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UCSF ASDA CUSP – FALL 2020 The Fall 2020 Newsletter from UCSF ASDA Chapter has brought light onto a vital topic for the recent times, Mental Health During COVID-19 Pandemic: How to Cope by Brian Hoang. As the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed many aspects of life for us, it is essential to pay extra attention to our mental well-being during these times. Brian highlights various ways to cope with anxiety and stress brought about by this pandemic. These are simple practices such as engaging in self-care, staying connected with family and friends, and taking breaks from listening to the news Read more on this article and check out UCSF’s Fall 2020 Newsletter to find out about all the new updates happening at their chapter! “https://issuu.com/asdaatucsf/docs/2020_fall_issue_ucsf_asda_cusp” <br> Your District 11 Newsletter Chairs, <br> Ava Pournejad, USC ’22 and Kelsey Lomen, UCLA ’22  

The Facts About Sports Drinks Written by our own District 11 Secretary, Maya Giannetti, this Contour article published in the summer dives into the importance of being aware of the sugar content in common sports drinks. It is our responsibility to inform our patients about the oral health risks of products advertised as “healthy,” and to be able to offer guidance on how to minimize risk when consuming these beverages. Check out the article below for the story behind sports drinks advertising as well as some tips we can offer our patients.   A big thank you to Maya Giannetti for such an important contribution to our national publication! If you are interested in writing for Contour as well, please feel free to contact us at district11ASDA@gmail.com.

Happy New Year.

Your District 11 Newsletter Chairs,
Ava Pournejad, USC ’22 and Kelsey Lomen, UCLA ’22

THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE August 2020 ISSUE OF CONTOUR, PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN STUDENT DENTAL ASSOCIATION. AUTHORIZATION TO REPOST HAS BEEN ATTAINED FROM THE PUBLISHER. ORIGINAL CONTOUR ARTICLE:
http://digitaleditions.walsworthprintgroup.com/publication/frame.php?i=667141&p=&pn=&ver=html5

Buccal Up with USC ASDA Chapter
 The biweekly USC ASDA Newsletter brings light to important topics and news in the dental community. Due to the circumstances brought about with this pandemic, starting April of 2020 there was action taken to provide alternative ways for offering dental licensure examination. In support of this change, CDA developed and launched an advocacy portal to bring together the voice of students from all across California. And on May 28, 2020, a record-breaking change was established when the CDA confirmed that the Dental Board of California will accept manikin based licensure examination for 2020.  Read more on this topic as well as Dr. James Sung’s experience as a newly graduated dentist.   The USC ASDA Chapter Biweekly newsletter always entails valuable information for dental students to learn from and to be aware of. Every week they feature students on their student spotlight where they share insight and experiences with various topics. Interested in reading more? Contact USC ASDA Chapter to receive their amazing biweekly newsletters!

Your District 11 Newsletter Chairs,
Ava Pournejad, USC ’22 and Kelsey Lomen, UCLA ’22

During the 2020 Annual Session, the UCSF ASDA chapter was awarded with the Gold Crown Award for the Most Improved Chapter! This is a hard-earned award in recognition of the tremendous effort put in by the UCSF ASDA chapter. Their dedicated group of board members provided students with different opportunities for personal and professional growth. The UCSF ASDA chapter continues to stay committed to further offering their community the latest development within ASDA, making District 11 exceedingly proud!   Huge congratulations to the UCSF ASDA Chapter on their award and dedication to excellence! Make sure to read more on what the UCSF ASDA Chapter has been up to by using the following link:

“https://issuu.com/asdaatucsf/docs/2020_spring_issue_ucsf_cusp”

All the best,
Your District 11 Newsletter Chairs,
Kelsey Lomen, UCLA ’22 and Ava Pournejad, USC ’22

Check out this nationally published article in the ASDA Contour Magazine by Loma Linda University’s very own Nicolette Mahboubian and Brandon Talmood! Not every patient is an ideal candidate for veneers. Nicolette and Brandon delve into the specifics of when to offer veneers and what type of veneer might be the best fit for your patient.   Big props to Nicolette and Brandon, becoming nationally published is no small feat! By the way, you too can publish an article in Contour! Fill out the interest form here or email district11ASDA@gmail.com for more information.

Until next time! Sincerely,
Your District 11 Newsletter Chairs,
Kelsey Lomen, UCLA ‘22 and Ava Pournejad, USC ‘22 < />
This article originally appeared in the June/July, 2020 issue of Contour, published by the American Student Dental Association. Authorization to repost has been attained from the publisher. Original Contour Article: http://digitaleditions.walsworthprintgroup.com/publication/frame.php? i=660386&p=34&pn=&ver=html5

Summary: Here’s an insight into Christopher Ngoun’s life in the age of COVID-19! Christopher Ngoun is a rising third-year dental student at Western University. He has been using this time to explore new hobbies, such as baking. Christopher has awesome tips on how to stay social while in isolation plus adjusting with the new normal remote online learning! The Article: On the Cusp: Volume V Issue I 2020 Spring Newsletter WesternU College of Dental Medicine Life in the Age of COVID-19 Student Perspective Christopher Ngoun (Student) – WesternU ‘22   How have you been spending your time? ● COVID-19 has been challenging me to find new hobbies to stay sane in social isolation. Initially, I found myself binging on Netflix shows and getting 8+ hours of sleep a night, which were things that I did not normally do prior to the pandemic. I have also been more active, running 2-3 times a week. However, after burning all those calories, I find myself spending a lot of time in the kitchen regaining back those calories and more. Baking has been one of my more time-consuming hobbies in the midst of this pandemic. There is nothing more satisfying than to be able to consume your own creation! Things that I have challenged myself to make from scratch have included: cheesecake, apple pie, banana bread, various cookies, and even a cake! What adjustments have you made during this pandemic? ● Adapting to remote online learning has been one of the biggest adjustments I have made during the pandemic. In the beginning, my work habits from home were not the best. I found myself getting easily distracted by watching TV, cooking, or playing with my dog. As a result, I started to procrastinate more than usual. However, as our online curriculum began to pick up, I started to develop a schedule, designating certain hours of my day to completing schoolwork or studying, which has helped me to get back on track. What challenges have you faced? ● It has been really tough not being able to hang out with friends and family. Now, we have to find creative ways to stay social. For instance, having a virtual happy hour with friends and family has become the new norm. Another significant impact due to COVID-19 is not being able to drill and practice in SIM. I do not recall ever going this long without using a handpiece since the start of dental school. What have you learned? ● I have learned not to take the basic things in life for granted. Never would I have ever thought that finding items like toilet paper, hand soap, and cleaning products would be so scarce in stores. Or even having to wear face masks and waiting in line just to get into grocery stores. However, I do realize that it is imperative for each of us to do our part during this pandemic in efforts to protect ourselves and those around us against COVID-19. Advice for students to maintain wellness during this time? ● We will get through this together so let’s continue to stay positive. Follow good hygiene practice daily, stay home, and minimize person-to-person contact to prevent the spread of infection. Stay safe and well everyone! Use the link below to check out the full Western University newsletter, where the rest of Life in the Age of COVID-19 can be found, featuring a WesternU faculty member, a practicing dentist, and much more!! (ON THE CUSP V.5.1 | May 2020) https://westernuasda.squarespace.com/newsletter