Month in Review - May 2018

May is always an exciting month for all of our students! It means we are getting closer to our summer breaks in June, and it also means we are sending off another graduating class into the world of real life dentistry. Check out what we have been up to during May before we all take a break in June!

During the month of May, ASDA hosted two Lunch-and-Learn events, a practice management lecture, and a wellness presentation. This month’s practice management focused on implementing OSHA standards in private practice. Ms. Natalie Maddox, a consultant with Practice Dynamics, covered many important topics. This is not something we cover frequently in our curriculum - but ask anyone who's been sued for OSHA violations and they'll tell you it’s important! One of the most helpful recommendations from Practice Dynamics is regarding obtaining compliance e-kits. The ADA offers guides to HIPAA and OSHA compliance, which can be a valuable tool for confirming compliance in everything from proper hand washing instructions to safety data sheets. Proper PPE is also a frequent issue in private practice, so don’t forget your protective eyewear. As a dentist in private practice, you are responsible for the compliance of your entire team. While reviewing OSHA compliance might not be the most exciting task, it is very important in ensuring safe and healthy working conditions.

---

ASDA’s Wellness Committee organized a Wellness Lunch this month covering mental health. April Coleman from Student Counseling Services discussed how to maintain good mental health throughout our dental school careers. The school provides many resources including individual and group counseling, online support resources, and crisis services. During the presentation, the importance of balance was emphasized. Throughout dental school, it can be difficult to balance everything in life. To better demonstrate this, the wellness wheel was explained, which defined eight key aspects of wellness. Rating yourself 1-10 in each aspect demonstrated to students that there are some areas of strength and some areas of weakness. While no one is completely balanced, you should work towards improving your areas of weakness, whether that means trying to get more sleep or finding time to have fun. An important aspect of wellness is trying to find a healthy balance between all of these different areas.

We also had the pleasure of welcoming ADA President Dr. Joseph Crowley to our school! Twenty-two students had the opportunity to meet and talk with Dr. Crowley about the state of organized dentistry. Students welcomed Dr. Crowley from his delayed flight with Alabama craft beer and Alabama and Auburn baseball caps. As a proud Ohio State fan, Dr. Crowley quickly discarded the Alabama hat in favor of Auburn paraphernalia. Dr. Crowley and Dr. Lew Mitchell, associate professor at UAB SOD and Vice President of the ADA, announced an exciting initiative that will help match job-seeking dentists to practices in need of additional practitioners. This service will act much like an online dating service, where dentists will set up online profiles and be matched with compatible offices. It was an honor to host Dr. Crowley, and we are excited to be life-long members of organized dentistry!

Most thrilling of all, the Class of 2018 finally made it to the day we’ve all been waiting for… graduation! The graduation ceremony took place at the Alys Stephens Center this past Saturday where 69 students received their D.M.D. degree. We surveyed the class to see where they will be heading after graduation, and it is clear that this is an incredibly talented group of people. The majority of the class will go straight into private practice, while eight people will be going into a GPR or AEGD program. Four will go on to serve their country in a branch of the military and several students were accepted into specialty programs including oral surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics. Take a look at the chart below (senior survey received 45 responses) to see the full spread of talent in this class!

​​Congratulations again to the Class of 2018 and have a great summer!

Authors: Kelsey Gwin ('21), Abbey Tadros ('19), and Olivia Sorrell ('21)