International student studies at MUSC Dental School

From left are: Carlos Salinas, María Ximena Sánchez and Richard DeChamplain, DMD, professor and dean, College of Dental Medicine.

María Ximena Sánchez, senior dental student at the School of Dentistry of the Universidad El Bosque in Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia, is spending her extramural rotation at the College of Dental Medicine.

Sánchez will be completing her externship at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics where she was accepted as special student. Her mentors are Carlos Salinas, DDS, director, Division of Craniofacial Genetics and a member of the MUSC International Affairs Committee.

Sánchez has focused her attention on didactic and clinical courses offered by the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics as well as those on craniofacial genetics. During her time here she will be finishing a research project on the ãIntraoral Manifestations of Psoriasis.ä She began this while in her dental school in Bogota where a research paper is a requirement for obtaining dental degree. She will complete her research work under the sponsorship of Salinas and Eleanor Sahn, M.D., from the Department of Dermatology.

ãI am happy to observe that during the 80s we had a very strong bilateral agreement with the University of Valle in Cali, Colombia,ä Salinas said. ãNow we are receiving a new generation of professionals seeking knowledge enhancement. This speaks highly about MUSC's reputation.ä