Honors Program

Students can apply to research honors this does not need to be an active link at the time of admission to Penn Dental Medicine or the midpoint of their first or second years. Students must have a 3.5 science GPA to apply prior to matriculation as a first year student. Within the research honors program, students must identify a faculty mentor and plan, implement, and execute a hypothesis-driven research project over a one- or two-year period. In addition to their individually developed projects, all honors scholars participate in Research Day during which they must present a poster. In addition, they are required to write a Research honors thesis.

Director: Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, PhD battagli@upenn.edu

The Honor Clinical program provides senior dental students experience in treatment of multidisciplinary coordinated complex restorative cases. Emphasis on occlusion, treatment planing and current restorative concepts. This program also can enlighten students in deciding their future professional path in general dentistry or different specialties.

Contact: Man Sing Cheung (mcheun@upenn.edu)

The Honors Program in clinical research is open to talented incoming, second, third, and fourth year students who have an interest in human subjects research (clinical and translational) and wish to gain hands-on experience over a one-year period. Selected students will receive an introduction to clinical research rules and regulations, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), study development, and clinical research operations. Students will gain experience in a variety of research settings which may include retrospective projects, observational studies, and clinical trials from different sponsor types. The actual projects available to students will depend on the current portfolio of the Clinical and Translational Research Center. Students will complete a small research project and will be required to present during the annual PDM Research Day.

The Honors Program in the Non-Rotation Clinical Research is open to incoming second, third, and fourth year students who have a clinical research project with a designated mentor that involves patient-oriented data to understand health and disease. Examples include, but are not limited to literature review and retrospective chart review. Students will be required to submit their application and proposal according to guidelines. Each application will be evaluated on the scientific merits of the study proposal, and alignment with CCTR’s goal of advancing understanding of human oral health and diseases. Students are expected to commit approximately 400 hours of research time and a final write up/thesis by March of the student’s D4 year. In addition to meeting with their mentors, students will also be meeting with Dr. Eugene Ko to assess their progress. Finally, students will be required to present during the annual PDM Research Day or ACCE Day.

Program Director: Eugene Ko, DDS (eugko@upenn.edu

Students can pursue community health honors during their third or fourth year at Penn Dental Medicine. For community health honors, students plan and carry out an in-depth community health experience of at least 140 hours over a one-year period at an approved program site. All programs include a preventive care component as well as a quality improvement initiative at the community site. Approved programs sites include the Homeless Health Initiative of The Childrens’ Hospital of Philadelphia, PennSmiles, Philadelphia FIGHT, PHMC Cedar, Puentes and Trinity Mercy LIFE.

Director: Dr. Joan Gluch (gluchj@upenn.edu)

Open to senior students. Junior students can apply for the Endodontics Honors program in the Fall of their third year. HENDO is designed to provide an overall in-depth knowledge of all aspects of Endodontics above and beyond the graduate program level. Students will be taught endodontic concepts at increased depth, participate in Endodontic seminars, assist surgical procedures, and perform limited molar endodontic treatment. Furthermore, students will be assigned to assist on ongoing research projects, and their completed research project will be presented at the annual PDM Research Day and at the Annual Session of the AAE. The honors students will work closely with the directors.

Directors: Dr. Frank Setzer (fsetzer@upenn.edu); Dr. Sumin Lee (suminlee@upenn.edu).

• The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery honors program allows selected 4th year dental students to learn about and perform more advanced surgical procedures (i.e. preprosthetic surgery, complex dental extractions, biopsies, etc.). This program allows honors students to enhance their clinical skills in oral surgery procedures, gain exposure to OR procedures, and better prepare them for possible careers in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Contact: John B Lankalis (John.Lankalis@pennmedicine.upenn.edu)

The Orthodontics Honors Program is open to fourth- year students. Students will be taught Orthodontic concepts at increased depth, participate in Orthodontics Postgraduate Lectures and assist clinical procedures. Students will actively participate in Orthodontic treatment including exposure to a variety of appliance usages, philosophies and techniques with the postgraduate residents under the supervision of attending clinical faculty. Additionally, students may be exposed to a variety of postgraduate Orthodontic lectures including multidisciplinary treatment, Craniofacial Anomalies, Biology and Biomechanics of Tooth Movement, Treatment planning seminar and Cephalometrics.

Contact: Michael Perillo (mperillo@upenn.edu)

Open to fourth- year students ONLY. Students may apply for the Pediatric Dentistry Honors Program in their 3rd year. This honors program allows the student to expand their knowledge about comprehensive treatment planning and pediatric patient care by participating in the advanced pediatric dentistry seminar series with the Pediatric dental residents and by using more advanced behavioral management procedures that include utilization of nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation, oral conscious sedation and general anesthesia during their clinical rotations. The honors students will enhance their clinical and didactic skills in pediatric restorative procedures such as stainless steel crowns, pulpotomies, pulpectomies, indirect pulp capping, anterior aesthetic restorations, etc. They will also gain exposure to operating room procedures. All these activities will better prepare honors students for a residency program in Pediatric Dentistry. Students complete the Pediatric Dental honors requirement within the Pediatric Clinic and the Sedation Suite.

o First Five Advanced Pediatric Dentistry Honors Program

Open to fourth-year students ONLY. Students may apply for the First Five Pediatric Dentistry Honors Program in their 3rd year. In this honors program, the students will gain exposure and knowledge in sedation and operating room procedures as well as preventive dentistry practices in children under the age of six. They will increase their knowledge with behavioral and caries management techniques. The activities will enhance the honor students understanding of a residency program in Pediatric Dentistry. Students complete the D4 First Five Pediatric Dentistry Honors requirements within the Pediatric Clinic and the Sedation Suite.

o First Five Pediatric Dentistry Honors Program

Open to third and fourth-year students ONLY. Students may apply for the First Five Pediatric Dentistry Honors Program in their 2nd and 3rd year. In this honors program, the students will gain exposure and knowledge in clinical preventive dentistry in children under the age of six. They will increase their knowledge with behavioral and caries management techniques throughout their rotations. The activities will give students opportunities to experience if a residency program in Pediatric Dentistry is for them. Students complete the D3 First Five Pediatric Dentistry Honors requirements within the Pediatric Clinic.

Director:
Dr. Joanie Jean (jeanj@upenn.edu)
Dr. Betty Hajishengallis (evlambia@upenn.edu)
Assistant: Deanne Wallaert (deannew@upenn.edu)

Open to fourth-year students ONLY. Junior students can apply for the Periodontology Honors program in the Fall of their third year. Perio honor program is designed for adding the knowledge and skill that the regular predoctoral syllabus doesn’t cover by participating in the seminar at Grade Perio, Perio research, hands-on exercise, and other mentorship. The goal of the program is to have you perform the surgical procedure by yourself with 1on 1 faculty supervision. The honors students work closely with the Director and other Perio faculty members. You may expect applying the laser treatment, crown lengthening, open flap procedure, osseous surgery, or some advance procedure such as mucogingival surgery and implant depends on your progression.

Director: Dr. Yucheng, Chang (yuchengc@upenn.edu)

Contact: Temitope Omolehinwa (omote@upenn.edu)

This program is designed for dental students in their fourth year to serve the refugee and vulnerable population of patients at PDM. Students apply in the fall of their third year.

Students provide treatment to individuals whose social, emotional or health history may require additional interpretation and support. Comprehensive care is delivered to refugees, survivors of torture, asylum seekers, and survivors of intimate partner violence. Students will learn and practice trauma informed care, treating dentally complex cases on adults and children. Students work in pairs and participate in clinic one afternoon per week. The requirements to complete the course include weekly attendance, attendance at lunch and learns, and poster case presentation at PDM’s ACCE Day.

Director: Dr. Sharon M. Verdinelli, sharonmv@upenn.edu