UAB Dentistry News
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Dr. Michael S. Reddy, Dean, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry, is the 2016 recipient of the William J. Gies Annual Periodontology Award presented by the William J. Gies Foundation for the Advancement of Dentistry of the American Dental Education Association, Inc. (The ADEAGies Foundation). The award is conferred to those who have made significant contributions to periodontal literature and the advancement of dental education.
Dr. Reddy joined the UAB faculty in 1989 and has served in a variety of leadership positions. In 2012, he was named the eighth Dean of the UAB School of Dentistry. Under his leadership the School of Dentistry has become a national leader in clinical dentistry and progressive education.
Dr. Reddy is an internationally recognized master clinician in the area of periodontal therapy and dental implants. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Periodontology and Editor of Clinical Advances in Periodontics and he serves as an examiner for the American Board of Periodontology. His research focuses on the interrelationships between oral infections and overall health and regenerative medicine approaches in the oral cavity. He has served as a scientist in multiple UAB research centers including the Center for Metabolic Bone Disease and the Center for Aging. He has had continuous NIH funding for more than 25 years and over 40 grants awarded as an investigator or co-investigator. His research and contributions to multiple areas within the disciplines supporting dental (and medical) research and extensions to patient care have been demonstrated by more than 200 publications, book chapters, abstracts/presentations, contracts and grants, and patents.
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The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry held its 18th Annual White Coat Ceremony for first-year dental students on Thursday, Aug. 25, in the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center.
Each of the 59 members of the Class of 2020 were presented with the traditional white coat adorned with the dentistry emblem as a gift from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry Alumni Association. The white coat is a symbol of entry into the dental profession and acceptance of professional responsibilities. It is also symbolic of the collegiality within healthcare and of being united with a common purpose and in mutual respect. Students also received a lapel pin with the school’s crest.
Richard N. Goodroe, DDS, chairman of the Hinman Dental Society Board of Trustees, delivered the keynote address. Gary Myers, DMD, MAGD, alumni association president, welcomed new students into the profession. Michael S. Reddy, DMD, DMSc, dean of the School of Dentistry, shared the tradition of the white coat. The Class of 2020 was joined by family, friends, alumni, faculty, and student colleagues for the event.
The ceremony compliments one of the new students’ first classes, Ethics in Dentistry, which focuses on moral reasoning, case analysis, resolving ethical dilemmas, and what it means to be an ethical dentist. The class kicks off a robust four-year ethics curriculum that includes coursework, case studies, self-reflections, and small group interactions with Alabama leaders in organized dentistry.
The ceremonial presentation of white coats to dental students is a common practice at dental schools throughout the nation. During the ceremony students recite and sign their names onto a code of ethics known as the Dentist’s Pledge affirming their acceptance of the responsibilities and principles of conduct therein.
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An occasional battle with bad breath is unfortunately an experience many share, and researchers estimate that more than 80 million Americans suffer from chronic halitosis.
Nico Geurs, DDS, the Dr. Tommy Weatherford/Dr. Kent Palcanis Endowed Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, says bad breath can result from the development of a biofilm of bacteria that emits a bad odor.
"Bacteria can organize on the tongue, teeth and mucosal surfaces," Geurs said. "An additional source can come from the throat, esophagus and stomach, and expired air from the lungs." Read more in the UAB News.
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Dr. Michael Reddy, Dean of the UAB School of Dentistry, spoke with ABC 33/40 in response to the removal of flossing from the federal government’s dietary guidelines. In this interview with Patrick Thomas he discusses reasons why it is still important to floss.
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Dr. Ben Cumbus and his wife, Ginny, with the 2016 H. Moren Fuller Award
Benjamin J. Cumbus, D.M.D., Montgomery, Ala., has been named the 2016 H. Moren Fuller Award winner by the University of Alabama School of Dentistry Alumni Association. Cumbus received the award, the dental profession’s highest honor in the state, on June 14, 2016 at the Alumni Association Luncheon held during the Alabama Dental Association annual meeting in Orange Beach, Ala. Cumbus, a 1972 dental school graduate, who is being honored for his significant contributions to the school of dentistry, is currently chairman of the Campaign for UAB Dentistry and the Second District Representative for the Alumni Association’s Executive Council. In 2009, Cumbus received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the school. He is also past president of the Alabama Dental Association, and has held numerous leadership positions within organized dentistry. During his tenure as chairman of the Campaign for UAB Dentistry, the school has raised nearly $18 million.
The Fuller Award is named for Dr. Moren H. Fuller, of Centerville, Ala., one of the first members of the School of Dentistry advisory board. Fuller was not well known by his Alabama colleagues but was highly respected by his community, which earned him his spot on the board. He spent a lot of time at the school during its early years. Many of the first students were World War II veterans with impeccable credentials to enter dental school, but could not find a spot in out-of-state universities. Because of his day-to-day involvement with the school from the beginning, the students saw Fuller as their personal benefactor and the Dental Alumni Association chose to honor Fuller and to make the award his namesake. In 1955, Fuller was the first recipient of the award.