Harvard DentalFall 2020 Volume 80, Number 2 bulletin Harvard School of Dental Medicine A Conversation With HSDM’s New Dean: How the Pandemic Has Shaped His Priorities Fall 2020 i Harvard Dental bulletin Fall 2020 Volume 80, Number 2 Harvard School of Dental Medicine Features 1 From the Dean 2 A Virtual Welcome for the Class of 2024 4 A Conversation with HSDM’s New Dean, William Giannobile 6 Virtual Connections and Celebrations for the Class of 2020 8 Dolores “Mercedes” Franklin Refects on Progress and Potential to Address Racial Inequities Student Highlight 10 Donof Scholars DMD Scholarship Reaches Tis summer several DMD and AGE students $1 Million Goal participated in the flming of videos for Admissions. In socially-distanced interviews the students talked 11 Fellowship Recipient Pursues Career at the about their HSDM experiences. Intersection of Periodontics and Public Health 12 Dental Students Combat COVID-19 Through Volunteerism and Action 14 $3 Million Grant Will Expand Dental Public Health in Rural Areas 15 Creative Approaches to Learning in a Pandemic 16 Rosen Lab Receives Funding to Study Cells Related to Bone Formation and Fracture Repair 17 Yang Lab Discovery May Provide Insights for Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Te Harvard Dental Bulletin is published Harvard Dental Bites twice a year for alumni and friends of 18 Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Alumni News We look forward to receiving your Faculty News feedback and news. HSDM News Please send correspondence to: Harvard Dental Bulletin 21 Upcoming Events Harvard School of Dental Medicine Produced by: HSDM Communications 188 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 Senior Editor: Heather M. Denny Cover photo: Email: [email protected] Design: Glenn Ruga/Visual Harvard School of Dental Medicine Phone: 617-432-2072 Communications students welcome Dean William Copyright © 2020 Writing: Heather M. Denny, Giannobile from the steps of the main President and Fellows of Harvard College Ashley Simmons building. Tird-and fourth-year DMD Editing: Dawn DeCosta, Rebecca Murphy, Visit HSDM’s website students returned to campus in July. Ashley Simmons, Lia Sgourakes www.hsdm.harvard.edu Photo credit: Ashley Simmons. Photography: Steve Gilbert, Social Media Stephanie Mitchell Printing: Puritan Press Follow HSDM on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram for news and updates. FROM THE DEAN Dear Alumni and Friends, his September, I was honored to begin serving as HSDM’s new dean. As an alumnus, it is truly a privilege to return to a place that has such special meaning to me, and to serve Tin this capacity. I’m humbled by the outpour- ing of support and well-wishes I’ve received from many of you, and the larger HSDM and Harvard community—thank you! Your words of encouragement have energized me as I take the frst steps in my new role. In this issue of the Bulletin, I share some of my background and vision for the School. If we haven’t already met, I hope this is a chance to introduce myself. Starting as dean during a pandemic certainly comes with its challenges, but I’m so impressed with HSDM’s response to the crisis and the progress that has been made to return to clinical, research, and teaching activities. I’m grateful to Dr. Vicki Rosen who as interim dean led the School during some of the most difcult months of the pandemic. In this issue, you’ll fnd more details about how the HSDM community rose to the challenge—we celebrated Commencement, Orientation, and the White Coat Ceremony virtually; tested new methods of teaching; and our students, faculty, and staf have shown resilience and kindness throughout. We know the pandemic has hit some communities harder than others. Tis is true in our underrep- resented minority communities where many already face health disparities and social injustice. Alumna Dolores Mercedes Franklin, DMD74, PD76, who was the frst woman of color to attend HSDM, shares her thoughts on how we can address these disparities in oral healthcare and create pathways to encourage individuals from underrepresented communities to attend dental school. I hope you’ll read her profle in this issue. As dean, one of my goals will be to promote a diverse and inclusive environment here at HSDM and to fully fund the Freeman, Grant, Franklin Scholarship and other need-based scholarships. In this issue you can read about the impact scholarships have on our students. You’ll meet Danni Burgess who is one of our frst-year Perio residents who is pursuing her dream with assistance from the new Periodontology Fellowship, and you’ll learn about the funding success of the Donof Scholars DMD Scholarship. I’m so fortunate to lead a school with such passionate and generous alumni who have supported these eforts. Tank you for your generosity and commitment to HSDM. I look forward to the day when I can meet you in person. Until then, please stay well, and stay tuned for future virtual events. William V. Giannobile, DMSc96, PD96 Fall 2020 1 Harvard Dental Bulletin EDUCATION FOCUS A Virtual Welcome for the Class of 2024 It’s all smiles for the Class of 2024 as HSDM’s Ofce of Dental Education leads a virtual welcome session with incoming DMD students. arvard School of Dental Medicine together in the Pathways curriculum. (HSDM) welcomed 36 new DMD (Doctor Incoming HSDM Dean William Giannobile joined of Dental Medicine) students as they began HMS Dean George Q. Daley to welcome the students on Orientation last week. Te Class of 2024 hails the frst day of Orientation. from 17 diferent U.S. states, and four other “An incredible amount of planning and deci- H sion-making has taken place since the beginning of the countries: Canada, China, France, and Korea. Tey represent 33 diferent undergraduate institutions. Te pandemic to ensure the best start for the incoming Class class composition is 61 percent female and 39 percent of 2024,” Giannobile said. “With all the thought and male. Twenty-six percent come from populations care that has gone into these preparations, rest-assured underrepresented in dental medicine. that you join a community that is resilient in the face Tis is the frst time in HSDM history that an of this crisis, and committed to the excellence of your incoming class began their four-year program virtually. academic experience at Harvard,” he said. “While we are Orientation began the morning of August 3, with the together remotely for the short term, we are so looking DMD students joining their Harvard Medical School forward to the time when you will join us on campus (HMS) classmates for welcome remarks on Zoom from and experience this in person.” the deans of the respective schools. Te dental and Following the morning remarks, the DMD students medical students spend the frst year of their education had a special online welcome from Associate Dean for 2 Fall 2020 Dental Education Sang Park, and were introduced to the HSDM community by their senior tutors. Tey each shared a fun fact about themselves which revealed a First Impressions wide range of the students’ talents and interests from favorite sports and arts, to hobbies such as cooking and Why did you choose HSDM? gardening. Troughout the week, the students were introduced to various aspects of the curriculum. Tey attended “I ultimately chose their frst patient clinic—a telemedicine visit with HSDM because of the patients online. Tey also got to know each other focus on systemic health in smaller breakout sessions within their academic education. I believe that societies. in order to be the best “Starting dental school amidst a global pandemic oral healthcare provider has taught me how important it is for students and that I can, I need to have practitioners to be adaptable and multidimensional... a strong foundational while online school may present certain challenges and understanding of system- anxieties, it will also give us time to refect, reach out atic health...I know that to one another, and think about the impact we want a program that treats dentistry as a specialty to make,” said Sapna Nath, an incoming DMD student of medicine will mold me into a better overall from Long Island, New York. healthcare provider.” Te week culminated in a virtual White Coat — Abigail Marshall, DMD24 ceremony attended by students and their families from all over the world. Te students were each introduced by “The class size is so a recorded introduction where they had the opportunity small that I can expect to express their gratitude and excitement. to receive dedicated “Tis is far greater than anything I dared to dream of. attention from the faculty I’m beyond thankful to be joining HSDM and excited and staf. There is a much to make great strides as a budding dentist,” said Lisbeth greater sense of commu- Garcia, a DMD student from Miami, Florida. nity with the smaller class Dean George Q. Daley recognized the culmination of size, instead of having to years of hard work and dedication it took for the students fnd your niche within a to start their dental and medical education at Harvard. larger group of students. “Today marks just the beginning of your evolution HSDM’s integration with the medical school from student to doctor or dentist. Today is the start of also infuenced my decision.” a momentous personal and professional journey. It will — Joe Montesano, DMD24 be arduous, no doubt, but also deeply rewarding. By donning the white coat, you embrace the privileges and “I was drawn to HSDM for the unique responsibilities inherent in becoming a physician.” way the curriculum integrates dental Daley reminded the students of the symbolism of the and medical disciplines in education, white coat and the principles it stands for, including pro- research, and patient care.