Biography

David J. Thein, D.D.S., M.S.D., M.B.A., is a Clinical Professor and has been teaching continuously in some capacity since 1982. Dr. Thein began as a full-time clinical faculty member for one year in the Department of Periodontics and then switched to part-time status for three decades. He also started and operated private periodontal practices in both Overland Park and Kansas City until 2019. After selling his practices, he resumed full-time employment at the School of Dentistry in 2013 as the Endowed Chair in Practice Management. Dr. Thein is currently the curriculum director for the D1-D4 Transitions practice management courses which teach the business aspects of dentistry, legal and regulatory concepts, leading the healthcare team, and various models of dental healthcare delivery. He serves as a faculty member in the Department of Dental Public Health & Behavioral Science. Other duties include mentoring current students and recent grads in professional career options and practice administration, reviewing employment and acquisition contracts, teaching practice administration for the AEGD program and other advanced residency programs including dental hygiene, participating in the STAHR Scholar’s program, and being a part-time lecturer and pre-doc clinical faculty member within the Department of Periodontics. Dr. Thein recently spearheaded the creation of a DDS/MBA dual-degree track at the dental school in conjunction with the Bloch School of Business at UMKC for interested dental students. In addition to his academic responsibilities, he also consults on various legal cases in dentistry, helps in the development of the online, web-based Dental Practice Ready teaching program with UTHSCSA School of Dentistry, serves on multiple faculty committees, is the advisor for a UMKC undergrad fraternity and School of Dentistry Dental Business Club, the treasurer of the OKU Dental Honorary Fraternity, facilitates an online MBA course at the University of Wisconsin, and spends as much time as possible with his seven grandkids and three grown children.