College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics

Dean's Message

Happy Independence Day! As we celebrate this important day for the United States, I think it is important to recognize the freedoms that we currently enjoy and the reason we have those freedoms while striving to make the United States and our world a better place for all. The university will be closed on the holiday. Have a happy Fourth of July and please enjoy a safe and happy holiday with your family, friends and your community. Cheers! ~Clark Stanford

Fireworks over Old Cap

Updates for July 1, 2022–July 7, 2022

Azeez Alade with IADR Smile Train Research Award

Iowa graduate student receives inaugural IADR Smile Train Cleft Research Award

Azeez Alade, a PhD candidate in genetic epidemiology, specializes in identifying rare genetic factors associated with orofacial clefts in African populations. The IADR and Smile Train awarded Alade $75K to support his dissertation research.

Dental students give back to summer educational program

The dental track of the Summer Health Professions Education Program showcases careers in dentistry for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds. Since 2017, this highly competitive program has served over 100 students helping to prepare them for dental school and a future career in dentistry. Jonelle Joseph and Hannah Malloy are two graduates of this unique and immersive educational experience, and both have helped with the program over the last two summers.

Always a Hawkeye: Timothy S. Trulove ('89 MS '89) installed as president-elect of the American Board of Orthodontics

The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) installed Timothy S. Trulove, D.M.D., M.S., of Montgomery, Ala., as president-elect for the year beginning May 22, 2022. The ABO is partnered with the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) and is recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards as the national certifying board for orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. Board certification is a process by which an individual orthodontist is voluntarily examined by his or her peers regarding orthodontic knowledge and clinical skills. Trulove has been in private practice in Montgomery, AL since 1989. In addition, he is a staff orthodontist for the Cleft Palate Clinic of Alabama Children’s Rehabilitation Service and is an adjunct professor of orthodontics at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry in Birmingham, AL.

Ahmed Mahrous and Amira Elgreatly receiving a photo with signatures and a note from second-year dental students

Dental students recognize impact of Ahmed Mahrous and Amira Elgreatly

Today is Ahmed Mahrous's and Amira Elgreatly's last day at Iowa. They have accepted positions at A.T. Still University in Arizona, where Elgreatly will be the director of operative dentistry, and Mahrous will be the director of CAD/CAM and digital dentistry. Both will also work in private practice in the Phoenix area. Both Mahrous and Elgreatly are highly regarded teachers at Iowa. The first-year dental students selected Elgreatly as D1 Faculty of the Year, and the second-year students gave both Mahrous and Elgreatly a gift of appreciation commemorating their educational efforts. Although they will be missed, they will always be Hawkeyes!

The College of Dentistry welcomes Zehra Omic

Zehra (pronounced like 'Sara' except with a z) Omic joined the College of Dentistry as a support services specialist in the Dental Business Office. She was born in Bosnia and lived there until she was six years old. She then moved to Germany, but has lived in Iowa City for over 20 years now. Zehra is trilingual, speaking Bosnian, German, English. She is married to Ervin Omic and they have one daughter, Lea, who often says she is “Princess Lea” named after Princess Leia from Star Wars. She has been working in healthcare and billing since 2013, and is excited to put her talents to use in the "the wonderful world of dentistry."

Sign up for My Dental Portal today

Many employees and students at the University of Iowa are patients and have family members who are patients at University of Iowa dental clinics. The college is recommending that all patients set up a My Dental Portal account. It is an excellent way to keep track of your appointments, bills, and dental records. It is also an opportunity for us to spread the word to friends and families about it!

Kudos to you!

Sue Kleinmeyer said: "Was very good, staff was wonderful with our handicap daughter, very understanding, and always talking to our daughter explaining things to her. Was helpful with our schedule in getting her in for getting a tooth out. Thank you for the great experience."

Julie Womer ('01 DDS) said of Marcos Vargas, professor in family dentistry, receiving the Collegiate Teaching Award: "Congratulations Dr. Vargas! You have made an incredible impact on the dentistry your students do. I am so thankful to have been one of them. Congratulations!"

Collaborative and innovative research

Fleming E, Reynolds J, Kim F, Warren J. From a call to action to taking action: Exploring the science, education, practice, and policy implications of dental public health as an antiracist discipline. J Public Health Dent. 2022 Mar;82 Suppl 1:5-7. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12527. PMID: 35726461.

Julie Reynolds, assistant professor in Preventive and Community Dentistry, was one of two guest editors on a special Journal of Public Health Dentistry issue on anti-racism that was released in June. The issue includes 19 articles on topics related to anti-racism, including the effects of discrimination and anti-racist solutions for research, education, practice, advocacy, and workforce. John Warren, professor in Preventive and Community Dentistry, was president of the AAPHD for the special issue.

Excerpt: "To be effective at addressing racism as a root cause of racial inequities, we must work broadly toward eliminating the existing structures and policies that perpetuate systemic racism and White supremacy. However, we cannot operate in isolation. We as a collective dental public health community must promote the best scientific information; support efforts to improve equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging within dental education; advocate for anti-racist policies; and encourage practices that advance health equity. Now is the time for us to take action, and this special issue is the next step that we are taking as an organization."

Kinnick Stadium with U.S.A. flag colors in the stands

Hawkeye history: celebrating veterans in 2011

On November 5, 2011 while celebrating Veterans Day, the University of Iowa placed giant paper cards on seats in Kinnick Stadium that if held up together made up the picture shown above. It is one example of Iowa honoring the United States.

Events

July 11, PhD Defense: Daniah Alhazmi, "A CBCT Investigation of Morphological Integration, Cervical Spine Non-Segmentation, and Volumetric Maxillary Sinus Association with Dental Impactions," mentored by co-chairs Shankar Rengasamy Venugopalan and Trishul Allareddy, N212 DSB, 11:00 a.m.

July 12, MS Thesis Defense: Richard Sinn, "The Epigenetic Studies in Peri-Implantitis Subjects," mentored by Satheesh Elangovan and Shankar Rengasamy Venugopalan, via Zoom only, 11:00 a.m.

July 22, Noon Presentation: Oliver D. Kripfgans and Hsun-Liang Chan, Anatomical and Functional Real-time Soft Tissue Imaging is Real!, Galagan A, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.

August 5, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

August 11, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

August 26, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

September 8, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

September 9, CE Course: Olin Family Visiting Lectureship, Peter Nordland, Utilization of Periodontal Plastic Surgery to Assist in the Esthetic Outcome.

September 10, Pregame Professional Program, Iowa v. Iowa State.

September 15, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

September 16, Alumni Reunion Weekend Reunion and CE-Classes Ending in 2s and 7s (details forthcoming)

September 17, Pregame Professional Program, Iowa v. Nevada (University Family Weekend)

September 17, Alumni Weekend Tailgate, Iowa v. Nevada

September 23, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

September 30, CE Course: Elevating Patient-Centered Restorative Care: Integrating Technology and Biology to Optimize Outcomes

October 1, Pregame Professional Program (Michigan)

October 1, Alumni Tailgate, Iowa v Michigan

October 3, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

October 14, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students

October 21, Fall 2022 Interview Day for Prospective DDS Students