School of Dentistry under fire from critics
By Robert Faturechi
Nov. 14, 2007 9:55 p.m.
After bearing two scandals in two days, many students and faculty in the School of Dentistry are demanding accountability. Some said they hoped that top officials would step down or be dismissed soon.
On Tuesday, a months-long Daily Bruin investigation exposed a system of preferential treatment in admissions for the relatives of major donors within the orthodontics residency program.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reported that a number of dentistry students are currently being investigated by the American Dental Association for cheating on licensing exams.
The students, some of whom have graduated, allegedly obtained and shared exam questions among themselves and with a network of other dentistry students at New York University, the University of Southern California and Loma Linda University, sources said.
Officials at the School of Dentistry are weathering a barrage of bad press as a result, with local television, radio and print news outlets across the state reporting on the two scandals.
Many dentistry students and faculty are worried their department’s reputation as an elite public school is at risk.
“There are a few people who ruined our reputation but that doesn’t represent the whole school,” said third-year dentistry student Shanna Kim.
The university, which conducted its own investigation into orthodontics admissions earlier this year, has maintained that violations within the residency program are “unsubstantiated.”
Hundreds of pages of e-mails and internal documents obtained by The Bruin, and dozens of interviews, indicate otherwise. According to such evidence, the residency program, in at least four of the last five years, violated University of California policy by advancing applicants related to major donors over other students despite their lower test scores and grades.
In one instance, an admissions board member told an applicant that a $60,000 gift could greatly improve his chances to be admitted.
The university’s investigation report made a number of recommendations for the admissions process, which have been implemented, said Lawrence Lokman, the assistant vice chancellor of communications.
Many students interviewed Wednesday said they hoped for a stronger response from the university.
“People need to be made examples of. You need accountability and a slap on the wrist isn’t always the way to go,” third-year dentistry student Ted Baghdasarian said, adding that he hoped Dean No-Hee Park would resign or be dismissed soon.
Park released a statement reiterating that a university investigation found no evidence to substantiate allegations of a preferential admissions system within the orthodontics residency.
“I am confident that the school will emerge from current challenges stronger and even more purposeful in its mission,” the statement reads.
Several faculty have expressed their lack of confidence in Park.
“We have corrupt leadership,” faculty member Dr. John Beumer said, who resigned as chair of the faculty senate body within the school in protest of a lack of university response to admissions violations.
“These guys are corrupt. The truth doesn’t matter to them, money matters to them and the dean’s office is filled with yes-men. It’s a culture of corruption. It’s a sewer,” he said.
The scandals were made public as the UC regents convened at UCLA. In an interview with reporters during Wednesday’s meeting, UC Chief Operating Officer Wyatt Rory Hume said he believed the incident in orthodontics was isolated and expressed faith in Chancellor Gene Block’s ability to handle the allegations.
With reports from Udeitha Srimushnam, Bruin senior staff.
