Members of the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) community made a strong showing at the 2020 Yankee Dental Congress, held January 30—February 1, 2020 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
From award ceremonies to the bustling alumni lounge, it seemed that GSDM students, residents, faculty, staff, and alumni could be found everywhere.
“GSDM’s presence at Yankee Dental Congress this year was simply incredible,” said Dean Hutter. “Everyone certainly did a great job representing our school and larger community, and I couldn’t be prouder to call myself the dean of GSDM.”
Read on for some of the highlights from this year’s conference, and click here to view photos from the conference.
Ten alumni, faculty honored at MDS ceremony
GSDM kicked off Yankee on a high note, with 10 members of the GSDM community recognized at the Presidential Awards Ceremony at the Seaport Hotel the night before the conference started.
Lea El Hachem PERIO 14 MSc 14, Ana Keohane DMD 16, Luri Lee DMD 16 AEGD 17, James Lee DMD 14, and Christopher Jacob Ward DMD 18 were honored with the Massachusetts Dental Society’s (MDS) “Ten under 10” award, which recognizes dentists who have been in the profession for 10 years or less and have made a significant contribution to the profession, their community, and/or organized dentistry.
Also at the ceremony, faculty member Antoine Hraiz, and alumni Simran Grover AEGD 08 DPH 08, Ana Keohane DMD 16, James Lee DMD 14, Cameron Shahbazian DMD 14, and Wanpeng Xu PERIO 13 MSc 13 DMD 15, and were recognized for their participation in the 2020 First District Leadership Academy, a leadership development program offered by the MDS.
Additionally, Pelly Chang DMD 89 was recognized as the 2019 MDS William McKenna Volunteer Hero. Chang, a clinical associate professor of general dentistry, was celebrated by her peers for substantial contributions to organized dentistry at both the state and local district levels.
Coffee, snacks and more at Alumni Lounge
Throughout the conference, the GSDM alumni lounge provided a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the exhibit hall. More than 660 individuals associated with the school stopped by to catch up with friends and colleagues and to grab coffee and snacks. Visitors also had the opportunity to fill out a “postcard to the future,” which will be placed in the GSDM time capsule during a dedication ceremony on April 24, 2020. The opening of the time capsule is then scheduled for October 17, 2063, the 100th anniversary of the founding of GSDM.
“I was so glad to see so many of our alumni stop by to visit the booth,” said Stacey McNamee, director of alumni relations. “It truly goes to show how tight-knit our community is.”
Alumni and friends also had the opportunity to catch up at GSDM’s annual alumni reception, which took place Friday, January 31 in the Plaza Ballroom of the Seaport Hotel.
GSDM alumnus, faculty member recognized at Orthodontic Symposium Luncheon
A GSDM faculty member and alumnus were recognized during this year’s Orthodontic Symposium Luncheon, held Friday, January 31, in the Westin Waterfront Hotel.
Bradley Woland DMD 11 ORTHO 14 received the Anthony A. Gianelly Award, which is given to an individual who demonstrates dedication to academia or clinical practice and contributes to the good and welfare of the orthodontic profession in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Gianelly, who passed away in 2009, was a longtime member of the GSDM faculty and served as chair of the department of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics from 1968 to 2003.
Ken Drizen, clinical professor of orthodontics & dentofacial orthopedics, received the Frederick Moynihan Award, which recognizes an individual’s contributions to the profession of orthodontics in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
DMD students receive scholarships
On Saturday, February 1, Miranda Lee DMD 20 received the American College of Dentists (ACD) Senior Student Award during a luncheon held at the Seaport Hotel. That same day, during an awards ceremony held prior to the student debate (see below), Christian Ford MED 15 DMD 20 received the Matthew Boylan Scholarship, which is presented by the MDS and Eastern Dentists Insurance Company (EDIC) and is granted to a student or students who have provided distinguished service to organized dentistry and the community.
“In addition to being excellent students, both Ms. Lee and Mr. Ford embody our School’s core values of respect, truth, responsibility, fairness and compassion,” Dean Hutter said. “It is wonderful to see them both recognized in this way.”
BU ASDA faces off against area schools
Four GSDM students showed off their knowledge in the 11th annual ASDA District 1 Student Debate in the Westin Waterfront Hotel Harbor Ballroom on Saturday, February 1. Hannah Cooperman DMD 23 and Hitesh Vij DMD AS 20 faced off against students from Tufts, Harvard, the University of Connecticut and the University of New England, arguing correct policy and ethical issues confronting students and practitioners alike.
GSDM pre- and postdoctoral students & residents present research
GSDM also demonstrated its strong research expertise: Eight predoctoral students and postdoctoral residents were among the finalists selected by the Yankee Poster Session Committee to present their research during the Student Poster Session on Saturday, February 2.
Laura Callan DMD 20 won the predoctoral category with “A Guide to Implement Digital Technology in U.S. Dental Schools,” while Massimo Di Battista PERIO 20 won the postdoctoral category with “A Novel Approach for Histological Sample Preparation Utilizing Digital Dentistry.”
In addition to Callan and Di Battista, the following GSDM students presented research:
- Alina Ploaie DMD 20: “Digital Workflow of Removable Partial Denture Framework Fabrication at the Pre-doctoral Clinic”
- Asif Rangoonwala DMD AS 20: “In Vitro Evaluation of Tensile Bond Strength of Zirconia to Titanium Substrate with Nine Different Types of Luting Cements”
- Bushra Ahmad PERIO 20: “Robotic Implant Placement: The Next Frontier in Precision Periodontology”
- Abdullah Bamashmous PERIO 21: “Multiple Doses of Amnion Growth Factors Enhanced ALP Activity Promoting Bone Formation”
- Prajakta Joshi GERI 20: “Saving Senior Smiles: A Community Outreach Educational Program and a Pilot Research Project”
- Ling Peng, visiting researcher, Molecular and Cell Biology: “Evaluation of a Novel Diagnostic Marker Annexin A1 in Patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome”