When I began dental school in 1974, I never imagined I would be chair of the Rinehart Foundation. It is particularly an honor because of the foundation's namesake, the man remembered for making UMKC School of Dentistry one of the most prestigious and oldest schools — traced back to 1881 — in the country through his selfless devotion to its growth. Thanks to your donations, the Rinehart Foundation provides scholarships, fellowships, professorships, professional development and projects that advance oral health.
Dental school did not come easy for me. I had much help attaining an education that gave me an incredibly rewarding profession, and I am not referring to monetary rewards. Christie, my wife, and I give regularly to the Rinehart Foundation. We do this so future students will have the same opportunity I had.
To keep our dental school at the top, we need to attract the best students, especially those from underrepresented communities. This is accomplished through the many scholarships made available through your generous donations and endowments. Working with the UMKC Foundation, we have received additional financial help for students through community partners. This year, we have been able to help 206 students with $1,257,222 in scholarships.
We also need to have an updated facility to attract students and provide the needed dental treatment for our community. When I began dental school, our facility was only a couple of years old. It had all the latest technology and was truly state-of-the-art. Times have changed, and our facility has fallen behind. The University of Missouri-Kansas City is poised to begin work on a new $120 million interprofessional health sciences building in the UMKC Health Sciences District. With Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal's vision of the UMKC Health Sciences District and the exciting leadership of Dean Haas, we will be building new state-of-the-art dental clinics.
I look forward to working with you to grow Dr. Rinehart's rich tradition of giving and helping the next generation succeed. Working together, there will be great things in our school's future.
Thank you from the Rinehart Board, the staff, and especially, the students at UMKC School of Dentistry.
—Dr. Nick Rogers (DDS '78) Chair, Rinehart Foundation
These donors have indicated that the UMKC School of Dentistry is in their estate plan. We are grateful for the lasting legacy they are creating.
Every effort has been made to accurately list each donor who has supported the UMKC School of Dentistry from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. If you notice an error, please contact the Office of Alumni.
The Rinehart Medallion honors the memory of Dr. Roy J. Rinehart, longtime dean of the UMKC School of Dentistry. The Rinehart Medallion is bestowed on alumni and friends of the school who have distinguished themselves through philanthropy or service. Each year, Rinehart Medallions are given to recognize lifetime donors of $10,000 or more. Annual donations to the Rinehart Foundation provide the School of Dentistry invaluable support, which enables it to improve the quality and expand the scope of its educational, research, clinical and outreach programs.
Many of our alumni have continued to give long after they received their Rinehart Medallion. We recognize their continued generosity and the impact of their gifts by awarding a lapel pin to donors at the $25,000-, $50,000- and $100,000-lifetime-giving levels.
Dan Root discovered he had a natural gift for dentistry working for a dental lab as a young man. That gift launched his successful career. He founded Root Dental Laboratory in 1964, where he continued to build his business while he served in the U.S. Army Reserves as a dental assistant, working alongside UMKC dental students. An advocate for giving everyone a chance to succeed, Root hired many young people. Dan's wife, Glenda, has established the Dan Root Memorial Scholarship in his honor for students with a demonstrated financial need and a 3.5 GPA, with preference given to students from rural areas.
Dr. Robert G. Marx (DDS '77) was a proud graduate of the UMKC School of Dentistry. Both his patients and colleagues described him as gentle and caring, saying he made the most terrified patient enjoy their visits. Dr. Marx was an avid musician and philanthropist. In 1988, he established a special day where he provided free cleanings and crucial treatments to underserved children. His legacy lives on through his music, his practice and his philanthropic work. Family, friends and patients came together to create this scholarship to celebrate and honor Dr. Marx.
Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (GEHA) has a storied history of supporting its community with intentional giving. This spirit carries through to today, where philanthropic efforts are focused around health equity. GEHA has a strong desire to expand underrepresented health-care workers, be a model for others, invest in change and address social determinants of health and systemic change. Both the dental and dental hygiene scholarships provided by GEHA support the growth of a culturally-diverse student body and profession by recruiting historically marginalized students and alleviating students' financial burdens.
AT THE 2022 Scholarship Recognition dinner Oct. 3, the UMKC School of Dentistry distributed 405 awards to 206 students. All the awards combined for a grand total of $1,257,222. At the event, Assistant Dean Richard H. Bigham welcomed the audience and Dean Steven Haas presided over the recognition of the scholarship donors and recipients.
Recipient Shairry Lene (B.S.D.H. '23) said the impact of these gifts can be life changing.
"I am a first-generation college student and my parents grew up not having much," said Lene. "Scholarships give me the opportunity to relieve my family from financial burden and allow me to pursue a career I am passionate about."
This year's new scholarships were also announced: the Dan Root Memorial Scholarship; the GEHA Solutions Diversity in Dentistry and Dental Hygiene Scholarships; and the Dr. Robert G. Marx Scholarship.
Recognizing Generous Benefactors and Deserving Recipients
UMKC Health Sciences District Project Receives $30 Million Gift
Cesar Sabates – Alumnus Reflects on His Time as ADA President
Dental Alumni Association Welcomes New Students at “The K”
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