Published at the College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina
Volume 3, Issue 1
February, 1995
Letter from the Editors
This is the third issue of the AAOB Newsletter. The editors hope that the AAOB membership found the previous issues informative. The editors appreciate the input concerning the Newsletter which we have received from the AAOB members. We look forward to receiving suggestions for ways to improve future editions of this Newsletter from AAOB members both at our annual business meeting in San Antonio on Saturday, March 11, 1995 and via communications directly with the editors.
This issue of the Newsletter contains a number of items of interest to AAOB members. Beginning on page 2, AAOB President Dr. Kathleen Dobrosielski-Vergona has commented on the contribution our organization has made to the academic dental community. A number of items of interest to AAOB members are included in the AAOB News section found on pages 3 - 8. This section includes important information on AAOB dues and Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine. In addition, information on the 1995 AAOB Business Meeting and the 1995 Joint Symposium on Oral Biology, the AAOB Junior Scientist Award program, the minutes of the 1994 Annual Business Meeting, and a report on the 1994 AAOB Joint Symposium on Oral Biology are contained in this section. A new section, News From AAOB Members , has been initiated in this issue of the Newsletter. The editors hope that this section will expand and include items of interest to both AAOB members and the oral biology community. News of training programs in oral biology, news items about AAOB members, or any other items of interest will be published in this section.
In this issue of the Newsletter we continue a series which describes Oral Biology programs currently in place at dental schools in the United States and Canada. The editors appreciate Dr. Murray Robinovitch's contribution to this series describing Oral Biology at the University of Washington. In addition to Dr. Robinovitch's contribution we have included a description of the oral biology curriculum at the University of Washington to allow members to begin to compare curricula at other schools to their own.
Dr. Hershall Kaufman, Past Chair of the Oral Biology Section of the American Association of Dental Schools, reviews the sections activities during the past year and discusses the issue of competency-based curricula and oral biology education on page 9 - 11. Clearly, our two organizations are complementary and provide dental educators and researchers the opportunity to support oral biology.
The AAOB Newsletter
Steven D. London, D.D.S., Ph.D., Editor
John G. Blackburn, Ph.D., Co-Editor
The AAOB Newsletter is published for the members of the American Association of Oral Biologists and other's interested in the discipline of Oral Biology. Statements in this publication do not constitute an endorsement by the College of Dental Medicine or the Medical University of South Carolina. All correspondence should be directed to Dr. Steven London, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29425 (E-Mail: Steve_London@SMTPGW.MUSC.EDU).
Several supplemental items have been included in the mailing of this Newsletter. We have included a brochure produced by the IADR/AADR promoting Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine as well as an AAOB membership application form. Please distribute the IADR/AADR brochure to your colleagues and sponsor their membership in the AAOB by signing a membership form in their behalf. AAOB members receive Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine at a discounted rate of $45/year. All AAOB members and potential new members should not subscribe to Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine on an individual basis since all AAOB member subscriptions will be handled through our organization (see page 4 for additional information). In addition, please request that the library at your institution subscribe to Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine if it does not already do so. To encourage widespread distribution of Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine , the IADR/AADR is offering new library subscriptions at a 10% discount. In addition, agencies receive an additional 10% discount. An update form for next years edition of the AAOB Membership Directory has also been included. Please take a few minutes and check whether your current listing in the 1993-1994 Membership Directory is complete and correct. We would like to have current telephone and FAX numbers as well as Internet addresses for all members in the next directory. Also, a concise description of your research interests and approaches would be appreciated. Please be sure to limit these to short phrases which will fit into the limited space available in the Directory. Copies of Oral Biology Curricular Guidelines (as originally published in J. of Dental Education ) and the AAOB By-Laws are available upon request from the Editors of the Newsletter.
We hope that the AAOB membership will play an active role in future editions of the Newsletter. We solicit your input concerning the contents of the Newsletter and invite your contributions in the form of letters to the editor, discussions of topics relevant to oral biology, and any items which may be of interest to the oral biology community. We hope you find the Newsletter informative and look forward to your input.
Reflections on the Role of the American Association of Oral Biologists by Dr. Kathleen
Dobrosielski-Vergona, President of the American Association of Oral Biologists
The bylaws of the AAOB define the purpose of this formal organization of oral biologists in broad and general
terms. However, several events during the recent past are specific examples of the unique contributions the AAOB
makes to the academic community.
The official journal publication of our organization, Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine, is recognized as an outstanding publication of value to researcher and teacher alike. The recent acquisition of Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine by the International and American Associations of Dental Research reflects the potential of this journal to serve a wide audience.
Last year, at its annual meeting, the American Association of Dental Schools supported a shift from a discipline based to a competency based curriculum to guide dental school curricula across the country. In 1993, a past president of AAOB, Dr. Robert Boackle, referred to oral biology as the "applied basic science" in dental schools and called on our members to be leaders in the reformulation of curricula.
An ad hoc committee, (the National Board Assessment Committee) was appointed by Dr. Boackle to investigate the oral biology content of Part I of the National Boards. Several AAOB members contributed basic science questions on oral biology topics to the test bank used by the test construction committees appointed by the American Dental Association. Dr. Frank Dowd has surveyed the current status of oral biology in the curricula of most of the U.S. dental schools and reports on his findings in this Newsletter.
Many of us are anxiously awaiting the AADS/AADR symposium, Report on the Institute of Medicine Study, scheduled for Sunday, March 12, 1995 at the San Antonio meeting. This session promises to summarize the results of the IOM Study on the Future of Dental Education. IOM recommendations include: "an integrated basic and clinical sciences curriculum that provides clinically relevant education in the basic sciences and scientifically based education in clinical care" and a "move toward integrated basic science education for dental and medical students." (J. of Dental Education , 59 (1), 12, 1995). Indeed, a stated purpose of the AAOB is to "promote the teaching of oral biology to students of dentistry, and to other health science students, as a fundamental part of health science education." (AAOB Bylaws, March, 1992).
In an effort to promote oral biology and educate the public about the nature of oral biology, a Junior Scientist Award was instituted by the AAOB. Middle school and high school students are encouraged to develop research projects on topics in oral biology. If you are interested in providing this opportunity in your community, please contact me.
In addition to supporting the discipline of oral biology, the AAOB membership also supports the disciples of oral biology - their colleagues. For example, in 1990 letters of support were provided on behalf of 7 tenured professors in the Department of Oral Biology, which was singularly slated for closure at Case Western Reserve University Dental School. Despite the efforts of the AAOB, the department was closed and the faculty lost their positions. What is the future of tenure in U.S. health science schools? The IOM S tudy on the Future of Dental Education "recommends that dental schools and their universities supplement tenure-track positions with other full-time non-tenured clinical or research positions that provide greater flexibility in achieving teaching, research and patient care objectives." (J. of Dental Education, 59 (1), 13, 1995).
The AAOB provides a forum in the Newsletter to share your views on academic issues e.g. tenure, academic freedom, curriculum design, and oral biology texts (or the lack of) with other oral biologists. You are encouraged to submit announcements of training opportunities and continuing education courses at your institutions. Perhaps you would like to share your reaction to a recent journal article that presented a particularly interesting idea. The AAOB encourages communication not only with other organizations, but among our own members.
If the AAOB did not already exist, given the IOM Study and the AADS adoption of competency based curricula in 1994, necessity would have invented it. Continue to be involved in the AAOB and be a part of its growth and contribution to health science education.
Let me take this opportunity to offer special gratitude to Drs. Olav Alvares, Steve London, Tom McNamara and Barry Rifkin for their support and dedication to AAOB during my term as President. Thank you to all the members of AAOB for the privilege of serving you.
AAOB News
Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine to be Published by the International
and American Associations for Dental Research: Comments to the AAOB by Dr. Olav Alvares, Editor
A year ago, CRC Press informed me that they had sold Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine
(and its Editor) to a small publishing company in New York called Begell House. At that point I was concerned
that my frustrations with CRC Press, chiefly the low subscription rate, would continue if not worsen with
Begell House. Shortly after the sale, I learned that the International and American Association for Dental
Research (IADR/AADR) was philosophically interested in expanding their repertoire of journals with a review
type of a journal. I was able to convince Begell House to seriously consider selling Critical Reviews in
Oral Biology and Medicine to IADR/AADR. After some nine months of tedious negotiations the Journal was
sold to IADR/AADR in December 1994. The four issues for Volume V, 1994 will be published by Begell House.
Volume V, Issue #1 appeared in print in mid-September 1994; Issue #2 in November 1994; and a combined
Issue #'s 3 and 4 in January 1995. Begell House, for reasons unknown to me, made no effort to collect
dues for the Journal in 1994. In fact, some of the subscribers may not have received any of the 1994
issues. That was beyond my control. The sale agreement calls for Begell House to turn over back issues
to IADR/AADR. So if you are interested in the 1994 issues, please contact Linda Hemphill (IADR/AADR) at
(202) 898-1050. In any event, the cover of all four issues in 1994 carried the statement "An Official
Publication of the American Association of Oral Biologists".
So beginning in 1995, Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine will be published by IADR/AADR. The Journal will have a new cover and it will continue to state "The Official Publication of the American Association of Oral Biologists". The subscription rate for AAOB/IADR/AADR members will be $45/year; for non-AAOB/IADR/AADR members, $89/year. I hope you will view the Journal as an integral part of the scholarly efforts of the AAOB and your compulsory subscription to the Journal, a tangible expression of your support for AAOB. Plans to advertise this Journal are well underway. It is going to be fun working with the energetic staff of the IADR/AADR. Following the lull in 1994, I am pleased to report to you that I have twenty-six reviews in various stages. So, while there might be a small delay in publishing Volume VI, Issue #1, the subsequent issues will flow on a regular quarterly basis. I am relieved that this Journal will now enjoy some degree of stability and growth. I would also like to think that I kept the best interests of AAOB in the forefront during the unsettling 1994 period. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Dr. John Clarkson, Director, IADR for his efforts in the purchase of the Journal and to all the officers (and some former officers) of the AAOB for their generous support.
Important information concerning 1995 AAOB Dues and Subscriptions to Critical
Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine
At the AAOB Business Meeting on March 11, 1993 in Chicago, the membership passed a resolution that
all full members would be required to subscribe to Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and
Medicine on an annual basis. This resolution was not enforced in 1994 due to the confusion
created by the transfer of the journal from CRC Press to Begell House. However, with the resolution of
this situation by the sale of the Journal to IADR/AADR this past December, subscription to the Journal
is now mandatory for all full members. Dues for full members in 1995 will be $57. This includes $12
AAOB dues and the $45 subscription fee for Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine. Any
member who resides outside of the United States or Canada has the option of having the
Journal delivered by air for an additional $31.80. Members who reside outside of the United States
or Canada and wish expedited delivery of the Journal should include $31.80 in addition to the $57
due by all AAOB members when they remit their 1995 dues.
The AAOB Secretary/Treasurer will not bill members for their 1995
dues until after the March 11, 1995 AAOB Business Meeting in San Antonio. During this meeting
the membership will consider several options for the integration of the collection of membership
dues and the subscription fee for Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine. The
association asks that all members become current in their dues in as expedient a manner as
possible once they receive their 1995 membership bills. This is particularly important since
dues will include the subscription fee for Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine.
All AAOB members should not subscribe to Critical Reviews in Oral Biology
and Medicine on an individual basis since all AAOB member subscriptions will be handled
through our organization. Inquiries concerning individual members status should be
directed to Dr. Thomas F. McNamara at the following address:
Dr. Thomas F. McNamara
School of Dental Medicine
SUNY at Stony Brook
Stony Brook, New York 11794-8702
1995 AAOB Business Meeting
The 1995 AAOB Business Meeting will be held in conjunction with the AADR and AADS meetings in San
Antonio, Texas during March 1994. This year, our business meeting will be on Saturday, March 11th
from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. in Room 107 of the San Antonio Convention Center. A number of items of
interest will be discussed at this meeting. The planned agenda for the meeting includes: approval
of the minutes from the 1994 meeting in Seattle; Treasurer's report; election results; AAOB Junior
Scientist winners; evaluation of the AAOB By-Laws by the By-Laws Committee; AAOB founding membership
status; status of Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine; and mechanisms for the
collection of subscription fees and membership dues. We hope that all AAOB members will attend this
important annual event and ask all current AAOB members to invite any interested members of the
dental community to this meeting.
1995 AAOB Joint Symposium on Oral Biology
On Saturday, March 11, 1995, a symposium planned by the AAOB and the Oral Biology section of the AADS
will be presented in San Antonio, Texas. Entitled Use of New Technology in Oral Biology,
the two hour program is scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM in Salon D, Marriot River Center Hotel.
Dr. Jack E. Lemons, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry will begin the session
discussing the influences of new technology on research, development and applications of
biomaterials. The recent advancements in techniques available to study the microbial etiology
of oral diseases will be reviewed by Dr. Paige Caulfield, also from the University of Alabama at
Birmingham School of Dentistry. The final speaker, Dr. Marilyn Lantz, Indiana University School
of Dentistry will consider the integration of the "new" biology into a dental school
curriculum. A panel discussion will follow, moderated by the organizers of this symposium,
Drs. Ken Etzel and James L. McDonald. Dr. Etzel is the Program Officer of the AAOB and Dr. McDonald
serves a similar role for the Oral Biology section of the AADS. We thank them for their efforts.
AAOB Junior Scientist Award
For the second year, AAOB Junior Scientist Awards will be presented at the 61st Annual Pennsylvania
Junior Academy of Sciences Regional meeting. While an Oral Biology award has been given for the past
11 years at this meeting, this will be the second year in which the AAOB has sponsored this award.
This program represents one way in which our organization is trying to encourage young people to
become involved in oral biology and dentistry. The meeting will be hosted by Woodland Hills High
School, Churchill, Pennsylvania. While originally scheduled for February 4, 1995, the meeting was
rescheduled for February 25, 1995 due to inclement weather on the original date. The award includes
a $50.00 cash prize and a certificate with the AAOB logo. This years winners will be reported in
the next issue of the Newsletter. Last years winners were Jeffrey Piposr of Carson Middle School,
Nancy Wolfe, Sponsor (What kind of mouthwash kills bacteria best?) and Christine DeRunk of North
Catholic High School, George Oesterling, Sponsor (Determination of fluoride content of toothpaste
by spectrophotometry).
Minutes of the 1994 Annual AAOB Business
The 1994 Annual AAOB business meeting was held on Thursday, March 10, 1994 at the Westin Hotel,
Seattle, Washington. Dr. Barry Rifkin, AAOB president, opened the meeting and extended his
appreciation to the AAOB officers for their input during the preceding year. He then set the
agenda and lead the membership in their discussion of the following items of business.
Item 1: Dr. John J. Clarkson, Executive Director of the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) addressed the membership and discussed the possibility of the IADR/AADR assuming publication rights to Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine , an official publication of the American Association of Oral Biologists. The membership was made aware by Dr. Olav Alvares, Editor of Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine that CRC Press had sold the journal to Begell House, Inc., a publisher of medical journals based in New York City. In the ensuing discussion it was generally agreed that if the IADR/AADR assumed publication of Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine , the journal would remain the official journal of the American Association of Oral Biologists. Furthermore, Dr. Rifkin was directed by the membership to contact Begell House.
Item 2 :At the 1993 Annual AAOB business meeting a motion was passed that the Association should publish a Newsletter with no limit on the life of the Newsletter. However, each year at the Annual Meeting, there would be an evaluation of its effectiveness and how the Newsletter format may be changed and whether the Newsletter should be continued. Two issues of the Newsletter were published during 1993-1994 (Vol. 1, No. 1 in September 1993; and Vol. 2, No. 1 in February 1994). Dr. Steven London requested input from the membership concerning the continuation of the Newsletter. It was the consensus of the members present that the Newsletter should be continued and that there should be no change in its format. Dr. London informed the membership that he and Dr. Blackburn would continue to act as Editors of the Newsletter and would publish at least one Newsletter before the March 1995 Joint AADR/AADS meetings in San Antonio, Texas.
Item 3: Dr. Hershall Kaufman, Chair, Oral Biology Section of the AADS updated the membership on the sections activities and ways in which this organization can interact with the AAOB. He then informed the membership that a resolution would go before the 1994 AADS House of Delegates which would replace the current discipline based system for curriculum guidelines with competency based curriculum guidelines. (A summary of this discussion is contained on page 9 - 10 of this Newsletter. In addition, a letter dated December 27, 1993 which was sent to the Chairs and Chairs-Elect of the AADS Basic Science Sections by Dr. Kaufman and which discusses this issue later.
Item 4: Dr. Frank Dowd outlined the contents of the AAOB/IADR/AADS jointly sponsored symposium New Trends in Oral Biology Education which was to be held on Saturday, March 12, 1994. Speakers included: Dr. Kathleen Dobrosielski-Vergona (University of Pittsburgh), Dr. William Hendricson (University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio); Dr. Lynn Johnson (University of Iowa); and Dr. Frank Dowd (Creighton University). Dr. Dowd also reported that 47 of the 54 U. S. dental schools had completed the AAOB Survey on the Status of Oral Biology Education. (A more detailed description of the symposium, which includes descriptions of the AAOB Oral Biology Survey and the AAOB National Board Assessment Committee Report is contained on page 6 - 9 of this Newsletter.)
Item 5: Dr. Kathleen Dobrosielski-Vergona reported that an AAOB Junior Scientist award program was initiated in 1994. The purpose of the program is to promote oral biology and educate the public about the nature of oral biology. She announced the 1994 winners and offered her help in allowing other members to initiate similar programs in their communities. (Further information on the AAOB Junior Scientist Award program appears on page 5 of this Newsletter.)
Item 6 :Dr. Thomas F. McNamara reported that the current balance of Association funds is approximately $5,000.
Item 7: The following members were elected or appointed officers for 1994-1995:
President: Kathleen Dobrosielski-Vergona – University of Pittsburgh
President-Elect: Murray R. Robinovitch – University of Washington
Secretary/Treasurer:Thomas F. McNamara – SUNY, Stony Brook
Elected Directors: Kenneth T. Izutsu (1993-1995) – University of Washington
Lorne Golub (1994-1996) – SUNY, Stony Brook
Appointed Directors:Steven D. London – Medical Univ. of S. Carolina
Andrew Spielman – New York University
Program Officer:Kenneth R. Etzel – University of Pittsburgh
Past-President:Barry Rifkin – New York University
Editor, CROBM: Olav Alvares – Univ. of Texas, San Antonio
With no further business items to be discussed, the meeting was adjourned at 7:00 P.M.
Report on the 1994 AAOB Joint Symposium on Oral Biology
An AAOB, IADR (Salivary Research Group) and AADS (Oral Biology Section) jointly sponsored symposium
on oral biology was held at the IADR-AADS meeting in Seattle on Saturday, March 12, 1994. The
title of the symposium was New Trends in Oral Biology Education. Dr. Kathleen
Dobrosielski-Vergona from the University of Pittsburgh discussed the content of national boards
and the role of oral biology in preparing the dental student for this exam. The issue of a
separate national board exam in oral biology was addressed in light of the present content
and the new format of the national boards. Dr. William Hendricson of the University of
Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio discussed problem-based learning in dental education
as a viable alternative or supplement to more traditional methods of education. Issues that were
addressed included the role of distinct scientific disciplines in defining curricular content
and goals, objectives and methodology in problem-based learning. Dr. Lynn Johnson from the
University of Iowa College of Dentistry spoke on computer-aided dental education. Specific
examples relating to oral biology were used and a variety of media formats were discussed.
Dr. Frank Dowd discussed the results of the recent AAOB Survey on the Status of Oral Biology
Education in the United States and Canada. The survey addressed several questions related to
the status of oral biology departments as well as teaching and research activities within oral
biology departments throughout the United States and Canada. The symposium chair (Dr. Frank Dowd)
and co-chair (Dr. Hershall Kaufman) would like to express their appreciation to the speakers for
the excellent presentations and were gratified by the large audience which attended all the
presentations. A summary of the AAOB Oral Biology Survey by Dr. Dowd and of the issue of oral
biology and the National Boards by Dr. Dobrosielski-Vergona follow.
Report on the AAOB Oral Biology Survey:
The 1993 AAOB Oral Biology Survey marked the tenth year since the last comparable survey was conducted.
The current data represent the results of 47 of the 54 dental schools in the United States.
Of the 47 responding schools, 24 (51%) have oral biology departments or divisions and 23 (49%) do not.
These results are similar to those reported in 1983 in which 31 of 53 schools (58%) had oral
biology departments or divisions (Suddick, R., J. of Dental Education, 48, 291, 1984;
reprinted in AAOB Newsletter Vol. 1, No.1, 1993). However, a number of significant differences
were observed in 1993 vs. 1983. Probably the most significant finding from the survey was the large
growth in the numbers of Ph.D. programs and Ph.D. candidates in oral biology. The number of Ph.D.
programs increased over that time period in the United States from 14 to 21. Comparing 1983
to 1993, the number of M.S. candidates in oral biology increased from 21 to 75 and the number
of Ph.D. candidates increased from 19 to 121. Students in combined degree programs (those
including the D.D.S. degree) decreased somewhat. From the above information it is apparent
that a major change since 1983 has been the growth of graduate education in oral biology,
particularly at the Ph.D. level.
Considering undergraduate dental education, one could conclude that the presence of an oral biology department has a profound affect on undergraduate dental education in that institution. One possible yardstick of the impact of oral biology departments is the number of oral biology courses offered, i.e. those courses specifically concentrating on oral structures and the oral environment. Among the 24 schools with an oral biology department or division, 23 (96%) offer oral biology courses at the undergraduate and/or graduate level. Of the 24 schools with an oral biology department or division, 17 (71%) offer instruction at the undergraduate level. In contrast, only 7 of the 23 schools which do not have an oral biology department or division (29%) offer oral biology courses at the undergraduate and/or graduate level. Of the 7, only 5, (21%) offer courses at the undergraduate level. These results suggest that a defined, integrated educational experience which applies basic biomedical science information to the oral structures and environment (oral biology) predominates at those schools which have formal oral biology departments or divisions. While these results do not address whether similar educational experiences occur in traditional basic science coursework at schools which do not have oral biology departments or divisions, it is likely that the curricula guidelines as related to oral biology are best met at those institutions which do have formal departments or divisions of oral biology which are staffed with educators specifically trained in this specialized biomedical discipline. Clearly, the vast increase in the number of doctoral candidates shows that the discipline of oral biology is alive and well and that the necessary researchers are being trained for the next century. As has been the case in the past, the integration of the basic sciences with the dental sciences in academic dental programs remains an important issue which needs to be addressed.
National Board Assessment Committee Report:
(respectfully submitted March 11, 1993)
Committee Membership:Hershall W. Kaufman, D.M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Oral Biology and Pathology
School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Secretary, Oral Biology Section of the AADS
Suzanne M. Michalek, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Microbiology
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Barry R. Rifkin, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Professor and Head, Division of Basic Sciences
New York University College of Dentistry
President -Elect, AAOB
Kathleen Dobrosielski-Vergona, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy/Histology
University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
Chair, National Board Assessment Committee, AAOB
Charge: To develop strategies for the AAOB to use in convincing the ADA to incorporate a section on Oral Biology in either Part I or Part II of the National Board Examinations.
To Investigate the need and means by which AAOB might develop and sponsor its own Oral Biology Proficiency Exam, until Oral Biology becomes part of the National Boards.
Actions: First, to establish the need for Oral Biology questions on the National Boards, Part I, each committee member surveyed the Anatomy and the Biochemistry/Physiology sections of six released National Board Examinations and the Microbiology/Pathology section of seven released National Board Examinations. As the tests were read, the reviewers identified any test item that satisfied the definition of Oral Biology, according to the AADS Section of Oral Biology, i.e., "that area of knowledge that deals with the structure, development, and function of the oral tissues; their interrelationships; and their relation to other organ systems in both health and disease". Any test item selected by two or more reviewers was considered an oral biology question. The following graphs reveal the results of this analysis.
Briefly, the percentage of Oral Biology questions in each section was constant per subject area over the six years that were reviewed. These percentages averaged 37% in Anatomy, 6% in Biochemistry/Physiology, and 13% in Microbiology/Pathology. Therefore, in all three sections reviewed, an overall average of 19% of the questions were Oral Biology. An assessment of agreement among the reviewers as to which questions were on Oral Biology was also done. This tested whether there was a shared interpretation among the committee members of the AADS definition of Oral Biology. The results of this assessment revealed that two or more reviewers agreed that a particular test item was on Oral Biology in 88% of the Anatomy questions, 80% of the Biochemistry/Physiology questions, and 77% of the Microbiology/Pathology questions.
Second, to investigate the process necessary to incorporate a new section into the National Board Examinations, a letter of inquiry was sent to the National Test Construction Committee of the ADA. David DeMarais, Director, Department of Testing Services for the ADA replied and included the past history of concerns over the Oral Biology content in the National Dental Examinations. This subject was discussed by the ADA in 1983, 1984, and 1990. These considerations revealed that 20% of the Part I and Part II examinations involved Oral Biology. Further, the new comprehensive Part II examination requires that at least 30% of the questions test knowledge of the basic sciences. The Joint Commission believes that Oral Biology coverage is appropriate. Mr. DeMarais offered his cooperation and assistance with any proposals the AAOB might have. I suggested that I would contact him after discussion of these issues at the annual meeting of the AAOB in March 11, 1993.
News From AAOB Members
To facilitate communication among AAOB members, the Editors of the Newsletter sent messages via E-mail requesting input for the current Newsletter on January 12, 1995. All current AAOB members who had included their E-mail addresses in the 1993-1994 Membership Directory were included in the mailing. The Editors were pleased to receive a number of responses, one of which included an announcement of interest to all AAOB members. A number of members were interested in receiving information on their subscription to Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine . Information on the status of Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine is contained elsewhere in this Newsletter. The announcement of interest to AAOB members follows.
All AAOB members are encouraged to supply the AAOB with your E-mail address by filling out the AAOB membership directory update form included with this Newsletter mailing. In addition, you can inform the AAOB of your E-mail address by responding directly to Steven London at his E-mail address which is indicated on the front page of this Newsletter. Rapid communication between AAOB members is one way in which our organization can remain vital and become an important voice of advocacy of Oral Biology's role in Dentistry. While the Newsletter is of interest to our members, it is also an effective way in which our organization can communicate our disciplines importance to the wider dental community.
Northwestern University Dental School Receives an NIDR Institutional Training Grant for Ph.D. Training in Oral Biology
The Division of Oral Biology, Northwestern University Dental School is pleased to announce the availability of an NIDR funded
training program for individuals holding the D.D.S./D.M.D. degree for Ph.D. training in Oral Biology. The training can be combined
with specialty training if the work is pertinent to the research effort. Potential candidates should contact Dr. Michael T. DiMuzio,
Division of Oral Biology, Northwestern University Dental School, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 for details, or reply to
Dr. Arthur Veis at the same address. Applicants may request further information by FAX (312-503-2544), by phone (312-503-4148), or
by E-mail (aveis@casbah.acns.nwu.edu). The training grant is restricted to US citizens or permanent residents. However, Ph.D.
training is also available for non-citizens. Applications and inquiries should be made as soon as possible. Interviews will be
held at the AADR meeting in San Antonio in March, 1995.
News From the Oral Biology Section of the American Association of Dental Schools (AADS)
The section sponsored two symposia at the Seattle AADS-IADR meeting last spring, one in conjunction with the AAOB. These were well
received. We will again be co-sponsoring a symposium with the AAOB at the San Antonio meeting this spring. The topic for this
program is Use of New Technology in Oral Biology. Presentations related to biomaterials research, oral microbiology
and curriculum will be made by Drs. Jack Lemons, Paige Caufield and Marilyn Lantz respectively. Please make every effort to attend.
At our business meeting last year the attendance was much better than in previous years, but there is still room for improvement. This year's meeting will be on Saturday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. and should not overlap with any of the basic science section meetings. As regards membership, 30 out of 176 AADS-Oral Biology Section members are also members of AAOB. This leaves 146 Section members who could join and help strengthen AAOB. Conversely, AAOB has many members who could help strengthen the Oral Biology Section by joining that organization and I would urge you to do so.
At our 1994 meeting we elected Ken Etzel as Secretary and Dick Suddick as Councilor. Both individuals are also members of AAOB. The Councilor is a new position and is elected to a 3 year term in order to ensure some continuity within the Section administration, since the other 3 officers serve 1 year terms. The Chair and the Councilor represent the Section as voting members in the House of Delegates.
Unilever Research, U.S.A. is again sponsoring the AADS-Oral Biology award of $2500 to be given to an undergraduate dental student for submitting the best paper on an oral biology-related topic specified by the Section members.
I believe that the resolution adopted by the 1994 House of Delegates of the AADS which could have the most impact on basic science and oral biology education concerns the mandate to go to competency-based curriculum guidelines. The resolution reads as follows: "Whereas, the curriculum guidelines in their current format have emphasized the breadth of dental education expressed in terms of behavioral objectives characteristic of the 1970s and 1980s, but fail to address current needs for effective curriculum integration and management; and Whereas, the proposed competencies format for the guidelines is designed to require rationale statements based on knowledge from the basic and behavioral sciences, as well as clinical research and practice; therefore be it Resolved, that a new format for AADS curriculum guidelines that is interdisciplinary and based on competencies, replace the current format." I expressed my concerns in a letter to the Chairs and Chairs-Elect of the Basic Science Sections mailed in December of 1993 and reproduced in this Newsletter. I also argued strenuously with the "powers that be" who were promoting the resolution. I attempted to submit the following amendment to the resolution: "Whereas, it is recognized that many of the subjects taught by the biomedical sciences and oral biology are concerned with dentistry as it may be taught in the future and are not foundations for today's competencies it is recommended that such subject matter should not be eliminated as a result of the competency proposal." Although I was assured that this would never happen, the amendment was not approved. I suggest that educators in the Basic Sciences and Oral Biology be very diligent as the pressures mount on the schools to moveforward on competency-based curriculum guidelines.
Bill Kaufman, Oral Biology, SUNY at Stony Brook
Past Chair, A.A.D.S. Oral Biology Section of AADS
Letter to the Chairs and Chairs-Elect, AADS Basic Sciences Sections
This spring the AADS will introduce a resolution of the House of Delegates to change the curriculum guidelines from
discipline based to competency based. The Oral Biology Section is opposed to this and wishes to enlist your support.
Competencies are statements which define abilities that are required by a new graduate to begin practice. Basic sciences and preclinical laboratory training necessary to achieve these skills are considered as foundations for reaching the required level of competence.
Our main concern is that the future needs of dentistry will not be met by such an approach. Many things that are taught by the basic sciences bear little relevance to dentistry as it is practiced today, but form the foundation for the future. Who would have thought in 1936 when the Journal of Dental Education was first published that fluorides would play such a major role in dental health or that dental plaque had anything to do with clinical practice? Today's new graduate will not possess the clinical skills to treat for example, the widely prevalent and periodontitis related condition of oral malodor, but we must be allowed to teach the basic microbiology and pharmacology necessary to prepare for a time (which I and others think should be now) when such treatment will be commonplace. The same argument applies to treatment of xerostomia, a similarly widely prevalent clinical condition that at present is largely ignored and has profound effects on the management of dental caries, especially in the elderly.
While I raise such arguments, I am assured by those staunch proponents of the competency-based curriculum that I should not be concerned. However, one has only to read an article by Dr. David W. Chambers (Toward a competency-based curriculum. J. of Dental Education , Vol. 57 (11), 1993) to see that such concerns are not mere paranoia.
I strongly suggest that you read the article carefully, I will quote excerpts from two paragraphs which I think make my point.
"As important as it may be for students to answer questions about regulation of heme or calcium transport-as we require them to do on National board examinations-this behavior tests something besides competencies. No dental professionals (except teachers) answer such questions as part of their practice."
"Hard decisions must be made about which foundation learning should be included in the curriculum, especially in the biomedical sciences.26-28 Instruction that is "nice to know" or that may be a stub for possible future learning is a luxury that should only be afforded in an elective format after ensuring that competencies will be reached."
Such statements suggest to me a return to the dark ages. I hope that you will be concerned as I am and will support my Section in speaking out against the competency proposal.
Yours Sincerely,
Hershall W. Kaufman, D.M.D., Ph.D.
Chair, Oral Biology Section of A.A.D.S.
December 27, 1993
Oral Biology at the University of Washington: A Story of Survival
The University of Washington's Department of Oral Biology sprang into existence in the 1960's, a time that promised a very bright future for those interested in carrying out basic research and applying the basic sciences to clinical dentistry. Dr. Leo Sreebny, the founder and first chair of the department was such a person and a pioneer in the field of Oral Biology along with other senior members of the A.A.O.B. such as Israel Kleinberg, Art Ellison, and Irv Mandel. The department began as the Department of Oral Pathology in 1956. The National Institute of Dental Research was relatively well endowed with funds available for basic science investigation and the department became the recipient of R01's, Career Development Awards and various other types of grants. By 1965, as a direct result of its expanded involvement in basic science teaching and research, the department changed its name to the Department of Oral Biology. In 1966, the School of Dentistry was the recipient of a Center for Research in Oral Biology to be headed up by Dr. Sreebny. The resources brought to the school by this center grant contributed greatly to the development of the department's research program. These were the first of a series of changes resulting from both adverse and beneficial factors brought to bear upon the department. In these instances, the forces were beneficial and the department was able to answer the needs of the school by exploiting its involvement in basic research to develop a larger scope of predoctoral teaching and to build its base and reputation in basic science investigation. It is of interest that this was also the time of active debate as to the definition of Oral Biology and what a Department of Oral Biology should be. It was inevitable that there could be no uniformity in this regard since there was no uniformity in the curricular and administrative structure of dental schools throughout North America. Thus, in any particular school, oral biology was structured to meet the particular needs of that institution. Some schools would have no such department, others would have one that would be responsible for all basic science instruction. In the case of the University of Washington, the traditional basic sciences for the dental curriculum were taught by the departments within the School of Medicine and the Department of Oral Biology was able to devote itself to teaching the application of these basic sciences to clinical dentistry. At the graduate education level, the original M.S.D. program, which was an all-dental school degree program, was supplemented with an M.S. program in oral biology in 1966. And so the 1960's were the years of expansion for the department not only research-wise but also in terms of its teaching roles at the predoctoral and graduate levels.
Although the Department of Oral Biology at Washington was one of the first such departments in dental schools of the United States, it was not until 1969 that it was able to apply to the Graduate School for the authority to grant the Ph.D. degree. The department could not have foreseen the series of adverse events that would delay approval of this request until 1973, and implementation of the full graduate program until 1978. At the very time that the request for a Ph.D. was submitted, the State of Washington instituted a Council on Higher Education to oversee this level of education throughout the state. The proposed Ph.D. in oral biology underwent the usual review process including review by an ad hoc Graduate School committee, the Graduate Faculty Council, the Graduate School Executive Committee and a basic science departments' review within the School of Medicine. The proposal was approved by all these levels and came before the Council on Higher Education at precisely the time that this council declared a moratorium on all new degree programs. This moratorium lasted until late 1973 at which time the Ph.D. program passed its final review. The graduate program in oral biology was far from out of the woods, however, since the Department of Oral Biology now was subjected to several evaluations as to its future in the School of Dentistry, necessitating postponement of the graduate program. This began in 1973 with the appointment of a school-wide committee to consider the possible future of the department. The committee was asked to consider all possibilities including departmental mergers and elimination of the department. The committee concluded that the department should continue in an even greater capacity within the school. Not long after this, however, the then Dean proposed the total elimination of the department and appointed another committee to review his proposal. It goes without saying that at this time, universities were under far less financial duress and the value of units that could pay much of their way via grants or other means was not appreciated as it is today. the department began a struggle for its very life. The final outcome of this was determined by yet a third committee appointed by the School of Dentistry's elected Faculty Council. This committee found in favor of the department's survival and, fortunately, this brought to an end challenges to its existence. Nevertheless, it was 1978 before the department felt it safe to begin admitting students to the Ph.D. program.
Since 1978, the department has placed strong emphasis on the development of the Ph.D. program. These efforts were helped enormously by the department's Secretions Training Grant and the School of Dentistry's Dentist-Scientist Award Program, since it became painfully obvious that such a program could not survive for very long without a stipend program for its students. The Dentist-Scientist Program has provided a welcomed opportunity for the Department of Oral Biology to more closely ally itself with the clinical departments, which is leading to an increase in interactions and better possibilities for integrating basic sciences and clinical disciplines. Another fortuitous occurrence that led to more basic science-clinical interactions was the establishment of the Regional Clinical Dental Research Center funded by the N.I.D.R. This research center has within it a Laboratory Core whose mission includes the recruitment of clinical dental research projects containing laboratory components. Faculty of the Department of Oral Biology are playing key roles in assisting clinical researchers in their efforts to include sophisticated assays and measurements in their studies. Not only is this improving the overall quality of the projects sponsored by the center, but it is fostering more collaborative research between clinicians and members of the Department of Oral Biology, which, in turn, is increasing the school faculty's appreciation for the relevance of oral biology to dental academia.
Currently, the Department of Oral Biology at the University of Washington is alive and well, and its evolution goes on. The department's teaching responsibilities include the fields of oral embryology and histology, oral physiology, oral pathology, oral microbiology, cariology, and dental pharmacology. At the graduate level, we offer M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in oral biology as well as a special M.S. for dental hygiene educators. The department has within it one division, the Division of Oral Pathology, which offers a tissue diagnostic service to the school and practice community. This service is staffed by one board-eligible and two fully-boarded oral pathologists. The total faculty strength of the department is 11 individuals, supported by 4.5 state-funded F.T.E.'s. In addition to these faculty who have their principal appointments in the Department of Oral Biology, there are another 7 adjunct faculty who participate mainly in the graduate program. The recruitment of these adjunct faculty was necessary to establish sufficient diversity and strength for the department's graduate program. Research support is almost totally derived from the N.I.D.R. Last year, expenditures from research funds totaled $1.2 million which comprised 65% of the total departmental budget, and 24% of the school's external funds.
The intention of the foregoing was to illustrate how the Department of Oral Biology at the University of Washington has been shaped by a combination of self-generated initiatives, unforeseen adverse actions and unanticipated fortuitous events. There is no reason to believe that all three of these types of forces will not continue to influence the department. Indeed, the background papers and summary from the Institute of Medicine's report on dental education, "Dental Education at the Crossroads: Challenges and Changes", appearing in the January, 1995 issue of the Journal of Dental Education, promises to have a very significant effect on the department's future directions. For example, under recommendation 4 of the report, it is stated that "dental schools should design an integrated basic and clinical science curriculum......, should incorporate in all educational activities a focus on outcomes and an emphasis on the relevance of scientific knowledge and thinking to clinical choices, and shift more curriculum hours from lectures to guided seminars and other active learning strategies....." Under recommendation 5, it is stated that "schools should move toward integrated basic science education for dental and medical students". Recommendation 9 calls for expanding oral health knowledge and affirming the importance of research and scholarship. Some of this is not new and some of what is in the report may not be good. Nevertheless, a lot of the report will favor strengthening oral biology as a discipline and integral part of dental schools. All we need is the strength to endure the process of change.
Murray R. Robinovitch
Department of Oral Biology
School of Dentistry
University of Washington
Pre-Doctoral Oral Biology Curriculum at the University of Washington
ORALB 510: Structure, Function and Development of Oral Tissues
ORALB 520: Oral Microbiota, Disease and Asepsis
ORALB 521: Oral Pathology (Introduction)
ORALB 522: Oral Pathology (2nd Quarter)
ORALB 540: Clinical Pathological Conference
ORALB 565: Clinical Oral Pathology
ORALB 577: Applied Therapeutics in Dentistry
ORALB 449: Undergraduate Research Topics in Oral Biology
ORALB 550: Directed Studies in Oral Biology
Post-Doctoral / Graduate Oral Biology Curriculum at the University of Washington
Core Courses:
ORALB 561: Development, Structure and Function of Oral Tissues
ORALB 562: Supervised Teaching in Oral Biology
ORALB 569: Oral Microbiology & the Normal Periodontium
ORALB 572: Oral Pathology
ORALB 575: Oral Biology Seminars
ORALB 576: Molecular Aspects of Epithelial Biology
ORALB 578: Research Techniques in Oral Biology (lab rotations - minimum of 2 required)
ORALB 581, 582, 583: Secretory Process in Exocrine Glands
ORALB 600: Research in Oral Biology
ORALB 700: Master's Dissertation
ORALB 800: Doctoral Dissertation
UCONJ 504, 505, 506: Cell & Molecular Biology and Disease
DPHS 550F,G: Introduction to Biostatistics & Experimental Design
Elective Courses in Oral Biology
ORALB 560: Dental Plaque and Oral Disease
ORALB 565: Clinical Oral Pathology
ORALB 566: Surgical Oral Pathology
ORALB 569: Periodontal Microbiology
ORALB 570: Seminar in Oral Pathology
ORALB 574: Clinical Stomatology
