Across North America, from north to south, from east to west, members of the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) community congregated this spring for annual meetings, conventions, study clubs, and more.
Below are some highlights from the many gatherings that GSDM alumni attended.
O’Canada! GSDM community attends events in Toronto and Montreal
GSDM residents, students, faculty, staff and alumni met up cross the border—the northern border—for spring events held in Montreal and Toronto.
First, members of the GSDM community attended the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) Annual Meeting at the Montreal Convention Center from Wednesday, April 10, 2019 to Saturday, April 13, 2019.
Nine GSDM alumni were recognized for fulfilling the requirements to become Board Certified specialists in the field of Endodontics and received their American Board of Endodontics (ABE) Diplomate pin during a ceremony held on Thursday, April 11—the most GSDM has ever had recognized at once.
GSDM hosted an alumni reception on Thursday, April 11, 2019 in the Inspiration Room at the DoubleTree Hilton Montreal. More than 100 alumni and guests attended the get-together. Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter, Dr. Sami Chogle, chair of the Department of Endodontics and director, Advanced Education Program in Endodontics, and Dr. Mark Desrosiers provided remarks. For pictures from the event, click here.
One month later, members of the community again met up north of the border, this time in Toronto for the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) Annual Spring Meeting at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The Annual Spring Meeting is the signature dental conference and trade show of the ODA, and one of the largest and most respected dental conventions in North America; this year’s event ran from Wednesday, May 8, 2019, until Saturday, May 11, 2019
For the first time at ODA, GSDM hosted an alumni reception, which was attended by about 35 people. Attendees were treated to views of Lake Ontario from the Stratus Restaurant as as Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter updated them on the GSDM Addition and Renovation Construction project. To see photos from the event, please click here.
Kevin Holland, assistant dean for Development & Alumni Relations, said the event was “enormously successful,” attracting both recent graduates and individuals who graduated close to 40 years prior. “We will certainly now plan on holding an annual alumni reception at the ODA Spring Meeting in Toronto,” said Dean Hutter.
Study Clubs in the Big Apple
Meanwhile, on the East Coast, GSDM’s Greater New York Alumni Study Club hosted two continuing education events, which each attracted about 20 alumni and guests. Both events were held at the Cornell Club in New York City.
First, on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, Dr. Frank Celenza, an assistant clinical professor at Rutgers University School of Dentistry, gave a presentation titled “Ortho / Perio in the Aligner Age.”
The presentation explained the philosophy behind orthodontic movements utilized for their beneficial impact upon the periodontium—for example, forced eruption, molar uprighting, embrasure management, root torqueing and implant interactions—and introduced clinical cases that illustrated those methods.
Then, Dr. David M. Momtaheni, a clinical professor in the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Columbia University, presented on “Dentistry and Sleep Related Breathing Disorder” on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.
The presentation reviewed non-surgical and surgical modalities for sleep disorders and reviewed how general dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons could work together as part of a treatment plan.
Orthodontics in La La Land
Some members of the GSDM community traded the overcast skies of a Boston spring for the sunshine and palm trees of Los Angeles to attend the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) 2019 Annual Session, which took place Friday, May 3 to Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
During the annual session, on Saturday, May 4, 2019, Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter, Dr. Leslie Will, chair and Anthony A. Gianelly professor, Department of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics, and the GSDM Orthodontic Alumni Association hosted an alumni reception at the 10e restaurant in downtown Los Angeles for about 30 alumni and guests at which Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter provided an update on the GSDM Addition and Renovation Construction project. To see photos from the event, please click here.
Pediatric Dentistry in the Windy City
Nestled against the shores of Lake Superior, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) gathered in Chicago for its annual session, which ran from Tuesday, May 21 to Sunday, May 26, 2019, at the Hilton Chicago. In conjunction with the annual session, GSDM hosted an alumni reception at the Hilton Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2019, for about 35 alumni and guests. Dr. Thanos Zavras, chair of the Department of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthodontics, provided an update as to the many activities and accomplishments of the Advanced Education Program in Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics, while Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter provided an update on the GSDM Addition and Renovation Construction project.
Then, not one, but two GSDM alumni were recognized for their dedication and contributions to serving special needs or underserved populations on Sunday, May 26, 2019, during the President’s Farewell Dinner, the annual session’s closing event.
Richard Mungo PEDO 75 was honored with the Manuel M. Album Award. Established in 1997, this award is presented annually to the individual or organization that has made the greatest contribution to the oral health of children with special needs. The award honors AAPD member Manuel M. Album, who devoted an entire career in pediatric dentistry toward improving the oral health of children with special needs
Steven Perlman PEDO 76 was honored with the Ann Page Griffin Humanitarian Award. This award, established in May 2010 by Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children: The Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, honors Ann Page Griffin, AAPD member and president and founder of Practicon and is given to an AAPD member dentist who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to alleviating suffering and improving the oral health of under-served populations in the United States or abroad.