May 4, 2010

For nearly four decades the central dispensary of the dental clinic in the John B. Macdonald Building (JBM) served as the hub of activity for students and faculty. Decommissioned in 2006, it has sat unused since the opening of Dentistry’s new oral health centre—until now.

With the support of the Pediatric Dental Group (PDG), this space has been transformed into a new hub of activity—an extraordinary and desperately needed conference room—and serves as a leading project for further JBM building renovations.

Now named the PDG Conference Room, the facility provides students, alumni, faculty and staff with an interactive and modern space for creative and dynamic learning and teaching. Two 65-inch high-definition plasma monitors chosen for their unprecedented clarity for viewing radiographs, installed at each end of the room, are a highlight of the conference room’s features.

The new PDG Conference Room located in the former dental clinic central dispensary in the John B. Macdonald Building.

PDG’s support and partnership has been instrumental. This was a challenging renovation project because a complicated and extensive plumbing infrastructure had to be removed. Their foresight and generosity in making the project a reality reflects a strong group-practice value of supporting UBC and lifelong learning.

“Our philosophy in dentistry has always been to create a culture of quality and high expectation. This can best be served by educating students in environments that reflect these principles,” says Dr. Richard Kramer, a practising pediatric dentist for over 30 years. “If one provides a professional environment to allow the proper presentation of educational materials, then it will affect how the students themselves view dental education. Going forward into the professional practice of dentistry, their standards and level of expectations will have been shaped by the environment in which they are taught.”

UBC Dentistry is grateful for the support and leadership of Drs. Richard Kramer, David Kennedy, Donald Scheideman, Donal Flanagan, Anabel Chan, Reza Nouri (DMD 1994, MSc 2004), Edward Chin, Louisa Leung (DMD 2000), Todd Moore (MSc 2001) and Christian Wong, along with their families, in naming the PDG Conference Room.

The Pediatric Dental Group outside the PDG Conference Room. Front row, from left to right: Drs. Reza Nouri, Louisa Leung, Richard Kramer, Anabel Chan. Back row, from left to right: Drs. Edward Chin, Donald Scheideman, Todd Moore, Donal Flanagan, Ms. Pam Waller, Dr. Christian Wong. Missing: Dr. David Kennedy.

As a UBC Dentistry alumnus, Dr. Reza Nouri understands first-hand the importance of continually supporting the growth and development of Dentistry’s teaching institutions: “We must give back, be it by our time, experience, wisdom or financial support. Today’s students will be future leaders in our profession. The stronger their educational foundation is today, the better they will lead us tomorrow.”