Horizons Fall 2015

37 NSU HORIZONS Dentists and other health care providers who treat patients with autism spectrum disorder require special training to understand the skills and techniques needed to care for this growing population. Romer Ocanto, D.D.S., M.S., CAGS, chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine, has secured a $3.39-million grant from the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide this training to pediatric dentistry residents and advanced education in general dentistry residents over a five-year period. This is the third grant Ocanto has received fromHRSA. Previous funding totaled approximately $3.5 million. The program will include the development of a curriculum addressing the transition of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder to adult dental care. It will also aim to increase access to dental care for children and ado- lescents with special health care needs, such as autism. Currently, the college has pediatric special needs dental clinics at NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development in Davie (shown above); NSU Dental Care at Kids In Distress in Fort Lauderdale; and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida; along with an adult special needs dental clinic in North Miami Beach. n This project is 100% financed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number D88HP20126 and Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene for $3,398,452. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE RECEIVES $3.39-MILLION GRANT NSU is becoming greener with new initiatives. The Green Sharks NSU Student Sustainability Club begins its first year as an official university group. Affiliated with NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the Green Sharks aims to engage students and faculty and staff members across the university on sustainable efforts. The club, which debuted during the Spring 2015 Earth Day, helped to plan the recent student-interactive Sharkapalooza, with energy savings as its theme. The Green Sharks also will organize several off-campus field trips, including visits to a South FloridaWaste Management facility and a local organic farm. For more information, contact Cassi Lobaugh, Green Sharks president, at cl1221@nova.edu. Faculty Members Collaborate A collaboration of 37 faculty and staff members from a variety of Nova Southeastern University colleges has formed to continue the university’s sustainability efforts. The group’s goals include business retention, jobs creation, and curriculum and research projects. The faculty members represent NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneur- ship; College of Nursing; College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Shepard Broad College of Law; Mailman Segal Center for Human Development. The staff members are from the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center. For more information on the group, contact Guenola Nonet, Ph.D., at gnonet@nova.edu or Karen McKenzie, Ph.D., at karenmck@nova.edu . n AN EVEN GREENER NSU