<br />
Solo private practice, part-time 3<br />
Group practice, full-time 48<br />
Group practice, part-time 10<br />
Not going into general<br />
dental practice at this time 13<br />
Source: <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> Educational Services<br />
Graduating DDS and IDP Seniors Survey<br />
CLASS oF 2009<br />
Postgraduate Studies Plans<br />
Advanced Education<br />
in General <strong>Dentistry</strong> 10<br />
Dental Public Health 0<br />
Endodontics 3<br />
General Practice Residency 12<br />
Oral & Maxill<strong>of</strong>acial Surgery 4<br />
Oral Pathology 0<br />
Oral Radiology 0<br />
Orthodontics 6<br />
Pediatric <strong>Dentistry</strong> 7<br />
Prosthodontics 0<br />
Other Graduate Program<br />
Not Listed 4<br />
None 53<br />
Postgraduate Practice Plans<br />
Solo private practice, full-time 13<br />
Solo private practice, part-time 1<br />
Group practice, full-time 45<br />
Group practice, part-time 11<br />
Not going into general<br />
dental practice at this time 23<br />
school’s extended family to help<br />
increase sources <strong>of</strong> new funding.<br />
“As dean, I am determined to<br />
maintain the relevance and<br />
academic significance <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> degree,<br />
but I cannot do that alone,” he<br />
said. “We at <strong>UCSF</strong> are a proud<br />
family, and when opportunities are<br />
presented, families come together<br />
and lend a helping hand.”<br />
For more information about<br />
the Dean’s Council and to<br />
make a contribution to the <strong>UCSF</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>, contact<br />
Chris Ruetz, Senior Director,<br />
Development and Alumni<br />
Relations, at 415/476-3645 or<br />
cruetz@support.ucsf.edu. n<br />
Educational Debt Comparisons<br />
Average debt <strong>of</strong> dental students upon<br />
graduation (2008 graduates)<br />
$170,367<br />
All US<br />
Dental<br />
<strong>School</strong>s<br />
$142,671<br />
Public<br />
Dental<br />
<strong>School</strong>s<br />
$204,734<br />
Private<br />
Dental<br />
<strong>School</strong>s<br />
$139,390<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
Source: Graduating Seniors Survey,<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> Office <strong>of</strong> Student Financial Aid;<br />
ADEA Survey <strong>of</strong> Dental <strong>School</strong> Seniors,<br />
2008 Graduating Class
Update: Master’s<br />
in Dental Hygiene<br />
Dean Featherstone and the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong> are committed to including a<br />
Master’s Degree Program in Dental<br />
Hygiene on the <strong>UCSF</strong> campus.<br />
The <strong>UCSF</strong> Graduate Council approved<br />
the proposal for the Master’s Degree<br />
Program in Dental Hygiene, citing it as one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the best-developed curricula presented<br />
for a master’s program. The approval on<br />
March 7, 2008, was another successful<br />
stride among the many steps involved<br />
in the new program’s approval process.<br />
The <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> Faculty Council<br />
approved the Master’s Degree Program<br />
in Dental Hygiene proposal on October<br />
18, 2007, followed by the approval <strong>of</strong><br />
the Educational Policy Committee.<br />
Margaret Walsh, with<br />
the help <strong>of</strong> William Bird<br />
and Jane Weintraub, has<br />
devoted considerable time to<br />
surmounting each hurdle in<br />
the long approval process.<br />
The Master’s Degree<br />
Program in Dental Hygiene,<br />
self-funded through tuition<br />
Margaret<br />
Walsh<br />
fees, received approval from<br />
the Office <strong>of</strong> Budget and<br />
the Academic Senate at<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong>, and has now been<br />
approved by the systemwide Graduate<br />
Council. All that remains is the signature<br />
from the UC Office <strong>of</strong> the President.<br />
Committed to the preservation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the dental hygiene program, Dean<br />
Featherstone and the Faculty Council<br />
continue to bolster support for the<br />
master’s program.<br />
Hygienists interested in applying<br />
to the Master’s Degree Program in<br />
Dental Hygiene are encouraged to<br />
continue checking the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong> website, or to contact communication<br />
liaison Mary Porteous at mary.<br />
porteous@comcast.net for program<br />
status and updates. n<br />
— Mary Sornborger Porteous, DH ’75<br />
Willard C. Fleming Pre-Clinical<br />
Simulation Laboratory Dedicated<br />
Located on the fourth floor <strong>of</strong> the Dental Clinics Building at<br />
707 Parnassus Ave., the pre-clinical simulation laboratory space<br />
has been a major part <strong>of</strong> the education <strong>of</strong> generations <strong>of</strong><br />
dental students since it opened in 1980. Over the intervening<br />
decades, the lab has been incrementally upgraded with the aim <strong>of</strong><br />
keeping the technology current and creating ever-more-realistic<br />
simulations <strong>of</strong> what students will face in working with real patients,<br />
beginning in their third year. But the<br />
2009 renovation <strong>of</strong> the lab, thanks<br />
to the overwhelming generosity <strong>of</strong><br />
alumni, including a single donor <strong>of</strong><br />
$1 million, was a floor-up redesign<br />
resulting in a completely new,<br />
state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art facility.<br />
The months-long renovation<br />
completes the third phase <strong>of</strong> a<br />
four-phase project, according to<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Preventive and<br />
Restorative Dental Sciences Interim Read more about Willard C. Fleming at<br />
history.library.ucsf.edu/fleming.html.<br />
Chair William Bird, DDS, DPH, who<br />
oversaw the renovation. Bird described the new simulation<br />
environment as providing not only a more accurate approximation <strong>of</strong><br />
“the real mouth,” but also an enhanced ergonomic simulation –<br />
increasingly emphasized as an aspect <strong>of</strong> dental practice. The fourth<br />
phase <strong>of</strong> the project, for which planning is complete and funding is<br />
currently being organized, is the renovation <strong>of</strong> the smaller, adjacent<br />
support lab.<br />
The Willard C. Fleming Pre-Clinical Simulation Laboratory was<br />
formally dedicated on November 2, 2009, at a gala evening that<br />
included words from Bird, Dean Featherstone and <strong>UCSF</strong> Chancellor<br />
Susan Desmond-Hellmann, as well as recorded words from Fleming<br />
himself. Many <strong>of</strong> those present expressed the view that Fleming, who<br />
passed away in 1972, would have been honored to see his name<br />
attached to a facility so central to the training <strong>of</strong> <strong>UCSF</strong> dental<br />
students.<br />
Willard Corwin Fleming (pictured on computer screens above)<br />
was an influential presence on Parnassus Heights for decades: as a<br />
dental student at the UC College <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>, as it was then known,<br />
from 1918 to 1923; as a member <strong>of</strong> the faculty from 1924 to 1939;<br />
and as dean from 1939 until 1966, during which time the college<br />
became the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>. Fleming was appointed<br />
chancellor <strong>of</strong> <strong>UCSF</strong> in 1966 and served through tumultuous years<br />
on campus until 1969. His leadership was widely applauded for his<br />
characteristic thoughtfulness, openness and academic innovations,<br />
including groundbreaking efforts to open paths to the health<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essions for the socioeconomically disadvantaged.<br />
“He was beloved by students, staff, faculty, alumni,” says<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Emeritus Sol Silverman, DDS, a faculty member since 1954.<br />
“I thought the world <strong>of</strong> him.” n<br />
3
4<br />
faculty pr<strong>of</strong>ile > > > STEFAn HABELITz<br />
Nature’s Crowning Achievement<br />
Nature favors the fittest, and tooth<br />
enamel is one <strong>of</strong> evolution’s<br />
success stories. Dinosaurs and<br />
ancient sharks sported enamel on their<br />
big choppers eons ago, as have newly<br />
evolved creatures ever since. Treated<br />
right, enamel lasts a lifetime.<br />
“Enamel is the best crown material<br />
there is,” asserts German-born Stefan<br />
Habelitz, PhD, engineer and materials<br />
scientist. Habelitz ought to know. He<br />
worked on high-tech bio-ceramics for<br />
bone implants and tooth restorations<br />
for a decade before coming to <strong>UCSF</strong><br />
in 1999 to blaze a new research trail.<br />
Now he’s investigating enamel at the<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>’s Marshall Lab,<br />
where researchers fruitfully focus on<br />
every facet <strong>of</strong> teeth, knowing they’re<br />
nothing to take for granted.<br />
When enamel breaks down due to<br />
tooth decay or trauma, dentists do an<br />
admirable job <strong>of</strong> patching things up<br />
with gold crowns and ceramic caps<br />
or composites. But no man-made<br />
material can compare to enamel,<br />
Habelitz says. Enamel is designed to<br />
crack at the sites <strong>of</strong> specific microstructures<br />
within it, and normally over<br />
time it does. But enamel rarely cracks<br />
all the way through or fails, as<br />
ceramics <strong>of</strong>ten do. And better than<br />
gold or composites, enamel remains<br />
integrally attached to the underlying<br />
dentin upon which it first forms.<br />
With the aid <strong>of</strong> state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art<br />
electron scanning, atomic force<br />
and optical microscopes, Habelitz<br />
at last is glimpsing the hidden secrets<br />
<strong>of</strong> enamel.<br />
Microscopic Engineers<br />
This crowning achievement is the<br />
work <strong>of</strong> a type <strong>of</strong> living cell called an<br />
ameloblast. Ameloblasts make a<br />
variety <strong>of</strong> specialized proteins that<br />
guide different steps in enamel<br />
production. Enamel buzzes with<br />
cellular and biochemical activity as it<br />
is being made, but within the finished<br />
product, cells, proteins and other<br />
signs <strong>of</strong> life have all but vanished.<br />
Enamel is the most mineralized<br />
substance in the body.<br />
Habelitz lectures on mineralized<br />
tissues, ceramics and composites to<br />
first-year dental students, as well as<br />
to postdoctoral fellows and to<br />
postgraduates training in prosthodontics,<br />
orthodontics and pediatric<br />
dentistry. The postgraduates joke<br />
with Habelitz about whether he soon<br />
Stefan Habelitz viewing an image <strong>of</strong> recombinant enamel matrix protein that self-assembled<br />
into nanometer-thin ribbons, as revealed by atomic force microscopy.<br />
will be growing replacement enamel<br />
in test tubes and driving them out<br />
<strong>of</strong> business.<br />
That’s not on the horizon in the<br />
near term, Habelitz concedes. Yet he<br />
aims to catch up with nature’s<br />
autopilot engineers, to steal a page<br />
from their blueprints and to match<br />
them with his own inventions.<br />
“If we can understand how<br />
proteins make enamels, we hope to<br />
be able to design our own proteins<br />
to make engineered structures,”<br />
he says. It may indeed be possible<br />
to grow enamel in vitro, or to grow<br />
new ceramic structures very precisely,<br />
at the smallest possible scale.<br />
“Well-defined nanostructures,”<br />
Habelitz calls them. Beyond dentistry,<br />
such materials could serve as longer<br />
lasting and better wearing surface<br />
coatings in a wide range <strong>of</strong> applications,<br />
including bone implants,<br />
bulletpro<strong>of</strong> materials and microcircuits,<br />
for example.<br />
With the Marshall Lab’s microscopes,<br />
Habelitz can see how enamel,<br />
like ceramic, is constructed from<br />
crystals. The crystals grow into fibers.<br />
Each fiber is about 50 nanometers<br />
across – 1,000 times finer than a
human hair. The fibers, in turn, are<br />
packed into rods, with many rods<br />
projecting from the underlying dentin<br />
to the tooth surface. These rows<br />
align into bundles, which bend into<br />
the shape <strong>of</strong> the tooth crown. It’s<br />
complicated, sophisticated and<br />
precisely controlled – a remarkable<br />
engineering feat accomplished by<br />
engineers the naked eye cannot see.<br />
Baby teeth left under the pillow<br />
for the tooth fairy might have a pearly<br />
shine, but enamel really is more<br />
similar in its crystalline regularity to<br />
the shells that enclose pearls. Enamel<br />
is composed <strong>of</strong> the mineral calcium<br />
phosphate, arranged in a crystal<br />
structure known as hydroxyapatite.<br />
Seashells are made from calcium<br />
carbonate. Both teeth and seashells<br />
are more complex than they might<br />
first appear. To Habelitz, these<br />
structures represent the pinnacle <strong>of</strong><br />
materials science in nature.<br />
“I was fascinated to learn that<br />
Mother Nature can organize and<br />
control the formation and crystallization<br />
<strong>of</strong> materials on a level that<br />
we cannot,” he says. “The research<br />
now is mainly aimed at understanding<br />
the principles <strong>of</strong> protein-guided<br />
growth <strong>of</strong> crystals.” Habelitz is<br />
singling out various proteins in<br />
enamel for closer study. The main<br />
protein present in enamel as it grows<br />
and mineralizes is called amelogenin.<br />
Already, Habelitz and his lab group<br />
have discovered that amelogenin<br />
makes protein sheets that slowly<br />
elongate and that may guide the<br />
growth <strong>of</strong> hydroxyapatite crystals.<br />
It’s a Blast!<br />
Habelitz also is looking at the<br />
structure and formation <strong>of</strong> dentin,<br />
the s<strong>of</strong>ter underlying material that<br />
supports the enamel tooth crown.<br />
“Dentin is another really fascinating<br />
tissue,” he enthuses.<br />
The biochemical events that give<br />
rise to dentin are better understood<br />
than those that contribute to enamel<br />
formation. Dentin also consists largely<br />
<strong>of</strong> hydroxyapatite, but dentin is more<br />
similar to bone in that it contains the<br />
structural protein collagen and other<br />
organic materials. Compared with<br />
enamel, dentin is more amenable to<br />
study in humans because the cells<br />
that give rise to dentin – called<br />
odontoblasts – are long-lived, unlike<br />
ameloblasts, which disappear once<br />
tooth formation is complete.<br />
Still, the more heterogeneous<br />
structure <strong>of</strong> dentin and the cellular<br />
arrangements that give rise to new<br />
dentin within the tooth pulp are<br />
extraordinarily complex, Habelitz<br />
notes. Many mysteries remain,<br />
despite decades <strong>of</strong> study.<br />
In an effort to grow dentin in<br />
vitro, Habelitz has partnered with<br />
Tejal Desai, PhD, a bioengineer<br />
with the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> Medicine. They<br />
are not simply mixing the right<br />
chemicals in a test tube. They are<br />
working with living cells, positioning<br />
odontoblasts on a microscopic<br />
scaffolding, or matrix. The goal is to<br />
re-create the structure <strong>of</strong> newly<br />
formed dentin by mimicking the<br />
natural configuration <strong>of</strong> odontoblasts<br />
and the structures to which they<br />
give rise within the tooth pulp.<br />
A major focus is on the crucial<br />
interface between odontoblasts and<br />
ameloblasts – the junction where<br />
dentin and enamel normally meet and<br />
become tightly bound to each other.<br />
The ultimate goal is to grow an entire<br />
tooth, de novo.<br />
“I think the engineering mind is<br />
strong in me,” Habelitz says. “I want<br />
to produce or create something. But I<br />
also have a fascination about science,<br />
and how things actually work in<br />
living systems. I really enjoy bringing<br />
the two together – to understand the<br />
science and then to apply it.<br />
“It’s a very collaborative<br />
environment at <strong>UCSF</strong>, and that’s<br />
very important to me,” he says. “It’s<br />
impossible to do this kind <strong>of</strong> research<br />
by yourself. You need to develop<br />
many collaborations, and you need<br />
input from different angles – biology,<br />
engineering, chemistry. We have all<br />
<strong>of</strong> that here.” n<br />
5
6<br />
faculty pr<strong>of</strong>ile > > > SUSAn HYDE<br />
Oral Health for a Lifetime<br />
“<br />
I<br />
have a passion for quality <strong>of</strong> life,”<br />
says Susan Hyde, DDS, MPH, PhD,<br />
an award-winning teacher and<br />
population scientist. Hyde knows<br />
firsthand how seemingly small health<br />
issues can become disabling over<br />
time, threatening life quality. In all her<br />
career endeavors, she promotes<br />
practices that preserve oral health<br />
and quality <strong>of</strong> life – not only for<br />
patients, but for practitioners as well.<br />
Hyde has a special interest in<br />
populations that are underserved,<br />
including minority children and the<br />
homebound elderly. Her research on<br />
health practices that prevent cavities<br />
confirms that these groups fare<br />
poorly; her research also probes for<br />
reasons and remedies.<br />
When Hyde, born and raised in<br />
Canada, first came to the United<br />
States as a recent college graduate,<br />
she found satisfying employment in<br />
cancer research. Yet she had always<br />
wanted to be a dentist. Her father<br />
was a pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> dentistry at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> British Columbia, and<br />
Hyde got a taste for private dental<br />
practice while working as his <strong>of</strong>fice<br />
assistant. When she decided to stay<br />
in the United States, she enrolled in<br />
dental school at <strong>UCSF</strong>. Upon graduation,<br />
Hyde made a smooth and<br />
happy transition into private practice.<br />
Then she hit a roadblock. “My<br />
body ergonomics were not well<br />
suited to it,” she says, “and I became<br />
disabled after only four years.”<br />
Hyde soon came to see this setback<br />
as an opportunity to return to<br />
research, this time from a public<br />
health perspective, while remaining<br />
connected to dentistry.<br />
Individuals to<br />
Populations<br />
She earned a doctoral degree in<br />
epidemiology at UC Berkeley,<br />
completing original research as part<br />
<strong>of</strong> a US Department <strong>of</strong> Health and<br />
Human Services program. Hyde<br />
worked with welfare recipients, who<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten have oral health problems that<br />
affect appearance and quality <strong>of</strong> life,<br />
as well as limited resources for<br />
obtaining dental care.<br />
Hyde developed new survey and<br />
clinical data, and found that oral<br />
health and use <strong>of</strong> dental care services<br />
were positively associated with the<br />
likelihood that study participants<br />
From left: Susan Hyde (right) with Shauna Woody (Class <strong>of</strong> 2012) and Shirin Mullen (Class <strong>of</strong> 2011) at the Hayes Valley Fair;<br />
learning to thread floss with Dan Nguyen (Class <strong>of</strong> 2012).<br />
would obtain employment. People<br />
who actually used the dental services<br />
provided through the program were<br />
more successful in obtaining work,<br />
she found.<br />
Hyde then completed a fellowship<br />
in geriatric dentistry at the <strong>San</strong><br />
Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical<br />
Center, and joined the Department <strong>of</strong><br />
Preventive and Restorative Dental<br />
Sciences in the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong> in 2005. She soon signed<br />
on with the Center to Address<br />
Disparities in Children’s Oral Health<br />
(CAN DO) project that sought to<br />
prevent early childhood tooth decay,<br />
which is on the rise and is worse<br />
among minority and low-income<br />
populations (see page 10).<br />
In a study she co-led with <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> Medicine researcher Sally Adams,<br />
RN, PhD, Hyde informed and<br />
surveyed Hispanic and African<br />
American mothers in <strong>San</strong> Francisco<br />
about preventive treatments. The<br />
treatments included three that were<br />
targeted to children: brushing with<br />
fluoride toothpaste, application <strong>of</strong><br />
fluoride varnish and having a child<br />
eat foods that contain caries-fighting<br />
xylitol sugar.
However, the bacteria that colonize<br />
the mouth and cause caries are<br />
frequently transmitted from parent<br />
to <strong>of</strong>fspring, so two additional<br />
treatments were targeted to mothers:<br />
use <strong>of</strong> antimicrobial chlorhexidine<br />
rinse and chewing xylitol gum.<br />
“For the Hispanic population,<br />
fluoride varnish and brushing with<br />
fluoridated toothpaste ranked highest,”<br />
Hyde reports. “They perceived<br />
fluoride varnish to be very effective<br />
and perceived brushing to positively<br />
promote lifelong healthy habits.”<br />
African Americans in the study<br />
similarly valued toothbrushing, but<br />
were more likely to express concerns<br />
about other treatments. “If we were to<br />
stage an intervention with African<br />
Americans at the community level, we<br />
would want to target respected elders<br />
and spokespeople who could vouch<br />
for the safety and efficacy <strong>of</strong> these<br />
treatments.”<br />
In another CAN DO-related project,<br />
Hyde, working with <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong> colleague Jane Weintraub,<br />
DDS, MPH, has been evaluating oral<br />
health-related quality <strong>of</strong> life among<br />
agricultural workers and their families<br />
in Mendota, <strong>California</strong>, a Hispanic<br />
community. The researchers found<br />
that workers who were the least<br />
acculturated and those with the lowest<br />
wages had the worst oral health, and<br />
that oral health problems that arise in<br />
early childhood continue to have an<br />
impact later in life.<br />
Public health measures to improve<br />
oral health might include making<br />
dental treatment available at federally<br />
qualified health centers, or improving<br />
the acceptance and availability <strong>of</strong><br />
fluoridated water, Hyde suggests.<br />
Interpr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
Education<br />
“I love CAN DO because it is so<br />
interdisciplinary,” Hyde says. At<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong>, she advocates the same<br />
interdisciplinary collaborations that<br />
mark her own research. She is an<br />
active organizer <strong>of</strong> interpr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
education initiatives, including classes<br />
open to students and faculty from<br />
all four <strong>of</strong> <strong>UCSF</strong>’s pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
schools. For example, Hyde, who<br />
remains committed to research on<br />
oral health and quality <strong>of</strong> life across<br />
the life span, recently organized an<br />
interdisciplinary “training <strong>of</strong> trainers”<br />
program called “Oral Health and<br />
Aging: Focus on Long-Term Care.”<br />
“No matter what your practice is,<br />
patients – especially older patients –<br />
don’t usually have health issues<br />
pertaining only to one organ system,”<br />
Hyde says. “We’re not just mechanics<br />
for the mouth. Oral health is intimately<br />
tied to systemic health.”<br />
A dentist might be the first to<br />
observe that a middle-aged patient<br />
has diabetes symptoms, for instance,<br />
and in the first years <strong>of</strong> life, a<br />
pediatrician may be the first to observe<br />
early tooth decay.<br />
In recognition <strong>of</strong> her exceptional<br />
and innovative teaching, Hyde has<br />
received the Dugoni Faculty Award<br />
from the <strong>California</strong> Dental Association,<br />
an Excellence in Teaching Award from<br />
the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> and a Junior<br />
Faculty Award from the American<br />
Dental Education Association.<br />
“Ergonomics is a big issue in<br />
dentistry,” she says. “Dentists are<br />
perfectionists by training or personality.<br />
But you have to use the mirrors and<br />
develop your indirect vision because it<br />
will serve you in the long run. Dentists<br />
also must learn to take breaks and to<br />
work effectively with assistants.” n<br />
7
8<br />
faculty pr<strong>of</strong>ile > > > oPHIR KLEIn<br />
Teeth Star in Stem Cell Studies<br />
By the time kids begin school,<br />
most have learned that if they<br />
lose any <strong>of</strong> their new, permanent<br />
teeth, those teeth will be lost<br />
forever. But did you know that some<br />
mammals – mice, for instance –<br />
have teeth that grow continuously?<br />
In Greek mythology, sowing the<br />
teeth <strong>of</strong> a fierce dragon caused<br />
fully armed warriors to spring forth<br />
and fight. Today, it’s no myth to say<br />
that studies <strong>of</strong> the much meeker<br />
mouse might guide researchers to<br />
a more constructive harvest that<br />
benefits humans.<br />
Lessons learned about where,<br />
when and how teeth grow throughout<br />
life in mice may lead to strategies for<br />
regrowing teeth and treating or<br />
preventing human developmental<br />
anomalies that impact the face and<br />
dentition. These crani<strong>of</strong>acial<br />
anomalies, the best known <strong>of</strong> which<br />
are cleft lip and palate, are among the<br />
most common <strong>of</strong> all birth defects.<br />
Teeth recently have earned a starring<br />
role in the field <strong>of</strong> regenerative<br />
medicine, and at <strong>UCSF</strong>, Ophir Klein,<br />
MD, PhD, is a leading light. His lab is<br />
a beacon for promising postdoctoral<br />
fellows and graduate students who<br />
want to explore how stem cells gener-<br />
ate new teeth and how development<br />
goes awry in crani<strong>of</strong>acial disorders.<br />
Klein recently received a major<br />
grant from the <strong>California</strong> Institute for<br />
Regenerative Medicine. This $3 million<br />
state grant funds a research proposal,<br />
entitled “Laying the Groundwork for<br />
Building a Tooth: Analysis <strong>of</strong> Dental<br />
Epithelial Stem Cells.”<br />
Humans and animals possess very<br />
small, self-renewing populations <strong>of</strong><br />
stem cells. These vary in potential and<br />
potency, depending on the developmental<br />
stage. At one extreme are<br />
embryonic stem cells, which are only<br />
obtainable at a certain time, a few cell<br />
divisions after fertilization. These cells<br />
can give rise to virtually any cell type<br />
in the body. Other stem cells are<br />
organ- or tissue-specific. Stem cells<br />
are rare. The vast majority <strong>of</strong> our cells<br />
are specialized and mature, and have<br />
no stem cell capabilities whatsoever.<br />
“We are not yet sure if these<br />
particular stem cells in mice also exist<br />
in humans,” Klein says. “There are<br />
reasons to think that some <strong>of</strong> them<br />
might. But what we really want to<br />
understand are the mechanisms by<br />
which stem cells can contribute to<br />
dental renewal.”<br />
This past August, Klein became<br />
the director <strong>of</strong> the Crani<strong>of</strong>acial and<br />
Mesenchymal Biology (CMB) program<br />
at <strong>UCSF</strong>. “CMB is a relatively new<br />
program that we are trying to build,”<br />
Klein says. “Our goal is to have a<br />
translational program that spans basic<br />
research similar to my own and that<br />
extends to clinical work.<br />
“Probably half the basic researchers<br />
in my lab are focused on trying to<br />
understand the genes and cellular<br />
behaviors that underlie the continuous<br />
growth <strong>of</strong> the incisor in the mouse,”<br />
he says. “The rest investigate the role<br />
<strong>of</strong> different growth factor signaling<br />
pathways in the development <strong>of</strong><br />
structures within the embryo.”<br />
Klein wants to use stem cells to<br />
grow new teeth. He views teeth as a<br />
convenient starting point and proving<br />
ground for all <strong>of</strong> regenerative<br />
medicine. Teeth and the oral cavity<br />
are very accessible in comparison<br />
with the large, vital organs; yet what<br />
Klein learns about teeth is bound to<br />
apply to growing these other tissues.<br />
“There are a lot <strong>of</strong> sophisticated<br />
aspects <strong>of</strong> tooth function,” he says,<br />
“but you might not have to form a<br />
tooth as perfectly as a heart or kidney<br />
in order for it to function adequately.”<br />
Still, growing teeth is an ambitious<br />
Ophir Klein consulting with Kerstin Seidel, PhD.
project. Klein is optimistic about<br />
success, but it will require many years<br />
to achieve, he says.<br />
Late Bloomer<br />
Given his credentials and relatively<br />
young age, it’s odd to hear Klein<br />
describe himself as a late bloomer.<br />
But the Bay Area native initially<br />
shunned the career path advocated<br />
by his father, who was trained as a<br />
scientist. However, even though Klein<br />
earned his degree at UC Berkeley in<br />
Spanish, an introductory chemistry<br />
course led to an interest in biochemistry<br />
and eventually to a job in the<br />
UC Berkeley lab <strong>of</strong> Daniel Koshland<br />
Jr., PhD, a pr<strong>of</strong>essor and luminary in<br />
the field.<br />
That experience, in turn, led Klein to<br />
Yale <strong>University</strong>, where he completed a<br />
combined MD-PhD program and then<br />
a residency in pediatrics. He came to<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> for a postdoctoral fellowship<br />
with developmental biologist Gail<br />
Martin, PhD, and for training in medical<br />
genetics, and before long was viewed<br />
as a promising faculty candidate.<br />
Today, Klein is an assistant<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> or<strong>of</strong>acial sciences and<br />
pediatrics, with a primary appointment<br />
in the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> and a<br />
secondary appointment in the <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> Medicine. He is also a member <strong>of</strong><br />
the Institute for Human Genetics and<br />
the Eli and Edythe Broad Center <strong>of</strong><br />
Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell<br />
Research at <strong>UCSF</strong>.<br />
Much <strong>of</strong> Klein’s clinical practice<br />
as a medical geneticist is based<br />
at the <strong>UCSF</strong> Center for Crani<strong>of</strong>acial<br />
Anomalies, where he handles<br />
diagnostics, risk counseling and case<br />
management as part <strong>of</strong> a medical<br />
team that also includes plastic<br />
surgeons, orthodontists, pediatricians,<br />
pediatric dentists, pediatric<br />
neurosurgeons, dermatologists,<br />
otolaryngologists, speech pathologists,<br />
nurses and social workers.<br />
Many medical students, dental<br />
students, and doctors and dentists<br />
Mouse embryos prepared for dissection.<br />
training for specialties spend time at<br />
the Center for Crani<strong>of</strong>acial Anomalies,<br />
and Klein has an opportunity to<br />
share ideas with many colleagues<br />
and students. “People in the clinic<br />
are fantastic at providing patient care,<br />
but they may not always have the<br />
inclination to think <strong>of</strong> ways to integrate<br />
basic science into clinical practice,”<br />
he says. “I think people who<br />
do research can add value to clinical<br />
medicine when they inject underlying<br />
ideas about biological mechanisms<br />
into diagnosis and therapy.”<br />
Klein leads clinical as well as<br />
basic research. “We are trying both<br />
to understand tooth and crani<strong>of</strong>acial<br />
malformations in a variety <strong>of</strong><br />
syndromes, and to look for the<br />
genes responsible for isolated tooth<br />
malformations in humans,” he says.<br />
Many patients’ parents are more than<br />
happy to have Klein and his research<br />
team learn more about the conditions<br />
affecting their young children.<br />
“If you happen to be a physician<br />
interested in crani<strong>of</strong>acial anomalies,<br />
and you’re lucky enough to be at a<br />
place that has both a great dental<br />
school and a great medical school,<br />
then it’s a perfect job,” he says. “I<br />
feel really happy to be a part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>. I believe they<br />
really understand what I am interested<br />
in, and they have been really<br />
supportive.” n<br />
9
10<br />
feature > > > CEnTER To ADDRESS DISPARITIES In CHILDREn’S oRAL HEALTH<br />
CAN DO<br />
Counters Early Childhood Caries Trend<br />
With advances in dental<br />
practice, kids today are<br />
getting fewer cavities, right?<br />
Not true, unfortunately. Tooth decay<br />
among the youngest children is on the<br />
rise, according to the US Centers for<br />
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<br />
Poor and minority populations have<br />
been burdened disproportionately.<br />
CDC data collected from 1999 to 2004<br />
reveal that 42 percent <strong>of</strong> Mexican<br />
American and 32 percent <strong>of</strong> African<br />
American children ages 2 to 5 have<br />
decayed or filled teeth, compared<br />
with 24 percent <strong>of</strong> white children.<br />
Limited access to dental care, lack <strong>of</strong><br />
knowledge and even cultural norms<br />
in certain disadvantaged populations<br />
may contribute to these disparities.<br />
With an expanding network <strong>of</strong><br />
colleagues in <strong>California</strong> and beyond,<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> researchers,<br />
led by public health dentist Jane<br />
Weintraub, DDS, MPH, are guiding<br />
efforts to counter the trend through<br />
research and innovation. A major<br />
aim <strong>of</strong> the group, organized as the<br />
Center to Address Disparities in<br />
Children’s Oral Health (CAN DO),<br />
is to identify and evaluate additional<br />
preventive strategies and the best<br />
means for making these treatments<br />
available to the disadvantaged who<br />
need them most.<br />
The first series <strong>of</strong> CAN DO studies,<br />
which demonstrated successful<br />
interventions to prevent and lessen<br />
the impact <strong>of</strong> tooth decay, already<br />
has led to large-scale dental public<br />
health policy changes in <strong>California</strong><br />
and across the country. The second<br />
round <strong>of</strong> studies has just begun.<br />
Last fall, the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
received $24.4 million in new funding<br />
for CAN DO from the National Institute<br />
<strong>of</strong> Dental and Crani<strong>of</strong>acial Research<br />
(NIDCR), the largest grant in the<br />
school’s history. CAN DO began in<br />
2001, and the new grant is projected<br />
to fund research through 2015.<br />
CAN DO started with a few<br />
researchers and now includes dozens.<br />
“We’re not just dentists and oral<br />
health experts,” Weintraub says.<br />
“We have many kinds <strong>of</strong> expertise,<br />
and studies range from basic<br />
research to clinical and behavioral
public health interventions. We’re<br />
trying to be a resource for the<br />
state – and for the whole country.”<br />
Primary Teeth Are <strong>of</strong><br />
Primary Importance<br />
In the same way that being “just a<br />
baby” may excuse a tot’s incon-<br />
venient behaviors, soon to be<br />
outgrown, parents may think <strong>of</strong><br />
primary teeth as “just baby teeth”<br />
– similarly transient and not worth<br />
worrying about. But nothing could<br />
be further from the truth. Although<br />
primary teeth are meant to be lost,<br />
it is still important to avoid making<br />
them a home for tooth decay. One<br />
reason is that young children afflicted<br />
with tooth decay in primary teeth are<br />
more likely to develop cavities in<br />
permanent teeth as they grow older.<br />
“The biggest risk factor for future<br />
tooth decay is prior tooth decay,”<br />
Weintraub says.<br />
It’s not sweets alone that cause<br />
cavities. The process <strong>of</strong> tooth decay,<br />
called caries, is driven by certain<br />
bacteria species that thrive on some<br />
<strong>of</strong> the carbohydrates in our diets,<br />
and we all know how food can stick<br />
to teeth. But not everyone knows<br />
that bacteria cause cavities, and<br />
even those who do may be unaware<br />
that the bacteria are infectious,<br />
spreading from parent to child or<br />
from child to child.<br />
“An infection anywhere in the body<br />
is not good, and dental caries is an<br />
infection that has implications far<br />
beyond the mouth,” Weintraub says.<br />
The disease can result in deterioration<br />
<strong>of</strong> not only teeth, but quality <strong>of</strong> life for<br />
both children and their parents, in<br />
many ways and for years to come.<br />
Advanced dental caries can lead to<br />
painful toothaches. Premature loss <strong>of</strong><br />
primary teeth to decay can result in<br />
misaligned secondary teeth. Afflicted<br />
children may find it more difficult to<br />
eat, to concentrate and learn, to<br />
sleep, and to develop language skills.<br />
Self-esteem may suffer.<br />
“A toothache that is not treated is<br />
an infection that can spread,”<br />
Weintraub says. It can spread not only<br />
from person to person and from<br />
primary teeth to secondary teeth,<br />
but also beyond the mouth. In a case<br />
that made news headlines in 2007,<br />
a Maryland boy died because cariescausing<br />
bacteria from his untreated<br />
tooth decay caused an abscess that<br />
spread to his brain.<br />
Mom and Dad may unknowingly<br />
spread infection. “Parents should not<br />
do some <strong>of</strong> the things they might be<br />
doing routinely, like cleaning a baby’s<br />
pacifier in the mouth and returning it<br />
to the baby’s mouth, or sharing eating<br />
utensils,” Weintraub says.<br />
As soon as teeth erupt, usually by<br />
age 1, they are susceptible to dental<br />
caries, <strong>of</strong>ten called baby bottle tooth<br />
decay. A sugary baby bottle drink may<br />
help keep an infant calm and quiet for<br />
hours on end, but it also is a major<br />
contributor to tooth decay. Public<br />
health agencies now favor the term<br />
early childhood caries (ECC). ECC is<br />
by far the most common chronic<br />
disease condition <strong>of</strong> early childhood,<br />
five times more common than asthma,<br />
the runner-up.<br />
Given how quickly ECC can take<br />
hold, it’s no surprise that the<br />
American Dental Association (ADA)<br />
recently shifted the recommended<br />
age for a child’s first dental exam<br />
to 1 year instead <strong>of</strong> 3 years. But<br />
many health care providers remain<br />
unaware <strong>of</strong> the revised recommendation,<br />
Weintraub says. In addition,<br />
in rural areas especially, finding a<br />
dentist to treat young children may<br />
not be easy. CAN DO researchers<br />
are exploring alternative strategies to<br />
provide preventive dental care for<br />
young children.<br />
Fluoride Varnish<br />
Weintraub initially teamed up with<br />
fellow <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> faculty<br />
members Stuart Gansky, DrPH, a<br />
biostatistician, and Francisco Ramos-<br />
Gomez, DDS, MPH, a pediatric dentist<br />
who grew alarmed after seeing a<br />
steady stream <strong>of</strong> kids with cavities at<br />
the <strong>UCSF</strong>-run family dental clinic at<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco General Hospital<br />
(SFGH).<br />
“Early childhood caries is<br />
preventable, and I felt strongly that<br />
we needed to do something about it,”<br />
Ramos-Gomez says. “We needed to<br />
move away from being reactive – to<br />
rely less on treatment and acute<br />
care and to move toward effective<br />
preventive strategies.”<br />
Ramos-Gomez proposed<br />
counseling parents and using an<br />
inexpensive, easy-to-brush-on<br />
varnish containing a 5 percent sodium<br />
fluoride resin on their children’s<br />
teeth to strengthen tooth enamel.<br />
While the treatment was <strong>of</strong>ten used<br />
in Europe and had been tested on<br />
older children with permanent teeth,<br />
its value had not been established<br />
for protecting primary teeth,<br />
Ramos-Gomez recounts.<br />
Ramos-Gomez, Weintraub and<br />
Gansky conducted their groundbreaking<br />
study on primary teeth in<br />
376 children averaging just under<br />
2 years old when first enrolled in the<br />
study. The children, seen at SFGH and<br />
at the <strong>San</strong> Francisco Department <strong>of</strong><br />
Public Health’s Chinatown Health<br />
Center, were mostly low-income and<br />
Chinese or Hispanic. Parents were<br />
counseled on preventing tooth decay,<br />
and children were randomly assigned<br />
to receive fluoride varnish once or<br />
twice a year, or not at all.<br />
With two years <strong>of</strong> follow-up, the<br />
result was clear. Children randomly<br />
assigned to receive varnish twice<br />
yearly were nearly four times less likely<br />
to develop tooth decay, compared with<br />
untreated children, and children who<br />
received varnish once yearly were half<br />
as likely as untreated children to<br />
develop tooth decay.<br />
The published results had great<br />
impact. For children up to age 6,<br />
Denti-Cal, the <strong>California</strong> Medicaid<br />
11
12<br />
program, began to cover fluoride<br />
varnish application – reimbursing<br />
not only dentists, but also physicians<br />
as well as trained personnel in their<br />
medical practices. Nationally, the<br />
ADA now recommends the varnish<br />
for the youngest children at high<br />
risk <strong>of</strong> developing ECC.<br />
Costly Lack <strong>of</strong><br />
Knowledge<br />
During the first phase <strong>of</strong> CAN DO<br />
research, investigators also began<br />
exploring why disadvantaged kids<br />
were so prone to cavities.<br />
Judith Barker, PhD, a medical<br />
anthropologist in the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Medicine and CAN DO associate<br />
director, led an ethnographic study<br />
in Mendota, a rural, largely Hispanic<br />
farm town in <strong>California</strong>’s Central<br />
Valley, and in an ethnically similar,<br />
low-income neighborhood in urban<br />
<strong>San</strong> Jose. One <strong>of</strong> the researchers<br />
lived in Mendota for nine months,<br />
establishing relationships in the<br />
community. The researchers hired<br />
local residents as interviewers<br />
and sometimes even provided<br />
transportation to clinics. Mothers<br />
were more accessible, as fathers<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten were at work.<br />
Study results point to a need for<br />
better oral health education, for<br />
better prevention practices and for<br />
better access to care, Barker says.<br />
“We found that a majority <strong>of</strong> mothers<br />
had a poor understanding <strong>of</strong> the<br />
mechanisms that drive caries and a<br />
poor understanding <strong>of</strong> when they<br />
should be taking their children to<br />
the dentist,” she explains. “Many<br />
parents would not visit a dentist until<br />
a child was 3 or 4 years old, and<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten not until a child’s teeth were<br />
extensively damaged and the child<br />
complained <strong>of</strong> pain. The mothers<br />
generally do not recognize early signs<br />
<strong>of</strong> caries in children.”<br />
Parents were shocked to learn that<br />
what they thought were dark stains<br />
that could be cleaned away by the<br />
dentist were, in fact, cavities.<br />
As with childhood obesity, sugary<br />
drinks play an insidious role, but <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
seem to fly under the radar. Barker<br />
Community meeting at the Mendota<br />
Rotary Club.<br />
“Many parents would<br />
not visit a dentist<br />
until a child was 3 or<br />
4 years old, and <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
not until a child’s<br />
teeth were extensively<br />
damaged and the child<br />
complained <strong>of</strong> pain.”<br />
– Judith Barker<br />
recounts an interviewer’s tale <strong>of</strong> a<br />
mother and grandmother <strong>of</strong> a cavityafflicted<br />
3-year-old discussing at<br />
length their rationing <strong>of</strong> candy and<br />
cookies, even as the child was<br />
walking around the entire time<br />
drinking from a bottle <strong>of</strong> chocolate<br />
milk. “Neither the mother nor the<br />
grandmother understood how much<br />
sugar was in the milk,” Barker says.<br />
Children <strong>of</strong>ten were put to bed<br />
with a bottle <strong>of</strong> juice. Toothbrushing<br />
was rarely supervised after age 3,<br />
and some parents did not believe<br />
brushing was merited until the child<br />
had all <strong>of</strong> his or her primary teeth or<br />
was eating an adult diet.<br />
In the rural areas, dentists were<br />
few and far between; the closest<br />
pediatric dentists were in Fresno.<br />
Furthermore, dentists in both rural<br />
and urban areas <strong>of</strong>ten were unwilling<br />
to treat children less than 6 years old,<br />
largely because they had never<br />
rotated through a pediatrics clinic<br />
during their training and they felt<br />
unprepared as a consequence. Many<br />
dentists did not accept Denti-Cal.<br />
Even where municipal water<br />
supplies were fluoridated, most<br />
Hispanic residents in the study<br />
preferred to drink bottled water, which<br />
usually does not contain fluoride,<br />
believing it to be safer than tap water.<br />
In new, related research, Barker<br />
will gauge parents’ acceptance <strong>of</strong><br />
various measures – including<br />
fluoridation <strong>of</strong> water or food supplies<br />
– for preventing tooth decay in<br />
Hispanic communities. Similarly,<br />
Susan Hyde, DDS, MPH, PhD, from<br />
the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>, and Sally<br />
Adams, RN, PhD, from the <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> Medicine, earlier explored<br />
attitudes toward caries prevention<br />
activities among mothers <strong>of</strong> young<br />
children in urban minority populations<br />
(see page 6).<br />
Community-Based,<br />
Participatory<br />
Research<br />
Like Barker, Ramos-Gomez knows<br />
the importance <strong>of</strong> engaging the<br />
community to achieve the success <strong>of</strong><br />
local research and health initiatives.<br />
Ramos-Gomez, who recently joined<br />
the faculty at UCLA but remains a<br />
CAN DO project leader, launched<br />
another clinical trial, this time at the<br />
<strong>San</strong> Ysidro Health Center near the<br />
<strong>California</strong>-Mexico border, with more<br />
than 500 pregnant women.<br />
The research team provided<br />
counseling to all the mothers-to-be,<br />
educating them about mother-tochild<br />
bacterial transmission. In<br />
addition, once the children were born,<br />
the researchers randomly assigned<br />
half the women to use chlorhexidine<br />
mouth rinse twice daily to kill<br />
bacteria, and assigned the infants <strong>of</strong><br />
these same women to twice-yearly<br />
fluoride varnish treatments starting<br />
at age 1. The data for children up to<br />
age 3 are now being analyzed.<br />
Enrollment in the study proceeded<br />
quickly, thanks to the community<br />
connections nurtured by the research<br />
team. An understanding <strong>of</strong> family<br />
traditions and community social<br />
structures and sensitivity toward<br />
them are crucial, Ramos-Gomez<br />
says, as is an active community<br />
advisory board.<br />
“Community-based, participatory<br />
research is not business as usual,”<br />
Ramos-Gomez says. “You really<br />
have to establish links and relate to
the community. We felt strongly<br />
that we had to start by engaging<br />
pregnant women.”<br />
The researcher recruited bilingual,<br />
culturally competent promotoras,<br />
women from the community who<br />
serve as health communicators and<br />
as links between the community on<br />
one hand and researchers and health<br />
care providers on the other. “You<br />
need to have the personal touch,<br />
and these women really connected,”<br />
Ramos-Gomez says. There were few<br />
dropouts. “For a border population,<br />
the high retention rate in the study<br />
is unheard <strong>of</strong>,” he says.<br />
CAN DO, Round Two<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> researcher<br />
Lisa Chung, DDS, MPH, also believes<br />
in the importance <strong>of</strong> reaching out<br />
early to pregnant women. Chung is<br />
project director <strong>of</strong> a new, two-year<br />
Bay Area study led by Adams. The<br />
researchers will develop and test an<br />
intervention aimed at promoting oral<br />
health by changing behaviors. The<br />
intervention will be integrated into<br />
the CenteringPregnancy ® curriculum,<br />
a group prenatal care model.<br />
“Pregnancy is an opportune time<br />
for health messages because women<br />
are more receptive to behavior<br />
change,” Chung says. “We hope<br />
that the women will see a dentist<br />
and become more inclined to<br />
bring their babies to see a dentist.”<br />
As it stands, only a small fraction <strong>of</strong><br />
low-income women see a dentist<br />
during pregnancy.<br />
For the most recent round <strong>of</strong><br />
CAN DO studies, the research team<br />
has obtained a new clinical trials<br />
management s<strong>of</strong>tware system,<br />
says Gansky, who heads the Data<br />
Coordinating Center. The new s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />
will initially be used to manage six<br />
randomized, controlled clinical trials.<br />
“We’re trying to be a resource for the state – and for the whole country.”<br />
– Jane Weintraub (below center with, from left, Margaret Walsh, Stuart Gansky, Francisco Ramos-Gomez and Judith Barker)<br />
13
14<br />
Oral health education in Mendota.<br />
“Low-income children<br />
have better access<br />
to primary medical<br />
care and to federally<br />
funded nutrition<br />
programs than they<br />
have to dental care,<br />
especially at age 1.”<br />
– Margaret Walsh<br />
These include not only NIDCR-funded<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> CAN DO trials, but also studies<br />
led by Centers for Research to<br />
Reduce Disparities in Oral Health at<br />
Boston <strong>University</strong> and the <strong>University</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> Colorado Denver.<br />
Both <strong>of</strong> the large clinical trials in<br />
the second round <strong>of</strong> CAN DO<br />
research build on the success <strong>of</strong><br />
the initial fluoride varnish clinical trial.<br />
In one <strong>of</strong> the new clinical trials, led by<br />
Ramos-Gomez, half <strong>of</strong> the participating<br />
children ages 3 to 6 will be given<br />
not only twice-yearly fluoride varnish,<br />
but also an additional preventive<br />
treatment – a new kind <strong>of</strong> fluoridecontaining<br />
sealant that will protect the<br />
biting surfaces <strong>of</strong> primary molars.<br />
Called a glass ionomer, the sealant<br />
can adhere better to these rough<br />
surfaces and is much easier to apply<br />
than earlier generations <strong>of</strong> sealants.<br />
All parents in the study will receive<br />
preventive oral health counseling.<br />
Treatment will be provided by dental<br />
and other health care providers<br />
at the <strong>San</strong> Ysidro Health Center –<br />
as in the earlier study – and at<br />
Comprehensive Health Center, also<br />
in <strong>San</strong> Diego County.<br />
Researchers guiding the second<br />
CAN DO clinical trial will try to identify<br />
the most effective means <strong>of</strong> disseminating<br />
fluoride varnish treatment to<br />
children ages 1 to 3 who are at high<br />
risk for ECC.<br />
The <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>’s Margaret<br />
Walsh, MS, EdD, leads the project.<br />
Walsh has many years <strong>of</strong> experience<br />
in conducting large-scale, communitybased<br />
public health interventions<br />
to prevent periodontal disease and<br />
cancer. Walsh and other CAN DO<br />
researchers have established<br />
partnerships across Northern and<br />
Central <strong>California</strong> with primary care<br />
medical clinics and sites that provide<br />
food through the Women, Infants, and<br />
Children program (WIC).<br />
“Low-income children have better<br />
access to primary medical care and to<br />
federally funded nutrition programs<br />
than they have to dental care,<br />
especially at age 1,” Walsh says.<br />
“Therefore, we are comparing<br />
application <strong>of</strong> fluoride varnish at<br />
primary care settings or at WIC centers<br />
to referral <strong>of</strong> children in those same<br />
settings to dentists for fluoride varnish<br />
application. The idea is to see how<br />
we can reach the most children who<br />
can benefit from this procedure,<br />
especially given the fact that many<br />
dentists will not see infants and do<br />
not accept Medicaid.<br />
“Actually,” Walsh says, “we are<br />
testing a one-two punch: strategies<br />
for delivering fluoride varnish and<br />
strategies for educating the parents<br />
and other caregivers about things they<br />
can do at home to help their young<br />
children have healthy teeth.”<br />
When prevention is neglected,<br />
tooth decay in infants can become a<br />
heavy burden, Weintraub emphasizes.<br />
“You can’t get a 1-year-old to sit still<br />
in a dental chair,” she says. “Often<br />
when they need dental care, they<br />
have to be treated using general<br />
anesthesia in a hospital. That makes<br />
it expensive and traumatic for the<br />
family, and <strong>of</strong>ten those services are<br />
not even locally available.<br />
“We want to give parents and<br />
health care providers tools to improve<br />
the oral health <strong>of</strong> children,” Weintraub<br />
adds. “Dentists can’t do it all by<br />
themselves; there aren’t enough <strong>of</strong><br />
them to treat all the tooth decay that’s<br />
out there.”<br />
While the current budget picture<br />
for dental public health programs<br />
may appear daunting, that’s nothing<br />
new to Weintraub, who launched<br />
her career during another recession<br />
in the early 1980s. At such times,<br />
she says, “the need for preventive<br />
measures does not diminish. It<br />
becomes greater.” n
promotion > > > RICHARD joRDAn<br />
new Associate Dean for Research<br />
Richard Jordan, DDS, PhD,<br />
FRCPath, a leader in diagnostic<br />
pathology and a <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> faculty member since<br />
2000, is the school’s new associate<br />
dean for research, an appointment<br />
effective since May 1, 2009.<br />
Jordan succeeded John Greenspan,<br />
BDS, PhD, FRCPath, who stepped<br />
down after years <strong>of</strong> outstanding<br />
service in the same role. Jordan has<br />
retained his current faculty appointments<br />
as pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> oral pathology<br />
and <strong>of</strong> pathology, chair <strong>of</strong> the Division<br />
<strong>of</strong> Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology<br />
and Oral Radiology, and vice chair <strong>of</strong><br />
the Department <strong>of</strong> Or<strong>of</strong>acial Sciences.<br />
He also directs the largest universitybased<br />
oral pathology diagnostic<br />
laboratory on the West Coast.<br />
Jordan has taken on the challenge<br />
<strong>of</strong> maintaining and improving<br />
research excellence within the school,<br />
which has ranked number one among<br />
dental schools in research for nearly<br />
two decades. Jordan, a research<br />
scientist who is also trained in two<br />
clinical specialties, has gained a<br />
strong reputation for excellence in his<br />
research focused on molecular techniques<br />
for early oral cancer detection.<br />
Born and raised in Canada,<br />
Jordan received his clinical training in<br />
dentistry, oral pathology and oral<br />
medicine at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Toronto.<br />
He completed work on his doctoral<br />
degree at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> London, in<br />
the laboratories <strong>of</strong> Paul Speight, BDS,<br />
PhD, and Peter Isaacson, MB, ChB.<br />
“I was able to work on a newly<br />
identified form <strong>of</strong> lymphoma, developing<br />
a test to detect malignant white<br />
blood cells prior to symptoms, at the<br />
earliest stage <strong>of</strong> the disease,” he says.<br />
“It was a very exciting time.” Jordan<br />
continued in the same line <strong>of</strong> research<br />
upon returning to North America,<br />
shifting his emphasis to oral cancers.<br />
Jordan helped develop a useful<br />
technique for gauging which genes<br />
had been switched on, or expressed,<br />
in the vast majority <strong>of</strong> oral biopsy or<br />
surgical specimens preserved in<br />
formalin. Recently, he was honored<br />
with membership in the Royal<br />
College <strong>of</strong> Pathologists <strong>of</strong> the United<br />
Kingdom, in recognition <strong>of</strong> his<br />
distinguished scientific achievements.<br />
Maintaining research excellence<br />
is his highest priority, Jordan says.<br />
He views stem cell science, early<br />
disease detection, materials science<br />
and research on health disparities<br />
as being among the areas in<br />
which opportunities are greatest<br />
for continued advances and<br />
programmatic development.<br />
Jordan knows the bar is set high<br />
in his new post. “We need to think<br />
<strong>of</strong> ways to make ourselves more<br />
competitive in a very competitive<br />
environment, and <strong>of</strong> ways to become<br />
more nimble and responsive,” he<br />
says. “Our greatest strength is our<br />
people. The pipeline for our future<br />
success is to train the best people<br />
we can – both dentists and dental<br />
scientists.”<br />
Jordan has worked to update<br />
training opportunities in recent years,<br />
partnering with Greenspan and<br />
colleagues from <strong>UCSF</strong>’s Clinical and<br />
Translational Science Institute to<br />
develop the Training in Clinical<br />
Research curriculum.<br />
“Within the setting <strong>of</strong> team science,<br />
we want to be better in communicating<br />
with one another, and we want to be<br />
better in coordinating our activities,”<br />
Jordan says. “Within the <strong>University</strong>,<br />
the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> is part <strong>of</strong> a<br />
comprehensive scientific and health<br />
care enterprise that also encompasses<br />
the schools <strong>of</strong> medicine, pharmacy<br />
and nursing, as well as the <strong>UCSF</strong><br />
Medical Center. At <strong>UCSF</strong> and<br />
beyond, I think there is still room for<br />
us to become better integrated into<br />
the broader world <strong>of</strong> science and<br />
health care.”<br />
Interdisciplinary communication<br />
and collaboration contribute to<br />
improved dissemination <strong>of</strong> new<br />
scientific knowledge and the<br />
translation <strong>of</strong> new discoveries into<br />
public benefit, Jordan says. n<br />
“I see the aim <strong>of</strong> science<br />
as accomplishments that<br />
help people.”<br />
15
alumni<br />
update<br />
16<br />
Bear Bash Night 2009<br />
On Friday, October 9, 2009, the Dental Alumni Association held<br />
its sixth annual Bear Bash Night. A popular and overwhelming<br />
success, this is an event where students, dental and hygiene<br />
alumni, faculty, and administration gather together to develop relationships<br />
and share excellent food, wine, beer and an assortment <strong>of</strong> gifts.<br />
This year’s Bear Bash, an unlimited pasta buffet, was extremely<br />
well attended by students and new alumni. The Faculty-Alumni House<br />
was filled to capacity. Students made every effort to meet most <strong>of</strong> the<br />
alumni present, not only to gain fruitful information, but also to secure a<br />
raffle ticket for the coveted A-Dec handpiece.<br />
Many guests left with great door prizes donated by dental companies,<br />
faculty and alumni. Lucky students won: dinner with Dean Featherstone;<br />
lunch with Tony Ragadio, D ’76; dinner with Michael Lopez, D ’74, and<br />
wife, Susan, DH ’72; Enzo wine from the cellars <strong>of</strong> Frank Casanova, D ’73;<br />
dental products; assorted wine; and a variety <strong>of</strong> gift certificates.<br />
Special thanks to Event Chair Carmen Hipona, D ’96, and husband,<br />
Eduardo Castro, D ’96, for their time and energy in organizing such an<br />
enjoyable event each year for the dental students.<br />
Nurturing alma mater cohesion, the alumni association looks forward to<br />
meeting and mentoring our new and upcoming colleagues. The Dental<br />
Alumni Association Executive Council invites all alumni interested in<br />
mentoring our students to join us on Friday evening, October 15, <strong>2010</strong>, at<br />
the Faculty-Alumni House for our seventh annual Bear Bash. All interested<br />
alumni are welcome! For more information, please contact <strong>UCSF</strong> Alumni/<br />
Student Liaison Carmen Hipona at teethfirst@aol.com.<br />
Special thanks also to the following additional alumni for their<br />
donations and participation: Doug Cowden, DDS; Christine Hayashi, DDS;<br />
Herman Chang, DDS; Phoenix Sinclair, DDS; and Mary Porteous, DH.<br />
Special thanks to A-Dec, Inc., and Waterpik Technologies, Inc. for their<br />
generous donations that help make these events possible. n<br />
— Mary Sornborger Porteous, DH ’75<br />
Revelry at Bear Bash 2009, <strong>UCSF</strong> Faculty-<br />
Alumni House: Dean John D.B. Featherstone<br />
(at left, center) with <strong>UCSF</strong> Dental Alumni<br />
Association Executive Council organizers and<br />
student participants.<br />
114th Scientific<br />
Session<br />
Joining Chancellor Susan<br />
Desmond-Hellmann for the 114th<br />
Scientific Session “Homecoming”<br />
in mid-January were new DAA<br />
President Douglas Cowden (D’65),<br />
the Class <strong>of</strong> 1960, and Japanese-<br />
American dental students who were<br />
World War II internees, as honored<br />
guests <strong>of</strong> the Alumni Association.<br />
Save the Date:<br />
115th Scientific Session<br />
January 14-15, 2011<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco Marriott Marquis<br />
Confirmed SpeakerS:<br />
Arun Sharma, BDS, MSC,<br />
and Craig Yonemura, DDS<br />
n Integrating Periodontics and Implants<br />
into Comprehensive Dental Treatment<br />
Christopher Marchak, DDS<br />
n Implants: Guided Surgery, Immediate<br />
Loading and CAD-CAM Technology<br />
Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, RDH, PhD<br />
n Prescription Drugs and Herbal<br />
Therapies: Practice Management<br />
Considerations for Dental<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essionals<br />
n Women and Medications: Health<br />
Issues and Related Pharmacotherapies<br />
n Commonly Prescribed Medications<br />
and Managing the Oral Side Effects<br />
<strong>of</strong> Medication Use<br />
See you next year!
1959 Class notes<br />
Don Hermansen, D ’73, chair <strong>of</strong><br />
the 50-Year Reunion Committee,<br />
presented the following “Class<br />
notes” recognizing the Half-<br />
Century Club graduates honored<br />
at the 114th Annual Scientific<br />
Session Luncheon.<br />
Karen Ulrich, RDH – is still working<br />
one day per week. She plays golf<br />
and bridge and works out regularly.<br />
She has two sons and seven grandchildren.<br />
She travels occasionally<br />
with her good friend Ann Kerr,<br />
a fellow dental hygiene graduate.<br />
Last summer, they spent three<br />
weeks in France.<br />
norman Abrahams, DDS – has<br />
been married 58 years to the same<br />
wife. He has two daughters and four<br />
grandchildren. Norman retired in 1995<br />
after having been president <strong>of</strong> his<br />
local dental organization. He served<br />
nine years on the CDA Ethics Council<br />
and five years on the CDA Peer<br />
Review Council. He was president <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>San</strong>ta Clara County Health<br />
Systems Agency and is a current<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the <strong>San</strong>ta Clara County<br />
Human Relations Council.<br />
Karen olson, RDH – practiced dental<br />
hygiene part-time for 35 years and<br />
raised three children. She retired in<br />
1997 and earned a master’s degree<br />
in nutrition in 1999, exactly 40 years<br />
after her BS in dental hygiene. She is<br />
now fully retired and volunteers with<br />
outreach programs for her church.<br />
Billie L. Hays, RDH (Billie E. Rutt-<br />
Lingo) – started her practice <strong>of</strong> dental<br />
hygiene in Germany doing volunteer<br />
work on an Air Force base. She<br />
returned to work for Dr. Jack H<strong>of</strong>fman<br />
for eight years in <strong>San</strong>ta Clara. She<br />
then worked for Dr. Burt Press in<br />
Contra Costa County. Her present<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice is in Cupertino with Dr. Prusa,<br />
where she has been in general<br />
practice for 38 years. She works four<br />
days a week. She feels privileged to<br />
have become close to many <strong>of</strong> her<br />
patients over the years. Her most<br />
motivated patient is her granddaughter<br />
Raquel, who brushes,<br />
flosses, rubber tips and uses a tongue<br />
scraper every day, all at the age <strong>of</strong> 5.<br />
She likes to travel and deep-sea fish<br />
with her husband, Mikkl. Her favorite<br />
scalers are still UC #3 and #4.<br />
Cliff Horrell, DDS – practiced as<br />
a general dentist in Sacramento<br />
for 41 years, retiring in 2000 with his<br />
wife, Sharon. They have 10 children,<br />
23 grandchildren and 16 greatgrandchildren.<br />
They have traveled<br />
throughout the United States,<br />
numerous European countries, Japan<br />
and the Caribbean. Cliff’s hobby<br />
is stamp collecting, and he was a<br />
part-time stamp dealer for many<br />
years. He and Sharon enjoy family<br />
activities, gardening and traveling.<br />
Allen Short, DDS – has been in the<br />
same location for 50 years, and<br />
continues to practice 28 hours per<br />
week. He was past Rotary president,<br />
city councilman and volunteer<br />
fireman. He still belongs to Rotary<br />
and is a member <strong>of</strong> the Duck Club.<br />
john Derdivanis, DDS – started<br />
general practice in Alameda, then<br />
went back to specialize in periodontics,<br />
completing the program at<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> in 1967. Since that time, he has<br />
been practicing at the same location<br />
in <strong>San</strong> Lorenzo. His dental hygienist,<br />
Lillian Yee, has been with him since<br />
1971, lasting longer than his marriage.<br />
He is a member <strong>of</strong> several dental<br />
associations and has been in the<br />
OKU dental honor society since 1974.<br />
He was a clinical instructor at <strong>UCSF</strong><br />
from 1961 to 1964, then a pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
in the postgraduate and undergraduate<br />
Division <strong>of</strong> Periodontology<br />
from 1964 to 2000. He has been<br />
vice president and president-elect<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Northern <strong>California</strong> Society<br />
<strong>of</strong> Periodontology and chairman <strong>of</strong><br />
the Western Society, 1971-1974.<br />
Charles Soderstrom, DDS –<br />
followed his father and brother to<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>. In 1953,<br />
he self-diagnosed type 1 diabetes<br />
that made him 4F in the military<br />
draft, and has had daily insulin<br />
shots for 54 years. Marrying his wife,<br />
Ruby, a nursing student at <strong>UCSF</strong>, in<br />
1958, was the wisest thing Charles<br />
ever did. After graduating, he worked<br />
for pedodontists in <strong>San</strong> Jose before<br />
moving to Chico in 1961. There,<br />
Charles practiced as a pediatric<br />
dentist until selling his practice in<br />
1991. He and Ruby have three<br />
children and four grandsons.<br />
Kenneth Fletcher, DDS – says that<br />
life has been good, even with its ups<br />
and downs. He is married with two<br />
children and three grandchildren.<br />
He practiced in Honolulu, and found<br />
it wonderful. When he retired, his<br />
fulfilled his dream to live in Europe<br />
and travel, which he and his wife,<br />
Jennifer, did for approximately 10<br />
years. Kenneth then bought a motor<br />
coach and traveled across the USA.<br />
He now lives in Los Angeles.<br />
joaquin Madrigal jr., DDS –<br />
practiced for three years in <strong>San</strong> Jose,<br />
then 40 years in Fresno. He retired<br />
seven years ago and is enjoying<br />
retirement. He is healthy, thanks to<br />
God. He and his wife, Louise, have four<br />
sons and 10 grandchildren. It’s great!<br />
Lynda nicol Trowbridge, RDH –<br />
moved back to <strong>California</strong> when her<br />
husband, Hank, retired as chair <strong>of</strong><br />
the Department <strong>of</strong> Pathology at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Pennsylvania <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Dental Medicine. Since they have<br />
always been associated with a<br />
university, they decided to make Davis<br />
their home. Performances at the<br />
Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts<br />
in Davis have been an important part <strong>of</strong><br />
their lives, and they both volunteer for<br />
the Arts Education Program. Although<br />
they are no longer involved in dentistry,<br />
they stay very busy in retirement.<br />
joAnn Greenway, RDH – has three<br />
roles in life: wife, mother and hygienist.<br />
She has been married for over 47<br />
years to Lyle Greenway, a UOP dental<br />
graduate. They have four children.<br />
She manages her husband’s dental<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice in Fountain Valley, Orange<br />
County. She loves to travel (Beijing,<br />
Tibet, St. Petersburg, Istanbul,<br />
among other places) and to share<br />
good food and wine.<br />
Mike Heon, DDS – appreciated his<br />
dental education at <strong>UCSF</strong> that allowed<br />
him to help others obtain a healthier<br />
dental life. He met and married Jan,<br />
his life’s partner, who transitioned into<br />
a wonderful mother <strong>of</strong> four energetic<br />
children. He spent two years in an<br />
Air Force hospital that gave him the<br />
opportunity to increase his skills in oral<br />
surgery and general dentistry. Mike<br />
completed five years as a senior dental<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficer in the Air Force hospital dental<br />
clinic. He started a dental practice in<br />
north <strong>San</strong> Rafael, expanding and<br />
Continued on next page<br />
17
18<br />
Continued from previous page<br />
adding two associates over 15 years.<br />
Mike then worked in a VA hospital<br />
dental clinic, retiring in 1997 with<br />
23 years <strong>of</strong> government service.<br />
He feels that there is no other group<br />
more deserving than those who have<br />
served our country.<br />
Evelyn Loo, RDH – says that her only<br />
claim to fame might be as a dental<br />
hygienist who owned an ice cream<br />
parlor. A patient saw her there and<br />
accused her <strong>of</strong> working both sides <strong>of</strong><br />
the fence. She practiced hygiene for<br />
40 years, all for <strong>UCSF</strong> dental alumni:<br />
Ken Mar, Lyle Tyler and Richard<br />
Naismith. She is married to Edward<br />
and has one daughter and one<br />
granddaughter. They became political<br />
activists in 2006 when the BART<br />
headquarters in Oakland, where<br />
seniors practiced tai chi, was slated<br />
for demolition. They reclaimed<br />
Madison Park that was previously<br />
occupied by the homeless. Now, in<br />
Madison Park, every morning between<br />
7:30 and 9:30, hundreds <strong>of</strong> seniors<br />
can again practice their morning<br />
exercises, including tai chi and chi gong.<br />
Gail Wiegmann Metcalf, RDH –<br />
lives in Albany. She enjoyed being<br />
a dental hygienist for 13 years. She<br />
has one daughter and one grandson.<br />
She is very grateful to the dedicated<br />
faculty her class enjoyed and for<br />
her wonderful classmates.<br />
Linda Chamberlain, RDH – loved<br />
the dental hygiene program and<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco. She knows that she<br />
received a wonderful education at<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong>, and had fun in the process.<br />
She worked for several dentists in<br />
both general practice and periodontics<br />
for 12 years. She thought she<br />
would work forever, but rheumatoid<br />
arthritis ended her career. If she could<br />
do it all over again, she would stay in<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco and get an advanced<br />
degree that would grant her an<br />
opportunity to teach or do research.<br />
She is married to Alan.<br />
Ann Kerr, RDH – resides in the<br />
East Bay, where she has practiced<br />
continually for 45 years. She feels<br />
privileged and honored to be part <strong>of</strong><br />
Dr. Gil Oliver’s periodontal practice in<br />
Pinole. She works in the <strong>of</strong>fice now<br />
with new owner Dr. Kourosh Harandi<br />
three days per week. She has three<br />
children and five grandchildren.<br />
Robert Diamond, DDS – is still<br />
practicing dentistry part-time. He also<br />
works for a charitable foundation to<br />
assist retired patients with dental<br />
illness. He taught physical diagnosis<br />
and oral pathology for 30 years at<br />
UCLA. Robert is married to Vivian,<br />
and has two children and three<br />
grandchildren. He loves and<br />
participates in skiing, boating, hiking<br />
and restoration <strong>of</strong> classic cars.<br />
jack Hockel, DDS – retired from<br />
practice nine years ago, when his<br />
son Brian (Class <strong>of</strong> 1989) took over.<br />
Jack continues as editor <strong>of</strong> a quarterly<br />
journal for dentists who use the<br />
Crozat appliance in their practice<br />
<strong>of</strong> orthodontics. He published his<br />
second book on the subject in<br />
2008; his first was in 1983. Jack<br />
and Judie, his wife <strong>of</strong> 49 years, are<br />
expecting their 25th grandchild.<br />
Stephen Dean, DDS – retired from<br />
practice in 1993 and moved to<br />
Camas, Washington. His wife, Sue,<br />
died in 2005 after a long illness.<br />
Stephen has excellent neighbors,<br />
but misses the Bay Area, and enjoys<br />
keeping in touch with friends.<br />
Susan Havlina, RDH – retired from<br />
the New Mexico State Dental Health<br />
Department 20 years ago and has<br />
been a yoga instructor ever since.<br />
She lives in Idaho.<br />
Donald Dal Porto, DDS – retired<br />
in February, 1991. He moved to<br />
La Quinta from Discovery Bay in<br />
June 2008. He has two sons<br />
(one a pediatric dentist) and five<br />
grandchildren. Donald travels, plays<br />
golf and enjoys the desert.<br />
Leona Young, RDH – worked<br />
as a dental hygienist in Berkeley<br />
for 10 years. She has been raising<br />
beef cattle in Acampo since 1970.<br />
She still works part-time in<br />
Cattlemen’s Livestock Market in<br />
Galt, and enjoys country life.<br />
R. Dean Robinson, DDS – moved<br />
with his wife, Ramona, and their<br />
three children to <strong>San</strong> Luis Obispo<br />
after graduation, where he practiced<br />
general dentistry until 1990. He was<br />
active as president <strong>of</strong> the Boy Scouts<br />
Council and served as bishop, stake<br />
president and regional representative<br />
<strong>of</strong> the twelve for the Church <strong>of</strong> Jesus<br />
Christ <strong>of</strong> Latter Day Saints. He<br />
learned to speak French when he<br />
served for three years as mission<br />
president <strong>of</strong> the Paris Mission.<br />
After retirement, Dean moved to<br />
Orem, Utah, where he manages his<br />
family ranch in Star Valley. For the<br />
past 18 years, he has been an<br />
advocate for individuals with<br />
disabilities, establishing an oral<br />
health clinic for those who cannot<br />
otherwise access quality dental care.<br />
jim Starr, DDS – with his wife,<br />
Pam, moved to Vail, Colorado, where<br />
they are deeply involved in skiing.<br />
He worked with his son Jeff<br />
(Class <strong>of</strong> 1989) at their practice in<br />
Palo Alto before retiring in 1999.<br />
Jim and Pam have three children.<br />
Carl Schrieve, DDS – retired in<br />
July 1997. He is 79 years old<br />
and has some health problems.<br />
He and his wife, Marlys, celebrated<br />
their 50th wedding anniversary<br />
this year. They have three children<br />
and two granddaughters.<br />
Ruben Burrell, DDS – enjoys sunny<br />
Arizona with his wife and family (four<br />
children, 12 grandchildren and six<br />
great-grandchildren). Ruben is in the<br />
process <strong>of</strong> selling his practice, but<br />
loves being a dentist, and worked<br />
part-time until October 2009, so that<br />
he could complete his full 50 years!<br />
At age 81, he works out four days a<br />
week, and enjoys hiking, hunting,<br />
fishing, dune buggying and water<br />
skiing with his family. His family<br />
expects him to live past 100.<br />
Don Swatman, DDS – retired in<br />
2002. He and his wife, Mary, have<br />
enjoyed their extra time by traveling,<br />
playing tennis, running their antique<br />
business, gardening, houseboating<br />
and managing real estate in Modesto<br />
and Maui. They also enjoy time with<br />
their children and grandchildren.<br />
George Payne, DDS – has been<br />
married to Marilyn (RDH ’56) for 53<br />
years. They have four children, all<br />
graduates <strong>of</strong> the UC system. He<br />
taught part-time in the Division <strong>of</strong><br />
Orthodontics for 20 years, practiced<br />
for 35 years and transitioned his<br />
practice to his son Brian (<strong>UCSF</strong><br />
orthodontics class <strong>of</strong> 1988) in 1995.<br />
He was CDA president in 1988-89,<br />
ADA trustee from 1990 to 1994<br />
and a TDIC board member from<br />
1980 to 1986. He loves his pr<strong>of</strong>ession<br />
and can think <strong>of</strong> none better to<br />
provide a necessary and rewarding<br />
service to patients. n
alumni pr<strong>of</strong>iles > > > SERVICE To THE nATIon<br />
PrOFILE:<br />
William Metzler, DH’ 75<br />
William Metzler (Metz) was the first<br />
male hygienist to attend <strong>UCSF</strong>.<br />
Juggling his education, s<strong>of</strong>tball games<br />
and work at a bar that he co-owned<br />
in downtown <strong>San</strong> Francisco, Metz<br />
was a very colorful classmate.<br />
Metz is an involved member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Hygiene Class <strong>of</strong> 1975. Each year, the<br />
cohesive group enjoys a reunion in<br />
conjunction with the Dental Alumni<br />
Association’s Annual Scientific<br />
Session. Traditionally organized by<br />
Martha White, with restaurant and<br />
venue selection by Jeanine Cardelli,<br />
Lynda Oneto and Kathy Inouye Chu,<br />
2009’s luncheon was again hosted<br />
via the generosity <strong>of</strong> Metz and his<br />
wife, Barbara.<br />
However, this year, the classmates<br />
were surprised with a new revelation<br />
by their generous host. Not common<br />
knowledge to the classmates <strong>of</strong> 34<br />
years is the fact that Metz had served<br />
in the Vietnam War and is actively<br />
involved with improving the mental<br />
health <strong>of</strong> fellow Vietnam veterans.<br />
Metz presented each classmate<br />
in attendance with the book Back<br />
from War, written by his friend 1st Lt.<br />
Lee Alley. Metz is a contributing writer<br />
(chapter 13) for this book, which was<br />
written about events in Vietnam and is<br />
an attempt to help soldiers and their<br />
families find hope and understanding<br />
in life after combat. A heartwrenching,<br />
uplifting, warm and<br />
enlightening glimpse into a soldier’s<br />
life and emotions, this book is timely<br />
for its parallels with life experienced<br />
by our troops in the Middle East.<br />
Metz encourages current<br />
soldiers to place a roster <strong>of</strong> their<br />
unit in safekeeping, for the day that<br />
soldiers want to reunite with their<br />
old military buddies. Camaraderie<br />
is key for support with any group.<br />
Metz is secretary <strong>of</strong> the 5th<br />
Battalion, 60th Infantry Association,<br />
and maintains the association website<br />
(members.tripod.com/5thbattalion),<br />
which serves as a network for aiding<br />
Vietnam vets in finding comrades to<br />
share in postwar healing and social<br />
support. The nonpr<strong>of</strong>it association’s<br />
attendance has grown from a handful<br />
<strong>of</strong> members to almost 800 currently.<br />
Plans are underway for their sixth<br />
reunion in <strong>2010</strong>.<br />
Metz served in Vietnam in<br />
1967-1968 and received a Combat<br />
Infantryman’s Badge, a Purple Heart<br />
and a Bronze Star during his tour.<br />
Though currently retired after working<br />
in hygiene for many years with his<br />
wife, Barbara, who was also a<br />
hygienist, Metz spends time golfing,<br />
working at the local library and<br />
engaging his comrades who served<br />
in Vietnam. n<br />
PrOFILE:<br />
M. Ted Wong, D’ 84<br />
Colonel M. Ted Wong (D ’84) became<br />
the ninth commander <strong>of</strong> the US Army<br />
Dental Command on July 10, 2008.<br />
He is the senior Army <strong>of</strong>ficer<br />
responsible for the operational<br />
missions <strong>of</strong> all Army dental activities<br />
and dental clinics around the world.<br />
A Southern <strong>California</strong> native, Wong<br />
entered active duty in 1984, following<br />
graduation from the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong>. He received a master’s<br />
degree in healthcare administration<br />
from Baylor <strong>University</strong> and a master’s<br />
degree in strategic studies from<br />
the US Army War College, and is<br />
board-certified in prosthodontics.<br />
Wong completed a General<br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong> Residency Program at<br />
Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and an Advanced<br />
Prosthodontic Residency Program<br />
at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He is<br />
a graduate <strong>of</strong> the Army Medical<br />
Department (AMEDD) Officer Basic<br />
and Advanced Courses, Combined<br />
Armed Services Staff <strong>School</strong>,<br />
Command and General Staff College,<br />
US Army War College, and Joint<br />
Medical Executive Skills Institute<br />
CAPSTONE Symposium.<br />
He has held a variety <strong>of</strong> clinical<br />
and staff assignments, including<br />
OIC, Kelley Barracks Dental Clinic,<br />
Germany; staff prosthodontist,<br />
Fort Sam Houston; chief, Dental Lab<br />
Branch, AMEDD Center & <strong>School</strong>,<br />
Fort Sam Houston; staff <strong>of</strong>ficer, HQ,<br />
US Army Dental Command, Fort Sam<br />
Houston; and dental executive fellow,<br />
Office <strong>of</strong> the Surgeon General (OTSG).<br />
Wong commanded the 665th<br />
Medical Company (DS), Korea, and the<br />
Presidio <strong>of</strong> Monterey Dental Clinic<br />
Command, <strong>California</strong>. After attending<br />
the US Army War College, Wong<br />
served as the senior dental staff <strong>of</strong>ficer,<br />
OTSG, HQDA, and as commander <strong>of</strong><br />
both the North Atlantic Regional Dental<br />
Command and Walter Reed Dental<br />
Activity, Washington, DC.<br />
Wong’s awards and decorations<br />
include the Legion <strong>of</strong> Merit, Meritorious<br />
Service Medal (6 OLC), Army<br />
Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Army<br />
Achievement Medal (3 OLC) and<br />
National Defense Service Medal with<br />
one star. He holds the Expert Field<br />
Medical Badge and Army Staff<br />
Identification Badge, and is the<br />
recipient <strong>of</strong> the Surgeon General’s<br />
“A” pr<strong>of</strong>iciency designator. Wong is a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the Order <strong>of</strong> Military Medical<br />
Merit and American Dental Association,<br />
a diplomate <strong>of</strong> the American Board <strong>of</strong><br />
Prosthodontics and a fellow <strong>of</strong> the<br />
American College <strong>of</strong> Prosthodontists<br />
and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.<br />
A son <strong>of</strong> Po Ping Wong (D ’65),<br />
Colonel M. Ted Wong and his wife have<br />
two sons and a daughter. n<br />
19
in memoriam<br />
20<br />
Remembering Perry A. Ratcliff, DDS<br />
Perry A. Ratcliff, DDS, teacher and mentor, who served as an<br />
intellectual inspiration to residents and faculty in the Division <strong>of</strong><br />
Periodontology during his tenure as chairman <strong>of</strong> the division until he<br />
retired from the <strong>University</strong> as pr<strong>of</strong>essor emeritus, passed away on<br />
Oct. 6, 2008, in Scottsdale, AZ. He is survived by his wife, Roberta<br />
Ratcliff <strong>of</strong> Scottsdale; son, James Ratcliff (Barbara) <strong>of</strong> Pueblo, CO;<br />
brother, Harold Ratcliff (Camille) <strong>of</strong> Peoria, IL; stepsons Todd Cretors<br />
(Kellie) <strong>of</strong> Phoenix and Kurt Cretors (Sharlee) <strong>of</strong> Scottsdale; and<br />
granddaughters Jordan and Kasey Cretors.<br />
Born August 25, 1915, Ratcliff obtained his DDS degree from Indiana <strong>University</strong> in<br />
1939. During World War II, he served in the US Navy Dental Corps and was awarded the<br />
Presidential Unit Citation and five campaign Bronze Stars. A board-certified periodontist,<br />
Ratcliff was past president <strong>of</strong> the American Academy <strong>of</strong> Periodontology. He was a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the AAP, ADA, FACD, FICD, FAAAS, the Western Society <strong>of</strong> Periodontology<br />
and the Arizona Society <strong>of</strong> Periodontists.<br />
Ratcliff had a private practice in Scottsdale for 25 years. He received many honors<br />
and awards, published hundreds <strong>of</strong> papers and several books, and led countless<br />
seminars nationally and internationally. As an inventor, he developed and formulated<br />
dental products marketed through Rowpar Pharmaceuticals.<br />
The <strong>UCSF</strong> Foundation has created a fund in Ratcliff’s name. With sufficient<br />
financial support, the fund will be used to establish an endowed chair to honor him<br />
and support a full-time faculty member in the Division <strong>of</strong> Periodontology. Memorial<br />
donations in Ratcliff’s name can be made to the <strong>UCSF</strong> Foundation, Perry A. Ratcliff<br />
Endowed Fund (S0478), and mailed to: Chris Ruetz, Senior Director, Development<br />
and Alumni Relations, <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>, 745 Parnassus Ave., Box 0970,<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco, CA 94143-0970. Ruetz can also be contacted at 415/476-3645 and<br />
creutz@support.ucsf.edu. n<br />
Remembering William H. Ware, DDS, MDS<br />
It is with deep regret that the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Dentistry</strong> notes the death on Aug. 24,<br />
2008, <strong>of</strong> William H. Ware, DDS, MDS,<br />
former pr<strong>of</strong>essor and chairman <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Division <strong>of</strong> Oral and Maxill<strong>of</strong>acial<br />
Surgery, who gave a lifetime <strong>of</strong> service<br />
to <strong>UCSF</strong>. Our sympathies extend to his<br />
wife, Carmen, and his family, including<br />
his brother, Robert, also a dentist, his<br />
sister, Betty, and children Bill, Julie and<br />
Nancy from his first marriage to Elise.<br />
Ware was a graduate <strong>of</strong> the<br />
The late Dr. William H. Ware (center) with former Dean<br />
Charles Bertolami (to the immediate left <strong>of</strong> Dr. Ware), OMFS<br />
Chair Tony Pogrel (to Dean Bertolami’s left), and OMFS<br />
faculty. Taken at the William Ware lecture in January 2007.<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>California</strong>, Berkeley, the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> in 1954, and the <strong>UCSF</strong><br />
Oral and Maxill<strong>of</strong>acial Surgery Program in 1957. His 51-year academic career began as<br />
instructor in dental medicine and oral surgery at <strong>UCSF</strong> in 1957, and culminated as<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essor and chairman <strong>of</strong> the Division <strong>of</strong> Oral and Maxill<strong>of</strong>acial Surgery from 1976 to<br />
1983. He remained on the faculty as pr<strong>of</strong>essor emeritus <strong>of</strong> oral and maxill<strong>of</strong>acial surgery.<br />
Ware made many contributions to the specialty <strong>of</strong> oral and maxill<strong>of</strong>acial surgery<br />
during his distinguished career. Among the most important was his pioneering effort in<br />
the field <strong>of</strong> growth-center costochondral graft transplant for temporomandibular joint<br />
reconstruction in children. He was also an internationally recognized expert in the fields<br />
<strong>of</strong> orthognathic surgery and temporomandibular joint surgery.<br />
Throughout his career, Ware was a dedicated teacher beloved by students, residents<br />
and faculty alike. He was a recipient <strong>of</strong> the <strong>UCSF</strong> Dental Alumni Medal <strong>of</strong> Honor, and<br />
in recognition <strong>of</strong> his contributions, his former residents, patients and friends established<br />
the William Ware Visiting Pr<strong>of</strong>essorship in the Department <strong>of</strong> Oral and Maxill<strong>of</strong>acial<br />
Surgery in 1990. In 2007, when an appeal was launched to establish the William Ware<br />
Endowed Chair in Orthognathic and Reconstructive Surgery, the necessary funds were<br />
raised in a record time <strong>of</strong> three months, with many <strong>of</strong> his former students, residents<br />
and colleagues contributing. n<br />
Alumni Deceased<br />
Leonard Bellanca, ’29<br />
James H. Kleiser Jr., ’35<br />
Andrew J. Perry, ’37<br />
Alvin H. Barbanell, ’45<br />
Ralph P. <strong>San</strong>guinetti, ’47<br />
A. Irving Jacks, ’50<br />
M. Harvey Lee, ’50<br />
Fenimore Cady Jr., ’51<br />
Stanley B. Corwin, ’54<br />
Thomas L. Gross, ’54<br />
James V. Marino, ’54<br />
Donald Soo Hoo, ’54<br />
Dale A. Thompson, ’54<br />
D. Stanley Powell, ’58<br />
George S. Payne, ’59<br />
O. L. Shoemaker, ’59<br />
Park O. Stompro, ’60<br />
Mary Wheeler Barnard, ’61<br />
David M. George, ’66<br />
Arthur Allen Amos, ’69<br />
James K. Millsop, ’70<br />
Dirk Richard Payne, ’93<br />
Faculty Deceased<br />
<strong>San</strong>ford Plainfield, DDS
<strong>UCSF</strong> is grateful to the many alumni who<br />
have given back by making a legacy gift for the<br />
benefit <strong>of</strong> the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>.<br />
“Somebody gave me a chance, and I want to<br />
give the same to others. As Ayn rand said,<br />
‘My best for your best.’”<br />
Helyn Luechauer, DDS ’66, established three charitable gift<br />
annuities with her late husband, Jarvis “Lick” Luechauer, DDS,<br />
to support the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>.<br />
“I believe strongly that everyone should<br />
contribute back to those who have helped<br />
them. Because <strong>of</strong> the education and<br />
encouragement given to me at <strong>UCSF</strong>, I feel I<br />
have had an outstanding life and have been<br />
able to provide the best care to my patients,<br />
enabling them also to have a better life.”<br />
Albert Landucci, DDS ’68, established the Albert O. J. Landucci<br />
Endowment Fund to support the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> in<br />
retaining teaching faculty in the fields <strong>of</strong> orthodontics and pediatric<br />
dentistry. He has also included the school in his estate plan.<br />
“I decided to make <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
the beneficiary <strong>of</strong> the IrA that I inherited from<br />
my husband. By enabling other people to<br />
practice dentistry, I hope they will carry out<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the things ron didn’t get to do, and<br />
continue the things he did.”<br />
Judy Gordon, widow <strong>of</strong> alumnus Ronald A. Gordon, DDS ’76.<br />
Her gift will establish an endowed scholarship fund at the<br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>.<br />
To learn more about making a planned gift to <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>,<br />
please contact Chris ruetz at 415/476-3645 or cruetz@support.ucsf.edu,<br />
or go to ucsf.edu/support/trustsandbequests.<br />
3
dentistry.ucsf.edu<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>California</strong><br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco<br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
<strong>UCSF</strong> Box 0248<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco, CA 94143-0248<br />
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED<br />
Why We Give<br />
Gary and Connie DeJong Armitage<br />
“A case <strong>of</strong> wine” – a way to think about<br />
the size <strong>of</strong> an annual gift that, contributed<br />
regularly by each and every alumnus,<br />
could make a tremendous difference in the<br />
outlook for <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong><br />
support through these financially troubled<br />
times. So says <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong> alumnus<br />
Gary C. Armitage, DDS, MS (<strong>UCSF</strong>),<br />
R. Earl Robinson Distinguished Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
<strong>of</strong> Periodontology in the Department <strong>of</strong><br />
Or<strong>of</strong>acial Sciences, whose academic career<br />
at the Parnassus Heights campus has<br />
now touched on six decades.<br />
“It has become apparent that the only<br />
way to grow and thrive is to initiate and<br />
sustain a perpetual fundraising campaign,”<br />
Armitage says.<br />
Armitage sat down recently with his<br />
wife, Connie DeJong Armitage, to talk about<br />
his career and their shared philosophy <strong>of</strong><br />
giving, alluding to an editorial on the<br />
importance <strong>of</strong> strong and ongoing alumni<br />
support he wrote during the summer <strong>of</strong><br />
2006 at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Otago at Dunedin,<br />
New Zealand, as the Sir Thomas Kay Sidey<br />
Visiting Pr<strong>of</strong>essor. “The first step should<br />
Nonpr<strong>of</strong>it Org.<br />
U.S. Postage<br />
PAID<br />
<strong>San</strong> Francisco, CA<br />
Permit No. 8285<br />
Gary Armitage, DDS, and Connie DeJong Armitage<br />
be to change the perception <strong>of</strong> potential<br />
donors that the existing governmental<br />
support is sufficient,” he said. “Alumni need<br />
to be convinced that it is their responsibility<br />
to become donors.”<br />
Speaking <strong>of</strong> his years on the faculty,<br />
Armitage observed, “I’ve been with the<br />
<strong>University</strong> since 1971, and back then,<br />
about 90 percent <strong>of</strong> our operating<br />
budget came from the state <strong>of</strong> <strong>California</strong>.<br />
Now it’s reversed – <strong>UCSF</strong> has become<br />
a state-assisted, instead <strong>of</strong> a statesupported,<br />
institution.”<br />
The Armitages regard alumni financial<br />
support as a critical component <strong>of</strong> any<br />
strategy to maintain institutional academic<br />
leadership. One way to achieve this is<br />
through the recognition <strong>of</strong> distinguished<br />
mentors, including current and former<br />
faculty, observed Armitage.<br />
Continued on page 1<br />
> To support the <strong>UCSF</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dentistry</strong>, contact Christopher Ruetz at 415/476-3645 or cruetz@support.ucsf.edu