A Ripple Becomes a Wave Thanks to You
“While it may seem small, the ripple effects of small things is extraordinary.” Matt Bevin
As you receive this annual “donor” issue of the Explorer, our nation will be in the midst of the holiday season, which includes the tradition of giving thanks, better known as Thanksgiving. We think it fitting to use this Explorer to give thanks to those who, this past year, have selflessly assisted the UMKC School of Dentistry in pursuing our mission to strive for excellence in oral health education, research, clinical care and service to our profession and community. In this issue, we’d also like to reminisce about the life and legacy of Dr. Roy J. Rinehart, the namesake of our philanthropic foundation, and give thanks for his past and present powerful contributions to the betterment of the School. The metaphor of ripples caused by tossing a pebble in a pond is a familiar one, but it is also an apt one to contemplate the lasting and far-reaching impact of Dr. Rinehart and the Foundation that bears his name. To learn more about the ripples created by this remarkable man, see our “Remembering Dr. Rinehart” tributes throughout this issue. We commend and thank all who have created their own ripple of progress by donating their time and treasure to the School; year in and year out your ripples become a wave of support for our mission.
Honor Roll of Donors
By Jerry Ogilvie (DDS ’73), Chair of the Rinehart Foundation
Our Foundation was established to honor Dr. Roy J. Rinehart, a man who gave selflessly of his time, talent and treasure to ensure our School would be successful long into the future. We do our best every day to preserve his legacy Dr. Rinehart was an advocate for the School and its students, and the bonds he established have grown and can be seen clearly in the connection we, as alumni and friends, still have to our School.
Remembering Dr. Rinehart
Friend and Father Figure to All
The number of people who knew Dean Rinehart is dwindling, but if you were fortunate to hear stories from those who knew him, you would have discovered that everyone recalled him with as much reverence as affection. Ralph Lopez (DDS ’37), who arrived at Kansas City-Western Dental College in the 1930s from New Mexico, wrote this remembrance in 1987.
A Celebration of Generosity and Gratitude
Scholarship Recognition Dinner
The UMKC School of Dentistry held its annual Scholarship Recognition dinner Monday evening October 9, 2017, at Pierson Auditorium in the Atterbury Student Success Center on the Volker Campus. Dean Marsha Pyle welcomed the audience and then Assistant Dean Richie Bigham presided over the recognition of the scholarship donors and recipients. The School distributed 321 awards to 181 students from 166 endowed scholarship funds, totaling nearly $900,000. Additionally, 27 students received 41 awards from 16 regional and national scholarship funds.
2017 Fall Explorer Contents:
- Message from the Dean
- A Ripple Becomes a Wave
- Upcoming Alumni Events
- Reception Desk Redo
- School News of Note
- Legacy Students
- Student News of Note
- Like Father, Like Daughter
- School Hosts Dental Implant Symposium
- New Students
- Ten Years of Teamwork with TeamSmile