This honor annually recognizes an outstanding graduate for their lifelong commitment and contributions to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the School of Dentistry, the Dental and Dental Hygienists' Alumni Associations and the dental profession. This year's awardee, Laila Hishaw (D.D.S. '00), was recognized at the campuswide UMKC Alumni Awards celebration on April 4.

Hishaw is a renowned thought leader and champion for change in the dental profession in the areas of mentorship, diversity and belonging. She has served pediatric patients in her private practice in Tucson, Arizona, for more than two decades and is the author of an Amazon bestseller, Cavity Free Kids.

Hishaw is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists. Most recently, the Arizona Dental Association named her its 2023 Mentor of the Year. Hishaw has been featured on Discovery Health Channel (for her role in diagnosing a rare disorder in one of her patients) and in multiple podcasts and publications, including ADA News, Dentistry Today, Black Enterprise and the Journal of Dental Education. She currently serves on the ADA Task Force to Eliminate Barriers for Underrepresented Minorities into the Dental Profession and proudly serves on the board of directors for Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation. She is an alumna of the ADA Institute for Diversity in Leadership.

In 2018, Hishaw founded Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships, Inc., a nonprofit committed to strengthening the diversity pathway from middle school to dental school through mentoring, education and hands-on programming. The nonprofit provides scholarships to youth and pre-dental students who are Black, Latinx and Native American. The organization is an inaugural awardee of the Delta Dental Oral Health Diversity Fund. It received $75,000 to expand its Diversify Dentistry Youth Summit to dental schools across the nation in an effort to inspire underrepresented youth to consider a career in dentistry and drive health equity.

Those at the School of Dentistry are proud of the dedication and service our alumni possess to further the profession. Visit go.umkc.edu/AlumniAwards to nominate a deserving UMKC School of Dentistry alumna or alumnus for a future UMKC Alumni Achievement Award.