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.
We’ve had quite an exciting year here at the UMKC School of Dentistry and we’re looking forward to many more to come! In the meantime, we’re taking a look at just a few of the things we’ve accomplished, celebrated and been a part of in 2023:
Click here or click the thumbnail above to watch our 2023 year in review.
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.
With the new Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building on the horizon, staff at the UMKC School of Dentistry are just as excited as our faculty, students and administration and have offered their insights on how this will impact their operations for the better.
Roy Potter, Senior Tech Resource Manager, has a long history in the school, and working in Biomedical Communications, has been able to see changes that have taken place over his multiple decades there.
“I have seen lots of advances in the multiple decades that I have been at the dental school,” says Potter. “This is a great opportunity for our school to showcase all the newest technologies that we have been working to integrate into our student’s education and our patients care. These 3D technologies enable our student and faculty doctors to use the most accurate and leading-edge equipment to more efficiently give advanced treatment for their patients. These new clinics will continue to attract new local patients who need dental care and will demonstrate to our long-standing patients that we are committed to gaining the most advanced technologies and the highest quality of dental students to serve our community. I love exploring new dental technology and so do many of our students and faculty. This is going to be a lot of fun!”
Maryjane Bruning, Clinical Services Manager and Infection Control Coordinator, was excited to be a part of the process so that her department, along with others could give insight into efficiency and best practices.
“It is an honor to be part of the process. Having the opportunity to give early input on the decisions about clinic operations, infection control and the workflow in the school’s Central Sterilization and Dispensary was greatly appreciated,” says Bruning. “Knowing the needs and learning about the options and parameters available and then being an integral part of the group that developed layouts and select equipment helps to overcome existing short comings and is going to make the move that much easier.”
Dana Linville, Manager, Patient Accounts and Patient Services, says she’s excited about the new technologies available to patients in the building, which enhance their experience.
“The additions will streamline patients through the administrative portion of their care,” says Linville, “Self-check-in kiosks will be incorporated to expedite patient check in and even print out personalized directions to patient’s clinics. The building will be secure, so QR codes printed on the directions will grant access throughout the building. We hope these changes will decrease time spent in queue lines avail more time for dental treatment in the most comfortable and secure environment available.”
Tara Lane, Patient Liaison at the School of Dentistry, echoed that sentiment.
“The new building will offer a more efficient and safer environment for our dental community,” says Lane, “It will also allow a much smoother transition from patient check-in to the patient being seated in the dental chair and check out.”
To view building renderings and get more details on other units in the building, click here.
The Dental Class of 2025 and Dental Hygiene Class of 2024 celebrated the next phase of their education with the Transitioning into the Profession Ceremony at Unity Temple on the Plaza on Friday, June 2. The ceremony symbolizes the transition into the clinical phase of their education. Continue reading →
Sarah L. Dallas, PH.D., has been named a fellow of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), the premier scholarly organization for scientists like Dallas, who specialize in bone and mineralized tissue study.
With roughly 30 years in the society, her designation as a fellow recognizes her long-term engagement with the society and her outstanding contributions to the field of bone and mineral science. Continue reading →
The School of Dentistry is expanding its footprint in the field of rural health. Applications are open for the new Advanced Studies in Rural Health Program, a partnership with Salina Family Healthcare Center (SFHC).
The state of Kansas does not currently have a dental school, so leaders with UMKC School of Dentistry and SFHC hope this program will increase the number of Kansas students who earn dental degrees and stay in rural areas of the state to practice. Continue reading →
Twelve faculty and staff members with a combined 260+ years of service have retired. The School of Dentistry thanks them for their dedication and wishes them luck on what comes next.
Dinah Bounds (10 years)
Office Support Staff
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Continue reading →
