Student Research Showcased on Balbo Day

Second-year student Kelly Smith.

After the case histories are reviewed and the lab work is done comes Balbo Day, when students present their research. They learn that communication skills, and good poster graphics, can be just a important as their hypotheses.

Balbo Day, held annually at RSDM, shows off the school's research and helps students learn the finer points of presentation. Its namesake is Michael Balbo, a faculty member and student advocate who started the exposition. Students are judged not only on the scientific merit of their work  – was the methodology sound, the research timely and relevant? – but the clarity of their explanations.

Another consideration was how well they seemed to know their subject, said Balbo Day judge Dr. Padma Mukherjee, Assistant Professor and Predoctoral Director, Department of Orthodontics. Can they answer questions rather than just going into their spiel? Can they describe their research without a lot of technical jargon and convoluted information. "If they've done a good job, I should be able to understand them,'' she said.

Posters included unusual case studies, like first-year resident Mohammed Ahmed's presentation on a patient with "First Bite Syndrome,'' a rare condition where the pain of an initial bite into food is so excruciating, patients often avoiding eating.

Second-yet student Kelly Smith presented a poster on a potential diagnostic method in which protein found in saliva could help gage the efficacy of cancer treatment. Second-year student Gregory Beauzil took the uncommon approach of examining a subject that was especially relevant to fellow students: "Alternative Predictors of Academic Success in the First Semester of Dental School.''

Here are the Balbo Day winners:

 Summer Research Student  Winners

 PG Clinical Research Winners

 PG Research Winners