College of
Dentistry
Recall
APRIL 2006
THE COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
University of Saskatchewan
Room 332
Dental Clinic Building
105 Wiggins Road
Saskatoon SK S7N 5E4
Acting Dean:
Dr. James Stakiw
Associate Dean:
Dr. Dean Kolbinson
Assistant Dean:
Dr. Francisco Otero
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. Stakiw
Greetings from your Alma Mater! It was good
to see so many alumni at the College reception
on the eve of the Pan Pacific meeting. There
was a record crowd to meet and greet, and two
significant milestone reunions (Class of 1981
and Class of 1986) took place. It was
a great privilege to have members of
the executive of the Canadian Dental
Association visit us at the reception,
and I am sure they were impressed
with the camaraderie of University
of Saskatchewan alumni and our
ability to have a real good party!
and faculty numbers. At some point, approval
at College and University committees will also
be necessary.
Space issues continue to be a concern to
the College. It appears now that any
significant increase in student numbers
will necessitate the renovation of the
main Student Clinic and probably also
the addition of a fourth floor to the
Dental Clinic building. This would
involve the move of all preclinical and
administrative areas to the Dental Clinic
building, consolidating all dental activities
under one roof. I will be reporting back to the
alumni regarding progress on this as well as
many other issues now before the College as
time goes on and decisions are made by the
College at all levels.
On May 25, 2006, another class of fine
dentists will graduate from the University
of Saskatchewan. They will have been well
educated as historically has been the case thanks
to the efforts of an exceptional faculty and staff,
and these new graduates are already much in
demand.
And last but not least, congratulations to Dr.
Kunio Komiyama on being awarded the honour
of Professor Emeritus.
The College is in the planning phase of two new
programs – a foreign dentists degree completion
program and a Bachelor of Dental Hygiene
program. There are various and significant
issues related to these programs presently
under consideration, including physical space
I hope all of you have a good summer.
James E. Stakiw, DMD, Dip. Perio., PhD, FICD
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A NOTE FROM . . .
A Note from Recall Editor and Dean’s Assistant, Janet Sklarchuk
I cannot stress enough the importance of your feedback – on this issue, or any other
matter that you would like to have mentioned in Recall. This issue will include highlights
of the past six months and will express optimism for the coming academic year, so
happy reading!
I would like to share a few parting words with the graduating class of 2006. Although
there have been good times along the way, the last four years have been a long hard
road with many real and potential stumbling blocks. You have acquired a vast array
of knowledge and skills, and are fortunate to have had the opportunity to achieve your
goal of becoming dentists. Let all of you use these hard-earned talents to become the
best health care professionals possible. In addition to becoming dentists, you are also
the newest members of the alumni family at the University of Saskatchewan, College of
Dentistry – congratulations to all of you! It has been my pleasure to work with you all.
Janet
Class of 2006: (Back row L-R) Pesin, Sasvari, Aptekar, Nieviadomy, Satre, Birdi, Koutsil, Heinrichs,
Baker, Ficzycz, Rayburn, Burgess, Yaremko, Wooff, Brigidear. (Front row L-R) Kapadia, Wong, Park,
Ginnan, Hooshangui, Eliasson, Stock, Schmidt, Huynh, Lala, Sopotyk, Losier. Missing: Muirhead,
Randhawa.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Dean’s Message
Alumni Reception
Reunion News
Faculty Focus
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Keep in Touch
Upcoming Events
MESSAGE FROM THE SDSS PRESIDENT
Trying to write an outgoing message is difficult, because just stringing words together
doesn’t seem adequate. I wanted to write something that was sophisticated, intelligent,
and inspiring . . . then I thought to myself, Just go with the gut. So here it is: “Make
the most out of your time here, because before you know it you will be graduating.”
This may be a cliché, but it’s also a true statement. And on top of that, even though
we will very soon be dental professionals, the realization of that fact might take a year
or so to kick in!
To those of you just starting out in the College, try to focus not on the end of the
road but instead on making the most out of this journey you are embarking on. My
advice to you is: learn balance. Learn to balance school with family, with friends, and
with the other things that you value and love. It will make your days here much more
memorable and enjoyable.
To those who have travelled this journey with me, the end is near. Although we’ve
all spent a good portion of our time here wanting to be done school so that
we can be dentists in the “real world,” I’m now just beginning to realize how
much I will miss this place when the time comes to leave. You have been
the best class that anyone could ask for, and I would like to thank each
and every one of you for making my dental school experience incredible.
I can say with love, honesty, and pride that these have been the four
best years of my life and they are years that will never be forgotten.
Good luck to everyone in your future endeavors.
— Nathan Nieviadomy
SDSS President 2005/2006
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FACULTY FOCUS
Dr. Kunio Komiyama was recently
appointed Professor Emeritus by the
University of Saskatchewan upon his
retirement July 1, 2006. University
President Peter MacKinnon, in his
letter announcing this honour, stated
that the award recognized Professor
Komiyama’s long and distinguished
academic career and his many
contributions to the College of
Dentistry and to the University.
Dr. Komiyama has been a faculty
member for some thirty-two years
— the approximate number of years
usually correlated with a generation
in time. He has seen children of
his former students become dental
students in the College — and while
this opportunity to teach the next
generation has given him much joy,
this joy has been tinged with sadness
at the realization of the passing of
time. But while time unarguably
passes, Professor Komiyama seems
ageless. His teaching and attitudes
continue to be those of the young at
heart.
He still plans on continuing some
association with the College, and
we will encourage this so that an
important “link with the past” is
sustained.
The College is grateful that Dr.
Komiyama decided over three
decades ago to spend some time
with us, and we look forward to
hearing his laughter around for many
more years. Thank you for enriching
the College of Dentistry with your
devotion to the undergraduate
teaching program, for your concern
for patient safety through infection
control principles, and for your loyal
support of students.
Dr. Komiyama received his DDS at
Osaka Dental University in 1966
and went on to earn a PhD at Osaka
Dental University in 1970. He accepted
a position as Assistant Professor in the
College of Dentistry at the University
of Saskatchewan in 1974 and worked
his way through the ranks, attaining
Full Professor status in 1985. Dr.
Komiyama has been responsible
for teaching oral microbiology,
immunology and physiology, dental
infection control, and several other
courses throughout his career in the
College. He has published numerous
articles in refereed journals, and has
presented papers and abstracts at
5
various conference proceedings over
the years. Dr. Komiyama has also
been involved in extensive research
projects, and has participated in
various College and University
committees. To add to all this,
he has maintained a sterilizer
monitoring and dental unit
water quality monitoring service.
Dr. Komiyama remains an Associate
Member in the Department of
Microbiology, College of Medicine.
ADVENTURE TO THE TOP OF AFRICA
by Lorne Koroluk (Class of 1982)
What’s a truly unique and fitting
way to celebrate your fiftieth
birthday? Golf school or a beach
vacation to a sunny destination
seemed too mundane to me. How
about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
in Africa? After four months of
training, countless trips to outdoor
supply stores to buy a long list of
gear and clothing, vaccinations for a
number of deadly tropical diseases,
and organizing health insurance,
evacuation insurance, travel visas,
and numerous legal waivers, that’s
exactly how I decided to celebrate.
At 19,340 feet, Kilimanjaro is the
highest point on the continent of
Africa and one of the “seven summits” of the world. This dormant
volcano, considered one of the
tallest freestanding mountains on
Earth, is located in Tanzania three
degrees from the equator just south
of the border with Kenya. Numerous
routes can be used to climb the
mountain; however, only fifty percent
of all people who attempt the climb
actually reach the summit due to
altitude sickness and improper
acclimatization. The majority of
the routes require no technical
mountain climbing experience.
Climbers on the Marangu route
(the most popular route) take three
days to ascend and two days to
descend. I opted for the Lemosho
route, which uses a seven-day
ascent, to ensure myself of proper
acclimatization and to improve my
chances of success at summitting.
The climb along the Lemosho route
goes up onto the Shira plateau and
through four distinct vegetation
zones: tropical rainforest, heather
zone, moorland, and alpine desert.
The most strenuous day was ten
hours scrambling 2,500 feet up the
steep and rugged Western Breach to
our highest camp on the crater floor
at altitude 18,500 feet. Although
no ropes or climbing equipment
are needed on the Western
Breach, handholds and footholds
are used to climb up steep rocky
sections where one slip sends you
tumbling hundreds of feet down the
mountain. As the mountain is
near the equator, the daytime
temperatures were pleasant by
Canadian standards. However, as
soon as the sun went down the
temperature dropped like a rock!
The overnight temperature at the
crater floor camp was minus twenty
degrees Celsius—so that night I
wore almost all my clothes inside
my expedition sleeping bag! The
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previous night, at 16,000 feet, I
thought my tent was going to blow
off the mountain as our camp at
Arrow Glacier was in the jet stream,
10,000 feet above the clouds.
Kilimanjaro is within a large national
park in Tanzania and the government
controls climbs very strictly. One
requirement is that local guides
must accompany all climbers. I
booked my trip with Tomson Safari
(an American/Tanzanian company),
along with ten other climbers from
the United States. The support crew
included one head guide, three
assistant guides, and about fifteen
porters. The porters were amazing:
they clambered up the mountain
carrying all the heavy supplies
and gear, while we puffed along
carrying our daypacks. My daypack
(containing five liters of water,
warm clothes, rain gear, and other
essentials) weighed around thirty
pounds, but seemed to weigh closer
to a ton at the high altitudes!
Standing at the top of the mountain
brought a feeling of ultimate
accomplishment and satisfaction.
From the summit, I managed to
borrow a satellite phone to call my
wife, Sherril, back home in North
Carolina.
Atop the summit of Kilimanjaro.
Unlike other climbers in my
group, I didn’t experience
any significant symptoms
associated
with
altitude
sickness on the trip. Going
up the mountain, our guides
constantly reminded us to go
“polli-polli” — which means
“slowly-slowly” in Swahili. The
key to success was to let your
breathing control your pace and
not have your pace control your
breathing. Coming down the
mountain took two days and
was more strenuous on knees
Glaciers at crater camp on Kilimanjaro.
and hips than was the ascent.
We descended 10,000 feet the
first day and 5,000 feet the
second day, which is equivalent
to coming down the CN Tower
ten times!
The Kilimanjaro adventure was
the most amazing thing I’ve
ever done. It started out as a
birthday whim, but it ended
up being an unforgettable
awe-inspiring journey of selfreflection. It also piqued my
interest in returning for an
African safari. What’s next?
Well, Mount Elbrus in Russia is
the highest point in Europe . . .
Lorne Koroluk (Class of 1982)
is currently on faculty in the
Departments
of
Pediatric
Dentistry and Orthodontics at
the University of North Carolina,
School of Dentistry in Chapel
Hill, North Carolina. He was
on faculty at the University
of Saskatchewan, College of
Dentistry from 1986 to 1998.
UPCOMING EVENTS
JUST AROUND THE CORNER . . .
Lectures begin Monday, August 21, 2006, for all four years.
Welcome Back Mixer is scheduled for Friday, August 25, 2006, Exeter Room, Marquis Hall.
Kent McLeod Memorial Golf Classic is booked for Saturday, September 9, 2006.
Fall Welcome Banquet has been planned for Saturday, September 30, 2006.
As you can see, Fall 2006 is gearing up to be a very busy season, so please mark your calendars now!
7
IS 2006 THE BREAKOUT YEAR FOR PARVIZ
YAZDANI AND HIS FILM DREAM?
Parviz Yazdani (Class of 1998) sent the following article reporting on recent events and
developments in his “other” career, film production.
presentation at the Guadalajara International Film Fest in
Mexico.
“Film is such a diversion from the day-to-day challenges
of dentistry,” says Yazdani. “One allows me to enjoy the
other even more. Each venture has its tests and yet they
are so wildly different.” The objective for the film company
is to increase production by one film every year, to a
maximum of ten films per year (anticipated in seven to ten
years). Currently, talks are in progress for co-productions
in Nepal, Armenia, Peru, Mozambique, and Israel, and
executives at the former Miramax (currently Weinstein
Co.) studios have expressed interest in establishing longterm relationships. “What is most exciting about CWCP is
that it puts Canada, and indirectly Saskatchewan, in the
middle of the international film industry and markets,”
comments Yazdani. “In fact, so far, our investors are
100% from Saskatchewan. We are hoping that we can
set up a cinema fund similar to some in Europe and also
the Sundance Institute, one that will encourage and allow
development of projects directly with Canada. This is
unique in Canada. Many people are watching us to see
where we go and how we do.”
Pablo Alexandre as David, in a scene from La Perrera.
Parviz Yazdani’s company Xerxes Indie Films, which until
recently had its head office in Saskatoon (and is now
in Montreal), has co-produced a Uruguayan movie that
landed the top award at the Rotterdam Film Festival in
the Netherlands (a rated “Class A” festival, along with
those in Toronto, Berlin, Venice, and Cannes).
La Perrera (The Dog Pound), Yazdani’s third co-production
in as many years, was a winner of the Tiger Award. Shot
in Uruguay by director Manolo Nieto, it is a CanadaUruguay-Argentina-Spain co-production. This “slacker”style film (a movie with a slow, deliberate pace) is an
inter-generational story told against the backdrop of
Latin America’s current social climate: Disillusioned by
socialist and capitalist ideals and feeling let down by the
Catholic Church, the entire continent is suffering from a
vacuum of ideology, this suffering exacerbated by poverty
and lack of opportunities for both youth and the educated
alike. Parviz’s previous projects were Whisky (winner of
two awards at Cannes) and Alma Mater (a selection for
Casa America at San Sebastian).
Parviz describes Xerxes (and
CWCP) as not typical film
companies: The mission is
somewhat philanthropic, and
the focus is working with
directors and producers in
developing countries. Yet the
objectives and sustainability
Dr. Parviz Yazdani.
depend on a solid business
model and profit generation. “Ultimately, we need
to minimize risk, maximize profits, and build a solid
reputation. That’s the only way to succeed in any business,
and film is no different,” says Yazdani. “We owe that to
our investors and to the artists we’re involved with.”
But what Parviz is even more excited about is the launch
of a new venture, “Canada World Cinema Project” (CWCP;
www.canadaworldcinema.com). Driven by a vision of
using film and cinema as a means of socio-economic
development and cultural exchange and exposure, CWCP
is a private film fund aiming to fund and produce socially
conscious films with human stories from developing
countries. As a sister company to his already-recognized
Xerxes Indie Films, CWCP had a successful launch at
Rotterdam’s Cinemart and was invited to make a special
Plans are in place to have a private showing of La
Perrera at Saskatoon’s Broadway Theatre upon official
announcement by organizers of the Toronto Film Festival
(expected by late summer) that it has been picked up as
an official selection. All dental colleagues will be invited.
Anyone with interest in film or wishing to be involved can
contact Parviz at info@xerxesfilms.com.
8
THANK
YOU
TO THE
PART-TIME
FACULTY
Faculty, staff, and students are indebted to the part-time faculty
who contribute to the success of the undergraduate program
at the College of Dentistry. Because of people like you who
“volunteer” your time and talents, our students are ensured
of receiving a first-class education.
Listed below are members of the part-time faculty of the College of Dentistry
at the University of Saskatchewan who contributed in the past academic year:
Reg Anholt
Dan Avram
Sheldon Barkman
Margareta Berin
Rhonda Berthiaume
Raj Bhargava
Colin Bowerman
Shaun Brakstad
Kirby Cadman
Marguerite Caldwell
Don Campbell
Anand Choubal
Lyn Chow
James Dessouki
Mandy Eckert
Allan Finningley
Kelly Gallagher
Kristin Goos
Mark Gryba
Keith Hamilton
Mike Hammer
Dave Hastings
Chris Haunsperger
Doug Hildebrand
Frank Hohn
Todd Jarotski
Stephen Jen
Don Johnson
Joel Kerry
Greg Konotopetz
Stephen Korol
Greg Kost
Joanne Kudryk
Zahra Kurji
Perry Kurz
Parm Lalli
Eugene Lam
Dennis Lanigan
Paul Louie
Doug Meier
Christine Miller
Kris Milne
Kam Olfert
Tyler Onishenko
Abe Patel
George Peacock
Rob Penkala
Dave Plosz
Michelle Redden
Ross Remmer
Cam Roberts
Dave Saganski
Allan Schappert
Mona Shoman
Dave Stark
John Steel
Jay Stevens
Monica Taylor
Ed Underwood
Kam Verma
Jim Wilson
Doug Woo
The College extends our deepest appreciation for your energy and wisdom!
Do You Have the Right Stuff ?
• Are you interested in contributing to the education of the newest
members of the profession?
• Would you like to contribute to the growth and development of the
dental profession?
• Do you enjoy working with and learning from your colleagues?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, the College of Dentistry at the
University of Saskatchewan wants YOU as a part-time faculty member. If you
are interested in this challenge, please contact the Dean at (306) 966-5121.
9
by Murray Dickson
MOZAMBIQUE PROJECT AWARDED NEW GRANT!
Nursing student helping out at a maternal child health clinic.
With the support of many officials
in Canada and Mozambique who
recognize the value of long-standing
partnerships doing good work, the
Training for Health Renewal Program
(THRP) recently received a new
three-year grant from the Canadian
International Development Agency
(CIDA). This follows eight years of
CIDA support for oral health training
between the College of Dentistry and
the Mozambique Ministry of Health
(MoH) that led in 1998 to seven
years of THRP with five University
of Saskatchewan health science
colleges participating. The new
grant runs to mid-2008 and aims
to integrate the partnership work
fully within Mozambique’s health
care system and strengthen the
management capacity of the training
centre established through THRP.
Since I last updated Recall about
THRP work in Mozambique (see
February 2003 Recall), much has
happened. With national and
provincial health authorities, we
have established the country’s first
continuing education centre for
health workers in the small rural
town of Massinga, eight hours by car
from the capital city, Maputo. Starting
with a basic physical structure that we
10
were provided, we have constructed
ourselves: a large kitchen to provide
meals to a growing number of
workshop and course participants,
a dining room/conference room
that can also be rented out and thus
generate revenues, a thirty-two-bed
dormitory for trainees, a block of six
two-bed suites for visiting teachers
and researchers, and eight houses
for our trainers. Huge thanks go to
the Canadian Auto Workers, whose
social justice fund (that members
voluntarily contribute to) has
generously complemented CIDA
funds to make our construction
possible.
In THRP, and based at the Massinga
Centre, our aim continues to be
strengthening health professionals’
practice so that they work more
closely and appropriately with the
communities they serve, and then
together combat common diseases,
especially the killer diseases of
malaria and HIV/AIDS. Toward
this end, we focus on two priority
programs: continuing education
of health workers via a “training of
trainers” approach; and community
health and development activities
that address underlying determinants of health and well-being.
The two programs are linked in
that trainees participate in our
community work where the cofacilitators are community people
themselves. What we hope to
achieve is nearly always realized
— more respectful relationships,
mutual learning between health
professionals and civil society, and
relevant health-promoting actions.
University of Saskatchewan students
continue to study with us. To date,
the students have come from
nursing, medicine, nutrition, physical
therapy, and dentistry. Out of the
twenty-nine, only three have come
from dentistry and that was some
time ago. Students find their time
An important initiative here at
home
with
which
we
are
linked is IICUSP (International
Interdisciplinary Community University Student Partnerships), which
is providing nursing, medicine, and
nutrition students with practical
orientations about health and
development issues affecting underserved populations in Saskatoon.
Here, too, we wait for dental student
and faculty participation.
with us, usually in a six-week
practicum, to be rich in many
respects: clinical opportunities in
the hospital; assisting in the mobile
maternal child health clinics;
working at the local church’s
program for malnourished children
using a unique food combination
that includes fish heads(!); living
with our community partners to see
community development in action;
and much more.
Finally, our paper, Volunteering:
beyond an act of charity, that
appeared in the December/January
2005/2006 issue of the Journal of
the Canadian Dental Association
and which has relevance beyond
dentistry, obviously resonated with
many readers. In response, the editor
has received a number of messages
(one being critical) that will be
presented in an upcoming issue.
This is an important discussion,
especially for dentists who might
be contemplating either working
between two countries or being
supportive of those who do.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Dr. David Stark (Class of 1990) is one of the
Race Directors for the 28th Annual Saskatchewan
Marathon. This year’s marathon is being held on
Sunday, May 28, 2006. Both start and finish will
be located near the University of Saskatchewan
Bowl and the route will include some university
roadways. Volunteers will be needed for this
event, including road marshals and assistants at
water stations. Dr. Stark guarantees that volunteer
positions are “lots of fun”! If you would be
interested in helping with this year’s Saskatchewan
Marathon, please contact Dr. David Stark at 9332777 or by e-mail at d.stark@sasktel.net.
11
11
OUR DENTAL FAMILY
Tarrisa Carmichael (nee Warrington) and husband Damian
welcomed the newest member of their family, son Loic,
on November 29, 2005, in Burnaby, BC. Tarissa is a
former Alumni and Development Officer in the College of
Dentistry.
ZAKARIAH
Acia Rizvi (Class of 2007) and her husband are pleased to
announce the arrival of son Zakariah Mehdi Naqvi, born
January 23, 2006.
LOIC
REUNION NEWS
The Class of 1981 held their twenty-five-year reunion
in Vancouver March 9–11, 2006, in conjunction
with the Pacific Dental Convention. Fourteen out
of sixteen classmates were present. The class met,
dined, laughed, reminisced, then went on a cruise
of the Vancouver Harbour and dined, laughed, and
reminisced some more. It was hard to believe that
it had been thirty years earlier that everyone first met
and came together as the Class of 1981.
12
Alumni Reception attendees.
ALUMNI RECEPTION
Once again, the University of Saskatchewan,
College of Dentistry hosted its annual
Alumni Reception in conjunction with the
Pacific Dental Conference on Thursday,
March 9, 2006, at the Fairmont Waterfront
Hotel in Vancouver. The Classes of 1981 and
1986 also celebrated their reunions at the
event. Over 100 alumni and guests were in
attendance and a great time was had by all.
We look forward to seeing you all again next
year!
13
13
TIDBITS
Allen Aptekar (Class of 2006) has been accepted
into a general practice residency at the University of
Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry, located at Sunnybrook
Hospital and Women’s College Health Sciences
Centre.
announces that Michelle Jarvin has accepted a sixmonth term position in Student and Enrolment
Services Division but will be returning to the College
in September 2006. Sonia Bayda has recently
accepted a position with Facilities Management on
campus and left the College on March 24, 2006.
Jenny Wong (Class of 2006) has been accepted into a
six-year MD integrated oral and maxillofacial surgery
residency program at the University of Southern
California (Los Angeles) commencing July 1, 2006.
Dr. Maria Copete was a finalist in the fifth annual
Saskatchewan Healthcare Excellence Awards, a
celebration of commitment and excellence in all
fields of health care. The award was presented
February 4, 2006, at the Saskatchewan Centre of the
Arts in Regina.
On February 24, 2006, Convocation Hall was the
place to be as students, faculty, and friends enjoyed
an evening of classical music performed by Carman
Rabuka (Class of 2007) and friends. The concert,
labelled “Strung Out,” included Dvorak’s String
Quintet and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence and
was capped off with a rousing standing ovation.
Strung Out was initiated and put together by the
members of the ensemble, and admission was a
donation to the Saskatoon Food Bank. Following the
concert, many in the audience were eager to know
when the next performance will occur. Carman is
currently finishing his third year of dentistry at the
University of Saskatchewan. He also enjoys playing
in the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, not to
mention jazz, punk, and chamber interests. Carman
comments that “Playing the cello allows me to get my
mind off RPDs and SNMP angles and helps me relax
after a day in the clinic.” Be sure to check around the
College for posters advertising upcoming concerts!
Dr. David Stark (Class of 1990) wishes to thank all
those who have expressed their kind condolences to
him on the passing of his father in early March.
At the 17th International Piano Competition for
Outstanding Amateurs in Paris in February 2006,
Dr. Thomas Yu (Class of 2003) won the top prize as
awarded by the jurors, placed first as judged by the
press critics, and earned the audience choice award—
all this in addition to working toward a Master’s
degree in Periodontology at the University of Toronto.
Thomas has requests to perform in Florence, Tokyo,
and Washington, as well as two confirmed dates with
a Paris orchestra at the Cathedral des Invalides.
Congratulations to our two newest faculty members,
Dr. Alan Kilistoff and Dr. Gerry Uswak, on receiving
capital equipment start-up funds and VP Academic
start-up funds for research initiatives.
Ken Ginnan (Class of 2006) and Allen Aptekar (Class
of 2006) have had their 2005 Table Clinic research
on “Comparative Analysis of Microleakage and Seal
for 2 Obturation Materials: Resilon/Epiphany and
Gutta-Percha” accepted for publication in the April
2006 Journal of the Canadian Dental Association.
Allen Aptekar (Class of 2006) was awarded the Dr.
John A. Sherman Prize for 2006. This prize is given
to undergraduate Alpha Omega dental students
who have displayed both academic excellence and
outstanding leadership.
The College bids a warm farewell to the Main Clinic
front office staff: Mary Ellen Cox (transferred to
College of Veterinary Medicine), Jacquie Klassen
(returned to the private sector), and Kate Waiser
(transferred to the College of Medicine). Please
extend a warm welcome to their very capable
replacements Bernadine (Bernie) Fortier, Andrea Bay,
and Marie Denis. The Office of Student Services also
Jenny Wong (Class of 2006) was the 2005 – 2006
recipient of the Achievement Award presented by the
Pierre Fauchard Academy for outstanding student
leadership and fellowship at the dental undergraduate level. The honour included a certificate and
a monetary award.
14
(L-R) L. Hnenny, J. Legge, S. Heinrich, E. Mau, C. Rabuka,
E. Barber.
Marie Denis.
Bernie Fortier.
Allen Aptekar and Dr. Alan Ross.
Andrea Bay.
Jenny Wong and Dean James Stakiw.
15
THE FUTURE OF DENTISTRY IN
SASKATCHEWAN
Amongst Canadian dental schools, the role in our
province of the College of Dentistry at the University
of Saskatchewan is a very unique one. According to
statistics released by the College of Dental Surgeons
of Saskatchewan, 76% of dentists practicing in
the province graduated from the U of S College of
Dentistry. If you remove those dentists over sixty
years of age (they had graduated before the opening
of our school), then that number rises to 92%. What
this means is that the dentists of Saskatchewan are
coming from our school and not from outside the
province.
To ignore these facts is dangerous. The increasing
difficulty for Saskatchewan residents’ finding a dentist
within a reasonable distance of where they live will
court a loss of confidence by the public in our ability to
govern ourselves. At the moment we enjoy a healthy
reputation in the public eye, a reputation won by the
hard work and integrity of those who have gone before
us. But these also are times of increasing skepticism
and litigiousness, and if we are found wanting in
preparing for the future needs of our province, our
collective reputation could be seriously tarnished.
To those who are considering retirement, to whom are
you going to sell your practices? With more and more
numbers retiring and fewer and fewer replacements,
many will have to walk away from very viable and
successful practices.
A second factor that is becoming increasingly
important to the dental health of our province is
the fact that the “baby boomers” are approaching
retirement. As of 2005, 60% of Saskatchewan’s
practicing dentists are 45 years old or older. Within
the next ten years, many of these will retire. Even if
all do not retire, productivity will be reduced as this
group ages and takes more time off to relax and
enjoy other pursuits. The replacements will be less
experienced and therefore less productive than the
retiring folks. This means that every year we should
be providing twenty-two graduates who remain to
practice in Saskatchewan, in order just to maintain
the numbers we have now. Over the past ten years
the average retention of our graduates has been
42%; therefore, from this simple calculation it is
clear that we must either increase the retention and/
or increase the number of students in our classes.
And these numbers are all quite conservative, so the
actual problem could be even worse.
This paper is intended to be not a scare tactic, but
rather a wake-up call. We as a profession must look
to the needs of the public, as well as to the needs of
ourselves. Now is the time both to plan ahead and to
act, in order to ensure that the dental health needs of
our children and grandchildren are taken care of, both
now and in the future.
by Dr. Alan Kilistoff
16
UPDATE ON DENTAL OUTREACH
ACTIVITIES
On another outreach front, the College has had
preliminary discussions with the College of Dental
Surgeons of Saskatchewan regarding participation in
developing a mobile geriatric outreach program. This
service could provide much-needed oral health care
for homebound seniors and those currently living in
long-term care. Over time this program could serve
as another opportunity for the dental community to
become involved in community outreach activities,
as well as provide a component of community-based
student education.
The College continues to work on the planning
for a dental outreach clinic in the Station 20
West development project, to be located on 20th
Street West near St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon.
The outreach clinic is to be part of an integrated
primary health care facility enabling surrounding/
local community residents to access health care
services in one place and close to home. In
addition, the outreach clinic is envisioned as a
vehicle for community-based student learning, as
well as an opportunity for the dental community
to participate in student supervision and clinical
care.
by Dr. Gerry Uswak
Sketch of proposed Station 20 West development.
17
DENTAL SCHOOL — FOUR YEARS SQUEEZED
INTO JUST A FEW LINES
by Raegan Eliasson and Chelsea Schmidt (Class of 2006)
TOP 10 THINGS THAT WE
LEARNED IN OUR FOUR YEARS
OF DENTAL SCHOOL:
10. We have to pay back our $250,000 loans . . .
shopping is no longer “free.”
9. If you put your mind to it, you can take an
alginate impression of anything.
8. Twenty-eight Type A personalities can coexist
in a non-soundproof lecture room.
7. After four years of dental school, we are not only
dentists but also licensed psychologists as well.
6. The line “No, I’m not a dental assistant, I’m a
dentist” just rolls off the tongue.
5. Turquoise green is not our color.
4. The art of saran wrapping.
3. Class II and Class III malocclusions on the
opposite sex drastically reduce in severity after
a few drinks at the bar.
2. Denturists are our friends.
1. We can now make the world a better place
and save lives one tooth at a time.
TOP 10 THINGS WE
STILL DON’T KNOW:
10. What the cell histology of female and male
reproductive systems has to do with dentistry.
9. If ideal operative preps really exist in the world.
8. Thermal Conductivity, Yield Strength, Modulus of
Elasticity—WHAT?
7. How many decades it will take to pay off our
dental school debts.
6. What exactly is living under all the papers in Dr.
Kolbinson’s office.
5. If Raegan will actually graduate this year or next . . .
4. Just how much the faculty paid for their
Rent-a-Goalie.
3. Why we need to get fifty sheets of paper signed for
every pedodontic class.
2. If textbooks are still returnable in their original
cellophane wrappers four years after being
purchased.
1. How the heck they let us two into dentistry.
PATIENT APPRECIATION
Here’s what a recent patient had to say about our
Dental Clinic faculty, staff, and students:
“I have come to the College for many years, and have
had much work done on my teeth. My wish is to have
it known how great I’ve been treated by all doctors,
professors, and students, and everyone working at
different office jobs as well as assistants. Hoping to
miss no one on saying thank you. . . . If accepted again,
I would definitely apply to come back – nice bunch of
people. High regards!”
G.H. (Saskatoon)
18
KEEP IN TOUCH
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19
COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY GIFT FORM:
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Forward to:
Janet Sklarchuk
College of Dentistry
University of Saskatchewan
Room 332
Dental Clinic Building
105 Wiggins Road
Saskatoon SK S7N 5E4