For both employees, the recent government shutdown and reduction of benefits provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was a unique opportunity to call attention to the need. According to Dare to Care, one in eight Americans rely on SNAP benefits, including co-workers, friends and neighbors. In Jefferson County alone, SNAP has supported more than 96,000 people and 45,000+ households per month.

One food drive in November that was organized by Lawson delivered four truckloads of donations to the La Casita Center and the Chestnut Street YMCA.Ěý

In addition, just in the month of November, various holiday initiatives were organized by athletics, the Cardinal Commuter Community, Bluegrass Student Collective, Graduate School, School of Music, School of Dentistry, College of łÉČËÖ±˛Ą and Human Development, Department of Theatre Arts, Early Learning Center, Visitor Information Centers, parking and many more.

plays a pivotal role in all these efforts bringing departments together and setting the tone for collaboration. From hosting initial planning meetings to creating outreach materials and coordinating logistics, the team’s leadership amplifies the impact and demonstrates UofL’s commitment to supporting both internal and external community members.

“Our goal was to unite the Cardinal family in a way that showed the power of working together,” said Vice President for Community Engagement Douglas Craddock. “This drive was about more than donations—it was about building connections and supporting our neighbors during a challenging time.”

Lawson said she sees how UofL lives the community of care principle. “In the current environment, people in the world are just going their separate ways, but the Cardinal community has never worked like that. We know it takes a village, we need to stay a village and continue pulling together for one another and the broader community.” 

Amanda Schweinzger, who grew up in a low-income household in Northern Kentucky, was inspired to start a drive and online fundraising campaign because she knew of people dealing with difficulty from the shutdown. “I could not just sit idly by,” she said. “I know what it’s like to struggle, what it’s like to get help from food pantries.”

Schweinzger, who started with her own department, grew the outreach from there. She decided to partner with Dare to Care, who supplies the , extending to the broader community and giving back to an organization that gives to UofL students year-round.

While physical donations are always appreciated, Dare to Care encourages monetary donations because they can fill in the gaps in what is needed most and can supply perishables such as fresh meat and produce. Every dollar donated to Dare to Care means two meals for needy families.

For her campaign, Schweinzger set up a and has already raised more than $500. Her goal is to bring in $1,000 by end of January 2026.

Schweinzger said in her experience as a student and now as an employee at UofL, she sees empathy and generosity as a common core value of the campus community. “They care about people, and the community around them, and they’re always willing to rise to the occasion.”

The list includes researchers whose work was the most cited — that is, referenced by another researcher — in either calendar year 2022 or over the course of their career. The list spans 22 disciplines, from business to engineering to medicine.

“Each and every day, UofL researchers are breaking ground by discovering new knowledge,” said Jon Klein, UofL’s interim executive vice president for research and innovation. “The citation of a scholar’s work is essentially a stamp of approval that the work is important and worthwhile. The fact that so many of our researchers are listed among the most cited shows that knowledge is truly groundbreaking and has impact. It shows UofL research is being used to help to improve lives and expand our understanding of the world and our place in it.”

Citations are an important measure of success for academics. Typically, citations mean the researcher made a meaningful and original contribution to the world’s knowledge — and that their peers agree.

The 119 current UofL researchers, representing eight UofL schools and colleges, included on list are below.

• Thomas Abell,
• Yousef Abu-Kwaik, School of Medicine
• David Adamkin, School of Medicine
• Manju Ahuja,
• Bahaaldin Alsoufi, School of Medicine
• Farrukh Aqil, School of Medicine
• Richard Baldwin,
• Charles Barr, School of Medicine
• Richard Baumgartner,
• Aruni Bhatnagar, School of Medicine
• Roberto Bolli, School of Medicine
• Douglas Borchman, School of Medicine
• Konrad Bresin, College of Arts & Sciences
• Lu Cai, School of Medicine
• Jeffrey Callen, School of Medicine
• David Casey, School of Medicine
• Matthew Cave, School of Medicine
• William Cheadle, School of Medicine
• Yanyu Chen,
• Jason Chesney, School of Medicine
• Kevin Chou, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Barbara Clark, School of Medicine
• Daniel Conklin, School of Medicine
• Michael Cunningham, College of Arts & Sciences
• Douglas Dean, School of Medicine
• Gill Diamond,
• Lee Dugatkin, College of Arts & Sciences
• John Eaton, School of Medicine
• Ayman El-Baz, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Rif El-Mallakh, School of Medicine
• Ronald Elin, School of Medicine
• Adel Elmaghraby, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Paul Ewald, College of Arts & Sciences
• Mary Fallat, School of Medicine
• Aly Farag, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Wenke Feng, School of Medicine
• James Fiet, College of Business
• Eugene Fletcher, School of Medicine
• Joseph Fowler, School of Medicine
• Per Fredriksson, College of Business
• Robert Friedland, School of Medicine
• Hichem Frigui, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Susan Galandiuk, School of Medicine
• Yury Gerasimenko, School of Medicine
• Mahesh Gupta, College of Business
• Ramesh Gupta, School of Medicine
• Lynne Hall,
• Gerald Hammond, College of Arts & Sciences
• Brian Harbrecht, School of Medicine
• Susan Harkema, School of Medicine
• Peter Hedera, School of Medicine
• David Hein, School of Medicine
• George Higgins, College of Arts & Sciences
• Thomas Higgins, School of Medicine
• Bradford Hill, School of Medicine
• Joshua Hood, School of Medicine
• Suzanne Ildstad, School of Medicine
• Steven Jones, School of Medicine
• Sham Kakar, School of Medicine
• Mehmed Kantardzic, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Carolyn Klinge, School of Medicine
• Charles Kodner, School of Medicine
• Richard Lamont, School of Dentistry
• Gerald Larson, School of Medicine
• Rainer Lenhardt, School of Medicine
• Cheri Levinson, College of Arts & Sciences
• Stanley Levinson, School of Medicine
• Yongsheng Lian, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Mark Linder, School of Medicine
• Bertis Little, School of Public Health and Information Sciences
• Yiyan Liu, School of Medicine
• M. Cynthia Logsdon, School of Nursing
• Frederick Luzzio, College of Arts & Sciences
• Arthur Malkani, School of Medicine
• Gary Marshall, School of Medicine
• Robert Martin, School of Medicine
• Craig McClain, School of Medicine
• Stephen McClave, School of Medicine
• William Paul McKinney, School of Public Health and Information sciences
• Kelly McMasters, School of Medicine
• Madhu Menon, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Michael Merchant, School of Medicine
• Carolyn Mervis, College of Arts & Sciences
• Donald Miller, School of Medicine
• Hiram Polk, School of Medicine
• Jan Potempa, School of Dentistry
• Julio Ramirez, School of Medicine
• Janina Ratajczak, School of Medicine
• Mariusz Ratajczak, School of Medicine
• Brad Rodu, School of Medicine
• William Scarfe, School of Dentistry
• Arnold Schecter, School of Medicine
• Charles Scoggins, School of Medicine
• David Seligson, School of Medicine
• Brad Shuck,
• Leah Siskind, School of Medicine
• Mark Slaughter, School of Medicine
• Joshua Spurgeon, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Thomas Starr, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• J. Christopher States, School of Medicine
• Yi Tan, School of Medicine
• Sucheta Telang, School of Medicine
• Kenneth Thomson, School of Medicine
• Gordon Tobin, School of Medicine
• Suresh Tyagi, School of Medicine
• Neetu Tyagi, School of Medicine
• Roland Valdes, School of Medicine
• Jeffrey Valentine, College of łÉČËÖ±˛Ą and Human Development
• Banrida Wahlang, School of Medicine
• Hui Wang, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Scott Whittemore, School of Medicine
• Kim Williams, School of Medicine
• Stephen Winters, School of Medicine
• Richard Wittebort, College of Arts & Sciences
• Roman Yampolskiy, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Jun Yan, School of Medicine
• Li Yang, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Pavel Zahorik, School of Medicine
• Jacek Zurada, J.B. Speed School of Engineering

Kim Schatzel, who was touring the remote area with Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, posted selfies with the students on social media and praised the partnership.

“UofL plays a vital role in preparing future dentists to serve patients throughout the commonwealth and beyond. I am so proud of the work that our dental students are doing at the Red Bird Clinic, filling a need that would likely be unmet without them,” said Schatzel. “This partnership is truly beneficial to all involved. Our students enrich their educational experience, and the residents of southeastern Kentucky receive exceptional care.”

UofL has partnered with the clinic in Beverly, Kentucky, since 2017. UofL dental students work there four days a week under the direction of a local dentist.Ěý

UofL dental students work similar rotations at the Shawnee Dental Clinic in an underserved Louisville urban area and at West Kentucky Community and Technical College, providing services to residents of the Jackson Purchase region.Ěý

The Red Bird Dental Clinic, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, serves Clay, Bell and Leslie counties and is located in a federal “Promise Zone,” in which high-poverty communities work closely with the federal government on issues such as education, crime, health and investment. The clinic serves about 600 patients a year.

“This educational partnership is making a significant difference in the health and lives of so many families in some of the commonwealth’s most economically depressed areas,” said Stivers. “A rich … opportunity for UofL students means quality dentistry and improved opportunities for many in the region.”

Schatzel and Stivers also toured Clay County High School, which is undergoing extensive renovations.

UofL News: Describe what life was like for you during the Bosnian war.

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: Sarajevo is in a valley with mountains all around. The city was under siege, the enemy and snipers were everywhere. You really could not leave your house in the beginning, but when something like this lasts for years, you adjust and go on. At first, we stopped our lives but then we had to pick up and learn a new way of living.

I was in my second year of dental school when the war started. There was no electricity, and I studied by candlelight. Focusing on school was my escape, it is what kept me going. You have to connect to something to keep your sanity.

We were growing food in our park and food was deficient, there was sparse humanitarian aid, but we all shared what we had. We also didn’t have running water, but they were drilling pumps and you knew where to go to pump water. Containers at intersections were our cover from snipers, and it was a leap of faith to get the water because you never know if a grenade would strike. I prayed if it is my time to go, I would go quickly.

UofL News: How did you escape the city?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: My parents and I agreed that if I had a chance to leave, then I should leave. It was a very thought-out decision because when you left, you knew you couldn’t go back while the war was going on. The city was closed, but a tunnel had been dug under the Sarajevo airport that led to a small house on the other side. I had to bend myself to go through the 800-meter tunnel, and when you went through it, you were free. I left in September 1995, before an agreement was signed to end the war later that same year.

UofL News: What was the process of getting to the United States?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I applied for a resettlement program in Croatia, and went through a very long process that involved interviews, paperwork and medical exams. After four months, I was able to get a visa to come to the United States. My cousin was a medical doctor working in research at the Brown Cancer Center and I stayed with her a few months before landing a job as a dental assistant at Pierce and Mitchell located in south Louisville. They trained me on the job.

UofL News: Talk about how you came to dental school at UofL.

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I went for a visit at the dental school and ran into faculty members Wood E. Currens and Anne Wells who encouraged me to apply for UofL’s DMD program. I was accepted, and during school I continued my relationship with Pierce and Mitchell, joining the practice as an associate after graduation in 2002.

UofL News: What made you come back to UofL as a faculty member?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: When I came to Louisville everyone accepted me and it was the same with the university – it mimics our city. In 2008, I was offered a faculty position. I really loved UofL and found a passion for teaching.

UofL News: Now you are leading the school’s Student Affairs Office. What is that like for you?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I think of my life as having experienced a lot of luck that I could not have planned. In 2020, Dianne Foster retired from this position and Dean (Gerard) Bradley offered me the job. It feels as though I have come full circle. I was a student here, a clinical team leader and a member of the admissions committee both as a student and as a faculty member. The clinic is the heart of the school and because I understand how the clinic breathes, I am able to answer many questions of prospective and current students. As an administrator, I still work a half day each week in clinic, which gives me credibility with students and provides opportunity to keep teaching.

UofL News: You’ve faced a lot of adversity in your life, how has that affected you?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I never thought of my life as difficult. I would not change anything in my life because it made me who I am. I think if things were different, I would regret it. The fact that I was able to finish my dental education and have had a great career – I would not change a thing.

UofL News: Talk about your impact on students.

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I love mentoring students. When I was a team leader, I got the sense when someone needed help – it was like being a clinical parent. Now as an administrator, I still try to connect. I love this office because we all have different perspectives. Our job is to help students succeed, and I am here to do just that. If they need me, I hope they know I am here for them.

Program emcee Dr. Michael Metz, chair of the ULSD’s Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, opened the event by explaining the significance of the white coat in health care professions. He called on students to “wear your white coats with pride today and every day with understanding of all that it signifies to our profession: integrity, compassion and professionalism.”

Kelsey Francisco, a dental hygiene student, echoed that statement, saying, “It is an honor to get the white coat. I feel really inspired coming into the dentistry profession.”

Her dental hygiene classmate, Anab Ahmed, said putting on the white coat also represented a personal achievement.

“I’ve wanted to be a hygienist since high school. I feel like I’m dreaming,” Ahmed said.Ěý

DMD student Talia Kalter said she has also looked forward to this moment for a long time. “I’ve wanted to be a dentist since I was about 8, so it’s really incredible,” she said.

Jack Speelman, who was accepted to the DMD class of 2026 during high school through UofL’s , said the event also represents the beginning of a new journey: “Over the next four years, I’m looking forward to meeting all of my classmates and learning a lot more about dentistry.”

In addition to donning their white coats during the event, students recited a pledge accepting responsibility to patients, the profession and the community. Representing the Louisville chapter of the American Student Dental Association, Brianna Gill (ULSD DMD class of 2024) led students in the pledge.

Guest speakers included Dr. Terry Norris, representing the Kentucky Section of the American College of Dentists, and Drake Coomer (ULSD DMD class of 2023), representing the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association.

Coomer advised students to rely on each other and their faculty, while remembering that the goal is not just to graduate, but to develop the clinical, ethical and personal principles that will guide their professional lives.

“You are here for a reason,” he said. “The school chose you to come join us in our mission to achieve higher standards for our patients and our profession.” 

About the DMD class of 2026

Admission to the University of Louisville DMD program is highly competitive, with only 120 seats available for each class and more than 10 times that number of applications in a typical year. Academic averages for the class of 2026 are 3.59 overall GPA and 3.46 biology-chemistry-physics GPA. The average Dental Admissions Test score is 20.

In addition to being exceptional academically, the class of 2026 is diverse – with 13% of students coming from historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in dentistry. They also come from a wide range of geographic areas, representing 69 colleges and universities across the United States.

Students in the DMD class of 2026 come to ULSD from:

• 22 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia
• 13 countries of birth: Canada, China, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, United States (including seven students holding dual citizenship in the United States and another country)

About the Advanced Standing class of 2024

±«ł˘ł§¶Ů’sĚý admission option into the DMD program is designed for selected individuals who have received a dental degree from an institution outside the United States or Canada. ULSD does not admit advanced standing students every year, as the program is depending on space available in the D2 class. This year’s White Coat ceremony honored two internationally-trained dentists who joined ULSD in January 2022 and will graduate with the DMD class of 2024: Dr. Robertha Jones and Dr. Jhanvia Patel.

About the Dental Hygiene class of 2024

ULSD’s Dental Hygiene program accepts 30 students per year. Members of the class of 2024 have previously completed lower division requirements and gained acceptance into the upper division.

More photos from the ceremony are .Ěý

The data on the  comes from the Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT) from the NIH.

David Scott, PhD, associate dean for Research and Enterprise at ULSD, says continued growth of the school’s research program stems in part from the Research Challenge Trust Fund, which is also known as Bucks for Brains. This program, which was first enacted by the Kentucky legislature in 1997, committed additional funds for research at universities.

“Bucks for Brains allowed ULSD to invest in clinical and PhD scientists and to steadily improve our research capabilities and successes,” he said.

This research has an impact far beyond Kentucky, he adds.

“ULSD’s research helps to identify problems related to dentistry. By seeking insight into these problems, we can ultimately find ways and means to improve and prevent dental diseases, conditions and their systemic consequences around the world,” Scott said.

The research at ULSD focuses on three areas in particular: craniofacial developmental biology, oral microbiology and oral immunology.ĚýHowever, Scott notes that the school’s research presence is growing in other areas due to recent investments in tenure-track faculty. Those areas are oral imaging, clinical periodontics, behavioral sciences and dental materials.

Scott says collaboration with others at the University of Louisville has also contributed to the dental school’s research success.Ěý

“Within UofL, our collaborations include, but are not limited to, projects developed alongside individuals in the Speed School of Engineering, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology,” Scott said. “Such bridge-building has facilitated success in federal research training grants designed to maximize opportunities for the next generation of dental scientists.”

This story was written by Paige Moore and originally appeared on the .Ěý

Gonzalez announced Wednesday that School of Dentistry Dean Gerry Bradley will serve as interim provost. Dean since 2016, Bradley has extensive academic and administrative experience, previously serving as associate dean for research and graduate studies and chair of developmental sciences at the Marquette University School of Dentistry. Since coming to UofL, he has played a key role in many important initiatives at the university, including serving as chair of several dean searches and co-chairing the Executive Budget Steering Committee.

Margaret Hill, associate dean for academic affairs, will lead the School of Dentistry as interim dean.

Gonzalez also appointed Gail DePuy, professor of industrial engineering and interim vice provost in the Center for Engaged Learning, to serve as interim senior vice provost. She will have oversight of the other vice provosts and oversee key initiatives in the provost’s office.  A former acting dean of the Speed School of Engineering, DePuy has been instrumental in developing and shepherding the university’s strategic planning effort since 2019.

Paul DeMarco, professor of psychological and brain sciences and interim director of undergraduate research and creative activity, will assume the role of interim vice provost for the CEL.

The appointments are effective immediately.

“With these changes to our already strong leadership team, and with the continued outstanding efforts of you, our faculty and staff, we are well positioned to continue our growth as a premier anti-racist metropolitan research university that creates thriving futures for students, our community and society,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also said she expects to fill two other key positions, the vice provost for faculty affairs and the vice president for diversity and equity, “in the coming weeks.”

“The exposure of our teeth to an acid can cause loss of enamel and eventually the dentin or inner layer of the tooth, creating significant problems,” said Paul Boyd, DMD, clinical associate professor, UofL School of Dentistry.

He explains two categories of acid that affect the mouth: extrinsic and intrinsic acids.

The most common extrinsic source of acid comes from food and beverages with a pH of less than 4, where 7 is a neutral pH level. Lemon juice, wines, sport drinks, sodas, oranges, some teas, vinegar, apple juice, tomatoes, cherries and pickles are all examples of food and drink items with high acid.

Other extrinsic acids come from medications such as aspirin, iron tablets and vitamin C supplements. This category also involves occupational exposure for individuals who are battery and ammunition plant workers or frequent swimmers who go to pools where the pH isn’t properly adjusted.

Intrinsic acids originate from gastric fluid in contact with the mouth. Boyd says this can result from gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), bulimia and vomiting associated with pregnancy and alcohol abuse. Gastric fluid has a pH around 1, so its erosive potential is extremely high, he said.

“Signs of dental erosion include dulling and yellowing of the teeth, increased translucency at the ends of the teeth and rounding of the teeth,” Boyd said. “If your teeth have an increase in sensitivity to cold and hot foods and drinks, erosion may be a factor.”

Dr. Boyd’s tips for protecting teeth from erosion:

• Wait 30 minutes before brushing after meals. Tooth enamel is constantly
  de-mineralizing after an acid attack and re-mineralizing with the influence of saliva. Brushing too soon impacts the tooth while de-mineralizing and increases the risk of abrading the enamel. And, always use a soft bristle tooth brush.
• Limit warm or hot acidic beverages, which are more erosive than cold acidic beverages.
• Drink through a straw when drinking acidic beverages, and don’t swish.
• Eat and drink acidic food and beverages in one sitting rather than over an extended period of time. Frequency of intake is a factor of erosion.
• Look for toothpastes formulated specifically to fight erosion.
• Make an appointment with a health care provider who can help diagnose and treat sources of acid.
• Schedule a dental check-up. Your dentist can identify tooth erosion and determine its source. Intrinsic acid usually affects the inside and biting surfaces of the teeth whereas extrinsic sources initially are localized on the outside surfaces of the teeth.

“If you suspect that dental erosion is impacting your oral health, be proactive. Early intervention can save significant time and money — and most of us don’t have an excess of either,” Boyd said.

In the study, published in the , about three-quarters of parents surveyed underestimated the total amount of sugar in foods commonly found in the diets of children: orange juice, pizza, yogurt, ketchup, granola bars and more. The biggest divergences occurred in foods thought to be “healthful”; for example, more than 90 percent of the 305 study participants underestimated the amount of sugar found in yogurt by an average of 60 percent.

More concerning was the fact that parents’ misjudgments tended to be related to their children’s body weight. Those children with the highest body mass index tended to have parents who made the greatest misjudgments of sugar content.

medical director of the , and  of the UofL , aren’t surprised. It is a situation they see virtually every day in their practices.

“This happens quite a bit,” said Felton, who is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “Parents simply don’t know how much sugar is in the food they feed to their children. They believe they are feeding healthy meals and can’t understand why their child is overweight.

“Generally speaking, you should limit your younger child’s intake of added sugar to 12-16 grams a day – that’s about 3-4 teaspoons. For pre-teens and teens, it should be no more than 8 teaspoons.”

Although the German study only examined medical health and sugar underestimation, Martinez says the problem is a contributing factor to dental problems as well.

“Sugar contributes to tooth decay,” Martinez said. “If left untreated tooth decay can be painful — and painful teeth will affect a child’s performance in school.”

Preventing cavities and decay is the first line of defense, he said. Martinez also urges parents to find a dental home for their child, and schedule a dental exam, cleaning and fluoride treatment. For children experiencing extreme decay, the UofL School of Dentistry offers Silver Diamine Flouride, a 58-percent solution that stops decay in its tracks.

Both Martinez and Felton echo a point made in the study: Food labeling needs improvement. The study authors recommend a “traffic-light system”: a red dot on the label for high sugar content and a green one for minimal sugar.Ěý

“Food labels can be confusing because they list ingredients in terms of percentages of daily recommended values,” Felton said. “Parents may read that a container of yogurt has 25 grams of sugar, but they often do not know how that should fit into their child’s diet.

“Plus, parents are busy and don’t have time to thoroughly read labels, let alone keep track of how many grams of sugar their children consume in a given day. A simpler labeling system would help enormously.”

For now, the providers recommend that parents “assume that there is too much sugar in food and try to cut back where you can,” Felton said. “Instead of buying yogurt with fruit or other flavorings already in it, for example, buy plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit to it. Don’t add sugar to the breakfast cereal you give to your children. Serve them water or milk instead of highly sweetened juices or sodas.”

“The worse thing parents can do is allow their children to drink juice or anything other than water in a sippy cup all day, which disrupts the ph balance of the mouth,” Martinez said. Better, he says, to drink juice or milk in one sitting rather than over the course of several hours.

Martinez and Felton also reminded parents of released a year ago by the AAP.  The recommendations urge parents, when possible, to feed their children whole fruit rather than juice, where fiber and other nutrition can be gained. And, the Academy has reduced the quantity of fruit juice for children according to age:

• No juice for children younger than 12 months.
• 1-3 years – Limit fruit juice to a maximum of 4 ounces per day (1/2 cup)
• 4-6 years – No more than 4-6 ounces (1/2 cup –  Âľ cup)
• 7-18 years – Limit juice to 8 ounces per day (1 cup)

Following these guidelines will at least limit sugar intake and help lead to healthier smiles and bodies, Martinez said.

“Here at UofL we are working to create solutions,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “In our health care landscape where there are too few primary care providers to meet demand, UofL Care Partners offers our dental patients an in-house clinical service solution.”

“UofL is among just a handful of higher education institutions in the United States implementing a dental-nursing collaborative care model clinic, we are proud to be among them,” said T. Gerard Bradley, BDS, MS, Dr.Med.Dent., dean, UofL School of Dentistry.

UofL Care Partners will help create a continuity of care for patients, says Marcia J. Hern, EdD, CNS, RN, dean, UofL School of Nursing.

“The solid future of effective health care will rely on inter-professional teams that best serve the public,” she said.

UofL Care Partners hopes to serve as an urgent care style clinic for patients who need help with issues such as blood pressure or diabetes management.

“Without management of these type of health issues, patients run the risk of delaying or foregoing their dental treatment,” said Tim Daugherty, D.M.D., associate dean of clinical affairs, School of Dentistry. “If a person went under local anesthetic for a dental procedure and had uncontrolled diabetes, their insulin levels could drop leading to life-threatening problems.”

In 2017, the School of Dentistry wrote nearly 940 medical consults for patients who needed to follow-up with a provider before progressing through their dental treatment. Almost 40-percent of these patients failed to complete the follow-up required for their oral health treatment.

The clinic is an individual room located on the first floor within the patient waiting area. Dental patients, along with others including faculty and staff or community members can make an appointment with UofL Care Partners’ part-time nurse practitioner. In addition to offering chronic disease management, patients can have basic lab work completed or be seen for an acute illness. A nurse practitioner also will work with patients to connect them with a primary care provided or specialist, if needed.

UofL Care Partners is an outgrowth of an existing relationship between the Schools of Dentistry and Nursing who jointly received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in 2012. The grant supported an educational initiative for nursing and dental students to enhance communication between the professions and develop best practices in patient assessment, consultation and management to improve overall health of patients.

Additionally, DMD students learn from a nurse practitioner who instructs them on completing medical history forms required for all new dental patients as part of the admission process. Dental students also learn how to evaluate whether a patient is healthy enough to complete an exam and subsequent treatment.

“This initiative is a creative demonstration of how nurse practitioners are meeting the needs of patients where they are, and builds on best practices and success at the School of Nursing’s other clinical operation, the Kentucky Racing Health Service Center,” said Whitney Nash, PhD, APRN, FAANP, associate dean of practice and service, UofL School of Nursing.Ěý

Check out video from today’s ribbon cutting ceremony below. .Ěý