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School of Dental Medicine
An army of microrobots can wipe out dental plaque
A swarm of microrobots, directed by magnets, can break apart and remove dental biofilm, or plaque, from a tooth, thanks to a partnership led by Dental Medicine’s Hyun (Michel) Koo and Engineering’s Edward Steager.
Expanding opportunities to leverage science in the clinic
Patricia Corby, who recently joined the School of Dental Medicine as associate dean for translational research, is bringing her research to bear for cancer patients undergoing radiation, while looking to advance clinical research School-wide.
Everyday enzymes, now grown in plants
Myriad industrial processes rely on enzymes, from making orange juice to manufacturing denim jeans. Research emerging from the School of Dental Medicine is transforming how these enzymes get made.
Penn Dental Medicine educating dentists to care for persons with disabilities
Penn Dental Medicine is helping to improve access to care for persons with disabilities through a commitment to provide continuing education and educational content to dentists on how to manage this special population.
The placebo cure
Drug researchers use control groups to measure the efficacy of their drug tests. What happens when the control group responds? Science proves the placebo effect is indeed medicine itself.
Prepping Philly high schoolers for college
Rising 11th graders in the Provost Summer Mentorship Program at Penn spend a month on campus diving into the professional fields of dentistry, medicine, law, nursing, and engineering.
Bringing healthy smiles to Philadelphia communities
In health care facilities embedded around Philadelphia, students and faculty from the School of Dental Medicine are ramping up the care they provide to underserved populations.
College campuses are thinking about lactation spaces—but could be doing more
Breastfeeding mothers in higher-education environments can typically find a place to pump, but only recently have institutions begun to prioritize access to this resource.
Penn Dental Medicine offering free emergency care to furloughed federal workers
As the federal government shutdown continues, Penn Dental Medicine is opening its doors to furloughed federal workers, offering them free care for emergency dental needs.
Launching junior faculty into fulfilling careers
Taking a holistic approach, the Penn Faculty Pathways Program equips early career professors with the tools they need to excel professionally and personally.
In the News
Philadelphia Tribune
New program aims to expand oral health care for those with disabilities
Dean Mark Wolff of the School of Dental Medicine spoke about the school’s efforts to better equip providers to care for patients with disabilities.
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Self
Kids are using too much toothpaste and it’s actually a problem
Commenting on the risks of children consuming too much fluoride toothpaste, Dean Mark Wolff of the School of Dental Medicine said the hazard “is not about using too much toothpaste once or twice” but for years.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Government shutdown: How federal workers in Philly can get help, from food to finances
The School of Dental Medicine is noted for offering free dental care to furloughed federal employees with proper identification.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Dentists Urged to Limit Opioid Prescriptions to Prevent Addiction
The School of Dental Medicine’s Elliot Hersh commented on Pennsylvania’s legal requirement that doctors screen patient histories for signs of opioid abuse. Hersh stated that for many dental patients over the counter pain relief can be just as effective.
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Newsworks (WHYY-FM)
Leftover Painkillers Driving Opioid Crisis, Penn Researcher Says
Peggy Compton of the School of Nursing and Elliot V. Hersh of the School of Dental Medicine are quoted about participating in a panel discussion about the opioid crisis, along with Kyle Kampman of the Perelman School of Medicine, Mary Robinson of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Jeffrey Saven of the School of Arts & Sciences.
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