College of
Dentistry
2006
Recall
NOVEMBER
THE COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
University of Saskatchewan
Room 332
Dental Clinic Building
105 Wiggins Road
Saskatoon SK S7N 5E4
Acting Dean:
Dr. Gerry Uswak
Associate Dean:
Dr. Dave Tyler
Assistant Dean:
Dr. Alan Kilistoff
If you read something in this issue of Recall that you would like to respond to, please send your comments to Janet Sklarchuk
at the address above or janet.sklarchuk@usask.ca
DEAN’S MESSAGE
Dr. Gerry Uswak
For me, autumn is the most interesting time of the
year. Falling leaves, the change in the incident angle
of light, and the chill in the air all herald a sense of
change and renewal. Nowhere is this truer than at
the College, where autumn signifies the start of the
new academic year. We have bid farewell to
the Class of 2006 and we wish them well
as they begin their professional lives. In
turn, we welcome the Class of 2010 as
they begin their professional journeys.
Also contributing to this theme of renewal is the
challenge of developing the College’s Integrated Plan
that will guide our future and enable us to remain a
vital educational institution for years to come. It is
an opportunity for us to articulate our vision of where
we want and need to be in terms of dental education, research, and community service. Part
and parcel of this vision is to communicate
the resources required to achieve our
desired future. I’ll expand on this topic
elsewhere in this edition of Recall and
further over time when we meet at meetings
and functions.
Our senior administration has undergone a change as well and I would like to
thank our outgoing senior administrators
for their time, effort, and dedication to this
College. Dr. Dean Kolbinson has taken administrative leave and I welcome Dr. Dave Tyler as
Acting Associate Dean. Dr. Otero has completed his
term and I thank Dr. Alan Kilistoff for accepting the
position of Acting Assistant Dean, Clinical Affairs.
Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Jim Stakiw for his
stewardship as Acting Dean and welcome him back
to full-time teaching.
Finally, we have a new College Web site that
contains far more information and interactive
components than ever before. A great deal of
thanks goes out to the Web site committee (Dr. Ken
Sutherland, Dr. Alan Kilistoff, Kevin Fuglerud, Jacquie
Fraser, Trent Kolbe, Janet Sklarchuk, Nekky Jamal,
Erin Ellis, and Frank Bulk), who donated a great deal
of time to get this off the ground. Some areas are
still under construction but we will continue to
“tweak” the site to make it even better.
Change is all around us. Dr. Kunio Komiyama
was appointed first as Professor Emeritus and
subsequently as a Special Lecturer, so I am pleased to
say he will be with us for at least one more academic
year. Pat Smith has left us for other opportunities
after 27 years of service to the dental clinic. We wish
her well in all her future endeavours.
I look forward to the next year as Acting Dean, and I
also look forward to meeting more alumni in person.
We all share a kinship with this College and your
comments and input are very valuable to us.
Enjoy the autumn.
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Fall Welcome – some of the Class of 2009.
FALL WELCOME 2006
The Welcome Back Fall Banquet was held Saturday,
September 30, 2006, at the beautiful Delta
Bessborough Hotel. Once again, it was a spectacular
event hosted by the Saskatchewan Dental Students
Society. The evening included a wonderful dinner
followed by numerous awards of recognition.
Cody Bowtell and Scott Harris were the recipients of
the Dr. Kirk Johnston Spirit of Dentistry Memorial
Award presented by the Johnston family. Clinton Pigott
received the W. A. Cotter Award, which is presented
to the fourth-year student who best exemplifies the
empathy, courtesy, and caring attention to patients
demonstrated by the late Dr. Wilf Cotter during his
professional career. The Dental Anatomy Award went
to Emily Bull for achieving the highest average in the
first-year anatomy class. Jonida Seferi, who attained the
best overall average in selected preclinical restorative
disciplines, was presented with the Anthony A. Blasko
Memorial Scholarship. Devon Anholt was the recipient
of this year’s Paul Teplitsky Desire to Win Award.
Christopher Walter won the Most Likely to Succeed
Award, and Shahram Rahmani humbly accepted the
infamous Boot Play Award. Not to be outdone by the
students, the professors were awarded the Challenge
Cup, emblematic of supremacy in the student-faculty
hockey war.
TAKING CENTRE STAGE
The Class of 2006 was surrounded by
family and friends on Thursday, May 25,
2006, when they became the newest
alumni of the College of Dentistry. Twentyeight students were awarded the Doctor of
Dental Medicine Degree at the University
of Saskatchewan Spring Convocation,
with six students graduating with Great
Distinction and eight students graduating
Jenny Wong
with Distinction. Congratulations to Jenny
Wong, recipient of the Faculty of Dentistry
Gold Medal award. The ceremony was
followed by the Graduation Banquet and
Dance held at the Delta Bessborough.
Guest speaker, Dr. Tracey Clark, gave a
thoughtful and inspiring address reminding the graduates to “follow their dreams
and not let fear get in their way.”
The College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan again hosted
the Graduation Breakfast the following morning. Dr. Bernie
White presented Jennifer Ficzycz with the Western Canada
Dental Society Fund/Dr. Cal Waddell Memorial Scholarship.
Dr. Maureen Lefebvre presented Dean Heinrichs with the
Canadian Dental Association President’s Award. Dr. Ken
Sutherland, guest speaker at the Graduation Breakfast, gave a
humorous account of the Class of 2006.
(L-R) Dr. Bernie White and
Jennifer Ficzycz
Grad Breakfast.
Some of the class of 2006.
(L-R) Dr. Maureen Lefebvre
and Dean Heinrichs
(L-R) Grishma Kapadia,
Bobby Bindi, Shilpa Lala
(L-R) Brent Yaremko, Lily Sammak,
Sarah Stookey, Ali Hooshangui
(L-R) Raegan Eliasson, Maria Losier, Chelsea
Schmidt, Bobby Birdi, Sherry Rayburn
(L-R) Nathan Nieviadomy,
Dustin Satre, Cory Wooff
Class of 2006:
Allen Aptekar
Bobby Birdi
Barbara Brigidear
Brendon Burgess
Raegan Eliasson
Jennifer Ficzycz
Ken Ginnan
Dean Heinrichs
Ali Hooshangui
ThuUyen Huynh
Grishma Kapadia
Roman Koutsil
Shilpa Lala
Maria Losier
Nathan Muirhead
Nathan Nieviadomy
Zeno Park
Daniel Pesin
Kiran Pannu
Randhawa
Sherry Rayburn
Diane Sasvari
Dustin Satre
Chelsea Schmidt
Alysen Sopotyk
David Stock
Jenny Wong
Cory Wooff
Brent Yaremko
Some of
the class
of 2006.
by Murray Dickson
2006 WHITE COAT CEREMONY
The 2006 annual White Coat Ceremony was held on Friday, August
18, 2006. Members of the Class
of 2010 were presented with white
coats to symbolize their entrance
into the College of Dentistry and
the profession of dentistry.
The
following Code of Professional
Conduct, introduced in August 2002,
was recited during this ceremony:
be challenged to learn, but not to
be abused, harassed, or humiliated.
Membership in this community is
not without obligation. Accordingly, I
have adopted the following statement
of principles to guide me throughout
my academic, clinical, and research
work. I will uphold both the spirit and
the letter of this code. As a member of
the dental community:
University of Saskatchewan
College of Dentistry
Code of Professional Conduct
• I will practise personal and academic
integrity.
The College of Dentistry is a community
comprising students, faculty, and staff
dedicated to personal and academic
excellence. Choosing to join this
community obligates each one of us
to adhere to a code of professional
behaviour and gives us the right to
• I will respect the rights and dignity of
patients, students, faculty, and support
staff and treat all persons with honesty,
respect, fairness, and compassion.
• I will not make disparaging remarks
about students, faculty, or support staff
or their work.
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• I will place the well-being of patients
ahead of personal advancement.
• I will set patient care as the highest
priority in the clinical setting.
• I will maintain patient confidentiality
and will limit discussions of patients to
appropriate settings.
I will maintain high standards of
ethical behaviour and conduct myself
in a manner befitting my profession at
all times.
MOVING
ON...
What’s next for the Class of 2006? Following is a list of the
graduates and their professional careers:
Nathan Muirhead – Private Practice, Calgary, AB
Nathan Nieviadomy – GPR, Saskatoon, SK
Zeno Park – Private Practice, Vancouver, BC
Daniel Pesin – Private Practice, Ottawa, ON
Kiran Pannu Randhawa – Private Practice, Saskatoon, SK
Sherry Rayburn – Private Practice, Saskatoon, SK
Diane Sasvari – Private Practice, St. Albert, AB
Dustin Satre – Private Practice, Weyburn, SK
Chelsea Schmidt – Private Practice, Lloydminster, AB
Alysen Sopotyk – Private Practice, Prince Albert, SK
David Stock – Private Practice, Swift Current, SK
Jenny Wong – Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Program,
University of Southern California
Cory Wooff – Private Practice, Saskatoon, SK
Brent Yaremko – GPR, Saskatoon, SK
Allen Aptekar – GPR, Toronto, ON
Bobby Birdi – Graduate Program in Prosthodontics,
University of Minnesota
Barbara Brigidear – Canadian Forces Base, Borden, ON
Brendon Burgess – Private Practice, Vancouver, BC
Raegan Eliasson – Private Practice, Lloydminster, AB
Jennifer Ficzycz – Private Practice, Calgary, AB
Ken Ginnan – Private Practice, Grande Prairie, AB
Dean Heinrichs – Private Practice, Medicine Hat, AB
Ali Hooshangui – Private Practice, North Battleford, SK
ThuUyen Huynh – Private Practice, Watrous, SK
Grishma Kapadia – Private Practice, Winnipeg, MB
Roman Koutsil – Private Practice, High River, AB
Shilpa Lala – Private Practice, Regina, SK
Maria Losier – Private Practice, New Brunswick
“Is a Clean Desk a Sign of a Sick Mind?” Contest
Can you guess whose office this is? It belongs to one of our current faculty members. Submit your guess to
janet.sklarchuk@usask.ca by December 15, 2006, to be eligible for a prize. One winner will be drawn from all correct
guesses. And we won’t make the winner find his or her prize in the office pictured below! (We will send the prize
by mail/courier – so please include with your entry, your postal address and/or your street address.)
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A NEW LOOK IN THE MAIN CLINIC OFFICE
The College of Dentistry would like to welcome back
Rhonda Lenton to the Main Clinic Office. Rhonda
was previously employed at the College of Dentistry
from August 1998 to November 2001, and transferred
back to us from the Department of Health, Safety and
Environment on campus in July 2006. Kelly Shelley
returned to the College in August 2006 from a one-year
maternity leave.
Of course as we welcome back these two employees, it
means that we must bid farewell to both Andrea Bay and
Marie Denis. Their dedication to the job and willingness
to assist in the Clinic in a time of immediate change was
most appreciated by all students, staff, and faculty.
Rhonda Lenton
Kelly Shelley
PAT SMITH RETIRES AFTER 27 YEARS
Pat Smith
Pat Smith, Dental Assistant Supervisor, retired recently after
having served the College of Dentistry for over 27 years. Pat
started her career with the College of Dentistry on September 10,
1979, assisting students and their patients. Over the years, she
has helped hundreds of individuals move through the transition
from student to new dentist. Pat’s twinkling eyes and big smile
will be missed by many. She is greatly looking forward to enjoying
her retirement in Calgary, including spending time with her
children and grandchildren. As she leaves the College, Pat takes
with her the respect and the gratitude of many.
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TIDBITS
Dr. Ken Sutherland
Dr. Ken Sutherland (Class of 1977),
Professor, Prosthodontics, is taking
a leave of absence without pay.
He will spend October and most
of November at the University of
California, San Francisco, co-ordinating
a working group with a mandate to redefine
the UCSF Fixed Prosthodontics undergraduate
curriculum for the twenty-first century. Dr. Sutherland
will return to the University of Saskatchewan at the
end of each month to attend to teaching/practice
responsibilities. He and the College extend special
thanks for the clinical faculty who will mentor in fixed
prosthodontic clinics during the leave (Drs. Bowerman,
Caldwell, Dutton, K. Hamilton, Hammer, Konotopetz,
Louis, Saganski, Shoman, and Stevens).
The annual convocation of the Royal College of Dentists
of Canada took place in Montreal on September 9,
2006. The following alumni of the College of Dentistry,
University of Saskatchewan, were acknowledged for
having passed the national dental specialty examinations given by the Royal College:
Dr. Kam Olfert (Class of 2003)
– Orthodontics
Dr. Michael Lypka (Class of 2000)
– Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Dr. Blayne Thibodeau (Class of 1997)
– Endodontics
Dr. Michael Ziglo (Class of 1995)
– Orthodontics
Passing these examinations allows these individuals to
be licensed as specialists in Canada, to have portability
of their specialty certifications across Canada, and
to be eligible for Fellowship in the Royal College.
Congratulations to all!
Veronica Murphy applied for
and was granted a one-year
leave of absence from the
College. We look forward to
welcoming her back September
1, 2007!
Veronica Murphy
Belated Happy Birthday to Dr. Ernie Ambrose, who
turned 80 years young on May 12, 2006.
Congratulations to Dr. Blayne Thibodeau (Class of 1997)
on receiving a post-graduate degree in Endodontics
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in
May 2006.
(L-R) Dr. Maria Copete and Dr. Robert Gorlin
The College acknowledges the passing of University
of Minnesota School of Dentistry Regents’ Professor
Emeritus Robert Gorlin, an internationally acclaimed
expert on oral and maxillofacial pathology, as well as
genetic defects and syndromes, craniofacial disorders,
and hereditary hearing loss.
(L-R) Dr. Blayne Thibodeau
and Dr. Anjani Koneru
Congratulations to Dr. Leandra Best (Class of
1985) on receiving the UBC Excellence in Teaching
(Killam) Award.
Dr. Best began teaching parttime in the Faculty of Dentistry at UBC in 1999.
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SUMMER CLINIC
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to gratefully acknowledge the valuable
participation of the following faculty members who
responded promptly to my e-mails when I requested
assistance to supervise students Michael Bradshaw,
Carman Rabuka, Matt Soroski, and Jared Wendt during
the Summer Clinic. Thank you very much to Drs. Carol
Nagle, Jay Hoover, Garnet Packota, Ahmed Marei, Peter
Konchak, Judy Monteith, Tracey Clark, Kelly Kudryk,
Brent Moulding, Dave Tyler, and Gerry Uswak. Your
contributions to the education of our students and
service to our patients are much appreciated!
(L-R) Dr. Denis Fuchs and Devon Anholt
Devon Anholt (Class of 2007) was the recipient of the
2005–2006 International College of Dentists (ICD)
Award. The award comprises a monetary gift in the
amount of $1,000 and a personalized certificate
mounted on a plaque. Dr. Dennis Fuchs, the ICD
District #3 Regent, presented Devon with the award on
September 15, 2006. The ICD award was established in
1956 and since 1978 has been awarded annually to the
student in the penultimate year of the dentistry program
who exhibits the highest degree of both academic
proficiency and participation in extracurricular activities.
Congratulations Devon!
Also, I am grateful to our dental assistants Pat Smith,
Debbie Loehndorf, Gloria Luedtke, Pauline Pontarollo,
Melanie McNally, and Carol Wisser for their great
assistance to the students and to all of us throughout
those nine weeks. In addition, thank you to Brenda
Bray, Julie Lalonde, and Rilla Holowatuk for their
diligent work in Orthodontics.
Finally, I wish to thank our Clinic Business Manager
Trent Kolbe and also Bernie Fortier, Andrea Bay, Marie
Denis, and Rhonda Lenton who, in the front office, did
a tremendous job receiving patients’ calls, dealing with
them, and organizing the appointment schedules.
The K. Lorne Massey Award was instituted in the
2005–2006 academic year in memory of Dr. Lorne
Massey, who held a strong commitment toward the
undergraduate teaching of Pathology and Laboratory
medicine. The award recognizes the two first-year
students, one from each of the College of Medicine and
the College of Dentistry, who have achieved the highest
scores in General Pathology (PATH 201.3). The 2005–
2006 winner from the College of Dentistry is Emily Bull
(Class of 2009). Congratulations Emily!
Many thanks to all. From my very personal point of
view, these individuals constitute a very significant part
of the existence of our College.
– Dr. Francisco Otero
JAPANESE VISITING STUDENTS
Two students from the University of Okayama, College of Dentistry,
are visiting our school on a ten-week exchange agreement between
the two dental colleges. Ayaka Goto and Yoko Kurosaki will be with
us until October 31, 2006. Both are in the third year of a six-year
DMD program in Japan.
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(L-R) Ayaka Goto and Yoko Kurosaki
SASKATCHEWAN’S STUDENT VOICES
GET HEARD BY THE CDA
The
Committee
on
Student
Affairs (CSA) is made up of two
representatives from each Canadian
dental school.
The committee
serves as the connection between
dental students and our national
professional
association,
the
Canadian Dental Association (CDA).
This link provides the highest level
of the CDA with valuable insights
on issues and concerns from the
Canadian dental students’ point of
view. The CSA’s annual meeting
was hosted this year at the Château
Laurier in our nation’s capital from
August 10–12, 2006.
The first day of the conference was
mostly informational, consisting of a
range of presentations from various
departments and committees that
make up the CSA. As a third-year
CSA rep in training, I (Ryan) found
this day was of particular importance
as background preparation for the
later sessions. The presentations
were both interesting and valuable,
and presenters included Dr.
G. Johnson, representing the CDA
Board of Governors; Dean Smith,
Web site/Online Communications;
Andrew Jones and Aaron Levo,
CDA Government Relations; Costa
Papadopoulos and Renee De
Gannes, Membership and Professional Services Resource Centre;
Dr. J. O’Keefe, CDA Publications;
and Tracey Vieceli, Promotions
and Marketing. The second part of
that day began with a few informal
remarks from the Association of
Canadian Faculties of Dentistry
(ACFD) and the Commission on
Dental Accreditation of Canada
(CDAC), followed by presentations
from the National Dental Examining
Board (NDEB) by Dr. J. Gerrow;
the Dentistry Canada Fund (DCF)
by Valarie Vasku; Continovation
Services Inc. by Randy Baird and
Viviane Balik; Procter & Gamble by
Wendy Winter; the Canadian Dental
Services Plan Inc. (CDSPI) by Corinne
St. Jarre, Cristina Temciuc, and Ljuba
Nikolovski; and a presentation by
Vice-President of the American
Student Dental Association (ASDA)
Blake Robinson.
While
most
questions
and
discussion were scheduled for the
second day of the conference, there
were some limited opportunities for
these during this first-day session.
The most heated discussion
concerned the NDEB’s exam. Dr.
J. Gerrow’s presentation included
impressive amounts and kinds of
statistics and data; however, the
statistics did not always correlate
with those reported by many of the
schools’ representatives. Dr. Gerrow
shared that the 2006 exam had
been revamped due to questions
having “gotten out” from students
who had previously completed the
exams. He brought to light the
difficulties involved with generating
ideal questions, and shared the
NDEB’s standpoint that a national
examination is necessary.
The following day, the CSA gathered
to handle student business.
The sessions involved the two
student representatives from each
10
school, CDA administrators, and
Saskatchewan’s own Dr. Gord
Johnson.
Dr. Johnson’s role
was to carry messages from the
students to the CDA’s Executive
Committee. Both third- and fourthyear representatives reviewed their
duties and responsibilities and
signed contracts agreeing to fulfill
those roles. The Université de
Montréal, hosts of the upcoming
January 11–14, 2007, International
Dental Student Conference (IDSC),
revealed conference plans and
details including venue, speakers,
and scheduled events. The CDA
representatives’ group presented a
model of its working relationship,
demonstrating to the student
representatives how its various
committees interact with one
another, and shared its experience
in hosting successful membership
campaigns and Welcome to the
Profession events.
The Dalhousie University reps
raised the issue of the unrelenting
annual increases in tuition faced
by their new dental students. I
(Richard) responded by presenting
to the CSA the results of the 2005
Student Debt Survey conducted
by our College in conjunction with
the CDA’s Office of Governmental
Affairs. I also pointed out our
present reality: that both tuition
increases and student applications
to our colleges continue to increase,
and that reversal of tuition hikes is
unlikely. I stressed how simple and
necessary it is for representatives at
each school to collect the responses
to the survey questions from each of
their students, in order to generate
solid data accurately representing
the positions of all Canadian dental
students. The data generated from
our College by that survey has been
used by the CDA’s Committee on
Governmental Relations in its efforts
to get the Canadian government to
increase student loans and freeze
dental tuition increases.
In April of 2006, it became evident
that the CDA should know how our
students were feeling regarding the
NDEB exam. At the conference,
some preliminary responses to
this question were presented by
representatives from seven of the
ten schools, including ours. For that
purpose, I had generated a survey
for University of Saskatchewan
dental students and recent graduates asking their opinions about
the necessity of the NDEB exam
as a measure to ensure that they
were qualified to practice dentistry.
Based on comments received via
this survey from members of our
classes of 2004, 2005, and 2006, I
formulated then presented several
positions. These included: (1) There
is a redundancy of the NDEB exam
with that of the Accreditation
Committee; (2) the exam imposes
already-heavy-indebted Year IV
students with an extra $1400 cost
and an added study load; (3) written
exams are not what day-to-day
private practice dentistry is about;
(4) we sought explanation for how
a student could fail the NDEB yet
pass the DMD that same year. After
considerable discussion of this
issue, and despite stances brought
forward by our own as well as other
universities, the student committee
decided to let this issue pass.
The latter survey also served
another purpose at the Ottawa
(L-R) Richard Halpern and Ryan Kilistoff, CSA reps at
August 2006 CSA annual meeting.
CSA conference in August:
It
awakened the representatives from
each school to the importance of
actively seeking out the concerns
of students at their schools. UBC
and Université de Laval collected
responses from students on the
questions of the 2006 National
Board Exams. Université de Laval
expressed how Dr. Gerrow’s data
presented the day prior did not
correlate with the reports from their
school; some of their top students
had failed the Boards and one of
those students had the offer of a
GPR position retracted as a result of
those results.
This time of sharing with fellow
students from coast to coast the
concerns at each of our schools was
valuable and important. The CDA
Student Representative Conference
was an excellent opportunity for
all dental students from across
the country to have our voices
genuinely considered.
We are
grateful to all those at CDA who
were responsible for organizing this
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excellent conference. It allowed
us to understand more of what
the CDA has to offer us students
while at the same time was the
ideal occasion for learning our CSA
responsibilities for keeping a united
voice on behalf of Canada’s dentiststo-be. Following this conference,
we student representatives are now
much better equipped to address
the needs of our students with both
insight and efficiency.
The CSA
this year appears more revitalised
than it has been in years. We are
pleased that this committee, in
combination with our upcoming
active representatives Brian Phee
and Shane Mamer, will continue to
effectively represent the voices of all
Canadian dental students, including
those of our own College here in
Saskatchewan, at the national level.
Richard Halpern (Class of 2007),
CDA Student Representative
Ryan Kilistoff (Class of 2008), CDA
Student Representative
WHAT’S WITH ALL THESE SURVEYS
AND QUESTIONNAIRES?
Some of you may have noticed that over the last
little while there has been an increased request from
faculty and students for you to complete surveys and
questionnaires.
While it is true that many of us do not feel we have
the time or the inclination to answer these requests
for information, I would like to ask for your patience,
support, and co-operation.
In order for the College to develop new directions in
programming and research as well as to find ways of
supporting the dental profession, we need to engage in
social/population health research. Part of this research
is to collect baseline data on the oral health status and
treatment needs of our community. Another big part
of such research is to describe our profession and our
alumni in terms of demographic information as well
as in terms of our current knowledge, attitudes, and
practices on a variety of topics. This information will
allow the College to better understand the needs of our
profession and our alumni.
Some areas of interest concerning the latter area of
research are the economics of dental practice, dental
student debt, and a variety of other subjects. The
best way to collect this data is via surveys which are
either snail-mail-based, Web-based, or conducted by
telephone interview.
So the next time you receive a request for survey
information from someone based at the College,
please take the time to fill out the survey or agree to a
telephone interview. Your participation is central to the
success of our research projects.
Some survey requests that will be coming to you in the
near future are:
1. Knowledge and Attitudes of Saskatchewan Dentists,
Dental Hygienists, Dental Therapists, and Dental
Assistants Regarding Child Abuse and Neglect – This
will be a mail survey and seeks to assess the role
dentists play in reporting suspected cases of child
abuse and neglect.
2. Demographic Information of Dental Practices in
Saskatchewan – Patients in rural, remote, and inner
city areas face access-to-care barriers that prevent
them from achieving optimum oral health. The
College wants to collect demographic information
on practitioners and practices so that we can
geographically map dental services across the
province.
High response rates = Accurate research information,
so please help us in our research by agreeing to
participate.
Thank you!
Dr. Gerry Uswak
Acting Dean, College of Dentistry
NEW COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY WEB SITE
http:/www.usask.ca/dentistry/
Our new Web site is up and running, and it contains
more information and interactive services than
ever before. You can now look up faculty members
and their contact information. You can even view
on-line versions of Recall back issues! Over time,
we will continue to add new components—for
ideas/suggestions for these, we invite and welcome
your feedback.
Please visit the site and take a look around. We
encourage you to provide us with your comments
and suggestions to enable us to build a more userfriendly site. Happy surfing!
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GREECE, WHERE ART THOU?
This summer I travelled with my friends to Europe. We
started the “good ol’ Euro backpacking thing” in the
Greek islands. We landed in Athens then took a bus trip
to the port city of Parieus. The next morning we were off
on a big ferry to Mykonos, one of the most famous of the
Greek isles. Mykonos was, to me, simply a piece taken
off Paradise and put on this planet. The atmosphere on
the island was of absolute peacefulness and relaxation.
Mykonos town is like a town made of Lego, comprising
little whitewashed houses, shops, and hotels, all with
sea-blue painted window shutters. Close to the centre of
town there is a little bay surrounded by restaurants, shops,
and four cute little windmills that are some of the unique
structures Mykonos is known for. Just before sunset that
area is usually filled with people either heading back home
to get ready for a fun night out or already leaving for bars
and restaurants to start night-long mingling, drinking,
socializing, and generally partying the night away. Usually
the young partying crowd doesn’t hit any dance floor until
well after midnight; before then everyone is just warming
up, meeting with friends and sipping on good old ethanol
and eating amazing seafood dishes made from the catch
taken straight out of the Mediterranean. This is pretty
much the night life scene in all the holiday destinations
of southern Europe.
where we went to socialize and just generally warm up
for another crazy night out at Ios’s bars. One of the most
famous bars there is called the Red Bull, a place where a
little party room can turn into the craziest place on the
island.
After Ios, we decided to head to a bigger and more famous
island called Santonrini. Santonrini is a place of absolute
serenity and is the destination of many honeymooners
and backpackers, who go there to admire the beauty of
the island. The whole town lies high above sea level and
there are many cliffs and hills with great views of the sea.
This island has many wonderful little restaurants, most in
romantic settings. It also is home to many little churches
with round painted domes mounted with painted crosses.
At night the town is especially beautiful, with bright
yellow lighting decorating the many dramatic cliffs that
characterize the island.
To anyone heading to that part of the world, I definitely
recommend stopping by and checking out some of the
Greek islands. And by the way, I don’t work for any sort
of Greek tourism authority! I just happened to fall in love
with Greece—its people and their warmth and hospitality,
its natural beauty, and the way the islands and their towns
have been preserved. Visiting those islands certainly is
one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life . . . OPA!
Our next stop in the Greek Cyclades was a modest little
island called Ios. This island is fairly quiet during the
day, so since little else is happening that’s a good time
to visit Farout Beach, the place where partygoers go
during the day for recovery! Then, right after sunset, the
island transforms into an incredibly lively place where
backpackers gather to socialize and drink. One famous
place for such gatherings is a hostel called Francesco’s,
Waseem Hussain
Class of 2008
13
Island of Ios
RYAN BEEKMAN
EVAN DAVIS
BREYA BURGESS
MADISON BOWTELL
OUR DENTAL FAMILY
Sandy Endersby (Class of 2005) and husband
Richard Beekman welcomed the newest member
of their family, daughter Ryan Leigh, on March 27,
2006. She was a healthy 7 lb. 3 ¾ oz.
Brendon Burgess (Class of 2006), wife Liza, and
big brother Bryson welcomed Breya on March 27,
2006. Brendon writes: “She’s very strong, loves
to kick and squirm . . .”
Brent Davis (Class of 2008) and wife Jennifer have
now welcomed their third son, Evan Scott. He
was born on April 25, 2006, weighing 8 lb. 14 oz.
and with “tons of hair.”
ALLEN, ETHAN, AND
MICHELLE APTEKAR
Cody Bowtell (Class of 2007) and wife Danielle
were blessed with Madison Kaitlyn on Easter
Sunday, April 16, 2006. She weighed 6 lb. 8 oz.
Allen Aptekar (Class of 2006) and wife Michelle are
pleased to announce the arrival of Ethan Gregory
on April 4, 2006, weighing in at 7 lb. 8 oz.
Proud parents Michael Bradshaw (Class of 2007)
and wife Jana introduced Edelle Annelie to the
world on July 30, 2006, weighing in at 7 lb. 7 oz.
Scott Harris (Class of 2008) and wife Heidi are
thrilled to announce the birth of Hallie on May 26,
2006. Hallie weighed 8 lb. 2 oz.
MICHAEL, EDELLE, AND
JANA BRADSHAW
14
HALLIE HARRIS
ENGAGEMENTS AND
MARRIAGES
Pincombe/Baudouin
Matt Soroski (Class of 2007) and Stephanie Craig (Class of 2008) are
pleased to announce their engagement. Wedding plans are set for July
2008.
Congratulations to Brett Bevans (Class of 2008) on his recent
engagement to Christy Steed.
Landon Pincombe (Class of 2007) and Natalie Baudouin married
in Ottawa, Ontario, on July 8, 2006, and spent their honeymoon on
Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
Brent Yaremko (Class of 2006) and Sarah Stookey were surrounded by
several of his classmates when they married in Saskatoon on July 29,
2006. The happy couple honeymooned in Tahiti.
Stookey/Yaremko
Kristi Perry (Class of 2007) and Ali’i Lafontaine were wed on July 8,
2006, in Cardston, Alberta, and honeymooned in Orlando, Florida.
Congratulations to Neha Lala (Class of 2004) on her marriage to Ashis
Roy on August 6, 2006, in Regina. They are currently residing in Plano,
Texas.
A Date to Remember
Alumni Reception
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Fairmont Waterfront Hotel
Vancouver, BC
Lafontaine/Perry
U of S College of Dentistry alumni, along with a guest, are
again invited to join us for a reception to be held in conjunction
with the Pacific Dental Conference.
Please RSVP to Janet Sklarchuk no later than February 28, 2007,
at (306)966-5121 or janet.sklarchuk@usask.ca .
15
15
Lala/Roy
2005–2006 SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS,
COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
NAME OF AWARD
RECIPIENT(S)
Year 1
Bank of Nova Scotia Scholarship
College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan Scholarship
Dental Anatomy Award
Dr. Komiyama Bird Man Awards in Infection Control
Dr. Steve Yaholnitsky Memorial Scholarship
Gordon Nikiforuk Admission Bursary
Kent McLeod Memorial Scholarship
Lorne and Mabel Connell Fund Award
University of Saskatchewan Undergraduate Scholarship
K. Lorne Massey Award
Year 2
Anthony A. Blasko Memorial Scholarship
College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan Scholarships
Dr. Kirk Johnston Spirit of Dentistry Memorial Award
Dr. Komiyama Bird Man Awards in Infection Control
Joseph Vickar Prize in Dentistry
Kent McLeod Memorial Scholarship
Professors’ Prize in Pharmacology
Septodont Louis Nief Award
University of Saskatchewan Undergraduate Scholarship
Dr. V. M. Jackman Scholarship
Western Canada Dental Society Bursary
Western Canada Dental Society Fund/
Walter F. Hancock Scholarships
Year 3
American Academy of Operative Dentistry Award
American Academy of Implant Dentistry Student Award
American College of Prosthodontics/
Undergraduate Achievement Award
College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan Scholarships
Dr. A. F. Muirhead Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Arthur Singer Memorial Award
Dr. Kirk Johnston Spirit of Dentistry Memorial Award
16
Lindsay Yaworsky
Krista Maedel
Emily Bull
Angela Ash
Emily Bull
Wallace Truong
Erin Ellis
P. Armes Perret
Nekky Jamal
Philip Heinzelman
Emily Bull
Emily Bull
Jonida Seferi
Kristi Lafontaine
Jennifer Park
Scott Harris
Jennifer Park
Kristi Lafontaine
Amanda Uzelman
Caesar Chow
Scott Harris
Jennifer Park
Jonida Seferi
Jonida Seferi
Mark Kramer
Brett Bevans
Mark Kramer
Amanda Uzelman
Bobby Hubbard
Colin Bonnet
Gosia Bryzgalska
Gosia Bryzgalska
Devon Anholt
Danial Deheshi
Stephanie Takeda
Cody Bowtell
Dr. Komiyama Bird Man Awards in Infection Control
Dr. V. M. Jackman Scholarship
Elsevier Canada Book Award
International College of Dentists Scholarship
(Canadian Section)
Kent McLeod Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship in Endodontics
University of Saskatchewan Scholarship
W. A. Cotter Award
Robert Cegielski
Theresa Doan
Bobby Hubbard
Devon Anholt
Sarah Dinsmore
Devon Anholt
Devon Anholt
Matthew Soroski
Matthew Soroski
Clinton Pigott
Year 4
3M Canada Scholarship in Restorative Dentistry
Academy of General Dentistry Senior Student Award
Alpha Omega Scholarship Award
American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
Dental Student Award
American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology,
Radiology Achievement Award
American Academy of Oral Medicine
Certificate of Merit and Award in Oral Medicine
American Academy of Orofacial Pain
Outstanding Senior Award
American Academy of Periodontology
Student Award in Periodontology
American Association of Endodontists
Student Achievement Award in Endodontics
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Dental Student Award
American Association of Orthodontists Award
Canadian Academy of Periodontology Award
Canadian Dental Association President’s Award
Certificate of Merit AAPD Predoctoral Student Award
Dental Student Recognition Award for Achievement in
Community Dentistry and Dental Public Health
Faculty of Dentistry Gold Medal
Oral Biology Award
Pierre Fauchard Foundation Scholarship Award
Quintessence Book Awards
Saskatchewan Chapter of the Canadian Society of Dentistry for
Children Book Award
Western Canada Dental Society/
Dr. Cal Waddell Memorial Scholarship
DCF Oral B Undergraduate Scholarships
Alpha Omega Foundation of Canada—John Sherman Prize
17
Allen Aptekar
Jennifer Ficzycz
Jenny Wong
Dean Heinrichs
Jenny Wong
Chelsea Schmidt
Dean Heinrichs
Allen Aptekar
Jennifer Ficzycz
Dean Heinrichs
Dean Heinrichs
Chelsea Schmidt
Dean Heinrichs
Jennifer Ficzycz
Nathan Nieviadomy
Jenny Wong
Ken Ginnan
Ali Hooshangui
Ali Hooshangui
Jenny Wong
Cory Wooff
Dean Heinrichs
Jennifer Ficzycz
Jennifer Ficzycz
Devon Anholt
Allen Aptekar
AND THE TABLE CLINIC WINNERS ARE . . .
We are pleased to announce the
winners of the 2006 College of
Dentistry Table Clinic held on
Saturday, April 22, 2006:
First place winners were Landon
Pincombe and Carman Rabuka
for their table clinic entitled “A
Comparison of Stem Cell Potential
from Extracted Deciduous and
Permanent Teeth.” Faculty advisor
was Dr. Ric Devon.
Second place winners were Richard
Halpern and Tanya Rouleau for
their table clinic entitled “The Effect
of Air Abrasion Preparation on the
Bond Strength of Orthodontic
Brackets Bonded to Enamel.”
Faculty advisors were Drs. Alan
Kilistoff and Dave Tyler.
Landon and Carman will be
representing the College at the
2007 Dentsply-CDA Table Clinics
competition next year.
(L-R) Carman Rabuka and Landon
Pincombe
THE CHARITABLE ARM OF CHAPTER LAMBDA
and also to those who donate. Our goal for this year
is to raise more funding for SWITCH. We wish to do
this in a way that allows students and staff to donate
their time and talents for the purpose of raising money.
One idea that has been proposed is a bleaching clinic,
so stay tuned for more information. Through these
fundraisers, we want to continue to promote both AO
(Alpha Omega) and SWITCH to the wider community
outside our dental college. If you would like to learn
more about Alpha Omega or SWITCH, visit these sites:
The goal of Chapter Lambda, our College’s charitable
committee, is to raise funding to support dentistry,
especially provision of dental care for those in need. This
goal serves the original intention of our international
fraternity (Alpha Omega), which was founded for the
purpose of combatting discrimination.
In 2005–2006, we decided to have a 50/50 Raffle Ticket
sale. Half the proceeds supported SWITCH and half
went to the winner, Kiran Jandu. SWITCH (Student
Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health) is an
interdisciplinary student-run health clinic established
to serve clients in Saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods.
It provides extended-hours clinical services at the
West Side Community Clinic and health promotion
programming from both the Clinic and White Buffalo
Youth Lodge. Funding is needed to provide a larger
scope of dental services at SWITCH. On our wish list:
equipment and supplies for carrying out clinical exams
and periodontal therapy and for providing oral hygiene
instruction. In the future, funding may be needed for
other services as well.
http://lambda.ao.org/
http://www.switch.usask.ca/
And thanks again to all those who supported our
fundraiser!
Cheryl Wong
Class of 2007
Community and Charitable Affairs
Chapter Lambda, University of Saskatchewan
Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity
Our committee feels that donating money to causes
close to home is meaningful both to Lambda members
18
THOMAS YU MAKES THE FRONT PAGE AGAIN!
On behalf of the University of Saskatchewan Alumni
Association, it is my distinct pleasure to announce
that one of our alumnus, Thomas Yu, has been chosen
to receive the University of Saskatchewan Alumni
Association’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award for
2006. This award is presented in recognition of a
graduate 35 years of age or younger who has achieved
significant accomplishments within the 10 years since
graduation. The award will be presented during a Gala
Dinner on October 12, 2006. Congratulations, Thomas!
—submitted by Dr. Francisco Otero
THE KENT MCLEOD MEMORIAL
CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT
Moonlake Golf and Country Club was host to this
year’s annual Kent McLeod Memorial Golf Classic
held on Saturday, September 9, 2006. Good weather,
good golf, good food, and good prizes all made for a
good day!
The College wishes to acknowledge the following
sponsors:
Title Sponsor:
Hallam Dental Aesthetics Inc.
Platinum Sponsor: Westlake Dental
Gold Sponsor:
Wyeth Consumer Healthcare Inc.
Dr. James Stephenson
Hole Sponsors:
The McLeod Family
The Carey Family
Dr. Wes Antosh
Dr. Bob Cram
Dr. Kurt Popowich
Drs. Chelsea Schmidt and
Raegan Eliasson
Dr. David Stark
Dr. Ken Sutherland
Dr. Paul Teplitsky
Dr. Ed Underwood
RBC
Scotiabank
College of Medicine
Bisco Dental Products & Surgitel
Magnification
Chromaster Dental Lab
Closest to the Hole: Bema Autosport BMW
Hole-in-One Sponsor: Janet’s brother, Jimmy
And the winners . . . and losers . . . were:
1st Place: Cody Bowtell
Bobby Hubbard
Dan Crooks
Dr. Ed Underwood
Highest Score: Tanya Rouleau
Stephanie Takeda
Kiranjit Jandu
Adam Abdulla
Closet to the Hole: Dr. James Stephenson
Sorry to report that there was no hole-in-one!
19
Brent Davis and Brad Cornish (L-R) at the Kent McLeod Memorial Classic.
INTEGRATED PLANNING –
A ROAD MAP TO OUR FUTURE
As most of you know, the College has been guided
by a business plan that was developed to put our
institution on solid financial ground. Over time, we have
TOP 10
THAT
demonstrated
that THINGS
we have the
ability WE
to significantly
LEARNED
IN
OUR
FOUR
reduce our deficit. However, we nowYEARS
realize that we
OF DENTAL SCHOOL:
need to go further. We need to develop an Integrated
Plan with the primary objective of establishing and
documenting our vision of the College of Dentistry such
that it remains an effective teaching institution and is
responsive to the needs of all its stakeholders both now
and in the future. The integrated planning process is the
primary vehicle for creating the requisite environment for
change to accomplish our task. This includes defining
the financial and human resources required to support
new directions.
Trends Affecting Dentistry
• 80% of oral disease affects 20% of the population,
and those in this group are not our patients because
they are facing access-to-care barriers
• The link between oral health and systemic conditions
such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease
necessitates oral health having a role in primary
health care
• Geriatric dental care is needed for our aging
population
• Succession planning must be developed for our aging
population
• People’s social determinants of health must be
improved in order to improve their overall well-being
• There is a need to produce professionals who possess
solid foundations of evidence-based knowledge
• There is a need to produce professionals with the
capacity to meet the challenge of technological
change
One Possible Vision Statement
To ensure the well-being of our community by serving
as a leader in dental education, research, community
outreach, engagement, and professional support.
20
Our Mission Statement
To educate dentists to provide high quality oral health
care to the people of Saskatchewan and to advance
clinical and scientific knowledge through research.
Our Goals
• To teach undergraduate dental students the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become
technically competent, socially sensitive, ethical
dentists.
• To advance knowledge through research, scholarly
activity, and publications, and by interacting with
related learned and professional organizations.
• To maintain an admissions policy that will enable the
College to select the best possible candidates for
dental education while being accessible on an
equitable basis to qualified Saskatchewan residents
and, where possible, to others.
• To continually evaluate and develop the curriculum
and implement changes to ensure that it is
responsive to the current and future needs for the
provision of oral health care to the people of
Saskatchewan and beyond.
• To investigate the epidemiology of oral disease
and serve as a resource for knowledge and expertise
concerning the prevention and treatment of oral
diseases for the profession and the community.
• To develop and contribute to outreach programs with
allied dental health care providers locally, nationally,
and internationally.
• To provide post-graduate and graduate education
through advanced degree programs.
• To practice scholarship in the application of
knowledge so we can serve society through our
creativity and expertise.
• To obtain appropriate human, financial, informational,
and physical resources and to manage these
resources in a fair, efficient, and accountable manner.
• To advance employment and education equity
through our policies and practices, and in particular,
to address the needs of aboriginal people, persons
with disabilities, and visible minorities.
The College of Dentistry’s Stakeholders
Our University
• Senior Administration
• Outreach & Engagement
• Teaching
• Research
Our Community
• Society
• Our Graduates
• Our Profession
Our College
• Our Patients
• Our Students
• Our Faculty & Staff
We need to ensure that our programming and activities support the needs of our various stakeholders.
Strategic Priorities
• Development of policies and programming to
integrate oral health into systemic health and to
ensure that dentistry has a role to play as a partner in
primary health care reform
• Working with the dental profession to lobby the
profession, public, government, and health care
providers regarding the importance of oral health in
achieving well-being
• Increasing the College’s profile in public service and
community-based activities
• Development of a social accountability framework
• Deficit elimination
• Curriculum review
• Exploration of new training programs
• Securing additional resources to improve College
teaching and clinical infrastructure and to increase
faculty complement:
1. Fourth floor addition to Dental Clinic building
2. Renovation of basement including space
vacated by library
3. Renovation of third floor to improve teaching/
administrative space
4. Additional clinic space to accommodate
increased enrolment and additional programs
5. Additional office space to consolidate all staff
and accommodate increased faculty complement
6. Expanded Faculty Clinical Practice facility
7. Renovated general anesthesia suite
• Continued development of (including identification
of external funding sources for) College’s presence at
Station 20 West (see April 2006 Recall page 17)
• Development of an economic forecast to predict need
for dental professionals in Saskatchewan;
development of mechanisms to retain more College
graduates within the province and/or to recruit
dentists from other parts of Canada to Saskatchewan
• Increasing the number of patients seeking care at the
College of Dentistry; increasing the number of patients
treated in the community; providing
comprehensive care to meet all patient needs
• Mirroring the private practice setting as much as
possible for student learning via comprehensive care
orientation
• Using social population health research to describe
the oral health condition of the public including oral
health disparities and access-to-care barriers
• Defining, through interdisciplinary health services
research, oral health’s contribution to systemic health
and integration of oral health programming into
general health care
• Clinical trials of new technology, materials, and
methods in partnership with the dental industry
• Promotion of Dental Practice Management and
economic studies of the dental profession
We are interested in what you have to say about the
College, our Integrated Plan, and our Strategic Priorities.
We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Please send your comments to gerry.uswak@usask.ca
21
MEMOIRS OF “SPECIAL K”
First of all, I would like to express
my sincerest appreciation for your
kind words upon my retirement and
award of title “Professor Emeritus.” I
have received so many congratulatory
remarks from across Canada, the U.S.,
England, Australia, and New Zealand;
by mail, e-mail, cards, and facsimile.
I am overwhelmed by the warm and
kind wishes expressed by the alumni. I
will see to it that I prove myself worthy
of the valuable friendship that you have
shown me, and I will not forget your
continued friendship.
dental education program at the Osaka
Dental College, the second-oldest and
the most prestigious private dental
school in Japan. In 1966, I graduated
from this college with a DDS degree. I
immediately entered the PhD program
in oral microbiology and immunology
at the Osaka Dental University. In
April 1970, I successfully completed
the program.
I have been offered the position of
“Special Lecturer” by the College of
Dentistry for another academic year. I
am still engaged, on a full-time basis, in
teaching, research, and administrative
work including infection control and
safety as Infection Control Officer. In
addition, I am still in charge of the
Infection Control Assurance Services
Program as Founder and Director. I
will continue to work hard to the best
of my ability for those of you who have
placed your confidence in me.
Recently, several colleagues have
suggested that I write my memoirs
of my academic life at the University
of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry.
While I do not consider myself a good
writer by any standard, the following
is a history that encompasses
my personal journey in dentistry
including my training; my professional
colleagues; and my teaching, research,
and scholarly work.
Personal History
I was born on January 5, 1939, in Kyoto,
Japan. After I graduated from high
school, I decided to become a dentist. In
1960, I began a six-year undergraduate
Dr. Kunio Komiyama
In 1970, I was awarded a post-doctoral
fellowship from the Medical Research
Council of Canada. I decided to pursue
my post-doctoral training at the
Department of Oral Biology, Faculty
of Dentistry, University of Manitoba,
under the supervision of Dr. Israel
Kleinberg. He is a dentist by training
(University of Toronto Faculty of
Dentistry), but he is also a very wellknown biochemist. Therefore my main
research training was directed to the
field of biochemistry, specifically the
22
carbohydrate metabolisms of oral
bacteria in relation to dental caries.
Somewhat ironically, biochemistry is
not my favourite subject by any means.
In fact, when I was an undergraduate
dental student, I had to take two
supplemental examinations to receive
a credit! However, I was able to publish
a couple of full articles in refereed
journals and seven abstracts in refereed
published conference proceedings and
abstracts. I consider Dr. Kleinberg
to be one of the two mentors in my
research life.
Besides Dr. Kleinberg, I would like
to mention in alphabetical order the
names of three colleagues whom I
met during my post-doctoral training.
Dr. Charles Baker : He was a young
oral radiologist when I began my
training. Of course, I never dreamed
that he would later become our Dean
(and Acting Dean of Medicine). Dr.
David Singer : He was a PhD student
under Dr. Kleinberg’s supervision.
After the completion of both his
PhD and his Periodontics Certificate
programs in 1973, he joined the U of
S College of Dentistry. Besides his
teaching, David was heavily involved
in curriculum matters, and I believe
that our present curriculum would
not have been completed without
David’s contribution. Unfortunately,
David decided to return to the U of M
College of Dentistry. Dr. James Stakiw:
I met James shortly after I started my
post-doctoral training at the University
of Manitoba. I believe he then went
on to complete his PhD program
(Physiology) at the U of S College of
Medicine after he graduated from U of
M Dentistry. I remember him as a very
friendly and kind person with a warm
heart. Similarly, I never dreamed that
James would later serve our College
as Acting Dean for a total of three
years.
In 1974, Dr. Kleinberg decided to
join the School of Dental Medicine,
State University of New York at
Stony Brook in Long Island, NY. Dr.
Kleinberg offered me a position in the
Department of Oral Pathology, where
he had been appointed Department
Head. However, I opted to move to
Saskatoon because Dr. Singer had
asked me to join the U of S College
of Dentistry.
I had visited the College for a job
interview in February 1974. I still
remember it was an extremely cold
day in Saskatoon, but I received a
warm welcome by both faculty and
students. My first impression of this
College was that in terms of physical
size it was “small” by any standard,
and particularly when compared to
the U of M College of Dentistry. The
whole college was located on the fifth
and sixth floors of the Health Sciences
Building. The Dental Clinic, which
was located on one side of the sixth
floor, contained a small number of
dental units, as well as the radiology
room and the central dispenser with
a sterilization facility area.
The faculty consisted of only eleven:
Dr. Raj Arora—Oral Surgery; Dr.
Albert Ball—Periodontics; Dr. Tony
Coin—Prosthodontics; Dr. Wilf Cotter
(now deceased)—Prosthodontics;
Dr. Alex Fernet (now deceased)—
Clinic Director & Endodontics; Dr.
Morris McKeon—Orthodontics; Dr.
Bill McPhail (now deceased)—Dean
& Preventive Dentistry; Dr. Paul
Teplitsky—Operative Dentistry; Dr.
George Riekman—Pedodontics; Dr.
David Singer—Oral Biology & Periodontics; and Dr. Dave Wilson—
Oral Pathology. There were only
55 students in the entire five-year
program. Among those, it should
be noted that there were two future
faculty members: Ken Sutherland (in
his second year) and Garnet Packota
(in his first year).
When I arrived for the interview,
I naturally was very nervous and
anxious. For example, Dr. McPhail
took me to the Faculty Club for
lunch, but I was unable to eat
anything. And while I no longer
remember exactly how many faculty
members interviewed me and what
was discussed, one thing I still
clearly remember is the interview
by the two student representatives,
Bob Cram and Doug Campbell.
When they walked into the interview
room, I almost fell off my chair
because I was kind of terrified by
their appearances. Bob and Doug
looked like outlaws; long shoulderlength hair, moustaches, no ties (but
I think they were wearing shoes). Bob
looked like Buffalo Bill while Doug,
wearing a leather cowboy hat, looked
like Waylon Jennings. It was a quite
an experience for me, a Japanese
guy coming from a very conservative
country where professors were
treated like emperors. Of course in
the 1970s long hair and moustaches
were not all that unusual, but in that
particular setting their appearances
certainly scared me a lot throughout
the interview! And I do not remember
exactly what they asked me and
how I responded. Today, those two
“outlaws,” Dr. Cram (Orthodontist)
and Dr. Campbell (Pedodontist),
practice their specialties in the same
professional building in Red Deer,
Alberta.
Shortly after this memorable
interview, the College of Dentistry
offered me a teaching position
as Assistant Professor. My main
academic responsibility was twofold:
23
the teaching of oral biology, and the
development of a research program
(there was no visible research activity
at that time). The following is an
outline of my teaching and research
activities from 1974 to the present.
Teaching
1.Courses offered by the College of
Dentistry:
DENT 288.2 (Infection Control
in Dentistry) — Course Director
Dental infection control is
now an integral part of dentistry,
and today dental professionals
no longer question its necessity
for oral health care delivery.
This course was introduced to
the dental curriculum for the first
time in the 2000–2001 academic
year. The course consists of
25 hours of didactic lectures and
15 hours of clinical practice in the
Dental Clinic.
DENT 314.4 (Oral Microbiology,
Immunology, Oral Physiology)
— Course Director
I have been co-ordinating
this course, as course director,
for the past 33 years. This course
consists of 60 hours of didactic
lectures (Microbiology – 30
hours; Immunology – 18 hours;
Physiology – 12 hours).
DENT 542.4 (Health Sciences
Interdisciplinary Relationships)
— Course Director
This course was introduced to
our curriculum 4 years ago.
The course consists of 18 hours
of didactic lectures, contributed
by 18 high-profile professors
from various Health Sciences
colleges (Medicine, Physical
Therapy, Nursing, and
Kinesiology). Each discusses
his/her expertise pertinent to the
practice of dentistry.
DENT 208.2 (Principles &
Practice of Dentistry) — Lecturer
I have been presenting one 2-hour
lecture annually since 1986,
regarding the role of basic dental
sciences pertinent to oral health
research.
DENT 350.2 (Endodontics)
— Lecturer
In the absence of an endodontist,
I assisted the late Dr. Fernet and
Dr. Ray McDermott (later Dean)
in presenting both preclinical and
clinical endodontics until the
return of Dr. Paul Teplitsky as
Endodontist.
2. Courses offered by the College of
Medicine:
PATHO 305.6 (Human Oral
Infectious Diseases) — Course
Director
This course has been my major
teaching duty/responsibility for
both the Dental and Medical
Colleges. Historically, the
dental students took the medical
microbiology course with the
medical students. However,
most of the materials presented
were not required by the dental
students; most importantly, this
course failed to include a large
body of material on oral
microbiology. As a result, I
reorganized this course with
the assistance of the Infectious
Diseases Division in the
Department of Medicine. I teach
approximately 70% (64 hours) of
the course to the dental students
and the rest is taught by the
infectious disease specialists,
who present topics on medical
microbiology and virology.
PATHO 303.6 & PATHO 304.6
(Microbiology & Infectious
Diseases I & II) — Lecturer
Since 1981, I have been teaching
“Odontogenic Oral Infections”
to the medical students (2 hours
annually) in the PATHO 303.6
course for second-year medical
students. I also teach “Clinical
Sterilization and Disinfection”
(1 hour annually) for the third-year
medical students. According
to the professor evaluation by the
medical students, my teaching
and topics have been well
received.
Research and Scholarly Work
CIHR Research Grant (2002–present:
$70, 000.00): In May 2001, the Network
for Oral Research Training and Health
(NORTH) involving all ten Canadian
dental schools was organized (1) to
increase the numbers of Canadian
dental graduates who choose careers
in academic dentistry and (2) to
increase the quality and quantity of
oral health research in Canada. The
NORTH program applied for and
subsequently received a five-year $1.5
million federal grant, and to date, 14
of our U of S dental students have
attended NORTH training at various
dental schools. At present, this grant
is the only federal grant awarded to the
U of S College of Dentistry. It is my
firm commitment that I will continue
to participate in the grant application
preparation because our College
must continue to be a part of the ten
Canadian dental schools benefiting
from the CIHR funding.
During the past 34 years of my
academic life, I have presented a
total of 44 scientific papers (oral
and poster) at various international
conferences. The countries include
Australia (Sydney); Canada (Montreal,
Toronto, Vancouver); France (Nice);
Hong Kong; Ireland (Dublin); Japan
(Chiba, Okayama, Fukuoka); Mexico
(Acapulco); Scotland (Edinburgh,
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Glasgow);
Singapore;
Sweden
(Gortenborg); The Netherlands (The
Hague); USA (Atlanta, Chicago,
Cincinnati, Dallas, Honolulu, Las
Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans,
Orlando, Washington DC).
In 1977 I was promoted to the rank
of Associate Professor, then to Full
Professor in 1985. I have been an
Associate member of the Department
of Microbiology and Immunology
(since 1984) and the Department of
Pathology (since 2003), in the U of S
College of Medicine.
My first sabbatical leave, 1981–1982,
I spent at the Forsyth Institute and
Harvard University Dental School in
Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Ronald
Gibbons, a well-known world-class
and well-respected microbiologist,
gave me the great opportunity to
advance my academic life at these
famous research institutions. Dr.
Gibbons was the first microbiologist
to demonstrate the exact mechanisms
involved in the formation of dental
plaque at a molecular level. It is well
acknowledged that his research has
significantly contributed to the field of
bacterial adhesion, which affects the
host to bacterial infections and has led
to better understanding of the etiology
of various infectious diseases. Dr.
Gibbons opened a new world for me,
in the fields of not only microbiology
but also molecular biology. Although
my sabbatical leave at those two
institutions was rather intense and
stressful, based on my work there
I was able to publish three papers
in refereed journals. It is no doubt
that my research experience with Dr.
Gibbons greatly enhanced my research
activity later.
While there, besides the very busy daily
research activity, I was able to enjoy
my personal time in historic Boston.
Until I found my apartment in Boston,
Dr. Gibbons allowed me to stay in his
house in Wesley, Massachusetts. He
taught me how to make homemade
beer and wine; it was his hobby. I
eventually found an apartment right
behind famous Fenway Park, home of
the Boston Red Sox. Being a baseball
fan, I of course went to see the games
whenever possible. In these days,
admission to the outfield bleachers
(which was where a lot of excitement
happened) was only US $3.00! In
1983, Dr. Gibbons visited our College
as a guest speaker. He gave several
lectures for the students and the
faculty at both the Dental and the
Medical Colleges. Unfortunately, Dr.
Gibbons passed away several years
ago. I was very fortunate to associate
with Dr. Gibbons, the other of my two
great mentors.
Until the College of Dentistry became
“non-departmentalized” in September
2003, I served for two department
headships (Department of Biological,
Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences,
and Department of Oral Biology).
It should be noted that I served
headships during 18 of the 33 years of
my academic life (i.e., nearly 60% of
my time was devoted to administrative
services). Throughout, I believe that
I provided leadership and guidance
in developing effective programs in
teaching, research, and extension,
and I worked with the faculty, staff,
and students in furthering effective
interactions with both College and
University administrations.
In 1999, I was appointed the College’s
first Infection Control Officer. The
role of Infection Control Officer is: to
review and recommend protocols
for infection control and safety
procedures; to monitor infection
control procedures and compliance
by students, staff, and faculty;
and to report my observations to
the Clinic Committee. During my
tenure as Infection Control Officer,
two of my significant contributions
have been (1) publication of the
“Infection Control and Safety
Manual” and (2) implementation
of “Percutaneous Injury Policy—
Bloodborne Pathogens.”
Dr. K. Komiyama Bird Man Awards
Scholarship Program
In 1999, I initiated the “Infection
Control Quality Assurance Services
Program,” consisting of office/clinic
sterilizer and dental unit waterline
monitoring services. I, as Director
of the program, continue to provide
professional services and consultation
on dental infection control and safety
in general, and sterilizer/waterline
monitoring in particular, for dental
professionals across Canada including
Federal, Provincial, and Territorial
Governments, as well as regional and
private health care institutions.
In 2003, the College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan implemented
the mandatory biological monitoring
of office sterilizers requirement
[Bylaw 9.2 (t): Shall ensure that all
sterilizers within their premises are
subjected to biological monitoring
on a regular basis, and that evidence
of that monitoring be provided to
the College on a minimum monthly
basis, or as directed by Council]. In
addition, the Saskatoon Health Region
implemented a mandatory biological
monitoring of the office sterilizers
for tattoo and body piercing
businesses. I am providing similar
professional services and education
to these business people.
In 1999, I established the “Dr.
K. Komiyama Bird Man Awards”
scholarship program, utilizing the
profits generated by this program.
This scholarship is awarded to those
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students who both demonstrate
excellent infection control and safety
procedures (in the Dental Clinic)
and also maintain high academic
standards. As of the 2005–2006
academic year, 43 students have
received scholarships ranging from
$500.00 to $700.00, totalling over
$30,000.00. Although the separate
awards of money are not large, this
scholarship program can financially
assist students who may be
experiencing some financial difficulties in pursuing their educations. I
would like to take this opportunity
to express my sincerest appreciation
and thanks to those who have kindly
participated in this program. I am well
aware that this scholarship program
would never happen without your
generosity and continued support.
The following letters are a just few
examples of how much your kind and
generous contributions have benefited
our students:
Dear Dr. Komiyama:
I want to sincerely thank you for the
receipt of the Dr. Komiyama Bird Man
Award. I commend you for providing this
award to three students in your class every
year ; what a great way to encourage us
to study hard. As you know, I travelled to
Thailand and Vietnam this summer. My
last two weeks were spent volunteering
at a dental clinic in Danang, Vietnam.
It was an amazing experience that
strengthened my passion for dentistry
even more, but of course the trip made
a noticeable dent in my finances. What
a nice surprise to open my mail when I
got home and find the letter informing
me that I am a recipient of your award!
I have thoroughly enjoyed my first two
years of Dentistry and classes you have
taught. I very much appreciate your
generous scholarship support, and will
continue to work hard in the years ahead.
Thank you once again! (A. U.)
Dear Dr. Komiyama:
I am honoured to have been selected as one of the recipients of
the Dr. Komiyama Bird Man Awards. I feel privileged that my
hard work and perseverance throughout the past school year,
and especially in your classes, has not gone unnoticed. I am
certain that the knowledge gained from your teachings will be
a crucial part of my career as a successful dental practitioner.
Despite your difficult exams and mind-boggling cases requiring
long studying hours, you and the classes you taught will be
missed greatly. Your jokes and stories always made the topics in
infection control and pathology more interesting and exciting. I
am looking forward to another very busy and challenging year.
This reward has given me renewed encouragement to strive
for excellence in both classes and clinics in the upcoming year.
Once again, thank you for the gracious scholarship and all the
best to you, Dr. Komiyama. ( J. P.)
Dear Dr. Komiyama:
That just roles off the tongue! As one of this year’s recipients
of the Bird Man Awards, I am writing you in regards to your
continued support for student achievement and development.
Your thoughtfulness and guidance are strongly admired by all.
I am one of many who are truly proud to have had the privilege
of being educated by you. I am proud to call you my mentor,
colleague, and friend. This is regardless of the award, and such
expressions should be said more often; however, in your case I
believe it goes without saying. (B. H.)
Dear Dr. Komiyama:
I was very happy to hear that I am a recipient of the Dr. K.
Komiyama Bird Man Award. Thank you so much for providing
this award; it will be very helpful towards the expenses of
school. In addition to the scholarship, I also wanted to thank
you for teaching the class. I learned a great number of things
and you definitely made the class interesting, especially with
your teaching philosophy of “Sex, Sushi, and Hot Tubs!”
(A. A.)
It is my firm belief that during the past 33 years of my
academic life, I have attended diligently, tirelessly, faithfully,
and to the best of my ability to my teaching, research,
and scholarly work, as well as to administrative work. I
sincerely thank my present and former students, staff, and
colleagues for their continuous, kind, and generous support
without which I would not have been able to accomplish
my academic life. I honestly believe that I am the most
fortunate human being in the world. It has been my great
honour and privilege to serve for the College of Dentistry at
the University of Saskatchewan.
Kunio Komiyama, DDS, PhD
Professor Emeritus
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