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Positive changes, new dean take CDM forward by Heather Woolwine Public Relations John Sanders, DDS, recently appointed MUSC College of Dental Medicine dean, likes his school.   No, he loves it.   As a faculty member and interim dean, “I knew they were great before, but I have been really impressed with the folks here,” he said. “With all the changes and current renovations, our students have been really fantastic and I’m so proud of our faculty and staff. They’ve all had to deal with a lot of construction and a variety of stressors and have just had a tremendous attitude. I went to a dental school where the administration, faculty and students had an adversarial relationship and that is clearly not the case on this campus.”   With a new school year comes a new dean, and his vision for taking the MUSC College of Dental Medicine (CDM) forward.   University administration worked with state officials to obtain innovative financing during the last year so that construction on a new clinical facility could go forward. After receiving faculty input for the design of the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine and completing all design work by this October, construction is slated to begin in mid-2006. Additional private and state monies will set a mid-year 2008 completion date for the $40 million building.   “In some ways, the delay involving the building had a silver lining; we were able to design a better building more in keeping with changing technology and improvements,” Sanders said.    For instance, the new building will go paperless. Its design boasts efficiency as well as featuring more patient and student-friendly attributes and the unification of all clinics under one roof. In preparation for the new building, the undergraduate children’s dentistry and orthodontic clinics are being relocated to the third floor of the Basic Science Building (BSB) and the radiology clinic moved from the third to the second floor of the BSB. “It’s a squeeze now, but we’re looking forward to improving our facility,” Sanders said.   Speaking of moving things around and renovations, a new research area was completed and a new simulation lab recently began taking shape on the fifth floor of the BSB. After gutting one of the original clinical teaching labs and ensuring asbestos was abated, new equipment will be installed to promote modern learning for MUSC dental students.   “Neither the physical facility nor the equipment in that lab had changed since 1970. While it helped us train excellent dentists, its time passed years ago,” Sanders said. “New technologies, curriculum demands and changing board examination formats (now partially given on simulators) made it essential to move forward to provide students with a modern facility. Students will be able to develop their clinical skills much faster, like body posture and eye/hand coordination.”   The new lab contains 58 student stations, each with half-torso mannequins and monitors, as well as a master instructor station and three grading stations. The clinic will also provide access for modern continuing education programs.   Students can move into clinic work under faculty supervision faster with the new lab. Instead of beginning clinical practice experience in their third year, students could move into a clinical practical experience environment during year two. The new lab will officially open to students starting the spring semester of 2006.   “I and other faculty members recently met with dentists from throughout South Carolina to discuss what clinical skills were necessary to be a competent general dentist in our state,” Sanders said. “It was an outstanding meeting with great discussion that will help us modify our current curriculum, including steps to have our basic science coursework better support the clinical curriculum.   “Our students do very well on the board exam questions related to basic science, but we need to focus their basic science coursework in relation to the skill sets that a dentist needs; their knowledge needs to fit their practice. It may be that there are some areas of basic science knowledge that need strengthening or we could require more basic science work prior to acceptance to dental school. We’re still discussing with numbers of groups and individuals what is the best option or combination of options.”   Defining curriculums and determining what the state’s dentists believe to be the best path for future dentists makes sense, as MUSC’s CDM is responsible for graduating 75 percent of the state’s dentists. More than half of a graduating class proceed into general practice. With most of South Carolina harboring a rural population, future dentists cannot rely on the availability of a specialist and will need to know how to manage complex cases and perform a certain number of specialty procedures. “It does place more of a teaching burden on the institution, but it’s better for the state and the patients.”   In another effort, the dean and representatives met with various groups to discuss increasing diversity among students and faculty in the CDM. Integrating CDM outreach opportunities into the curriculum is a priority for Sanders and will boost a common desire to provide more services to the underserved and those with special needs.   “As I look to the future, I have great confidence that we have the ingredients to take our place among the nation’s greatest dental schools,” he said. “We have a dedicated faculty and staff, a supportive administration and board of trustees, and tremendous support from alumni and organized dentistry.” Friday, Sept. 30, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. 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