UB Dental School Receives $100,000 NIH Diversity Award

The University at Buffalo School of Dentistry is one of 10 institutions to win the National Institutes of Health’s new Institutional Excellence Award for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in biomedical and behavioral research.

The NIH launched the annual award to recognize 10 institutions implementing innovative strategies to improve DEIA in research environments. Each of the 10 selected for the inaugural award received $100,000 and will participate in a summer seminar on their DEIA interventions that resulted in lasting, measurable change.

UB Dental won this award for its STEER program, a new mentoring program intended to help dental staff and faculty achieve their career goals through “intentional and formal mentoring relationships” and development opportunities, as well as as for its Destination Dental School, an intensive summer program for students who have been historically underrepresented in the dental profession.

STEER stands for Support, Training, Early Career Improvement and Retention. The dental school launched the program last year after a survey of its staff and faculty found that a majority felt they had not received adequate mentoring and professional development, particularly underrepresented minorities.

STEER Fellows are matched with staff and faculty mentors and benefit from career development opportunities such as national conferences. They can also serve as mentors to future fellows. In the program’s first year, 96 percent of participants rated the mentoring and training as very good or excellent, UB said.

Destination Dental School is a free, seven-week summer program open to underrepresented students and graduates of bachelor’s degree programs from across the United States and Canada who are considering a career in dentistry. This summer, its fourth cohort of students will graduate.

In addition to these programs, the dental school’s focus on diversity and inclusion has also led it to create a mandatory interactive online pre-orientation on equity, diversity, and inclusion for new students in first-year dentistry and a course focused on social determinants of health, UB. said.

“We are committed to opening opportunities for underrepresented minorities, serving people with disabilities, and hiring more faculty from diverse backgrounds and cultures,” said Dr. Marcelo Araujo, dean of the dental school. “Through ongoing and dynamic initiatives, the Faculty of Dentistry is helping to make the field of oral health more diverse. »

Other higher education institutions that won DEAI awards in the inaugural competition include Rochester Institute of Technology, Duke University Medical School, University of Florida College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of California, San Francisco and UC Davis.

Canisius University is partnering with Northeast College of Health Sciences in Seneca Falls to offer an accelerated program for Canisius health sciences students to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree in three years.

The partnership allows Canisius students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sports and physical health care or health and wellness to transition into Northeast’s Doctor of Chiropractic program and complete it in three years, Canisius said .

The accelerated “4+3” program cuts a year off the usual eight-year process to earn both degrees, saving students time and money, Canisius said. Students in good academic standing are also eligible to receive Northeast Merit Scholarships.

Like many other health services, chiropractic is experiencing a growing need for new practitioners. The National Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of chiropractors will increase 10 percent over the next 10 years, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Canisius’ collaboration with Northeast makes it the second institution in Western New York to offer an accelerated path to becoming a chiropractor. D’Youville University offers a seven-year dual degree program earning a bachelor’s degree in biology and a doctorate in chiropractic, with the option to complete each in 3.5 years.

SUNY Niagara Community College is partnering with the Niagara Falls City School District to offer a free college tuition to parents whose children are enrolled in the district.

The course, English 102: Writing II and Introduction to Literature, strengthens writing skills and introduces students to the study of literature.

Classes will be held Mondays from July 8 to August 19 at Bloneva Bond Elementary School, 2513 Niagara St., Niagara Falls. Free childcare will be provided at the school during meeting hours, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

“We are proud to partner with the Niagara Falls City School District to provide this resource to our community,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Lydia Ulatowski. “SUNY Niagara’s commitment to education extends beyond our campus and this initiative is a step in strengthening our community educational development.”

For more information or to register, contact William Brinson at [email protected] or 716-614-6258.

Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest on developments in Buffalo Niagara’s economy – from real estate to health care to startups. Learn more at BuffaloNext.com.

Two local business groups are move to new offices.

The state is crack down about illegal pottery shops.

UB researchers say telemedicine helps limit hepatitis C.

Save-A-Lot at Broadway Market closesbut its impact is much broader.

A South Buffalo manufacturer is expanding.

Local wages are increasing. Here’s how much.

Graycliff gets a new – and bigger – visitors center.

A Niagara Falls movie theater is poised to become a auto parts center.

A Canadian developer plans to transform the former Howard Johnson Hotel in Niagara Falls into a music room.

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. The evolution of Viridi Parente in an evolving market.

2. Some development projects face a new problem: they cannot draw enough electricity.

3. A closer look at the Rails on the main apartment project.

4. The Buffalo Niagara Region people’s problem is getting worse − and it’s bad for business.

5. 43Winner North Bounce Imaging has a chance to work more with the Ministry of Defense.

The Buffalo Next team gives you insight into the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to [email protected] or contact Buffalo Next editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.

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