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» Go to news mainRIOH Student Presentations Showcase: And the winners are. . .
The Research in Oral Health Student Presentations Showcase on March 26 was the first of its kind for the Faculty of Dentistry in so many ways. Formerly known as Table Clinics, it was the first event to be held under the new research-focused name. And, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the first time in the event鈥檚 51-year history that it was held virtually.
Here are the 2021 winners:
Student Prizes
Prize |
Student Name |
Title |
Advisor |
Dentistry |
Hannah MacDonald |
Dr. Ferne Kraglund |
|
Dentistry |
Victoria Parsons |
Prof. Kim Haslam |
|
Dentistry |
Hannah MacDonald |
Dr. Ferne Kraglund |
|
Dentistry |
Ryan Kent |
Dr. Mark Vallee |
|
Dental Hygiene |
Erin Metzler |
Prof. Lindsay MacDonald & Prof. Kim Haslam |
|
Dental Hygiene |
Sarah Byrne |
9 |
Prof. Denise Zwicker |
Dental Hygiene |
Erin Blackman |
Prof. Kim Haslam |
|
Dentistry |
Kayla MacPherson |
Dr. Lee Erickson |
*Click on the links to see the presentations.
Hannah MacDonald, the winner in the original research category, says that she was 鈥渢hrilled鈥 to win this prize. 鈥淗aving experience working with members of vulnerable populations, I feel passionate about this research and believe it has the potential to positively impact our communities,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 was glad to see that it was well accepted and supported by members of the profession.
Behind the scenes
The virtual format for the showcase combined YouTube videos with Collaborate Ultra virtual classrooms for the student presentations. The MS Teams Live platform was used for the live intermission event during which Dr. Ben Davis, dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, and Dr. Leigha Rock, director of the School of Dental Hygiene, presented an update from the Faculty and took questions.
Despite a few technical hiccups, 51 dentistry and 29 dental hygiene students successfully presented the results of the research projects they have been working on since they started their studies in the Faculty.
What the judges said
Nearly 80 judges volunteered their time to watch the presentations and select the winners. In previous years, when the event has been held in-person, judges were recruited locally. This year, judging took place virtually, which meant that judges could volunteer from anywhere 鈥 and they did.
Dr. Crawford Bain (DDS鈥75) is now semi-retired and living in Scotland. He had been a judge in the 1980s and 1990s when he was a faculty member at the Dal dental school. 鈥淭his format allows all alumni to be involved, no matter how far away,鈥 he says.
鈥淲e always need volunteers for this kind of thing,鈥 says Dr. Lex MacNeil (DDS鈥73), who is retired and living in the Chicago area. He was a first-time judge for this event, but has previous experience judging student posters and presentations at ADEA. 鈥淚 was most impressed with the way [the students] reacted to, and answered, questions after their presentations.鈥
First-time judge, Dr. Gilda Pronych (DDS鈥98), lives and works in New Hampshire. She welcomed the opportunity to participate virtually and says that the students gave 鈥渙rganized, thoughtful presentations鈥 and seemed passionate about their topics. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for alumni to support future dentists,鈥 she says, explaining her decision to get involved.
Dr. Shermin Rahimkhani (DDS鈥04) lives near Ottawa and was also a newcomer to judging. 鈥淭his has been my first true alumni聽experience,鈥 he says, 鈥渁nd it put me in touch with the school that provided me the skills I use every day. I wish I lived a bit closer and could be more involved. This virtual visit and being part of the dental student academics was great.鈥澛
Recent graduate, Dr. Justin Yeoh (DDS鈥20) who works at the Fundy Dental Emergency Clinic in the Annapolis Valley, was impressed by the students鈥 ability to adapt to the new format this year. He says that giving back was an important factor in his decision to be a judge. 鈥淚 want to stay in touch with faculty as I appreciate what they have done for me.鈥
Dr. Paul Downing (DDS鈥79) has retired from his practice in Dartmouth and is an eight-time veteran of judging Table Clinics. He appreciated the opportunity to catch up with some other alumni during the pre-event training session and says that the final marking session, via links to YouTube and SurveyMonkey, was 鈥渟eamless鈥.
Showcases of the future
Will future showcases be live, virtual, or a happy hybrid of the two? The jury is still out, but this year鈥檚 event demonstrated that it is possible not only to do it, but to benefit from bringing in a wider range of people as both judges and attendees.
Thank you to all the sponsors who generously donated prizes to the winners and to all those who helped behind the scenes. For more information about the RIOH Student Presentations Showcase and to see other presentations, please go to: .
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