This year's Major Donor Event was held at the Columbus Zoo, where the gathering included an opportunity to feed the giraffes!

From Dean Carroll Ann Trotman

The autumn semester has kicked off with a lot of events and activities!

We officially welcomed our new dental and dental hygiene students at the August 19th White Coat Ceremony. The photos below show them celebrating with friends and family members as they took their first step to becoming dental professionals. Around the same time, we hosted a group of senior dental students from China Medical University who learned about our advanced education programs. The exchange of information was valuable for them and us, as we discovered similarities and differences in our graduate programs.

Another important event recognized our “major donors” whose gifts enable the college to accomplish many of its vital goals. The gathering took place at the Columbus Zoo and it included updates about our current initiatives, as well as fun moments with some of the zoo’s animals -- including the giraffes in the photo above! Everyone enjoyed the get-together that gave us an opportunity to thank our alumni and friends who support us in ways that have a lasting impact.

This newsletter highlights those events and the good news about our faculty and students’ achievements. Dr. Kyulim Lee, Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry, has received an R03 award for $327,492 from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. The project will explore oral microbial changes during the development of oral mucositis and bloodstream infection in pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant patients.

Other faculty are putting us on the map as they publish research in national journals that set the standard for our profession. Dr. Brian Foster, Associate Professor in the Division of Biosciences, recently collaborated with Dr. Kaitrin Kramer, a craniofacial orthodontist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, on a paper titled “Inherited phosphate and pyrophosphate disorders: New insights and novel therapies changing the oral health landscape.” It was published in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Another outstanding publication appeared in the Journal of Dental Hygiene. Titled “Predictors of empathy among dental hygiene undergraduate students,” the article is based on a thesis by David Collins, a student in the Master of Science in Dental Hygiene Program. Faculty authors include Dr. Joen Iannucci, Professor and Chair of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology; Dr. Janice Townsend, Professor and Chair of the Division of Pediatric Dentistry; and Dr. Rachel Kearney, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Pre-Doctoral Education and Student Life. Kudos all ‘round!

More congrats are due to Abigail Musgrave, a member of the Dental Class of 2026 who received an award from the International College of Dentists and the Washington University Dental Alumni Association’s Scholarship Program. She was chosen for her “outstanding qualifications and credentials” that set her apart from her peers.

Last, but not least, this newsletter showcases exciting events just ahead! They include Post College Assembly, Homecoming Weekend celebrations, and a reception at the Annual Session of the Ohio Dental Association. I invite you to come along for these events that reconnect you with friends, former classmates, and your alma mater. The festivities offer something for everyone, and I look forward to seeing you there!

White Coat Ceremony Welcomes New DDS and DHY Students

The College of Dentistry welcomed its new dental hygiene and dental students at the White Coat Ceremony held August 19th.

Nearly a thousand friends and family members attended the event that marks the beginning of the professional educational experience of the Dental Hygiene Class of 2026 and the Dental Class of 2028. This year's DDS class includes 120 students: 104 from Ohio and 16 from out-of-state. The dental hygiene class has 35 students; 32 from Ohio and 3 from out-of-state. 

Welcoming the students, Dean Carroll Ann Trotman said, "It is inspiring to see you as a group surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones. Your hard work and sacrifices have brought you here this evening, so enjoy this special ceremony. It is a moment you will treasure throughout your lives and careers."

She added, "As you don your white coats this evening, I hope you will feel a sense of transformation. I also hope you will think of the white coat as an outward symbol of your honor, integrity, professionalism, and drive for excellence. You will never regret your decision to become dental professionals, and I welcome you to THE Ohio State University College of Dentistry!"

Major Donor Event Recognizes Alumni and Friends for Their Support

On August 18th, the college hosted its annual Major Donor Event that recognizes the generous alumni and friends who support the college in ways that enable it to accomplish significant goals.

The gathering was held at the Columbus Zoo where 39 donors and their family members enjoyed dinner, a tour of the zoo's exhibits, and a presentation by Dean Carroll Ann Trotman that provided updates on the college's recent achievements.

She said, "On behalf of the college, I'll start with some words of gratitude. To our Senior Development Director Ted Backus and his team, my thanks for making this event possible. And a special, heartfelt word of thanks to all of you, our alums and friends, for your outstanding and continued support. You set a standard for generosity and loyalty, and we are more than grateful."

Dean Trotman continued, "As I share some updates about the things we are doing, what we have already done, and what we will do for the future of the college, I want you to know that our success is due in large part to your gifts that enable us to advance in so many ways. Because of you, our new and innovative projects are leading us to a great future, with great opportunities, and great success!"

Learn more about ways to support the college.

The College of Dentistry recently welcomed a group of senior dental students from China Medical University, an educational institution in Taiwan whose School of Dentistry is "dedicated to combining higher education and research with community service."

The students' visit to Ohio State was part of an extended tour of several universities in the U.S. whose dental schools include well-respected graduate programs. The group showed a special interest in the college's General Practice Residency (GPR) program.

Dr. Mark Wenzel, Director of the GPR Program (shown center, back row above), provided the students with tours and information that included the various levels of care available to GPR patients. He said, "The students were very interested in the sedation we provide for GPR patients, and the fact that we perform those procedures here in Postle Hall and in the university's hospital. We also had some conversations about the general anesthesia program at China Medical University and our Dental Anesthesia Residency Program. It was a useful exchange of information about best practices for providing the care that patients need most."

Kyulim Lee, DMD, MS, PhD, Receives Grant from NIDCR



Dr. Kyulim Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry and a member of the pediatric dental team at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She serves as a clinical practitioner and a researcher whose interests focus on bacterial genetics/genomics and microbial ecology, as well as the oral microbiome in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant.

Recently, Dr. Lee received an R03 award for $327,492 from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) that supports her research on the oral microbiome in hematopoietic cell transplant patients. The project is titled "Investigating the oral microbiome in hematopoietic cell transplants," and it will explore changes in the oral microbial community during the development and progression of oral mucositis and bloodstream infection in pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant recipients. It also seeks to define the bloodstream microbial profile in this cohort to determine if the oral cavity is the likely source of bloodstream infections. 

DHY Graduate Student and Faculty Publish in Journal of Dental Hygiene



The college's Division of Dental Hygiene is home to Ohio's only Master of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program. David Collins is a student in the program and his master's thesis served as the foundation for a scholarly article that was recently published in the American Dental Hygiene Association's premier, peer-reviewed publication, the Journal of Dental Hygiene.

The article is titled "Predictors of empathy among dental hygiene undergraduate students," and it considers empathetic engagement as a vital component in forming respect-based relationships between patients and clinicians, leading to optimal patient care. Faculty who contributed to the publication are Joen Iannucci, DDS, MS, Professor and Chair of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology; Janice Townsend, DDS, MS, Professor and Chair of the Division of Pediatric Dentistry; and Rachel Kearney, BSDH, PhD, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Pre-Doctoral Education and Student Life.

Dental Student Receives Scholarship from International College of Dentists and Washington University



Abigail Musgrave is a dental student in the Class of 2026 who was recently selected as a scholarship recipient. The award was given by the International College of Dentists and Washington University's Dental Alumni Association. It includes a cash award that supports Ms. Musgrave's education in the college, and it recognizes her "outstanding qualifications" that distinguished her among her peers.