Maninder Kaur, BDS, assistant professor in the Department of PeriodontologyOral surgery is not for the faint of heart. Practitioners are “working in a small, highly vascularized cavity with sharp instruments on patients who are usually awake,” noted Jamie Hargett Howard, DMD, a resident in the School of Dentistry. It “can be a stressful process for both the patient and the surgeon.”
But nervous patients and young surgeons alike have an ally in Maninder Kaur, BDS, assistant professor in the Department of Periodontology. Howard was one of several current and former residents and students whose recommendations helped earn Kaur selection as one of the 12 faculty to receive a 2019 UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Kaur’s “vibrant personality” and “her passion for teaching and mentoring young clinicians” were significant factors in attracting Yousuf Al-Aboosi, DDS, and Katie Martin, DMD, to UAB’s periodontology residency program. “Her ability to relate to her students and residents is unmatched,” Al-Aboosi and Martin wrote in a joint nomination letter. “Dr. Kaur always encouraged us to overcome our self-doubt and reminded us that she too was once a resident and she faced the same challenges.”
One example is etched in Al-Aboosi’s mind. With the deadline for submitting his thesis proposal approaching, he needed help; so Kaur hired a babysitter for her 13-month-old and set aside several hours to work with him during a weekend.
“Even in the midst of a busy day, as she attends to a flock of students, she is approachable and patient,” said dental student Ishita Johal. “She teaches us chairside, explaining the rationale behind every decision and how to go about a particular case in the best possible way.” During lectures, Johal added, “her energy filled the room.” Kaur’s passion makes “traditionally less-exciting topics, such as the role of dental plaque in oral disease, into stimulating discussions,” Howard agreed.
| “Even in the midst of a busy day, as she attends to a flock of students, she is approachable and patient. She teaches us chairside, explaining the rationale behind every decision and how to go about a particular case in the best possible way.” |
In 2015, Kaur earned the Educator Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring in Periodontics from the American Academy of Periodontology. Her research has been published in publications such as the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, the Oral Hygiene Journal and General Dentistry.
Kaur “excels in explaining complicated surgical procedures in a way that is easily understood even to first-year residents,” Howard said. What’s more, she “maintains a positive attitude and a calm demeanor in every clinical scenario,” which is critical, Howard noted, because “the attending surgeon’s attitude has a huge impact on the resident’s level of confidence and the patient’s level of comfort.”
Kaur’s intervention also ensures that many patients are even treated at all, Howard added. UAB’s student periodontal clinic sees “many pediatric patients affected by aggressive periodontal disease,” Howard said. “Unfortunately, many of the procedures required to treat these cases are not covered by Medicaid, limiting their guardians’ ability to afford care. Dr. Kaur is often willing to significantly reduce the fees for procedures in order to make them more affordable.”
