RSDM's pediatric clinic is temporarily transformed.
To help cope with the statewide influx of COVID-19 patients, RSDM has converted two of its clinics to treatment areas for University Hospital patients. Care began last month at the temporary facilities. Since April, the Newark hospital has faced an overwhelming number of patients seeking treatment for the novel coronavirus, leading to a shortage of beds for COVID-19 patients and others. To make room for more, RSDM transformed the school's pediatric and special needs clinics, which are interconnected, to a 24-bed treatment facility.LEARN MORE
Stepping Up
Oral Surgery Residents Volunteer at Hospital ER During COVID-19 Peak
Dr. Roman Mogilevsky
Dr. Christina Gory
As oral surgery residents at Rutgers School of Dental Medic
ine, Drs. Roman Mogilevsky and Christina Gory never expected to be treating critically ill patients during a global pandemic. But when University Hospital faced a staff shortage during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak, they were among a group of fellow residents who volunteered for shifts in the Emergency Department.
COVID-19 Crisis: Faculty and Alumna Supports Hospital Staff
Dr. Patricia Tordik helps distribute PPE to University Hospital staff.
After a day at work in RSDM's emergency dental clinic, faculty member Dr. Patricia Tordik has another job. She volunteers at University Hospital in the "PPE canteen,'' helping doctors and nurses find the right personal protective equipment .Tordik stepped up as soon as she heard the call for volunteers at the hospital, which, like others in New Jersey, has been overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. LEARN MORE
Lessons Learned
Faculty Epidemiologist Sees Public Health Parallels Between HIV And COVID-19
Dr. Modupe Coker
HIV/AIDS changed the way authorities communicate about public health measures during a pandemic. How did it inform the response to COVID-19 and what can we learn from the past? Read this NJ.com op-ed by RSDM researcher Dr. Modupe Coker, a faculty member in the Department of Oral Biology who specializes in HIV/AIDS. LEARN MORE
Getting Acclimated
International DMD Students Navigate First Days of Dental School During Pandemic
Ayodeji Awopegba
For students in RSDM's Internationally Educated DMD program, the first semester of dental school is a chance to bond with fellow classmates and immerse themselves in American dentistry. But dental school began very differently for the 37 international dental students who arrived here at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Class time has been replaced by virtual lessons. Socializing with classmates takes place on ZOOM and WhatsApp. They've also had to adjust to their new homes in the U.S. during a time when they often can't do more than run essential errands. LEARN MORE
Tech Transition
Students Adjust to Life and Learning Online During COVID-19
Nina Golojuch
Since March, RSDM students and faculty have been teaching and learning online after Rutgers University went virtual to cope with the COVID-19 crisis. Digital dental school as its drawbacks: the hands-on learning so crucial to the profession has been delayed. But students have completed much of their didactic work and found value in online lessons.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many RSDM students are struggling. They face transportation problems, housing issues, lost income, food insecurity, health insurance complications and more. To help relieve these strains, dental students have been applying directly to Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) student emergency funds, which provides immediate support for those facing serious problems. You can help RSDM students in need by donating. Make your contribution to the RBHS Student Emergency Fund specifically to reach our dental students. To give, click
here.
