THE ART OF DENTISTRY - School of Dental Medicine - Case ...

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2 THE SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE TODAY CBCT OFFERS REAL-TIME, REAL-WORLD 3D IMAGES BY MARGARET MULLIGAN The Craniofacial Imaging Center (CIC) in the School of Dental Medicine (http://ImagingCenter.case.edu) is using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), which allows practitioners to study a patient’s 3-dimensional (3D) image. The technology and its use is the primary focus of the work of J. Martin Palomo, D.D.S., M.S.D. ’97, Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics. Dr. Palomo is one of the few people who explored computer applications in the days when they were less than user-friendly. “I was a computer kid,” he says. “As a child I watched as technology made information easier to attain and process for many different uses. Later, I asked myself, ‘How could I use this in my specialty of orthodontics? How can technology make clinical work more efficient?’ I have worked since 1996 creating and using 3D images of the head and neck. In the past, the use of 3D images was not practical or user-friendly, which prevented broader use of such images. The development of CBCT solved many problems not only for dental medicine, but also for other clinicians using head and neck images. This allowed me to merge my interest in computers with my work in orthodontia. With the support of my department and the School of Dental Medicine, we jumped into the game early. There are several possible ways to visualize a CBCT image. A) soft tissue view using the surface mode, B) radiographic mode, in which the 3D image is turned into 2D as in a traditional radiography, C) slice view, divided by sagittal, coronal, and axial view, D) skeletal rendering using the surface mode, and E) maximum intensity projection (MIP) mode which provides a 3D radiographic view. “We have a machine from Hitachi Medical Systems that is serial number 1,” he says. “We were one of the first schools to have and use such technology, and others have followed suit.” In less than five years, there have been more than 800 CBCT units installed across the country. This early involvement in the technology growth spurt has paid off. “We have been able to travel to Hitachi headquarters in Japan and present [our] research findings to their engineers,” he says. “Based on the suggested conclusions of research projects done at CWRU, [the engineers] modified the machine. The impact of our research was such that other imaging centers using this machine subsequently asked to have their scanners modified according to the recommendations posed by those articles. “Now we are taking that experience and developing interpretation tools to further help a multidisciplinary audience of clinicians and researchers,” says Dr. Palomo. “In short, we can evaluate and improve the clinical situation, making them sometimes less invasive and with a better prognosis.” SHARING THE TECHNOLOGY WITH THE COMMUNITY The CBCT scanner is available at the CIC at the School of Dental Medicine. “It’s really about providing the highest level of treatment that a patient can attain, so we want to provide the CBCT technology as a service to the community,” notes Dr. Palomo. “For example, we recently assisted in the treatment plan for a five-year-old patient who was referred to us from Japan. The CBCT technology enabled her pediatric dentist to perform a minimally invasive procedure, leaving developing follicles untouched. Upon review of the CBCT image, the treatment plan was changed so that only the supernumerary teeth were removed. The additional information gained from the CBCT scan allowed for the preservation of the deciduous teeth, thus preventing a little girl from going for more than one year without her front teeth. “We want to let people know that Case Western Reserve University and the School of Dental Medicine is a source of technology that seamlessly fits into day-to-day clinical routines and helps to simplify clinical challenges,” says Dr. Palomo. For the academic and professional community, the CIC has produced several peer-reviewed publications in both medical and dental journals, presentations in national and international venues, as well as ongoing research grants. Interdisciplinary collaborations have involved several specialties of not only dental medicine, but also medical specialties such as Plastic Surgery, ENT, and Anesthesiology. Other collaborations include chapters on Craniofacial Imaging
for books both here and in other countries, images for the latest version of Gray’s Atlas of Anatomy, and videos and images for the permanent exhibit on medical imaging hosted by the Great Lakes Science Center here in Cleveland. KEEPING STUDENTS AHEAD OF THE TECH CURVE Dr. Palomo uses the CBCT technology when teaching DMD students and residents in the various specialties as well as in an elective course for all dental students in the dental school. It has been the vehicle to support a number of residents in the preparation of their FIRST-YEAR DENTAL STUDENTS RECEIVE WHITE COAT BY SARA FIELDS In July we welcomed the Class of 2011, to our qualified, diverse and talented student body. Admission to the School of Dental Medicine remains highly competitive. With the admissions process behind them, the highlight of orientation week was the annual White Coat Ceremony. At this event, the incoming students received a white coat welcoming them into the dental profession. They recited the oath before an assembly of proud family, friends, faculty and staff. The class represents less than three percent of the almost 3,400 applicants. The average age is 24.8 years. The overall GPA is 3.54, with a science GPA of 3.45. Both represent the highest averages in our history. The average DAT score is 19.67; the PAT (perceptual ability) average is 19.54. These both represent the highest averages on the DAT in the school’s masters’ theses and projects. This way, students have exposure and real-time experience with the newest and most cutting-edge applications by the time they graduate. As a result, the center gets referrals from all over the world. In addition, our students and residents graduate and take the knowledge they gain here and go into practice. “I am optimistic that 3D imaging gives our graduates a head start and a competitive advantage, I am confident it will be an integral part of their professional life,” says Dr. Palomo. EMAIL: juan.palomo@case.edu Photographer – Daniel Milner history. The students come from 19 states and 2 countries. There are six Canadian students and two Korean students. Fiftyone different undergraduate colleges/ universities are represented as well. By using a combination of sculpting and segmentation we are able to view a single tooth and study surface that cannot be viewed either clinically or with traditional radiography, since there would be adjacent teeth present. Note the reference lines showing the area being analyzed. Nationally, the overall applicant pool was 45% female and 55% male. There was a total of 12,010 applicants. The typical applicant applies to ten dental schools. 3
Page 1 and 2: THE ART OF DENTISTRY A PUBLICATION
Page 3: MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN Dear Friends,
Page 7 and 8: ALUMNI PERSPECTIVE: EDWARD FERRERI
Page 9 and 10: THE ‘WRIGHT’ STUFF—100+ YEARS
Page 11 and 12: WAZNEYS BROUGHT THE FAMILY TO CWRU
Page 13 and 14: Ultimately, these thoughts helped t
Page 15 and 16: SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNI AS
Page 17 and 18: CLASS NOTES 1948 Willis McCune is w
Page 19 and 20: 1998 Martin Hritz and his wife, Dol
Page 21 and 22: BY MARGARET MULLIGAN DR. ROBERT KAL
Page 23 and 24: PRECEPTOR CORNER BY MARIUS LANIAUSK
Page 25 and 26: Donald Gustovich Edward Hadaway Joo
Page 27 and 28: 2 0 0 8 A L U M N I E V E N T S Mar

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