Y2K weekend information provided

Before leaving work on New Year's Eve or earlier, employees should turn off and unplug any computer that does not need to run continuously. This is a precaution against power spikes, although none are expected on Y2K Day.

Monday, Jan. 3, is designated the Y2K Holiday and is a skeleton crew workday at the Health Science Center.

Paychecks for salaried employees will be distributed Friday, Dec. 31, instead of Jan. 3. The checks will be dated Jan. 3 and reported as 2000 income. Employees paid by direct deposit will not be affected.

Hourly employees will receive their paychecks as usual on Dec. 31 and these checks can be deposited the same day.

Esthetic dentistry becomes treatment of choice

The technique of bonding, for example, has made huge advances since the '80s. New adhesives that bond to the dentin of the tooth, the living material underlying the enamel, have largely been responsible for the revolution. Dentists once bonded teeth by attaching porcelain to enamel; if a patient's enamel was damaged, there was little a dentist could do, short of filing down the tooth and capping it.

With old bonding methods, the surface of the tooth could look unnatural or uneven, and the color seldom matched the rest of the teeth. Now, Dr. Barghi said, dentists can accomplish more "dynamic" restorations, called veneers.

With veneers, tooth color and appearance is much more even, because the color is determined by the color of the tooth itself. The tooth surfaces are lightly prepared, then porcelain is applied directly to the dentin. The tooth structure is reduced minimally, and the color comes from the inside, so color matching is less of a problem.

In as few as three visits, a patient can have a more attractive smile,Ó Dr. Barghi said.

If a patient's teeth are discolored or yellowed, then they should be bleached first, Dr. Barghi said. "If the color is not ideal, then it will be more difficult to change it with veneers," he added.

Bleaching has been another major development in esthetic dentistry and has created the most public awareness of the field. In fact, bleaching is the treatment of choice for patients who visit their dentists for cosmetic reasons.

The safest bleaching method, Dr. Barghi said, is the at-home treatment prescribed by a dentist and approved by the American Dental Association (ADA). Contrary to popular opinion, bleaching won't soften or weaken teeth. Some people can notice a difference within one week, others within three or four, depending on age or discoloration. After the initial treatment, dentists recommend a maintenance program, in which teeth are re-treated in one or two sessions at home every six months.

Patients may sometimes need a combination of treatments to improve the smile line. These may include measures to correct malocclusion (bad bite), orthodontics, jaw surgery and gum surgery to lengthen the teeth. People with a "gummy" smile can have their gums cut back and the bone moved up to improve their appearance.

The Dental School has been a front-runner in the field of esthetic dentistry. It was one of the first schools to offer a complete curriculum in this area. Dr. Barghi founded the division in the early '90s, and now speaks nationally and internationally on the subject.

Emergency closing policy

When severe weather hits, turn on TV, radio

For employees, that means paying attention to newscasts when the roads are icy. News notification is part of the Health Science Center's emergency closing policy found in the Handbook of Operating Procedures.

The policy states that the Health Science Center will remain open in severe weather unless conditions are such that the majority of faculty, staff and students are unable to travel safely to the campus.

If the president or his designee determines that the Health Science Center should be closed, the executive director of public affairs and development will be informed and will notify university police, other designated personnel and the news media, including major radio and television stations.

In general, this notification will take place no earlier than 9 p.m. the previous evening and no later than 6 a.m. of the day in question. If the media does not make an announcement, it may be assumed that the Health Science Center is open.

Faculty, staff and students are expected to make every reasonable effort to meet their assigned responsibilities. If the Health Science Center is not closed but an employee believes he cannot make it in safely, he should inform his supervisor by telephone as soon as possible and his absence will be charged to his leave balance or result in reduction of pay.

If an employee has essential responsibilities as defined by his department and carries them out during a time of official closing, that person may earn compensatory time equal to the time worked.

The Health Science Center also may close if a severe power outage or other emergency situation develops. The emergency closing policy includes a section on closures during the workday.

Calendar for Jan. 3 - 9

Tuesday, January 4
8:00 a.m.
Medical Housestaff Specialty Conf. (MED: 409L)

Thursday, January 6
7:30 a.m.
Thoracic Surgery Resident Teaching Conf. (VA: 4th-floor CT Library A404)
Noon
Pulmonary, Thoracic & Oncology Conf. (MED: 309L)
Noon
Microbiology Seminar "Studies on the Replication & Natural History of Human Papillomavirus," Dr. Craig Meyers, Pennsylvania State University (MED: 444B)
4:00 p.m.
Surgery Tumor Conf., Dr. Anatolio Cruz (MED: 209L)
4:30 p.m.
Citywide Thoracic Grand Rounds "Case Presentation," Dr. Claudio Guareschi (MED: 309L)

Friday, January 7
7:30 a.m.
Pediatric Grand Rounds "The San Antonio Children's Blood Pressure Study," Dr. Myung Park (MED: 409L)
8:00 a.m.
Rehab Medicine Lecture Series "Management of the Immobilized Patient: A Review of the Literature," Drs. Anna-Louise Molette & Mark Fredrickson (UH: Reeves Rehab Center 3rd-floor classroom)