“While it may seem small, the ripple effects of small things is extraordinary.” Matt Bevin

As you receive this annual “donor” issue of the Explorer, our nation will be in the midst of the holiday season, which includes the tradition of giving thanks, better known as Thanksgiving. We think it fitting to use this Explorer to give thanks to those who, this past year, have selflessly assisted the UMKC School of Dentistry in pursuing our mission to strive for excellence in oral health education, research, clinical care and service to our profession and community. In this issue, we’d also like to reminisce about the life and legacy of Dr. Roy J. Rinehart, the namesake of our philanthropic foundation, and give thanks for his past and present powerful contributions to the betterment of the School. The metaphor of ripples caused by tossing a pebble in a pond is a familiar one, but it is also an apt one to contemplate the lasting and far-reaching impact of Dr. Rinehart and the Foundation that bears his name. To learn more about the ripples created by this remarkable man, see our “Remembering Dr. Rinehart” tributes throughout this issue. We commend and thank all who have created their own ripple of progress by donating their time and treasure to the School; year in and year out your ripples become a wave of support for our mission.

Remembering Dr. Rinehart

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Roy J. Rinehart Memorial Foundation, we have inserted some interesting and significant stories, information and accomplishments that marked Dr. Roy J. Rinehart’s remarkable career as a professor, dean, mentor, colleague and friend to all during the School’s formative decades.