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Dear Colleagues,
During my tenure as Foundation President, I had the distinct honor to serve when no day looked the same. When I became president in April 2020, a global pandemic had just gripped the world. The resilience of our endodontic and dental communities was inspiring, and I learned how the Foundation could better serve endodontic professionals. It was a privilege to help see our organization through those difficult days, all those in between, and to finally emerge from a fully remote setting. Concluding my term as president at AAE22 Phoenix was a storybook ending. In 2022, our Foundation drafted a new strategic plan to serve as a roadmap for our future. The creation of the plan involved not only goal setting, but reimagining our mission, vision, and values. The Trustees finalized and approved the plan before AAE22. I encourage you to dig into the Foundation’s goals to better understand our future plans. While we paved the groundwork for future years, our Foundation continued its vital work to support the specialty and its practitioners. Research • Dr. Annie Shrestha, assistant professor University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry, the Dentsply Sirona Research Fellow, completed her third year of research amidst her five-year fellowship goal of harnessing extramural funding. Her project, “Immune Dysbiosis in Diabetes and Apical Periodontitis – Role of Cell Microenvironment,” is progressing. Education • Dr. Frederico Martinho, Director of Predoctoral Endodontics at University of Maryland was named the Endodontic Educator Fellow. • A new program awarding $500 to graduating residents who attended and presented at AAE22 was made available thanks to a multi-year pledge from Endo1 Partners.
Access to Care • At the end of 2022, the second year of funding for the Foundation for Endodontics' and US Endo Partners' Domestic Access to Care Program was released. We were so pleased with the high standard of care provided by endodontists to their underserved communities in 2021, and we are thrilled to see how these grantees support their communities in Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Chicago. It has been a professional honor to serve endodontics in this capacity, but I have not done it alone. Thank you to each of the Foundation’s donors, volunteers, Trustees, and beneficiaries for your commitment to endodontics. A giant thank you to the hard working staff of the Foundation. I would also like to recognize the two AAE Presidents I had the privilege to work with – Drs. Alan Gluskin and Alan Law as well as our executive director Mr. Ken Widelka. Their hard work, support, and perseverance made surviving the pandemic years that much easier. Thanks to all of you the future of endodontics is strong.
With appreciation,
John M. Nusstein, DDS, MS Foundation President, 2020-2022
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WeLoveItWhenaPlanComesTogether! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2022 Domestic Access to Care: Rooted in Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2021DomesticAccesstoCareUpdate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Whole Package: Dr. Frederico Canato Martinho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 HowDoYOUGiveBack?......................... 12 Winner'sCircle.............................. 14 2022 Competitive Research Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Research Fellowship: Year Three in Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 ADEA Leadership Institute Scholar Dr. Leticia Guajardo-Morales . . . . . . . 18 ATriumphantReturntoService . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 KeepingEducationWithinReach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 WhatEndodonticsMadeofMe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 What’s Inside?
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We Love It When a Plan Comes Together!
Strategic plans are an organization's process of defining
Various iterations of strategic plans have carried the Foundation over the years. 2021–2022 marked a year for drafting a new plan. The pre-work of the strategic plan involved research, surveys, and a variety of meetings with stakeholders, volunteers, and staff. Then, the Board of Trustees convened for a series of workshops to draft and finalize the plan. As part of that plan, the Board approved updates to the mission, vision, and values. They also set goals focused on research, education, access to care, and engagement to propel our Foundation into the future.
its strategy or direction and
making decisions on allocating its resources to attain strategic goals. Additionally, a plan may be defined by the control mechanisms for guiding the implementation of the strategy. Simply put, strategic plans are put in place for organizations like the Foundation to aid volunteer leaders and staff to effectively drive their missions forward.
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Take a peek into our future-focused plan:
MISSION The Foundation for Endodontics is committed to improving oral health by increasing engagement and resources for endodontic research, education, and access to care.
VISION The Foundation for Endodontics improves oral health by advancing multi-faceted initiatives and collaborations to save the natural dentition.
VALUES Integrity | Stewardship Responsiveness | Excellence Collaboration | Impact Philanthropy
GOALS
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Advance impactful endodontic research that improves oral health.
Enhance the quality of endodontic education at all levels.
Support access to endodontic care led by endodontic specialists to improve oral health in underserved
Define our identity, foster community, and reinforce our brand to increase engagement in the Foundation’s mission.
communities/ populations.
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Rooted in Service 2022 Domestic Access to Care:
The Foundation for Endodontics’ and US Endo Partners’ Domestic Access to Care Program aids endodontic specialists in providing access to free endodontic care to underserved patients in the United States. The Foundation believes every endodontist has the capacity to make a significant difference and is proud to empower specialists to serve patients and spread goodwill.
The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California (USC) has worked with the Union Rescue Mission (URM) Dental Clinic for over 20 years, providing free dental care to Los Angeles’ homeless population in the Skid Row district. The clinic currently serves 1,380 patients annually, who are triaged by USC dental students under the supervision of faculty general dentists. With help from a $10,000 Foundation for Endodontics grant, Yaara Berdan, DDS, MBA, will lead the URM Dental Clinic in performing more root canals onsite, ensuring that more patients receive the endodontic treatment they need as part of comprehensive rehabilitative services.
The endodontic and pediatric residents at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) will collaborate to provide cross-disciplinary dental care to children of undocumented migrants. These children receive basic preventive and restorative oral healthcare through the school’s program for low-income and uninsured children, but pediatric endodontic care is not currently funded. The $12,871 grant will enable these two departments to work together to save more young, permanent at-risk teeth. Further, Ina Griffin, DMD, will oversee the development of UMSOD’s pediatric-focused clinical and academic curriculum, resulting in graduates who are confident in their ability to treat children and adolescents.
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2021 Domestic Access to Care Update
Howard Brown Health operates within a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model. This model establishes the infrastructure to provide patients with team-based, patient-centered primary care to meet their acute medical needs, manage chronic diseases, prioritize their self- determined goals, and promote overall health and wellness. With an emphasis on LGBTQ+ people, uninsured and under- insured individuals, and patients living with HIV/AIDS, Howard Brown Health provides comprehensive programs that offer under-resourced communities critical access to systems of care. A $10,000 grant will allow Satish Alapati, BDS, MS, PhD, in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Dentistry, to provide onsite endodontic treatment to 150 patients in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, improving health outcomes in the community.
4 projects funded
111 patients served
331 procedures conducted
454 volunteer hours
$ 26,847.69 spent ( $ 35,239 awarded)
“ We are extremely grateful for this grant that provided for instruments, equipment and supplies to care for our patients. A wonderful outcome was the recruitment of an additional volunteer endodontist who saw the video. In January he will begin frequent clinic sessions along with Dr. Nieves, and the waiting time for root canal procedures will shorten. ” Peggy Leitch Executive Director Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth
“ We have now partnered in a deeper way with UNC Adams School of Dentistry, hosting the endo residents twice a month to kick our Endo Initiative into a deeper level! I am stoked by this and the win-win in that our patients
get more teeth saved and upcoming endodontists
are giving back! ” Sommer Wisher Executive Director Wake Smiles
These grants, worth a combined $32,871, will serve nearly 2,000 deserving children and adults across the United States.
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The Whole Package Inspirational teaching
On a typical day, University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) predoctoral endodontics director Dr. Frederico Canato Martinho’s schedule has him scurrying between various combinations of clinics with dental students and graduate residents; conducting research; lecturing in graduate and undergraduate courses; and overseeing simulation labs. Also charged with re-establishing Maryland’s endodontic research lab, he conducts his own studies in the microbiology of endodontic infections, inflammatory mediators, and correlated patient symptoms, with funding from the Foundation for Endodontics. Martinho’s interest in clinical technology helped develop a national reputation for the program in this area while adopting a student- centered perspective on the research component of their training that syncs with the brief timelines of their education compared to clinical evidence research, which can go on for many years.
and progressive research go hand in hand for 2022
Endodontic Educator Fellow Dr. Frederico Canato Martinho
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“He’s one of the most in-demand faculty in the school,” says UMSOD second-year endodontic resident and Foundation Resident Expert Advisory Council (REACH) member Dr. Corey Rollor. “He’s always on the go.” Of course, the days don’t end when it’s time to go home. “Nights are work, weekends are work, that’s how I do it,” Martinho says. “Weekends I’m getting lectures ready, writing a scientific paper or a grant…during the week, after work, I go to the gym and then work some more… “So it’s been like 24/7, but I’m doing what I love…” What Martinho loves with a passion and youthful Latin flair is inspiring a respect for endodontics among nascent dentists. He is universally heralded for a positive, encouraging, mentoring approach to education, and appreciated and admired for his compassion and high standards. Incorporating his own scientific background and research interests, he has created opportunities for students to participate in meaningful research which shapes their view of how they will practice in the future. “Fred is the whole package,” asserts Dr. Patricia Tordik, UMSOD director of the endodontics division. “He really can do it all. He’s very hands- on and involved with the D2s. He runs their first intro to endo. You make it or break it. If they don’t like the endodontic class when they’re introduced to it early on, that’s it; they’ll probably avoid endo in school and then beyond when they graduate. First impressions are important.” In the big picture, Martinho’s role is far more impactful than
Dr. Martinho with UMSOD endodontic residents and dental students who worked with him on the surgical dynamic navigation research funded by the Foundation which was instrumental in securing FDA approval of the device.
instructing a rudimentary knowledge of endodontic
Dr. Martinho oversees D4 Daniel Syrianos-Robertson in the predoctoral endodontic clinic
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A D2 lecture on root canal system disinfection
Dr. Martinho with Drs. Brenda Gomes and Patricia Tordik at AAE19 in Montréal
procedures among new general practitioners. He focuses both on engaging undergraduate students and giving them a healthy perspective on their limits relative to the training of endodontic specialists. “The important part is having the foundational knowledge to know how to refer and when, which helps them to treat patients who need a simple RCT, but he also guides them to understand why they need to refer some patients when they don’t have the equipment or skill set needed to deliver certain types of care,” Tordik says. “I show them a case where a treatment failed and is being referred to post-grads,” Martinho explains. “I don’t just stop there because it’s being referred out. If you leave it to just what’s at their level, that’s not engaging. Other specialties like implant dentistry are showing them how to place an implant. We need to show them our next level, too.” Meanwhile, Martinho acknowledges that “when I
started as a predoc endodontic director I had a feeling they always wanted to do any case just to meet their requirements, but they were never looking at the complexity of the case.” He responded by instituting a requirement to complete the AAE case assessment questionnaire to triage each treatment plan. “Since we introduced the app to the predoc students, I’ve seen them not try to push to do cases for which they are not prepared. I think if we train them in the app, they will follow the app in the future. Sometimes when dental alumni have an endo case in their practice, they contact me to talk about it… so it sounds like it’s working.” “The predoc director of endodontic education is really critical from that perspective,” Tordik says. The role is “not just how do you have a successful site visit every seven years from CODA or what are the requirements for them to graduate? It’s not really about that. It’s about how you want
them to practice once they have their degree. If some of them become interested in endo along the way you can really nurture that…" “The bigger role is so that the GP has a good understanding of what endos do, and can do, to help them make the right treatment decisions for their patients," Tordik explains. "They’re the gatekeepers… you’re not going to get referrals unless they have an understanding… if they’re more comfortable with implants and prosthodontics, then that’s what they’re going to recommend to their patients. “We only have a small amount of time to make a good impression.” “So, Fred has a lot of responsibility. In my opinion the most important position in the endo division or even in any endodontic department in any school is the predoc director. Those are the ones who have the greatest potential to make the largest impact.”
Click here to read the full story online!
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Working with Martinho on studies of the GentleWave ® device, UMSOD third-year endodontic resident Dr. Tanvir Singh explains, “We’re doing a lot of bacterial samples before and after the different access designs. During treatments, I started to think more about the concentration of bacteria that could be present, and how doing different access designs could impact my ability to clean out the bacterial load. Translating the research to clinical practice has helped me think like a bacterium along every step, not just about having a few steps in a procedure that I’m following.” Not surprisingly, Fred continues to cultivate and develop interest in endodontics both among dental students who came to school with previous experience and those who had never even considered it. Martinho balances engaging undergraduates with giving them a healthy perspective “When I give my lectures, I teach them the fundamental principles. I want to make sure they understand,” Martinho explains. “Then right in the middle or toward the end I start introducing what’s going on in the topic, and then I show them future directions. I say this is where we are and what you need to know, but this is where we might be in the future. I want them to be knowledgeable of the latest techniques in the field. Usually, I incorporate information from the residency program to introduce them to how we treat in the postgrad …you’re here, and this is now how you are treating, but look! If you do a residency, this is how you might treat in the future. “I think it’s important because maybe you’re going to get on their limits relative to specialist training.
some students interested in endo just by showing them.” Complementing his primary role as undergraduate endodontic program director, Fred’s background has helped chart a course for research that combines microbiology studies, newer devices, and healing outcomes. Catalyzed by the donation of an X-Nav implant surgical guidance system from a University of Maryland oral surgery alumnus, Tordik says Martinho “jumped right in and did it.” The two Foundation- funded grants Martinho secured to study a new software application on the platform customized for endodontics were instrumental in securing Federal Drug Administration approval of the device. To re-establish his clinical credentials in the United States, this summer he anticipates beginning advanced placement in a postgraduate program in addition to full time teaching and research. The Foundation Educator Fellowship will make it possible for Dr. Martinho to advance his own career while continuing to mold the careers of hundreds of general dentists and dozens of endodontic specialists. “I’m so grateful I’m going to have the opportunity to continue training, teaching, and contributing to residents’ education and the specialty,” he says. “With my clinical- scientist background, I can add to learning and clinical practice for the entire specialty.” For the future, Fred sees himself continuing to take on higher academic roles which will position him to have even greater impact on shaping endodontics for generations to come. The recognition he is already receiving from all who know him certainly portends well for bright horizons ahead.
Culturing dental pulp stem cells in the lab
D4 Ideen Modarres checking a bacterial culture in the anaerobic chamber for his senior research project
Testing a dynamic navigation system for apical surgery (research project funded by the Foundation)
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The Foundation salutes the tremendous spirit of giving and philanthropy in the endodontic community. How Do YOU Give Back?
Dr. Andrew D’Amelio (pictured with Dr. Francisco Nieves ) began volunteering at Mercy Clinic in Ft. Worth after viewing the Foundation’s videos on the first round of Domestic Access to Care grants. He retired from private practice in Naples, FL, and moved to Texas to be near his two sons.
The Smith Island Dental Clinic Project, which Dr. Gael Delany of Chevy Chase, MD helped found, treats the underserved residents of a remote island off the coast of Maryland. Its expanding scope of care includes periodontics and crown and bridge with implants on the horizon. The succession of endodontic care established by Dr. Delany will be continued by University of Maryland residents now also volunteering at the clinic.
With leadership from Dr. Jacqueline Allen , the Central Arizona Dental Society Foundation organizes three Arizona Mission of Mercy clinics annually in the Phoenix Veterans Memorial Coliseum, to provide free dental treatment to low-income, working-poor families, unemployed or uninsured individuals, veterans, seniors, and homeless residents. Some patients haven’t eaten solid food for years, many are unable to find a job while lacking a “professional appearance”, or have difficulty speaking due to their poor oral health. Up to 1,800 patients are being treated a year. Among nearly 300 dentist volunteers, joining Dr. Allen to provide endodontic treatments are AAE members Drs. Bradley Gettleman , Robert Roda , Ian Bennett , Paul Kogan , Susan Wood , Ryan Engelberg , Betty Schindler , Edward Carlson , Kip Sterling , Mohammed Elseed , Kevin Axx , Collin Clatanoff , and Steven Richardson .
Click here to tell us how YOU are giving back!
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Dr. Jeff Dzingle and his practice partner Dr. Patrick Mullally (currently Michigan Endodontists Association president) of Lake Michigan Endodontics, participate in three different pro bono programs: Delta Dental’s Healthy Kids; Volunteer For Dental in which low income patients earn credits toward free dental services through community service hours and an oral health education class; and a local chapter of Love In Action, a faith-based network which operates a community medical and dental clinic among other services. Their practice frequently sees up to one pro bono case a day. Dr. Sue Suh founded Smile Unto Him, a comprehensive free dental clinic in Riverside, CA, serving low-income veterans and seniors. She devotes 40% of her practice income to help fund the clinic, working there every Saturday and offering endodontic CE courses to local general dentists. More than 30 volunteer providers include dentists and dental students. The clinic's current space has three chairs and two microscopes; Dr. Suh is working on securing new space that would increase the operatory to 10 chairs. Inspired by his experience volunteering with the Foundation’s international access to care program in Jamaica, Foundation Trustee Dr. Ryan McMahan of Gaylord, MI, has created Samaritan Dental Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity, whose mission is to provide access to dental care in rural northern Michigan for patients in need through faith-based community partnerships. The Northeast region of Michigan, in which Dr. McMahan practices, has the highest rate of healthcare uninsured residents in the state, with very high patient-to-provider ratios.
We hope these examples of your colleagues giving back to their communities inspire you to take action!
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Dr. Matthew Malek
Dr. Sally Liu SPRING 2022 Resident Winner
SPRING 2022 Faculty Winner
Dr. Malek’s research focuses on investigating a less common, and less researched, type of resorption called external invasive resorption (EIR). “External invasive resorption is a disease of the tooth in which the immune cells surrounding the tooth attack tooth structure and eat through the tooth,” explains Dr. Malek. “The immune cells are not able to distinguish this natural structure, so it attacks the tooth as if it were a foreign tissue or structure. It's very similar to an autoimmune process when the body attacks its own organs.” Researchers have known about this pathological phenomenon for more than 100 years. Prior to that only two types of resorptions were known. However, current resources categorize 10 or more types of resorptions, along with some knowledge of their ideology, progression, pathogenesis and treatment outcomes. Initial stages of his investigation involved collecting data for preliminary results and establishing proof of concept. The first arm of the study included comparing the biological markers in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of a tooth with EIR to the markers of a healthy tooth in the same patient. From this, Dr. Malek drew meaningful conclusions around the biological basis for this lesion and it was then that he submitted a grant application.
Dr. Liu earned her dental degree from the University of Toronto, Canada and is currently a resident at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research topic, Relative Efficacy of Innovative Endodontic Antimicrobial Agents, focusing on the disinfection portion of root canals, was awarded the highest score for the Spring 2022 Resident Competitive Research Grant. “Usually root canal treatment or regenerative endodontics is divided into the mechanical and chemical portion of cleaning the bacteria, as bacterial infection is the main cause of the disease,” states Dr. Liu. “My research focuses on the chemical portion of effective disinfection of the whole system to help improve outcomes for the patient.” Dr. Liu is testing a new antimicrobial agent, Analogue #66, that could potentially become an alternative to the traditional intracanal medicament, calcium hydroxide. The long-term goal of her research is to identify a novel medicament with better disinfectant abilities, more specific targeting mechanism against resistant biofilms, and more predictable disinfection results.
During the spring and fall competitive research grant cycles, the highest-scoring resident and faculty proposals receive a $500 personal cash award. The goal is to pay tribute to those applicants whose efforts reflect the highest quality science.
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Dr. Mahmoud Torabinejad FALL 2022 Faculty Winner
Dr. Hacer Aksel FALL 2022 Resident Winner
Dr. Torabinejad’s primary interest in endodontics lies in its biological aspects as they relate to clinical practice. Dr. Torabinejad’s almost 50-year career as an endodontic researcher began with his focus on pulpal, periapical, inflammation and immunology. He applied those principles to the successful development and use of the mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) for various procedures such a vital pulp therapy, apexification, regenerative endodontics, perforation repair, root end and root canal filling. MTA also proved to a valuable fundraising tool for the Foundation. Pulp regeneration is not a new idea. In fact, it is an old concept that, with the development of new technology, has seen a resurgence of interest. Based on many animal and a few human studies it appears that the currently used protocols do not lead to regenerating pulp tissue but to the formation of hard tissues in the root canals, instead. Because of uncertainty regarding the nature of tissues developed using current protocols, some endodontists use previous methods for treating teeth with necrotic pulps and open apexes. Dr. Torabinejad’s current research proposal details using non-invasive, high-resolution MRI in ferret teeth to discover new information regarding the nature of tissues following regenerative endodontics.
In Dr. Aksel’s highest scoring research proposal, she wants to explore new biomaterial approaches to achieving predictable pulp and dentin tissue healing in the treatment of deep caries in permanent teeth with vital pulp. “Clinical interventions for dental caries, which is the most common health problem worldwide, range from simple fillings to the more invasive root canal treatment,” states Dr. Aksel. “Vital pulp therapy is a minimally invasive approach to treat deep caries of the vital teeth while maintaining dental pulp vitality and inducing mineralized tissue formation. Preserving the pulp vitality will not only maintain the biological functions of the dental pulp but also result in higher mechanical strength and reduce the risk of fracture. If root canal treatment can be prevented or postponed, the longevity of the tooth will most likely be improved.” Currently, the health status of dental pulp cannot be evaluated in a clinical setting using traditional clinical tests unless the pulp is removed and studied histologically. “Significant effort has been made to identify a biological marker to predict the inflammatory status of the dental pulp and its healing capacity,” says Dr. Aksel. “Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is one of these markers involved in the pathogenesis of pulpal disease.”
Congratulations to the members of the 2022 Winner’s Circle! This is just a sampling of each of these talented endodontists’ accomplishments. Click here to read the full articles on each of these researchers, their goals, and outlook on endodontics!
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Name
Institution
Project
Award
Rajeshwari Hadagalu Revana Siddappa
Three-Dimensional Matrix Based Heterogeneous Model to Study Inflammatory Root Resorption and Intervention Dynamics
University of Toronto
$20,808.00
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry
Relative Efficacy of Innovative Endodontic Antimicrobial Agents
Sally Ziqi Liu*
$13,517.47
Potential Biological Markers of Invasive Cervical Resorption in Saliva and Gingival Crevicular Fluid: A Pilot Study Root-end Preparation and Root-end Fill in Minimally Invasive Osteotomy Using 3D Dynamic Navigation System Assessing Expression of Interferon Regulatory Factor 8 in Macrophages after Pharmacological Modulation of Autophagy
Matthew Malek**
New York University College of Dentistry
$30,512.00
Frederico Martinho
University of Maryland School of Dentistry
$13,760.00
Mansoor Safder
UT Health Houston
$8,382.71
Total Funding for SPRING 2022
$87,980.18
Effect of matrix metalloproteinase-9 on cellular functions and its sensitivity to N-Acetylcysteine
Hacer Aksel*
University at Buffalo
$30,143.00
Tissue Dynamics with Photoactivated and Dexamethasone Releasing Chitosan Nanoparticles on External Root Resorption in Rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus)
University of Toronto
Emily Bishop
$29,060.47
Nicholas Dybdal- Hargreaves
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
The Antibacterial Effects of Hydraulic Obturation on Intracanal Bacteria
$8,511.00
Differentiation of Soft and Hard Dental Tissues in a Ferret Model: MRI Characterization with Histologic Confirmation: A Pilot Project
Mahmoud Torabinejad**
University of Minnesota
$8,763.00
Total Funding for FALL 2022
$76,477.47
Total Overall Funding
$164,457.65
Click here to apply for a competitive research grant.
* Indicates residents who received $500 awards for the highest scoring proposal. ** Indicates faculty who received $500 awards for the highest scoring proposal.
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Research Fellowship: Year Three in Review Dr. Annie Shrestha was named the Dentsply Sirona Research
PUBLICATIONS ACCEPTED • Y. Zhu, D. Winer, C. Goh, A. Shrestha* . Injectable thermosensitive hydrogel to modulate tolerogenic dendritic cells under hyperglycemic condition. Accepted for publication in Biomaterials Science journal- The Royal Society of Chemistry (Impact factor- 7.59). PUBLICATIONS SUBMITTED • B. Yao, M. Ghaffari, A. Shrestha* . Porphyromonas gingivalis -stimulated Hyperglycemic Microenvironment Alters the Immunometabolism of Dendritic Cells. Under Review in the journal Immunology • Y. Zhu, C. Goh, A. Shrestha* . Tunable biomaterials for bone regeneration. Submitted to Frontiers in Dental Medicine, Special Issue. • M. Ghaffari, A. Kishen,
Fellow, in early 2020, for her work on the project, “Immune Dysbiosis in Diabetes and Apical Periodontitis – Role of Cell Microenvironment.” Following three years of mentored training and hard work, Dr. Shrestha provided her annual reporting requirements to showcase her progress. Dr. Shrestha has a research team of highly qualified personnel, including: • Binchen Yao (Jack), M.Sc. , research student (Graduated September 2022), thesis title- “Immunometabolism of Dendritic Cells in Porphyromonas gingivalis Stimulated Hyperglycemic Microenvironment”; awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship ($10,000; 2021) • Yi Zhu, Ph.D. , research student (Start date: January 2020), thesis title, “Develop and Characterize Novel Injectable Thermosensitive Scaffolds to Immunomodulate Dendritic Cells”; awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship ($15,000; 2020- 2021 and 2022-2023). He successfully completed his Ph.D. qualifying examination in January 2022. • Dr. Graziella Molska , part-time research technician helping with animal breeding and animal experimental work. • Dr. Maryam Ghaffari , part-time post-doctoral fellow helping with cell culture work and lab management. Part of the scholarship for the research students are covered by
Research Fellow
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS • Y. Zhu, C. Goh, A. Shrestha . Injectable thermosensitive hydrogel modulates tolerogenic dendritic cells under hyperglycemic condition. Canadian Biomaterials Society. 37th Annual Meeting. May 2022 (Poster) • B. Yao, A. Shrestha . microenvironment. IADR/APR General Session 2022 (Oral). • Y. Zhu, C. Goh, A. Shrestha . Modulating dendritic cells using thermosensitive hydrogel under hyperglycemia. IADR/APR General Session 2022 (Oral). The Foundation looks forward to even more outcomes from Dr. Shrestha. Immunometabolism of dendritic cells in Porphyromonas gingivalis - stimulated hyperglycemic She is deepening the of research in endodontics, and we look forward to the vast impact she will continue to make.
A. Shrestha* . Endocytic internalization mechanism of bioactive antibacterial nanoparticles by fibroblasts. Under Review in the journal Photochemistry and Photobiology.
INVITED/SUBMITTED PRESENTATIONS • Endodontic Treatment: Changing of the Guard?
International Association of Dental Research General Session, Bogota, Columbia. June 2023. • Regendo: What’s New? American Association of Endodontists Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA. May 2023. • Advances in Nano-Biomaterials for Treating Chronic Dental Infections. Nepalese Society of Periodontology and Oral Implantology. Kathmandu, Nepal. Feb 2023.
the Research Fellowship: • Graduate Student Thesis
Supervisory Committees: Dr. Emily Bishop, M.Sc. student, Endodontic Program (Year 2); Armin Mahdi Souzani, M.Sc. student (Year 2)
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Congratulations to Foundation & Endo1 Partners/ADEA Leadership Institute Scholar Dr. Leticia Guajardo-Morales !
The Foundation for Endodontics and Endo1 Partners sponsor an endodontic educator's participation in the American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) Leadership Institute. The Institute helps further develop dental faculty and enables a growing pool of outstanding academicians to become academic leaders in dental institutions.
The Foundation recently had the opportunity to speak with the scholarship recipient, Dr. Leticia Guajardo-Morales, Associate Professor at UT Health Houston School of Dentistry, about her experience in the program. Q: Share a little bit about yourself, your background, your interests, etc. A: I am an Associate Professor of the Department of Endodontics. I began my academic career volunteering for the University of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston (UTSD) in 2012. In 2013 my position changed to part–time status, and in
August 2014 I joined UTSD as a full–time faculty. My research interests are in Clinical Endodontics and the use of BigMouth Dental Data Repository and Patient outcomes related to different systematic disease. Q: Why were you initially interested in the ADEA Leadership Institute? A: I wanted to enhance my leadership skills and network with other dental leaders. Q: Would you have been able to participate in the program without the scholarship? A: No, due to budget constraints my department has very limited discretionary funds for travel. Q: What were the three to five greatest takeaways from the Leadership Institute? A: Always seek new ways to reach your students, never
“ It’s important to us to take part in the educational support that prepares future dental professionals. Our commitment allows us to contribute to continued advancements in the industry while playing a role in their pending careers. ”
Dr. Matthew Haddad Co-Founder, Endo1 Partners
hesitate to reach out to your peers, and poll your students and get buy- in from them when you want to make changes.
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Congratulations to Dr. Guajardo-Morales, and thank you to Endo1 Partners for your strong support of the specialty and its future.
Q: Why do you feel it is
I can even see myself as an associate dean or another position in administration. Q: Are there takeaways from the Leadership Institute that have affected how you serve your students on a day-to-day basis? A: Yes. I have adapted new and innovative ways to communicate better with my students and peers and really reach them. Because of this institute I was able to revise our core requirements without sacrificing skill set and knowledge.
important for endodontists to be involved at a leadership level in academics? A: Because effective leadership means moving the specialty of endodontics forward, graduating competent practitioners, meeting new challenges and leading innovation and change. Q: What are your professional goals as an educator? A: Ultimately, I would like to become board-certified and become a program director. As a result of this institute,
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A Triumphant Return to Service The association works hard to advocate for the specialty, and through its access to care initiative, the Foundation is advocating and increasing awareness, even overseas.
The global pandemic paused the International Access to Care program for nearly three years, but in December 2022, residents and an endodontic mentor returned to Jamaica with the Christian Dental Society (CDS)! With CDS providing logistical support and caring for our volunteers, and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation providing incredibly generous supply and material support, committed through their multi-year pledge, the international outreach program has made a triumphant
return to the Helping Hands Dental Clinic in Treasure Beach. Our volunteers receive not only the opportunity to give desperately needed care to underprivileged patients, but also a once-in-a-lifetime experience, putting their skills to use abroad. The Foundation looks forward to making an even greater impact on patients in 2023.
“ We had many unforeseen challenges throughout the trip. Creativity, flexibility, resilience, and positivity were key. What a humbling experience it truly was, and it really made me see with my own eyes how desperately these people needed help and access to dental care. ” Daphne Chung, DDS Resident, UCSF Class of 2023
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foundation.aae.org
The Foundation proudly thanks these companies for their generous contributions to support endodontic research, education and access to care.
$ 2,700,000
* $1,000,000 from Tulsa Dental Products
$ 740,000
$ 500,000
$ 400,000
$ 245,000
$ 240,000
$ 200,000
$ 182,000
$ 177,500
$ 175,000
$ 150,000
$ 125,000
$ 110,000
$ 100,000
$ 80,000 Coltene
$ 55,000 Endodontic Practice Partners $ 50,000 Heartland Dental Pacific Dental Services XDR Radiology $ 30,000 Septodont, Inc. Vista Apex
$ 25,000 Avalon Biomed Komet USA Legally Mine PreXion Seiler Instrument and Manufacturing $ 5,000 Jordco, Inc.
$ 75,000 Acadental ACTEON North America ASI Medical, Inc.
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Keeping Education Within Reach The Foundation for Endodontics is dedicated to supporting research and education, and the Endodontic Educator Fellowship and Endowed Faculty Matching Grants are only the most highly visible endeavors. Equally important, however, are the broader awards that put teaching and research within reach for every endodontic resident and educator.
Annual Meeting Resident Development Scholarship
Residency is hard! The Foundation, alongside Endo1 Partners, aims to ease the burden with the Annual Meeting Resident Development Scholarship, which offers financial assistance to endodontic residents in their final year of training who attend and present oral research, poster research, or table clinic presentations at the AAE's annual meeting. More than 30 residents, representing more than a dozen schools, took advantage of this unique opportunity in 2022.
“ Receiving the 2022 Resident Development Scholarship enabled me to travel to my first ever in-person AAE meeting which is an experience that I will never forget! I am already counting down to AAE23 in Chicago. ” Austyn C. Grissom, DMD, MSD UT Health Houston, Class of 2022
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foundation.aae.org
Resident Research Grant
The Resident Research grant program has proven to be a valuable resource for the specialty.
In 2022, with generous support from Brasseler USA, the Foundation made a $500 grant available to every endodontic resident to fund activities related to research. The money can be used to fund an individual resident’s research project, supplement a competitive research grant award, travel to a meeting to present research, and more. An additional $500 grant is available for each resident who uses the initial award toward a research project. The Foundation is honored to have awarded a total of $67,500 in Resident Research grants to 135 residents in support of 19 endodontic residency programs.
“ The grants have covered the cost of laboratory materials for mounting teeth, replacement of special diamond saws used to precisely cut teeth, and for bleaching, etching, and bonding materials used in our studies. The grants greatly help offset the cost of these items. We thank the Foundation for the support of resident research! ” Kenneth J. Frick, DDS, MS Director, Advanced Education Program in Endodontics; Diplomate, American Board of Endodontics; Clinical Associate Professor, UMKC School of Dentistry
Full-Time Educator Development Grant
It is often said that teaching is the profession that teaches all other professions. One way the Foundation supports its valued educators is by providing reimbursement of up to $1,500 to attend a number of industry meetings each year. This program ensures that educators can access professional development opportunities that meet their individual needs. In 2022, 141 full-time educators received this grant, 76 percent of whom do not receive financial support from their institutions to attend these vital meetings.
“ The Full-Time Educator Development grant has been a solid push and support to us educators to bring the most up-to-date knowledge and current trends into education. This builds the foundation of endodontics! ” Tun-Yi (Edward) Hsu, DDS, DScD, DMD, FICD Clinical Director | Clinical Associate Professor Advanced Specialty Education Program in Endodontics Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
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Thank You ALL for serving the specialty! Thanks to the generosity of its donors, the Foundation is committed to strengthening the specialty and its clinicians while striving for stronger patient outcomes. We’d like to say THANK YOU to all the individuals and corporations who have contributed to the 2022-2023 campaign.
180 N. Stetson Ave., Suite 1500 Chicago, IL 60601 P: 800-872-3636 or 312-266-7255 F: 866-451-9020 or 312-266-9867 foundation.aae.org If you have questions about a contribution to the Foundation, please do not hesitate to reach out to Foundation staff for more information.
Click here to check out the list of your colleagues who contributed to the campaign between May 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023!
It’s not too late to make a difference and serve the specialty through philanthropy! Giving is easily arranged with staff available to discuss options and payment plans for gifts, multi-year commitments, deferred gifts, and other vehicles. We hope you are inspired by the spirit of your colleagues and their commitment to moving the profession forward.
What Endodontics Made of Me Learn more about four donors as they discuss how endodontics has served their professional and personal paths in life!
Click here to watch their stories on our Vimeo showcase!
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