Every February, National Children’s Dental Health Month brings together professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their families and caregivers.
For over 15 years, the dental school has participated in observing the event championed by the American Dental Association. A big part of the month includes Give Kids a Smile, which offers free dental care to children in the Kansas City area, 0 – 17 years old in need of dental exams, teeth cleanings, dental sealants and fluoride treatment. Kids are shown how important oral health care is in a fun, interactive environment.
Rather than spend a day giving kids smiles, this year, the school hosted Give Kids a Smile for a week to spread smiles to as many community members as possible.
As the Chiefs head into Super Bowl weekend, our School of Dentistry family is showing their spirit in anticipation!
Submitted by Prof. Tanya Villalpando Mitchell, Dental Hygiene
Submitted by Andrew White, showing his spirit in Australia
Submitted by Valorie Moore Porter, Building & Business Office Associate
Submitted by Meredith Krause
Submitted by CSR
From the clinics and labs, to our offices and as far as Australia, there was not shortage of red and yellow! Take a look back at our past Super Bowl spirit here.
This February, several Dental Hygiene students, alumni and faculty volunteered their time in St. Joseph, MO, offering comprehensive oral health care screening, instructions and helpful tips to Special Olympics athletes as part of the Special Smiles discipline of Healthy Athletes.
This is one of the many screening events the Dental Hygiene department continues to be a part of to serve the community. Participating faculty, students and alumni include:
On January 16, the dental school hosted an orientation for the nine inaugural Advanced Standing Dental Program students. The program focuses on training dentists who have a degree from a foreign dental school and are now U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Many students have worked as dental assistants, dental hygienists, researchers, and educators while living in the U.S. and now desire to have a United States dental degree from a CODA approved institutional program, allowing them to be eligible to practice in the United States.
It includes a semester-long didactic, laboratory and patient care orientation to the school’s dental curriculum and course of study. The cohort will then “transition” into the third-year dental class, the DDS Class of 2026, during the summer term and complete the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) curriculum.
Hosted by the Interim Program Director, Dr. Gustavo Leal, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Clinical Sciences, and Dr. Yesim Stevens, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Clinical Sciences, students met with school leadership and faculty, including Dean Steven Haas, department chairs and team leaders.
After introductions, students learned about what will make them successful in dental school and the tools and resources available to them to do so, followed by computer checks, composite photos and gathering their instruments. After a full day of learning all that they will be doing now that they’ve joined UMKC, students got together for lunch and a group photo.
Cohort Profile: 9 students Gender: 8 females, 1 males Countries Where Dental School Completed: Cuba, India, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates Average Dental School GPA: 3.72 Passage of Integrated National Dental Board Exam: All Students U.S. States of Resident: California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina
Congratulations to our inaugural program members! Wishing you every success as you begin your journey with us.
Dozens of UMKC School of Dentistry students, staff, faculty and friends from GEHA Solutions assembled 2,000 dental hygiene kits for the school’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 15.
Kits were delivered to Ronald McDonald House, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Welcome House, Amethyst Place and City Union Mission.
Supplies for the kits were provided by the School of Dentistry Departments of Dental Hygiene and Dental Public Health, UMKC Bookstore, GEHA Solutions, and Proctor & Gamble.
Appreciation goes out to everyone involved in participating in this day and helping live out the legacy of service and community while remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tis the season for the School of Dentistry’s annual holiday lunch!
Hosted by the School of Dentistry Staff Council and Dean Steven Haas, this event brings faculty, staff and retirees together for a traditional holiday lunch before all depart for holiday break.
From decking the halls to dawning festive apparel, raffling off gift baskets and playing games, it’s clear that all were in the holiday spirit this year.
The season isn’t complete without giving, and in addition to donated gift baskets, many donated non-perishable food items to the UMKC Kangaroo Pantry, a charity providing food assistance for those in need within the UMKC community.
Staff Council members also took leftovers from the lunch and donated them to Ronald McDonald house.
Some things never go out of style, and with Cookie Crunch having been celebrated at the dental school since the 1970s, it’s safe to say this event is one of them.
“The long-standing tradition of the Cookie Crunch at the School of Dentistry began as a ‘thank you’ to our students for choosing the dental school and to provide them with something homemade after a long semester away from family, and before they took on the challenges of final exams,” says Danita Johnson, Student Services Coordinator, Office of Student Programs.
The dental school’s Staff Council hosted the event on December 7. Amid the buzz of faculty, staff and students, were tables lined with trays of baked goods from end to end.
“Over the years there have been different variations of the Cookie Crunch,” Johnson continues, “but the success of the Cookie Crunch has always been because of the faculty and staff who have provided contributions of baked goods, candy, and cash donations. To this day the foundation holds true – it’s about giving our students a taste of something homemade.”
Alec Zier, Executive Assistant, Dean’s Office and Staff Council President, says the event that was once foreign to him grew to be one he anticipates.
“When I first started at the School of Dentistry a little over 5 years ago, Cookie Crunch seemed like an odd event to me,” says Zier, “but I love cookies, so didn’t ask questions. Now I see it as a time for faculty, staff, and students to pause for moment of levity and fellowship during a stressful time of the semester. While the organizers and specifics of Cookie Crunch have changed a bit over the years, I look forward to it every year.”
Some of those organizers, Jamie Charles, Business Office Support Assistant, and Jade Townsend, Dental Front Desk and Staff Council Secretary, also shared in the love of the event.
Charles (pictured above, middle) celebrated her fifth Cookie Crunch this year. “I love Cookie Crunch! One of the things that I enjoy most about the event is the excitement we can see and feel from the students,” she says, “They actually start hanging around 20 minutes before the event and wait with bated breath for the clock to strike 11:30 a.m.! Although it’s “just cookies,” it is a small, tangible way for us to thank our students, our customers, for choosing our school.”
Townsend (pictured above, right) is new to the dental school this year, but is already making an impact. “I have been striving to provide the best Holiday Cookie Crunch done thus far,” she says, “The year 2023 has opened many doors, becoming one of the many great Staff Council board members was one of them!” She noted the event is “set in place to reward and celebrate the hard-working dental students, giving them the opportunity to rest from all the hard work the students have accomplished throughout the year.”
On November 30, Psi Omega held a Mustache Competition to celebrate Movember with all proceeds going the Movember Foundation – the leading organization fighting male suicide, testicular cancer, and prostate cancer.
As part of Movember, participants are asked to grow a mustache from November 1 to December 1, as a symbol representing healthier men and a healthier world.
The month kicked off with faculty and staff wearing fake mustaches all around the clinic floor.
Photo courtesy of DJ Davis
DJ Davis, Psi Omega member and DDS Class of 2025, says this, “set a great tone for everyone and helped bring awareness to the event, which I am so thankful for. Thank you Dr. Weimer (Dr. Wendy Weimer, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Clinical Sciences) for helping us start out!”
Participants got together for the competition at the dental school, which required a $5 donation towards funding game-changing men’s health projects.
Those that wanted to advocate for the cause but were unable to grow mustaches could still show support by sporting a fake mustache, courtesy of Psi Omega.
“The event became much more meaningful to us when we were told there were survivors of prostate cancer at the dental school,” said Davis. “The event was serious in nature due to the cause, but allowed us all to add some silliness to the month of November that I hoped lifted the spirits of the school.”
Categories for the competition included: Best Student Mustache, Best Staff/Faculty Mustache, Most Creative Mustache and Best Attempt Mustache.
Mustache Competition Winners
Best Student Mustache
Evan Andrews, DDS Class of 2024
Best Staff/Faculty Mustache
Dr. John Ball, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Clinical Sciences
Most Creative Mustache
Jake Jardon, Class of 2027
Best Attempt Mustache
Michael Gimotty III, DDS Class of 2025
On November 10, the UMKC Advanced Endodontics Program hosted a Microsurgery Seminar with Dr. Syngcuk Kim and Dr. Samuel Kratchman of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, bringing in both local and out-of-state residents and faculty for a day of didactic and hands-on learning.
“Both Dr. Kim and Dr. Kratchman have been pivotal in setting the stage for modern endodontic surgery in the United States and around the world,” says Dr. Ken Frick, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Advanced Education Program in Endodontics. “Through their numerous literature publications, authorship of two textbooks, establishment of a microsurgical training center at the University of Pennsylvania, and their busy schedule of international lecturing, their name and work are well known throughout the field of endodontics.”
Over 40 attendees came together to attend what Dr. Frick calls the first of its kind.
“UMKC is proud to be able to host this first of its kind one day seminar event for Midwestern Endodontic Programs to attend and network together in. Endodontic Residents from the University of Nebraska, St. Louis University, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Tennessee will join with UMKC Endodontic Residents for this unique educational event,” he said. “We are thankful to Brasseler USA for making this event possible by their sponsorship of Drs. Kim and Kratchman, thus making this a no-cost event to attendees. To add to the camaraderie an evening social event for resident attendees, hosted by High Five Inc., will be offered at a local establishment.”
Dr. Frick hopes to host more events like this in the future, bring together leading endodontic educators and clinicians.
Dr. Miranda Jimenez, current endodontic resident at the UMKC School of Dentistry, pictured above, right, says, “Not only did we gain invaluable insight from two of the top contributors to endodontic microsurgery, but we were also able to collaborate with residents and faculty from other endodontics programs across the Midwest. I feel very lucky to have spent the day in the company of such talented and knowledgeable endodontic professionals.”
The dental school hosted more applicants on Friday, November 10 for another showcase day, where students met each other, faculty and staff and got the opportunity to learn more about the dental school experience and what they could expect when attending the UMKC School of Dentistry.
After being introduced to faculty, staff and the dean, attendees were led on a tour of the school.
In addition to getting to know the facility and clinics, attendees enjoyed a “Class 1 Prep” activity, where they were led through an operative experience to show the students what they can catch a glimpse of their first two years of dental school.
Attendees were invited for a social gathering at Vested Coffee, then rounded out the day at Beacon Hill Apartments for some tours to see living options on campus.
