Dr. Michelle Briner, Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, has been elected to serve as the Vice President of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Diagnostics Science Group, which aims to enhance communication, cooperation and inter-disciplinary activities among those interested in research in the diagnostic sciences, strategies and related disciplines, especially as applicable to diseases, conditions and abnormalities that affect the oral and maxillofacial region. She will begin her term at the conclusion of the 2025 IADR/PER General Session & Exhibition in Barcelona, Spain (June 25-28, 2025). Following her service as Vice President, Dr. Briner will serve one year as President Elect, then one year as President.
Since the 1970s, Cookie Crunch has been a much anticipated event at the dental school, serving as a “thank you” after the end of a long semester and final exams.
Tables lined with trays of baked goods filled the hallways and lines of eager students, faculty and staff made their way to indulge in a homemade treat.
Dr. Jared Gerhardt (DDS ’08), Assistant Clinical Professor, Restorative Clinical Sciences, was installed as President for the Greater Kansas City Dental Society this past weekend and will serve through December 2025. Congratulations, Dr. Gerhardt!
As part of their implantology course, first-year residents from the Advanced Periodontics, Advanced Endodontics, and AEGD programs received training throughout the month from Nobel Biocare, led by Jon Pointelin and Tom Stupka, focused on implant placement, provisional restorations, as well as the impression and conversion of overdentures.
The goal of the training was to equip residents with essential skills and knowledge, ensuring they are well-prepared to provide exceptional care to their patients.
“Understanding the biology and histopathology related to dental implants, as presented in this introductory course on implants for both Periodontic and Endodontic Residents, is of great value,” said Ken Frick, DDS, MS, Director, Advanced Education Program in Endodontics, Clinical Associate Professor. “Having the support of Nobel is an important part of that process.”
Residents learned about DTX Studio Implant software, which allows them to combine the CBCT image and intraoral scanning image, determining ideal implant orientations and facilitating placement of the dental implants in a semi- or fully-guided way.
“Digital dentistry and technology has become essential to modern dental practice,” said Patrick Lai, DDS, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Periodontics, Director, Advanced Education Program in Periodontics. “This training is a valuable addition to our curriculum, ensuring that the residents receive cutting-edge education.”
The training also provided an opportunity for residents to learn the latest techniques in implant restorations.
“We are fortunate to include this topic as part of the AEGD curriculum,” said Luana Oliveira, DDS, MS, PhD, Director, AEGD Residency Program. “Our goal is to ensure residents are well-versed in implant protocols so they can better serve their patients. Hands-on experiences like this help us maintain excellence in dental education and prepare our residents to meet the demands of modern dentistry.”
The collaboration with Nobel Biocare, a longstanding partner of the dental school, was instrumental to the success of these sessions.
Black Dental Students & Pre-Dents in partnership with the UMKC School of Dentistry and chapters of the Student National Dental Association and the Hispanic Student Dental Association hosted their ShapingSmiles, ShapingFutures Dental Career Exploration event this November.
The event is designed to foster interest and enthusiasm for the dental profession among underrepresented minority students in grades 6-12. By providing them with hands-on experiences and exposure to the world of dentistry, the organizations hope to inspire a new generation of diverse dental professionals.
The welcome hosted dental applicants and their families on Friday, November 15 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.
Steven Haas, dean of the School of Dentistry since 2021, announced his resignation on November 1. Haas has played a vital role in shaping plans for new teaching clinics in the Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building that will open in 2026. School of Pharmacy Dean Russ Melchert has stepped in as interim dean as he did during a dean transition several years ago at the School of Dentistry.
UMKC launched a national search for the next dean of the School of Dentistry, seeking a leader with the vision and energy to guide the school into a new phase of academic, clinical and research excellence. The new dean will strengthen and continue our tradition of being a model oral healthcare education institution. The dean will play a critical role in expanding upon the school’s excellence by elevating academic and clinical services in the new Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building, a $145 million capital project that will provide state-of-the-art clinical teaching and healthcare services to the community. UMKC is working with the higher-education executive search firm Greenwood, Asher & Associates. The search committee is listed below.
Search Committee Members
Chair, Brian Klaas, dean of Henry W. Bloch School of Management
Sumeet Dua, vice chancellor for research
Nick Rogers, immediate past chair, Rinehart Foundation
Laura Beard, senior student services coordinator, School of Dentistry
Jeffrey Primos, assistant dean, School of Dentistry
Gustavo Leal, clinical assistant professor and director, Advanced Standing Dental Program
Erin Bumann, associate professor, School of Dentistry
Tanya Gibson, associate professor, School of Dentistry
Cynthia Petrie, professor, Dr. George Tanaka Hawaii Professor of Restorative Dentistry and chair of the Department of Restorative Clinical Science
Tanya Mitchell, professor and chair division of Dental Hygiene
Jason Firth, president of the American Student Dental Association
Joe Spalitto, School of Dentistry alumnus
Jeffrey Kagihara, School of Dentistry alumnus
Melanie Simmer-Beck, professor, chair of Dental Public Health and Behavioral Science, interim chair of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences and director of the STAHR Program
Since 2005, the U.S. Navy has hosted Navy Weeks in cities around the country without a significant Navy presence to educate the American public on its capabilities and relevance to national security. It brings Sailors from all around the globe to conduct outreach and immerse themselves in these communities for a week.
For some of these Sailors, it could also be a type of homecoming.
“This is where I went to Dental School on the Health Professions Scholarship Program,” Rear Adm. Walter Brafford, commander of the Naval Medical Forces Development Command and chief of the Navy Dental Corps, said. “It’s great to be back and to share my experiences of all the things I’ve done in the Navy and the opportunities the Navy provides.”
During this year’s Navy Week, Brafford and a group of Naval Medicine officers and corpsmen visited several schools in the Kansas City area November 11 – 17, 2024, to make connections and share what it’s like to be a health care professional in the Navy.
One of the schools on the list was the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Dentistry.
“I graduated from here in 1996 and joined the Navy as a dental officer shortly after on July 7,” he said. “It’s been an awesome ride. I’ve met a lot of great people, made some really good friends.
Scholarships and funding to nationwide organizations aims to address historically disadvantaged groups and improve population health.
LEE’S SUMMIT, MO (October 15, 2024) – Today, Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (“GEHA,” pronounced G.E.H.A.) and GEHA Solutions, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of GEHA and a leading dental network leasing company (leveraging the GEHA Connection Dental Network), announced their continued dedication to address oral health inequities. To actively address the causes of population health disparities within the dental and dental hygiene industries, GEHA Solutions will expand its funding and partnerships with the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, BrownGirl, RDH and Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships.
In 2024, GEHA Solutions has:
Provided $220,000 for 29 scholarships and fellowships to the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry to bridge the financial divide for students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds and who commit to advancing oral health equity.
Invested $75,000 for BrownGirl, RDH, to empower a more culturally diverse dental hygiene workforce through 26 collegiate scholarships and annual conference/continuing education funding for practicing registered dental hygienists.
Partnered with Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships to strengthen the pathway from middle school to dental school for youth and pre-dental students from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds throughout America, including a $5,000 GEHA grant.
“This investment from GEHA Solutions marks a significant milestone in expanding oral health equity and is a continuation of groundwork laid years ago,” said Steven Haas, dean of the UMKC School of Dentistry. “This funding is not only an investment in the immediate future; it represents a deep-seated commitment to sustaining our efforts toward achieving oral health equity. It signifies GEHA Solutions’ faith in our goal of providing the community with highly skilled and caring dental professionals for years to come. By enabling more students to pursue and complete their dental education while reducing their debt, we are setting the stage for long-term improvements in oral healthcare access and outcomes.”
In 2019, the UMKC Chapter of Sigma Phi Alpha- Dental Hygiene National Honor Society began a Community Service project for UMKC dental and dental hygiene students at the Kansas City Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo” event.
In recent years, Clinical Instructor, Prof. Tamra Hoffman, RDH, organizes volunteers from the student led organizations and classes from the School of Dentistry. Participation in this event allow students to dress up in costume, grab an oral hygiene puppet and connect with community kids about the fun of good brushing while passing out some goodies. Kids gather around for the opportunity to show our future dentists and dental hygienists their brushing skills.
This year, there were participants from dental hygiene class of 2025 and 2026 and dental classes of 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028. Alexmarie Gomez, President of the Dental Hygiene Alumni Association (DHAA), and DHAA board member Grace Wilson, joined in on the festivities. It is always great to see present and past graduates of our programs reaching out to our communities.
Volunteers included:
Erica George
Kaytlyn Kunkel
Abby Garcia
Marissa Johnson
Daysha Horne
Peyton Howard
Toni Fraizer
Klare Rollins
Julia Messina
McKenzie Caster
Charlotte Kettler
Anna Mitchell
Amrutha Sudarsana Babu
Dhruvi Patel
Emily Fuchs
Jade Bauer
Radhika Swaminathan
Tommy Mataya
Danny Pham
Emma Blain
Tin Chen
Itzhel Martinez
Hira Sukhera
Lauren Rowland
Flavia Santos
Hardi Thacker
Kaylee Kytasaari
Hannah Sloan
Kylee Kiernan
Chloe Gerken
Grace Ipsen
Abby Hecker
Isabella Cannon
Shreya Patel
Alyssa Knaak
Kamryn Peters
Chelsea Breihan
