NSU CDM Lasting Impressions Spring 2019

18 | COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE When a patient experienced extreme tooth pain, 2015 alumnus Aaron Goodwin, D.O., D.M.D., M.B.S., listened to her story. The patient had already seen two dentists. One suggested a root canal, although there was no infection, and the other had given her a filling for a possible crack. The pain hadn’t subsided, and she was desperately hoping Goodwin, a dentist at Tiralosi Dental in Lake Mary, Florida, could give her another opinion and ease her pain. To help her, Goodwin utilized his dual doctoral degrees in dental and osteopathic medicine from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). Goodwin noticed that the patient’s temporal bone was internally rotated. Rather than suggesting a root canal or crown, he gave the woman cranial osteopathy, subtly adjusting her jaw so it was more balanced. “She fell asleep for the first time in a couple of days as I was treating her, and she woke up feeling completely better,” Goodwin said. “One week later, she had a little discomfort, but the pain was a 1 out of 10, rather than 10 out of 10. The fact that we could avoid a root canal or crown by adjusting the areas is amazing.” It’s just one of many examples of how he has been able to utilize his D.O. degree in his current practice, which is a biologic, comprehensive dental practice that focuses on a patient’s overall health and wellness. NSU is the only university in the country that offers a D.O./D.M.D. dual-degree program. To date, seven students have graduated from the challenging, six-year program, which NSU started in 2007 to integrate oral health with systemic health, provide greater options for students interested in interprofessional practice, and improve access to care for patients. (See page 14.) FIELD OF DREAMS For 2014 alumna Brittanie Dillon, D.O., D.M.D., the dual-degree program was one of the main aspects that drew her to the university. Many of her family members, who are physicians, suggested she consider dental school because it offers a better lifestyle. Still, she opted for medical school and applied to numer- ous institutions. “When I narrowed my options, one reason I liked NSU was because of the several interprofessional programs,” Dillon explained. “NSU was the only one with a dual-degree program. I got admitted to the D.O. school, and then I thought the dual-degree program sounded great.” Dillon and Goodwin were two of the students who have signed up for the rigorous task of attaining doctoral degrees from both NSU’s College of Dental Medicine and Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. They spent their first year in dental school, their second and third years in medical school, their third and fourth years back in dental school, and a combination of both in their fifth and sixth years. “It was challenging, but the faculty members worked with me a lot,” Dillon said. Patients Benefit from Dual-Degree Graduates BY ELLEN WOLFSON VALLADARES ALUMNI IMPRESSIONS ALUMNI Impressions Double l Seeing