Milestone Anniversaries Celebrated
A yearly tradition, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) held its Employee Recognition Event on June 19 to celebrate milestone anniversaries of faculty and staff.
Melissa A. Beards, program administrator in the Diagnostic Sciences Department, celebrated her 50 years at the school. Faculty members Professor of Periodontics Howard J. Drew and Clinical Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Services Richard A. Pertes reached 40 years at RSDM.
A new addition to the program was faculty and staff awards for contributions to the school.
Rosemarie Vaccaro, Shanette Alexander, Megen Colon, Jeremiah Colon, and Yaping Yuan received the “Excellence in Service to School” award. The team completed an enormous amount of daily data entry and worked diligently over a month when ChangeHealth, the clearing house tied to axiUm for dental and medical claims, billing, and pre-authorization payment/EOBs, was hacked.
Auria “Audi” Alvarado and Loida Lopez-Olivera were recognized with the “Excellence in Service to Students” award. The duo oversees the RSDM preclinical simulation laboratory and builds long-lasting relationships with incoming classes from their initial days to the very last. With their warmth, compassion, and dedication, they’ve earned the name “preclinic moms” from students.
The New Jersey Health Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching Award was given to Carla Y. Falcon ’13, associate professor and predoctoral program Director of Endodontics. A dedicated teacher, Falcon trains students to reach their full potential and has been bringing innovative programs, like the “Endo-Only” rotation that allows re-doctoral students to increase their experiences in diagnosing and treating endodontic patients. She’s the founding faculty mentor for RSDM’s Endodontics Study Club and also for the Agape Dental Society.
Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Director of Biomaterials Mohammad Ali Saghiri (Afsar) received the New Jersey Health Foundation’s Excellence in Research Award. He has secured significant funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and various foundations. His latest research examined why people with diabetes are more prone to tooth decay and the study gained national attention for its finding that diabetes might weaken enamel and dentin.
