Dental Medicine

Time lapse photo of green circle shows a progressively larger cleared off area where a robot has removed a biofilm

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.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・ April 24, 2019

Patricia Corby in an office smiling at the camera

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.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・ April 23, 2019

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.

Penn Today Staff ・ April 2, 2019

patient looking in the mirror after dental work

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.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・ March 13, 2019

View inside Penn Dental Medicine hallway and cubicles with personnel

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.

Penn Today Staff ・ January 22, 2019

child at dentist office being mildly entertained yet skeptical of staff member with a yellow hand puppet

A Sayre-Keystone collaboration brings dental care to kids

Penn Dental at Sayre Health Center teamed with Keystone First to help children and young adults living in the Center’s West Philadelphia neighborhood find dental care.

Penn Today Staff ・ December 5, 2018

Two from Penn named to new class of AAAS Fellows

Noted for their contributions to dental and biological sciences, respectively, Hyun (Michel) Koo of the School of Dental Medicine and Joshua Plotkin of the School of Arts and Sciences are part of the newest cohort of fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・ November 27, 2018

A diagram explains the action of the protein Del-1 and macrophages

To resolve inflammation, location matters

A single protein can both restrain the initiation of inflammation and help to actively resolve it, according to new research led by George Hajishengallis of the School of Dental Medicine. He and his colleague found that the type of cell that secretes the protein determines which activity the protein promotes.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・ November 19, 2018

5 tips to scare away cavities

Beyond the inevitable sugar high, what are the implications of consuming a glut of candy? Pediatric dentist Maria Velasco suggests coming up with a plan, then giving away the rest of the treats.

Michele W. Berger ・ October 30, 2018

Drivers of inflammation provide valuable targets for new gum disease therapies

A subset of T cells contributes to the inflammation and bone loss that characterizes periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease. According to new research by George Hajishengallis and scientists at the National Institutes of Health, drugs that specifically inhibit these cells may offer an effective therapy.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・ October 17, 2018

Media Contact

Katherine Unger Baillie Science News Officer
kbaillie@upenn.edu

Experts

Thomas Sollecito Professor and Chairman in the Department of Oral Medicine.
School of Dental Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania. As a specialist in the field of oral medicine, Dr. Sollecito addresses oral health care of medically complex patients, including the diagnosis and management of medical conditions that affect the oral and maxillofacial region. These conditions include oral mucosal diseases, orofacial pain disorders, temporomandibular disorders, salivary gland disease, oral complications resulting from systemic disease and chemosensory and neurologic impairment of the oral and maxillofacial complex. Sollecito has a particular interest in cancer research and how oral health impacts cancer patients. In 2015, he led a review for the American Dental Association pertaining to the use of prophylactic antibiotics before dental procedures in patients with joint replacements.
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In the News

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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Live Science

This Is What Killed Medieval Sultan Who Conquered Jerusalem During the Crusades

At Friday’s 25th annual Historical Clinicopathological Conference, the Perelman School of Medicine’s Stephen Gluckman announced that Sultan Saladin was most likely killed by typhoid. Gluckman came to the conclusion after ruling out plague, smallpox, tuberculosis, and malaria, which didn’t fit descriptions of Saladin’s symptoms.