Ava Chow, RDH, DipDH, BSc, MSc, MEd, PhD (Medical Sciences)

Area of Study / Keywords

caveolin apoptosis phosphorylation hypoxia/reoxygenation caspase cardiovascular tooth stain spectrophotometer

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About

Though Dr. Ava Chow is a native of Edmonton, she completed her B. Sc (Physiology and Psychology double major) at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. She then proceeded to complete her M.Sc (Cellular and molecular medicine- Physiology) under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Hogan at the University of Ottawa. Her dissertation work examined the mechanisms that underlie cortical spreading depression-induced neuroprotection. Dr. Chow then returned to Edmonton where she completed her Dental Hygiene Diploma at the University of Alberta, prior to beginning her Ph.D (Medical sciences- Paediatrics) with Dr. Richard Schulz. During her Ph.D training, Dr. Chow remained active with the Dental Hygiene Program, teaching Oral Biology courses. Her Ph.D work examined the intracellular regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 using physiological, cellular and molecular biology techniques. This work was the first to discover that the protein caveolin-1 was capable of inhibiting the destructive capability of the matrix metalloproteinase-2 enzyme, and, as a result, received numerous local, national and international awards.

 Dr. Chow joined the Department of Dentistry as a tenure stream Assistant Professor in September 2010 and currently coordinates DHYG 250, DHYG 251 and DHYG 317 and is also involved with teaching Oral Biology to the DDS students. 

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Research

�Cardiovascular effects of oral inflammatory disease
�Regulation of apoptotic cell death
�Intercellular communication
�Prevention of tea-induced extrinsic tooth stain
�Caveolin regulation of apoptotic cell death
�Role of caveolin on bacterial internalization

D HYG 200B - Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology for the Dental Hygienist

This course introduces human anatomy and physiology. A systems-based approach is used, with exploration of the relevance to the oral cavity and dental hygiene practice. Prerequisites: BIOL 107 or equivalent; plus 6 credits in post-secondary level chemistry.

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D HYG 251B - Anatomical Structures for Dental Hygiene Practice

The first part of the course focuses on tooth nomenclature, anatomy and considerations of function. The second part of the course focuses on anatomy of the head and neck as it relates to dental hygiene practice.

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OBIOL 202B - Oral Biology I

This course will cover the microscopic structure of cells and tissues that make up human body systems with in-depth exploration of the microscopic structure and development of the oral cavity.

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Browse more courses taught by Ava Chow

Can J Dent Hyg. 2022 June; 56 (2):90-97 https://files.cdha.ca/profession/journal/2772.pdf

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Chow A.K., Sharmin N.

Healthcare Informatics Research. 2021 October; 27 (4):335-340 10.4258/HIR.2021.27.4.335

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Shahab M, Compton SM, Chow AK

Can J Dent Hyg. 2021 June; 55 (2):95-100 https://files.cdha.ca/profession/journal/2746.pdf

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Sharmin N., Chow A.K., Dong A.S., Milos N.C.

Healthcare Informatics Research. 2021 April; 27 (2):146-152 10.4258/HIR.2021.27.2.146

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Journal of dental education. 2021 February; 10.1002/jdd.12552