The Dental Link

IAGD Heartland Summit Program - Course IV Periodontics, June 21-23 Sponsored by the IAGD, this course is designed for general dentists who want to enhance their periodontics diagnostic and treatment skills. For more information, contact Dr. Stephen Bender at (515) 664-1121.

An interest in children that drew Dr. Christensen to orthodontics also drives his participation in local activities, and his career choice was reinforced by his colleagues at the College. "A large part [of choosing orthodontics] was the people I was associating with," he says. Completion of his master's degree led Dr. Christensen to Bethesda, Md., where he worked in the clinical center of the National Institute of Dental Research. In 1968, the opportunity to take over a practice in Waterloo came up; 28 years later, Dr. Christensen is in the same practice, which now includes four orthodontists, two pediatric dentists and support staff. "It's like a big family - it makes it worthwhile and exciting to come to work," he says.

In recent years, the practice has literally become a family gathering place, as his son, Dr. Greg Christensen ('92 and '94 M.S.) now rounds out the staff of orthodontists. Dr. Christensen is relishing the chance to work alongside Greg. "You can't even describe the feeling," he says. "I'll probably learn more from him than he will from me."

Though more adults are now pursuing orthodontic treatments, Dr. Christensen's practice still most frequently brings him in contact with adolescents ages 11 to 16, and he embraces the challenge of interacting with that age group. "Kids are going through a lot of changes at that time anyway, and I enjoy being a part of that and having the opportunity to observe those changes," he says. A desire to tap into children's enthusiasm is what led Dr. Christensen to a thriving "second career" in community involvement. A conversation in 1970 with a patient's father landed him on the board of directors of the Waterloo Boys and Girls Club, and during his time with that organization he participated in fund-raising activities for a new building.

Working with organizations that serve children was a natural move for Dr. Christensen, a father of three and grandfather of five. "My interest came about largely because I like to see kids have a support base," he says. "What I'm hoping will come about is kids will feel cared for and take pride in being part of the community."

That first foray into community activism leads off a long list of programs in the Waterloo area that have benefited from Christensen's efforts. Organizations ranging from the United Way, Junior Achievement and the Waterloo School Board to the R.J. McElroy Trust and the Wartburg College Board of Regents have been the focus of Dr. Christensen's energies over the years. A new endeavor called "Silos and Smokestacks," which links historic attractions in northeast Iowa into a "living museum," is now coming to fruition. Dr. Christensen chairs the program's board of trustees.

As plans for a new Preclinical Simulation Laboratory and other renovations continue to develop, College faculty offer a glimpse of how future classes may be taught, incorporating high technology and an emphasis on the dentist-patient relationship. Though plans for updating facilities remain in the formative stages, the College is moving quickly. Developments could begin within the next year, starting with the preclinical facilities central to the renovation plan.

"Clearly this project will meet an important need," says Dr. John Reinhardt, professor and head of operative dentistry, who chairs the committee planning changes to the College's 25-year-old lab facilities. "It will be good for the entire University and will help us better serve the state of Iowa."

Dr. Reinhardt is exploring how some other institutions have turned their freshman labs into advanced learning centers that can serve not only first-year students, but also practitioners returning for continuing education. Rather than learning and practicing procedures on bench-mounted dentiforms, students will work with mannequins positioned like patients under simulated clinical conditions. The mannequins can be outfitted with a variety of removable dentiforms, including some that simulate decay or permit extractions and periodontal surgery.

The lab will include more than 80 individual units, positioned in rows or modular clusters. Each unit will be equipped with a computer system that will change the way instructors demonstrate procedures.

"One important element we want is the opportunity to present live video demonstrations to students," Dr. Reinhardt says. Using high-quality images, the system will permit students to follow along on their mannequins as instructors show new techniques. Blending simulated patients and computer technology, the facility could become the site for a new kind of preclinical teaching that focuses on problem solving and patient issues, says Dr. Henrietta Logan, professor of preventive and community dentistry. "We're not talking about cutting cavity preps but about taking care of people," she says. "The renovations will make possible simulations that students currently don't have."

As chair of the Task Force on Preclinical Outcomes, Dr. Logan sees potential for integrating basic, clinical and behavioral sciences in a patient-centered preclinical internship that focuses on problem solving and critical thinking. Such an approach will better prepare students for treating patients, emphasizing the relevance of basic science to clinical care and helping students get an earlier start at learning to manage patient issues.

"Patients tend to judge the technical quality of dental treatment based on care delivery," she says. Adopting a patient-centered approach will help provide better care in the College's clinics and prepare students for practice.

Funded by the William J. Gies Foundation, the award will help identify and support four promising student researchers. Of the 14 schools that applied for the award, the UI was the only recipient.

"We are very pleased to be recognized with an award that provides valuable assistance to our students," says Dean David Johnsen. The program's excellence is shown in the number of student projects presented at national meetings and the honors garnered by participating students. This year, 50 students presented findings at recent AADS and International Association for Dental Research/American Association for Dental Research (AADR) meetings. The College was honored by the AADR for the most predoctoral projects presented.

In addition, students Geoff Engelhardt, D3, Ryan Haldeman, D2, and Jeff Loftus, D4, were awarded AADR research fellowships for topics ranging from dental implants to behavioral effects on immune functions. Second-year student David Wilson placed second in the Caulk-Dentsply Student Research Competition.

The College is one of about 20 schools that receive student research funding from the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR), which offers stipends to 10 students each year. Deborah Clark-Holke, D1, this year received an NIDR Summer Dental Student Research Award, allowing her to spend several weeks on the institute's Bethesda, Md., campus working on HIV/AIDS research. About a third of the College's predoctoral students are actively involved in faculty-mentored research, most supported by Dental Research Awards provided annually to about 10 first-year students. Others receive funding from the Dows Research Award program or NIDR stipends. Others volunteer or are supported by faculty resources.

"The majority of our students will go on to careers in clinical practice, and research experience helps them become more worldly, educated practitioners," says Dr. John Keller, professor and Dows Institute researcher, who directs the predoctoral research program. "They are better able to evaluate studies and claims for new products or procedures."

"My experience in the program has taught me the importance of basing future clinical decisions on sound research rather than tradition," says student researcher Wilson. "These decisions will be based on review of current literature using critical thinking skills developed while pursuing research."