College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics

Dean's Message

As we approach the start of our dental academic year, I want to take a moment to thank our excellent staff—from our front-line desk staff to our dental hygienists and assistants, from our part-time greeters to our business office, from our support teams in each department to our IT and EdMedia teams—you are often the first people who people think about when they see our college. You are the ones who our patients, students, and faculty rely on, and all of you are essential parts of our health care team. Your work makes the process of making a patient feel heard and cared for as a dental provider enters the operatory; your work ensures that our faculty can deliver the highest quality dental education to our students; your work ensures that we can fulfill our patient care, educational, and research discovery missions. Thank you! It makes all the difference. Cheers! ~Clark Stanford

Updates for July 21, 2023–July 27, 2023

Third-year dental student receives Tillman Award

Third-year dental student Zachary Graham was named a 2023 Tillman Scholar. Each year, the Pat Tillman Foundation selects 60 leaders from over a thousand applicants. These leaders have all served in the military, are passionate about academics, and seek to impact the world via service for others. Our collegiate community has already felt Zach's ongoing work to serve others. You can read more about some of Zach's efforts on the Iowa Dentistry website.

Jean Redlinger with Family Dentistry colleagues

Jean Redlinger named Collegiate Ambassador

For nearly 20 years, Jean Redlinger has been working at the College of Dentistry where she has become a cornerstone for the Department of Family Dentistry. Jean Redlinger is a shining example of trustworthiness, dedication, and selflessness, demonstrating her commitment to helping others in a constructive and positive manner, even when it goes above and beyond her normal responsibilities. Jean is often the first face that staff, adjunct, and full-time faculty members see upon arriving in the department, is quick to establish personal rapport with everyone that she interacts with, and immediately puts others at ease with her warmth, friendliness, and supportive customer service-oriented attitude. She consistently inspires confidence among those around her through her effective, efficient, and knowledgeable work ethic. Because she is a true asset to the College of Dentistry, and her impact on the Department of Family Dentistry and the college is immeasurable, Jean Redlinger is a most deserving Ambassador for the College of Dentistry.

The Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research featured

Iowa Dentistry is a global leader in oral science and dental and craniofacial research. A recent article in Futurum highlights the 30-40 person group of faculty, postdoctoral, and student researchers that make up the IIOHR, profiling several prominent faculty members and their advice for pursuing careers in academic dental, oral, and craniofacial research.

Jay, Lynn, and Cathy Tigges outside of the Carroll Dental Clinic

Tigges family legacy highlighted in Carroll Times Herald

In 1970, Lynn Curry ('65 DDS) came to practice dentistry in Carroll, IA. Thirty years ago in 1993, his daughter, Cathy Tigges ('93 DDS) began practicing at the clinic. And now, Jay Tigges ('22 DDS), Cathy's son, is practicing there. The family's impact on the Carroll community is clear, and their commitment to Iowa Dentistry is inspiring. Lynn, for example, is a champion for student recruitment, making phone calls and connecting with potential students.

Congratulations to Dr. Carissa Comnick!

This past week, Carissa Comnick successfully defended her dissertation, "Bayesian Modeling of Dental Caries Progression Over Time in the Oral Cavity Space." The project was mentored by Jin Xie, associate dean for research for Iowa Dentistry, and Brian Smith, professor of biostatistics

Lori Chalupa with a fellow IMOM coworker

IMOM Testimonials

Lori Chalupa volunteers at IMOM as a lead EMS and works in med triage until it closes, and then he sits with the paramedic crew at IMOM. Lori Chalupa, support services specialist in the Faculty General Practice, speaks to the importance of staff members volunteering to help:

"IMOM has been a life changer for me! Since the first IMOM in Cedar Rapids, I’ve been a part of all of them. IMOM wouldn’t be possible without the help of so many dedicated volunteers…once you’ve been a part of it, you can’t wait until the next event! It’s great working with faculty on such a different level and great friendships have developed over the years with many volunteers. IMOM wouldn’t be possible without them! The satisfaction of knowing how many lives you’ve touched in such a meaningful way is profound!

Service for patients on medicaid in Iowa

The Sioux City Journal highlighted a major problem affecting the healthcare of countless Iowans. Although many patients have state-provided dental insurance as part of the Dental Wellness Plan, Iowa's Medicaid plan for dental care, many of them are unable to access care with their insurance because few dentists across the state take new Medicaid patients. The article highlighted some of the challenges with accepting new patients, including the low reimbursement rates, but also the impact that this has on the healthcare of Iowans.

Kudos to you!

Vilma Park's review: "I enjoy my visits at the Ul college of Dentistry, The staff are courteous and friendly. My most recent visit was very pleasant, my hygienist are very nice and friendly. I highly recommend UI dentistry and without dental insurance, it is the place to be. Affordable treatment plan."

Collaborative and Innovative Research

Levy SM, Warren JJ, Kolker JL, Weber-Gasparoni K. Generalized permanent dentition fluorosis severity becomes less evident over time among a birth cohort. Front Oral Health. 2023 Jun 30;4:1198167. doi: 10.3389/froh.2023.1198167. PMID: 37456361; PMCID: PMC10348053.

Fluoride, which most people consume via community water fluoridation and toothpaste, effectively prevents caries. The only proven downside to using fluoride to prevent caries is dental fluorosis. But how bad is fluorosis and does its severity lessen over time? The research team identified and tracked changes in fluorosis severity over time for a cohort of participants in the Iowa Fluoride Study from childhood until they became young adults. They found that fluorosis became less evident as the cohort grew older. "This was found for both the more severe fluorosis lesions observed for a participant or tooth, as well as here as a reduction in the amount of generalized fluorosis seen throughout the mouth or across the zones of a tooth."

Government inspectors reviewing the ROTC regiment on May 1, 1922

Hawkeye Trailblazers: Medical unit ROTC

Medical ROTC units were created by legislation enacted in 1920. The University of Iowa program began in the 1921-1922 academic year, and the photo above shows government inspectors reviewing the ROTC regiment on May 1, 1922. The colleges of medicine and dentistry at Iowa had a total enrollment of 103 that year. See the 1921-1922 Iowa Alumnus publication for further details (p. 265).