Spring 2026 Penn Dental Medicine Journal

PDMJ

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL | SPRING 2026

HARNESSING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

NEW AI-POWERED CHATBOTS BRINGING 24/7

SUPPORT TO PENN DENTAL MEDICINE STUDENTS AS TUTOR, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS RESOURCE

Beginning New Chapters

AS THIS ACADEMIC YEAR NEARS ITS END, we celebrate the members of the Class of 2026 as they anticipate the beginning of a new chapter in their professional lives. On behalf of the entire Penn Dental Medicine community, I extend my heartfelt congratulations. Penn Dental Medicine continues to maintain its legacy of leadership through its exceptional students and accomplished alumni, and I’m confident this year’s graduates will go on to have a positive impact on the field of dental medicine.

In this issue, we also share news of some new chapters for the School. In February, we welcomed Dr. Ryan Richard Ruff as the new Chief of the Division of Community Oral Health (see story, page 20).

An epidemiologist, Dr. Ruff brings a depth of experience in school health and pragmatic clinical trials to the role and will be building upon our already strong community ties to develop our community-based research and experiences for our students.

This academic year our Office of Academic Affairs tapped into the potential of artificial intelligence, launching two new tools to support students – one as a tutor for course material and another to help answer questions on academic policies and procedures (see story, page 12).

And this year marks the 5th Anniversary for three of our centers (see story, page 28) — a milestone that encourages us to reflect on the accomplishments to date and to plan the next steps for moving their missions forward.

In addition, as we continue to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Department of Periodontics (see story, page 10), we are also starting a new chapter of leadership as we welcome Dr. Patricia Miguez as Chair. Her appointment was effective May 1 (see story, page 3), and I know she will build on the strength and leadership of Penn Periodontics.

To our alumni community, I hope you will come back to campus sometime soon to not only learn more about what is new at Penn Dental Medicine but also to reflect on fond memories.

Stay well and stay connected,

INSIDE

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence Tools

New AI-powered Chatbots Bringing 24/7 Support as a Tutor and Academic Affairs Resource

Building a Pragmatic Research Approach

Dr. Ryan Richard Ruff Named New Chief of the Division of Community Oral Health

Gatherings & Engagement

Centers Mark 5th Anniversary

Three Penn Dental Medicine

Centers Mark 5 Years of Advancing Education, Research, Patient Care

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE JOURNAL: Vol. 22, No. 2 University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine www.dental.upenn.edu

Dean: Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD

Senior Associate Dean of Institutional Advancement: Brian T. Myers

Associate Dean for Development & Strategic Initiatives: Maren Gaughan

Director, Publications: Beth Adams

Contributing Writers: Beth Adams, Laura Dattaro, Debbie Goldberg, Judy Hill, Photography: Mark Garvin, Lisa Godfrey Office of Institutional Advancement: 215-898-8951

Penn Dental Medicine Journal is published twice a year by the Office of Communications for the alumni and friends of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. ©2026 by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Penn Dental Medicine. We would like to get your feedback — address all correspondence to: Beth Adams, Director of Publications, Robert Schattner Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 240 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104–6030, adamsnb@upenn.edu

ONCAMPUS

SCHOOL NEWS IN BRIEF

Helping to Improve Care for Persons with Disabilities in Jamaica

Penn Dental Medicine shared its expertise in caring for persons with disabilities with dental care providers from throughout Jamaica at a 1 ½ -day hands-on continuing education program, held in October in Negril, Jamaica. The program was presented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and Chief Dental Officer Dr. Irving McKenzie as well as the Jamaica Association of Public Dental Surgeons and drew 144 attendees from throughout the country.

“Our goal with this training was to equip dental professionals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide accessible, high-quality care to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities,” says Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark S. Wolff, who along with three other Penn Dental Medicine faculty members who provide care within the School’s Care Center for Persons with Disabilities and four dental students, led the program.

The first day featured lectures discussing oral health across the lifespan, disease management, caries prevention, health equity, and patient/caregiver communication. Day two opened with morning lectures on informed consent and aging and health equity and was followed by hands-on training in small-group stations. The stations included, medical immobilization and stabilization, the utilization of mouth props and isolation techniques to permit access, wheelchair dentistry and patient transfer

methods, and minimally invasive dentistry (Atraumatic Restorative Therapy, Silver Diamine Fluoride application, and fluoride varnish application). The participating Penn Dental Medicine students — Mary Grace Sullivan (D’26), Dylan Maskell (D’26), Cheyenne Alleyne-Young D’26), and Ilana Sacks (D’27) — assisted in presenting the hands-on portion.

“I felt honored to be a part of this opportunity,” says Sullivan. “The participants were eager to learn, and many shared with me that there is a need for more hands-on training and resources to provide equitable care for individuals with disabilities. I hope this program helps transform the way dentists provide accommodations, empowering them to deliver compassionate, inclusive dental care.”

“Strengthening the dental workforce with practical approaches like this can improve oral health and overall well-being for one of the most underserved patient populations,” adds Dean Wolff. “We hope this program helps improve access to high-quality oral healthcare.”

$22.8M

RESEARCH FUNDING SPENT IN 2025

184,735

PATIENT VISITS IN 2025 WITHIN THE SCHOOL’S CARE CENTERS, COMMUNITY SITES & PENN DENTAL FAMILY PRACTICE

548,584

PROCEDURES COMPLETED IN 2025 WITHIN THE SCHOOL’S CARE CENTERS, COMMUNITY SITES & PENN DENTAL FAMILY PRACTICE

6,434

LIVE WEBINAR AND SELF-PACED LEARNERS AT 162 CDE PROGRAMS IN 2025

Engaging in Moving Penn Forward

Members of the Penn Dental Medicine faculty have played an active role in Penn Forward — an ongoing strategic initiative to reshape how the University fulfills its missions of education, research, and service that is examining fundamental aspects of how Penn operates, engages with learners, generates knowledge, and sustains excellence.

Three faculty were part of two different Penn Forward working groups.

Dr. Kelly L. Jordan-Sciutto, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Professor of Oral Medicine, led the Graduate and Professional Training working group as Chair with Dr. Faizan Alawi, Vice Dean of Academics and Professor of Pathology, also part of that group. And, Dr. Myra F. Laird, Assistant Professor, Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, served on the Research Strategy and Financing working group.

Comprised of faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoral scholars, there were six working groups (the other four included Undergraduate Education and Innovation; Global Opportunity and New Markets; Access, Affordability and Value; and Operational Transformation) that formed the heart of the planning process. The groups began meeting in August 2025, charged with challenging legacy assumptions; proposing bold, implementable strategies; and remaining grounded in Penn’s values. The groups delivered their findings and recommendations in early 2026 with individual proposals being announced as they become implementable actions.

Learn more about Penn Forward at www.upenn.edu/pennforward.

Dr. Patricia Miguez Named New Periodontics Chair

Patricia Miguez, DDS, MS, PhD

Following a national search, Penn Dental Medicine has named Patricia Miguez, DDS, MS, PhD, to lead the Department of Periodontics. Her appointment as Chair was effective May 1.

Dr. Miguez comes to Penn Dental Medicine from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry where she has been part of the faculty since 2014, most recently as Associate Professor with Tenure. This is her second appointment at Penn Dental Medicine, having served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Periodontics from 2011 to 2014.

A nationally and internationally recognized clinician-scientist, educator, and leader in periodontology, her research has been funded by many organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, Osteology Foundation and Academy of Osseointegration, and focuses on understanding the microenvironment around cells [extracellular matrix (ECM) and its biomodifications by enzymes, environment

and diet] and the implications to health and disease. Her research targets the discovery of novel ECM-derived or inspired synthetic therapeutics to treat inflammatory diseases and connective tissue disorders, and aid in regenerative dentistry.

Dr. Miguez has been active on academic committees and in leadership roles within organized dentistry throughout her career, including serving as President of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) Women in Science Network (2024-2025), as Fellow of the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), and Chair and member of multiple IADR, AADOCR , American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and AAP Foundation committees. She currently has editorial roles in several peer-reviewed journals — among them serving as Associate Editor in Periodontics and Regenerative Dentistry for Frontiers in Dental Medicine and on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Dental Research, Scientific Reports, and Journal of Periodontology

A devoted mentor, Dr. Miguez has also been recognized for her own research with a wide range of awards, including the prestigious AAP 2024 E. Earl Robinson Regeneration Award, presented annually for the best research article in periodontal regeneration. A Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology since 2013, Dr. Miguez earned her PhD in oral biology combined with a certificate in Periodontology (2011) and her MS in operative dentistry (2003) from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry and holds a certificate in periodontology (1999) and a DDS (1997) from Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Dr. Gail Schupak (D’83) Serving as Dean’s Council Chair

Penn Dental Medicine Dean’s Council is under new leadership with Dr. Gail Schupak (D’83) now serving as Chair of this advisory board. Her appointment was effective December 1, 2025. An active member for many years, Dr. Schupak joined the Dean’s Council in 2015 and served as Vice Chair since 2023.

Dr. Schupak, a 1983 DMD graduate of Penn Dental Medicine, practices orthodontics in Manhattan, having established a private practice there in 1985 after receiving her Certificate in Orthodontics from the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery. Since 1993, she has also been a Clinical Assistant Professor at the New York University College of Dentistry.

Active in organized dentistry, she is a past president the New York Academy of Orthodontics and of the New York chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists and is on the board of the New York County Dental Society. Dr. Schupak also serves on the committee for the Greater New York Dental Meeting and encourages Penn Dental Medicine students to present their research at meetings.

“I’m thrilled to be a member of the Dean’s Council,” says Dr. Schupak. “It allows me to stay up-to-date on the accomplishments of the School, which I share with fellow alumni to encourage them to become more involved in alumni activities.”

Dr. Schupak succeeds Dr. Martin D. Levin (D’72, GD’74), who stepped down as Chair after leading the Dean’s Council since its inception in 2010. His leadership has had a lasting impact on the School’s advancement and alumni engagement efforts. During his tenure, Dr. Levin played a pivotal role in establishing the Dean’s Council and led efforts to recruit and engage members while championing key initiatives, including continuing education and the Alumni Scholars program.

In 2025, the Dean’s Council also welcomed three new members — Bobby Vijay (D’05), Abhinav Sinha (D’05), and Richard Liu (D’95).

The Council acts as an advisory group to the Dean on matters such as professional development, business, resource development, volunteer recruitment, fundraising, and other matters that may arise.

Mark your calendars to save the date and join us in the fall for these continuing dental education (CDE) programs

ORTHO ALUMNI DAY

October 2

OFFICE-BASED EMERGENCY AIRWAY MANAGEMENT

October 14, Hands-on Session

This AAOMS-approved blended equivalency course is designed to equip oral and maxillofacial surgeons with the essential knowledge and hands-on skills needed for safe and effective airway management in the office-based setting. It will feature a 4-hour online module and a 2-hour in-person training experience.

AAOM FALL MEETING

October 16

Join us for "Current Landscape of Artificial Intelligence in Oral Medicine: A Case-Based Discussion,” an interactive session exploring how AI and emerging technologies are transforming education, diagnosis, treatment, and research across salivary gland disease, orofacial pain, mucosal disease, and potentially malignant oral disorders.

PENN INTERDISCIPLINARY MICROSCOPE COURSE

October 23-24

Save the date for an immersive two-day continuing education course on interdisciplinary microscopy, designed to help clinicians in restorative dentistry, endodontics, and periodontics refine their skills, improve diagnostic accuracy, and enhance treatment outcomes through the integration of dental microscopy.

OMFS ALUMNI LECTURE

November 19

View CDE programming at www.dental.upenn.edu/CDE

ADA Living Guideline Program Releases

First Set of Recommendations on Early Oral Cancer Detection

In March, the first set of recommendations and good practice statements that are part of a living guideline on the early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma and potentially malignant disorders has been released by the ADA Living Guideline Program, a collaboration between Penn Dental Medicine’s Center for Integrative Global Oral Health (CIGOH) and the American Dental Association (ADA).

Published in the March issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association, the statements reaffirm that clinical oral exams remain foundational to the early detection of oral cancer. The guideline also maintains that a punch or scalpel biopsy followed by histopathological assessment remains the first choice for reaching a definitive diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma or oral potentially malignant disorders.

In addition, findings in the guideline recommend against the use of cytology adjuncts to determine the need for biopsy or referral in adults with abnormal tissue in the oral cavity or on the lip because the tests — which involve collecting a sample of cells from a mucosal

abnormality with a brush — could produce false positive results. They also recommend against using adjuncts to screen asymptomatic adults without clinically evident mucosal abnormalities, as evidence supporting this use is lacking.

Another recommendation suggests that clinicians offer a cytology adjunct to adults with clinically worrisome mucosal abnormalities only when a biopsy is not possible, advisable or indicated. The purpose of the test would be to inform — not determine — decisions about biopsy or referral. A good practice statement from the guideline further advises that negative cytology results do not rule out disease and if a mucosal abnormality persists or progresses despite a negative result, clinicians should perform a biopsy or refer the patient to a specialist to avoid delayed diagnosis.

The development of this set of recommendations and good practice statements was led by a team of methodologists from CIGOH that includes Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, Director of the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine and Associate

Guideline statements confirm that clinical oral exams remain foundational to the early detection of oral cancer.

Professor in the Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, and Olivia Urquhart, Associate Director of Health Care Guidelines at CIGOH and instructor in the Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences. The recommendations were formed with rigorous methodology — including a living systematic review — by an expert multidisciplinary guideline panel chaired by Mark Lingen, D.D.S., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology at the University of Chicago Medicine and former member of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. Public comment from oral healthcare professionals also contributed to the development of these recommendations.

A second set of recommendations addressing vital staining adjuncts for this living guideline – an update of a 2017 clinical practice guideline – was released in April. The final two sets of recommendations on light-based adjuncts and salivary tests are expected to be released in mid-May and this summer, respectively. View all the recommendations at www.ADA.org/OralCancerGuideline.

Clinical practice guidelines developed as part of the ADA Living Guideline Program, established in 2025, provide oral healthcare providers and patients with more frequent evidence-informed recommendations to advance oral and overall health. The program upholds the methodological rigor of traditional guidelines, but living guidelines are updated as new evidence becomes available.

To read the full guideline online and access an interactive infographic with the recommendations and other resources, visit www.ADA. org/OralCancerGuideline. The guideline is also available at JADA.ADA.org. It has been published in a new section of JADA called JADA Evidence, which will present living guidelines as they are developed to help bring the latest oral healthcare recommendations to clinicians.

Developing New Video Resources that Advance Oral Health

Penn Dental Medicine is developing and making publicly available new educational video resources to support patients, caregivers, and clinicians alike.

One project is designed to enhance the medical-dental integration efforts at the School’s community care center at PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar in West Philadelphia and another to educate patients and caregivers of persons with disabilities. The development of these resources is being made possible, in great part, through funding partners Benjamin & Mary Siddons Measey Foundation and the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation Access to Care Grant Program, respectively.

“We are tremendously grateful to both Measey Foundation and Delta Dental for their investment in our efforts to provide oral health education resources to patients, primary healthcare providers, and caregivers,” says Morton Amsterdam Dean Dr. Mark S. Wolff. “They will add to our ability to impact the oral health and outcomes of those we serve.”

ENHANCING MEDICAL-DENTAL INTEGRATION

When establishing Penn Dental Medicine on Cedar — the School’s newest community care center that opened for patient care in January 2024 — medical-dental integration was by design central to the program. At the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar, the dental care center is part of a campus that also includes a federally qualified health center, an emergency room, inpatient and behavioral health services, and a crisis response center for pediatric mental and behavioral emergencies. With all these health resources under one roof, it is a priority to put steps in place to facilitate the integration of dental and other patient care services. One big step toward integration has been combining access to electronic patient records, so patients’ medical and dental histories are

“As we collaborate with our healthcare partners to integrate dental and medical care and improve referral and care coordination, these videos will fill a need for targeted professional education on key dental care issues.”

— DR. JOAN GLUCH

available in a single system. And now, work is nearing completion on video resources to increase the knowledge and skills of medical and dental faculty and staff on medicaldental integration. Both initiatives have been supported by the Measey Foundation.

“As we collaborate with our healthcare partners to integrate dental and medical care and improve referral and care coordination, these videos will fill a need for targeted professional education on key dental care issues,” says Dr. Joan Gluch, Professor of Community Oral Health, who is managing the production of the videos. These collaborations include in-office dental care professionals screening for diabetes with hemoglobin A1c testing for at-risk individuals, tobacco-cessation counseling, and seamless appointments made for primary care in the dental care center.

A Penn Dental Medicine public health dental hygienist and dental faculty member conducted a series of meetings and educational discussions with staff physicians, nurses, and medical assistants at PHMC on the connection between oral and systemic health and key oral health issues throughout the lifespan. The three video presentations, which are in the process of completing production, are an adjunct to those discussions

and will provide ready access to this information on an ongoing basis. The topics include an overview of the systemic/oral health connections with particular attention to the bidirectional relationship of diseases and health and the rationale for referral programs, best practices in oral examination and referral practices among the medical and dental teams, and oral health issues throughout the lifespan. The videos are designed for all medical and dental team members and focus on actionable behaviors with the goal of developing protocols to improve oral/ systemic management and referrals. They all include supporting references for further information.

The final videos are expected to be available this summer. In addition to being used at PHMC on Cedar, these educational videos will be shared with the healthcare teams at the other Penn Dental Medicine community sites.

SUPPORTING THE ORAL HEALTH OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

New video resources are also being developed as a key part of a three-year grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation. This initiative aims to enhance oral health knowledge and practices among disabled patients, seniors, home caregivers, nurses, and other direct service providers through targeted education and training.

“Enhancing the knowledge and attitudes of caregivers can lead to behavior changes that result in improving the oral health of those individuals with disabilities under their care, as well as their own,” says Dr. Stephen Abel, Clinical Associate Professor at Penn Dental Medicine and the co-principal investigator on the grant with Dr. Gluch.

To date — over the first year and a half of the grant — 13 focus groups, involving 150 individuals representing home caregivers, nurses, and other direct service providers, have been conducted to learn about their attitudes and behaviors regarding oral hygiene for persons with disabilities under their care. Caregiver recruitment was assisted

by staff from The Arc of Philadelphia, an advocacy and resource center for individuals with disabilities, which is serving as a project consultant and will also serve as a training site once the videos are completed.

From the focus groups, 10 thematic categories emerged regarding gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and other barriers to caregivers delivering oral healthcare, which became the topics for the educational videos. Those topics include an overview of the importance of oral health; the caries process and prevention; strategies for managing patients who are resistant and highly resistant/aggressive to oral healthcare; tools and supplies (mouth props, retractors, toothpastes, toothbrushes); common medically related challenges; best food choices; identifying a dental practice; and shared decision-making.

Featuring Penn Dental Medicine faculty, staff, and other experts from around the country, filming has been completed and editing is underway. The edited versions will then be reviewed with focus groups for feedback before the final versions are released. It is anticipated that the final videos will be available before the end of the year. They will be accessible via the Penn Dental Medicine website and the project partners' websites for use in individualized, small-group, and virtual training sessions. In addition to the videos, the website will include a wide range of resources that caregivers across the country will find useful when it comes to matters of oral health – from product guides to service centers for persons with disabilities.

Dr. Abel stresses that the goal is to share this resource as widely as possible and notes that the School is in discussion with Arc's national headquarters to possibly leverage their national reach to build awareness of the videos once available. “We want this resource to be as accessible as possible,” adds Dr. Abel, “and help to create an online community of support for caregivers.”

Dr. Frank Setzer Named Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs

Dr. Frank Setzer, Associate Professor of Endodontics, is now overseeing the operational aspects of the School’s clinics as Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, taking on this leadership role effective January 1 of this year. Dr. Setzer has been a member of the Penn Dental Medicine faculty for 15 years, serving as Director of Predoctoral Endodontics (2014–2025) and the Endodontic Clinic Director (2012–2021). A Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics, he earned his certificate in endodontics, MS, and DMD at Penn Dental Medicine and also holds a DDS and PhD from FriedrichAlexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. He succeeds Dr. Najeed Saleh who retired from this role at the end of 2025.

ONCAMPUS

Devoted to Research

STUDENT PROFILE:

ALEENA

DEFREITAS

(GD’23, D’28, GD’28)

As she embarked on her research, Defreitas was struck by the high prevalence of periodontitis in two vulnerable populations, older individuals and juveniles. “That it was common in juveniles really surprised me,” says Defreitas, who learned that the causes could be genetic or “a really robust host response, or bacteria, or a combination of both or all three.”

Periodontitis also shows up disproportionately in minority and underserved populations, and that concerns Defreitas. “You see a lot of periodontitis patients from populations who don’t have access to quality oral healthcare,” says Defreitas. “So, we’re trying to find ways that we can provide preventative care for these patients and also offer treatment that’s affordable.”

Because her research experience has been so fulfilling and because she has benefited from expert and caring mentorship, Defreitas feels motivated to pay it forward. She is “very proud and humbled,” she says, to have been elected to serve on the board of the AAODCR National Student Research Group.

Aleena Defreitas (GD’23, D’28, GD’28) caught the research bug early in her dental education, and her interest has only intensified.

Aleena Defreitas discovered a love for research at the outset of her Penn Dental journey, and she hasn’t looked back. When she began the Master of Oral Health Sciences (MOHS) program at Penn Dental Medicine in 2022, Defreitas, who grew up and attended college in Florida, had no prior research experience. Four years later, she is a dual degree dental student pursuing a Master of Science in Oral Biology along with her DMD and she was recently elected to serve as a Councilor on the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AAODCR) National Student Research Group (NSRG) Board.

Throughout the MOHS program, which Defreitas enrolled in to feel more prepared for dental school, she was mentored by Dr. Sunday Akintoye, Professor in the Department of Oral Medicine and Director of the MOHS program, who, she says, was “instrumental in her journey.” As part of her capstone project, Defreitas joined Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Professor in the Department of Basic & Translational Sciences, whose lab she joined while in the program and remains in today.

“Dr. Battaglia exemplifies what it means to be a strong researcher and an even better mentor,” says Defreitas. “It was being in that lab and observing the passion of my constituents that made me enthusiastic about my work and motivated me to want to do more. That’s where that love stemmed from.” Her current mentor, Dr. Taewan Kim, a periodontist in Battaglia’s lab, and his zeal for discovery and education has left a lasting impression on her.

Defreitas entered Penn Dental Medicine’s DMD program in 2024, and in her first year, she was accepted into the Basic and Translational Sciences Honors Program. “This program is what gave me the confidence to grow as a researcher,” says Defreitas. “I gained a lot of independence from it and it basically launched me into pursuing my dual degree.”

Her research centers around the pathogenesis of Grade C Molar Incisor Pattern Peridontitis — investigating the role of the specific bacteria, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, that causes the inflammation and exploring ways to mitigate its impact.

“I’m proud to serve on this board because it represents the impact research can have. By sharing this side of dentistry I hope I can encourage others to pursue discovery and help patients.”

The National Student Research Group, Defreitas explains, aims to bring research opportunities to predental students, as well as current dental students, postgrads, and residents. “Anyone who is interested in research, wants to know more about research, or is already heavily involved in research.” In her role, she works alongside nationally elected officers to help strengthen collaboration among dental schools and encourage students to take active roles in addressing current and future challenges in oral health research.

As well as supporting local student research group chapters, the group keeps its members up to date on what is happening in the research world. “We hold sessions that bring the community together and offer as much support as possible on a national level to schools all across America.”

“Research completely changed the way I see dentistry,” says Defreitas. “If I can help even one student realize that innovation, access to care, and better patient outcomes all start with someone asking a question, then I’ve done my job.”

Penn Dental Medicine Faculty Research Recognized by IADR

Two Penn Dental Medicine faculty members have been recognized for their research by the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) — Dr. Chenshuang Li, Associate Professor of Orthodontics, with the 2026 IADR Young Investigator Award and Dr. Zhi Ren, Assistant Professor in the Department of Endodontics and the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD), with the 2026 IADR Joseph Lister Award. Both awards were presented at the IADR/AADOCR/CADR General Session that took place in San Diego, March 25–28, 2026.

The IADR Young Investigator Award is presented in recognition of significant contributions to the field of oral health research and is one of the 17 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards presented annually.

Supported by P&G Professional Oral Health, Crest + Oral-B, the award is designed to stimulate basic research in all dental research disciplines among recipients who must be within 10 years of their last terminal degree.

A primary focus of Dr. Li’s research is on the functional investigation of molecules involved in tissue development and regeneration. Among her work are investigations related to cleft lip and

palate (CLP) and the extensive scarring that is a common complication that can affect the growth and development of the jaw. She is working to develop a suitable animal model that replicates the craniofacial growth and development pattern observed in patients, with a special focus placed on extensive scarring after early cleft lip revision. “Such a model could help advance orthodontic and jaw treatment strategies, as well as tissue engineering options for CLP patients,” says Li.

As the recipient of the 2026 IADR Young Investigator Award, Dr. Li will also serve a two-year term on the IADR Board of Directors.

The IADR Joseph Lister Award is among the most competitive honors for new investigators in oral health research. It recognizes original, high-impact research in oral disease prevention or oral health promotion. The selection process is highly rigorous — only 10 finalists are chosen worldwide based on abstract originality and potential public health impact, followed by an in-person formal oral presentation at the IADR meeting.

The awarded research by Dr. Ren investigated how bacteria move within the oral cavity. Researchers at Penn Dental Medicine led by Dr. Ren identified a new way that bacteria move through the complex environments of the mouth. The study focused on Selenomonas sputigena, an oral bacterium associated with severe childhood tooth decay, periodontal disease, and root canal infection. Using advanced imaging, computational analysis, and physical modeling, the team found that this organism uses a previously undescribed mode of motility to move through both open fluids and confined spaces found in the mouth. “This finding suggests that S. sputigena is a bacterial “super-swimmer,” able to navigate a wide range of oral environments,” says Dr. Ren. “It may act as a “niche traveler” across major oral sites, and possibly as a “body traveler,” as it has also been detected in distant body sites including the airways, gut, and circulation. The findings highlight bacterial movement as an overlooked factor in oral disease and open new directions for studying and preventing oral diseases.”

The work recognized by this award was carried out during Dr. Ren’s postdoctoral training at the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD) at Penn Dental Medicine, under the mentorship of Dr. Kathleen J. Stebe and Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Co-Founders and Co-Directors of CiPD.

This research was supported by NIH K99 (1K99DE033428) and T90/R90 (R90DE031532) awards.

The two-day symposium “The Evolution of a Paradigm: The Role of Teeth…in the Age of Implants,” drew nearly 170 attendees.

SYMPOSIUM BRINGS TOGETHER PENN PERIO ALUMNI, CONTINUES 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Penn Dental Medicine’s Department of Periodontics continued to mark its 70th Anniversary with the two-day symposium “The Evolution of a Paradigm: The Role of Teeth…in the Age of Implants,” held in November. Bringing together alumni and other leaders in periodontics and prosthodontics, the event drew nearly 170 attendees. The program highlighted periodontal and periodontal-prosthesis concepts alongside modern advances. Topics included strategies for managing compromised dentitions, interdisciplinary treatment in orthodontics, periodontal influences, the peri-tooth environment and its impact on restorative dentistry, and the evolving role of implants in modern practice. In addition, the program explored the impact of genetic disorders on dental management and emerging technologies like digital aligners and biologic factors that are associated with future periodontal breakdown that may be important as diagnostic biomarkers of periodontitis.

Most of the program speakers were Penn Dental Medicine periodontics and periodontal-prosthesis alumni. Alumni speakers included Dr. Chrysi Boutari (GD’22), Dr. Jeff Ganeles (GD’87), Dr. Rodolfo Gianserra (GD’92), Dr. Wael Isleem (D’16, GD’23), Dr. Yongkun Kim (D’94, GD’98), Dr. Oscar Gonzalez Martin (GD’09, GD’12), Dr. Marianthi Papaioannou (GD’24, D’27), Dr. Shaked Navat Pelli (GD’20, GD’21), Dr. Hector Sarmiento (GD’14), Dr. Frank Setzer (GD’06, GD0’7, D’10), Dr. Sam Shamardi (GD’10), Dr. Neil Starr (GD’79), Dr. Huan Su (GD’09, GD’10), Dr. Nipul Tanna (D’90, GD’91, GD’10, GD’11), and Dr. Thomas Yoo (D’18, GD’22).

Alumni also helped to lead the program as moderators including Harold Baumgarten (D’77, GD’82), Yu Cheng Chang (GD’15, GD’16, D’18), Dr. Jonathan Korostoff (D85, GR91, GD92), and Dr. Tun-Jan Wang (GD’21, D’25).

“The program shared a depth of information,” says Dr. Dana Graves, Professor, and at the time, Interim Chair of the Department of Periodontics. “The breadth of alumni presentations underscored the impact of Penn-trained periodontists and highlighted the Department’s enduring contributions to the specialty.”

Support

Penn Perio

As the Department of Periodontics celebrates its 70th Anniversary, be part of helping to support its ongoing strength and leadership.

PENN PERIO 70TH ANNIVERSARY SUPPORT FUND

This fund will benefit resident research, travel, new equipment, outside lecturers and a host of other discretionary costs.

JOEL FRANKEL AWARD & WELLNESS LECTURE SERIES FUND

The award honors a Periodontics resident who exemplifies service and leadership, and The Wellness Series was created by Joel’s family to promote mental health and provide resources for dental professionals.

For more information on how to support the future of the department, please contact Maren Gaughan, Associate Dean for Development and Strategic Initiatives, gaughan@upenn.edu

“Getting ahead of new tools ensures students and faculty are prepared to use them in the right way.”

— DR. FAIZAN ALAWI

HARNESSING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS

NEW AI-POWERED CHATBOTS BRINGING 24/7 SUPPORT TO PENN DENTAL

MEDICINE STUDENTS AS A TUTOR AND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS RESOURCE

BEFORE BECCA JOHNSON (D’29) STARTED HER FIRST YEAR at Penn Dental Medicine, she signed on to the virtual Summer Institute held for incoming students on what to expect in their courses. Among the topics covered were the new artificial intelligence (AI) tools available to students, including a chatbot “tutor” that would answer questions students may have about their course materials.

Johnson had not used AI much before and was excited to test it out. It turned out the bot was available for one of her first courses, Building Bridges: Patient Care, Community, and the Science of Oral Health. So she started using it right away, often consulting it after class or during a late-night study session.

For example, in one recent lecture, she learned about herpes antivirals, and later asked the tool — named Dr. Byte — for examples of those medications.

“It’s easy to just look it up on the internet, but when you do that, you risk taking in misinformation,” Johnson says. “Since Dr. Byte has only been fed our lecture slides and notes, it ensures we can get accurate answers to our questions.”

Dr. Byte is one of two new AI-powered chatbots developed by Penn Dental Medicine‘s Office of Academic Affairs and launched at the start of this academic year. Dr. Byte, created in collaboration with the School’s Center for Educational Technology and Innovation (CETI), helps students with their coursework; the other, called PDM Explorer, aims to answer student, faculty, and staff questions about the School’s administrative and clinical procedures and policies. Both provide access to help around the clock, and both can track frequent questions, giving insight into common points of confusion.

The tools were born out of the recognition that AI is dramatically changing the ways students learn, scientists do research, and clinicians practice medicine, explains Dr. Faizan Alawi, Vice Dean for Academics at Penn Dental Medicine, adding that they’re part of a larger effort to integrate the latest technologies across the School’s curriculum.

“Getting ahead of new tools ensures students and faculty are prepared to use them in the right way,” says Alawi, who along with the others involved in the chatbot development presented their experience at the 2026 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition, held in March. “The longer it takes for us to embrace what’s already available out there, the farther we fall behind.”

ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCETOOLS

A VIRTUAL ADMINISTRATIVE AID

For several years, Alawi had wondered how AI could help streamline complicated administrative processes. Then, Penn got a license for ChatGPT and Co-Pilot, Microsoft’s AI tool, giving faculty the ability to develop tools that used the platforms, so long as student privacy was protected.

Alawi and Director of Academic Affairs Cynthia Rabuck decided to start with a chatbot that could answer questions based on Penn Dental Medicine’s trove of administrative and clinical documentation. Enter PDM Explorer — the chatbot Rabuck built from scratch using documentation that would provide responses to Academic Affairsrelated queries.

PDM Explorer runs on a Microsoft Copilot program called Prometheus and is available only to people with a Penn Dental Medicine login; no data about its users is collected. When a user asks a question, Explorer scans the Student Handbook and a set of Frequently-Asked-Questions documents that Rabuck asked Academic Affairs staff to create. Soon, Explorer will have access to the School’s Clinical Operations Manual as well.

So far, students are asking questions on such topics as changing their class schedules, contacting financial aid, or submitting an absence request on an exam day, Rabuck says.

“Sometimes they realize at 2 a.m. that they’re sick and have to submit an absence request and don’t remember the procedure,” Rabuck says. “So with this tool, they can submit their question after hours and receive a prompt response.”

For some topics, Rabuck has programmed the bot to provide a pre-written answer instead of generating its own response. For example, if a student asks a question related to mental health, the bot replies with a message referring them to Student Affairs and listing resources that can help.

The PDM Explorer chatbot was built from scratch using documentation that would provide responses to Academic Affairs-related queries. When a user asks a question, PDM Explorer scans the Student Handbook and a set of Frequently-Asked-Questions from Academic Affairs documents. Soon, it will have access to the School’s Clinical Operations Manual as well.

STUDYING WITH ACCURACY

In addition to PDM Explorer, Alawi wanted to develop a curriculum-focused chatbot.

In the last several years, Alawi noticed his students using programs like ChatGPT to study. They would upload materials like lecture slides and ask the AI to write summaries or clarify points. That raised a number of concerns — among them, that distributing course materials is a violation of School policy and that students may not get accurate information from a software that’s drawing from the vast array of data on the Internet with varying legitimacy.

ABOVE: PDM Explorer scans the Student Handbook and a set of Frequently-Asked-Questions from Academic Affairs documents.

OPPOSITE: The Center for Educational Technology and Innovation Executive Director Chia-Wei Wu and Instructional Designer Hannah Derrick collaborated with Academic Affairs on the development of Dr. Byte. Director of Academic Affairs Cynthia Rabuck (seated) developed PDM Explorer.

It also raises intellectual property concerns for professors. Alawi says he found his entire lecture online, after a student used a public profile to ask ChatGPT to generate flashcards based on his materials.

So Alawi turned to the School’s CETI to help create a customized internal bot that could do what students were asking ChatGPT to do, but in a safer and more accurate way. CETI Executive Director Chia-Wei Wu and Instructional Designer Hannah Derrick developed a tailored AI solution to bring Dr. Byte to life.

They piloted the first version of the tool with one of Alawi’s first-year courses –Building Bridges: Patient Care, Community and the Science of Oral Health — then launched it to his students in that class in the fall. After two months, they ran a naming competition among students, and the AI tutor became Dr. Byte.

Dr. Byte lives inside Canvas, a platform for accessing course materials that’s available only to students with Penn Dental Medicine login credentials. CETI trained Dr. Byte using only the materials a professor uploads to Canvas for the course, ensuring it’s not basing its answers on inaccurate or irrelevant information. Using the text on the slides, it can provide synopses, give sample exam questions, generate charts, and more. It also cites its source, so students can refer back to the original materials for more information.

“It’s a pretty powerful tool,” Alawi says. About a third of the students in Alawi’s class used the bot last semester, he says, and usage data shows they rely on it most heavily right before exams. Emails from students asking basic questions about his lectures have dramatically decreased, he says.

“If it’s late at night, and I have a question that I want answered quickly, Dr. Byte is there to help,” Johnson says. “It has allowed us to prioritize more meaningful time with our faculty when we’re in lectures, because we focus less on clarification and more on how the content we are learning will be applied in our future careers.”

“If it’s late at night, and I have a question that I want answered quickly, Dr. Byte is there to help. It has allowed us to prioritize more meaningful time with our faculty when we’re in lectures, because we focus less on clarification and more on how the content we are learning will be applied in our future careers.”

— BECCA JOHNSON (D’29)

Students can also give feedback on the bot’s answers and choose to make their questions and the bot’s answers visible to other students in their course. In addition, faculty can review the bot’s answers and respond to or add more information.

Wu wants to explore the possibility of adding the ability for students to comment on each other’s questions.

“Then it’s not just me chatting with an LLM [Large Language Model], it’s me chatting with a virtual peer,” Wu says. “It’s social learning.”

EXPANDING AI INTEGRATION

Dr. Byte is currently available in most firstyear courses and will soon be expanding to select second- and third-year courses. By next academic year, Dr. Byte will be available in all courses.

Faculty can opt in to having Dr. Byte trained on their lecture materials. Some are still unsure about the technology, Alawi notes, and are waiting to see how useful it proves for students. He’s conducted demonstrations in faculty meetings, and Wu and Derrick recently hosted a virtual information session.

ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCETOOLS

In the future, Wu and Derrick hope to give Dr. Byte the ability to review uploaded lecture transcriptions. That would be particularly helpful, Johnson says.

“Then it could access what faculty talked about in the classroom that was an expansion of what was in the slides,” Derrick says, “so it could bridge the gaps that students wanted to review.”

The team also wants the bot to eventually integrate information from multiple courses and improve its ability to analyze more complex images.

In addition to PDM Explorer and Dr. Byte, Alawi and his colleagues are looking for ways to integrate AI into clinical education. They’re currently testing a software platform with simulated patients to help students practice patient interviews; the goal is for AI to help interpret the discussion and give feedback. They are also testing tools that can help interpret imaging and guide students in developing treatment plans based on the results. Alawi also incorporated generative AI into his third-year Differential Diagnosis course.

“The goal is not to replace clinical judgment, but to help students develop the skills needed to interpret, question, and responsibly incorporate AI insights into diagnostic reasoning,” explains Alawi. “By engaging with AI outputs alongside traditional clinical training, students will learn to identify limitations, recognize bias, and validate recommendations against established evidence and clinical findings.”

“This is a generation of students who are going to graduate and have AI tools at day one,” adds Alawi. “We want them to learn these tools here. The more guidance we can give them now, the better.” n

— By Laura Dattaro

AI IN RESEARCH

Researchers across Penn Dental Medicine are using artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose disease, understand cancer, keep tabs on the latest research findings, and more. Here is a sampling of some projects.

POWERING LIVING GUIDELINE PROGRAM

Thanks to a collaboration between the American Dental Association (ADA) and the School’s Center for Integrative Global Oral Health, clinical practice guidelines will be updated more frequently with evidence-informed recommendations through the ADA Living Guideline Program. Living guidelines are informed by living systematic reviews of the scientific literature. After a systematic review is published, the literature is continually monitored for new research, ensuring guidelines stay current as emerging findings warrant an update to recommendations. An AI platform is being used to both build and maintain searches of the scientific literature and to refine those search results using AI classifiers, which dramatically reduce the human workload required to sift through the scientific literature for relevant evidence. Currently under development is an AI-powered tool to extract relevant information from the scientific literature identified. And while the AI is designed to work alongside human reviewers, human oversight and verification remain part of the process.

EVALUATING NATIONAL HEALTHCARE DATA

Clues to the causes of dental subtypes could be hiding in large but messy datasets, like the three decades’ worth of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) responses. Researchers led by Dr. Michel Koo, Professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Divisions of Community Oral Health and Pediatrics, devised a machine learning process to help. They found that age, certain sugary drinks, metal exposures, and sleep can all influence dental caries. They published the work in the Journal of Dental Research in December 2025.

DISCUSSING AI IN CLINICAL DENTISTRY

The November/December 2025 issue of Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry featured an article by editor-in-chief Dr. Markus Blatz, Professor and Chair of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, outlining the possibilities and challenges for using AI in clinical dentistry, including radiology, caries detection, and monitoring of periodontal disease. AI could also help with personalized medicine and real-time assistance during procedures, though that will require more transparency about how AI makes recommendations, Blatz notes, a member of the Penn AI Faculty Advisory Committee.

DETECTING ROOT LESIONS

A subdomain of AI called deep learning teaches computers to process data through artificial neural networks inspired by the human brain, which “learn” from datasets incorporated into the AI system. Dr. Frank Setzer, Associate Professor of Endodontics, and Dr. Mel Mupparapu, Professor of Clinical Oral Medicine, are working on integrating deep learning algorithms into an advanced computer-aided detection platform for cone-beam computed tomography scans, with the goal of aiding in the detection of root tip/canal and rare jaw lesions. To date, they have worked on the automated detection of root lesions and on developing tools to improve the accuracy of the deep learning algorithms, including active learning techniques that enable the algorithms to train themselves. They are also working on the generalization and external validation of the current algorithms. In addition, Mupparapu was guest editor of the recently released Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry for Dental Clinics of North America, covering key topics in this timely area, including a chapter by Setzer on AI in endodontics.

UNDERSTANDING THE TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT

Cancer does not grow on its own; it is influenced by its surroundings, known as the tumor microenvironment. Researchers led by Dr. Kyle Vining, Assistant Professor in the Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, are modeling the way this environment influences tumor growth by building AI simulations based on real-world experiments. They’re finding that the flow of fluids between the tumor and its surroundings can influence its growth (Li et al. Soft Matter, 2026, DOI: 10.1039/D6SM00060F). Vining notes he also uses AI in his research for note-taking during group meetings and lab discussions, generating summaries of literature, and graphical editing to improve the visual communication of complex scientific topics.

AIMING TO PREDICT PERIODONTAL DISEASE PROGRESSION

Funded in part by the School’s Center for Innovation and Precision Dentistry (CiPD)IBI Artificial Intelligence in Oral Health Innovation Award, Dr. Flavia Teles, Professor in the Department of Basic & Translational Sciences, and a collaborator from Penn Medicine are harnessing AI-based approaches for integration and analyses of molecular (genetic, immunological), clinical, and demographic (gender, race, ethnicity) data aimed at predicting periodontal disease progression.

ANALYZING ELECTRONIC PATIENT RECORDS

AI has strong potential to transform how dental schools use electronic health record data for research and clinical advancement. In a dental school setting, AI-powered electronic health record data analysis could accelerate disease pattern identification across diverse patient populations, sharpen risk prediction models, deepen understanding of oral-systemic health connections, generate population-level insights, and elevate the quality of clinical training and decision-making. The School’s Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR) is working on developing such an analysis of the School’s own electronic patient records in close collaboration with existing efforts across the School. With the right tools and infrastructure, this data can be extracted, integrated, and interrogated in ways that were previously impossible, opening the door to discoveries that could reshape both research and patient care. CCTR is at the center of achieving this vision responsibly, with rigorous attention to data governance, health equity, and consistent model performance across all patient groups.

FACULTYPERSPECTIVE

VIEWS ON DENTAL TOPICS & TRENDS

Advancing the Biology of Taste Receptors in Inflammatory Disease: Opportunities in a Challenging Funding Landscape

Contributed by Marco Tizzano, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Basic & Translational Sciences Director, Penn Dental Medicine Taste Center

Scientific progress often unfolds at the edge of the unknown with each discovery opening the door to the next question while a setback can reframe the path forward. My research lies at the intersection of taste receptor biology, immune function and oral disease, and this dynamic has shaped a line of inquiry that is both conceptually innovative and clinically meaningful. A recent accomplishment of earning the highest percentile score in the ODCS NIH study section for a new research grant marks an important validation of this trajectory. It is an achievement that not only recognizes scientific rigor and originality but also underscores the promise of a field that is revealing a surprising new dimension of oral health.

My work at Penn Dental Medicine has helped reshape how we understand taste receptors, long considered mere sentinels of flavor perception. Our investigations have shown that these receptors, particularly the bitter taste receptors (T2Rs), also play an integral role in innate immunity. Solitary chemosensory cells and macrophages in the gingiva express these receptors in ways that modulate their ability to detect and respond to microbial threats playing a key role in the host defense. Within the context of periodontitis, these findings open the possibility that taste receptors are far more than sensory proteins as they act as critical regulators of inflammatory homeostasis in the oral cavity.

The NIH-supported project that received the top study section score builds directly on these insights. It aims to uncover how taste receptor signaling in macrophages shapes their activity in periodontal tissues and how perturbations in this system contribute to the

onset or exacerbation of disease. The implications are far-reaching. A deeper understanding of this taste pathway-immune axis could lead to new diagnostic markers for susceptibility to periodontitis, personalized risk profiling based on taste receptor genetics, or even novel therapeutic strategies that leverage receptor pathways to modulate inflammation.

Receiving the highest percentile score in an NIH review is both rare and significant. It reflects not only scientific merit but also the perceived impact and feasibility of the work. Such strong support provides momentum in the form of resources, visibility and validation propelling a research program into its next phase of discovery.

And yet, in the current funding climate, even major successes occur against a backdrop of uncertainty. Biomedical research is inherently nonlinear: experiments succeed, fail, and redirect; hypotheses evolve; and funding, despite its critical role, remains unpredictable. The broader landscape is marked by tightening

“Biomedical research is inherently nonlinear: experiments succeed, fail, and redirect; hypotheses evolve; and funding, despite its critical role, remains unpredictable.”

— MARCO TIZZANO, PHD

paylines, fluctuating budgets, and increasing competition for federal support. For investigators working in emerging or interdisciplinary areas, the challenge can be even more acute. This NIH award represents a crucial step forward, but it also highlights the resilience required to advance scientific inquiry today. Progress depends on sustained investment, persistent curiosity, the ability to navigate both breakthroughs and setbacks, and the undeniable support of the research institutions, at which Penn Dental Medicine excels. Ultimately, this achievement is not just a milestone but a reaffirmation of the value of innovative science at Penn Dental Medicine and a reminder of the importance of continuing to push the boundaries of what we know about immunology, sensory biology, and oral health. Finally, and of immeasurable importance, the unwavering support of my family was instrumental in sustaining my dedication and focus, ultimately contributing to my success in securing this prestigious NIH award.

VIEWS ON THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE STUDENTPERSPECTIVE

Gaining Valuable Interdisciplinary Experience

Contributed by Mary Papandreas (D’26)

My journey to dental school was anything but direct, and my experiences at Penn Dental Medicine have been equally non-traditional. While I grew up working in my dad’s orthodontic practice, it took years of self-exploration to decide upon following the same path. I majored in Industrial Engineering and received a minor in Biomedical Engineering from Penn State, which instilled in me a love of problem solving. After graduation, I accepted a full-time role as a healthcare management consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. This job allowed me to develop my client service skills and business acumen. It was after exploring these interests and career options that I realized I still was dreaming about orthodontics and constantly wondering “what if” I pursued going to dental school. Due to my non-traditional background, I wanted to attend a program that valued diversity and encouraged interdisciplinary research. Penn Dental Medicine checked that box for me, as well as many others, including being in an urban setting and having friendly, social students.

Upon starting my dental school journey at Penn Dental Medicine, I knew I wanted to honor my engineering and consulting background. My goal was to find ways to combine my previous experience with my passion for providing clinically excellent care to as many patients as possible. When I learned about the Leonard Davis Institute (LDI) Summer Health Services Research Fellowship, I knew it was an opportunity that I wanted to pursue.

The LDI is Penn’s hub for interdisciplinary research on healthcare delivery, health policy, and population health. Conducting research with this group appealed to me because one of

my major goals when I chose to attend Penn was to find a way to work with faculty at the Wharton School. I had an idea to create a project that combined my knowledge of industrial engineering, consulting, and dentistry by evaluating a dental practice’s operational efficiency and testing how changing different operational variables would impact the practice’s patient care capabilities and financial viability. After some research, I found a professor at Wharton whose work aligned with this goal and cold emailed him introducing myself. To my surprise, he responded the same day and agreed to meet with me. From there, we agreed on the project, and I applied and was accepted to the research fellowship.

I spent the summer between my first and second year building an operational model and sensitivity analysis for a real dental practice. Ultimately, these models helped me identify and define key value drivers in dental practices, empowering practice owners to make insightful changes to improve patient flow and financial efficiency. This experience perfectly combined my academic and professional interests and

experiences, culminating in an enriching and impactful research experience.

In addition to utilizing my engineering and consulting skills for this project, I also gained many key research skills. At the same time I was performing my research, I completed an 8-week intensive critical writing course with Penn’s Center for Excellence in Writing covering strategies for analyzing, synthesizing, writing, and presenting scientific research. This course gave me the tools to create and present a 20-minute oral presentation at the LDI’s Summer Symposium, write a business case that is now used in a Wharton MBA class, and create a powerful poster for Penn Dental Medicine’s ACCE Day.

As I approach graduation and reflect on my dental school journey, my summer research with the LDI stands out as one of the most unique and impactful experiences over my four years. I believe the interdisciplinary collaboration and access to world-class faculty at Penn makes the Penn Dental Medicine student experience incredibly unique.

BUILDING A PRAGMATIC RESEARCH APPROACH

DR.

RYAN

RICHARD RUFF BRINGS AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST’S PERSPECTIVE

AS THE NEW CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ORAL HEALTH

“I felt there was a real opportunity at Penn to conduct community-based research and participatory trials to improve oral health in the local community,”

— DR. RYAN RICHARD RUFF

Ryan Richard Ruff, PhD, MPH, took a somewhat circuitous path to his new position as Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Community Oral Health at Penn Dental Medicine. An epidemiologist who started his career as a public high school teacher and later oversaw the research division of the New York City Departments of Education and Health, Ruff now brings his expertise in school health and oral disease epidemiology, as well as his experience conducting pragmatic clinical trials at school and community sites, to Penn Dental Medicine.

“I felt there was a real opportunity at Penn to conduct community-based research and participatory trials to improve oral health in the local community,” says Ruff. “Penn Dental Medicine has dedicated community sites where clinical care and didactic instruction in the predoctoral program are already quite strong, and I think we can develop something stronger still.”

Pragmatic clinical trials are conducted in communities with the goal of providing evidence for adopting interventions in clinical practice. In participatory trials, researchers collaborate with community members and patients to design, implement, analyze, and disseminate the findings, with the goal of finding workable solutions to the community’s needs.

For example, a 2023 pragmatic trial led by Ruff found that school-based caries prevention programs can have a positive impact on reducing acute and chronic student absenteeism from school. The findings, which were published in The Journal of the American Dental Association, offer a solid framework on which to build support for caries prevention programs on school sites.

At Penn Dental Medicine, the School’s already strong ties to the local community will help advance its pragmatic research enterprise, says Ruff, noting that the ability to conduct community-based research and trials is dependent on fostering strong relationships and trust between community members and researchers.

“When you do pragmatic trials and community-based research, access is one of the biggest challenges,” says Ruff, who is principal investigator of his PRISMS (Pragmatic Research for Innovative and Sustainable Medicine in Schools) lab, which includes all his research related to school- and community-based oral health, most of it done in collaboration with a nationwide network of school partners. “You’re working in the field, and you have to be a partner with the community to do it well. If you’re in a new place there can be an inherent distrust, but if you’re already in the community providing care, it’s easier.”

A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY CARE & RESEARCH

Penn Dental Medicine “has years of experience building relationships in their community and they do it very, very well,” Ruff says, applauding the work of Dr. Joan Gluch, Clinical Professor, who stepped down from the role of Division Chief in June 2025. “Penn has an institutional commitment to both community care and community-based research. So, there’s an opportunity for supporting this type of research at Penn that you don’t often find in dentistry and public health.”

Amsterdam Dean Dr. Mark S. Wolff welcomed Ruff’s appointment to the School.

“Dr. Ruff brings a wealth of community-based research to this role to help us build upon the care we are providing in the community and the public health experiences and understanding of our students,” Dean Wolff said in announcing the appointment, which was effective Feb. 1.

“Dr. Ruff brings a wealth of community-based research to this role to help us build upon the care we are providing in the community and the public health experiences and understanding of our students.”

— DEAN MARK S. WOLFF

Prior to joining Penn Dental Medicine, Ruff was Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Director of the Biostatistics Core, and Director of the Master of Science program in Clinical Research at the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry. Ruff was Director of the Research & Evaluation Unit in the New York City Department of Health and an adjunct professor in biostatistics at NYU’s Global Institute of Public Health when he was recruited to NYU’s College of Dentistry’s Department of Epidemiology’s Statistics & Data Unit in 2014. Once there, he took a tenure track position and started to develop his research portfolio with a focus on school- and community-based studies in oral health and school performance.

Ruff holds a doctorate in Research, Statistics & Evaluation from the University of Virginia, a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Harvard University, and a Master of Philosophy in Education from Cambridge University in England. He is a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

Now as Chief of Penn Dental Medicine’s Division of Community Oral Health, along with overseeing the didactic and community-based experiential and clinical education for the DMD program, Ruff will guide and expand community-based research.

THE IMPACT OF ORAL HEALTH ON SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

The common thread running through Ruff’s career is an overarching interest in school health, particularly oral health, and its impact on school performance. “Ultimately, my work is about improving on the provision of oral healthcare and seeing how that improves child development,” he says.

As principal investigator, Ruff’s research focuses on ways to increase student access to oral healthcare and, as a result, improve aspects of child development. He has received more than $22 million in research funding as a principal investigator from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, through which he has developed a nationwide network of school- and community-based dental programs, including in New York, New Hampshire, and Colorado.

One of his current studies, funded by the NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities through 2030, is a school-based pragmatic clinical trial in Colorado that focuses on building adaptive interventions for caries. “We call this a “SMART” study — a Sequential Multi-Assignment Randomized Trial — with the scientific goal of trying to incorporate precision medicine into school-based care,” he says, noting that the collaboration with this Colorado school program developed when they reached out to him about his work after seeing one of his publications in JAMA Pediatrics.

For this study, students will be assigned one of six different treatments pathways — consisting of silver diamine fluoride, dental sealants, atraumatic restorations, silver-modified atraumatic restorative treatment, fluoride varnish, and electric toothbrushes — and monitored to see how their health progresses over the course of the study. The goal is “to leverage that data and develop a predictive algorithm that can be applied to future

“My vision is to have a collaborative research enterprise within the Division that intersects with units across the University, through which we build a portfolio of funded studies that engage with the community and improve on the science of community care.”

— DR. RYAN RICHARD RUFF

children, taking into account their clinical history and prior dental care to determine the optimal treatment pathway that has the highest likelihood of effectiveness,” Ruff explains.

Another study, published in JAMA Network Open in 2024, found that using silver diamine fluoride was just as effective in reducing dental caries as applying more expensive sealants. These findings are notable because cost is often a factor in accessing oral healthcare.

Because of this, Ruff is interested in studies that may provide options to make school and community oral health programs less costly — and thus more sustainable over time, given limited funding and ever-tightening budgets. “That’s the big problem,” he says. “A lot of the time when the funding ends, the program ends, and that community doesn’t have care once again.”

“So we’re asking the questions: who can provide care, what alternate treatments can be used and is it more economical?” By tackling these questions, Ruff says, researchers and providers can “make the approach to patient care more robust, more efficient and, ultimately, more sustainable.”

At the same time, Ruff says some of the most notable research he’s worked on relates to the impact that oral health can have on academic performance and school absenteeism in children and adolescents.

“We found that children with oral health disease were 50 percent more likely to miss school and perform more poorly on some measure of academic performance,” he says. “This study provided early evidence that introducing school-based oral health programs can help move the needle on chronic absenteeism.”

This meta-analysis of worldwide data was published in 2019 in The Journal of the American Dental Association, and was followed up with the 2023 study mentioned previously that found that providing schoolbased caries prevention programs can help reduce student absenteeism.

SHIFTS IN THE FIELD OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

Ruff has incorporated his experience in pragmatic research into his work and teaching as an epidemiologist. In the last decade or so, he says, there has been a shift in the field of epidemiology from a focus primarily on the etiology of disease — its origins — to focus more closely on what is called consequential epidemiology.

“The argument is that epidemiology risks losing relevance by focusing on the distribution and determinants of disease, while we need to increase the focus on how we can improve the lives of people,” he says. “We know about these diseases, but what are we going to do about it? That’s why we do pragmatic research; that’s the real world.”

Thus, when teaching epidemiology to pre- and postdoctoral students, Ruff says, “I always try to convey that community care can be leveraged. As a non-clinician, I see it as more of a public health problem.”

While still a newcomer to Penn Dental Medicine, Ruff is formulating his goals and vision for the Division of Community Oral Health and its connections to the local community.

“My vision is to have a collaborative research enterprise within the Division that intersects with units across the University,” says Ruff, “through which we build a portfolio of funded studies that engage with the community and improve on the science of community care.”

For Penn Dental Medicine students, he expects that providing additional opportunities to work on pragmatic and community-based research will help make them better clinicians.

As for his role in carrying out this vision, Ruff says it is “to engage, facilitate, and foster greater engagement on behalf of the clinical faculty and students to participate in research at community sites that is consequential and can positively affect the community.” n — By Debbie Goldberg

TRANSLATING SCIENCE TO PRACTICE RESEARCHSPOTLIGHT

Advancing Human Health

The Penn Dental Medicine research enterprise spans scientific disciplines to translate new knowledge into clinical therapies that are expanding our understanding of disease and advancing patient care. In 2025, faculty and research staff continued to move scholarship forward across their respective fields and beyond. On the pages that follow, we highlight some of these research and scholarly activities for 2025.

Funding by Investigators

The top 20 grant funders for calendar year 2025 based on total grant funds spent during that period include the following.

FACULTY/DEPARTMENT

Dr. Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, Oral Medicine

Dr. George Hajishengallis, Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo, Orthodontics/COH/Pediatrics

Dr. Modupe Coker, Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Dana Graves, Periodontics

Dr. Gary Cohen, Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Shuying (Sherri) Yang, Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Hydar Ali, Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Geelsu Hwang, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

Dr. Flavia Teles, Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

Dr. Katherine Theken, Oral Surgery/Pharmacology

Dr. Chider Chen, Oral Surgery/Pharmacology

Dr. Robert P. Ricciardi, Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Kyle Vining, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

Dr. Temitope Omolehinwa, Oral Medicine

Dr. Anh Le, Oral Surgery

Dr. Yu Zhang, Preventive & Restorative Sciences

Dr. Kang Ko, Periodontics

Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Basic & Translational Sciences

$3,327,830

$1,689,498

$1,563,795

$1,525,168

$1,244,553

$1,222,214

$1,126,181

$1,060,222

$909,008

$786,737

$785,449

$739,453

$709,667

$648,459

$639,228

$576,740

$551,505

$521,947

$508,211

$490,134

2025 New Grant Awards

The top 10 new great awards among Penn Dental Medicine faculty in 2025 include the following:

Cell-specific roles for PERK in HIV-induced neuroinflammation

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Kelly L. Jordan-Sciutto, Oral Medicine (NIH; Total Award $3,755,703)

Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene. Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Powell, Division of Community Oral Health (HRSA; Total Award $ 2,262,931)

HSV vaccine for preventing and treating genital herpes

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Gary Cohen, Basic & Translational Sciences (BioNTech; Total Award $2,883,844)

C. albicans interactions with S. mutans modulate cariogenic biofilm formation and virulence Principal Investigator:

Dr. Michel Koo, Orthodontics/Divs. of Community Oral Health/Pediatrics (NIH; Total Award $ 2,388,623)

Multimodal profiling of microglia during HIV infection and substance use disorder

P Principal Investigator: Dr. Kelly L. Jordan-Sciutto, Oral Medicine (NIH; Total Award $ 2,031,250)

The Interplay of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Neutrophils During Rapid Maxillary Expansion

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Wenjing Yu, Orthodontics (NIH; Total Award $ 683,553)

Evaluation of efficacy of bean powder in neutralizing avian influenza virus H5N1 in chickens

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Henry Daniell, Basic & Translational Sciences (MATERIALS BIOS, Total Award $463,797)

Mast Cell G-protein Coupled Receptors in Immune Modulation of Colitis

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Hydar Ali, Basic & Translational Sciences (NIH; $446,875)

Ryan White Part A CARE Services-AACO

Principal Investigator: Dr. Miriam Robbins, Oral Medicine (AACO/City of Philadelphia; Total Award $291,515)

Selected 2025 High Impact Original Articles

Following is a selection of original research articles of high impact published in 2025 by Penn Dental Medicine faculty and researchers.

AUTHORS TITLES

Hajishengallis, G.; Chavakis, T.

Stroke-induced trained immunity spells Cell Research 25.9 bad news for the heart

Babeer, A.; Liu, Y.; Ren, Z.; Xiang, Z.; Oh, M.J.; Ferumoxytol nanozymes effectively Journal of Clinical 13.6 Pandey, N.K.; Simon-Soro, A.; Huang, R.; Karabucak, B.; target chronic biofilm infections in Investigation Cormode, D.P.; Chen, C.; Koo, H. apical periodontitis

Zhang, Q.; He, P.; Shi, S.; Xu, Q.; Granquist, E.J.; Secretome enriched with small extracellular Journal of 12.6 Winkelstein, B.A.; Shanti, R.M.; Le, A.D. vesicles derived from human gingiva-derived Nanobiotechnology mesenchymal stem cells enhances rat tongue muscle regeneration

Daniell, H.; Guo, Y.; Singh, R.; Karki, U.; Kulchar, R.; Debulking influenza and herpes simplex virus Molecular Therapy 12 Wakade, G.; Pihlava, J.-M.; Khazaei, H.; Cohen, G.H. strains by a wide-spectrum anti-viral protein formulated in clinical grade chewing gum

Bawazir, M.; Sutradhar, S.; Roy, S.; Ali, H.

MRGPRX2 facilitates IgE-mediated systemic Journal of Allergy 11.2 anaphylaxis in a newly established knock-in and Clinical mouse model Immunology

Luo, Y.; Zhang, C.; Fulco, S.; Liu, J.; Chen, K.; Hu, Y.; Biocompatible Multifunctional Polymeric Advanced 9.6 Jiang, Y.; Xu, R.; Rakesh, L.; Fusun, O.; Tertuliano, O.; Material for Mineralized Tissue Adhesion Healthcare Turner, K.; Vining, K.H. Materials

Alghamdi, B.; Liu, M.; Huang, X.; Debnath, R.; Afzali, H.; Single-cell RNA profiling identifies immune Mucosal 7.6 Troka, M.; Hasuike, A.; Easter, Q.T.; Zhou, M.; Byrd, K.M. cell population shifts in diabetes associated; Immunology Gonzalez, M.V.; Ko, K.I.; Graves, D.T. mucosal inflammation

Mominkhan, D.; Brito, L.C.N.; Yakubu, A.-R.; Larson, E.; Exploring Relationships Within the International 7.1 Martin, L.; Patel, M.; Tavares, W.L.F.; Ribeiro Sobrinho, A.; Microbiome of Root Canal Infections and Endodontic Teles, F. the Influence of Associated Clinical Parameters Journal

Bond Newton, S.E.; Shi, X.; Beratan, N.R.; Perhacs, J.; ER stress tolerance is regulated by Cell Reports 6.9 Arya, J.K.; Bond, M.K.; Gidalevitz, T.; Akay-Espinoza, C.; copper-dependent PERK kinase activity Brady, D.C.; Jordan-Sciutto, K.L.

Ruggiero, M.M.; Lim, C.H.; Giugliano, T.S.; Choi, M.; Balancing strength and translucency: Dental Materials 6.3 Cury, A.A.D.B.; Zhang, Y. The role of microstructure in additive and subtractive dental zirconia

* The h-index was developed by J.E. Hirsch, Department of Physics, UCSD and attempts to measure the impact of an individual’s publications. As an example, an h-index of 20 means there are 20 publications that have 20 citations or more each in journals covered by the Scopus database.

Selected 2025 High Impact Review Articles

Following is a selection of review articles by Penn Dental Medicine faculty and researchers published in 2025 in journals with high impact.

AUTHORS TITLES

Hajishengallis, G.; Netea, M.G.; Chavakis, T.

Trained immunity in chronic Nature Reviews 60.9 inflammatory diseases and cancer Immunology

Lin YT, Li C, Korostoff J, Fiorellini JP, Yang J, Chang YC. Three-dimensional digital quantitative

Periodontology 15.7 analysis of periodontal and peri-implant 2000 phenotype: A narrative review

Jeon, H.H.; Huang, X.; Rojas Cortez, L.; Inflammation and mechanical Periodontology 15.7

Sripinun, P.; Lee, J.-M.; Hong, J.J.; Graves, D.T. force-induced bone remodeling 2000

Hakeem, A.; Yang, S.

Prasongyuenyong, K.; Kim, W.S.; Chen, Z.; Ko, K.I.

Regulation of INPP5E in Ciliogenesis, International Journal 10 Development, and Disease of Biological Sciences

Single-Cell Analysis of Fibroblast Journal of Dental 5.9 Subpopulations in Skin and Oral Mucosa Research

* The h-index was developed by J.E. Hirsch, Department of Physics, UCSD and attempts to measure the impact of an individual’s publications. As an example, an h-index of 20 means there are 20 publications that have 20 citations or more each in journals covered by the Scopus database.

Research Publications 2025 Altmetrics

Altmetrics provide immediate, real-time insight into research impact beyond traditional citations, capturing attention across social and traditional media and enagagement by individuals through shares and downloads. Below are the top 20 research publications from faculty that recieved the most attention in 2025.

CITATION

Zheng, S., Bawazir, M., Dhall, A., Kim, H. E., He, L., Heo, J., & Hwang, G. (2021). Implication of Surface Properties, 1283 Bacterial Motility, and Hydrodynamic Conditions on Bacterial Surface Sensing and Their Initial Adhesion. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology, 9, 643722. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2021.643722s

Setzer, F., Harley, M., Cheung, J., & Karabucak, B. (2021). Possible Causes for Failure of Endodontic Surgery - A Retrospective 1010 Series of 20 Resurgery Cases. European endodontic journal, 6(2), 235–241. https://doi.org/10.14744/eej.2021.14238

Hajishengallis, G., & Chavakis, T. (2021). Local and systemic mechanisms linking periodontal disease and inflammatory 929 comorbidities. Nature reviews. Immunology, 21(7), 426–440. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-020-00488-6

Daniell, H., Nair, S. K., Esmaeili, N., Wakade, G., Shahid, N., Ganesan, P. K., Islam, M. R., Shepley-McTaggart, A., Feng, 725 S., Gary, E. N., Ali, A. R., Nuth, M., Cruz, S. N., Graham-Wooten, J., Streatfield, S. J., Montoya-Lopez, R., Kaznica, P., Mawson, M., Green, B. J., Ricciardi, R., Collman, R. G. (2022). Debulking SARS-CoV-2 in saliva using angiotensin converting enzyme 2 in chewing gum to decrease oral virus transmission and infection. Molecular therapy: the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy, 30(5), 1966–1978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.11.008

Urquhart, O., Tampi, M. P., Pilcher, L., Slayton, R. L., Araujo, M. W. B., Fontana, M., Nascimento, M. M., Nový, B. B., 606 Tinanoff, N., Weyant, R. J., Wolff, M. S., Young, D. A., Zero, D. T., Brignardello-Petersen, R., Banfield, L., Parikh, A., Joshi, G., & Carrasco-Labra, A. (2019). Nonrestorative Treatments for Caries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Journal of dental research, 98(1), 14–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034518800014

Graves, D. T., Corrêa, J. D., & Silva, T. A. (2019). The Oral Microbiota Is Modified by Systemic Diseases. 512 Journal of dental research, 98(2), 148–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034518805739

CITATION

Kligman, S., Ren, Z., Chung, C. H., Perillo, M. A., Chang, Y. C., Koo, H., Zheng, Z., & Li, C. (2021).

The Impact of Dental Implant Surface Modifications on Osseointegration and Biofilm Formation.  Journal of clinical medicine, 10(8), 1641. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10081641

Blatz, M. B., & Conejo, J. (2019). The Current State of Chairside Digital Dentistry and Materials.

RANK

480

468 Dental clinics of North America, 63(2), 175–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cden.2018.11.002

Hwang, G., Paula, A. J., Hunter, E. E., Liu, Y., Babeer, A., Karabucak, B., Stebe, K., Kumar, V., Steager, E., & Koo, H. (2019). 424

Catalytic antimicrobial robots for biofilm eradication.  Science robotics, 4(29), eaaw2388. https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aaw2388

Hersh, E. V., Moore, P. A., Grosser, T., Polomano, R. C., Farrar, J. T., Saraghi, M., Juska, S. A., Mitchell, C. H., 299 & Theken, K. N. (2020). Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Opioids in Postsurgical Dental Pain.  Journal of dental research, 99(7), 777–786. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520914254

Kolakarnprasert, N., Kaizer, M. R., Kim, D. K., & Zhang, Y. (2019). New multi-layered zirconias: Composition, 274 microstructure and translucency. Dental materials: official publication of the Academy of Dental Materials, 35(5), 797–806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dental.2019.02.017

Setzer, F. C., Shi, K. J., Zhang, Z., Yan, H., Yoon, H., Mupparapu, M., & Li, J. (2020). Artificial Intelligence 257 for the Computer-aided Detection of Periapical Lesions in Cone-beam Computed Tomographic Images.  Journal of endodontics, 46(7), 987–993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2020.03.025

Panchal, N., Mahmood, L., Retana, A., & Emery, R., 3rd (2019). Dynamic Navigation for Dental Implant Surgery. 220 Oral and maxillofacial surgery clinics of North America, 31(4), 539–547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coms.2019.08.001

Vining, K. H., Stafford, A., & Mooney, D. J. (2019). Sequential modes of crosslinking tune viscoelasticity of 219 cell-instructive hydrogels. Biomaterials, 188, 187–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.10.013

Ko, K. I., Sculean, A., & Graves, D. T. (2021). Diabetic wound healing in soft and hard oral tissues. 211 Translational research: the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine, 236, 72–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trsl.2021.05.001

France, K., & Glick, M. (2022). Long COVID and oral healthcare considerations. Journal of the 193 American Dental Association (1939), 153(2), 167–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2021.08.007

Safi, C., Kohli, M. R., Kratchman, S. I., Setzer, F. C., & Karabucak, B. (2019). Outcome of Endodontic Microsurgery Using 191 Mineral Trioxide Aggregate or Root Repair Material as Root-end Filling Material: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Cone-beam Computed Tomographic Evaluation. Journal of endodontics, 45(7), 831–839. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2019.03.0141

Setzer, F. C., & Lee, S. M. (2021). Radiology in Endodontics. Dental clinics of North America, 65(3), 475–486. 153 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cden.2021.02.004

Bond, S., Lopez-Lloreda, C., Gannon, P. J., Akay-Espinoza, C., & Jordan-Sciutto, K. L. (2020). The Integrated Stress 158 Response and Phosphorylated Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2α in Neurodegeneration. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 79(2), 123–143.https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/nlz129

Jassim, A. H., Inman, D. M., & Mitchell, C. H. (2021). Crosstalk Between Dysfunctional Mitochondria and Inflammation 133 in Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration. Frontiers in pharmacology, 12, 699623. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.699623

CENTERS MARK 5 YEARS OF ADVANCING EDUCATION, RESEARCH & INNOVATION, PATIENT CARE

Three Penn Dental Medicine centers mark their 5th Anniversary this year, spotlighting the ambitious vision that culminated in establishing all three in 2021. Here we highlight a selection of key initiatives/achievements and the impact the centers have been making since their founding.

CARE CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The Care Center for Persons with Disabilities (www.dental.upenn.edu/CareCenter) and its Personalized Care Suite (PCare) opened its doors in early 2021, designed to serve individuals with a wide spectrum of intellectual, developmental, acquired, and physical disabilities and provide dental students with extensive experience caring for this population. It is also the clinical care home at the School for medically complex patients.

Educating Students

DMD students gain immersive clinical care experience in PCare with the goal of having them develop a comfort level serving this population that they will take into their clinical practices. In the current curriculum, fourth-year students spend 10% of their entire clinical experience in PCare.

Oral medicine and periodontal residents rotate through PCare to gain experience in the management of patients with medical complexities and disabilities.

Under the guidance of the PCare nurse practitioner, nurse practitioner students from Penn Nursing do an observational clinical rotation in PCare to gain experience in both the interface between medicine and dentistry as well as learning about the importance of oral health and its possible affect on systemic health.

“There are multiple reasons persons with disabilities may have challenges with access to dental care, but part of it is fear of the unknown on the part of dental care providers. Through the Care Center, we are working to eliminate that barrier.”

— DR. MIRIAM ROBBINS, DIRECTOR, CARE CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Educating Practicing Clinicians

With support from the Delta Dental Foundation, the Center launched its Persons with Disabilities Presentation Series in 2021 — a free online continuing education program aimed at building competence among practicing clinicians to provide oral healthcare to persons with disabilities. Dentists completing 18 or more of the courses within a three-year period (25 CE credit hours) receive a certificate of completion from Penn Dental Medicine as a Disabilities Dentistry Clinician Expert. Since its inception, 59 lectures have been presented, 46 of which are available on-demand through the School’s CDE Portal (www.dental.upenn.edu/cde).

Providers from Federally Qualified Health Centers throughout the country have participated in an immersion program at the Center, spending three days observing and learning about ways to improve the delivery of dental care to patients with disabilities. Sponsored by the Delta Dental Foundation through its Centers of Inclusive Dentistry initiative, seven sessions have been held since its launch in 2022.

Educating Caregivers

A teledentistry assessment portal was established at the Center in 2022, adding an extra level of support to caregivers and patients. It is used as a pre-visit platform to facilitate gathering medical and behavioral information ahead of a patient’s first in-person visit and for follow-up calls and instructions as needed postappointment. It was made possible in great part through support from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.

An award from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation Access to Care Grant Program in 2024 is funding a series of oral health education videos and training tools for caregivers (see related story, p. 6). With topics identified through caregiver focus groups, the videos are anticipated to be released before the end of 2026. Along with being utilized in training sessions at the School and by community partners, they will be accessible online.

Sharing Expertise

Dean Mark Wolff, faculty from the Center, and four dental students shared their expertise in caring for persons with disabilities with dental care providers from throughout Jamaica at a hands-on continuing education program, held in October 2025 in Negril, Jamaica. The program was presented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Jamaica Association of Public Dental Surgeons (see related story, page 2).

By the Numbers

8,000+ 20,486 10% 15,459 200

PATIENTS OF RECORD

PROCEDURES PERFORMED AND 5,546 PATIENT VISITS IN 2025

OF FOURTH-YEAR DMD STUDENTS’ ENTIRE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE TAKES PLACE HERE (the equivalent of one full day every 2 weeks throughout the entire year)

HOURS OF FREE CDE CREDITS AWARDED TO 10,569 PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES PRESENTATION SERIES

CLINICIANS HAVE EARNED 25 CDE CREDITS OR MORE TO EARN THE SCHOOL’S DISABILITIES DENTISTRY CLINICIAN EXPERT CERTIFICATE

A team of Center faculty and Dean Wolff travelled to Hebrew University in 2022 for discussions on the role of dental schools in expanding knowledge of how to deliver care to persons with disabilities.

Expanding Care

Moving the Center Forward

Work is underway on a new general anesthesia/sedation suite. While the behavioral management and stabilization techniques used in the Center dramatically reduce the need for general anesthesia/sedation among persons with disabilities, some individuals still require it due to complex health/behavior concerns. This facility will enable those patients to conveniently receive care at the School, eliminating the often-challenging process of securing time in the operating room of a hospital. Construction is anticipated to be completed in summer 2026. Give online

To learn how to support the Center, contact Maren Gaughan, gaughan@upenn.edu

CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE GLOBAL ORAL HEALTH

The Center for Integrative Global Oral Health (CIGOH) (www.dental.upenn.edu/CIGOH) creates cutting-edge evidence-informed solutions to address unmet oral health needs by providing critical infrastructure to develop and test effective interventions and policy.

Founding Leadership

A $5 million gift from Penn Dental Medicine alumnus Dr. Garry Rayant (GD’77) and his wife, Dr. Kathy Fields, created an endowed professorship and provided foundational support to establish CIGOH in 2021.

In July 2021, Dr. Michael Glick joined Penn Dental Medicine to lead CIGOH as Executive Director, and in 2023, he was named the Fields-Rayant Endowed Professor of Integrative Global Oral Health within the Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences and Department of Oral Medicine, where he has joint appointments.

Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, a leading scholar in evidence-based healthcare, joined CIGOH in October 2021 as Associate Professor, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences. He led the establishment of the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine within CIGOH in 2023 and serves as its Director (see Partnerships section).

“There shouldn't be any health policy without oral health. We need to get the healthcare community as a whole to start talking about how living with oral disease tremendously affects a person's life — from pain and overall health to losing days in school or work.”

— DR. MICHAEL GLICK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CIGOH

Global

Engagement

CIGOH held its inaugural international conference — Global Oral Health Forum I — in 2023 in Merida, Mexico. Bringing together leaders in dental education, industry, and organized dentistry, the forum was designed to facilitate a dialogue between major stakeholders in the oral health community.

CIGOH’s Global Oral Health Forum II: Evidence to Advocacy was presented in Philadelphia in 2024 with discussions aimed at formulating actionable recommendations to serve as a roadmap for advancing advocacy in oral health globally.

Partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa and the University of Nairobi, Exploring Global Strategies to Promote Oral Health in The WHO African Region brought together experts from different African nations to discuss the oral health needs across their respective countries. It was held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2023, with a goal of advancing the creation and implementation of oral health policies in the WHO African region and proposing actionable recommendations in line with the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan.

Partnerships

CIGOH established the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine in 2023 in partnership with Cochrane Oral Health, marking a significant step in helping to expand evidence-based knowledge to inform practice and oral health policy. Cochrane Oral Health is a division of Cochrane, a global independent not-for-profit network that produces systematic reviews across all areas of medicine, recognized as representing an international methodological standard for high quality, trusted information and research methods.

A collaboration with CareQuest Oral Health Institute is presently providing tuition for a Master of Oral & Population Health candidate, and funding a research project to develop a prediction tool for caries progression among a pediatric population. CareQuest also supported a Penn Dental Medicine conference in 2025 to create a national coalition for guideline implementation.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

CIGOH collaborated with the ADA and University of Pittsburgh on developing a clinical practice guideline for managing acute dental pain In 2024, this new guideline was issued for managing dental pain in pediatric patients followed by another set of recommendations for managing acute dental pain in adolescents, adults, and older adults.

The first two sets of recommendations and good practice statements that are part of a living guideline on the early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma and potentially malignant disorders have been released — those on cytology in March and on vital staining in April — by the ADA Living Guideline Program, a collaboration between CIGOH and the ADA (see Partnerships section). View recommendations at ADA.org/ OralCancerGuideline

Education

CIGOH launched a Master of Science in Oral & Population Health (MOPH) program in 2023. This online program (synchronous and asynchronous), covers a variety of disciplines in creating, synthesizing, and disseminating evidence to inform clinical practice and policies at all levels of the healthcare system and the research enterprise. There are currently 10 active MOPH students, including some pursuing it as a dual degree with their DMD.

CIGOH launched a collaboration with the American Dental Association (ADA) in 2025 to create the ADA Living Guideline Program. This groundbreaking program develops evidence-informed guidelines to support patient care and advance public health — the first and only known living guideline program dedicated to oral health (www.ADA.org/ LivingGuideline).

Oral & Planetary Impact

Moving CIGOH Forward

CIGOH appointed Dr. Julian Fisher Director of Oral & Planetary Health Policies in 2023. Under his leadership, CIGOH established a multi-year Global Oral Health and Climate Action Conference, designed to promote a consistent approach to addressing complex global challenges, such as climate change, but also to create opportunities for solutions through a model of sustainable dentistry. This conference is held in conjunction with United Nations annual COP climate change conference. View videos from the 4th Global Conference program, held in November 2025, at www.dental.upenn.edu/COP30, and plan to log in to the 2026 program, November 9–20. Give online >>

To learn how to support CIGOH, contact Maren Gaughan, gaughan@upenn.edu

CENTER FOR INNOVATION & PRECISION DENTISTRY (CiPD)

Conceived and brought to fruition by co-directors Dr. Hyun (Michel) Koo of Penn Dental Medicine and Dr. Kathleen Stebe of Penn Engineering, the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD) is a joint initiative bridging the two schools through cutting-edge research, training, and translational innovation. Since its founding in 2021, CiPD has accelerated the development of new approaches, technologies, and devices to address unmet needs in oral health, particularly in dental caries, periodontal disease, craniofacial disorders, and head and neck cancer.

Generating New Knowledge

CiPD’s interdisciplinary, collaborative model is producing discoveries with clear translational potential. Among the Center’s advances are ultra-sensitive portable sensor technologies for pathogen detection in saliva, FDA–approved nanoparticles that target biofilms in severe caries, high-precision microrobotics for biofilm control, lipid nanoparticle technologies for messenger RNA (mRNA) delivery to treat oral cancer, and microbiome and host immunity discoveries using AI that are reshaping understanding of how oral and systemic diseases intersect.

Training Innovators

Aligned with its mission to develop the next generation of cross-trained dentists, scientists, and engineers, CiPD established its T90R90 Postdoctoral Training Program in 2021 through a nearly $2.5 million award from the NIDCR. CiPD welcomed its first cohort in 2022 and, to date, has supported 12 fellows, creating a growing community of researchers working at the interface of dental medicine and engineering.

The CiPD-Colgate Fellowship provides financial support to rising researchers at Penn Dental Medicine and Penn Engineering focused on childhood dental caries and novel anti-biofilm approaches, underscoring the value of industry-academic partnership in advancing oral health innovation. Dr. Yuan Liu, the inaugural CiPD-Colgate Fellow, received a K23 from NIDCR and is now an assistant professor at Temple University and adjunct professor at Penn Dental Medicine.

Supporting Research & Collaboration

CiPD has built a strong engine for interdisciplinary collaboration through seed funds and pilot grants. In 2021, CiPD and Penn Health Tech launched The Innovation in Dental Medicine and Engineering to Advance Oral Health (IDEA) Prize, an $80,000 award supporting dental-engineering teams pursuing new solutions to study, diagnose, prevent, or treat oral diseases, craniofacial disorders, and cancers.

CiPD partnered with Penn’s Institute for Biomedical Informatics in 2024 to establish the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Oral Health Innovation Award, providing $25,000 to advance collaborative research using AI in oral-craniofacial health sciences. The inaugural award supported a study using AI-based approaches to integrate molecular, clinical, and demographic data to help predict periodontal disease progression.

In 2024, CiPD expanded that model with the Schoenleber Endowment in the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, launching the Regeneration and Restoration of Functions in Oral Health (RESTORE) Prize, an $80,000 award supporting regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and computational approaches to restore oral health function. The first award was for a study integrating bioengineering-based modeling and AI-enabled simulations to investigate how physical properties influence tumor-growth behavior.

Building Faculty

CiPD has helped strengthen Penn’s faculty portfolio in this emerging interdisciplinary space. Dr. Kyle Vining — a bioengineer and dentist — joined Penn Dental Medicine and CiPD in 2022 as Assistant Professor of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, with a joint appointment in Penn Engineering. His work focuses on the mechanical regulation of tissue inflammation in bone marrow disease and head and neck cancer, as well as strategies to promote tissue repair and regeneration in oral and craniofacial diseases.

After receiving a Hartwell Foundation Award in 2023, Vining earned a $2 million NIH award in 2025 to investigate how extracellular mechanics influence immune-cell behavior.

Two former CiPD T90R90 Postdoctoral Training Program fellows are also now part of the faculty — Dr. Dennis Sourvanos in Periodontics and Dr. Zhi Ren in Endodontics.

Exchanging Perspectives

CiPD launched its annual symposium in 2022, creating a forum where engineers, clinicians, scientists, and trainees come together to share research, spark collaborations, network, and explore the future of oral health innovation. The 5th Annual CiPD Symposium is scheduled for May 28, 2026, at Penn Dental Medicine.

“CiPD was founded on a simple belief: innovation in oral health should not only advance science, but also improve lives. That belief drives us to create better ways to understand, diagnose, prevent, and treat oral disease — and to ensure those solutions reach the people who need them most.”

— DR. MICHEL KOO, CO-FOUNDER/DIRECTOR, CiPD

Bringing Ideas to Life

In 2024, CiPD and Wharton’s Mack Institute for Innovation Management launched a cross-school partnership bringing together students from Penn Dental Medicine, Penn Engineering, and Wharton to study the commercialization of new technologies. The inaugural project from CiPD’s nanorobotic oral-health platform: robotic bristles, an all-in-one concept that combines brushing, flossing, and rinsing through automated plaque detection and removal. That collaboration has now evolved, with the partners examining how CiPD innovations can move toward real-world deployment and broader impact in both clinical and consumer settings, including prototype development for delivering the microrobots through a mouth-fitting device.

Moving CiPD Forward: CiPD 2.0

CiPD is building on a strong foundation in research, training, and innovation through new academic, clinical, and industry partnerships. CiPD 2.0 reflects a bold new vision — accelerating translation and implementation to turn promising discoveries into practical solutions for patients and providers. CiPD 2.0 is poised to strengthen its role as a catalyst for discovery, partnership, and impact, bringing together research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to accelerate promising innovations into accessible, effective solutions that improve oral and overall health.

To learn how to support CiPD, contact Maren Gaughan, gaughan@upenn.edu

Give online >>

ALUMNIHIGHLIGHTS

PROFILES, GATHERINGS & ENGAGEMENT

2026 Alumni Awards

The Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society is pleased to honor the accomplishments and dedication of alumni with its annual awards. The awards will be presented as part of Alumni Weekend 2026 at a special reception on Friday, May 15, 4 p.m. The 2026 Alumni Award recipients include the following.

THOMAS EVANS AWARD

The Thomas Evans Achievement Award is Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society’s highest award of recognition, honoring alumni who have shown innovation, excellence, and leadership in the profession of oral healthcare nationally and internationally. This year’s recipient is Dr. Robert (Skip) Collins (D’71)

ALUMNI AWARD OF MERIT

The Alumni Award of Merit recognizes love for and loyalty to Penn Dental Medicine, excellence in the profession of dentistry, and community involvement. The award acknowledges graduates who have maintained their ties with the School through their support of alumni activities, demonstrated leadership in the dental profession, and fostered and maintained the ideals of the School. This year’s recipients include:

Penn Dental Medicine alumnus Dr. Robert (Skip) Collins (D’71) has devoted his career to public health dentistry and teaching. He joined the Penn Dental Medicine faculty in 2006 and continues to serve as a Clinical Professor in the Division of Community Oral Health, inspiring students to consider similar careers in public service and academia. Dr. Collins spent 11 years with the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR), where he was Deputy Executive Director. Prior to that, he served for 24 years in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, rising to Chief, Dental Services Branch, of the Indian Health Service and U.S. Chief Dental Officer (1991–1995). He retired from the Corps in 1995 at the rank of Rear Admiral (Assistant Surgeon General). Along with his DMD from Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Collins holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD OF MERIT

The Young Alumni Award of Merit recognizes Penn Dental Medicine alumni one to 15 years from graduation who have maintained their ties with the School through their support of alumni activities, demonstrated leadership in the dental profession, and fostered and maintained the ideals that the School of Dental Medicine has stood for since its founding. This year’s recipients are:

CHARLOTTE SULLIVAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Charlotte J. Sullivan Lifetime Achievement Award, established by the Alumni Society Executive Board in 2024 and previously given by the Penn Dental Hygiene Alumni Association, recognizes Penn Dental Medicine dental hygiene graduates for extraordinarily meritorious contributions advancing the dental hygiene discipline. The award is named in honor of the inaugural director of Penn Dental Medicine’s Oral Hygiene program, founded in 1921. The award is conferred only when the Board feels there is a dental hygienist who should be so honored. This year’s recipient is:

HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD

The honorary alumni awards are presented to individuals who are not graduates of Penn Dental Medicine, but have demonstrated a strong commitment to Penn Dental Medicine through their service to and involvement with the School. This year’s recipient is:

Alumni Gatherings

AAP 2026

Penn Dental Alumni and friends gathered at the 2026 American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) in Toronto, Canada. This year marks the 70th Anniversary of the Department of Periodontics.

ORTHO ALUMNI DAY

PALO ALTO DINNER

The Department of Orthodontics celebrated the 72nd Annual Ortho Alumni Day at Penn Dental Medicine. Alumni and friends of Penn Dental Medicine came together to reconnect and share advances in orthodontics.

Alumni and friends gathered with Dean Mark Wolff and Ramanan Raghavendran, Chair of the University Trustees, for a dinner hosted by Dr. David Shen (D'79, GD'81) in Palo Alto, Calif. to celebrate community and shared vision for the future.

Curiously Collectible

Toothpicks, as Dr. Steven Potashnick (GD’78) discovered, are a lot more interesting than you might think.

DR. STEVEN POTASHNICK (GD’78)

Over the years, Penn Dental Medicine alumnus Dr. Steven Potashnick (GD’78) has become accustomed to the responses he gets when he tells people he collects toothpicks. “They roll their eyes, they chuckle a bit,” says the prosthodontist and periodontist, who is retired and lives in Chicago. “And I say, ‘I don’t think we’re talking the same language here,’ and I take out my phone and show them some pictures, and routinely they say, ‘That’s very cool. I need to learn more about that.’”

A quick flip through Potashnick’s “The Art and History of the Toothpick,” a lavishly illustrated book he published in 2023, reveals why toothpicks are no laughing matter. With close to 3,000 images, the book catalogs the staggering variety of forms these handy tools have taken, from bronze Roman toothpick/ tweezer combos to enameled silver sarcophagi (photo 1) that hide retractable toothpicks to tiny gold and silver flintlock pistols “loaded” with a toothpick that slides out of the barrel (photo 5).

1 Enameled silver sarcophagus. Pulling the foot extends the retracts the toothpick (1.7” long).

2 24 miniature and functional tools, including toothpicks, an earspoon, tweezer, awl, knives, saws, pie crimper, lances, and button hook, measuring 4”L x 1.5”W x 1”H.

3 Bone carving of man toting around his stomach in a wheel barrel (3.5” closed, circa 1840).

4 A gold flintlock pistol embellished with an intricate gold filigree wire and black and white enamel (2.5” closed). The pistol contains a toothpick and mechanical pencil.

Toothpicks, as Potashnick explains, have also been incorporated into figural novelties depicting sports equipment, a man carrying his stomach in a wheel barrel (photo 3), a pig on a pedestal, a carrot, just to name a few examples. They have been combined with other tools, including, but by no means limited to, mechanical pencils, a dip pen, and a spring- loaded postage scale. Clearly, we are not talking about the disposable wooden sticks you might find at a diner.

Potashnick himself had little idea of this long and rich history when he began collecting toothpicks. “To me it was a tool that helps hold a sandwich together and can be used to transfer a cube of food from your plate to your mouth or to dislodge food between the teeth,” he says. “I knew next to nothing about the variety and combination of materials they were made from, the cultural forces that influenced when and where and who they were made for, the novelty, technology, innovation, and creativity that developed over time.”

That began to change in 1992 when an antiques dealer he knew mentioned she had a piece he might be interested in. Potashnick was already a collector of medical, dental, and scientific instruments, but when she returned with two finely carved cases made from bone, horn and ivory, with tools rotating out from the center, he had no idea what they were.

When the dealer explained that they were Victorian toothpicks, Potashnick knew he had lit on his new collecting passion. “It was perfect because I needed to size down my collecting. We were starting a family at that time, and these were perfect because they were relatively small, they could be easily stored, and they were pretty affordable.”

So began a decades-long (and ongoing) fascination. “It opened up a whole new realm for me,” he says. “When we traveled, I would try to stop in antique shops and ask people in their language if they had any antique toothpicks.”

This collection — which provided the raw material for the book — is now believed to be the largest and most comprehensive in the world, spanning 2,000 years, from Ancient Rome to the Victorian era.

Within a few years, he had amassed around 750 pieces, a collection that doubled in size when he purchased a similar sized assemblage from Peter Katz, a fellow collector with whom Potashnick had struck up a lively and cordial correspondence in the late 1990s. This merged collection — which provided the raw material for the book — is now believed to be the largest and most comprehensive in the world, spanning 2,000 years, from Ancient Rome to the Victorian era.

As to what made him a collector in the first place, Potashnick says “the joy of the hunt, and the satisfaction of the acquisition” certainly played a role. “It led to new friends with common interests.” He also sees parallels between the type of dentistry he has practiced and his passion for collecting.

“It’s similar to the kind of training that I had at Penn in the periodontics and periodontal prosthesis program,” explains Potashnick, who earned his specialty certificate here in 1978. It begins with a quest for

5 Dueling silver pistols — one a toothpick and the other a mechanical pencil (1.6” closed, circa 1840).

6 Carved ivory case with two bone toothpicks (2.4” closed). One of the first toothpicks acquired by Dr. Potashnick.

7 Bone and hone toothpicks with decorative divider — one of two toothpicks (#6 the other) that started Dr. Potashnick’s collection.

knowledge. “The program was designed to treat teeth with very advanced disease and test certain principles and to show that by treating them in an organized manner and a proper order, you could achieve the best possible result. It’s sort of true with toothpicks as well. Collecting appeals to a sense of order with both art and science contributing to the final outcome. You can organize them in any number of ways, but I’ve done it chronologically and by materials because I find it makes the most sense to see the innovations as they evolved over time.”

Though Potashnick finds it hard to pick favorites among his vast collection, he points to a one-of-a-kind piece possibly made by a captured sailor during the Napoleonic Wars as one of his most remarkable. In Swiss Army Knife fashion, the compendium piece, carved intricately from bone, houses 24 miniaturized tools including an earspoon, a button hook, a pie crimper, a lance, and, yes, a toothpick (photo 2).

As much as he has grown to love toothpicks, Potashnick, like many in the profession, would never recommend one for cleaning teeth. “They’re effective at getting things that are stuck between teeth out,” he says, “but the biofilms that cause dental disease that accumulate on teeth require something other than a straight instrument like that to effectively clean the whole surface of the tooth.” There have also been cases reported where people have accidentally aspirated or ingested a toothpick into a lung or digestive tract, he notes. “So that’s another reason to be cautious.”

Most of Potashnick’s collecting happens online these days, but the thrill of the chase remains. “A collection is never complete. It’s a passion that never ends,” he says. “You never know when you’re going to find that next one-of-a-kind toothpick you have to have.”

For more information about Potashnick’s book go to toothpickcollector.com.

CLASSNOTES

NEWS FROM FELLOW ALUMNI

1970s

Dr. Louis Rose (GD’70) has a granddaughter, Halle Rose, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania summa cum laude in May 2025 and is now working at FTI Consulting in New York City. With her achievement, Dr. Rose and his family are proud to celebrate three generations of Penn alumni in their family. His son, David Rose, graduated from Penn Law in 1994 and currently serves as the managing partner of Pryor Cashman LLP in New York.

Dr. Edward Landau (D’71) transitioned into the world of finance after a wonderful career as a dentist. He is now working with the investment banking firm RLS Associates in Wilmington, Del., where he assists business owners who are looking to sell their companies. He is thoroughly enjoying this new chapter in his professional life.

Dr. William Dudley (D’73) retired in 2013 after a long and distinguished career in both private practice and military service, completing 40 years in private practice and 28 years of total military service, culminating in his role as a Lieutenant Colonel and Dental Clinic Commander with the New Jersey Air National Guard. Since relocating to Cape May, N.J., in 2005, he enjoys an active lifestyle that includes fishing, tennis, biking, kayaking, and travel, and he volunteers with Habitat for Humanity as a construction worker helping to build homes for families in need.

Dr. Joel Applebaum (D’76) has been retired for the past 13 years and spends his winters in Boynton Beach, Fla. He has five grandchildren whom he sees frequently, and his son, Matthew, followed in his footsteps and is now a practicing pediatric dentist in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Dr. John Gershey (D’76) is a practicing orthodontist and is the past President of the Scranton District Dental Society.

Dr. Ronald Malen (D’76) has retired from his almost 40 years of practice in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. He has since fulfilled his life-long dream of living in Israel and is enjoying his retirement.

Dr. Walter Kulick (D’77) has continued to innovate within the field of dentistry. He recently invented, patented, and brought to market a cementless, custom two-screw implant abutment designed to allow any mis-angled implant to be fully screw-retained. This advancement is now available to clinicians at abutmentguy.com.

Dr. Frederic Barnett (D’78, GD’81) will be awarded the IB Bender Lifetime Educator Award at the upcoming American Association of Endodontists (AAE) Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City.

1980s

Dr. David Hershkowitz (D’80) has created a new Facebook group for the Dental Class of 1980! The group is intended to be a space where classmates can reconnect, share personal and professional updates, post photos, and stay in touch between reunions. Join the conversation at “Class of 1980 Penn School of Dental Medicine.” (http://www.facebook.com/groups/2105174143331408)

Dr. Neal Futran (C’78, D’82) recently concluded his 18-year tenure as Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Washington. He will continue as a professor in the department, focusing on head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstruction.

Dr. Cheryl Andrews (D’85, GD’86) recently had the pleasure of attending her 40th reunion at Alumni Weekend 2025 with Dr. Jeff Sibner (D’83, GD’84). She is enjoying her retirement and recently took a trip to Morocco.

Dr. Eric Wachs (D’85) has been appointed the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate Education at Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College.

Dr. Stuart Hoffman (D’89) was honored for his 20 years of teaching orthodontics at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of the University of Southern California in May of 2025.

1990s

Dr. Mark McDonough (D’95) is pleased to share that, after 32 years of practicing orthodontics in Pennington, N.J., Dr. Joe DeSantis will be joining his practice. His youngest daughter recently completed her master’s degree at RIT and is now working for British Aeronautics and Engineering in Denver. His second daughter works for Lockheed Martin, is married, and is living in Hawaii. His oldest daughter is with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and achieved an impressive 19th place finish in the Olympic Distance World Championship in Sydney, Australia last fall.

Sam Kadan (D’95), once classmates at Penn Dental Medicine, both now have sons who will be part of the University of Pennsylvania Class of 2030!

2000s

Dr. Homayon Berenji (D’06, GD’16) recently opened Gentle Endodontic Specialists in Warminster, Pa. Building a practice from the ground up has been both challenging and rewarding for him. His goal has been to create a space where patients feel comfortable, supported, and well cared for while receiving high quality endodontic treatment. He remains grateful for the foundation he received at Penn Dental Medicine, which continues to guide his clinical approach and his commitment to the profession.

Dr. Sima Yakoby Epstein (D’02, GD’07) is the Founder & CEO of OrthoNu. It is a precision oral–systemic health platform integrating diagnostics, prevention, and regenerative care through proprietary dissolvable and bio-interface technologies. They bridge clinical dentistry, distribution, and consumer health to deliver scalable, data-driven outcomes.

INMEMORIAM

REMEMBERING MEMBERS OF THE PENN DENTAL MEDICINE COMMUNITY

Nancy Warwick Tarlton (DH’49) Middletown, RI; March 2, 2026

C. Wendell Lofland (D’55) Kennett Square, PA; November 4, 2025

Norman G. Becker, Jr. (D’56) Winter Park, FL; September 26, 2025

John L. Coker, Jr (D’54, GD’55) Gainesville, FL; October 23, 2025

Charles W. Jensen Jr. (C’56, D’59) Stamford, CT; October 17, 2025

Mark H. Smoller (D’56) Putnam Valley, NY; February 3, 2026

Edgar R. Kunz, Jr. (D’57) Newtown Square, PA; January 4, 2026

John B. Gworek (D’60) Sanibel, FL; October 4, 2025

Robert M. Abrams (D’60, GR’63) Bridgewater, NJ; December 11, 2025

Bette Seddon Danielson (DH’60) Eastford, CT; October 31, 2025

Robert J. O’Leary (D’61, GD’65) North East, PA; February 10, 2026

Clarice O’Neil McGee (DH’61) Camp Hill, PA; December 2, 2025

Richard A. Bohn (D’63) Myerstown, PA; January 26, 2026

Richard W. D’Eustachio (D’63) Cherry Hill, NJ; March 4, 2026

Lawerence N. Rouff (D’63, GD’66) Palm Beach Gardens, FL; March 11, 2026

Norman Browner (D’64) Miami, FL; November 4, 2025

James D. Smallwood (D’64) Leola, PA; December 13, 2025

James D. Brackett (D’65) Hanover, NH; October 8, 2025

Mary Esterline Lehn (DH’67) York, PA; February 23, 2026

Thomas A. McInnes (GD’68) Mooresville, NC; March 3, 2026.

Barry J. Paley (D’69) Boca Raton, FL; February 19, 2026

John J. Cashen (D’72) Saint Helena Island, SC; September 16, 2025

John S. Kelchner (D’72) Portsmouth, RI; October 9, 2026

Patrick J. Vallano (D’76) Greensburg, PA; January 15, 2026

Edward J. Kozinn (D’83, GD’84) Shelton, CT; January 1, 2026

Arthur R. Stanger (D’85) Boca Raton, FL; February 16, 2026

2026CALENDAR

UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS

MAY

MAY 12

Senior Farewell

The Bellevue, Philadelphia

MAY 14

Advances in Clinical Care & Education (ACCE) Day

Penn Dental Medicine

MAY 15–16

Alumni Weekend

Penn Dental Medicine

MAY 17

OKU Celebration

Penn Dental Medicine

MAY 18

Commencement

Irvine Auditorium

University of Pennsylvania

MAY 28

CDE: 2025 Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD) Symposium

Penn Dental Medicine

JUNE

JUNE 1

CDE: Penn Orthodontic Department Lecture Series featuring Dr. Timothy Tremont

Live Webinar

JUNE 2

CDE: Endodontics Class of 2026

Final Case Presentations

Hybrid

JUNE 8–9

CDE: Implant University

Penn Dental Medicine

JUNE 10–11

Career Fair 2026

Penn Dental Medicine

AUGUST

AUGUST 11

Class of 2030 White Coat Ceremony

University of Pennsylvania

Resources to Stay, Get Connected

OCTOBER

OCTOBER 1

American Association of and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Reception Seattle, WA

OCTOBER 2

Ortho Alumni Day

Penn Dental Medicine

OCTOBER 23–24

CDE: AAOM Fall Meeting

Penn Dental Medicine

OCTOBER 15–16

CDE: Penn Interdisciplinary Microscopy Course

Penn Dental Medicine

OCTOBER 29

American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Reception Seattle, WA

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 6–7

CDE: Penn International Symposium on Digital and Implant Dentistry

Penn Dental Medicine

Visit www.dental.upenn.edu/events or call 215-898-8951 for information on alumni events

Visit

www.dental.upenn.edu/cde or call 215-573-6841 for information on continuing dental education programs

MYPENN

An online community exclusively for University of Pennsylvania alumni. Visit www.dental.upenn.edu/myPenn

CAREERS

Career Opportunities is an online resource for those beginning a job search and a place to submit a posting if you are seeking a new employee or looking to sell your practice. Visit www.dental.upenn. edu/careers.

FIND A PENN DENTIST

Find a Penn Dentist, located prominently on the Penn Dental Medicine web site, allows visitors to the site to search a directory of Penn Dental Medicine alumni practices by city/state, zip code, or specialty. Register at www.dental.upenn.edu/map.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Join “Penn Dental Medicine” on Facebook or follow “PennDentalMed” on X and Instagram. You can also connect to “Penn Dental Medicine Alumni” on LinkedIn (a private group of alumni and current students).

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNI SOCIETY 2025–2026 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Alyssa Greenberger, D’02 President

Katherine France, D’16, GR’16, GD’18 Vice-President

Members-at-Large

Pam Alberto, D’80

Karam Alyashooa, D’25

David Boschken, D’98 GD’00

Scott Chanin, D’83

Gail Spiegel Cohen, C’76 D’80

Milan Doshi, D’07

Caryn Siegel Finley, C’95 D’99

Kara Fraiman, D’92 GD’94

Andrew Fraser, D’16

Maria Perno Goldie, DH’71

Jason Goodchild, D’98

Stephen Howarth, D’16

Kenneth Ingber, D’71

Ana Kodra, D’19 GD’24

JV Kracke, D’17 GD’19

Daniel Kubikian, D’01 GD’04 GD’05

Roopali Kulkarni, D’19 GR’19 GD’21

Bernard Kurek, D’73 WMP’03 WEV’04

Kristin Lee, D’25 GD’27

Kristen Leong, C’16 GEd’20 D’21

Bret Lesavoy, D’19

Kevin Luan, GD’17

Craig McKenzie, GEd’20, D’21

Julie Berenblum Myerson, D’23

John Newland, D’84

Nimesh Patel, D’09

Lindsay Pfeffer, D’08 GR’08

Shabnam Sedaghat, D’06

Josh Simpson, D’16

Matt Sones, D’12

Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, DH’82

Shari Summers, D’83

Ben Truong, D’19

Michael Yasner, C’79 D’83 GD’84 GD’86

Sarah Yoon, D’07 GD’13

Brigitte White Zinkovic, CGS’04 D’07

BOARD OF ADVISORS

David Tai-Man Shen, DMD, D’79, GD’81, Chair

Ruchi Aggarwal Goel, WG’04

Stanley M. Bergman, Emeritus

Dirk Brunner, MSC, MBA

Julie Charlestein

William W. M. Cheung, D’81, GD’82, Emeritus

Joanne Chouinard-Luth, D’79

Terri Dolan, DDS, MPH

Egidio Farone, D‘84

Allen Finkelstein, DDS

Anne Koch, D’77, GD’93

David Kochman

Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD

Vincent Mosimann

Catherine O’Hern Lyons, C’86

Joan O’Shea, MD

Garry Rayant, GD’77

Daniel Richardson, D’02

Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD

Tony Saito, D’95

Hector Sarmiento, GD‘14

Thomas Schwieterman, MD

Heather Trombley

Joerg Vogel

Robert Zou, WG’94

Ex Officio Members

Gail E. Schupak, D’83, Chair, Dean’s Council

Alyssa Greenberger, DMD, D’02, President, Alumni Society

DEAN’S COUNCIL

Gail E. Schupak, D’83, Chair

Robert Brody, C’80, D’84

Stefani Cheung, C’08 D’11

Charlene Jennings Fenster, DH’75

Joseph P. Fiorellini, DMD, DMSc

Howard P. Fraiman, D’91, GD’93, GD’94

Joseph E. Gian-Grasso, C’67, D’71

C. Mitchell Goldman, WG’75

Jeffrey N. Grove, D’04

Elliot Hersh, DMD, MS, PhD

Anil J. Idiculla, C’98, GD’06

Christopher Joy, D’80

Meetu Kohli, D’02, GD’05, GD’26

Brian Lee, D’00, GD’04

Martin D. Levin, D’72, GD’74, Emeritus

Richard Levitt, C’68, D’72, GD’77

Richard Liu, D’95

Daniell J. Mishaan, D’03

Saul M. Pressner, D’79

Michael Ragan, D’77

Louis Rossman, D’75, GD’77

Derek Sanders, D’06

Trina Sengupta, D’08

Tara Sexton, D’88

Abhinav Sinha, D’05

Susan Stern, C’77, D’81

Bobby Vijay, D’05

Arnold Weisgold, GD’65

PDMJ ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Beth Adams

Director of Publications

Dr. Faizan Alawi

Professor, Basic & Translational Sciences

Vice Dean for Academics

Dr. Markus Blatz

Professor of Restorative Dentistry

Chair, Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences

Sarah Burton Flynn

Director of Strategic Development & Alumni Relations

Maren Gaughan

Associate Dean for Development & Strategic Initiatives

Dr. Joan Gluch

Professor of Clinical Community Oral Health

Dr. Dana Graves

Professor, Department of Periodontics

Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship

Dr. Robert Ricciardi

Professor, Acting Chair, Department of Basic & Translational Sciences

Dr. Thomas Sollecito

Professor of Oral Medicine

Chair, Department of Oral Medicine

Margaret Yang

Director of Student Affairs and Engagement

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Brian T. Myers, btmyers@upenn.edu

Senior Associate Dean of Institutional Advancement

Maren Gaughan, gaughan@upenn.edu

Associate Dean for Development & Strategic Initiatives

Sarah Burton Flynn, sburton@upenn.edu

Director of Strategic Development & Alumni Relations

Lindsay Murphy, lhonzak@upenn.edu

Associate Director of Annual Giving

Matthew Breen, breen1@upenn.edu

Assistant Director of Events Services

Domenic Gaeta, dtgaeta@upenn.edu

Development Coordinator

Beth Adams, adamsnb@upenn.edu

Director, Publications

Pam Rice, pamrice@upenn.edu

Senior Director of Continuing Education

Rachel Dager, rdager@upenn.edu

Associate Director of Continuing Education

Brittani Kelly, brikelly@upenn.edu

Program Coordinator of Continuing Dental Education

Office of Institutional Advancement: 215–898–8951

The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to the Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Sansom Place East, 3600 Chestnut Street, Suite 228, Philadelphia, PA 19104–6106; or (215) 898–6993 (Voice) or (215) 898–7803 (TDD).

Robert Schattner Center

University of Pennsylvania

School of Dental Medicine

240 South 40th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104–6030

A Simple Designation to a Lasting Legacy

One powerful way to make a difference and create a lasting legacy is to name Penn Dental Medicine as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance policy, donor advised fund, or other financial account. This simple and flexible gift can help you achieve your philanthropic goals at no cost today, while in some cases offering potential tax advantages.

Make an impact and support the programs that mean the most to you by naming Penn Dental Medicine as a full, partial, or secondary beneficiary.

Getting started is easy, simply contact your account provider and request a beneficiary designation form.