The nonprofit organization, Smile Train, awarded Iowa professor Azeez Butali a $40,000 grant to study the genetic causes of cleft lip and palate among the Zulu population in South Africa. Butali is an internationally recognized expert in the genetics of cleft lip and palate, particularly among African populations. Butali is working with Thriona Naicker, a trained Medical Geneticist and PhD student at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Butali serves as Naicker’s mentor for his dissertation research.

Rufus P. Beshears (1909) and Rosalie Reddick Miller (1958) were two of the first Black graduates of the College of Dentistry. Black history month at the College of Dentistry is an opportunity for us to look at our past, celebrate the accomplishments of our esteemed alumni, and drive us to become a more inclusive community for our students, alumni, staff, and faculty.

For 50 years, the Iowa City Free Medical and Dental Clinic has served the local community and partnered with the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. Numerous College of Dentistry faculty, staff, and students have been vital to the success of the free dental clinic.

Clark Stanford, distinguished professor and dean of the College of Dentistry at the University of Illinois Chicago, has been named dean of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. He also will hold the Edwin Green Chair in Dental Leadership and will begin on April 1.

After working as a dental hygienist for several years, PhD candidate Jennifer Sukalski began pursuing health disparities research on access and use of dental care in Iowa. Her research looks at barriers to dental care in a holistic manner taking into account perceived social status.

The University of Iowa chapter of the Women's American Association of Dentists hosted a story time at Sidekick Coffee and Books on December 5.

Palliative care is a specialized form of health care that attempts to meet the needs of the whole patient, taking into account each patient’s values and goals to make informed decisions about managing pain and treatments. Xi Chen is bringing insights about palliative care to dentistry, focusing on improving oral health awareness, relieving pain, and helping a patient live as well as possible for the rest of their life.

Bob Williams (’73 D.D.S.) and Jerilee Williams generously donated $150,000 to the Operative Dentistry Advanced Education Program to support, promote and achieve excellence in Operative Dentistry through enhanced training opportunities provided through the Advanced Education Program and its residents.  

The University of Iowa Public Policy Center's Patient-Centered Dental Home project is designed to improve the organization and delivery of dental care in a variety of care settings and in an integrated manner with other health care services. As part of this project, the PPC developed an interactive, online PCDH Clearinghouse of approximately 500 oral health quality measures and standards, which is now available.

Emily Lanzel received a grant in collaboration with the University of Chicago to use digital pathology slides to improve machine learning algorithms for use as a tool to evaluate the risk of cancer.