WHO:             The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine is celebrating the opening of the Syngcuk Kim Endodontic Clinic, a facility for state-of-the-art education, research and clinical care. The clinic is named for Syngcuk Kim, Penn Dental Medicine’s Louis I. Grossman Professor of Endodontics, who has led the Department of Endodontics for nearly 21 years. Penn Dental Medicine is considered the birthplace of modern endodontic practice, as alumnus and former professor Louis I. Grossman’s scientific and clinical work paved the way for the creation of the specialty. Under the direction of Dr. Kim, Penn’s Department of Endodontics has established itself as the specialty’s leader in the integration of the operating microscope into endodontic education and practice.

WHERE:         Syngcuk Kim Endodontic Clinic

Penn Dental Medicine

240 S. 40th St.

University of Pennsylvania campus 

WHEN:           Clinic tours and demonstrations clinic will take place between 1 and 4 p.m., Friday, March 1. A reception, ribbon-cutting ceremony and brief remarks will begin at 4 p.m.

WHAT:           The Syngcuk Kim Endodontic Clinic, which opened for patient care on Jan. 7, is the first key project of the School’s 10-year master plan for facilities renovations. The facility incorporates both the architectural character of the historic Evans Building, as well as leading technologies. Among its key features, designed to advance the School’s patient care, education and research are:

• High-tech clinical capabilities: Each of the clinic’s 23 chairs is outfitted with the latest technology for patient care and education in the specialty of endodontics, including operating microscopes capable of capturing high-definition images and video of clinical cases, monitors for simultaneous viewing surgery/clinical care as it occurs and digital x-ray units seamlessly linked to digital patient records, accessed via chair-side computers.
• Two surgical suites, including the Carl Zeiss Surgical Suite, equipped for video streaming of live patient cases on and off site for education of students in the classroom and continuing education of clinicians worldwide.
• A consultation area, a handicapped-accessible reception room and operatory, CT imaging system for viewing anatomy and modular operatories.

The clinic also serves an important educational function at Penn Dental Medicine as the teaching clinic for postdoctoral students in the School’s graduate dental education program in endodontics and the site of continuing-education programs in microsurgery.  All of Penn Dental Medicine’s DMD students rotate through the clinic to fulfill their endodontic requirements.

NOTE:             The clinic dedication event is open to members of the media. Reporters who plan to attend should RSVP to Beth Adams at 215-573-8224 or adamsnb@dental.upenn.edu.