Every December, first-year students in the UW School of Dentistry's Department of Orthodontics take part in a bite—er, rite—of passage: creating sculptures using the tools of their new trade. The wire sculptures are then judged at an annual celebration for the outgoing graduates. Since the contest began in 1966, students have crafted everything from foosball tables to spinning globes using wire and dental acrylic. Alfonso Navarette took the top spot last year with his red acrylic spider and well-soldered web, complete with tiny flies. He and his creation were photographed by Erin Lodi on March 20, 2009.