Emerging field of dental bioengineering is subject of guest presentation

By Lindsay McClaire
University News Services

A University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign professor spoke at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry on the emerging field of dental bioengineering and the need for collaboration among surgeons and engineers.

Michael S. Goldwasser, D.D.S, M.D., an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and professor in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Engineering, visited VCU’s School of Dentistry last month.

Russell Jamison, Ph.D., dean of VCU’s School of Engineering and former professor of bioengineering and materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been collaborating on research with Goldwasser.

“There was an incredible need for clinical sciences, engineering science, biological science and computer science knowledge to help navigate the idea” of collaboration, said Goldwasser.

“This is important because collaboration will provide the basis for a new Ph.D. in dentistry in dental bioengineering at VCU,” said Martha Bushong, assistant director of external relations for the VCU School of Dentistry.

According to Goldwasser, there are a limited number of ways to rebuild a face that has suffered dramatic trauma. Bone grafts can be taken from a cadaver, but the process is risky. Grafts also can be taken from a patient’s ribs, hips and other large bone areas.

But dental bioengineering involves building a bone replacement, or a scaffold, to replace the damaged or missing bone. Goldwasser says this is where the engineers come into play as they can design something much more precise and much more accurate.

Once engineers have built scaffolding, surgeons are able to add tissue for growth in the replacement bone and surgically replace the patient’s missing bone.

“This collaboration will join the schools in common areas and enhance and improve the lives of people who have suffered tremendous, devastating injuries,” said Bushong.