2025 Award: Oral Health Disparities: DMFT Score Analysis of Unhoused vs. General Population (Poster #111)
Authors: Sheiva Hodjati (DDS'28), Parastoo Saljoughian (pre-dental clinic volunteer), and Mehdi Mohammadi (faculty advisor).
Photo taken at Ostrow Research Day, April 9, 2025. From left to right: Sheiva Hodjati (award winner, DDS'28), Mehdi Mohammadi (faculty advisor), and Parastoo Saljoughian (pre-dental clinic volunteer).
- Authors: Sheiva Hodjati (DDS'28), Parastoo Saljoughian (pre-dental clinic volunteer), and Mehdi Mohammadi (faculty advisor). The researchers analyzed the health records and radiographs of 1,559 unhoused patients treated at the USC-URM dental clinic in downtown Los Angeles skid row between 2007-2017 and found significantly higher Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) scores in unhoused individuals across all age, gender, and ethnic subgroups, but especially in women, aging adults, and Native Americans, than in the general population. The research findings highlight the systemic barriers and significant oral health disparities among people experiencing homelessness and the need for increased access, targeted, trauma-informed dental care, and public health interventions to address the structural barriers contributing to poor oral health outcomes in unhoused populations.
- The Explorer 2025The abstract for poster #111 — Oral Health Disparities: DMFT Score Analysis of Unhoused vs. General Population — is featured on page 72 of the Explorer 2025 issue. The Explorer is an award-winning journal produced each year by the Ostrow Student Research Group
2024 Award: Breathless: The Alarming Impact of Air Pollution in Dental Offices (Poster #87)
Authors: Shanar Mardanpour, Sheiva Hodjati, Parmida Karmini, and Mehdi Mohammadi (faculty advisor)
Photo taken at Ostrow Research Day, April 3, 2024. From left to right: Parmida Karmini (award winner), Sheiva Hodjati (award winner), Shanar Mardanpour (award winner), and Dr. Mehdi Mohammadi (faculty advisor)
- Poster PDF: Breathless: The Alarming Impact of Air Pollution in Dental OfficesAuthors: Shanar Mardanpour (Ostrow DDS’27), Sheiva Hodjati (Leonard Davis School of Gerontology & pre-DDS student), Parmida Karmini (UCLA & pre-DDS student), and Dr. Mehdi Mohammadi (faculty advisor & Associate Professor Of Clinical Dentistry at Ostrow). Their research highlights air pollution risks for older adults caused by high concentrations of common toxic pollutants found in dental clinics from aerosol-generating dental procedures and materials, such as ultrasonic scalers, bonding agents, and sterilization supplies. The authors advocate for the adoption of more efficient ventilation systems, the use of low-emission materials, and strict prevention measures in dental clinics to mitigate the presence of toxins to create safer clinical environments for vulnerable older patients and dental healthcare workers.
- The Explorer 2024The abstract for poster #87 — Breathless: The Alarming Impact of Air Pollution in Dental Offices — is featured on page 68 of the Explorer 2024 issue. The Explorer is an award-winning journal produced each year by the Ostrow Student Research Group
2023 Award: External Apical Root Resorption in Patients with Short Root Anomaly (Poster #5)
Authors: Sohee Moon, Rebecca Lim, & Glenn Sameshima (faculty advisor)
Photo taken at Ostrow Research Day, March 29, 2023. Dr. Sohee Moon is the fourth person from the left in the blue shirt. Dr. Glenn Sameshima, the second person from the left in the yellow jacket, is Dr. Moon's faculty advisor.
- Research Day Poster by Dr. Sohee Moon: External Apical Root Resorption (EARR) in Patients with Short Root Anomaly (SRA)Dr. Sohee Moon is a student in the Advanced Orthodontics program. Dr. Moon’s research poster focuses on short root anomaly as a genetic disorder that disproportionately affects Hispanic and Latinx populations. This problem leads to further complications in a large population that is already experiencing increased oral health problems due to barriers to access and the cost of oral health care. Oral health care providers who are aware of these issues are more equipped to provide culturally competent care and improve oral health outcomes.
- The Explorer 2023The abstract for poster #5 — External Apical Root Resorption in Patients with Short Root Anomaly — is featured on page 47 of the Explorer 2023 issue. The Explorer is an award-winning journal produced each year by the Ostrow Student Research Group