Digital Commons Network^™

See These Great Speakers And Their Programs At Annual Session!, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature highlights the speaker lineup and curriculum for the 2026 MDA Annual Session in Grand Rapids. The program offers diverse continuing education tracks for the entire dental team, including pediatric dentistry, oral pathology, risk management, and practice growth strategies. Notable speakers include clinical experts, legal professionals, and motivational keynotes. The document also explains the transition to a simplified registration system using one-day or full conference passes, allowing attendees more flexibility to choose sessions on-site without pre-registering for individual courses.

J Mich Dent Assoc April 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200-plus members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADA Commons.

The April 2026 (Volume 108, No. 4) issue of the Journal is published in digital format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions occur every other month beginning with January.

This full issue provides a comprehensive overview of the Michigan dental landscape in 2026. Key features include a clinical …

News You Need: Annual Session, Board Updates, And Regulatory News, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This comprehensive news section provides essential updates for Michigan dentists, including details on the 2026 Annual Session highlights and the launch of the "HERM-E" AI member assistant. It features critical regulatory reminders concerning mandated reporting for child abuse and neglect. The document also covers oral cancer prevention, dental therapy scholarship updates, and the appointment of new members to the Michigan Board of Dentistry. Additionally, it lists upcoming House of Delegates meetings and resources for donated treatment, ensuring members are informed on professional responsibilities.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome In A 21-Year-Old Male Patient Following A Gunshot Wound (Gsw), Jonathan Rodriguez, Oyinkansola Mudasiru, Alexandria Armstrong, Hooman Tabatabai-Mir

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Purpose: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a pain disorder that typically follows several forms of trauma, including surgery or fractures. The diagnostic gold standard for CRPS is the Budapest diagnostic criteria. In the general population, CRPS is 3-4 times more common in middle-aged women. Regarding incidence following injury, it most often occurs after a fracture. CRPS secondary to ballistic trauma is rarer, particularly in the case of a young male individual. The purpose of our case study is to follow a 21-year-old male patient who suffered an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the left foot and detail the presentation …

Multiple Variable Regression Assignment, Sam Loyd

Distinguished Student Scholarship Collection

This paper applies multiple linear regression analysis to examine whether life outlook and sociability predict happiness. Using a dataset of 38 observations, the study employs IBM SPSS to conduct exploratory data analysis, assess regression assumptions, and evaluate model validity. Key assumptions—including linearity, homoscedasticity, independence of residuals, multicollinearity, normality, and the presence of influential outliers—are systematically examined using statistical tests and visual diagnostics. While some deviations from normality and potential nonlinear patterns are identified, the analysis proceeds based on sample size considerations and overall assumption adequacy. Results indicate that the regression model is not statistically significant and explains only a small …

Connecting Children To Urban Environments Through Picture Books, Sophie Taylor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

More children than ever before live in urban locations, and many do not see their city streets and natural environments represented in picture books. In the midst of a climate crisis, educators and parents may be seeking environmental books and activities that seek to connect children to their natural communities. The purpose of this capstone project was to explore the importance of picture books in connecting children with their environment through the creation of an urban-based children’s book with embedded environmental terminology and concepts, as well as associated activities. A review of relevant literature uncovered five central themes: illustrated books’ …

Place-Based Environmental Education: Forming Connections To Your Local Environment And Community, Deanna Grelecki

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Growing research shows that engaging children in environmental education produces a myriad of benefits, such as improved social, physical, mental, and cognitive aspects of children' s wellbeing. Even with these beneficial outcomes, researchers find that a disconnect between youth and the natural world exists and is growing. This capstone answers the question, How can educators create place-based environmental education opportunities for middle school students?, and ultimately help students build positive relationships with the environment. Grounded in place-based environmental education and created for a rural community in Northern Illinois, this capstone project centers on a field study situated in a local …

A Set Of Grading Protocol Implementation Tools For A Unit Project In A High School Visual Arts Classroom, Brie-Anna Cabrera

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone explores the question: How can high school educators promote equity through their grading protocols? Realizing there is a gap in research combining the ideas of equity and grading, this paper uses culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and cultural and linguistic responsiveness as a lens to determine effectiveness of promoting equity through a variety of grading protocols. Using the concluding evidence and honing in on Guskey's idea of multiple grades, the research was organized into a framework for more equitable grading that can be translated to the visual arts. This research resulted in the creation of a set …

Rooted In Wonder: Cultivating A Connection To The Environment Through Nature-Based Learning In Central Mexico, Mikaela Tennis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Children are spending less time outdoors and feeling increasingly disconnected from the natural world. This reduced exposure and lack of interaction limits opportunities to form early connections with nature, which have lasting benefits into adulthood. Nature-based learning approaches have been proven to increase a sense of nature connectedness, which in turn strengthens one’s environmental attitudes and behaviors while supporting mental health and well-being. To address limited access to nature-based learning experiences in Central Mexico, this capstone draws from research on nature connectedness, nature-based learning, and nature center design to answer the question, How can a nature-based learning center be designed …

An Informal Environmental Education Curriculum To Help Learners Reconceptualize The Idea Of The “Wild”, Kimber Hendrix

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Philosophers posit that the “wild” is something often portrayed as elusive, dangerous, or out of reach. Research indicates that exposure to outdoor environments can yield positive outcomes. This project is designed to take learners into a specific outdoor environment and utilize Restorative Justice and Coyote Mentoring Techniques in order to assist them in reconceptualize their idea of “wild”. This project evolved into a ten-lesson curriculum designed for fourth- to sixth-grade learners, but it could be adapted for learners of any age. The curriculum is designed to take place in a consistent outdoor setting so that learners can build a relationship …

Implementing Outdoor And Nature-Based Learning For Infants And Toddlers, Kelly Kazeck

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many early childhood educators in Minnesota are expanding outdoor and nature-based learning opportunities because of the positive developmental benefits they offer children. Time spent outdoors supports social, emotional, cognitive, and physical learning while promoting positive relationships with peers and the natural world. This capstone research found that implementing outdoor and nature-based learning requires more specialized training, safety precautions, equipment, planning, and preparation than typical indoor programming. However, much of the research focuses on preschool-aged children, although implementation with infants and toddlers presents additional challenges and requires specific supports. Therefore, this capstone project answered the question, “What can infant and toddler …

Home And School Connection: Enhancing Middle School Literacy Through Family Involvement, Katherine Loveless

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

With continued declines in literacy rates within the United States and a notable lack of parental involvement within a middle school student’s educational journey, this capstone project looks to address both issues with a single project around middle school literacy nights. By means of an in-depth review of timely and relevant literature this capstone addresses the barriers that are frequently encountered for literacy based events such as rivaling expectations for involvement, socioeconomic barriers, scheduling conflicts, and language barriers. Through the development of this project, a resource-based website was created for event hosts, school leadership, and parents to rely on to …

Evolving Approaches To Teaching Secondary English Language Arts In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Timothy Crepeau

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Centered on the question of how to foster academic integrity while maintaining accountability for AI-assisted plagiarism in secondary English language arts (ELA) education, this project responds to the growing reality that students can outsource core cognitive tasks—reading, analysis, and writing—to AI tools. Informed by key influences from neuroscience and educational research, particularly studies on neural plasticity, the reading brain, and cognitive offloading, the project draws on scholarship by Collins, Wolf, and contemporary AI-in-education theorists. These influences underscore the central premise that meaningful learning is not merely demonstrated through output, but developed through the neurological processes activated by sustained cognitive effort. …

A Guide To Facilitating Outdoor Learning And Play Spaces That Foster Emotional Regulation In Elementary Aged Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Elizabeth Fish

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project addresses the research question: How do outdoor learning/play spaces aid in emotional regulation in students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) throughout the primary grades? The research examined in this paper explores the needs for high quality education focusing on the development of emotional regulation skills. The review of the literature shows clear emotional benefits of outdoor learning and play spaces for young children. This information prompted the writer to create an informational website for educators to use while planning and implementing outdoor learning experiences. While there is much more to be researched on this topic, the …

Social Emotional Learning In A High School Setting, Aaron Stack

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project examined the capstone question: How can one design and implement a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program for high school students? This topic is important as more and more students are exhibiting less desirable behaviors inside the classroom. While exploring this question, several key findings emerged. First, SEL programming in a high school setting may have a positive impact on students’ academic performance and behaviors. Second, there is no clear distinction between the effectiveness of the program as long as the SEL ideas are consistently explored. Based on these two findings, an SEL program was developed for high school …

The Causes, Effects Of, And Solutions To A Nation-Wide Reading Comprehension Decline And Answers To The Question Of What Can Teachers Do About It?, Otto Harris

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to research the causes and effects of the reading comprehension decline in America. The research question: What is causing this decline, and how can we combat it? stemmed from personal interest in this topic and its relevancy in the school district I taught in. Research into this topic revealed factors such as texts lacking relevance to student lives, inaccurate comprehension measurement tools being used year after year, and the lifelong effects of lowered reading comprehension on adults’ lives after high school. In response to this need, a capstone project was developed that would provide …

Geographies Of Change: Exploring Demographic Shifts & Civic Engagement Through Gis-Based Inquiry, Emily Murphy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed by my Capstone project was: How can an ArcGIS-based inquiry project about local demographic change be designed to engage students in civics and community identity? It is based within secondary social studies education, particularly human geography. Through a constructivist approach, this project applies key findings from research on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), geographic inquiry-based learning, spatial citizenship, and suburban demographic shifts. These highlight the instructional potential of ArcGIS for student-centered interactivity and spatial analysis, as well as challenges in implementation. Using a backwards-planning curriculum design methodology informed by Understanding by Design (UbD), this project develops a …

A Place-Based Approach To Teaching Dakota History In Sixth Grade Social Studies, John Hooper

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project explored the question: How can a culturally responsive, land-based field trip that centers on the history and perspectives of the Dakota people deepen middle school students’ historical understanding, identity development, and their personal connection to place? In an effort to move beyond traditional textbook-based teaching, this study analyzed how experiential and place-based strategies can foster more meaningful and inclusive learning opportunities. Key themes from the literature review included culturally sustaining pedagogy, land-based and experiential learning, and the value of centering Indigenous perspectives. Research indicates that immersing students in hands-on experiences, while increasing exposure to primary sources and …

The Impact Of Growth Mindset On Student Confidence And Performance In Mathematics, Micaela Büching

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many educators frequently hear their students claim they are simply not a “math person.” This common phrase reflects a fixed mindset that can strongly impact a student's academic journey. This capstone project addresses the research question: In what ways does a growth mindset framework impact student confidence, effort, and academic performance in mathematics? A comprehensive literature review revealed that while growth mindset is a powerful tool for equity, successful implementation requires a shift in teacher beliefs and the integration of growth-oriented pedagogical strategies into daily classroom practice. In response, a three-part professional development series was designed for K–5 educators, focusing …

Pathways To Inclusive Playgrounds For Children Of All Abilities, Stephanie Gainor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Meaningful play is essential for the well-being and development of children; however, both visible and invisible barriers continue to exclude many children with diverse needs from the opportunity to engage in meaningful play activities in their local communities. The purpose of this capstone project was to explore how community advocacy can be supported for more inclusive playground environments and to develop accessible resources to guide these efforts. Since World War II, growing awareness and commitment from communities has led to critical progress in the design of public playgrounds for children of all abilities to engage in meaningful participation in community …

From Viewing To Thinking: Developing Learner's Critical Thinking Skills By Engaging In Philosophical Discussions Through Films, Andrew Barnhart

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone presents the idea that having learners discuss philosophical ideas that have been introduced to them through films and readings, with films serving as the primary vehicle for introducing those ideas, has the potential to help them think critically. Philosophy helps learners to logically reason, which leads them to critically think. However, the research found that if educators over-rely on textbooks, it may cause learners to become passive learners who do not critically think about the ideas they are learning. To remedy this, the project created for this capstone is a guidebook that helps educators use film, primary literary …

Investigating Social Justice Implications Of Glyphosate Residues In Human Urine, Ananya Malhotra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Glyphosate, the nominal active ingredient in professional-grade Roundup weed and grass killer, is the most extensively used herbicide globally and in the United States (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2020). An increasing level of concern has surfaced regarding its health consequences, particularly because of contamination of our food supplies. Recent research indicates distressing levels of detection of glyphosate in human blood and urine samples, revealing many instances of frequent human exposure (Conrad et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2020).Most of the research about exposure is focused on agricultural workers or individuals living in close vicinity to agricultural lands.  Few …

Birthdate Phaseout To A Nicotine Free Generation, Katharine Silbaugh

University of Richmond Law Review

This Article explores the Nicotine Free Generation (“NFG”) policy, an emerging endgame strategy for tobacco products that employs a completely novel legal design. Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death, killing almost half of its users and imposing $600 billion in social costs each year. We see two basic choices for regulating sales: prohibition or a legal age-gate, such as twenty-one, for retail sales. NFG charts a third way. Recognizing the dire harm of tobacco and the serious consequences of abrupt prohibition, NFG lays the groundwork for a gradual transition to a sales sunset. In place of the twenty-one …

Synthesis Of Piperidine Heterocycles With Specific Functional Groups Via Sn2 Reactions, Teyanna Monroe

Honors Theses

Piperidine is a heavily utilized nitrogen containing heterocycle found in numerous pharmaceutical agents, solidifying its importance as a building block in drug development. The focus of this research is to investigate different mechanisms of action for adding and replacing various functional groups utilizing readily available lab materials. These findings would lead to determining the overall influence of substitution patterns and functional groups have on stereochemistry, reactivity, and overall conformation of the piperidine ring. The synthetic approach involves the formation of 3-bromo-5-methoxy-tosylpiperidine intermediate through acid promoted cyclization, followed by nucleophilic substitution reactions to introduce various functional groups. Reaction progress and product …

Cotheorizing Healing With Undergraduate Queer And Trans Latina Survivors Of Power-Based Violence, Kimberly Correa

Dissertations

Current research on healing from power-based violence highlights the importance of integrating victim-survivors’ personal culture and identities into healing approaches, yet few studies actually focus on the culturally distinct healing processes of victim-survivors (O’Brien & Macy, 2016; Sinko et al., 2023). Grounded in Jotería theory (Alvarez, 2023) and Latina/Chicana feminist frameworks (Garcia, 1989), this qualitative study employs queer pláticas as both a methodology and method to center culturally rooted dialogue, reciprocity, and cariño as a political praxis. This study explores how six queer and trans Latina undergraduate victim-survivors conceptualize healing from power-based violence and how their identities, cultural values, and …

Scrub Up For Success: Transforming Infection Control In Transplant Patients Through Microlearning Video And Poster – A Quality Improvement Project, Wendy Dio

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction and Background

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) threaten patient safety, affecting about 1 in 25 hospitalized patients. Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a significant contributor, impacting both high-risk groups and the general population. Proper hand hygiene is crucial for preventing CDI transmission. In the U.S., hospital-acquired CDI costs over $1.5 billion annually and causes nearly 500,000 cases and I15,000 deaths each year. California reported 3,526 CDI cases in acute care hospitals, with Loma Linda University hospitals accounting for 16 cases, or 23% of their health system's infection rate.

Methodology

Nurses in the 6A West-Transplant Unit received a PowerPoint presentation on when …

The Territorial Continuum: American Samoa, Criminal Adjudication, And Territorial Administration, Emmanuel Hiram Arnaud

Cardozo Law Review

The standard account of American territorial expansion posits that territorial acquisition moved along a spectrum of sovereignty. The federal government acquired new inhabited land through conquest or purchase, and the Constitution tasked Congress with organizing and administering the new territories until they were ready to become states. That pattern came to an abrupt halt in 1898 when, at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War, the Supreme Court, fearing the extension of citizenship to and the permanent integration of non-White populations into the American polity, suddenly pronounced that the Constitution authorized the holding of colonies. The Court thus sentenced new territories, …

Navigating Digital Margins: Folk Theories Of Content Moderation And The Information Practices Of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Communities On Tiktok, Valerie Angela Vera

Theses and Dissertations

Content moderation can reinforce stigma and limit access to much-needed information, including information on nonsuicidal self-injury. Despite its prevalence, the behavior remains highly stigmatized, prompting individuals to turn to social media platforms like TikTok for social support and harm reduction information. However, as algorithms are known to disproportionately moderate stigmatized content, users must navigate a careful balance between visibility and concealment, altering their information practices to avoid detection. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, this study explored how users navigate content moderation, negotiate visibility, and adapt their information practices in anticipation of and in response to moderation to create …

Brokering Safety, Chinmayi Sharma, Thomas E. Kadri, Sam Adler

Articles

For victims of abuse, safety means hiding. Not just hiding themselves, but also their contact details, their address, their workplace, their roommates, and any other information that could enable their abuser to target them. Yet today, no number of name changes and relocations can prevent data brokers from sharing a victim's personal information online. Thanks to brokers, abusers can find what they need with a single search, a few clicks, and a few dollars. For many victims, then, the best hope for safety lies in obscurity-that is, making themselves and their information harder to find.

This Article exposes privacy law's …

Implementation And Costs Of A Food Insecurity Resource Navigation Program For Primary Care Patients With Diabetes And Hypertension In South Carolina, Deeksha Gupta, Darin Thomas, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Alain H. Litwin, Joseph A. Ewing, Lynnette Ramos-Gonzalez, Lynnette Ramos-Gonzalez

Faculty Publications

Objective

To examine food insecurity resource navigation program costs and how navigation intensity relates to clinical outcomes, healthcare costs, and quality of life (QOL) for diabetes and/or hypertension patients.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients receiving resource navigation (July 12, 2021-December 31, 2022 with twelve-month follow-up) across three primary care practices in South Carolina's largest health system. Participants were 18+ years old (from electronic medical records/Epic), had food insecurity (from Hunger Vital Sign™), and diabetes and/or hypertension (from Epic registries). Matched controls came from food insecurity screening-only practices. Patients in each group (n= 219) had diabetes (9.13%), hypertension …