School of Dental Medicine

New Coursera Offering From Penn Explores Ties Between Medicine and Dentistry

By Erica AndersenDentists and physicians practice health care from different perspectives, however, the oral and general health of their patients are of primary importance to both types of providers. A new online course taught by University of Pennsylvania faculty seeks to highlight the inextricable connections between the two professions.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Bone Marrow Protein May Be Target for Improving Stem Cell Transplants

Bone marrow contains hematopoetic stem cells, the precursors to every blood cell type. These cells spring into action following bone marrow transplants, bone marrow injury and during systemic infection, creating new blood cells, including immune cells, in a process known as hematopoiesis.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Penn Team Characterizes the Underlying Cause of a Form of Macular Degeneration

Named for Friedrich Best, who characterized the disease in 1905, Best disease, also known as vitelliform macular dystrophy, affects children and young adults and can cause severe declines in central vision as patients age. The disease is one in a group of conditions known as bestrophinopathies, all linked to mutations in the BEST1 gene.

Katherine Unger Baillie



In the News


Today

Should you try oil pulling to boost your oral health? Dentists explain benefits and side effects

Dean Mark Wolff of the School of Dental Medicine says there aren’t enough robust, large-scale clinical studies or trials demonstrating the supposed benefits of oil pulling.

FULL STORY →



Philadelphia Inquirer

Meet the Masterman junior who just represented Brazil in the Youth Olympics

Masterman junior and Youth Olympics speedskater Lucas Koo, the son of Hyun (Michel) Koo of the School of Dental Medicine, hopes to attend the Wharton School after graduation.

FULL STORY →



NBC Philadelphia

A family affair: Three sisters stick together as they attend Penn Dental Medicine at the same time

Joanna Haddad, Mira-Belle Haddad, and Anna-Maria Haddad are making history as one of the few groups of three or more siblings to be simultaneously enrolled in the School of Dental Medicine.

FULL STORY →



HealthDay

Avoid opioids for short-term dental pain in kids, new guidelines say

The Center for Integrative Global Health at the School of Dental Medicine has endorsed guidelines discouraging opioid prescriptions for children with short-term dental pain.

FULL STORY →



The Washington Post

Expert tips on keeping your teeth clean and healthy

Olivia Sheridan of the School of Dental Medicine says that electric brushes may be easier to use for people who lack manual dexterity or who care for someone who needs help brushing their teeth.

FULL STORY →