MESA, Ariz. – The Commission on Dental Accreditation has awarded a seven-year accreditation — the top accreditation — to A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) postgraduate orthodontic program.

“ASDOH has the only accredited orthodontic program in Arizona and is one of only approximately 65 programs in the United States,” said Janet Woldt, Ph.D., M.S., associate dean for academic assessment and assistant professor at ASDOH. “Candidates come to us after graduating from dental school with D.M.D. or D.D.S. degrees and are residents in training.”

Accreditation is a tool used to monitor, assess, and evaluate the standards and quality of education a student receives from a college, university, or other institution of higher learning. Accreditation indicates that a school or program meets quality standards in terms of faculty, curriculum, patient care, administration, libraries, financial well-being, and student services.

“ASDOH’s postgraduate orthodontic program is a 26-month program that prepares students to treat a wide range of craniofacial anomalies such as cleft lip and cleft palate,” said Program Director Jae Hyun Park, D.M.D., M.S.D., M.S., Ph.D. “As well, residents learn to treat orthognathic or orthodontic problems through the application of biological and clinical science, leading to a certification in orthodontics.”

“By offering an accredited program, ASDOH goes one step further to assure its residents receive a quality education,” said Dr. Park.

MESA, Ariz. – The next time you see a player for the Seattle Mariners or Los Angeles Angels at a spring training game, you may want to take a closer look at his smile.

In a unique collaboration, A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) and major league baseball’s Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels are launching the Oral Health for Athletes program, which will provide oral health screenings to spring training athletes. The first screenings are scheduled for the Mariners on Feb. 17 at the Peoria Sports Complex, their home for spring training. The date for the Angels is yet to be decided. The teams are the first to participate in a program that hopes to grow the service to all of the spring training teams.

“Often the oral health of athletes may not be a priority or may be neglected,” said Robert Levine, D.D.S., assistant professor, ASDOH. “ASDOH is glad to provide oral healthcare services and education critically important to the overall health of players.”

The Oral Health for Athletes program includes oral cancer screenings, oral hygiene education, spit tobacco use prevention, and oral HPV education; assessment of acute dental problems that can be treated immediately at the ASDOH dental clinics; and recommendations for mouth protection.

The ASDOH mobile dental clinic will be onsite at the spring training facilities and will use state-of-the-art tissue screening devices including mini-lasers. Exams and education will be provided by ASDOH faculty and residents in dentistry. “If anything suspicious is found on the oral exam, we can even provide a biopsy onsite if needed,” said Dr. Levine.

For Bryan Banks, a third-year dental student, this opportunity for outreach to athletes finds him on the other side of the player’s bench. Banks is a former major league baseball player with the Milwaukee Brewers and World Series winner with the Florida Marlins who traded in his bat for a career in dentistry. “As both a former major league player and dental student, I know the importance of oral healthcare,” said Banks. “Several of my fellow players had either oral cancers detected early or had suspicious lesions found during similar screening programs.”

In addition to players, general managers, coaches and other staff will receive screenings. “Because of the University’s outreach, our athletes and staff are receiving the best education about the dangers of tobacco use and getting top-notch oral exams,” said Mariners head athletic trainer Rick Griffin. “We are honored to be part of the Oral Health for Athletes program and grateful ATSU is taking the time and effort to extend this program to us.”

President Magruder and new board member Ron Winkler

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The A.T. Still University (ATSU) Board of Trustees met October 17 in Kirksville, Mo., during Founder’s Day weekend for its quarterly meeting and elected its newest member, Ronald Winkler of Kirksville. Winkler is president of Winkler Communication Services, a telephone and fiber cable installation and repair company that has served northeast Missouri since 1991. Winkler will serve a three-year term. The board now has 17 members.

The board also made a number of other personnel changes, including saying goodbye to former chair Peter Detweiler, CEO of Alliant Bank in Kirksville, whose term expired, and re-electing members Cynthia Byler, D.O., of St. Louis, Mo.; Carl Bynum, D.O., M.P.H., of Warson Woods, Mo.; Manuel Bedoya, D.M.D., of Tucson, Ariz.; Clyde Evans, Ph.D., of Needham, Mass.; and John Robinson, of Phoenix, Ariz.

New officers were also appointed: Dr. Bynum as chair; Kenneth Jones, D.O., of Clinton, Mo., as vice chair; Dr. Byler as secretary; Robert Uhl, of Phoenix, Ariz., as finance committee chair; and Dr. Evans as chair of the education/research committee.

The next board meeting is scheduled for February 2010 in Mesa, Ariz.

ICE Dental Systems promises more streamlined process for patients, students

MESA, Ariz. – A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) will be the first dental school to fully implement ICE Dental Systems, a new web-based, fully integrated dental practice management system. The school’s two Arizona clinics, the ASDOH Dental Clinic in Mesa and Dental Care West in Glendale, will launch the software October 15.

“We are excited to work with one of the most innovative software companies in the world in launching the new ICE Dental Systems,” said ATSU-ASDOH Dean Jack Dillenberg, D.D.S., M.P.H. “This innovative, web-based system will be the management and education standard for the future. The new system will increase efficiency and effectiveness while providing an easy way to better manage the patient experience at our clinics.”

According to ATSU-ASDOH officials, the system will have a dramatic impact on students, patients, and the clinics. Integrated educational components can be accessed by students anytime, anywhere via the Internet. It also introduces students early on to the kind of practice management software that they will likely be using in their own practices one day.

Patients at the ASDOH Dental Clinic, Orthodontic Clinic, and Dental Care West, will now be able to access components of their dental history online and view patient education presentations and animations. Patients can also pre-register before their first appointment, making new patient processes faster and more streamlined. It also means that one system will serve all the clinics’ practice needs, eliminating the need for, and expense of, multiple system modules and computers.

According to the ICE Dental Systems website, patient data is encrypted and stored in a secure, remote location, then delivered privately and securely via the Internet. Even if a computer is lost, stolen, or damaged, clinic and patient data remains protected at all times.

“ICE Dental Systems truly represents a disruptive technology in dental systems software that substantially reduces cost for users while significantly increasing efficiency,” said Mark Genuis, Ph.D., president and CEO of ICE Dental Systems. “We are honored to be working in partnership with ASDOH and very pleased to be launching ICE at their school.”

The long list of software functions that ATSU-ASDOH’s dental clinics will have access to includes management dental office administrative functions, education for patients on procedures via 3-D animations that are accessible from a home computer, and access to medical reference pages about symptoms, treatments and more.

Raman Bedi, D.D.S., D.Sc.

Arizona’s first dental school graduates its third class

MESA, Ariz. – (June 15, 2009) A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) bid farewell to the class of 2009 at its third commencement ceremony Saturday, June 13 at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Ariz.

Fifty-five graduates received their doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.) degree, one of whom also received a master in public health (M.P.H.). Also participating in Saturday’s ceremony were four candidates scheduled to graduate in August with both a certificate in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics and a doctor of health sciences (D.H.Sc.) degree.

“Today’s graduates are well prepared to tackle the challenge of today’s economy and the healthcare environment,” said ATSU Provost Craig Phelps, D.O., ‘84. “We wish them well, whether going into private practice or continuing their education. It’s been a pleasure to have them at ATSU over the past four years. Our graduates will be making a difference in communities across Arizona and the United States.”

According to ASDOH Dean Jack Dillenberg, D.D.S., M.P.H., this is the first time ASDOH has graduated a student with both a D.M.D. and an M.P.H., as well as the first time they have presented post graduate certificates in orthodontics. “We are proud of our students for reaching these important milestones in ASDOH’s history,” he said. “We are thrilled to be producing the next generation of outstanding clinicians and dental leaders to meet the oral health needs of not only our community, but the nation.”

As part of the commencement ceremony, honorary doctor of humane letters degrees were conferred upon keynote speaker Raman Bedi, D.D.S., D.Sc., FDSRCS, FGDP, FPHM, head of the Centre for International Child Oral Health and professor at King’s College London; and Allen Lawrence Finkelstein, D.D.S., medical director of AmeriChoice/United HealthGroup and ATSU-ASDOH adjunct faculty member.

ATSU-ASDOH also honored class of 2009 member Michael Serkanic, who passed away in August 2008, with a posthumous degree. At the annual ASDOH awards brunch on June 11, fellow student Darby Lefler was awarded the first Michael Serkanic Spirit of Caring award and $1,000 scholarship, which is given to a student who demonstrates “caring and compassionate service in a fun and collegial way, as exemplified by Michael Serkanic’s life.” A total of 34 awards were given to 25 graduates at the brunch.