DENTISTRY
THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER WINTER 2022
Continuing to Grow
HELP SUPPORT THE
DENTISTRY DEAN’S EQUIPMENT FUND If the UTHSC College of Dentistry is to successfully pursue its vision of clinical excellence, it is imperative that students have access to the best equipment. Now that the college is building a new dental facility, the Delta Dental of Tennessee Building, equipment needs have increased. The Dentistry Dean’s Equipment Fund is vital to ensuring the long-term viability of the college by helping us acquire and maintain state-of-the-art equipment for our students’ use. A priority of the fund is to raise money to replace all the dental chairs in the pre-doctoral clinic. Giving to this important fund is an investment in the future of our profession in Tennessee and beyond. Please donate to the Dentistry Dean’s Equipment Fund at giving.uthsc.edu/equipment
UTHSC Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD Dean James C. Ragain, DDS, MS, PhD, FICD, FACD, FPFA
< Moving Forward
Associate Dean for Business and Financial Affairs Daniel E. Brown, JD, CPA Associate Dean for Postgraduate Affairs Chair Department of Prosthodontics David R. Cagna, DMD, MS Associate Dean for Faculty and Student Affairs J. Stansill Covington III, DDS, MS, FRSM (London), FACD, FICD
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Committee helps underrepresented students succeed
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Edward J. DeSchepper, MAEd, DDS, MSD Interim Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs Paul Luepke, DDS, MS Interim Associate Dean for Research Interim Chair Department of Bioscience Research Mustafa Dabbous, MS, PhD Associate Dean for Institutional Affairs Mark Scarbecz, PhD Assistant Dean for Community Oral Health and Outreach Orpheus Triplett, DDS
On a Mission >
Student embraces role in increasing diversity in dentistry
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Syreeta McTavous, DDS Assistant Dean for Operations Courtney J. Sievers, PhD, MHA
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Chair Department of Dental Hygiene Lynn Samons Russell, RDH, BS, MEd, EdD Chair Department of Diagnostic Sciences K. Mark Anderson, DDS, MS Chair Department of Endodontics Harry Cosby, DDS, MS
< Making Smiles
Alumna dedicated to helping heroes smile
Chair Department of General Dentistry Mojdeh Dehghan, DDS Chair for Oral Surgery, Executive Associate Dean Jeffrey H. Brooks, DMD Interim Chair Department of Orthodontics Richard A. Williams, DDS, MS Interim Chair Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health Craig Volk Vinall, DDS, MDS
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Chair Department of Periodontology Paul G. Luepke, DDS, MS Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs Love Collins, III, MBA Associate Vice Chancellor for Development Bethany Goolsby, JD Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni Affairs Chandra A. Tuggle Sr. Director of Development, College of Dentistry Antonio ‘Tony’ Burns Director of Alumni Programs Terri Catafygiotu
Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing Sally Badoud, MBA Editor Peggy Reisser, MASC Designer Adam Gaines Contributing Writers Amelia Ables, Peggy Reisser, Jane Roberts Photographers Adam Gaines, David Roseberry, Sage Creative On the Cover: The Delta Dental of Tennessee Building rises, bringing new day for the UTHSC College of Dentistry.
Mentoring > for the Future
Alumnus doing his part to spread dental care across state
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All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admissions without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. Eligibility and other terms and conditions of employment benefits at The University of Tennessee are governed by laws and regulations of the State of Tennessee, and this non-discrimination statement is intended to be consistent with those laws and regulations. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the University. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), ADA (disability), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 910 Madison Avenue, Suite 826, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, telephone 901-448-7382 (V/TTY available). Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity. E073401(010-220571)
From the Dean The College of Dentistry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center continues to move forward, despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are focused on our mission of advancing oral health care through excellence in dental education, innovation in research, skilled clinical care, and engagement in public service. The college quickly adjusted our clinical operations so that we could continue to function safely in the early days of the pandemic through today. Our clinics in the Dunn Dental Building, as well as our satellite D4 clinics across Tennessee, in Union City, Bristol, and Chattanooga, are running at 100% capacity. Our D1 and D2 dental technique laboratory courses have returned to their pre-COVID schedules. Our didactic courses are being offered in an in-person format. At the same time, the College of Dentistry is leading in UTHSC’s effort to expand its clinical reach to meet the patient needs across the state. To meet the increasing need for more dentists and dental hygienists in Tennessee, our dental classes are growing to 110 students and the dental hygiene classes have increased to 36 students. Turner Construction Company is on track to have the Delta Dental of Tennessee Building completed in the Fall of 2022. Our portion of the UTHSC campus has been named the Delta Dental of Tennessee Oral Health Complex. With expected upgrades to the Dunn Dental Building and the opening of the Delta Dental of Tennessee Building, the oral health complex will be a state-of-the-art dental education complex. Our basic science researchers are rapidly becoming a vital part of the UTHSC Regenerative Medicine Center. Since 2019, the number of our grant proposals has more than doubled and our research funding has more than quadrupled. Additionally, the 26th Hinman Dental Student Research Symposium was a tremendous success this year. The Hinman Symposium brings national visibility and recognition to our excellent student research program. Due to the pandemic, the symposium was held virtually. However, that did not hinder the participation. The symposium had a record number of student participants. There were 108 student presenters representing 44 dental schools in 29 states and three Canadian provinces. Depending on future conditions with the pandemic, we plan an in-person Commencement Ceremony on May 6, 2022, and we are looking forward to a White Coat Ceremony in July celebrating our new D3s, as they begin their clinical experiences. Our vision is, and will continue to be “Clinical Excellence in Dental Education.” Thanks to the support of our alumni, tireless and determined college leaders, top-notch faculty, hard-working staff, and excellent students, we are able to achieve and maintain a high level of dental education.
Sincerely,
James C. Ragain, Jr., DDS, MS, PhD, FICD, FACE, FPFA Professor and Dean of the College of Dentistry The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
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From the Chancellor Many things attracted me to Memphis and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center – the history of the university and its exciting future, the hospitality of the people I met, the beautiful river and neighborhoods of the city, and, yes, the great food. The College of Dentistry stands high on the list of attractions for me, with its status as one of the oldest colleges of dentistry in the country, its longstanding dedication to clinical excellence in teaching, and its dedication to serve the people of the city it calls home, as well as the citizens of the Tennessee and the region. As alumni, you can be proud of the college’s past, present, and future. Seen through the eyes of this newcomer to the university, I can tell you that it is extraordinary. The college’s work in the face of the pandemic is certainly exemplary. Rapidly installing safety measures and protocols early in the pandemic, the college has continued to train the next generation of dentists and care for the public in its clinics. Additionally, Dean Ragain is an outstanding colleague, who is leading the college in reaching out across the state to bring dental services to the underserved and underinsured with clinics in areas where there currently are none. Dental clinics in Bristol, Union City, and Chattanooga will soon be joined by new sites. I wholeheartedly support this effort. I also join you in the excitement over the new Delta Dental of Tennessee Building in progress on the Memphis campus. This building is an example of the generous philanthropy of our supporters at Delta Dental of Tennessee and its leader Dr. Phil Wenk, one of our mostdedicated alumni members and just a tremendous friend of the college. The new building stands as a model for the key role alumni interest and support can play for our college and the university. The College of Dentistry at UTHSC has accomplished much in its more than 130-year history. I am certain it is poised for even greater accomplishments ahead. As I settle into my new role at UTHSC, I am excited about the prospect of assisting this journey. I look forward to meeting our College of Dentistry alumni across the state and beyond. Please know your support is vital to the college’s future. Thank you for all you do, and I look forward to working with you, as we move into the future together. Sincerely,
Peter Buckley, MD Chancellor The University of Tennessee Heath Science Center
From the Alumni Board President Soon, I’ll pass the Alumni Association presidency to Bill Powell, DDS, perhaps one of the most loyal UT enthusiasts I know. I seem to have a knack for timing (not always in a good way), and my timing at the helm of the College of Dentistry’s Alumni Association was no exception. I began my term amid transition in our dean’s office, which shortly segued into the pandemic. At the same time, there was a total reimagining of the structure of the Alumni Association, and now the dental clinics. Suffice it to say, it has been a whirlwind— thankfully, an excellent one! While transitions often involve challenge, there is a substantial amount of positive change to share with you. The new Alumni Board of Trustees is a leaner, meaner organization that is working for the college in a totally different capacity. Perhaps one of the biggest changes lies in our relationship with dean’s office. Our association now enjoys a very healthy and open communication with Dean Ragain, whereby efforts, needs, and focus can be openly and efficiently discussed. The association leadership and I have had regular meetings with Dean Ragain in person and via teleconference, resulting in the most productive efforts we’ve ever seen. This was an unforeseen blessing of the pandemic. We are expanding and evolving our Slagle Dental Meeting, pivoting on platform, content, and audience. These changes are long overdue, as the entirety of the CE industry, as well as newer generations of dentists, evolve. Our faculty support committee is working closely with the faculty to offer insight and resources for dental students with interest in a career in dental education. In addition, the support committee is working to arrange meaningful continuing education for educators, making Memphis a hub for dental education. Our fundraising committee continues to work with the development team to make up for the huge financial impact of the pandemic, as well as the future financial needs associated with the new dental school facility. Our clinics committee is working tirelessly to find both facilities and staff. It turns out that the more difficult of the two is finding faculty to staff our clinics. This is one of many vital opportunities to ‘show your orange.’ If you’re at a point in your career that you can give some time to dental education, I can tell you firsthand it is rewarding and keeps you young and in touch with the next generation of dentists. Our recruitment committee is also hard at work creating opportunities for interaction between alumni and prospective students. As the cost of dental education increases, so too, does the importance of recruitment. We’ve been thrilled to partner with the dean’s office to put UTHSC’s best foot forward, as we recruit the next classes. I could not be more proud of our committee chairs and their involved alumni members. If you are grateful for the opportunity your dental degree has afforded you, I urge you to contact our Alumni Affairs office and join a committee that interests you. I’ve made some amazing friends over the years that I would never have met were it not for my involvement in the alumni association. As the college pushes ahead to remain relevant to future generations, while relentlessly pursuing clinical excellence in education, there is never a shortage of need. It is with humility and school pride that I ask you to support the college financially, or if you’re able, come make new friends and serve on one of our active committees to become a part of the evolution at UTHSC College of Dentistry. I am excited for the upcoming transition of leadership to Dr. Powell. He is positioned very well to take the current momentum of the college to the next level. Please join me in supporting him and our college. Sincerely,
Joseph Safirstein, DDS
AT A GLANCE 68,000 SQUARE FEET 4 FLOORS FALL 2022
EXPECTED COMPLETION (Barring weather delays)
EXPANDED AND MODERNIZED UNIVERSITY DENTAL PRACTICE (10 dental treatment rooms with updated radiographic equipment)
THE DELTA DENTAL OF TENNESSEE BUILDING
PROGRESS REPORT The new Delta Dental of Tennessee Building is progressing rapidly on the Memphis campus. It is moving along so well that estimates for completion have been moved up to Fall 2022. Clinics have remained in operation and training of dental students has continued, despite the daily construction. The emerging building is a testament to the outstanding philanthropic support for the College of Dentistry by Delta Dental of Tennessee, which is the largest donor for the college and contributed more than $6 million for construction costs and $1.4 million for equipment for the $45 million new building. As the building rises, so does the future of dentistry in Tennessee and beyond.
SPECIAL NEEDS CLINIC (6 dental treatment rooms)
2 LARGE SEMINAR ROOMS
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SEATS FOR STUDENTS IN LARGE LECTURE AUDITORIUM
LOCKER SPACES FOR STUDENTS FACULTY OFFICES DEAN’S SUITE (On top floor) ADDITIONAL STUDY AREAS, STUDENT ACTIVITY SPACE, GATHERING AREAS INNOVATION LAB (Space for manufacturers to showcase new products)
TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Moving Forward Committee Helping Prepare Students for Dental Careers By Peggy Reisser
“This program helped ease my transition into dental school by exposing me to various hand-skill laboratory components, while also introducing me to high yield topics of first-year coursework, prior to the actual start of the official school year,” Okhiria said. “Most importantly, it gave me confidence to know that I have exactly what it takes to be a successful dental student. A bonus was building a sense of community with the other program participants, who I still study with to this day.”
The Moving Forward Committee has been active in the college since 2018, with a goal of enhancing the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students and faculty in the college. “The Moving Forward Committee has been really working toward strengthening our Pre-Health Scholars 3D Program,” said Syreeta McTavous, DDS, chair of the committee. The university’s overall Pre-Health Scholars program is designed to increase diversity in all the health professions by working with underrepresented students who have an interest in a professional career in health care. The 3D program operates in the College of Dentistry.
First-year dental student Ero Okhiria believes he benefited greatly from getting an introduction to the profession and the UTHSC College of Dentistry even before he started dental school. He participated in the Pre-Health Scholars 3D Program sponsored by the College of Dentistry’s Moving Forward Committee during the summer of 2021, before starting his first semester of dental school that Fall.
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“Last summer was our very first year hosting five students, who were conditionally accepted to the College of Dentistry,” Dr. McTavous said. “The program went very well. All of the students who were enrolled or conditionally accepted, successfully completed the program.” These are students the admissions committee felt had the ability to do well in the program, but wanted to make sure they had some extra support and encouragement before having them enroll in the college.
This year, eight students applied, interviewed, and were conditionally accepted. “We’re really excited about them joining us,” Dr. McTavous said. “Our program will help these students make the very demanding transition to the first year of professional studies. They will gain an opportunity to improve their academic credentials and to experience an educational program that will strengthen their academic abilities by exposing them to comprehensive science courses in a dental school setting as well as hands-on skills coursework. Also, through exposure to Student Academic Support Services and Inclusion (SASSI), students will gain knowledge of methods, resources, and techniques applied to curricula that will enrich their academic environment and impact their learning and performance.”
efforts to attain our goals and stick to the plan in terms of making sure we have more underrepresented students and faculty at the university,” Dr. McTavous said. “I think it becomes a matter of recognizing the health disparities in our country and understanding that there are some communities that do not seek health care as readily or are apprehensive, because they would like to see people who look like them providing their health care.”
Okhiria said he participated in the Pre-Health Scholars 3D program so that he could begin his dental school education before the start of the first semester. “I had spent years dreaming of the moment that I could start learning about dentistry in an academic setting, so the program was a fantastic opportunity for me to explore the field prior to my formal training as a dental student,” he said.
Okhiria is now well established in his dental studies, and has his eyes on the future. “My current aspirations are to become a competent clinician who will be able to give my patients exceptional dental care,” he said.
Now, Okhiria is a second-semester D1. “I am actively engaged in courses like Gross Anatomy, Operative Dentistry, Occlusion, and Craniofacial Growth and Development,” he said. “Outside of my courses, I continue to improve upon my hand skills, while also assisting in the UTHSC dental clinic, in my spare time.”
The Moving Forward Committee “is trying to help counter the economic and health disparities in our country by creating a more equitable educational professional experience for students, and therefore, help them graduate to serve our community and beyond,” she said.
If you are interested in learning more about the Moving Forward Committee, please contact Dr. McTavous at smctavou@uthsc.edu.
In addition to the Pre-Health Scholars 3D program, other initiatives of the Moving Forward Committee include: • Launching a mentoring program for prospective students by working closely with Pre-Health advisers at undergraduate institutions • Funding on-campus experiences with current dental students for competitive applicants • Creating student-led outreach opportunities for young people that introduce them to the dental profession. • Continuing to build a cohesive and sustainable community of inclusiveness and belonging within the college and the UTHSC community “I really commend what the university is doing for its strategic plan, as well as the College of Dentistry and Dean Ragain, trying to make sure that we put forth all of our
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CoD Volunteers Help the Community By Peggy Reisser
When the world shut down early in the pandemic, students of the UTHSC College of Dentistry were looking for a way to help their community. So much was yet unknown about transmission of the coronavirus, and the college was adamant about protecting its students, faculty, staff, and patients from exposure. “They were just kind of at home, and they were looking for ways to help out,” said Cassandra Christiansen, RDH, MPA, EdD, associate professor and director of SchoolBased Programs and Community Outreach in the College of Dentistry. From that desire grew a mission that continues today and has helped to prepare more than 15,000 food boxes and provided 1,000 toothbrushes and 1,300 tubes of toothpaste for those in need in Memphis. Dr. Christiansen said the volunteer effort, dubbed “Love they Neighbor,” has been a joy, not just for those receiving the food and dental items, but for those distributing them. “For a lot of the students and faculty members, this was really a lifeline, because it just felt like the whole world was shutting down and we were stuck at home and wanting to do something to help,” she said. The College of Dentistry partnered with the Memphis Food Bank and Christ Missionary Baptist Church to assemble the food boxes. Every Tuesday for more than a year, students and faculty have volunteered to pack the boxes at the
church and distribute them in a drive-through giveaway to Shelby County residents in need. What started with the College of Dentistry has grown into a campus outreach project. “I’ve had volunteers to help, I think, from every college on campus,” Dr. Christiansen said. “And lots of faculty members will come out, even during holiday breaks. This just speaks to the fact that faculty and students really have a desire to serve and to help.” In 2020 the UTHSC volunteers helped to prepare 10,000 food boxes, Dr. Christianson said. “These boxes included approximately 500 toothbrushes, 500 containers of dental floss, and 500 tubes of toothpaste.” The need decreased a bit in 2021, however, members of the UTHSC community helped to prepare 8,000 food boxes last year. Other community volunteer efforts anticipated by the College of Dentistry in 2022 if conditions permit, include a return to the Mid-South Mission of Mercy, a free, two-day dental clinic for the underserved and underinsured in Memphis and the surrounding area, as well as Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinics. RAM specifically serves rural communities The college has continued to do virtual dental health presentations, mentored Shelby County students, and participated in health fairs when possible.
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CoD Alumna President of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Jeannie Beauchamp, DDS, a 1991 graduate of the UTHSC College of Dentistry, has been named president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Beauchamp, a board-certified pediatric dentist, completed her pediatric residency at UTHSC in 1993. She is active in the College of Dentistry Alumni Association and has served as president and representative for Middle Tennessee. In 2018, Dr. Beauchamp was honored with the Outstanding Alumna Award and serves on the 2021 Alumni Legislative Council. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without UTHSC,” Dr. Beauchamp said. “I received a wonderful dental education and still keep in touch with some of the professors who were mentors to me.”
Students Honored by the BSA Dental student Kayla Jones, right, and dental hygiene student Noelle Wright were among students honored at the 2021 Black Student Association (BSA) Awards ceremony in February 2021. A native Memphian, Jones is an alumna of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. At UTHSC, Jones has demonstrated leadership through her involvement with student organizations and the community. In 2019, she served as the secretary for BSA. She was also the community service chair for the Student National Dental Association and led many public service efforts, including health fairs, food drives, and book fairs. Wright earned a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University. She has received a Colgate Hygiene scholarship from the National Dental Hygienists’ Association, as well as the Tennessee Diversity Scholarship. Additionally, she mentors and tutors incoming dental hygiene students. During the pandemic, she has participated in the production of a series of videos designed to support a characterbuilding curriculum for Shelby County Schools children learning remotely.
2021 White Coat Ceremony The annual White Coat Ceremony was held July 19 at the Guesthouse at Graceland. The 92 students receiving their coats were reminded that ethical, evidence-based decision-making will carry them through to a successful career. The white coat signifies their transition to student doctors in the college clinic.
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Clemmons and Levey Receive Excellence in Teaching Awards Joseph Clemmons, DDS, right, assistant professor in the Department of Endodontics, and Bard J. Levey, DDS, assistant professor in the Department of General Dentistry and director for the AEGD-Memphis program, were the recipients of 2020-2021 Excellence in Teaching Awards presented by the Student Government Association Executive Council. The awards are among the most prestigious given to faculty members at UTHSC. Each year, two winners from each of the colleges are nominated by students to receive the awards.
Halloween 2021 The College of Dentistry got into the Halloween spirit again in 2021 with its annual festivities including costumes, pumpkins, and candy (sugarless, of course). Dean Ragain, a musician, was costumed appropriately – as Mozart (bottom photo, far right).
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Dental Student Seeks to Increase Diversity in Dentistry, Overall Health Care By Amelia Ables
With dentists for parents, Raven Reese grew up seeing health care workers who looked like her. But she knows that isn’t the case for all Black and Brown children. “Some people are afraid to go to the dentist or doctor because there aren’t people in these settings who look like them or who can relate to them,” Reese said. “Being part of that representation is important to me.” As a child, Reese claimed dentistry wasn’t for her, although she admits it was always a possibility considering her parents’ careers. Her opinion of the profession changed from boring to exciting when she took a high school summer job with her mom. “I immediately decided I loved the profession and that I had been wrong all these years. I thought it was fun and so cool, and I’ve been in love with it ever since,” she said. After completing her degree in biology at Jackson State University, Reese began applying to dental school. During interviews, Reese remembers UTHSC having a traditional feel that attracted her. “It reminded me of being a child and visiting dental school with my parents. Being immediately embraced, even before I was accepted, made me really appreciate being here.” As a graduate of one of the country’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, being at UTHSC was Reese’s first experience as a minority student on campus. “It was a bit of a culture shock for me honestly, but I’ve adjusted well,” she said. Through the Student National Dental Association, for which Reese serves as president, she’s involved in diversity awareness not only on campus, but also for prospective students and practicing dentists. Reese is also on the board of the Black Student Association, which
has given her a chance to meet students across all the colleges at UTHSC. “It’s a great way to connect with individuals who have similar cultural backgrounds,” she said. Reese is also a member of the Moving Forward Committee in the College of Dentistry, which focuses on recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented populations. One of her favorite activities has been partnering with a local high school to form a mentoring program for students interested in dentistry at UTHSC. “It helps them be exposed to the entire campus, to see what they could possibly do one day,” she said. Reese considers early exposure to the health care industry a game changer for minority and disadvantaged students. “Some kids have no idea that they can even be a dentist or do anything in health care. They may not see those professions in their communities. But I like to show them there’s plenty of people who look like them, who come from where they came from, who do these things. And they can do them, too. You never know who may be talented in an area until they’re exposed to it.” As she completes her final year, Reese finds herself in awe of just how much she and her classmates have learned. “I look back and realize how much I know now, compared to just two years ago, in the development of my knowledge and my hand skills. I’ll always be grateful for UTHSC for this gift.” When Reese considers the future of dentistry, she has a message for minority students. “You and your representation matter to the entire community. It’s a big deal. And even though you’re one person, you’re one person who can change everything.”
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For Student, Connecting with Patients is Best Part of the Profession By Amelia Ables
After starting his undergraduate studies in pre-med, Vince Law discovered the art of dentistry during his junior year at Lipscomb University. He is now a fourth-year student in the UTHSC College of Dentistry. “I shadowed a family friend who was a pediatric dentist and had a great experience,” he said. “I loved the pace, and I loved the way she was connected to her community. She had so many long-standing patients and deep relationships. I really liked that aspect of the profession.” After working for a national dental nonprofit where he was exposed to a broader scope of dentistry and different subspecialties, Law officially made the decision to become a dentist. “I got to see so many amazing cases and experience an awesome clinic. From there, I applied and went straight to UTHSC right after college,” he said. One of things that drew Law to UTHSC was the familiarity. Most of the dentists he knows are alumni. “I have so much respect for the doctors and dentists from my hometown, who went to UTHSC. And it’s huge to be able to receive an education in dentistry at a lower cost compared to other institutions. I really appreciate the commitment to keeping education more affordable than other places.” The clinical experience has also been valuable to him. “With off-site rotations centered on autonomy, I’ve learned how to fully treat patients without heavily relying on referrals. But I’ve also learned when it’s appropriate to refer and to know what’s in the best interest of the patient. I really appreciate how we’re taught that balance.
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The ability to function as a student like you would in a practice is really unique,” he said. Through his clinical experience, Law developed an interest in oral and maxillofacial surgery, even becoming a founder of the Undergraduate Maxillofacial Interest Club. The organization aims to connect dental students with residents and provide an opportunity to learn more about the field. It also serves as a guide throughout the residency application process, helping students be the best applicants they can be. Beginning a residency himself this summer, Law is looking forward to connecting with the community, just like the dentist he shadowed in his undergraduate career. “Maintaining long-term patient relationships and being in hospital environments is something I’m excited about. I also get to work closely with other medical professions, to practice the full scope of oral surgery and act as a bridge between the dental and medical communities.” One of the most important things Law has learned at UTHSC is how to communicate with patients. “Having the communication skills to gauge where a patient is in terms of what they understand about their oral health is important. That takes time to learn and UTHSC has done a good job giving us opportunities to improve upon that ability. You can know how to do a procedure and how to fix a patient’s problem, but to be able to connect with them and really make them feel comfortable is pretty special. And I think it’s one of the best parts of dentistry.”
CoD Student Sees Dentistry as Way to Serve Others By Amelia Ables
As a little girl, Anne Marie Currie loved going to the dentist. “I got excited when my dad took me to get my teeth cleaned, and I had fillings galore, but I really liked going and was never scared,” Currie said. “I just really loved my dentist.” Those childhood experiences are what eventually led the now fourth-year student to a career in dentistry. While completing her degree in biochemistry at Mississippi State University, Currie knew she wanted to pursue a profession that helped people, but she was not quite sure what that would be. Then, she reconnected with her pediatric dentist. “I shadowed him and realized that it’s an awesome career,” she said. “Then, I shadowed a few other dentists and was hooked. I enjoyed the pace of the work and seeing the skills that are required. After applying to dental schools throughout the Southeast, I was so excited to get a spot at UTHSC, which is close to my hometown in Missouri and still has that Southern charm I love. I’m now in my fourth year and am so blessed and excited to be here.” The people, and specifically the professors, are what led Currie to choose UTHSC. Aside from the faculty’s extensive knowledge, their attentiveness and sincere desire for their students to have the best experience possible sealed the deal for Currie. “As a third- and fourth-year student working with faculty, I was able to really bond with the professors. I feel like I have a lifeline of information through them. That’s a huge benefit we have here. The people are relatable; they’re real. And they always want to help you, whether on or off the clinic
floor. The confidence they have instilled in me is one of the biggest gifts, and it will stay with me wherever I go,” she said. Outside of the classroom, Currie is heavily involved on campus. With a love for student organizations that began during her undergraduate career, she was pleasantly surprised to learn that these groups are a big part of dental school, too. As a member of the American Student Dental Association, she’s served as community service chair, class representative, lunch and learn coordinator, president elect, and now president. She’s also a member of the American Association of Women in Dentistry and has served on the executive board of Psi Omega Dental Fraternity. Being part of these groups has connected her with other dental students across the country, creating a growing network she knows she can count on for professional advice. As a member of the Christian Medical Dental Association, Currie went on a mission trip to Ethiopia a few years ago, which she describes as one of the best experiences of her life. Although she already had a passion for helping people, the trip further ignited her desire to serve others throughout her career. “After graduation I’ll be practicing general dentistry wherever my fiancé matches for his medical residency. I’m excited to treat a wide variety of patients wherever we end up. But another thing I love about UTHSC is that it’s in Memphis and it’s just a lively, happy place. I will be sad if we leave, but a piece of Memphis is always with me.”
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Congratulations to Our 2021 Graduates! In 2021, UTHSC held its first in-person Spring Commencement ceremonies since the coronavirus pandemic began. The College of Dentistry’s commencement was held May 19 at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis. The keynote speaker was Joe Safirstein, DDS, (COD ’99), College of Dentistry Alumni Board president.
DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY
Corey Acosta Chelsie Alsup Mustafa Alwan Arianna Amini Jasmine D. Anderson Jonathan W. Billings Angad Singh Bindra Lane Bland Denisse Breton Guerrero Parker (Thomas) Brown Chelsea Bryant Camella Card Isaac Carroccio Prakruthi Cegu Phani Raj Shannon Coffey David Cole Conrad E. Cook VI Gregory DeRose Jr. Jeremy DeRose Kyle Detmer Brett Dillard Zachary Doyle Ryan Driesse Kathryn Fox Kimberly Freeman Evan Gilbert Adam Gottsponer Morgan Gurley Jasmine Hailey Jackson Hall Sarah Beazley Hamil Natalia Hardgrave Alexander Hayes Bayli Hedge Reece Henson David Howe Thuong Huynh Emily Javadi Randall Jenkins Kayla Jones Damian Kim
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Joyce Lee Jennifer Lenning Caroline Litty Cindy Loyola Jordan Marsh Tanner Matone Jacob Mayfield Benjamin Melton Alexander Miller Clayton Myers Macall Nabors Caroline Oudin Austin Pate Ravi Patel Kayla Payne Nhu Phan Heath Phillips Lauren Phillips Shannon Pittman Allison Poget Samuel Posze Dylan Qualls Connor Rasmussen Hunter Rawls Spencer Regelson Julie Rhee Taylor Rogers Jeffrey Rowlan Garrett Salansky Luke Sanders Taylor Schubert Dwight Sexton Nur Sheikhan Kristina Slavik Jacob Stegeman Christopher Stonecipher Russell Stricklin Carl Teel Kristiana Tenorio Bryant Trinh Jillian Tyler Kaitlyn Walker Joseph Whitaker
UTHSC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY | WINTER 2022
Morgan White Robert Whitmire Ryan Williams Candace Windle Jordan Wirth Whitney Wolfe Clifton Wright
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN DENTAL HYGIENE Madyson Barrett Keri Brunner Stormy Davis Amanda France Avery Franklin Mallory Heidelberg Holland Heinz Kimberly Henson Tifmany Hiangphothichack Alexandra Johnson Sarah Lewis Erica Lofton Ashley Lucas Kaylee Luckett Rebecca Muchitch Caroline Price Ashleigh Ricketts Molly Robertson Lindsey Rodgers Lindsey Scarborough Sarah Scott Kara Smith Savannah Smith Elizabeth Suddoth Kimberly Sullivan Raegan Taylor Taylor Travis Noelle Wright
2021 CoD Scholarship and Award Winners The College of Dentistry would like to thank all our scholarship donors and offer our congratulations to all the recipients!
AMERICAN FAMILY DENTISTRY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Greg DeRose - D4 DR. JAMES T. ANDREWS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Zachary Doyle - D4 Morgan Gurley - D4 Camella Card - D4 DR. DEBRA GRAY KING SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Allison Poget - D4 BATEMAN FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Zach Payne – D3 Spencer Regelson - D4 DR. AND MRS. LOWELL DALE BLEVINS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Jonathan Billings - D4 DORIS COSTELLO BOWYER MEMORIAL LEADERSHIP AWARD Lauren Leiden Phillips - D4 DR. AND MRS. NOAH DAVID BRITTON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Beau Bolding – D3 DR. ANDREW M. BURTON III ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Kaitlyn Walker - D4 DR. JOHN T (JACK) CAMP SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Chelsie Alsup - D4 Brett Dillard - D4 Christopher Hamilton – D1 Ryan Driesse - D4 BRENT R. CARMONY, M.S., D.D.S., SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT Greg DeRose - D4 HAROLD CLOOGMAN, D.D.S. SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Shelley Johanneson Sarah Brown – D2 Steven Dorris – D3 Randall Nutt – D3 Zachary Payne – D3 James Beckner – D2 Linsday Cash – D2 William Harris – D2
Robert Heck – D2 Allison Poget - D4 Annabel Kisling – D2 Betsy Henson – D3 Dylan Qualls - D4 Eliza Taylor – D2 Kayla Webb – D3 DR. WILLIAM LEE & BONITA R. CRABTREE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Hunter Rawls - D4 Oliver Dozier – D2 Sidney Wilkins – D1 Jacob Michell – D2 Zachary Doyle - D4 DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Kelly Teer – D2 Allison Wright – D3 Lane Bland - D4 DELTA DENTAL OF TENNESSEE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Charles Hughes – D2 Anne Johnson – D3 Heath Phillips - D4 Candace Windle Gallowitz - D4 Shehla Yousuf – D2 Mustafa Alwan- D4 Sarah Alouani – D3 Geoffrey Pippin – D2 DENTISTRY STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Connor Rasmussen - D4 DINSMORE ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Ashley Lash – D2 DR. WINFIELD C. DUNN SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Allison Wright Moss – D3 Taylor Rogers - D4 E. MAC EDINGTON, JR., D.D.S. AND LINDA KAY EDINGTON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Christopher White – D3 WILLIAM J. EELLS, D.D.S. SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Patrick Nabholz – D2 John Irvin – D3 UTHSC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY | WINTER 2022
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ELIZABETH CLUB SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Summer Chase – D2
DR. AND MRS. DAVID LIBBY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Evan Davis – D3
DR. R.O. AND FANNIE B. FORD SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Callie McIntire – D1
DR. MATONE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
DR. KENNETH L. FRAME AND SARA JO FRAME-MAZUR SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Tony (Thuong) Huynh - D4 Jeremy DeRose - D4
DR. McCORD FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Kristina Slavik - D4
HELEN FLANAGAN FRY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Garrett Salansky - D4 DEAN JAMES T. GINN SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Morgan Gurley - D4 DR. JOSEPH W. GRAHAM, SR. SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Lance Myers – D3 Taylor Schubert - D4 GUTHRIE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Allison Poget - D4 DR. BRUCE & JAN HAMILTON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Arielle Hall – D2 DR. AND MRS. F. PAYNE & DR. MARK HARDISON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Thomas Butler – D3 DR. EARL O. HENRY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Shannon Coffey - D4 DR. & MRS. NORRIS HOWELL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Thomas Brown - D4 JOSEPHINE CIRCLE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Jordan Gall – D2 Lauren Allen – D2 DR. GERALD R. KARR FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Granit Dervishi – D3 Jacob Pinkerton – D3 DR. W.C. ‘DUB’ LADY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Tanner Trent – D2 Shelly Johannesson – D3 LEADING WITH GOOD HANDS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Alex Hayes - D4
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Isaac Carroccio - D4
O.D. AND RUTH MCKEE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Jordan Gall – D2 Jake Ramsey – D2 WILL McPHERSON, D.D.S., ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Russell Stricklin - D4 DRS. JOE & CHRIS MILLER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Clayton Myers - D4 DR. JOE AND PAT MOSIER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Cindy Loyola - D4 BEVERLY AND DR. TOM NASH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Logan Smith – D2 DR. AND MRS. THOMAS ONSTOTT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Corey Acosta - D4 DR. MALCOLM OVERBEY STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARD Chandler Petty – D2 DR. MAURICE E. PETROVSKY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Thuong (Tony) Huynh - D4 PEDIATRIC DENTAL ASSOCIATION/ORTHODONTICS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Joyce Lee - D4 REDWINE-MITCHELL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Macall Nabors - D4 Annabel Kisling – D2 SECOND DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP Austin Pate - D4 Joseph Whitaker - D4 SINQUEFIELD FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Katherine Bolding – D3 SHANNON SLAGLE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Jordan Marsh - D4 Carl Teel III - D4
DR. ROY M. SMITH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Kathryn Fox - D4 Sarah Pierce – D2
BARBARA ANEIL YOUNG SCHOLARSHIP Alexandrea Hurt Marina Hashmi
DR. BUFORD AND LYNDA SUFFRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Sean Fitzhugh – D3 Morgan White - D4
ELIZABETH CLUB SCHOLARSHIP CLUB Ganan Esmail Nikki Carter
TENNESSEE DENTAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Christopher White – D3 CECILY W. TIPTON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD John Law – D3 Michael Koen – D2 Brandon Wells – D3 Ian Reuter – D3 THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION’S ANDY HOLT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Sa’ad Sarraj - D1 Ravi Sanjay Patel – D2 Sarah Alouani - D4 DEAN JACK WELLS, DDS, SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Taylor Rogers - D4 DR. AND MRS. THOMAS N. WEEMS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Ty Green – D2 Chelsey Alsup - D4 Clayton Myers- D4 Sara Pierce – D2 John Isbell – D2 Randall Jenkins – D4 Britten Lovelace – D2 Brandon Wells – D3 DR. ROBERT N. WILSON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Phillip Shockley – D2 Jeffery Rowlan - D4 Jackson Hall - D4 XI PSI PHI FRATERNITY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Thomas Parker Brown - D4 DENTAL HYGIENE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS Mary Alice Gaston Scholarship Skylar Robbins Kari O’Steen
JUDY KEY THOMAS AWARD Ruben E Johnson COMMENCEMENT AWARDS William F. Slagle Faculty Medal Endowment Thomas Parker Brown FACULTY AWARDS Bowyer Faculty Awards Dr. Ammaar Abidi Dr. Anne Hill Dr. Rajasingh Johnson Dr. Mustafa Dabbous John S. Diggs Nelson Graduate Faculty Enrichment Award Dr. Vrushali Abhyankar Dr. Mike Dean Charles Edrington Faculty Award Dr. Mojdeh Dehghan Samuel H. Hardison Faculty Award Dr. Daranee Versluis Carl Don and Glenda Mabry Faculty Award Dr. Les Binkley Kirby and Pat Walker Faculty Enrichment Award Dr. Jeffrey Brooks Hinman Faculty Fellowship Awards Dr. Paul Leupke Dr. Courtney Sievers Dr. Stan Covington Dr. Audrey Selecman Dr. Bill Callahan Dr. Will Pledger Dan Brown Dr. Ed DeSchepper Dr. Jerry McKinney Distinguished Faculty Award Dr. Jim Simon
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New Faculty Members The College of Dentistry welcomed several new faculty members to the team in 2021. They are Chip Trammell, DDS, MDS, and Jay Burton, DMD, in the Department of Orthodontics; Pooja AjitSankardas, BDS, MDS, MS, in the Department of Periodontology; and Karen Klemis, DDS, in the Department of Oral Diagnosis.
Pooja AjitSankardas, BDS, MDS, MS Dr. AjitSankardas is a periodontologist skilled in a wide range of procedures and dental implants. She has five years of progressive experience in both private practice and hospital-based settings. Dr. AjitSankardas completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dental surgery in Chennai, India, and her residency in periodontology from UTHSC.
Jay Burton, DMD Dr. Burton joined the Department of Orthodontics as a part-time faculty member. He received his bachelor’s degree from Bethel College; master’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin; and his DDS from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in Kentucky. Prior to dental school, Dr. Burton worked as an instructor of business administration. Dr. Burton completed his residency in orthodontics in 2014 from New York University and has been in private practice in Nashville for the past seven years.
Karen Klemis, DDS Dr. Klemis is a 1998 graduate of UTHSC. Following her graduation, she began working in public health in Arkansas. Since then, she has extended dental care to patients in many countries, including Ukraine, Jordan, and India. In addition to traveling, she worked part-time in private practice. She is excited to be working with UTHSC dental students in Oral Diagnosis.
Chip Trammell, DDS, MDS Dr. Trammell joined the Department of Orthodontics as a part-time faculty member. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and the UTHSC College of Dentistry. He completed his residency in orthodontics in 2015 and has been in practice in Jackson, Tennessee, for the past six years.
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Corporate and Foundation Support Essential to Achieving Vision for CoD The vision for the UTHSC College of Dentistry is “Clinical Excellence in Dental Education.” This ensures a focus on training excellent clinicians for the state of Tennessee and beyond. Achieving this requires philanthropic support from constituents, including corporations and foundations.
Acadental, Inc., gave $50,000 to create the Acadental Endowed Scholarship in dentistry. This endowed fund will play a role in alleviating student debt. Once fully endowed, the scholarship will be awarded annually to students based on select criteria.
The Tennessee Dental Association Foundation (TDAF) has been a consistent partner to the UTHSC College of Dentistry. During the summer of 2021, TDAF made a $16,000 gift to support student research. This gift provided the resources to pursue projects vital to our students’ overall growth, and in many cases, career aspirations. Projects completed by students bring value to the learning environment and supplement current training processes.
When discussing annual support of the college, one must also recognize Delta Dental of Tennessee (DDTN). Students not only serve patients in the Memphis area, but they also travel to clinics around the state. This activity requires dependable transportation to ensure students are able to meet their training commitments.
In addition to this gift, the TDAF also committed to a $1,000 annual contribution to support an annual TDAF Faculty Award to be selected by the dean. Attracting and retaining elite faculty members is highly important to the vision of the college, and we appreciate all those who direct their giving to this area. Growing scholarship resources is another area of emphasis. Recognizing the CoD’s need for scholarship growth,
In responding to this challenge, DDTN gave $30,000 to allow the CoD to purchase a new vehicle for student travel. While this is a fabulous gift, it was not the only one received in Fall 2021. DDTN also made a $500,000 gift to support needs associated with the existing Dunn Dental Building. This contribution will be highly impactful to the college and the student experience. We thank our donors for their generosity and greatly appreciate their commitment to our students.
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UTHSC College of Dentistry Alumna Helping Everyday Heroes Smile By Jane Roberts Debra Gray King. DDS, FAACD, had been nurturing a plan to help everyday heroes get free cosmetic dental work. With the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks of Sept. 11 looming, she made a pact. “This is the year it is going to happen,” she said to herself. Dr. King, an alumna of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Dentistry, and Dean Lodding,
DDS, who practices in suburban Chicago, co-founded Smiles for America, a grassroots effort to give a hero in each state a new smile. “We were able to sign up 50 dentists in a matter of weeks,” Dr. King said. “Everybody we asked overwhelmingly said, ‘Of course, we would love to do this.’ “
The Idea Becomes Reality The idea was to improve the lives of ordinary heroes. “We let each dentist define what that hero was for them,” Dr. King said. “We just wanted to do something overwhelmingly good for our heroes.” Across the country, veterans, health care workers, firemen, policemen, and at least one staff member from a homeless shelter now have new smiles, thanks to Dr. King, Dr. Lodding, and their network through the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and The Crown Council. At Dr. King’s office, the Atlanta Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, the staff took nominations. Kurt Vermillion, a firefighter in Marietta, Georgia, was the winner. He received porcelain veneer finishes on 10 teeth. Dr. King did the work, which took two full mornings plus several shorter appointments. The dental work is worth more than $30,000. Nationally, the gifts ranged from tooth whitening to a few veneers to a full mouth and “everything in between,” Dr. King said. “We let each dentist make the decision what needed to be done.” Several dental labs made donations to defray expenses.
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A Firefighter’s Smile
A New Life
Vermillion’s story touched Dr. King. For more than 11 years, he has been fighting fires in metro Atlanta. Since he was 8-years-old, he had been smiling with a closed mouth after falling against the side of swimming pool and damaging a front tooth.
Dentistry changed Dr. King’s life, too.
Every year or so, his childhood dentist added to the bottom of the tooth to make it even with his other teeth, which continued to grow. By high school, the tooth was discolored. He got by with temporary, inexpensive fixes, including a plastic tooth attached to a plate that Dr. King calls “a flipper.” “They’re uncomfortable and you never know when they are going to flip out of the mouth,” she said. “We don’t use them here.” Vermillion was self-conscious enough he didn’t even tell his wife how much he held back in life because he didn’t easily smile. When they were out for dinner on their first anniversary, he broke the flipper biting into a piece of bread. It left a gap. “I think things like that, you just adapt and get used to. You don’t even realize how closed off you have become or that it even changed the way you smile,” he said. “For Dr. King to reach out of the goodness of her heart to do this is pretty overwhelming,” he said. “During these past couple of years, it has been hard on police and fire, with what’s going on, and then COVID,” Vermillion said. EMS personnel have immediate contact with COVID patients going by ambulance to the hospital. “Firefighters are always putting themselves in danger to help others. It was just really nice to be able to do something for him,” Dr. King said.
“I grew up in a small town outside Knoxville in a middleclass family. I always wanted to do something to help others,” she said. Initially, she planned to be a dental hygienist. After working a summer for a dentist, she decided she wanted to pursue dentistry. “I was a country bumpkin, and the dental school accepted me. It really changed my life to become a dentist.” She is one of fewer than 100 fellows in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and was the second woman to achieve the status. Dr. King attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville as an undergraduate. She graduated from the UTHSC College of Dentistry in 1987. Her father, Donald Gray, earned his master’s degree at UT-Knoxville. Giving has become a way of life for her. She has established two scholarships in dentistry – the Debra Gray King Scholarship Endowment at UTHSC and one at Augusta University in Georgia. She has served on the UTHSC College of Dentistry Alumni Board and is a member of the University of Tennessee Foundation Alliance of Women Philanthropists.
More Smiles Ahead The founders of Smiles for America plan to expand the program to more than one dentist per state this year. There is no way to know how much it cost to improve 50 smiles. However, Dr. King thinks of those heroes every day, as they step up now to lead with warm smiles and new confidence. “We did 50 smiles,” she said. “It is so awesome that so many colleagues in our profession came together to do this amazing thing for our heroes.”
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Alumna Made History, Dedicated to Giving Back to Alma Mater By Amelia Ables When Ruth Edmonds, DDS, completed her graduate training in orthodontics at UTHSC, her intention was to begin working for a practice in Nashville. Although her career took a different path, she says UTHSC played a large part in where she is now, almost 22 years later. “Then, you looked up orthodontists in the phone book and sent letters to ask if they were hiring,” Dr. Edmonds said. “I received an invitation to tour a practice, but no one was hiring associates.” So, Dr. Edmonds decided to head back to Nashville and open her own practice. In 2000, Braces by Dr. Ruth opened its doors and has been transforming patients’ smiles ever since.
“During my time at UTHSC I had access to all my instructors who were helpful with any questions I had about opening a practice,” she said. “They were great resources. I opened from scratch and started out as a really small boutique practice. Then, a few dentists I knew heard I was back in town, so they sent me some patients, and the rest is history.” About 10 years into practicing, Dr. Edmonds realized that she also made history in her residency program at UTHSC. “I was the first African American female to ever go through the program. I never really thought of it as an accomplishment until people started congratulating me. It really gives me a different type of pride.” A member of the American Dental Association (ADA) diversity and inclusion program, Dr. Edmonds has watched diversity in dentistry change over the years. While the profession now has more practitioners of color, she hopes to see diversity increase in the years to come. “It’s fun to watch, because when I started out, I was always one or one of a few persons of color in the room. It’s a better feeling, and it’s more inclusive. Cultural differences are real and being able to relate to and understand patients is important. Having that training is important.” A supporter of UTHSC ever since she graduated from the residency program, Dr. Edmonds says the education she received at the university is second to none. “The instructors let us experiment with different philosophies throughout the residency. Whereas some schools only teach one philosophy, we were able to learn all of them, which helps in private practice if you end up needing a different solution. The reason I’m a successful and well-rounded orthodontist today is because of how well rounded the program is at UTHSC. That’s why I’ve given back every single month since I graduated.” In the future, Dr. Edmonds looks forward to seeing that culture at UTHSC continue. “What I really love about the school is that it introduced me to so many different aspects of orthodontics. Our alumni also took care of us, funding us to go to different courses and national and regional meetings. I think that’s why the Southern region has such a strong presence nationally, because UTHSC has done a fantastic job with its residents.”
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Reconnecting and Exploring the Future of Dentistry The William F. Slagle Dental Meeting is back in person in Memphis, March 4-6, at the Guest House at Graceland! For more than 25 years, the William F. Slagle Dental Meeting has been held in Memphis, offering entertainment, camaraderie, and continuing education opportunities for dentists, hygienists, and assistants. COVID-19 moved the event to virtual for the past two years. However, this year, the meeting is planned as an in-person event. The mission of the Slagle Meeting is to advance the delivery of quality dental care by providing the dental team with educational opportunities. Over the weekend, the entire dental team will have the opportunity to participate in courses designed to enhance their role in the field of dentistry and recertify in all required annual and biannual courses Course dates are subject to change. Please check needed for licensure. Attendees can earn at least 15 our website for updates at uthsc.edu/dentistry/CE CE hours. Hybrid/Live Zoom webinars are also available for select courses. The William F. Slagle Dental Meeting is sponsored by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry and the College of Dentistry Alumni Association. For more information: www.slagledentalmeeting.
com.
UTHSC Dental Alumnus Aims to Increase Ranks of Students from East Tennessee By Jane Roberts In Kingsport, Tennessee, it’s nothing to hear runners at track and field meets sing out greetings to Jon Mather, the longtime referee who went to college on a track scholarship. They know him simply as Doc. For decades, the smiling, fatherly dentist has also been an assistant Boy Scoutmaster in Kingsport. In addition to leading training for the dental merit badge, he’s become a mentor to dozens of the kids, many of them long-distance runners or working to be Eagle Scouts, just the kind of young people who will do well in dentistry. “A lot of them have come to observe me though my office,” says Dr. Mather, an alumnus of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Dentistry. “Two of my Boy Scouts are in Memphis right now in the dental school.” Dr. Mather has endowed a dental scholarship at the UTHSC College of Dentistry for a student from northeast Tennessee, in the hopes of reducing the level of debt for new dentists in the region. “These young men and young ladies come out of dental school with a tremendous amount of debt. The average is somewhere around $270,000. It really puts a strain on their life once they get out,” Dr. Mather says. “Maybe this will help defray some of the cost.”
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Dr. Mather knows the power of a mentor. His was Dr. Pope Johnson, the Mather family dentist when Dr. Mather was growing up in Kingsport. Besides being a former president of the Tennessee Dental Association, the affable, goodnatured Dr. Johnson knew how to take a young person under his wing and talk about the future. “He always seemed to be having the best time. I wanted that,” Dr. Mather says. Dr. Mather graduated from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Dentistry in 1979. He arrived in Memphis – about 500 miles from his home – as a young man raised with rural values. “Going to Memphis was a big change. We’re hoping the scholarship opens the door a little wider for others coming from Kingsport,” he says. “Dentistry has been a great experience. I have really enjoyed my patients and my staff. I’m in a group practice. I have enjoyed my fellow group dentists. The profession has been very good to me and my family,” Dr. Mather says. He has practiced more than four decades in Kingsport. He also is fellow of the International College of Dentistry. As a nationally certified track and field official, Dr. Mather spends lots of time with college and high school students, who have trained for the often-solitary discipline of daily running. Of course, he sees himself in them. But he also
knows that young people willing to put in the time to be distance runners often have the staying power it takes to get through dental school. Running, he says, becomes an easy metaphor for going the distance in other parts of life. He sees a similar trajectory in kids who stay in scouting for years. “You have to time it right and do it with the right people, if they have some interest, I think you can help,” he says. Most of the conversations happen with high school students, however, scouting includes boys and girls starting at age 11. Dr. Mather notices they are paying attention to the conversations. By the time they have finished scouting, all of them know Dr. Mather and have spent enough time with him to know about his life and his work. That matters, Dr. Mather says, because it means they have a personal, friend-level relationship with a dentist. If they are considering the field, he can be a reference, a mentor, and a measuring stick.
Dr. Mather’s son, David (photo at far left), an Eagle Scout, also earned his DDS degree from UTHSC and now practices with his father at Kingsport Dentistry. Through his son, Dr. Mather got a first-person look at the level of debt that new dentists often have. “My wife and I established this scholarship to help,” says Dr. Jon Mather. “We plan to add to it over time. Being able to give always just makes you feel better. We hope to be able to help these young professionals a little later in life.” Maybe one day, he says, students on endowed Mather scholarships will be attending dental school in Kingsport. Dr. Mather is working with leaders from Tennessee Eastman to bring a UTHSC College of Dentistry to Kingsport, where the closest dental school now is across the state line in Virginia, which is more expensive for Tennessee residents. “It may be a hybrid school with a two-year clinical practice, we don’t know. But several executives from Eastman would like a dental school in Kingsport,” Dr. Mather says. “And they are pushing it. It’s exciting.”
Choose UTHSC CoD for Continuing Dental Education 2022 SPRING COURSE CALENDAR MARCH 4–6 The William F. Slagle Dental Meeting Memphis – The Guest House at Graceland
MAY 2–6 Expanded Functions for Dental Auxiliary – Restorative Class 2 (week 2 of 2)
14–17 Expanded Functions for Dental Auxiliary – Prosthetic Class 2 (week 1 of 2)
6–7 Administering Nitrous Oxide for the Dental Hygienist
28–31 Expanded Functions for Dental Auxiliary – Prosthetic Class 2 (week 2 of 2) APRIL 25–29 Expanded Functions for Dental Auxiliary – Restorative Class 2 (week 1 of 2)
7 Monitoring Nitrous Oxide for the Dental Assistant 13–14 Administering Local Anesthesia for the Dental Hygienist
Why Make an Annual Gift to UTHSC?
Donating to UTHSC every year helps us provide scholarships, laboratory equipment, travel grants, community outreach initiatives, and many other benefits that would not be available using state or tuition-provided dollars alone! Thank you for being a partner with our campus, our colleges, and our programs. Your gift in any amount will make a difference. Donate $100 or more and become a member of our 1911 Society! For details, go to giving.uthsc.edu/1911.
Make your gift today! giving.uthsc.edu/give | 901.448.5516
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Leave Your Legacy Have you thought about the legacy you will leave behind? With a Planned Gift, you can: • Simplify your estate for your family • Reduce the tax burden applied to your assets • Benefit causes you hold dear
Legacy donors become members of the Hershel “Pat” Wall Legacy Society Dr. Wall’s more than 50 years of dedication to UTHSC as a student, faculty member, and administrator are unsurpassed. His legacy will live forever, as will the impact made by our donors. For more information about planned gifts to UTHSC and Legacy Society membership, contact Bethany Goolsby at 901.448.5516 or estateplans@uthsc.edu.
THANK YOU to Our Legacy Society Members! Dr. and Mrs. Danny Adkins
Dr. and Mrs. Scotty A. Devine
Dr. Ruth E. Bailey
Estate of Dr. Charles Edrington
Dr. and Mrs. J. Newsom Baker
Estate of Dr. Russell O. and Mrs. Fannye Ford
Dr. David E. Barto* and Mrs. Carol S. Barto
Mr. Robert C.* and Mrs. Maud Fox
Estate of Gladys C. Bowyer
Dr. John A. Gholson III
Dr. William R. Breeding
Drs. Joe C. and Barbara Harris
Dr. Carl F. Brown, Jr.* and Mrs. Linda Meltzer Brown
Estate of Robert Henderson
Estate of John T. Camp
Dr. and Mrs. Fred C. Heros
Estate of Harold Cloogman
Dr. and Mrs. J. L. Hochstedler
Dr. and Mrs.* William O. Coley, Jr.
Estate of Billy S. Howard
Dr. William Max Couch, Sr.
Dr. and Mrs. James H. Hutson, Jr.
Estate of Mrs. Lynne Craver
Estate of Dr. John Jacoway
Dr. Jack N. Denton
Dr. and Mrs. Brett J. Jaffrey
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Dr. J. Dale and Mrs. Rebecca S. Kennedy
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen M. Sawrie
Estate of Dr. Lawrence Tennyson Kennedy, Jr.
Estate of Charles A. Scott Jr.
Dr. Sarah E. Martin
Dr. William F. Slagle
Estate of Wayne L. McCulley
Dr. and Mrs. Millard B. Smith
Dr. and Mrs. James W. McDaniel
Estate of Dr. Roy M. Smith
Dr. and Mrs. John W. McElhiney
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Frederic Starck
Estate of Dr. James P. McLemore, Jr.
Dr. Robert C. Stetzel, Jr.
Estate of R. Gary Moser
Dr. and Mrs. Buford J. Suffridge, Jr.
Estate of Sam D. Mount
Estate of Dr. Mary Beth Throneberry
Estate of Dr. John S. Nelson
Dr. James L. Vaden
Estate of Percy Nordlinger
Dr. and Mrs. William Thomas Veal, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Andrew O’Rourke
Dr. and Mrs. Kirby P. Walker, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Overbey, Jr.
Dr. William Earl Webb
Dr. and Mrs. Tommy W. Page
Estate of Dr. Faustin Weber
Dr. and Mrs. Rush Abbott Peace
Estate of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Weems
Estate of Maurice E. Petrovsky
Dr. Rosie Richmond Whalum
Dr. and Mrs. James M. Pyle III
Ms. L. Adine Wheeler
Dr. and Mrs. Morris Robbins
Dr. and Mrs. Martin C. Wilhelm
Dr. and Mrs. Robert W. Rockefeller
Mrs. Debbie Wilhoit and Dr. Gary Wilhoit*
Dr. Alice Roemer-Toarmina
Dr. and Mrs. Michael D. Wooten
Dr. Judith A. Ross
Estate of Richard Workman
Estate of Sam G. Sanders
Estate of Frances Farr Young
2021-22 Officers of the College of Dentistry Alumni Association Board of Trustees PRESIDENT Joseph Safirstein, DDS, 1999
SLAGLE MEETING COMMITTEE CHAIR Floyd Chip Trammell, Jr., DDS, 2012
PRESIDENT-ELECT William Powell, DDS, MS, 1967
STUDENT RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR Henry McKay, DDS, 1990
CLINICS AND FACILITIES CHAIR Rick Guthrie, DDS, 1987
FACULTY AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE CHAIR Stueart Hudsmith, DDS, 1995
*Denotes someone who is deceased, but spouse is still living
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE CHAIR Fernando Heros, DDS, 1975
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UTHSC COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY | WINTER 2022
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UTHSC specialty license plates are available at Tennessee County Clerk offices.
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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit No. 4026 Office of Development and Alumni Affairs 62 S. Dunlap, Suite 500 Memphis, TN 38163 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
SAVE THE DATES 2022 SILVER GRADUATE HOMECOMING October 7-9 | Memphis Honoring the graduates of 1997 from all UTHSC Colleges This year, we are pleased to present the inaugural Silver Graduate Homecoming, recognizing the 1997 graduates of our UTHSC colleges Because our goal is to ensure the safety and health of all alumni and their families, plans may change due to COVID-19. Please mark your calendars and watch for ongoing updates, as we continue in the planning process.
2022 GOLDEN GRADUATE HOMECOMING October 26-29 | Memphis Honoring the graduates of 1972 from all UTHSC Colleges We are excited and working diligently to plan an event that is safe and enjoyable for all. Again, due to uncertainties related to COVID-19, we are unable to predict changes that might be necessary. Please watch for ongoing updates. Interested in serving as a class reunion chair? Contact the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at uthscalumni@uthsc.edu or 901.448.5516
For more information, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at uthscalumni@uthsc.edu or 901.448.5516.