2024 State of the School Address
At the beginning of each year, Dean Cecile A. Feldman delivers her State of the School presentation to the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) community. This year, she met with alumni on Jan. 24 and then with RSDM students, staff, and faculty on Jan. 25. The presentation covered updates from all areas of the school and laid out new projects on the horizon.
Unlike the national downward trend in applications, Feldman presented that RSDM’s admissions numbers have continued upward. RSDM has the second highest number of applications among public dental schools, noted Feldman, stressing that the first placeholder only has a dozen or so more than RSDM and the third school has over hundreds fewer applications. Moreover, the national board examination pass rate and dental match results both have been continuing above the national average. “That doesn’t happen by chance,” Feldman said, “it's because our students take these seriously.”
Feldman touched on curriculum changes, including the new study and wellness days, honors program offerings, additional ethics and opioid/pain management training, and revised clinic capacity. “We continue to do curriculum revisions and improvements,” she said.
Extramural research funding has also been on an upward trajectory. The school has been increasing full-time faculty, too, such as Georgios Kotsakis, assistant dean for clinical research and director of research, and Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Rabie Shanti.
RSDM faculty play a major role in national dental organizations as well. Most recently, Endodontics Department Chair Craig Hirschberg became the president of the American Association of Endodontics. Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs Michael Conte is the regent of the International College of Dentists. Dean Feldman was the immediate past regent of the American College of Dentists. At New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA), alumna Elisa Velazquez ’99 is the president-elect while Assistant Professor Diagnostic Sciences Maria Ambrosio is the secretary-elect. Professor of Restorative Dentistry Peter DeSciscio ’85 was the NJDA's immediate past president.
RSDM, which serves as the largest provider of Medicaid for New Jersey, has also seen an uptick in patient care visits. “We have a huge safety net function for the state,” noted Feldman. RSDM has special community service programs, for instance, the Holocaust Survivors Program, VETSmiles Program, and Ryan White Program, which support the two core missions of the school, education and service.
Feldman walked the audiences through major capital improvements underway as well. These will include a new simulation facility and additional research laboratories for RSDM. The new preclinic will bring in daylight and will increase student spaces with improved simulations. “I think that will be a vast improvement for technology but also the feel of the space.”
Among the school’s future goals are continuing to revise the curriculum, improving the clinical administrative process, fostering new and enhanced partnerships with other Rutgers schools and state organizations, and building a clinical research program with clinical studies and trials.
