February 21, 2008
School of Dentistry records outstanding accomplishments
Last year faculty and staff of the School of Dentistry recorded many achievements. Here are just a few of them.
Office of Research
UW faculty members Tim DeRouen, primary investigator, and co-investigators Michael Martin, Susan Coldwell, and Charles Spiekerman from the School of Dentistry, and Sharon Smith Elsayed of the Division of Human Subjects, initiated the Fogarty International Center-funded training program, “Clinical, Public Health, and Behavioral Oral Health Research Training for Thailand”. Twenty-eight participants from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bhutan, and Bangladesh were enriched by the five-day workshop,which focused on clinical research methods for dental school faculty in Ayutthaya, Thailand.
Department of Periodontics
Richard Darveau, professor in both periodontology & oral biology, received the prestigious IADR Basic Research in Periodontal Disease Award at the IADR Meeting in March 2007. He was nominated for this award as an outstanding scholar and scientist in the periodontal field. Darveau has been recognized world-wide for his contributions to the field of oral and systemic microbiology. His earlier research findings in P. gingivalis LPS have led to further exploration of the contribution of oral commensal bacteria in generating the protective immune response found in clinically healthy periodontal tissue.
Department of Oral Medicine
Linda LeResche was awarded a curriculum development grant from the National Institute of Dental Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) to provide the School of Dentistry with an opportunity to further-develop an atmosphere where research is something dental students can participate in throughout their training, and not only as a graduate student or academician. It will also afford students a chance to work more closely with faculty in elective courses to assess the amount and quality of evidence from research surrounding key clinical issues, which will influence how they and other dentists practice.
Department of Restorative Dentistry
Richard V. and Elaine Tucker established the Dr. Richard V. and Elaine Tucker Endowment Fund for Faculty Development in Restorative Dentistry. Proceeds from this endowment will be used to ensure that faculty members continue to grow, both intellectually and technically, in dental academia.
Department of Pediatric Dentistry
Thanks to the staggering generosity of the Washington Dental Service and the Washington Dental Service Foundation, a lead gift of $5 million will help to build the Washington Dental Service Building for Early Childhood Oral Health, a facility to house an innovative clinical, research and training program, known as the Early Childhood Oral Health (ECOH) program. This gift serves as a catalyst for our efforts to improve the dental care of children by bringing oral health care and medical professionals together under one roof to impact healthcare delivery models, research and education.
Regional Initiatives In Dental Education (RIDE)
Thanks to strong partnerships and close collaboration with Eastern Washington University, Washington State University and the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Washington State Legislature awarded $4 million to the University of Washington to create RIDE, the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education program, in Spokane. This community-based model will train dental students in the eastern and rural parts of the state where access issues and workforce shortages are acute.
For more information about the School of Dentistry, please contact Dana Slote at drslote@u.washington.edu or 206-616-0827.
