Dr. Julie Reynolds, associate professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, will complete her term as chair of the Dental Quality Alliance (DQA) at the end of 2025. She was recently honored for her service during the DQA’s fall meeting, held at the American Dental Association headquarters in Chicago.

Steven Levy and Shaoping Zhang are contributing to a new NIDCR-funded study developing statistical tools to explore links between dental caries and periodontal disease. The project uses national oral health data and will produce an open-source software package to help researchers improve analysis and support better patient outcomes.

Dr. Michelle McQuistan, associate professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, has received a CRISP grant to study whether the Teach-Back Method can improve patient understanding and reduce complications following wisdom tooth extractions. Her team will conduct a randomized trial to evaluate outcomes such as adherence to instructions, post-operative complications, and patient satisfaction as part of Dr. Ankita Vishwamitra’s thesis project in Dental Public Health.

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry has received a competitive renewal of a grant from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health to expand its Patient-Centered Dental Home (PCDH) project. Led by Dr. Julie Reynolds and Dr. Pete Damiano, the project will pilot new adult-focused quality measures, test care delivery standards, and explore patient-reported outcomes to improve dental care quality and integration with broader health systems.

Dr. John J. Warren has received a five-year, $1.86 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to enhance the University of Iowa’s Dental Public Health program. The funding will support tuition, travel, and stipends for trainees, while expanding hands-on training in Iowa’s public health clinics. The initiative aims to better prepare dental professionals to serve underserved communities across the state.

Dr. Steven Levy is co-investigator on an NIH-funded study developing a clinically meaningful caries risk index using national survey data. He’s helping ensure that the tool reflects real-world dental practice, with the goal of improving risk assessment and patient outcomes in clinical settings.

Dr. Jennifer Sukalski was named the 2024-25 Student Research Mentor of the Year by the Iowa Chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. by the Iowa Chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. This award was presented in recognition of his efforts to enhance students research at the College of Dentistry.

Dr. Rohit Nair received a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Johnson County for his initiative, "Smiles for Seniors: Bridging the Dental Care Gap in Johnson County."

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics was prominently represented at the National Oral Health Conference, held April 7-9 in Orlando, Florida, with a delegation of fifteen faculty members, residents, and students attending.

The Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry hosted its inaugural PCD CE Day at they Stanley Museum of Art on April 11. The continuing education program integrated art and dentistry into a one-of-a-kind experience.