January 19, 1995: Vol26n13: Dental School restuctures academic departments

By LOIS BAKER
News Bureau Staff
The UB School of Dental Medicine has completed a major restructuring
of its academic departments to address changes in the health-care
system and prepare for new ventures.
	Nine departments have emerged from the former 13, a move Louis
J. Goldberg, dean of the UB dental school, says will allow better
integration of clinical and educational programs, help position the
school for expected changes in the way oral-health care will be
delivered in the future and set the stage for the school's planned
initiatives in public-health dentistry.
	"Health-care reform is beginning to impact both the individual
dental practitioner and the centers of dental education," Goldberg
said. "The dental community must work together to preserve the
integrity of the profession and ensure excellent oral-health care for
all segments of society."
	"Western New York has a wide diversity of people from various
cultures and economic situations," Goldberg noted, "and in some of
these populations there are tremendous unmet oral-health needs,
especially among the young. The School of Dental Medicine is
considering how it can help meet the oral-health care needs of the
underserved in the context of its role as an educational
institution. The restructuring of the school will give us the
flexibility to be able to meet this challenge."
	The UB dental school now comprises: 
	 A new Department of Restorative Dentistry, created by merging
the departments of endodontics, fixed prosthodontics, removable
prosthodontics and operative dentistry.
	A new Department of Oral Health Services and Informatics,
formerly the Department of Behavioral Sciences.
  	A new Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, created from the
departments of oral medicine and stomatology and interdisciplinary
sciences.
	 Remaining departments of biomaterials, oral biology, oral and
maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry and
periodontology.
	Goldberg said merging the restorative disciplines into one
department, mirroring a national trend, will result in a more cohesive
and integrated clinical teaching program.
	"This merger provides us with an enhanced capacity to foster
faculty development, develop research programs and respond to the
needs of undergraduate and graduate programs," he said.
	Davis Garlapo, former chair of the Department of Fixed
Prosthodontics, is acting chair of the new Department of Restorative
Dentistry.
	Changing the name of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and
redirecting its mission toward community-health service and research
also reflects the current direction in dental education, Goldberg
said.
	"Nationally, the emphasis on, and funding for, behavioral
research has declined, and we do not see this trend changing," he
said. "These areas in other dental schools have been replaced by
departments stressing public health dentistry, community dentistry or
health services research. In light of the public health initiatives we
have planned for the future, a change in name and focus was in order."
	John Eisner, associate dean for informational resources, has
been named acting chair of the Department of Oral Health Services and
Informatics.
	The new Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences will
concentrate on teaching the newest techniques for diagnosing orofacial
diseases and disorders and promoting research in the field. Norman
Mohl, professor and director of the oral sciences program, has been
named department chair.
	Goldberg said the UB dental school is working with state
agencies and the area's dental community to develop plans for several
public-health initiatives.