What’s New At the University of Florida College of Dentistry
Known as one of the top dental schools in the nation, the University of Florida College of Dentistry also has a strong commitment to the community. The college supports the promotion of oral health in Florida via its four UF-owned dental centers and 11 partnership centers located throughout the state. Here’s what’s new at UFCD.
University of Florida: No. 9 in the Top 10 Public Universities
The University of Florida has broken into the top 10 of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list of public universities in the United States. The release of the 2018 rankings saw UF move from No. 14 last year to No. 9 in 2018. In doing so, it has earned the accolade of being the first Florida public school to be in the Top 10. In the university’s news release, UF President Kent Fuchs attributed the school’s rise in the rankings to several factors, including its improved undergraduate academic reputation, a more rigorous undergraduate admission process and a better graduation rate. UF’s recent move in hiring more senior leading faculty has also contributed to this achievement. This was made possible via special funding that UF received in 2013, when it began its bid to transform into a Top 10 Public School. The state legislature decreed UF as preeminent university and provided funds to help UF rise to the top. Fuchs says this move is just the beginning and hopes this development inspires staff, faculty and students to do more so that UF can be “the very best public research institution we can be.”
Spotlight on Research
Jorge Frias-Lopez, UFCD associate professor of oral biology, specializes in the field of the human microbiome. Frias-Lopez joined the UFCD faculty in August 2016 after eight years at the Forsyth Institute. Not much is known about microbial cells and their effect on the human body, which is something that concerns Frias-Lopez, as the estimated ratio of microbial cells to human cells is 10 to 1. Hence, his research focuses on the ecology of the human microbiome, with periodontal disease as a model for learning about complex human microbial communities. Frias-Lopez recently received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his research on studying microbial communities behind periodontitis progression. The aim of the research is to develop treatments for periodontitis, and the study is expected to last until 2021.
2017 Dental Fall Weekend
UFCD’s annual Dental Fall Weekend is coming on November 17 and 18. This year’s event will mark the reunions for the classes of 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 2002, 2007 and 2012. Participants can relive their school days with a family-friendly meal before heading to the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to cheer on the Gators as they take on the Blazers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The two-day event will also include a Continuing Education course titled “Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ): Update on Diagnosis and Patient Management for the Clinician.” It will be taught by Cesar Augusto, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Quality. For more information and to register, click here. Images by: Juan Ramos, Ambreen Hasan, Roman Kraft, PublicDomainPictures
