Care with compassion
Bill Collins, DMD ’91, brings his passion for working with patients in recovery to western Kentucky, where he now serves as director of the School of Dentistry’s Paducah location.
Also in this issue: Alumni council updates & events
2024 ULSD Alumni Fellow: Dr. Ann Windchy And more!
OUR MISSION: To be the benchmark for dental education, patient-centered care, and groundbreaking research.
Dean’s message:
Successful reaccreditation highlight’s ULSD’s commitment to exceptional education, research, and clinical operations
Dear Alumni & Friends,
I have great news to share since our last newsletter!
During its August 8, 2024, meeting, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements” for the UofL School of Dentistry’s dental predoctoral education program, advanced dental education programs in endodontics, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, prosthodontics, and allied dental education program in dental hygiene.
This status means these programs are approved to continue operations without additional monitoring/ reevaluation from CODA and the next site visit will occur on the typical accreditation cycle. Our next scheduled site visit for these programs will take place in 2030.
Essentially, ULSD’s successful reaccreditation upholds the value of a degree earned from our school. That isn’t just important for our current students. It’s also important for our alumni who take great pride in their alma mater.
In my 30+ years working at ULSD, I have been through many site visits. You would think they would get easier, but they don’t! Although a site visit is a lot of work, ultimately this peer review process helps to maintain the integrity of dental education and the dental profession so it’s worth every ounce of effort. Thank you to everyone who rose to the challenge and met it!
Go Cards, Margaret Hill, DMD ’87, GPR ’88 Interim Dean
Your support makes a difference!
From endowed chairs to one-time donations, gifts from our alumni and friends allow us to attract and retain the best and brightest students, residents, and faculty.
Donate today to sustain a legacy of support and assistance at the School of Dentistry.
Cover Story
• Care with compassion: Bill Collins, DMD ’91, assumes clinical director position at ULSD’s Paducah location
Council Updates
• ULSD Alumni Council
• Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council
• ULSD Orthodontic Alumni Council
• Photo gallery: Orthodontic Alumni Council Annual Meeting
Alumni News
• In the news: Alumni updates
• Dr. Ann Windchy honored as 2024 ULSD Alumni Fellow
• In memoriam: Dr. Shelly L. Caulder, Sr.
• Class of 2024 graduation photos
• 2024 reunion photos
ULSD News
• ULSD students and residents take part in fall research events
• ULSD Outreach Scholars cover the Commonwealth with care
• Faculty profile: Dr. Tiffany McPheeters
• Faculty & staff news
• Photo gallery: Fall & winter at ULSD
Calendar
• Event Calendar
On the cover:
Bill Collins, DMD ’91, at the School of Dentistry’s Paducah location. Photo by Paige Moore
Care with compassion: Bill Collins, DMD ’91, assumes clinical director position at ULSD’s Paducah location
Dr. Bill Collins’ philosophy of care is simple: “Everyone, regardless of financial or social status, deserves quality care.”
That philosophy guided him during many years in private practice in Pikeville, Kentucky. It continued to guide him over the past six years as dental director for Red Bird Dental Clinic in Beverly, Kentucky. And since August 2024, it has guided him in his new role as the director of the University of Louisville School of Dentistry practice in Paducah, Kentucky.
We interviewed Dr. Collins about his new role and his passion for helping people – especially those for whom dental care plays a key role in making a lasting change in their lives.
What did you learn working with the population at Red Bird do you take with you to patients in western Kentucky?
The two areas have a lot in common. It’s the same population. They’re underserved. They don’t have dental insurance. Many are in recovery. This is what I’ve done for the past 30 years – helping the underserved or the people that didn’t have access to it or didn’t have the ability to pay.
How did you become involved in treating patients in recovery?
I started treating recovery patients in 2010. At first I started just seeing general recovery patients, but then later I got to work with patients that were in-house. Especially the female patients who had children or were pregnant – it really hit my heart.
How does dental care transform lives for people who are in recovery?
First, remember that drug addiction is not for one or two years. It’s a span of several years. Often when someone is dealing with drug addition, their dental hygiene is not very good. They tend to consume a lot of citric acid soft drinks and it decays the teeth.
You can send a patient through recovery but if you don’t address what people see, they’re stigmatized as still being an addicted patient – so it’s crucial that we fix oral health problems with this group.
We recently made dentures for a woman in recovery who had a lot of decayed teeth. Afterwards, she immediately got a management job at a local store. She couldn’t get a job before her new dentures. People just wouldn’t hire her.
Do you see that getting dental problems taken care of helps with overall health, too?
You do, yes. I had one patient who was pregnant and in recovery. She’d been on antibiotics for around six or seven months with abscessed teeth. It got to the point that antibiotics weren’t working, and she was within one month of delivery. So I, along with a team of UofL School of Dentistry students, took several teeth out just to get her out of danger and get her baby out of danger.
The Paducah dental clinic has served thousands of patients since it opened about five years ago – but that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the need, isn’t it?
It is. Although we see a lot of patients from Paducah and McCracken County, this location really is drawing patients from about five to seven counties. There’s a huge issue with access to care for people who have Medicaid or don’t have the ability to pay.
What would you say to people who are thinking of making an appointment but they’re anxious about going to a dentist – especially if it’s been a long time since they had dental care?
We’re not going to do anything the first day. Come in and meet us, talk to us, get to know us. We’ll go at your pace.
As part of this job, you are treating patients and also teaching students. What do you think is the most rewarding part of the teaching part of your job?
It’s when you see a student and that light bulb turns on and they get it. They realize why they’re here and what they’re doing. It’s not all about money anymore. It’s about seeing their patient happy. That’s when everything clicks.
I also hope I’m educating the next rural dentist. We need more dentists in the rural areas, and I like having the chance to carry that message to them.
“We need more dentists in the rural areas, and I like having the chance to carry that message to [students].”
- Dr. Bill Collins
Support the School of Dentistry’s external clinics
Gifts to the School of Dentistry Annual Fund help us offer clinical outreach opportunities across Kentucky. Give now
More about outreach at our external clinics
Story and photography by Paige Moore
Council update:
ULSD Alumni Council
Greetings, Louisville Dental alumni!
We had an incredible time at our Fall Tailgate on September 21, 2024, hosted by the Alumni Council for our students. It was a fantastic day of camaraderie, food, and Cardinal spirit as we cheered on UofL together. Connecting with students and fellow alumni in such a fun setting was a great reminder of the strong community we share. You can see more photos at louisville.edu/dentistry/alumni/event-photos.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that we are hoping to get a Continuing Education (CE) event at Clayton & Crume on the books. This will be a unique opportunity to expand your knowledge while enjoying one of Louisville’s premier leather goods shops. Stay tuned for more details!
Due to the success of our last tailgate, we’re already planning another Alumni Tailgate for Fall 2025. We can’t wait to bring everyone together again for another unforgettable day.
Thank you for your continued support—Go Cards!
Sean Aiken, DMD ’18, MS President, ULSD Alumni Council
ULSD Alumni Council members
Officers
Dr. Sean A. Aiken ’18, President
Dr. Kristen E. George ’09, Immediate Past President
Directors
Dr. Babatunde Agbola ’16
Dr. Jacob R. Bishop ’16
Dr. Tyler J. Brockman ’23
Dr. Aaron T. Brown ’18
Dr. Chaney M. Brown ’23
Dr. Ansley H. Depp ’93
Andrea M. Edelen, DH ’97
Dr. Brooks A. Laffoon ’23
Dr. Dennis A. Perry Sr. ’83
Dr. Mark J. Schulte ’77
Dr. Jenna R. Schulten ’10
Dr. Jay B. Sheats II ’99
Dr. Kelly A. Underwood ’06
Dr. Crunchy T. Wells ’95
Dr. Tony Wells ’96, ’99
Council update:
Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council
Fellow Alumni,
Thank you to everyone who attended and/or supported our 2024 Dental Hygiene Legacy Symposium on Saturday, October 12 at the University Club. We had great turnout for the event, which included:
• The annual Floss Walk
• CE sessions on cone beam computed tomography, Botox as an emerging practice for the dental office and medical emergencies
• A very well-attended vendor product showcase
Please keep your contact information updated on the Louisville Alumni website to get information about upcoming events.
Finally, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to our newest alumni from the classes of 2024 and 2025. We look forward to your involvement in our thriving dental hygiene alumni community.
Virginia L. Woodward, RDH ’71 Chair, Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council
Dental Hygiene Legacy Alumni Council members
Officers & Directors
Virginia L. Woodward, DH ’71, Chair
Pamela D. Barnes, DH ’77
Mary Ann Burch, DH ’68
Dr. Sharon C. Carpenter, DH ’75
Julie L. Drury, DH ’01
Andrea M. Edelen, DH ’97
Adam C. Hall, DH ’11
Jennifer L. Hasch, DH ’13
Linda P. Lewis, DH ’85
Amanda R. Lynch, DH ’05
ULSD Advisors
Sara Dunaway, Ex-officio member, DH Academic Counselor, Sr.
Dr. Jacqueline A. Singleton, Dental Hygiene Program Director
Council update:
ULSD Orthodontic Alumni Council
Dear Ortho Alumni,
Our Orthodontic Alumni Council hosted another successful meeting this year, sponsored by Solventum, at Lynn Family Stadium. The event saw a record number of sponsors and was well attended. Dr. David Wyatt was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of his 30+ years of teaching. We also announced that Dr. Sudha Gudhimella has accepted the position of Program Director. With her qualifications, we are thrilled to have her on board.
This year, our seniors achieved record board scores, and we want to extend our gratitude to all alumni who contribute to funding this important test. A big thank you as well to those alumni who participate in our Lunch and Learn program, which has been a huge success, providing residents with valuable insights into the real-world orthodontic practice.
Looking ahead, we have made a few updates to our program. We plan to accept 7 residents each year, which will include one Army resident and one intern.
Our next gathering will be the AAO reception in Philadelphia on April 25, 2025, at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Additionally, our next Orthodontic Alumni Association Annual Meeting will be held on October 24, 2025, in Louisville.
For more from the Orthodontic Alumni Council and the Orthodontics program, check out our most recent newsletter at louisville.edu/dentistry/ortho-newsletter.
Go Cards!
Robert E. Spiller Jr. ’80, ’90 Chair, Orthodontic Alumni Council
ULSD Orthodontic Alumni Council members
Officers
Dr. Robert E. Spiller Jr. ’80, ’90, Chair
Dr. Lauren Renaud ’18, ’20, Vice Chair
Dr. Jacob H. Britt ’21, 1st Director and Secretary
Dr. Ariel B. Wong ’20, 2nd Director
Dr. Carl D. Gioia ’11, ’13, Immediate Past Chair
Directors
Dr. Raina S. Chandiramani ’18
Dr. Jared O. Dean ’09
Dr. Ralph J. DeDomenico ’74, ’77
Dr. Amy B. Farnsworth ’92, ’95
Dr. Eric W. Hickman ’95
Dr. Scott Q. Little ’85
Dr. John K. Newcomb ’07
Dr. Krushan C. Patel ’19
Dr. Danielle L. Periago ’05, ’07
Dr. Carmen A. Quirk ’17, ’19
Dr. David C. Small ’95
Dr. Justin M. Tristler ’12
Resident Representative
Dr. Kiara Kim ’26
Dr. Brittany Gehlhausen ’26
Photo gallery:
Orthodontic Annual Meeting
During the 2023 Orthodontic Alumni Association Annual Meeting, David Wyatt ’93 (pictured at right with his daughter Daisy Wyatt ’24 and Robert E. Spiller Jr. ’80, ’90) received the Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Sierra Burick (pictured below with Amy B. Farnsworth ’92, ’95) received the Robert A. Escher Endowed Graduate Orthodontics Scholarship. It was a beautiful October day, so many of the attendees gathered for a photo on the field at Lynn Family Stadium.
Alumni updates
Amy B. Farnsworth, DMD ’92, Orthodontics ’95
Dr. Farnsworth has received one of the University of Louisville’s highest honors: the Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement’s Alumni Volunteer Award. Dr. Farnsworth has been a member and leader of the University’s alumni council for 10 years, in addition to serving on the Orthodontic Alumni Council, hosting lunch and learns with ULSD Orthodontic residents, mentoring DMD students, and running her practice.
Lisa Foushee-Conard, DMD ’87
Dr. Conard was elected as the 2024-25 President of the Indiana Dental Association by the organization’s second House of Delegates. In this role, she has had the opportunity to advocate for the profession in many ways, including an address to dentists and dentistry students at IDA’s annual Dental Day at the Capitol. Dr. Conard opened Gentle Family Dentistry in Lebanon, Indiana, in 1990. She has been a member of organized dentistry since joining ASDA as a student.
Whitney James, DMD ‘17
Dr. James has received the Serve Kentucky Society Governor’s Service Award in honor of her commitment to providing essential dental care to underserved populations. Dr. James is dentist and director of mobile operations for Kare Mobile — a mobile dentistry practice based out of Madisonville, Kentucky. The practice is dedicated to Medicaid recipients, nursing homes, places for incarceration, and people without insurance.
Jennifer Wheeler, DMD ’09
Dr. Wheeler has been installed as President of the Greater St. Louis Dental Society (GSLDS), She is originally from Independence, Kentucky, and owns Wheeler Family Dental in Chesterfield, Missouri. She got involved with the dental society hoping to network to get her first associateship. She has since served as an executive officer, chair of the St. Louis delegation to the Missouri House of Delegates, and is currently a Missouri delegate to the American Dental Association’s House of Delegates.
Let us know when you, or a fellow graduate, receive special recognition so we may celebrate your success! Send alumni updates to Danielle Brown, ULSD Alumni Affairs, at 502-852-5077 or danielle.brown.10@louisville.edu Looking to hire a dentist, sell your practice, or sell equipment? ULSD is here to help! Our office of Alumni Affairs and Continuing Education provides a complimentary service where you can post job opportunities, practices for sale, and dental equipment for sale. Save this link, as postings are updated frequently!
Dr. Ann Windchy honored as 2024 ULSD Alumni Fellow
Dr. Ann Windchy has been selected as the 2024 University of Louisville School of Dentistry Alumni Fellow.
Dr. Windchy received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1967, her Master of Business Administration in 1971, and her Doctor of Dental Medicine in 1980, all from the University of Louisville. She completed a Residency in Prosthodontics in 1986, also at the University of Louisville.
Dr. Windchy taught at the School of Dentistry from 1980 to 2013. During that time, she received several awards for exceptional teaching. Dr. Windchy is active in the local arts community and also provides free lectures and seminars to dentists and dental students on her YouTube channel .
In memoriam: Dr. Shelly L. Caulder, Sr.
After Dr. Caulder completed his DMD degree at ULSD in 1957, he made the Army a full time career obtaining his certificate in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, serving in the Vietnam War as an Oral Surgeon, and retiring as a Lt. Colonel.
He returned to ULSD and became Professor in the Oral Surgery Department under Chair Dr. Leon Fiedler and Residency Director Dr. Brian Alpert. Dr. Caulder was loved by his residents and students. He will be remembered for his gentle nature and always having a smile on his face. Current department chair Dr. George Kushner describes him as “a true Southern gentleman.”
After his retirement, Dr. Caulder stayed active with ULSD committees and routinely came to Oral Surgery teaching rounds at the ACB. He enjoyed interacting with the OMS residents and faculty. Dr. Caulder made a lifetime of friends and colleagues within the field of dentistry and the specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Room 125 at ULSD is dedicated as the “MansfieldCaulder Lecture Room” to recognize his many contributions to our school.
Dr. Caulder passed away February 12, 2025, at the age of 94. He will surely be missed by all who knew him.
DMD Class of 2024
2024 Reunions
ULSD alumni from all over the country returned to Louisville during the weekend of June 14-15, 2024, for ULSD reunion weekend celebrating class years ending in 4 and 9. See more photos at louisville.edu/dentistry/alumni/event-photos.
DMD Class of 1974
DMD Class of 2014 DMD
This year’s reunion weekend will honor DMD and Dental Hygiene classes ending in 0 and 5 from 1970 to 2020.
Details & registration: uoflalumni.org/dentistry-reunions
We all want patients who say “yes” to treatment, show up on time, consistently reappoint, refer friends and family members and more. It’s not that difficult to accomplish, and it all begins with providing a memorable patient experience – from the time they call on the phone until the time they leave with a beautiful smile! This fun, fast-paced course is perfect for all doctors and team members who want to easily take their practice to a level they never thought possible!
In this course Dr. Madow takes a “deep dive” into steps that can turn any practice into one that is highly productive, extremely profitable, patient-centric, team oriented, and FUN! Plus, everyone will laugh so much they won’t believe they’re at a dental seminar!
ULSD students and residents take part in fall research events
Dozens of students and residents presented their research at UofL’s annual Research!Louisville event in September 2024. Award winners from the School of Dentistry include:
• Jared Williams - PGN_1777, a peptidolytic bleomycin hydrolase, is a potential tobacco-essential gene of Porphyromonas gingivalis.
• Samrat Tanwani - Effect of Ionizing Radiation on the Bond Strength to Enamel
• Abigail Hacker - Evaluating the Impact of Tazarotene on Wound Healing in Surgically Damaged Mouse
Submandibular Gland Tissues
• Amanda Dilliha - Antimicrobial Properties of DETA/ NONOate Impregnated Power Chains
• Holland Bakker- Accuracy of digital scan approaches for complete denture duplication.
• Jung-Woo Hong - Comparison of soft tissue analysis between portable facial scanner (Revopoint Pop2), 3dMD face system, and Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Several students also participated in the fall 2024 AADOCR Kentucky Section meeting. Award winners from UofL include:
• Arjun Patel - Differential Growth of Treponema Denticola with gene deletions
• Jacob Spencer - Peptoids as a Novel Therapy for Early Childhood Caries
• Holland Bakker - Accuracy of digital scan approaches for complete denture duplication
Fall research events wrapped up in November at the 2024 Hinman Student Research Symposium in Memphis. Jung Woo Hong and Jared Williams represented ULSD at the event.
1. Jung Woo Hong and Jared Williams at the Hinman Student Research Symposium in Memphis
2. Reiser Wells at Research!Louisville
3. Holland Baker at Research!Louisville
Community Outreach Scholars cover the Commonwealth with care
Outreach is an essential part of the learning experience at ULSD, where all DMD and dental hygiene students are required to participate in service learning and community-based learning experiences throughout the curriculum. Some of the experiences are part of an assigned course or rotation and others are voluntary.
In addition, selected 3rd- and 4th-year dental students are selected for the Community Outreach Scholarship Program. The purpose of this program is to enhance community-based clinical outreach, cultural awareness, and service learning. Students who receive the scholarship complete additional rotations at five sites (each with a unique practice model), providing them the opportunity to provide care to adults, children, and special populations.
For more information about the Community Outreach Scholarship Program or our other outreach programs, contact Julie Drury - Director of Community Dental Health at 502-852-6529 or julie.drury@louisville.edu
Community Outreach Scholar rotation sites
ULSD clinic at West Kentucky
Community & Technical College (Paducah)
Purchase AHEC Free Children’s Clinic (Paducah)
ULSD clinic at Goodwill Opportunity Center (Louisville)
Red Bird Mission (Beverly)
CHC Clinic (Bowling Green)
D4 class of 2025 Outreach Scholars
Ali Abdallah
Kelly Brown
Kathleen Connelly
Kierra Dages
Nguyen (Jake) Do
Elaina Fridley
Jobin Joseph
Hannah Kim
Ali Kurdi
Winnie Pham
Shahab Taheri
D3 class of 2026 Outreach Scholars
Chelsea Avery
Morgan Chown
Jacob Cuel
Brentyn Dodd
Austin Eyring
Abigail Hacker
Jung-Woo Hong
Veronica Lopez
Krista Manche
Alexandra (Lexie) Oldham
Mital Patel
Kiara Rainey
Tyler Resendez
Jacob Warr
Outreach Scholars Abigail Hacker and Kiara Rainey at the Red Bird Clinic in Beverly, Kentucky with the clinic’s supervising dentist Dr. Joseph Boster.
Faculty profile: Dr. Tiffany McPheeters
As a dentist, Dr. Tiffany McPheeters has taught plenty of people how to properly brush their teeth. But one particular lesson close to home led McPheeters down a new career path that is helping to change lives for practitioners and patients.
Dr. McPheeters’ son, Joshua, was born in 2018 with Trisomy 18, a genetic condition that causes severe developmental delays.
Dr. McPheeters, her husband and her mother all received medical training to learn how to care for Joshua at home, with assistance from home nurses. That’s when Dr. McPheeters found a disconnect between dental and medical care.
“I had to teach Joshua’s home nurses how to brush his teeth, which is a little bit more difficult for a patient with special needs, depending on the level of care needed. Many medical professionals aren’t taught how to brush their patients’ teeth because they have to be focused on things like ‘is their heart rate ok’ or ‘are they breathing ok’,” Dr. McPheeters said.
“Joshua can’t swallow, so we have to use a special suction toothbrush in order to brush his teeth and we have to use a technique where you retract his cheek to keep his mouth open so that he doesn’t bite down on your fingers.”
Now an assistant professor at UofL’s School of Dentistry, Dr. McPheeters’ experiences caring for Joshua inspired her to shift her work from practice to academia, specializing in research and education to provide accessible and quality dental care for patients with special needs, which she says is overlooked or forgotten in most medical curricula.
Determined to discover ways she – and other dental practitioners – could treat more patients with special needs without sending them to specialists, Dr. McPheeters volunteered at the Lee Specialty Clinic, a Louisville medical clinic that specializes in providing care for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While there, she saw what she described as “true accessible care.”
“The more I tell Joshua’s story, the more I connect with others in the special needs community.”
- Dr. Tiffany McPheeters
Realizing the need for special equipment and education on caring for those with disabilities, Dr. McPheeters applied for and was chosen to participate in the Primary Interdisciplinary Care Educators Fellowship through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration and University of Rochester. Throughout the two-year career development program, Dr. McPheeters will hone her research skills and learn the best ways to secure grants that will help turn her ideas into action.
Through her outreach, and sharing Joshua’s story at educational presentations, Dr. McPheeters has received phone calls, emails and heard from people across the community who have shared their own stories and relate to the gap in special needs care.
Pushing the needle forward, Dr. McPheeters aims to secure more grants to expand curriculum and provide dental students with the experience, exposure and skills needed to provide care for everyone.
Dr. McPheeters’ research and Joshua’s story are spreading awareness for special needs care across the Cardinal community. For example, a student at the dentistry school was inspired to launch the UofL Special Care Dentistry Association registered student organization to help increase awareness of the field among students after he read an article about Joshua.
“It started out as a sad story and now it’s turned into a testimony,” Dr. McPheeters said. “The more I tell Joshua’s story, the more I connect with others in the special needs community who also have incredible stories telling me about their needs for better access to care. I want to be an advocate and I may not be able to get it all done, but I want to get something done and make a difference.”
There is no cure for Trisomy 18 and most children born with the condition are not expected to live more than one year. Joshua, however, continues to defy expectations.
“To know that we’ll have the curriculum and tools to care for people like my son … I’m just overcome with emotion,” Dr. McPheeters said. “We are going to do the best that we can to give people the best possible care. And it’s so rewarding.”
Read more of Dr. McPheeters’ story on UofL’s Here and Beyond website
Faculty and staff honored by the class of 2024
In addition to receiving honors just before graduation, the DMD/DH classes select some special staff and faculty to be honored by them. Congratulations to the 2024 award winners:
Jacob Bishop William R. Wolfe Full-Time Faculty Award
Dr. Mark Schulte
D.T. Cummins
Part-Time Faculty Award
Dr. Gustavo Santaella
Wilson Teaching Award
Dr. Guillermo Rougier
Wood E. Currens Award
Dr.
Ms. Dana Potter LASDA Staff Appreciation Award
New full-time faculty
Dr. Noor AlAsaad - periodontics
Dr. Natalia Bastos Bitencourtcomprehensive dentistry
Dr. Bill Collins - clinical faculty, Paducah
Dr. Luiz Carlos Dias Juniorendodontics
Dr. Sundes Elfagih - comprehensive dentistry
Dr. Jude Itani - prosthodontics
Dr. Kimberly Jasmer - oral immunology and infectious diseases
Dr. Tim Lawrence - comprehensive dentistry (transition from part-time faculty)
Dr. Lara Monteiro - comprehensive dentistry (transition from part-time faculty)
Dr. Omar Moustafa - prosthodontics
Dr. Alessandro Pedercini –periodontics
Dr. Matthew Ramsey - oral immunology and infectious diseases
Dr. Leonda Richardsonperiodontics
Dr. Liliani Vieira - pediatric dentistry
Faculty retirements
Ms. Patty Byrd
Dr. Sunita Chandiramani
Dr. Richard Keeling
Faculty & staff news
Dr. David Donatelli, Program Director for the Advanced Education in Prosthodontics program, has been awarded Educator of the Year by the American College of Prosthodontists.
Dr. Sudha Gudhimella has been selected as Program Director for the Advanced Education in Orthodontics program. Dr. Gudhimella is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. She previously served has as Director of Predoctoral Clinical Orthodontics at ULSD.
Dr. George Kushner has been selected as the 2025 AO North America Brian Alpert CMF Educator of the Year. The award, which is named in honor of a longtime ULSD faculty member, recognizes Dr. Kushner’s significant contributions to surgical education and supporting the training and development of future leaders in the field of musculoskeletal care.
Dr. Michael Metz, Dr. Cynthia Metz, and Dr. Jeff Falcone received a 2024 TILL Teaching Innovation Award for the use of active learning strategies in the Dental Physiology course. Survey results showed these strategies resulted in significant improvements in students’ perceived test-taking abilities and preparedness for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination.
Dr. Fata Moradali has received funding from NIH/ NIDCR for a five-year grant that will enable Dr. Moradali and his team to elucidate the structure and role of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) produced by bacterial pathogens in the onset and progression of periodontal diseases. Commonly referred to as endotoxins, LPSs are potent immunostimulants that can provoke immune responses across various organs and contribute to numerous inflammatory conditions.
Photo gallery:
Fall & winter at ULSD
August 27: Dental students prepare to greet the first group of prospective students for the DMD class of 2029. During the fall when interview days are held weekly, these students lead tours and serve as ambassadors for prospective students.
September 7: Students from the DMD class of 2028, Advanced Standing class of 2026, and Dental Hygiene class of 2026 take part in the annual White Coat Ceremony at the Louisville Palace.
September 17: Students, residents, and faculty take part in Baila Conmigo, an annual studentorganized event celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
September 12: Louisville Central High School Dental Magnet Program fall cohort students kick off the semester with a visit the UofL School of Dentistry and hands-on activities.
November 20
Students from the DMD class of 2027 recite a poem to Assistant Professor Justin Whitney as a creative way to request a study guide for finals. Watch the video at https://www. instagram.com/p/ DCmmQDHSBPg/
January 31:
Exceptional basic sciences students and Research! Louisville participants are honored at the school’s annual Basic Sciences Awards program.
December 9-31:
While students are away for winter break, contractors busily work on updating flooring, paint, decor, and classroom technology on the first floor. This work is part of an ongoing project to refresh learning areas for the first time since the major renovation in completed in 2012.
February 10:
ULSD’s newest student organization, the Special Care Dentistry Association, holds its first meeting. The group’s mission is to serve as a resource to oral health care professionals who serve or are interested in serving patients with special needs.
4th Annual ULSD Alumni Night at the Ballpark
Be sure to bookmark the ULSD CE website for the most up-to-date information on course offerings. May
ULSD Pediatric Dentistry Alumni & Friends Reception at the AAPD Meeting
Reunions for DMD and DH class years ending in 0 and 5
- Various Locations • Details
42nd Annual William J. Mansfield Jr. Alumni Day
- School of Dentistry • Details
CE course: Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office
Continuing education