Board of Governors Laud Appearance and Remarks of Dental School Leaders
For the first time in a long time, or perhaps the first time ever, top School of Dentistry administrators and program directors appeared before the School's Alumni Society Board of Governors during their meeting last fall.
Led by Dean Peter Polverini, who has previously appeared before the group, nine top officials gave the 15-member Board an update on developments in their departments and answered a range of questions.
Jerry Mastey
Among the administrators and program directors participating were (left to right): Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for student services; Dr. Stephen Stefanac, associate dean for patient care; Dean Peter Polverini; Dr. Marilyn Lantz, associate dean for academic affairs; Dr. Charlotte Mistretta, associate dean for Research and PhD Training; Dr. Lynn Johnson, director of dental informatics and information technology; and Ms. Jayne Nyman, director of budget and finance. Also present, but not in the photo were Dr. Ronald Heys, associate professor of dentistry, and Dr. Bill Piskorowski, director of outreach programs.
In his opening remarks, Polverini said the dialogue with Board members was appreciated "because we want to make sure that we continue to remain one of the most competitive dental schools in the country. We need your input to do that," he said.
"Our graduate programs are strong, our clinical research program is getting stronger, our oral health disparities program with partners in Detroit is one of the premier programs in the country and our community outreach program is an important part of our mission to provide care and have a presence in communities across Michigan," he said.
Patient Care
Dr. Stephen Stefanac, associate dean for patient care, who is also on an ADA committee that visits other dental schools around the country, told Board members that "patient populations are an issue at the other dental schools I've visited. Here at Michigan, we're screening about thirty percent more patients than we were just a year and a half ago."
He said that since the School is an educational institution that also provides oral health care, "we are looking at what we can do" in terms of treating more patients, but that may be a problem given the number of patients currently seen, the state of the local economy, and the distance patients travel to receive care at the School.
"What we're doing and what we hope to do in the future is a continual work in progress," he said.
Staying in Michigan after Graduating
In response to a question from one Board member, Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk, assistant dean for Student Services, noted that approximately 105 dental students graduate each year.
"However, of that number, roughly one-third remain in Michigan," she said. "That's what we've been seeing for the last five or so years."
Woolfolk said that students consider a number of factors before they make a final decision. She pointed out that sometimes students return to communities where they grew up, but in many other instances, they relocate to be with a spouse who may have an opportunity outside the state.
