Spring 2012 Vol
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MAGAZINE OF THE TUFTS UNIVERSITY DENTAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SPRING 2012 VOL. 16 NO. 1 NONPROFIT ORG. School of Dental Medicine U.S. POSTAGE 136 Harrison Avenue PAID BOSTON, MA Boston, ma 02111 PERMIT NO. 1161 SPORTS FOR SCHOLARSHIP www.tufts.edu/dental OPeN Dental meDicine Come join the Tufts University Dental Alumni Association for the 30th Annual Wide Open Golf & Tennis Tournament Unbroken Determined parents put their trust Monday, September 24, 2012 in a pioneering treatment Wellesley Country Club for cleft palate 300 Wellesley Ave. Wellesley, Massachusetts Tufts Dental alumni, faculty, family and friends are invited to participate! revival All proceeds benefit the For centuries, the history of Dental Alumni Student Loan Fund the Wampanoag Indians went unrecorded, and unrecognized. Chester Soliz, D61, set out to Schedule of Events change that. For more on his story, turn to page 10. Golf and Tennis Registration 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Golf Tournament 11 a.m. shotgun start Lunch included Tennis tournament 2 to 4 p.m. Reception 4 p.m. Awards Dinner 5 p.m. Registration Fees TUFTS UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF PUBLICATION Golf Tournament $350/player $1,300/foursome if signed up together Tennis Tournament $200/player Reception and Dinner Only $75 for guests and noncompetitors S 8331 05/12 n n PHOTO: BRAD DECECCO PLUS: CARE FOR VETERANS DIABETES AND GUM DISEASE A DR. SEUSS DISCOVERY 30035cvr.indd 1 4/26/12 2:55 PM 2012 Wide Open Tournament Registration Form Name_________________________________________________ SPORTS FOR SCHOLARSHIP Graduation year or affiliation with Tufts Dental___________ Guest(s) name(s)______________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ WiDe OPeN Daytime phone________________________________________ Email_________________________________________________ My handicap is___________. Cost includes lunch, tournament, reception and awards dinner. Golf Tournament $350/player $1,300/foursome if signed up together My foursome will include: 2. ____________________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________________ 4. ____________________________________________________ r Please check here if you would like to be placed in a foursome. Tennis Tournament $200/player Dental Alumni Reception & Awards Dinner Only Student Loan Fund $75 for guests and noncompetitors PAYMENT _____ golfers @ $350 each = $_________ The family that plays together... _____ tennis @ $200 each = $_________ Can’t participate this year? Please consider _____ dinner only @ $75 each = $_________ a $100 donation to help future students of _____ I will be unable to attend the 2012 WIDE OPEN, The Vermette family—five dentists in all, to meet the host, Steve Harvey, and see how Tufts Dental and be listed as a tournament but I’d be proud to be listed as a sponsor for my three with degrees from Tufts School of Dental the show is produced. “We laughed so hard,” sponsor in Tufts Dental Medicine magazine. Medicine—put their heads together and their recalls Ann Vermette. “Steve Harvey is a hoot.” $100 donation to the Student Loan Fund. hands on the buzzer for an appearance in February Although the Vermettes were bested by Please complete the registration form and r My check for $__________ is enclosed. on the nationally syndicated game show Family non-dentist siblings from New Jersey, who were r Feud, in which two families compete to name quicker on the buzzer, “the experience was great enclose your check, made payable to Tufts Please charge $__________ to my the most popular responses of 100 people to a for us as a family,” ann says. The Vermettes’ University Dental Alumni Association, and r MasterCard r VISA r Discover survey question. episode will be re-broadcast on May 15 and mail to: Card #_________________________________ Exp._______ Ann Vermette, D82, served as the team July 31; check www.familyfeud.com for times captain, accompanied by her father, Emile and station information. Billing Address: OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Vermette, D56, twin sister Cheryl Vermette, Street_________________________________________________ brother-in-law Donald Farrell, D82, and brother Above, Team Vermette: Michael Vermette, Tufts University Donald Farrell, Harvey, Emile Vermette, City_______________________ State_______ Zip_______ Michael Vermette. Following an audition in Cheryl Vermette and Ann Vermette. School of Dental Medicine Saugus, Mass. (Emile’s fuchsia sport coat helped One Kneeland Street, 7th Floor TOTAL ENCLOSED $__________ garner some attention), the show’s producers flew Boston, MA 02111 the family to Atlanta, where they had a chance Please mail this form and your check, payable to Tufts FOR MORE INFORMATION University Dental Alumni Association, to Office of Alumni Relations, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Phone 617.636.6773 One Kneeland Street, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02111. Email [email protected] Registration confirmation and directions will be http://dental.tufts.edu/alumni mailed to you prior to the tournament. PHOTO: COURTESY OF FAMILY FEUD 30035cvr.indd 2 4/26/12 2:55 PM contents SPRING 2012 VOLUME 16 NO. 1 features 10 Wampanoag Historian Chester Soliz, D61, was determined that the story of his people, the Mashpee tribe, not be forgotten. So he embraced their past, their present and their future. By Julie Flaherty COVER STORY 14 Unbroken After their unborn infant was diagnosed with cleft palate, Carol and Garrison Vieira put their faith in Tufts dentists and physicians—and a therapy that had not been done in Massachusetts before. By Jacqueline Mitchell 20 Lives of Service Inga Keithy, D12, a future Navy dentist, didn’t have to go far to find an ocean of need among Boston’s homeless veterans. By Jacqueline Mitchell 26 By the Book Esther Wilkins, D49, DG66, a rock star in the classroom and the author of the bible of dental hygiene, doesn’t like to be called 26 a pioneer, even though her singular career and her latest award would have you think otherwise. By Julie Flaherty 30 New Thinking About Children departments A multidisciplinary symposium on kids’ mental and physical 2LeTTerS development heralds the arrival of Tufts University’s 13th president, Anthony P. Monaco. By Michael Blanding 3 From THe DeAN 4 WorD oF moUTH A SCAN OF PEOPLE, PLACES & EVENTS 8 LAB NoTeS A REPORT ON LEADING-EDGE SCIENCE 34 oN CAmpUS DENTAL SCHOOL NEWS 42 ADvANCemeNT GIVING. GROWTH. GRATITUDE. 44 ALUmNI NeWS STAYING CONNECTED 5 On the Cover: The remarkable young life of Nayelli Vieira. Photo by Kathleen Dooher 30035txt01.indd 1 4/20/12 6:22 PM LETTERS dental medicine VOLUME 16, NO. 1 SPRING 2012 THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE I want to express my gratitude for working Executive Editor Huw F. Thomas at Tufts these past 10 years. Tikkun olam Dean, School of Dental Medicine in Judaism refers to the passion of social Editor Helene Ragovin action, social justice and commitment to Editorial Director Karen Bailey LEST WE FORGET the underserved. Tikkun olam, for me, is all Alumni Editor Vangel R. Zissi, D62, DG67 The story about John Saunders (“Life of the above and more. Design Director Margot Grisar After Death,” Fall 2011) was outstanding. Staff and faculty in the pediatric den- Senior Designer Betsy Hayes Sometimes, all of us forget what it really tistry department hold similar commit- Contributing Writers Gail Bambrick, Deborah Blagg, Michael means to “survive.” I know that from ments based on diverse beliefs. [Although Blanding, Julie Flaherty, Jacqueline Mitchell this day forward, whenever I am in a foul I could not attend the university-wide Contributing Editor Bob Sprague mood, I will think of John and how many employee appreciation luncheon] on March Editorial Advisors hurdles he had to overcome to have the life 7, I celebrate in spirit and in my heart the Mark Gonthier, Executive Associate Dean he has led. It is such a personal story but great opportunity I continue to have to teach Maria Gove Tringale, Senior Director, Dental Development and Alumni Relations one the world should never forget. Tears children, their caregivers and, yes, dental Mary-Ellen Marks, Faculty Secretary were in my eyes as I finished reading it. students. Susan Ahearn, Associate Director, Thank you. Cancelling the children’s appointments Alumni Relations steve bank, d61 [to attend the luncheon] would have coun- Dental Alumni Association morrisville, n.c. termanded my efforts through the years to President Peter A. Delli Colli, A69, D73 educate children and caregivers to keep Vice President John Millette, D91 I have just been reading the Fall 2011 edi- their appointments and to continue to Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Joseph P. tion of Tufts Dental Medicine magazine improve and maintain their dental health. Giordano, D79, DG84 and found your wonderful article about ginger burns Treasurer Nicholas T. Papapetros, D91 my friend and colleague John Saunders. dental hygienist Directors We worked together in the restorative department of Cherie Bishop, D94; Rustam K. DeVitre, DG76, DI77, D12P; Joanne Falzone-Cherubini, dentistry department at the dental school, pediatric dentistry D80; Peiman Mahdavi, D91, DG94; Raina A. and I never had any indication that he was Trilokekar, DG88, DI91; Derek A. Wolkowicz, D97, DG00 from Poland and had suffered so much CORRECTION Carole A. Palmer, Ed.D., in his early years. I am reading a book Ex-Officio R.D., G69, was inadvertently left off the Mostafa H. El-Sherif, DI95; Tofigh Raayai, for a book club about the occupation in Dean’s Inner