College of Dental Medicine Lasting Impressions Magazine

COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 7 new front teeth matched the color of the patient’s other teeth. “We put the tabs against his teeth and then took photographs in order to show the lab exactly what color we were looking for,” Dalla Bona said. Additionally, Stallard made a wax model to make tempo- rary crowns for the patient to evaluate with a trial run. Once Codo approved the look of the temporary crowns, they were photographed and copied—by making models—to show the laboratory the desired shape and length for the new crowns. The team sent all this information to the lab to help perfect the precise color, size, and shape for Codo’s new teeth. In addition to color and shape, the dentists decided they needed to change how the teeth function. “Previously, the repaired teeth were bulky and thick looking, and Pedro was biting on these teeth exclusively. We redesigned the back sides of the crown to correct his bite,” said Stallard. “We redesigned the functional anatomy of the crown and made sure everything was cosmetically appealing.” This challenge represents a real-world experience CDM students receive daily—making them customize treatment plans—a skill necessary in their careers. “The team needed to figure out a different way to achieve its goal, and Team 8 took the challenge,” Lichtman said. “I always tell my students that everything is a stepping-stone to their next case, and it was nice that the entire team was interested in following this case from start to completion.” The team’s approach resonates with the students. “I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of a team that cultivates a sense of unity and passion and an environment to receive the best dental education,” said Justin Hosseini, a fourth- year student and a Team 8 member. For Codo, the treatment was more than just a stepping- stone. He could now deliver his inspirational messages on the public-speaking stage and feel confident. Just a day after the dentists completed their work, Codo was having dinner with a friend. “She told me I had perfect teeth,” he said. u Third- and fourth-year students are divided into eight teams, and faculty leaders oversee each team. The team approach to treatment accomplishes two goals: To facilitate students as they apply what they learned in didactic and preclinical laboratory courses to their patients and to ensure delivery of continual, comprehensive treatment. The concept, launched in 2011, came together because of the CDM’s strategic planning in which efforts were made to improve the integration between preclinical simulation and the clinical care of patients. Below are the teams and their faculty leaders. TEAM 1 : Mauricio Guerrero, D.D.S., and Rashondia Gaines, D.D.S. TEAM 2 : Antonio Godoy, D.D.S., and Rick Vogel, D.D.S. TEAM 3 : Jeffrey Garber, D.M.D., and Virginia Noce, D.D.S. TEAM 4 : Evren Kilinc, D.D.S., Ph.D., and Elaine Lara, D.D.S. TEAM 5 : Panayotis Papatzimas, D.D.S., and Martha Gutierrez, D.D.S. TEAM 6 : Tulia Gonzalez, D.M.D., and Michael Patten, D.D.S. TEAM 7 : Francisco Jimenez, D.M.D., and Steven Milhauser, D.D.S. TEAM 8 : Randy H. Lichtman, D.D.S., and Diego Araujo Dalla Bona, D.D.S., Ph.D. CLINIC DIRECTORS : Rafael G. Castellon, D.D.S., M.S., and Amir N. Farhangpour, D.D.S. Pedro Codo is proud of his picture-perfect smile thanks to Team 8’s treatment. CDM Teams