Department Update:

The Department of Dental Anesthesiology has recently seen significant advances towards achieving its educational, academic, research and service goals. The department’s clinical area on the first floor of Salk Hall Annex is undergoing a face lift.  Anesthesia suites have been upgrades and the walls have been tiled.  Sinks and counter tops have been replaced and chairs have been replaced. The waiting area and some offices have been painted, new furniture purchased and carpet is being installed. The renovation is part of the school-wide initiative to improve the facilities and appearance for patient comfort and faculty productivity.

During its February 4, 2011 meeting, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) approved a major change in our graduate hospital dental anesthesiology residency, allowing our program to expand the number of residents enrolled each year from two to four over the coming years.  The program, fully accredited in 2008, continues to be a leader in preparing Dentist-Anesthesiologist for the future.

The curriculum addressing the management of medical emergencies, offer for predoctoral and postdoctoral students, has undergone significant advances and scope of potential treatments.  Beyond American Heart Association Basic Life support and didactic instruction, the Department of Dental Anesthesiology has partnered with the Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education, and Research (WISER Center) which provides simulation-based training in medical emergency management for our dental students.  We believe that the use of this cutting edge technology will be a first in dental education.

The Center for Patients with Special Needs continues to grow and offer our students and residents unique training opportunities in the anesthetic management of these challenging patients.  The center is located on the third floor of Salk Hall and coordinates anesthesia services with dental care for these patients.  The center has two fully equipped anesthesia suites, permitting safe administration of general anesthesia.  Four additional operatories provide total intravenous anesthesia and intravenous sedation.  An advance course, providing instruction in the management of the unique anesthesia, behavioral, social and oral problems of this population is now offered in conjunction with the student clinical experiences.

Faculty Update: 

Dr. Paul A. Moore DMD, PhD, MPH
Professor and Chair
 
Dr. Moore has provided leadership for the department for five years since the retirement of the previous Chair, Dr. C. Richard Bennett.  The department has seen a significant expansion of the graduate residency program, the addition of full-time faculty, the development of clinical research activities, an increase in scientific publication, as well as the increase in teaching and service responsibilities.  

Most recently, Dr. Moore, Dr. Boynes and Dr. Hersh edited an issue of Dental Clinics of North America entitled “Update in Local Anesthesia” (DCNA54:4;October 2010).  All department faculty and graduate residency students contributed to the important issue of DCNA. The issue included articles that address the most recent advances in the use of local anesthesia in dentistry.  Our student involvement included: “Allergic Reactions to Local Anesthetic Formulations” by Steven J. Speca, Sean G. Boynes, and Michael A. Cuddy; “Ocular Complications Associated with Local Anesthesia Administration in Dentistry” by Sean G. Boynes, Zydnia Echeverria, and Mohammad Abdulwahab;  “Paresthesias in Dentistry” by Paul A. Moore and Daniel A. Haas; “Needle Phobia: Etiology, Adverse Consequences, and Patient Management” by Chester J. Sokolowski, Joseph A. Giovannitti, and Sean G. Boynes; and “Local Anesthesia Administration by Dental Hygienists” by Sean G. Boynes, Jayme Zovko, and Robert M. Peskin.
Dr. Moore has recently been invited to participate in the Surgeon General’s Expert Panel on Prescription Drug Abuse in Youth, presented this march in the nation’s capital.  The prescribing practices and the pharmacologic efficacy of opioid analgesics are to be addressed.  Dr. Moore’s role is to represent the impact of dental prescribing on this increasing health problem.  The Panel is given the charge to assess strategies to limit prescription drug abuse among the youth in the U.S.  Additionally, Dr. Moore continues his participation in NIH and NIDCR study Sections and Monitoring committees for federally funded research.

Dr. Joseph A. Giovannitti, Jr , DMD
Associate Professor
Director of Anesthesia Services for Center for Patients with Special Needs.
 
In addition to his responsibilities for predoctoral students in local anesthesia and clinical medicine, Dr. Giovannitti has been active as the faculty advisor for the student organization, Dentist Anesthesiologist Club for Students (DACS), externship coordinator for prospective dental anesthesiology residents, and residents’ journal club coordinator.  This year he completed his term as President of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology and continues to serve as an examiner for the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.  He is active as a CODA site visitor for new and existing dental anesthesiology residency programs, and has presented at several national meetings this past year.  Dr. Giovannitti is a member of the SDM’s curriculum committee and Dean’s council, and he is the recipient of the Class of 2011’s Faculty Appreciation Award.

Dr. Michael A. Cuddy, DMD 

Residency Director for the Department of Dental Anesthesiology.

Dr. Cuddy along with Drs. Giovannitti, Moore, and Heinrichs, has established a simulation course in conjunction with the WISER Center.  This course was first presented to the third-year class of 2012 and continued with the class of 2013 in the spring semester.  The intent of the course is to simulate real-time medical emergencies with the use of high fidelity mannequins at the WISER Center, tying in the didactic material to actual hands-on exposure.  The course was also presented as a CE program in 2011. Both courses were a success and participants have conveyed great feedback.

 

Dr. Matthew Cooke, DDS
Assistant Professor
 
Dr. Matthew Cooke will be joining the department as a full-time faculty member in April 2011. Dr. Cooke has been practicing in Richmond, Virginia since 1997. Dr. Cooke has specialized in Dental Anesthesiology and Pediatric Dentistry and should be a great asset to our department.

 

Part-time Faculty

 The part-time faculty who have joined the Department of Dental Anesthesiology are valuable assets to our teaching and service mission.  Dr. Anne Lemak and Dr. Christopher Lewis both recently graduated from our residency and have a busy private practice.  We are fortunate that they have joined Drs. Jeff Borandi, Robert Bigham and Jeffrey Martz as part-time clinical faculty in the department.  Their clinical expertise and experience are valuable assets in training the residents in private practice anesthesia.  Dr. Laverick continues to contribute to the teaching mission of the Department.  His clinical experiences add to his course offerings in medical emergencies and sedation; his courses are always well received by the predoctoral students.

 

Resident Update:

Dr. Zydnia Marrero and Dr. Jason Flores are our senior residents.  They will both be completing their training this year. Dr. Flores will be returning home to Texas, where he will be practicing anesthesia in a pediatric surgery center.  Dr. Marrero has several opportunities awaiting her after graduation. Dr. Flores created a new organization for students Dentist Anesthesiologist Club for Students (DACS). Dr. Flores has been contacted by many schools that have followed his model and now have DACS chapters.
 
Dr. Chet Sokolowski and Dr. Steven Speca are our first year residents.  They are performing at a high level in a very challenging training year which includes rotations in medicine, ICU, obstetrics, and a new site at UPMC Mercy.
 
Dr. Nathan Smith and Dr. Jason Sherrell are our anesthesia trainees.  Dr. Smith graduated from Case Western Reserve and Dr. Sherrell graduated from Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health .They have adapted well to the rigors of dental anesthesiology training.  
 
In July, 2011, Dr. Smith, Dr. Sherrell and Dr. Jonathan Mendia a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine will be our first year residents. We are excited to have three new anesthesia trainees: Dr. Bradley Farr, who will graduate from the University of Southern California this year, as well as Dr. Greg Novotny and Dr. Anthony Wach, both currently in private practice. These three anesthesia student trainees, all highly rated individuals, will be excellent additions to our program.

Student Update:

Fourth year dental student Jonathan Mendia is the national student essay award winner of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology in 2011.  He will be attending the annual conference in Scottsdale this April to receive his award.

Staff Update:

Deborah Bowers , our department’s staff assistant and scheduler, is responsible for maintaining the clinic and inventory of the entire school’s emergency drug kits while coordinating the department’s varied and busy schedule with students and other areas of the dental school.

In December 2010, she completed the requirements and was awarded a certificate in Community Health Assessment through the College of General Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.  Deb also holds an Expanded Function Dental Assistant license in Pennsylvania and is a Certified Dental Assistant through the Dental Assisting National Board.
 
Lisa Lehman, administrative assistant, works in coordinating and assisting the department faculty in the many responsibilities they have in the dental school.  She attends numerous meetings with UPMC GME  to transition the anesthesia residents from the dental school to the hospital system. Along with this major task, which is vital to the department, Lisa does all of the outside ordering with various vendors while keeping up with the latest technology and training.

 

Continuing Education Update:

The department’s faculty maintains a very busy continuing education schedule participating in many programs sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh or by various regional and national organizations.  Examples of University sponsored programs include nitrous oxide certification, local anesthesia for dental hygienists, enteral sedation, and medical emergency management. 

For a complete listing of programs offered by our faculty, please contact the Center for Continuing Education at 412-648-8370.