District 2 Newsletter

Fall 2014

Inside:

D1 PerspectivesOutreachPros/ConsNYSDAPre-Dental InfoDoctor-Patient RelationshipBoards Advice

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-Saba Chhotani, NYU 2018

become dentists, many of us talked about our desires to give back to our community and be involved in outreach programs.  We want a flexible career that also gives us independence.  Yet, as we discussed these ideas our mentors and advisors gently told us we have so much to consider and accomplish before reaching those goals.  During our First Year Snapshot seminar, we were already overwhelmed with the pace at which classes progress.  Instruments distribution was also overwhelming.  But as I looked at our orientation leaders and other upperclassmen, I admired their confidence and realized how fortunate I am to go to a school that transforms their students in such a short time.  Not only do I expect to become more knowledgeable, but also a student that learns to become more professional and ethical.  Not only do I expect to be molded into a competent dentist, but I hope to become a dentist who, first and foremost, listens to and understands the needs of my community locally and abroad.  I hope to conduct myself in an ethical and professional manner, but I also hope I do not forget to listen and humble myself to the concerns and knowledge of my peers, faculty, mentors, and patients.  I know this is a life long journey during which we will be life long learners.  I look forward to learning within the supportive community that has been cultivated at NYU College of Dentistry

of how much further we have to go.  As we discussed why we wanted to through orientation at NYU College of Dentistry I was suddenly aware am fortunate to have gotten accepted to my first choice.  As I sat journey.  We all worked incredibly hard to get that acceptance letter.  I For me, however, my path to get into dental school was an incredible when we are seated for graduation because it is the end of a journey.  Congratulations, we made it!  I know that most people say those words

D1 PerspectivesOutreachPros and Cons

Aesop’s Four Oxen and the LionFrom the moment we are accepted to the end of the first week of didactic work, we’re

ushered tumultuously through sheer elation, anticipation, striking fear, and finally the provisional calm. Though we emerge from different walks of life, distant countries, and educational backgrounds, many of us experience the ill-famed impostor syndrome. Compounded by anecdotal accounts from upperclassmen, and warnings from well-intentioned faculty, the freshman dental student may reflect, “The selection committee made a mistake.” However, a burgeoning wildcard emerges from unlikely source- classmates. Therein lies the elusive calm evoked by camaraderie and shared concern. Our classmates are a source of support and the crutch we’ll begin, and continue, to rely upon. UBSDM fosters such an environment and readily emphasizes its importance to our success (and sanity).

The coming weeks, months, and years will bring adversity but the collective attitude will carry us to where we need to be. Competitive nature may have landed some of us here, but our continued success is contingent on community. In a profession defined by collegiality, “united we stand, divided we fall.”

-Steven Rogers, Buffalo 2018

Nation is a great place to start! rewarding. For those interested in public health dentistry, or experiencing a different patient population, the Seneca

As the “Keeper of the Western Door” the Seneca people have a strong sense of community and culture. From the signs written in Seneca language, to patients sharing stories of their family lineage, serving this population proves to be most

way to experience dentistry, and give back to an underserved population health records, a variety of materials and excellent staff. The externship is a great the Seneca Nation. The dental facility features digital radiography, electronic Reservation Health Center is one of two primary medical and dental facilities for unique setting. Located about 40 minutes from UBSDM, the Cattaraugus Indian incredible opportunity for pre-doctoral students to serve in a culturally diverse and Service’s (IHS) dental externship and after this summer I know why. IHS offers an “Opportunity, adventure and purpose” - this is the tagline of the Indian Health Indian Health Service Externship

their education, which I think is a testament to the types of students in our program.4. Supportive Faculty, Staff, and Community

From the beginning, I have felt extremely supported by the Faculty, Staff, and peers here at UB. I’m not sure that every dental school has such a warm atmosphere.

addition to international service trips. Nearly every student participates in outreach at some point throughout

provides a variety of opportunities to serve the Buffalo community locally, American communities nationally, in UBSDM prides itself in being a service-oriented school. Buffalo Outreach and Community Assistance (BOCA)

twenties has been an amazing experience.3. BOCA & Outreach

museums, a thriving theater district, and impressive architecture and parks. Living in Buffalo throughout my

After spending my undergraduate career in Buffalo, I’ve developed a true love for this city. The food is phenomenal, ranging from Italian to Japanese to Thai, in addition to local favorite like chicken wings and beef on weck. Unique neighborhoods like Elmwood Village, Hertel Ave, and Allentown provide trendy, fun areas for graduate students to study and spend time. Buffalo is also home to a variety of festivals, road races, art galleries,

2. Buffalo Food and Culture

When sitting back and comparing debts with other dental students, UB Dental students are going to win every time. SUNY tuition is a true bargain, giving students a top notch education for a fraction of the price. The cost of living in Buffalo is 38% less than the New York average. If you were born in New York State and are considering dental school, UB should be on your list for this reason alone.

1. Price: Cost of Tuition, Cost of Living

The Positives

The majority of University at Buffalo is found on its North Campus in Amherst. On South campus where the dental school is located, there are very few food options, and the gym facilities are pretty weak. Unfortunately, the undergrads seem to get the better end of the stick with an extensive food court and large fitness center.

5. Lack of Food and Fitness Facilities

UB’s Dental building, Squire hall, does not have lecture halls. This puts D1 students in other buildings during their first year for their didactic courses. It’s easy to forget that the D1s exist when they’re so rarely around.

4. Disconnect between D1s and the rest of the school

As much as I love this city, being a Buffalo sports fan is emotionally draining. As a native Western New Yorker, cheering for the Bills and Sabres year after year can really take a toll on your spirits.

3. Buffalo Sports Teams are Terrible

Compared to private dental schools, UB’s facilities are due for some remodeling. The current pre-clinical labs and clinic accommodations are more than adequate to successfully educate dental students, but the school has recognized the need to update and have begun to modernize its facilities.

2. State School Problems: Older Facilities

Buffalo, NY is known for its snowy weather. Almanacs indicate that it snows an average of 60 days per year, with an average totaling around 95 inches. By February, most of the city and its students are anxious for sunlight and warm weather.

1. Long Gloomy Winters

The Negatives

University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine

-Stella Christina Stavrou, Stony Brook 2017

dentistry.involvement in supporting the mission of ASDA and the future of Join us and share your ideas that can further advance pre-dental student dentistry, about the business of the profession, and about the advocacy. in ASDA, we promote awareness to our future colleagues about dentistry. By increasing our District and Chapter’s pre-dental population maintaining and advancing the future rights, interests, and welfare of

The most important aspect of ASDA is the advocacy in

By extending invitations to pre-dental students to attend ASDA conferences and meetings, our chapter engages pre-dental students to further spark their interest in the profession of dentistry and in the advocacy that is tailoring the future of the profession. In the past, a number of undergraduate students have accompanied Stony Brook’s ASDA chapter as pre-dental representatives to District 2 meetings, Student Legislative Day in Albany, Lobby Day in Washington, D.C., as well as being active participants in meetings, fundraisers, and social events that are held on the Chapter level. Recently, ASDA has incorporated a Pre-dental Advisory Committee on the leadership board that offers the pre-dentals the opportunity to take initiative on a national level.

From the time I was a pre-dental student at Stony Brook, I have seen our ASDA chapter continue to work very closely with the Stony Brook University Undergraduate Pre-dental Society. On our ASDA board, we currently have a pre-dental liaison and two assistant pre-dental liaisons that attend many of the weekly undergraduate society meetings to promote our ASDA chapter’s upcoming events and to act as a resource to the students. In past, the pre-dental liaisons have also been guest speakers at these meetings discussing the “Basics of Dentistry” and “Dental Specialties”. Our chapter has also organized and hosted a number of events for pre-dental students regarding the admissions process and organized dentistry in general. Some of these events include Mock Interviews with current dental students, Questions and Answer Student Panel, and Pre-dental Enrichment “Impressions Day” Program. We have also set up a valuable mentorship program in which our ASDA members are partnered with a pre-dental to introduce future dental students to “a day in the life of a dental student” and address any questions they may have about dental school.

As an undergraduate student at Stony Brook University, I was part of the Pre-dental Society and became part of organized dentistry when I took it upon myself to join ASDA. I remember the ASDA chapter at the Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine was very active and influential to the pre-dental students. From my experiences, I believe that encouraging pre-dental students to become involved in and educated about organized dentistry will pave the future success of ASDA.

The mission of the American Student Dental Association is to advocate for the rights and interests of dental students and for the future of the dental profession. As a unified voice representing almost 90% of all dental students in the United States, ASDA works on developing leaders in dentistry every year. In order to establish the strongest voice possible for our profession, it is important to build capacity and educate future dental students on current issues as early as possible. As established leaders continuing to grow with their involvement in ASDA, dental students are already making great strides in the advancement of organized dentistry. It is now our job, as ASDA members, to educate those who will follow in our footsteps by mentoring and guiding the pre-dental students.

Paving the Path for Dentistry: The Importance of Educating Pre-dentals about Organized Dentistry

-Artem Krutyansky, Rutgers 2017

Throughout my two weeks at the dental school, I, along with other Gateway to Dentistry students went through the 8am-5pmlife of a real student and were given the opportunity to take impressions on each other, pour up models, wax teeth, and receive lectures from esteemed faculty. Our lectures varied from Dental Anatomy, which is the foundational knowledge every dental student needs to know, to Forensic Dentistry and even lectures describing the components of every specialized area in the dental field. This experience gave me the opportunity to interact with faculty, learn things I never knew, and most importantly, this experience gave me the opportunity to assert that dentistry was the right choice for me. Now serving as the Pre-dental Chair at RSDM ASDA Chapter, I'm looking forward to spreading the word about this excellent pre-dental opportunity to undergraduate students throughout New Jersey.

Gateway to Dentistry gave me the opportunity to meet other pre-dental students who would one day potentially become my classmates and showed me everything that this incredible field has to offer.

but had no idea what dental school would be like once I got there. exactly what pre-requisite classes I had to take to get into dental school decision in choosing dentistry as a career. As a pre-dental student I knew what the daily life of a dental student was like, but also, solidified my New Jersey Dental School. This program not only gave me insight into participate in the Gateway to Dentistry program at the previously known,

During my junior year of college, I was given the opportunity to Gateway to Dentistry Program

-Sara Wilensky, Stony Brook 2016

advances that are occurring in the field of dentistry.to be a dental student as well as all the technological This program shows pre-dental students what it is like activity, a BBQ, and a Farewell Dinner at Mirabelle. Stony Brook Yacht Club, Go-karts and batting cage evening events including an Orientation Dinner at the

Also, during the week we had wonderful

This program introduces students to some of the most recent and revolutionary technologies in the dental field such as 3D monitors for viewing endodontic procedures and CAD/CAM technologies which allow crowns to be made and inserted into a patients mouth in one visit. The pre-dental student participants scanned and milled an E4D porcelain restoration and used the CompuDent Wand System. The participants learned how to use hand pieces and various dental instruments. They completed operative procedures in the sim lab, waxed up teeth, and took alginate impressions and poured them in stone. The students also spend one day learning about the various specialties in the dental field by participating in numerous hands on activities conducted by faculty and dental students.

The Discover Dental School Summer Scholars’ Program at Stony Brook University is a weeklong program for pre-dental students. The pre-dental participants learn about various aspects of dentistry, while the dental student team leaders used their knowledge to teach the pre-dental participants throughout the week. This program is an introduction to dentistry for the pre-dental student participants.

Discover Dental School Summer Scholars Program

Addressing a language barrier at a Dental School Clinic

At the Stony Brook Dental Medicine (SDM) Dental Care Center (DCC) 90% of providers reported encountering a language barrier with their patients. Most often, these patients speak Spanish. This is not a local trend; the U.S. Hispanic population, at 38.8 million people, is the largest and fastest-growing racial/ethnic minority group. As dental students our goal is patient-centered care and we often form close relationships with our patients. Language barriers pose a significant hindrance to the doctor-patient relationship. Research shows there is an association between effective physician-patient communication and improved patient health outcomes. Studies indicate that language barriers result in poor compliance, inappropriate follow-up, and patient dissatisfaction.

In an effort to provide equal quality of care to all of our patients, several resources were implemented at the DCC. The clinic includes a dual-handset phone and translated AxiUm documents. All clinic computers contain a guide to the available resources and a Spanish-for-Dentists learning module with interactive games. This information was incorporated into the year 1 patient-centered care course. Stony Brook also has an active chapter of the Hispanic Student Dental Association, focusing on local outreach and increasing awareness of the barriers to dental care for Hispanic patients. A research study to assess the effectiveness and perception of clinic resources for patients with limited English proficiency is in progress. These efforts complement each other in order to address barriers to care for our patients and to improve their experience and health outcomes. At the SDM we aim to offer patient-centered care and produce culturally competent providers who are capable of serving a varied patient population throughout their careers.

Alexandra Porcu, Stony Brook 2016

-Matt Garbin Rutgers 2016

Good luck and do well!!

Take Practice Exams Released exams are available on the ASDA website, and are helpful examples of questions that have been asked on the boards. These exams are a fantastic way to prepare and give you a realistic idea of what to expect come exam day.

Prioritize Organize your study time so that you take into account both your strengths and weaknesses and the fact that some subjects are weighted more heavily than others. Fortunately the boards are pass/fail, so don’t stress yourself out trying to learn every little detail.

Ask for help Upperclassmen are great resources and are always willing to help you to succeed. Ask an upperclassmen what worked best for them and odds are you will find something that will work for you too.

No distractions Put away the smartphone. Block Reddit, Pintrest, Instagram, Facebook, or whatever other sites you use to procrastinate. Once you start a study session don’t interrupt it to text or surf the web.

Relax This may seem an impossible feat all on its own, but it’s important for your mental health. Take a few days after your last final to spend time with friends and family. Recharge your batteries and reconnect with your life outside of dental school. In order to study with peak efficiency, you should be in tip-top mental shape.

Now you’ve registered for boards, taken your last final, slept for 36 hours straight, and you’re finally ready to start studying. But first….

Less is more The fewer study materials you utilize, the better. The Dental Decks and First Aid book are both resources that are extremely comprehensive. Fewer materials means feeling less overwhelmed, which will allow you to focus your efforts more effectively.

Register early Deadlines are easy to miss. In an era where we receive a million emails a day it’s easy to pass over important emails without even reading them. As soon as your school gives you the information, you should register. Confirmation can take 2-14 days, and it’s only when this is completed that you can choose a date for the exam. The earlier you register, the easier it is to schedule a test date that is convenient for you.

In the second year of dental school everything gets more important. Classes become more relevant, you may start to see patients, and the shadow of the boards is always looming on the horizon. It’s a time where your best friends are the barista at Starbucks and the guy who sits at the reference desk at the library until 2 A.M. Second year is a stressful time for everyone, so I wanted to share some tips for taking the NBDE part I.

Tips for the NBDE part I

NYSDA

-Victoria Mesolella, Buffalo 2016

Pros and ConsPre-Dental InfoDoctor-Patient RelationshipBoards Advice

-Elizabeth Michaels, Stony Brook 2016Day at Riverhead Aquarium.

Brook Veterans Home and Give Kids a Smile

such as oral cancer screenings at the Stony

Wherever you look, there is always an opportunity to go on an outreach mission. Some of last year’s many trips included missions to Jamaica, South Dakota and Madagascar, not to mention other shorter day events

5. Outreach opportunity

Coming from a different part of the state which is known for harsh winters, I can honestly say the winters here are relatively mild. Most of the time the roads are clear of snow and ice, and most residential areas allow street parking during the winter. As for the summers, they are warm, sunny and all around beautiful most of the time, and make for many perfect beach days.

4. Relatively Mild Winters and Beautiful Summers

The average Stony Brook Dental class has about 40 people, so you really get to know professors and they get to know you. When it comes to reference letters for residency programs, most of the faculty will have worked with you in pre-clinic or on the clinic floor, so they really get a good idea of who you are.

3. Small Class Size

From Stony Brook it only takes about an hour and a half to get to one of the greatest cities in the World. Explore Central Park, Little Italy or walk along the High Line Park with friends and have lunch in a unique diner after and you do not even half to worry about parking your car.

2. Only a Short Train Trip Away from the Big Apple

Long island is home to miles of beautiful beaches with fine white sand and spectacular waves that make for a perfect day trip to swim, surf or just hang out. Jones beach in Nassau County, the Hamptons in Suffolk or the very eastern tip, Montauk, will not disappoint even the pickiest of beach-goers.

1. Beautiful Beaches

The Positives:

There is only one cafeteria at the dental school and it predominantly only offers pre-made items like sandwiches and salads; which can be pretty expensive. Leaving to go off-campus for lunch is fairly impossible because of the half-mile walk to your car, and then you still have to drive another couple of miles to the nearest diner. Also, many students like to start setting up for their next patient during that time which leaves even less time to go off-campus for lunch.

4. Dental School Café

Long Island unfortunately is directly in the path of many northeastern storms that travel up the eastern coast. The two most recent storms were Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. These storms caused an enormous amount of destruction and devastation throughout LI and the Tri-state area.

3. An Occasional Natural Disaster

The Stony Brook Dental School parking lot is reserved for patients and faculty only. The student parking lot is roughly a half-mile walk away. Usually there are buses running for the undergraduate students that dental students may take, but during the winter and summer when they have off, there is no bus and students have to walk, often in freezing cold or boiling hot temperatures.

2. The Dental School Parking Lot

There are roughly 7.5 million people that live on Long Island which means traffic can get pretty crazy. During rush hour, traffic on the Long Island Expressway can add an extra half hour to an hour to your trip. Trying to get off Long Island on a Friday afternoon can take an additional two hours because of NYC traffic.

1. Traffic

The Negatives:

Stony Brook University School of Dental MedicineDistrict 2 Website: Relaunches Again!

Our goal this year with the District 2 website is to increase foot traffic. What do we mean by that? We want all members of the chapters within District 2 to view our website as a place to get information about a variety of items. Want to know what kinds of events are going on at other chapters nearby? Check out our events page! Do you wish to collaborate with members at other chapters about a possible joint-outreach event, but don't know who to contact? Grab chapter president emails from the 'Contact Us' page. Our hope is to update the website as frequently as possible with the hope of giving everyone a space where they can come and learn about the happenings of District 2 and other dental-related opportunities in New York and New Jersey. Similar to previous years, we hope that a great exchange of ideas among the five chapters will further strengthen the unity that inevitably holds strong, year after year. 

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram too - @asdadistrict2! 

-Sorana Schneider, Columbia ?

-Michelle Lee, Buffalo 2015

-Elizabeth Stanko, Buffalo 2017

in our didactic and preclinical courses.atmosphere, is critical in providing a context for what we are learning esteem. Hands-on outreach, especially in such a positive, energetic that will instantaneously improve their comfort, function, and self-skill set that will allow us to provide small-scale changes to a patient

When driving to school during the second week of classes, I was shaken to hear of a double homicide of two seventeen-year-old teens on Shirley Avenue, a Clean Sweep neighborhood that I walked just a few weeks before. Since I had the opportunity to participate in the door-to-door outreach, I felt a direct connection to the community. Images of homes and memorable residents popped into my head, and it was rattling to imagine where the shooting took place. We joked with a large group of teens while passing out toothbrushes—were they affected? Clean Sweep events are not just a program to improve the area, but volunteers also form a bond with the community. From talking with other dental student volunteers, we shared similar thoughts. As dentists, we will have a unique

As members of the Smile Team, organized by outreach coordinator Debbie Licata and Tracey Fest, RDH, our job is to ensure that each resident has a dental home. But with so many other groups also attempting to provide their respective services, we have a limited window of talking time at each address. In less than a minute, we identify ourselves as part of the UB Smile Team, explain our goal, obtain contact information if the tenant lacks a dental home, and distribute oral hygiene supplies. And because some may be embarrassed to admit to dental negligence, we provide the school’s contact information. We also learn so much by observing—like how to excite kids about teeth, (literally) to the point of them jumping up-and-down.

From time-to-time, police warn us to watch out for needles or debarked pit bulls, and residents express their frustrations about neighbors involved with drugs or weapons. But overall, citizens are receptive and fiercely committed to participating to better their neighborhoods. I had the opportunity to help represent the UB Dental Smile Team at these events over the summer, and I came to appreciate how the Clean Sweeps are a powerful, efficient way to organize complementary community groups to provide a wide range of resources to targeted areas—including distributing 1,516 dental kits last year.

Crews fill potholes, clear debris, trim trees, and board up abandoned homes. Members from the Peacemakers Gang Intervention team collaborate with volunteers providing referrals for training and employment. Firefighters supply smoke detectors and spread knowledge about disaster awareness. A local father, Ken Hansen, hands out free carbon monoxide detectors to honor his daughter, who passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning while at a sleepover in 2009. Health-related agencies participate too—mental health services, health insurance enrollment facilitators, and the UB Dental Smile Team. For the whirlwind of services provided, the Clean Sweeps are tightly structured and organized by the Save our Streets task force to ensure that every household is reached, either in person or via a comprehensive information-filled envelope.

Every Wednesday morning from mid-April to October, an unsuspecting Buffalo neighborhood is bombarded by a flurry of volunteers. These “Clean Sweep” events resemble an unannounced parade, led by police cars and accompanied by canines, golf carts, city maintenance vehicles, and local politicians. Initiated by previous mayor Anthony Masiello and expanded upon by current mayor Byron Brown, Clean Sweeps provide an efficient model for a fantastic variety of community groups to reach high-need neighborhoods.

UB Dental Smile Team

-James Wanamaker, Buffalo 2016

your future career. NYSDA are here to support you and voice your opinions. ASDA and involved in organized dentistry and is important for all students to stay represent the student point of view. It two alternate delegates, we can better now, with two voting delegates and passed unanimously! We hope that Delegates. I am pleased to report it this resolution in front of the House of had the privilege to speak on behalf of

At NYSDA’s Annual Session, I

In addition, increasing student voice and participation will help NYSDA appeal to newly graduated dentists in NY and ultimately boost membership. It is essential to the future of dentistry that we advocate for our profession and patients. It is strength in numbers that allows us to be successful in doing so. However, ADA membership is currently on a minor decline nationally. Thankfully, NYSDA recognizes the importance and opportunity to work together with ASDA to increase student voice, spark interest and membership, and thus reverse the downward trend in participation.

Historically, ASDA had one voting delegate and one alternate delegate representing the four dental schools in New York: Buffalo, Stony Brook, NYU, and Columbia. In collaboration with our District 2 Trustee, Greg Shank, we sought to double the number of student representatives in NYSDA. This resolution was especially important this year, as a new dental school, Touro at New York Medical College, may be joining our district in the near future. It is important for all schools to have an opportunity to voice their ideas and have their opinions represented on a statewide level.

This past June, a group of district 2 leaders had the opportunity to represent ASDA as the student delegates to the New York State Dental Association’s (NYSDA) Annual House of Delegates in New York City. Our group included: myself, Jenn Lonnen (Stony Brook), Ali Greenberg (Stony Brook), Ewelina Fiedor (Columbia), and Rajit Kamboj (NYU). At this meeting, dentists from each NYSDA district in New York vote on policy for the coming year in a similar format as ASDA’s Annual Session.

NYSDA House of Delegates Annual Session

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ASDA District 2 Cabinet

2014-2015

Wilensky (Stony Brook 2016)Telin (Buffalo 2017) and Sara Communication Co-Chairs: Jordan

Prabhu (Columbia 2017)McClintock (Buffalo 2016) and Rohan Legislative Co-Chairs: Devin

(Rutgers 2017)Secretary: Chelsea Rajagopalan

Brook 2016)Treasurer: Benjamin Little (Stony

2016)Trustee: Gregory Shank (Stony Brook Social Co-Chairs: David Beard (Columbia

2017), Virginia Judson (Stony Brook 2017), and Jessica Li (NYU 2017)

Social Media & Website Co-Chairs: Michelle Lee (Buffalo 2015) and Sorana Sopterian (Columbia 2017)

Fundraising/Sponsorship Chair: Andrew Le (Buffalo 2016)

Pre-Dental Chair: Sarah Khan (Stony Brook 2016)

Ethics Chair: Cory Coe (Stony Brook 2016)

Buffalo: Arielle Faden (Buffalo 2016) and Jordan Telin (Buffalo 2017)

Columbia: Ewelina Fiedor Columbia 2016)

NYU: Rajit Kamboj (NYU 2017) and Bre Patel (NYU 2017)

Rutgers: Eoin Halpin (Rutgers 2015) and Jason Nishikubo (Rutgers 2015)

Stony Brook: Allison Greenberg (Stony Brook 2016)

ASDA District 2 Presidents

2014-2015

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