Newsletter 58 from the Head of Department

INTERNAL AT THE INSTITUTE

New energy measures: IOOS receives faculty funds to replace the lighting
It has gone well with saving electricity and reducing heat consumption at Faculty of Health, but both at the Faculty and at IOOS we are still working to reduce energy consumption further. The Faculty of Health now gives funding to us to make an extra effort.

The basic lighting in the clinics on the 2^nd and 3^rd floor of building 1613 is replaced by energy-saving LED fixtures. The funding must also be used for the natural and ongoing replacement of other lighting elements at the institute.

You can read more in the article "Health launches new energy initiatives".

RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND TEACHING

Great interest in our new education in clinical dental technology
After the summer holidays, our new professional bachelor's degree in clinical dental technology will premiere, and fortunately it seems that there is interest in applying for the degree. From the quota 2 application figures, we can see that we have received 91 applications for 25 places on the education program - previously we had 18 education places. As you know, we only know about quota 1 applications at the end of July, and then the study places are distributed among the applicants.

We celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of the dental nurse and dental hygienist educations in Aarhus
On Thursday 22 June, we waved the flag because the dental nurse education and the dental hygienist education in Aarhus can celebrate their 50^th Anniversary this year. In her speech, Dean Anne-Mette Hvas listed the most important milestones in the history of the educations, while the Head of School at the School of Dental Nurses and Dental Hygienists (SKT) at the University of Copenhagen, Bo Danielsen, told entertaining anecdotes from his many years in Aarhus and reflected on the future of the educations. The day ended with strawberry cake in Grønnegården under a warm June sun. Thank you to all of you who had the opportunity to help celebrate the anniversary.

The dental nurse education continues in Aarhus at SOSU East Jutland
Just over a month ago, we received the happy news that it is still possible to train as a dental nurse in Aarhus. SOSU East Jutland has applied for and been granted by the ministry the right to offer the education as early as August this year, after we were forced to close the education. The plan is that new students on the education's basic course 2 and main course can start from January 2024. This is good news for the future students and for general dental health in Denmark.

Debate: Newly qualified dentists have as much clinical experience as previous
Head of Studies, Odontology Irene Dige, Chairperson of the Study Board, Odontology Louise Hauge Matzen and myself have written a debate article which was published in the Danish Dental Journal's June edition [In Danish]. In this, we challenge the long-held myth that dental students today have fewer clinical teaching hours than in the past, and that newly graduated dentists have less practical experience than years ago - this is simply not true. The occasion was a remark in the Danish Dental Journal's editorial that "practical dental work has been de-prioritised and reduced in dental education for a number of years". The editorial was written by Rune Hyldgaard, who is Chairperson of the General Dental Practitioner Committee (PATU) in the Danish Dental Association, and Rune Hyldgaard has also responded to our post in the latest edition of the magazine [In Danish].

The Center for Educational Development (CED) offers a wide range of courses in the autumn
CED has several competence-developing offers for both new and experienced teachers. The course catalogue contains both online offers as well as courses and workshops with physical presence, and if there is not exactly the teaching course you are missing, CED is open to tailoring a course as needed.

Read more in the article "Develop your teaching practice with CED's course offers" or check the website, which is regularly updated with new offers.

Communication course: Apply for a place at the Communication Academy
The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters’ Communication Academy offers new, free communication courses for those of you who would like to become better at communicating your research and participating actively in the public debate. The next classes will start in the autumn of 2023, and you have the option of participating in either a longer Danish-language course with physical attendance or an English-language course consisting of five times three hours of online teaching.

There is an application deadline for the English course on 2 July 2023 and for the Danish language course on 3 September. To be able to apply for a place, you must be employed at minimum Assistant Professor level. Read more about the Communication Academy and the application process on the academy's website.

NEWS ABOUT NAMES

Helle Hornhaver about teeth whitening in the Danish Dental Journal and the Danish Patient Safety Authority
Teeth whitening has become a hot topic, and Helle Hornhaver has become the leading expert in the field. This time, the Danish Dental Journal has sent for her, and together with Associate Professor from University of Copenhagen, Azam Bakhsandeh, she has created a guide on teeth whitening, which was published in the journal from May 2023 [In Danish].

Helle Hornhaver, together with Azam Bakhsandeh, has also made a major statement to the Danish Patient Safety Authority in relation to a revision of the executive order on cosmetic treatments. The executive order will be consulted shortly.

Bente Nyvad to Ritzau about toothbrush selection and technique
Professor Bente Nyvad, Section for Oral Ecology, has also made Denmark more aware of the importance of choosing the right toothbrush and using the correct brushing technique [In Danish]. The review is provided by Ritzau. Thank you, Bente, for diligently and courageously having stood up for 47 years and shared your research-based expert knowledge with the media and the rest of society!

Our dental MR scanner is slowly seeing the light of day
With Associate Professor Rubens Spin-Neto and the team at Section for Oral Radiology and Endodontics, a year ago IOOS got the world's first and only dental MRI scanner, and we were established as the international research center for 'dental-dedicated' MRI diagnostics. In collaboration with Dentsply Sirona and Siemens Healthcare, we have been testing the equipment over the past year, and the first results are now attracting interest around the world. Rubens Spin-Neto, among other things, gave a presentation to colleagues at a symposium in Germany, just as Dental Products Report also reported on the research collaboration and the possibilities of dental MR scanning. We are eagerly following along.

Grant for Muhammed Gøkhan's PhD project
Our candidate PhD student Muhammed Alparslan Gøkhan, Section for Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, has received DKK 75,000 from the Danish Dental Association for the project "DARE2 - DAiry protein RElief of oral mucosal burning sensations". The money will cover the project costs for the studies in connection with his temporary change of environment to Newcastle University. Congratulations.

Mini portrait of postdoc Anne Birkeholm Jensen
The Faculty's Diversity and Equality Committee wanted to focus on the career paths of younger researchers. This has led to a small portrait series in the Faculty of Health's newsletter, and in mid-June postdoc Anne Birkeholm Jensen from the Section for Oral Ecology took part.

Read or re-read the article: Anne Birkeholm Jensen: “I should have said yes to that stay in Kenya, but I don’t have any regrets”.

Summer greetings,

Siri