Dentistry
Teaching and Learning
- Commission on Dental Accreditation Site Visit September 2006: Every seven years the School of Dentistry undergoes a comprehensive reaccreditation process conducted by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. This process involves our performing an extensive (2-year) self-study followed by a site visit by a team representing the Commission. In general there are 6 major areas of review encompassed in the site visit. These include institutional effectiveness, educational program, faculty and staff, educational support services, patient care services and research program. In September of 2006 the team performed its site visit. In January the results were announced: Our dental (DDS) program as well all six advanced education programs that were site visited, plus our two allied dental programs (dental hygiene and dental assisting) were all awarded the status of “Approval Without Reporting Requirements,” the best possible result. We were also pleased to have received no recommendations (recommendations have associated reporting requirements), and 6 commendations. The commendations for the school were for the management of its financial affairs, the standardization of course syllabi to provide appropriate information on or before the initiation of instruction, the problem based education related to ethics and professionalism and the way the school has stressed student behavior modification and understanding of the role of self regulation and privileges granted dental health providers. The school was also commended for developing a quality assurance program with strong outcome and corrective measures. Finally we were also commended for our research team’s broad support for faculty and student investigative activities.
- Problem Based Learning (PBL): We continue to be a leader in PBL in dental education, as recognized by the Commission on Dental Accreditation Report and national activities in PBL in which we participate. For more information, visit here.
- Clinic Information System (axiUm): While this system was implemented in June 2005, during this past year the IUSD has been recognized nationally as a leader in its rapid and effective implementation of this centralized and standardized clinical information and management system. At the annual axiUm users meeting in December of this past year, members of the IUSD team were asked to give an overview of our implementation and utilization of this system as a model of best practice in this area. In addition, the school is planning the incorporation of the radiographic portion of the patient record into the axiUm system to further streamline our patient information system.
- Diversity: While our school recognizes that it needs to continue to increase the number of underrepresented minorities into the various dental school programs, we are pleased to be participating in the campus diversity plan which involves specific goals, performance indicators, tasks and timelines. The first draft of the IUSD diversity plan was formulated in May of 2007 and we look forward to finalizing this draft and to its implementation. In addition, the school is particularly enthused about enhancing its relationship with the local Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School by including a dental component into the student experiences.
Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education
- The American Dental Education Association has coordinated a coalition of partners engaged to formulate a consensus on 3 main points:
- There is a need for substantive and fundamental changes to the pre-doctoral dental curriculum nationwide;
- The timing is right to launch this process now; and
- The process must involve all facets of dentistry from education through national board testing, licensure and practice.
We are particularly pleased to have 4 of our faculty regularly and actively engaged in the Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education and look forward with great enthusiasm to the results of this process and to incorporating them into our educational program. With the strong problem-based-learning component of our pre-doctoral educational program, we are finding that many of the curriculum changes being discussed and considered at the national level have already been implemented at our school.
Research
Our faculty has been recognized for their aggressive approach when seeking external funding, especially federal support for research. These efforts have resulted in faculty obtaining NIH funding as well as funding from prestigious health oriented private foundations. Among these awards this year was a $3.4 million NIDCR R01 grant to Dr. Andrea Ferreira-Zandona to study highly sophisticated methods for detecting early caries formation in high risk populations. This was the largest NIH grant awarded to a single faculty member in the history of our school. Many of the proposals include collaborations with researchers from other institutions which can pave the way for future collaborative submissions. In addition, the dental school received 2 of the IUPUI signature center grants.
- The Binational\Cross Cultural Health Enhancement Center
- The Tobacco Cessation and Biobehavioral Center
Our faculty look forward to their involvement in the Signature Centers and using them as a springboard for future collaborative work.
Civic Engagement
- Moi University and AMPATH
During this past year, two events occurred to strengthen the dental school relationship with Moi University, Kenya, and to increase its participation with AMPATH. Toward the end of July, 2006 Dean Lawrence Goldblatt visited Moi University with a team of other deans and faculty from IUPUI. The purpose of this visit was threefold:
- Consult with the administration and faculty of the Department of Dental Health of Moi University School of Medicine regarding their progress toward establishing a School of Dentistry at Moi.
- Explore opportunities for mutual collaboration and support between the two schools
- Conclude work on a collaborative NIH R21 grant proposal on the effects of long term anti-retroviral therapy on the oral mucosa.
The second major event included hosting a visit of 7 colleagues from Moi University. Dr. Caroline Kibosia, Chair of the Department of Dental Health at the Moi University School of Medicine was one of the 7 visitors from Moi. She spent her days here visiting the School of Dentistry as well as Riley Hospital for Children observing our dental educational curriculum and interacting with our faculty to establish relationships that will lead to collaboration as Moi endeavors to establish a school of dentistry in Eldoret.
Community Service
The School of Dentistry participates in multiple service learning activities which include the following:
Alternative Spring Break Programs to Haiti, Ecuador, and Mexico
Indiana Donated Dental Services Program in Partnership with Goodwill Industries
SEAL INDIANA
Mobile Dental Sealant Unit Program
Shelter Sealant Program
People’s Dental Clinic Program for People who are Homeless
Working with the Amish Community
Special Olympics - Special Smiles
