Dr. Lynda Bonewald joins the UMKC faculty as the Lefkowitz Professor of Oral biology and director of the Bone Biology Program within the Department of Oral Biology. Dr. Bonewald earned a Ph.D. in immunology and microbiology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston in 1984. Before coming to UMKC in September, she had served as a researcher and faculty member at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio since 1986, primarily in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Cellular and Structural Biology. She is a past president of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities, and currently serves as the chair of the NIDCR Board of Scientific Councilors.

Dr. Karl Breuckmann serves as an Outreach clinical assistant professor. He also serves in the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a general dentist. After earning a D.D.S. degree at UMKC in 1998, he served as a UMKC clinical fellow in General Dentistry until September 1999.

Dr. Vania Castro serves as a clinical assistant professor in the School of Dentistry ’s Partnership for Smiles program. As part of the program, Dr. Castro and two other faculty members rotate through five area community health centers with groups of UMKC dental and dental hygiene students to deliver care to disadvantaged children and families. Dr. Castro received her D.D.S. degree from the Federal University of Para in Belem , Brazil , in 1990. After working in private practice from 1990 to 1995, she entered the UMKC advanced education program in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, from which she graduated in 1999.

Dr. Sarah Dallas joins the UMKC faculty as an associate professor in the Bone Biology Program within the Department of Oral Biology. Dr. Dallas received a Ph.D. in 1991 from the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London where she studied the use of in vitro techniques to investigate cellular responses to mechanical loading in bone. She worked as a researcher and faculty member in the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinolgy at the University of Texas at San Antonio from 1991 to 1999. Before arriving at UMKC in September 2001, she had served as an independent research fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Manchester in Manchester , United Kingdom since 1999.

Tanya Villalpando joins the UMKC faculty as a clinical assistant professor and junior clinic coordinator in the Division of Dental Hygiene. She has earned two degrees from UMKC:  a B.S. in dental hygiene in 1995 and an M.S. in dental hygiene education in 2001. While she was completing her education she worked for the practices of Dr. Travis Roberts, Dr. William Busch and Dr. Joy Miller. She is a member of the Sigma Phi Alpha National Hygiene Honor Society and the Hispanic Dental Association.

Dr. W.C. Cleveland serves as a clinical assistant professor in the School of Dentistry ’s Partnership for Smiles program. As part of the program, Dr. Cleveland and two other faculty members rotate through five area community health centers with groups of UMKC dental and dental hygiene students to deliver care to disadvantaged children and families. After earning a D.D.S. degree from the University of Kansas City in 1959, Dr. Cleveland practiced general dentistry in Prairie Village , Kan. , and Brookfield , Mo. He also has served as a professor at Johnson County Community College . Dr. O. Lynn Crawford serves as a clinical assistant professor in the School of Dentistry ’s Partnership for Smiles program. As part of the program, Dr. Crawford and two other faculty members rotate through five area community health centers with groups of UMKC dental and dental hygiene students to deliver care to disadvantaged children and families. After earning a D.D.S. degree from UMKC in 1985, Dr. Crawford practiced general dentistry in Kansas City , Lee’s Summit , and Brunswick , Mo. Dr. Stephen Harris joins the UMKC faculty as a professor in the Bone Biology Program within the Department of Oral Biology. Dr. Harris earned B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Texas at Austin . He has served as a researcher and educator at a variety of institutions, including Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, the National Institute of of Environmental Health Sciences, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio . He is currently developing methods to study large genomic fragments of various genes and their functional domains in transgenic animals.