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UCLA SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY
Preparing to meet the challenges of oral health care in the 21st century
EXCELLENCE
CARE
PASSION
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Excellence, Care, Passion
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Internationally recognized faculty lead
students through a rigorous curriculum and
prepare them for careers as patient-centered
practitioners and leaders in the profession.
The UCLA School of Dentistry, supporte
UCLA School
For more information about theUCLA School of Dentistry, visit http://UCLASOD.DENT.UCLA.EDU�
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COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE
Dedicated faculty, staff and advanced students
provide the highest quality of compassionate
care for all our patients and serve a vital role in
improving the oral health of the community.
OUTSTANDING RESEARCH
A cadre of stellar researchers continues to
advance the frontiers of knowledge in the
diagnosis, management and treatment of oral
and craniofacial diseases and dysfunctions.
orted by our dedicated individual, corporate and foundation partners, is committed to:
of Dentistry
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The UCLA School of Dentistry held
its first courses on September 21,
1964. In the four decades since then,
more than 3,300 students have earned
the degree of Doctor of Dental
Surgery, and more than 700 students
have completed one or more post-
graduate residency programs.
Countless thousands of oral health
care practitioners have attended the
School’s Continuing Dental Education
courses and workshops.
The School currently consists of 187
full- and part-time faculty members,
326 voluntary faculty members, and
224 staff members. Current enroll-
ment is 365 in the D.D.S. program, 83
in the various postgraduate residency
programs, and 47 in the master’s and
Ph.D. programs.
The UCLA School of Dentistry is
located in a wing of the Center for
Health Sciences, in the southeastern
quadrant of the UCLA campus. It is
comprised of a seven-story laboratory
and office wing and the three-story
clinical wing. The School has approxi-
mately 270 dental operatories at the
Westwood campus and 28 additional
dental operatories at two satellite
locations. Since 1996, the School has
conducted several capital campaigns
which have made possible the renova-
tion of many clinics and research
facilities.
ABOUT THE UCLA SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY
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I n just four decades, the UCLA School of Dentistry has evolved into one
of the leading dental schools in the world. The impact of this extraordi-
nary institution can be seen in its ability to attract academically excellent
and culturally diverse faculty and students; in its advances in multidisciplinary
research; and in an outstanding record of public service benefiting more
than 150,000 patients each year.
We now stand poised to build even further upon this remarkable record
by introducing a campaign to raise $30 million to strengthen the School’s
endowment. By doing so at this crucial time, we will be able to seize new
opportunities, develop new discoveries, and further the trajectory of excel-
lence that is our hallmark.
The School’s friends and alumni – dedicated individual, foundation and
corporate partners – play an integral role in our achievements. The
following pages demonstrate the vital link that exists between private
support and our ability to significantly advance the field of oral health.
We are deeply grateful for the confidence our donors place in our efforts,
and the encouragement they provide our students, faculty and staff.
My colleagues and I, along with the 4,000 alumni of our D.D.S. and post-
graduate residency programs, are proud of our role in improving the oral
health of our community, our state and our nation. We invite you to
explore the many opportunities that exist for becoming a partner in our
future, and for sharing our passion, care and excellence.
Sincerely,
No-Hee Park, D.M.D., Ph.D.
Dean
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
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The UCLA School of Dentistry’s world-class reputation
begins with teaching. Stellar faculty prepare top students
from around the country for the practice of dentistry, den-
tal specialties, academic careers and leadership roles. The
result is a vibrant community of learning that consistently
ranks among the nation’s finest dental schools.
Outstanding faculty attract outstanding students, and vice versa. Studentsadmitted to the UCLA School of Dentistry know they will be working withrenowned experts in the field. In fact, many of the top dentistry textbooks –from oral radiology to periodontics to pharmacology – are written by Schoolfaculty members.
Faculty, in turn, look forward to teaching and collaborating with some of thecountry’s brightest and most inquisitive young minds. In any given year, up to50 percent of graduates advance to postdoctoral programs in general dentistryand the dental specialties, one of the highest rates in the country.
Donors who provide resources for either student or faculty support in effectare assisting both areas, catalyzing a mutual attraction that is at the heart of theSchool’s ability to compete nationally.
MENTORSHIP
UCLA maintains the country’s premier apprentice teaching program, in whichfourth-year students teach and mentor new students as they navigate their firstyear, thereby filling the gap in qualified instructors and strengthening a sense ofcommunity in the student body.
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
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Assistant professors receive careful guidance fromsenior faculty as they advance their careers, as wellas seed grants for new research and bridge grantsfor support between projects.
LEADERSHIP
The School is committed to nurturing dentists whoare also leaders. Graduates hold high-level positionsin organizations such as the California DentalAssociation and the American Dental Association,and students represent the School at these andmany other organizations, including the AmericanDental Education Association.
SUPPORTING THE TEACHING MISSION
Our donors are key to ensuring quality, high-levelinstruction. Whether by endowing chairs, support-ing graduate fellowships or creating new teachingfacilities, their impact on the School’s teaching mis-sion is limited only by their philanthropic creativity,and is a primary reason that our graduates aresome of the most sought-after in the country.
“At the UCLA School of Dentistry we’re notjust training dentists. We’re creating leaderswho are committed to advancing the field.”
– Robert A. Lindemann,Associate Dean for Academic
Programs and Personnel
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A TEACHING LAB COMES INTOTHE 21ST CENTURY
Walking into the pre-clinical teaching laboratory at the UCLA School of Dentistry,you might think you’ve stepped into the engineering room of the Starship Enterprise.Here, the latest technological innovations,including simulation models that look like futur-istic robots, assist students as they prepare to become dentists.
Every UCLA dental student is intimately familiar with the lab. That is because studentsspend much of their first two years here,acquiring the essential skills that will allowthem to excel in the practice of dentistry.
But recently, 40 years of use had left the 1960s-era lab in dire need of updated equipment,improved ventilation and computer technology.
Then in 2002, a lead gift of $1 million fromBisco, Inc. propelled the lab and the studentswho use it into the 21st century.
The result, the Bisco Dental TeachingLaboratory, is a new, ergonomically healthful,congenial teaching environment that boastscomputer monitors at all 100 lab benches, aseparate room with 30 simulation cubicles anda multimedia teaching module. From a central control panel instructors are able tocommunicate with 100 students at once whilemonitoring their individual work.
According to Taylor Olsen, a third-year student,“The new laboratory offers studentsthe feel of chairside dentistry. The simulationlab further enhances this experience, coming as close as possible to a real-life situation.”
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A L AB MAKES
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The UCLA School of Dentistry is at the forefront of discov-
ery. From oral cancer to community-based health research,
our scientists are engaged in work that extends to the
broader field of medicine and our local, national and global
communities.
A COMMITMENT FROM THE TOP
The School’s commitment to research begins with its leadership, including deansand many faculty who are funded scientists actively involved in their ownresearch. Research is also encouraged among students through an innovativestudent research program that allows them to advance critical-thinking skillswhile creating knowledge.
The result is one of the most advanced andvibrant dental research programs in thecountry. The School ranks 11th in researchfunding from the National Institutes ofHealth, and in 2003-2004 conducted 58grant-funded research projects.
PARTNERSHIPS
The School’s research mission is uniquelystrengthened by collaboration. Partnershipswith the Henry Samueli School ofEngineering and Applied Science, the Schoolof Public Health, and many other institutionsat UCLA and elsewhere help to advanceresearch that changes lives.
SUPPORTING THE RESEARCH MISSION
Our donors provide vital resources forresearch seed grants, research equipmentand laboratory facilities, career developmentawards and many other areas. They help tocreate a climate of inquiry and one of themost fertile research environments of anydental school in the country.
OUTSTANDING RESEARCH
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The ability of our bones to heal diminishes as we getolder. Fractures take longer to mend. Tooth implantsand other dental procedures require more recoverytime. But Dr. Sotirios Tetradis is trying to speed thehealing process–by growing new, strong, healthy bonewithin the human body.
An associate professor of oral and maxillofacial radi-ology, Dr.Tetradis is at the forefront of the search forways to stimulate teeth and bone cells to reproducethemselves.
“Currently,” says Dr.Tetradis,“it can take up to sixmonths for the bone to heal from dental implants.Can we can get that down to less than a month?That would be a major benefit for patients.”
Dr.Tetradis’ investigation takes him on a journey deepdown into a complex cellular world in search of thegenes that are responsible for bone cell growth.
Identifying those genes would then make it easier fordentists to find ways to better address a whole rangeof dental problems, including periodontal disease, oneof the two most common causes of tooth loss.The implications of this research go far beyond thefield of dentistry, offering potential treatments for
systemic diseases, or diseases that affect the entirebody.
In osteoporosis, the bones of the human bodybecome porous and dangerously brittle. It is a disease Dr.Tetradis has close knowledge of, havingwatched a friend’s mother succumb to the pointwhere her grandchildren couldn’t hug her for fearthat they might break her bones.
Until recently, treatments for osteoporosis have largelyfocused on preventing further bone weakening. ButDr.Tetradis’ work could eventually lead to an actualreversal of the condition by changing the aging patternin the bone marrow.
He asks:“Can we take a 75-year-old woman and giveher the bones of a 35-year-old? That is one goal.”
He points out that such advances are all the moreimportant in light of our aging population. “As thepopulation gets older,” he says,“the dental problemsof those patients are going to increase. We want togive dentists more and bettertools to face these new prob-lems.”
“Can we take a 75-year-oldwoman and give her thebones of a 35-year-old? That is one goal.”
– Dr. Sotirios Tetradis
BUILDING BONE IN THE HUMAN BODY
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Imagine walking into your local drugstore and buyinga simple test that can tell from a swab of your salivawhether you are at risk for one of many life-threat-ening diseases. Within minutes the test indicatesthat you may be in the early stages of oral cancer.You see your doctor immediately for a more thorough workup, and your treatment plan begins.
Thanks to an inexpensive over-the-counter test, youhave just dodged the potential ravages of oral cancer.
Such a scenario is closer than you might think.Dr. David Wong, chair of the Division of Oral Biologyand Medicine and director of the Dental ResearchInstitute, and his team are on the verge of introduc-ing the first-ever non-invasive saliva test for oral cancer and a panel of high-impact human diseases.
The testing device, called a biosensor, checks for theprotein markers for oral cancer. It is about the sizeof a deck of cards. Within minutes of placing one’ssaliva on a microchip, it determines with extraordi-nary accuracy whether or not one is at risk.
Dr.Wong and his colleagues are now analyzing whatappear to be very promising data on a similar testfor breast cancer, and diabetes is waiting in thewings.
Says Dr.Wong,“We eventually want to reach a pointwhere for a few dollars you can purchase a home-care product that will test for one or two or moremajor diseases. That’s still a journey away, but allindications are that we will be able to do it.”
“We represent a generation of oral healthresearchers who are trying to reach out to thelarger community at UCLA and nationwide.”
– Dr. David Wong
A NEW TEST FOR DISEASE RISK
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TAKING CAVITIES OUT OF THE PICTUREDr. Wenyuan Shi is out to eliminate cavities. Permanently.
“Like polio,” he says,“cavities are going to become one of those things peopleread about but have no experience with.”
And he wants to eliminate them by eradicating the very microbes that causethem. Dr. Shi is a medical microbiologist and the director of the School ofDentistry Oral Microbiology Lab.
Modern dentistry has traditionally focused on mechanically repairing the problem, whether cavity or gum disease. But Dr. Shi saw an opportunity toattack the problem before it begins – by looking for ways to destroy the tinymicrobes that are the source of tooth decay.
The first major breakthrough in his work came in figuring out how to diagnosethe level of cariogenic, or cavity-causing, bacteria in a person’s mouth.
Then he and his team went on to create a new generation of antibiotics todestroy the bacteria. Traditional antibiotics, he says, take a “carpet-bombing”approach, killing both good and bad microbes. “What we did was to add a homing device to kill only the bad ones,” he says.
In other words, an antibiotic “smart bomb.”
Dr. Shi’s lab is now developing an array of systems to deliver the new antibiotics to patients. One particularmethod can’t help but bring a wry smile to Dr. Shi’s lips.“We’re actually testing a sugarless antibiotic lollipop,” hesays. “We’re using the very sucker that was so much ofthe problem to begin with as a delivery device to attackthe disease.”
“Cavities are going to become apart of medical history, one ofthose things people read aboutbut have no experience with.”
– Dr.Wenyuan Shi
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JANE AND JERRY WEINTRAUB
CENTER FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE
BIOTECHNOLOGY
A handsome gentleman in his 60s hears the news:“I’m sorry, but you have cancer.”
A strong and determined fight beats the disease,but treatments result in the loss of most of hislower jaw. It is likely he will have severe difficultyspeaking and eating, in addition to the dramaticchanges in facial appearance.
As part of a project being conducted at the Janeand Jerry Weintraub Center for ReconstructiveBiotechnology, UCLA surgeons reconstruct theman’s jaw by transplanting bone and tissue from his leg, while Weintraub investigators provide prosthetic restorations to restore his ability to chew, swallow and speak, as well as improve aesthetics and self-perception.
“They put me back together,” the man says smiling.
Completed in July 2002, the Weintraub Center atthe UCLA School of Dentistry is the premier com-prehensive center for oral and facial rehabilitationand research in the world. The Center challenges avariety of clinical problems related to facial defects
due to massive tissue removal following cancertherapy, and injury or congenital deformity.
In the Center’s laboratories, research is under wayto determine which of the new and existing treat-ments are the most effective means for restoringoral function and quality of life. In addition,researchers are convinced that it will be possible inthe not-too-distant future to restore facial featuresthat have been devastated by birth defects, cancer,or trauma by regenerating skin, bone, nerves andsoft tissues.
By vastly improving the quality of life for countlessindividuals who suffer from the ravages of disfigure-ment, the Weintraub Center has assumed its placeamong other laboratories in the world that arerenowned for ongoing contributions to biomedicalresearch and patient care.
It will be possible in the
not-too-distant future to
restore facial features that
have been devastated by
birth defects, cancer or
trauma.
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Since its inception, the UCLA School of Dentistry
has strived to fulfill its potential as a resource for
our local communities. By establishing ties with
organizations throughout Los Angeles, the School
ensures that a constant stream of services and
information reaches those who need it most.
A COMMUNITY PARTNER
Most visible among the School’s public service initiatives are the gen-eral and specialty clinics. The UCLA Children’s Dental Center at theEdward R. Roybal Comprehensive Health Center is a low-cost dentalclinic dedicated to the treatment of underserved children in East LosAngeles. The Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Centerprovides comprehensive dental care to an ethnically diverse, lower-income population in West Los Angeles.
UCLA’s dental education program interfaces with the communitythrough oral health fairs as well, at community centers and schoolsacross Los Angeles County. A partnership with Nara Bank is bringing oral health fairs to bank branches in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles.
COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND ADVISING
In addition to the School’s basic science investiga-tions, research is also conducted on communityneeds through collaborations with organizationssuch as the Regional Research Center for MinorityHealth.
More broadly, the School’s national advisory rolecannot be overstated. Its public service impactreaches beyond Los Angeles and beyond the statethrough faculty participation on national healthcare issues, reviews of grant proposals and advisingon other college programs.
COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE
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Five-year-old Lucy has never been to a dentist,and neither has her little brother. Her parentshave no dental insurance and can’t remember thelast time that either one of them saw a dentist.But today the family sits in the Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center awaitingtheir turns in the dental chair.
Founded in 1969 by the UCLA School ofDentistry, the Center has grown from a five-chairstorefront unit to a 20-chair state-of-the-art clinicthat handles more than 15,000 patient visits annu-ally. The Center is adjacent to the Venice FamilyClinic, the nation’s largest free clinic and UCLAaffiliate, from whom the Center receives a majori-ty of its referrals.
As a community-oriented clinic that serves as amodel for community-based service and educa-tion, the Center serves indigent patients, the elderly, the homeless and ethnic minorities whoseneeds are great and whose resources are sorelylimited.
From the outset, the vision of the Venice DentalCenter has been to provide comprehensive den-tal care services at a much reduced rate to theunderserved community – and to provide aunique learning experience for the UCLA Schoolof Dentistry’s faculty, students and residents aswell as for hygiene students from local communitycolleges.
"The wonderful friends we make while helping the community,the joy of helping improve the lives of children and adults, and the feeling of purpose in our own lives are gifts that we receive by giving of ourselves."
– Dr. Jim Freed, Clinical Professor Emeritus
WILSON-JENNINGS-BLOOMFIELD UCLA VENICE DENTAL CENTER
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GIVING BACK TO THE SCHOOL OF DENTISTRYSometimes alumni of the UCLA School of Dentistry give back to the School by pro-
viding support for students. Sometimes they create endowed chairs to help attract
top-ranked faculty. Sometimes they provide resources to enhance patient care.
Dr.Thomas R. Bales ’76 has done all three.
Dr. Bales is a longtime volunteer and supporter of the School’s orthodontic resident
program. In 2003, he committed $500,000 to create the Dr.Thomas R. Bales Endowed
Chair in Orthodontics.
It is the School of Dentistry’s third such chair and, according to Dr. No-Hee Park, the
School’s dean, “The gift has amplified
our ability to attract one of the top
orthodontists in the country, and we
are proud to have Dr. Kang Ting fill the
chair at this critical time.”
The chair also provides resources to
enhance the residency program, thereby supporting students as well.
A past president of the UCLA Orthodontic Alumni Association, Dr. Bales has helped
raise more than $1 million to support the clinic and residency program. In recognition
of his commitment and volunteerism, the School recently named the renovated 28-
chair orthodontic clinic in his honor.
The Dr.Thomas R. Bales Orthodontic Clinic will treat nearly 5,000 patients this year
with needs ranging from braces to procedures for profound craniofacial deformities.
“I am very appreciative of the education I received while in the orthodontic residency program at UCLA.”
– Dr.Thomas R. Bales
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BECOME A PARTNER IN OUR FUTURE
Excellence in dental education is a complex and
increasingly expensive endeavor. At a time of
extraordinary promise for the UCLA School of
Dentistry, state support for higher education is
steadily diminishing. Consequently, private funding
is essential to our continuing success.
There are many ways to support the outstanding
faculty and students of the UCLA School of Dentistry.
Through a gift of cash, securities, real estate or other
categories of assets, a donor may derive significant tax
benefits while at the same time receiving the personal
satisfaction that comes from being part of a worthy
cause. The staff of the School of Dentistry’s
Development Office would be very pleased to
discuss these various giving opportunities with you
in confidence.
The preceding pages have provided a glimpse of
achievements and aspirations of the UCLA School of
Dentistry and the role that individual, foundation and
corporate support can play in the lives of our patients
and the health of our communities. Please consider
becoming a partner with the School as we meet the
challenges of oral health care in the 21st century.15
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OUR CAMPAIGN GOAL
$30 MILLION
To ensure that the UCLA School of
Dentistry continues to fulfill its tripartite
mission of excellence in teaching, research
and public service, we seek the support of
individuals, foundations and corporations
in the creation of an endowment of $30
million dollars.
Please consider making an investment in
the future education of oral health care
practitioners and cutting-edge research
that holds such extraordinary promise
through the establishment of an endowed
chair, an endowed scholarship or fellow-
ship, an endowed research or special
needs fund or the general endowment
of the UCLA School of Dentistry.
Please join us in this vital campaign.
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UCLA SCHOOL OF DENTISTRYDevelopment OfficeUCLA School of Dentistry53-038 Center for the Health SciencesBox 951668Los Angeles, CA 90095-1668 Tel: 310-206-6079
School of Dentistry
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