Alumni News

Drs. Maria Chatzistarou, Ingeborg De Kok and Luisa Medina were honored for their successful completion of the UNC Prosthodontics Graduate Program at a banquet on June 14 at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, NC. Surrounded by family and friends, faculty and staff, Prosthodontics graduate program director and chair, Dr. David Felton presented all three with their masters degree diplomas. Drs. Glen Minsley and Nancy Chaffee also spoke at the awards ceremony. Maria, Ingeborg and Luisa had each successfully defended their thesis in April. All three will stay at UNC for the coming year. Dr. Maria Chatzistarou became the Prosthodontics Fellow on July 1, Dr. Ingeborg De Kok became the Astra Tech Fellow in the Bone Biology and Dental Implant Therapy Laboratory on July 1; and Dr. Luisa Medina will begin a compressed (US) DDS program in August.

Steve Aquilino (class of ' 82) won Honorable Mention in the Instructional Computing in Dentistry Competition - Support Materials Category at the 2002 ADEA Annual Session in March. The competition, held in San Diego was sponsored by the ADEA's Dental Informatics Section. Steve's entry was a CD rom entitled "Summaries of Published Literature". Steve joined the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1982 as a member of the Department of Fixed Prosthodontics. In 1987 he was named director of graduate prosthodontics and became head of the department of prosthodontics in 2000. Steve and Dave Felton (class of '84) compared their days at UNC between sessions.

Dr. Galen Schneider (class of ‘ 96) attended the International Association of Dental Research & American Association of Dental Research combined meeting held in San Diego on March 6-9, 2002. Dr. Schneider presented a poster entitled “Elevated focal adhesion kinase expression facilitates oral tumor cell invasion” at the IADR/AADR meeting. Galen is an Assistant Professor in the Dows Institute for Dental Research and Department of Prosthodontics at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

Dr. Ken Sutherland (class of ' 80) and Dr. David Felton (class of '84) reminisce as they attended the American College of Prosthodontists Reception on March 3, 2002 during the American Dental Education Association meeting in San Diego, CA. Dr. Sutherland is a member of the faculty at the University of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry.

Dr. David Felton, ('84) presented a poster at the 9th Meeting of the International College of Prosthodontists in Sydney, Australia on October 18, 2001. His poster entitled "Mandibular Overdentures Supported by Two Non-splinted Implants Maintain Cortical Bone at 36 Months" is based on a 5-year research study of the Astra Tech implant system. David is Associate Professor and Chair of the UNC Department of Prosthodontics.

Dr. Joyce Palik ('82) attended the 9th Meeting of the International College of Prosthodontists held October 17-20, 2001 in Sydney, Australia. Joyce's husband, Dr. Patrick Lloyd was inducted as Co-President of the ICP at a formal banquet at the conclusion of the meeting. Back home, Joyce is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Prosthodontics at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

Dr. Robert H. Alstrom ('77) was presented the American College of Prosthodontists Distinguished Service Award on November 17 in Kona, Hawaii. Dr. Arthur Nimmo, 2000 ACP President, presented the award at the ACP Annual Session, held November 15 - 18, 2000. Dr. Ahlstrom now resides in Reno, NV.

Dr. David Felton ('84) and Sue Sparrow were married Friday, July 28, 2000 on Hilton Head Island, SC. Sue is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Clifton Crandell, faculty emeritus and serves as the Director of Continuing Education at the UNC School of Dentistry.

Dr. David Felton (’84), Dr. Paula Yliheikkila (’95) and graduate Prosthodontics students: Maria Chatzistavrou, Ingeborg De Kok, and Luisa Medina enjoyed an evening out in New York City while attending the American College of Prosthodontics Annual Session in October 1999. Also pictured at the table are Dr. Dina Dedi and Mr. Bob Jerman of Drake Dental Labs. Drs. Karen Bruggers (’88), Nancy Chaffee, Sompop Bencharit (’99), Chatchai Kunavisarut ('00), and Stu Richardson (Paula’s husband) were also present.

Dr. George Papavasiliou (’92) and his wife Dr. Phophi Kamposiora (’94) of Athens, Greece enjoyed the awards dinner at the International College of Prosthodontists meeting in Stockholm, Sweden in July 1999. Both were nominated for the Outstanding Young Prosthodontists Award.

Drs. Sompop Bencharit and Julie Towels-Matthews were presented with commemorative clocks from Dr. David Felton, Prosthodontics Chair and Dr. Nancy Chaffee, Graduate Prosthodontics Program Director in June 1999. The clocks were in honor of their completion of the Graduate Prosthodontics Program. The presentation was made at a cookout in their honor at the home of Dr. David Felton ('84).

Dr. George Zarb (’98) and Dr. Sompop Bencharit (’99) assist participants in the hands-on lab portion of the Provisional Restoration Fabrication Workshop for Auxiliary Staff Members continuing education course sponsored each spring and fall by the Department of Prosthodontics. Dr. Zarb is now in private practice in Raleigh, NC. Dr. Bencharit is now a Ph.D. student at UNC.

Last modified: July 12, 2002