Lasting Impressions | Fall 2017

NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 39 38 © NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Alumni Impressions prevented pain for a patient who prob- ably can’t express his feelings and can’t explain his suffering, that makes you feel you actually did good in this world,” she said. “It means the world to me when the nurses and assistants face a problem and they call me for help, saying, ‘Doctor, do your magic.’ ” Among the important lessons Alohali learned at the Schein Clinical Suite was maintaining the right attitude. “Working with special needs is heartbreaking, and sometimes it gets to you,” she said. “This is where Dr. Ellen’s wonderful sense of humor kicks in. He taught us how to distract ourselves from the sadness that comes with this specialty and focus on performing our job with high spirits.” Alohali remembers what trips to the dentist were like when she was young. “I hated going to the dentist just like everyone,” she said. “It could be the reason why I always try to be extra gentle, because I still remember how uncomfortable and horrifying it was, especially for a person who doesn’t know why and what you are doing.” Alohali completed the two- year postgraduate program in operative dentistry, the Master of Science degree, and her certi- ficate in special needs dentistry at the CDM. She took all of that training back to Riyadh in June 2016. She works at a Security Forces Hospital, where about 90 percent of the patients she sees have special needs. “After I resumed my job in Saudi Arabia and people started to hear about my specialty, the hospital began to open files for ‘exceptional cases,’ which are special needs patients who seek dental treatment, justifying that the specialty is not available anywhere else,” she said. The cases she reviewed were from various cities. “You can’t imagine my feeling,” she added. “I am able to treat people with special needs from all around the country, and I’m being known for it.” But acclaim, Alohali said, goes to the CDM’s special needs clinic, which draws students from around the world, educating those from Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Venezuela, among other countries. “The College of Dental Medicine has gone the extra step in really tak- ing the underserved needs of patients to heart,” Ede-Nichols said. “Who would imagine we would have the reach we have? It feels like we are really helping. We are touching the corners of the world.” u • February 23–24, 2018: The Endodontics Alumni Annual Reunion will be held at the NSU Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography. • April 25–28, 2018: The CDM will sponsor its annual dessert reception for the college’s endodontics alumni at the American Association of Endodontists Convention in Denver, Colorado. • May 4–8, 2018: The CDM will sponsor a reception for the college’s orthodontics alumni at the American Association of Orth- odontists Convention in Washington, D.C. • June 21–23, 2018: The CDM will host its annual alumni reception on June 22 during the Florida Dental Convention at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida. Last June, more than 100 CDM alumni, family members, and friends attended the mix-and-mingle reception hosted by the college during the Florida Dental Conference in Orlando. For more information, contact Rosalie Marin at rm1147@nova.edu ALUMNI RECEPTIONS SCHEDULED Tagreed Ali Alohali chose the CDM to learn more about the intricacies of caring for special needs patients. More than 400 children ages 2 to 18 are expected to receive free dental care during the CDM’s annual Give Kids A Smile event scheduled for February 3, 2018, at the college. Third-year dental student Joanna Theodorou and fourth-year dental student Victoria Gandarillas will serve as codirectors of the 2018 event. More than 200 CDM students and 100 CDM faculty and staff members, as well as alumni, also are expected to volunteer throughout the day. A year’s worth of planning goes into the student-run Give Kids A Smile event, with committees handling recruitment, fund-raising, entertainment, and interdisciplinary involvement. “It really is a team effort, and everyone works hard leading up to the day of the event,” Theodorou said. “We have many students who volunteer the day of the event to treat the patients, as well as the pediatric dentistry residents who do the screenings, and the faculty members who volunteer their time. We are also fortunate that our assistants volunteer their time to help us on the day.” The theme of Give Kids A Smile 2018 will be “Into the Jungle.” As in the past, the young dental patients will be entertained by local celebrities, face painters, balloon artists, music, and mascots such as NSU’s Razor the Shark. In addition, the CDM will work with medical and pharmacy students to provide nutritional counseling and information on poison control and vaccinations. “We also are inviting the students from the College of Optometry,” Theodorou added. CDM students know how important the program is. “The main reason I have loved being involved in Give Kids A Smile for the past few years is that there are so many children in our community who are unable to make regular visits to the dentist for various reasons,” said Theodorou, who also is secretary of the Pediatric Dental Club. “With this event, we reach such a large part of our community. It is so rewarding to see how we can change the lives of these kids by providing them with the dental care they need.” Give Kids A Smile, launched nationally by the American Dental Association Foundation in 2003, is one of the world’s largest oral health charitable pro- grams. Annually, it provides dental care to more than 350,000 children from low-income families across the country. Event sponsors also include the American Student Dental Association, Colgate, Henry Schein, and the NSU College of Dental Medicine Student Government Association. u Give Kids A Smile Give Kids A Smile day did indeed bring smiles from the children who attended the CDM’s annual event in 2017. Even more smiles will be on display at the 2018 Give Kids A Smile event, slated for Saturday, February 3. 2018 EVENT SCHEDULED BY OLINE H. COGDILL