Research Issue - Harvard School of Dental Medicine

dental scho ol newsDental School Newsn HSDM NewsOn April 14 and 15, 2011, HSDM willhost a special celebration of Deanfor Research Bjorn R. Olsen’scontributions to scientific discovery.The meeting, Extracellular Matrixin Health and Disease, will focus onOlsen’s research areas throughout hiscareer. The event will include opportunitiesfor all participants to share theirlatest findings through science blastand poster sessions, and invited speakerswill celebrate the topics of Olsen’sresearch in a daylong symposium. Thefirst session will focus primarily on therole of extracellular matrix in skeletaldevelopment; the second will featurepresentations on the roles of extracellularmatrix in vascular biology. All arewelcome; to register or for information,please visit www.hsdm.harvard.edu/news/olsen_symposium or call617-432-1121.Dental Bitesof health care champions. Ng is partneringwith the DentaQuest Institute,a national nonprofit organization, inresearch to improve treatment for childrenwith early-childhood caries.HSDM students Aram Kim (DMD2011) and Samuel Koo (DMSc2013, periodontics) were featured inan Educator Spotlight on the AmericanDental Education Association website.The article, “Special Feature: StudentsShaping Dental Education,” discussedthe research in which Kim and Koo areparticipating under the supervision ofNadeem Karimbux, DMD ’91, MMSc’93, PD ’93, HSDM’s assistant dean fordental education; associate professor oforal medicine, infection, and immunity;and interim director of the AdvancedGraduate Education Program inPeriodontology. The ongoing researchfocuses on whether haptic technologycan be used to better prepare dentalstudents for clinical practice.Robert F. Wright, an HSDMassociate professor of restorativedentistry and biomaterials sciencesand director of the Advanced GraduateEducation Program in Prosthodontics,became a member of the HarvardOdontological Society and spoke tothe group in October on “CurrentTrends, Challenges, and Mentoringin Prosthodontics.” Wright was alsothe program chair for the Educators’/Mentors’ Seminar at the AmericanCollege of Prosthodontists 40th annualsession in Orlando, Fla., in Novemberand spoke on “Trends, Challenges,and Mentoring in Prosthodontics: A10-Year Survey of Deans and ProgramDirectors.”continued on next pageIn national recognition of Olsen’soutstanding contributions to science, inDecember 2010 he was named a fellowof the American Association for theAdvancement of Science.David S. Greenfield, DMD ’73,an HSDM clinical instructor in oralmedicine, infection, and immunity forthe past 36 years, was honored with theAmerican Academy of Periodontology2010 Educator Award for OutstandingTeaching and Mentoring.In September, the Boston BusinessJournal recognized Man Wai Ng, anHSDM assistant professor of developmentalbiology and chief of theDepartment of Dentistry at Children’sHospital Boston, as a Health CareChampion and Innovator. She is theonly dentist honored in the 2010 classDiane Spinell RetiresHSDM’s director of educational services and registrar, Diane Spinell, retiredon January 31, 2011, after 34 years at the School. During her tenure at HSDM,Spinell contributed immeasurably to the life of the School and to the innumerablestudents who have come andgone through the doors of the HarvardSchool of Dental Medicine. She devotedher career to ensuring that HSDM remainsa premier institution and has leftan indelible mark on the entire HSDMcommunity, especially our studentsand alumni. Before Spinell retired, theSchool held a special tea honoring herand her many contributions to HSDM.She plans to move to Florida to enjoyher retirement with family.27