Congratulations, Class of 2024!

After years of hard work and perseverance in the classroom and on the clinic floor, UMKC and the School of Dentistry celebrated the Class of 2024 during a commencement ceremony at T-Mobile Center on Sunday, May 12. The D.D.S. hooding ceremony was held prior to commencement at Swinney Recreation Center on Friday, May 10. The dental hygiene class had its own event held at the dental school, its annual Senior Scholarship Day. Continue reading

Internationally Trained Students Pursue Their American Dreams

Nine dentists from as far away as Cuba and India are realizing their dream of practicing in the United States at the UMKC School of Dentistry. The new advanced standing dental education program, launched in January, will enable these practitioners and all those who follow in their footsteps to work as dentists in the United States. Without programs like this, dentists from other countries face limited options to practice oral health in the U.S. Continue reading

Class Notes

Classes of the 1970s
Dennis McCoy (D.D.S. ’77) closed his office after practicing almost 46 years in St. Clair, Missouri. He still volunteers with the Rural Parish Clinic and plans on doing another mission trip to Honduras in 2024. He and his wife Mindi have been married for 51 years and have four children and eight grandchildren. Continue reading

Nonprofit Founder Focused on Diversity Earns Alumni Achievement Award

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. Continue reading

New Alunni Association and Rinehart Foundation Leadership Announced

Michael LeBlanc (D.D.S. ’03, PEDO ’05)
President, Dental Alumni Association
Originally from El Paso, Texas, Michael LeBlanc graduated from UMKC with his D.D.S. in 2003. LeBlanc went on to complete a two-year pediatric dental residency at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. He was very active in dental school, both academically and clinically. In 2003, he received the Pierre Fauchard Award for Clinical Excellence as well as the prestigious Arthur Iwersen Award for Excellence in Pediatric Dentistry. Continue reading