Thomas official to talk on cloud security at May 31 technology summit

Chris Rhoda, Thomas College’s vice president for information services and chief information officer, is scheduled to speak May 31 at the Maine Technology Users Group’s annual Information Technology Summit in Portland.

Rhoda will explain how to use Office 365 Secure Score to Enhance Your Microsoft Cloud Security.

Thomas College has been using Microsoft Cloud for four years, and security is a large part of his and his staff’s job.

Rhoda has worked for Thomas as both a staff member and an adjunct associate professor for 30 years. He oversees the information and technology areas of library and information technology services and is a member of the President’s Council. He also consults and works with various nonprofit organizations.

Rhoda has given presentations at various state, regional and national workshops, seminars and conferences. Rhoda lives in Belgrade with his wife and two children and is a volunteer in their schools.

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The Waterville college offers undergraduate degrees in computer information systems, security and cyberdefense, and computer science, as well as a master’s degree in cybersecurity.

Center picks Maine companies to participate in Accelerator program

The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs and its sponsor, FocusMaine, have announced the companies that have been selected into the 2018–2019 Cultivator Food, Beverage & Agriculture Accelerator program.

The companies are Belle Cove, LLC; Black Dinah Chocolatiers; Crown O’Maine Organic Cooperative; Mousam Valley Mushrooms; North Spore; Two Fat Cats Bakery; and Vena’s Fizz House, according to the a news release from the center.

The center’s Cultivator program will support the growth of these companies over the next 12 months by providing hands-on strategic assessments and planning sessions, tailored professional resources, and interactive business forums focused on overcoming the specific strategic challenges they face as they attempt to grow and scale.

The program kicked off April 23 when selected companies provided samples of their products and were introduced to members of the Cultivator support network, including representatives from MCE; FocusMaine; Verrill Dana, LLC; Norway Savings Bank; and Coastal Enterprises, Inc.

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In addition to FocusMaine, MCE and the Maine Mentor Network, the Cultivator program also is backed directly by a council of advisors with years of expertise and connections in the food industry who will serve as “ambassadors” supporting the Cultivator program and the growth of Maine’s food economy.

The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs is supported by FocusMaine, the Maine Technology Institute, the U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Camden National Bank, and the Upstart Center for Entrepreneurship. Other corporate sponsors, local businesses, partner organizations, program advisors and mentors also contribute to the program.

Maine Dental Association wins accolades at annual conference in Chicago

The Maine Dental Association, based in Manchester, took first place in two categories of awards given for membership outreach at the recent American Dental Association annual conference on membership in Chicago, according to an association news release.

In the category of 501-to-1,000 active licensed members, the Maine Dental Association was presented the awards for greatest net gain of new dentists and greatest net gain in membership for 2017. Dr. Rodrigo Romano, chairman of the ADA Council on Membership, presented the awards to MDA representatives.

The increase in members can be attributed, in large part, to the effect of the University of New England College of Dental Medicine’s graduation of its first class in 2017.

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“There were 24 Maine residents in our first graduating class, and two-thirds are practicing in Maine,” said Dr. James Koelbl, Executive Associate Dean of the University of New England College of Dental Medicine, according to the release. “There are also a number of Mainers who are attending postgraduate programs who are expected to return to Maine.”

HealthReach awarded $7,000 grant to boost dental education in schools

The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation recently awarded a $7,000 grant to HealthReach Community Health Centers for support of the Dental Outreach Program in area schools.

Two of HealthReach’s 11 practices, the Bingham and Strong area health centers, offer family dentistry. In addition, Bethel Family Health Center provides pediatric hygienist services. In 2017, 3,612 patients received 7,244 oral health visits at HealthReach practices, according to a news release from Joshua D’Errico, communications and outreach specialist at HealthReach Community Health Centers.

The dental centers provide comprehensive oral health services to people of all ages in the dentally underserved communities of western Maine. Private insurance and MaineCare are accepted and a sliding fee scale is offered to eligible patients, based on family size and income.

In addition to providing oral health services to patients, the dental staff is involved in community education and prevention initiatives. One HealthReach hygienist offers dental health education in three school districts. In two Franklin County school systems — Flagstaff Regional School Unit and School Administrative District 58 — she works with students in pre-kindergartner through 12th grade. In Oxford County, she offers oral health classes to second-graders.

Compiled from contributed releases


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