LLU School of Dentistry - Dentalgram, July 2000

Department News

Clinic Administration
Antonio Jose Garcia of sterilization, has recently become an American citizen.
Congratulations to Yolanda Hernandez, who graduated from UCR on June 18 with a degree in biology. She will attend dental school this September.
Hilda Yacoub and husband Phil Fokas became parents on June 21, with the birth of their son Demetrios.

Welcome to new employees:
Eliana Lara, RDA, patient care coordinator.
Gloria Ramirez, RDA, CDA, is the new assistant clinic manager in the Clinical Services Division. Gloria is taking the place of Marina Moore, who is now focusing her energies on Quick Recovery issues.
Kathy Biller of dental insurance is replacing Robin Fierro as patient care coordinator; Robin will be a records analyst.
Dental insurance and the patient business office welcome Carrie Edleson and Tracee Henderson.
Katherine Jimenez, dental assistant, Faculty Dental Offices.
Tiffany Medford, Loma Linda Endodontics and clinic administration
Tracy Medford, FDO and clinic
Graham Friesen, clinic
David Blough, sterilization
Jennifer Cranfill, FDO and clinic
Daniel Appel, receptionist, pediatrics

Computing Services
Dental Computing Services welcomes Travis Tramel to its department. Travis will be concentrating on hardware and software troubleshooting for the clinical system. Travis can be reached at beeper number 3220, or in the Dental Computing Services office, at the desk previously occupied by Carl Imthurn. Carl's new office space is in the room between Dental Computing Services and the "cold room."

The new entrance to the Dental Computing Services suite will be through door 1116, directly off the hall.

Dental Hygiene
Dental hygiene "just graduated" seniors will be taking their California State Boards on Sunday, July 9, at USC in Los Angeles. Please remember them in your prayers.

Since the early 90s, Japanese dental hygiene students have been visiting our School and campus. This year's class will visit on July 11, and will be hosted by Sam Toguchi, SD'91.

Educational Support Services
Congratulations to Ellis Rogers, as he begins a new lifestyle: retirement! He and his wife are going on a cruise, July 11. We wish him the best. We thank Ellis for his faithful service in taking care of the AV equipment here at the School.

Richard Cross, photography coordinator for the School of Dentistry, in addition to most of his current responsibilities, will now take care of the AV equipment, including equipment checkout, setup and training, and maintenance (bulbs, batteries, etc.). You can reach Richard Cross at: x48260 (Ellis Rogers' old phone number) or x44605 (Educational Support Services.)

International Dentistry Program

Dr. Bruce Pence recovering from health challenges, from an e-mail by Ron Dailey, PhD
June 23: My office has had many inquiries regarding the status of Dr. Bruce Pence. As many of you know, Dr. Pence went into the Medical Center on June 9 to have a valve in his heart replaced. The surgery went well as did his recovery and he was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, June 14. His plan was to continue his recovery with his wife in their motor home, which is parked near the University, until he felt sufficiently recovered to return to their home in Ventura.

On Thursday morning, June 15, he developed a severe headache and returned to the hospital for treatment. It was determined that he had a mild stroke. His motor and communication functions are all normal and nearly all cognitive ability is intact. However, he is having some difficulty with a narrow range of cognitive function.

I visited with him this morning and he is very appreciative and touched by the outpouring of concern and goodwill from his dental school family. Considering what he has been through over the past two weeks, he is in remarkably good spirits.

I am also passing along to you two requests from Dr. Pence's family. First, please do not go to the Medical Center to visit him or try to contact him by telephone. The medical staff and family feel strongly that he needs to focus all his energy on his recovery at this time. You may direct your inquiries to the International Dentistry Program office or to my office. In addition, I will periodically keep you updated via e-mail on Dr. Pence's progress.

Second, please keep Dr. Pence and his family in your prayers. Although he continues to feel blessed with a highly competent medical team and a strong network of family and friends, health challenges are always frightening and we need to remember nothing is beyond the reach of our Heavenly Father.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Alan Herford, SD'95, has assumed a full-time faculty position in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Dr. Herford obtained his MD degree from Southwestern University in Dallas, Texas, and will be working primarily with the residents in OMFS.
We welcome Dr. Herford on board.

Our welcome is also extended to Dr. Brett King, who be joining the department as the new first year resident. He comes from Northwestern University. Dr. James Hong, from the University of Southern California, will also be joining the OMFS department as an intern.

Marissa Moreno will assume the position of sterilization technician in the OMFS clinic.

Philip Boyne, DMD, MS'61, professor of oral surgery, was a major speaker at the Genetic Engineering Conference sponsored by the University of California at Davis, held in Lake Tahoe, California, June 7 - 11. He also attended a meeting by Genetics Institute in Charlotte, NC, to plan a program for the use of BMP genetic engineering proteins in the bone regeneration of cleft palate children.

Dr. Boyne received the Faculty of the Year Award at the annual banquet of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center. The award was given for his achievement as clinical faculty in support of the graduate program in plastic surgery.

Congratulations to Joann Guerrero for passing her RDA OSA examination.

Congratulations to Dr. Liviu Eftimie and his wife Adina at the birth of their second child, a baby girl they named Mara. They have another daughter, Alexandra.

A belated congratulations to Janine Jensen, formerly Frede, on her wedding February 26, 2000 to Richard "Rick" Jensen.

Dr. Hooman Zarrinkelk, fourth year resident, completed his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery on June 30, 2000. We want to wish him the best as he starts his new private practice in Ventura, California.

Oral Diagnosis, Radiology, Pathology
Ronald Blank, DDS, assistant professor, has accepted the position of Chair of the Department of Oral Diagnosis, Radiology, and Pathology, effective July 1.

Says Charles J. Goodacre, SD'71, MSD, dean of the School of Dentistry, "Please join me in congratulating him as he assumes this important responsibility and thanking Dr. Susan Richards for her many years of excellent service to the School."

There will be an article about Dr. Blank in the August Dentalgram.

Orthodontics

The Eleventh-Annual Student-Faculty-Alumni Banquet honoring the graduating orthodontic students was held June 8, 2000 at the Castaway Restaurant. Students receiving the Masters of Science degree in orthodontics are: Drs. Mark K. Batesole, Marc C. Dunn, SD'98, Sonja F. Finnie, SD'98, Margaret B. Kowalczyk, M. Camille Neagu, SD'97, and D. Sy Nguyen. Richard A. Simms, DDS, MS'63, was the keynote speaker. The Roland D. Walters Research Award was presented in recognition of research performed and the development of research protocols that will be useful in future projects at Loma Linda University. This year's recipient was Dr. Mark K. Batesole.
The new class in orthodontics, comprised of Timothy B. Elison, DMD, University of Louisville, '00; Shelton Hsu, SD'00; Marc R. Larson, SD'00; Adam G. Lautt, SD'00; Noel C. Moser, DDS, University of the Pacific, '00, and Aaron C. Rondon, SD'99, began the study of orthodontics on June 26, 2000. A welcoming picnic by faculty, second year students and staff was held for them at Sylvan Park on Wednesday, June 28.
We would also like to welcome our new fellowship student, Gabriela Garcia, DDS. She received her dental degree in 1998 from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras and earlier this year completed a two year post-graduate program in orthodontics at Centro Latinoamericano de Estudios Ortodoncicos.

Pediatric Dentistry
Alumnus named AAPD parliamentarian
John R. Liu, SD'86, was officially installed as parliamentarian of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) at its 53rd Annual Session in Nashville, Tennessee.

"This position carries a great deal of responsibility and allows me to carry my commitment to children and their oral health one step further," stated Dr. Liu.

Since 1994, Dr. Liu has been in a private practice partnership in Issaquah, Washington. From 1992-1994, Dr. Liu was the dental chief for the Odessa Brown Children's Hospital. He was assistant professor of pediatric dentistry at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry from 1988-1992, after having completed his certificate in pediatric dentistry from the Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati.