Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery

Oftentimes when we think of the School of Dental and Oral Surgery, we think of clinics, classrooms and laboratories. But we are much more than that. Our alumni, faculty, predoctoral students, postdoctoral students, hospital residents and staff are what truly define us. We've done our best to keep in contact with this large and diverse group over the years. Today, I would like to report to you on our recent efforts to
strengthen the links between the alumni and the School, as well as on recent initiatives
aimed at improving the environment for predoctoral students.
Always a critically important part of the School, the Alumni Association has focused its efforts on activities in and around New York City, as many of the Officers of the Association live and practice here. Recently, we've been working with the Alumni Association to broaden SDOSÇƒÙ outreach and have organized three new regional alumni clubs in New Jersey, Rockland-Westchester, and Long Island. Each of these clubs met in the spring, with faculty from the School featured as guest speakers. The good turnout at the meetingsÇƒÓ35 to 45 attendees at each meetingÇƒÓencourages us to continue in this effort, and form additional regional clubs.
The School has also begun to sponsor receptions for alumni at major annual meetings, such as the American Dental Association, the Yankee Dental Congress in Boston, and the Greater New York Dental Meeting, as well as at the major specialty meetings. This initiative has given me the opportunity to meet and talk with alumni and friends of SDOS who might otherwise not visit us in New York.
Since the predoctoral curriculum at the School is demanding, I have sought ways to improve the environment for our students. This past spring we introduced Professional Societies at SDOS. The meetings of the Societies are envisioned as social gatherings, where dental students, residents and postdoctoral fellows and faculty can meet outside of the classroom or clinic environment. As first and second-year dental students spend a great deal of time with their basic science courses, they can occasionally feel
isolated from the School. The Societies are a way of helping minimize this problem.
The William Jarvie Society is the Columbia chapter of the American Association of Dental Research-Student Research Group. Approximately 25% of the students in the DDS program are members. Originally organized in 1920, it was formed to promote interest in research by dentists and dental students. The Jarvie executive committee and faculty advisors work to acquaint interested students with research opportunities at the medical center and beyond. The goal is to entice every Columbia dental student to be interested and hopefully, involved in biomedical research. However, it is not a requirement of Jarvie that a member be actively involved in research.
Some activities sponsored or organized by the Jarvie Society include Birnberg Day (dental student research day), publication of the Jarvie Journal and a quarterly newsletter, student meetings of various topics, presentation by faculty or invited speakers, and collaborative efforts with other groups at the University.
Along with membership of Jarvie (this applies to full membership only), the student is automatically a member of the American Association of Dental Research (AADR), the major component of the International Association of Dental Research (IADR). AADR membership allows the student to network internationally with dental researchers and dental faculty around the world and provides an opportunity to obtain a subscription to the Journal of Dental Research at a reduced fee.

The William Jarvie Society
Columbia University
School of Dental and Oral Surgery
630 West 168th Street
New York, NY 10032