Dentistry News

The 1990s was the decade when both the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the School of Dentistry changed physically. It was a transformation that current SOD professor Stephen Mitchell, D.M.D., M.S., witnessed firsthand following his arrival at UAB as a student in 1991.
Read more: 75 Years of Memories: Change was obvious at UAB and the SOD throughout the 1990s

Two new faculty have joined the UAB School of Dentistry Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. They represent a commitment by the department to remain at the forefront of teaching, research, and patient care, and build a diverse faculty of exceptional scholars and clinicians.
Read more: UAB Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery announces new faculty

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry has its own version of the football huddle. It’s called the EXCEL program (EXcellence through Continued Enrichment & Learning), and it enables SOD faculty and staff to periodically gather together in a casual setting to enhance their knowledge, discuss issues, and develop a gameplan for the future.

Shandra Coble, D.M.D., joins the 2023-2024 Blaze Leadership Academy cohort.
Read more: Coble selected to 2023-2024 cohort of Blaze Leadership Academy

Since its earliest days, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry has had a strong connection with the military. In fact, all 50 members of the inaugural SOD graduating class in 1952 were veterans.
Read more: SOD salutes the many members of the military who have passed through our halls


When it comes to training the next generation of dental researchers and academicians, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry’s DART program hits the bullseye.
Read more: DART Into the Lead: UAB is at the forefront of training future dental academicians

Kase elected to six-member board leading internationally inclusive Maxillofacial Prosthetics academy
Michael Kase, D.M.D., has been elected as one of six members leading the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics (AAMP) board of directors. He will serve a three-year term that concludes in 2026.

The Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral & Dental Disorders is among twenty-five University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers (UWIRCs) at UAB designated for UWIRC status and associated institutional funding in FY 25.
Read more: GC-CODED among University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers Selected for FY 2025

By the time the 1980s rolled around, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry had been in existence long enough that it could look back and celebrate several decades of accomplishments. And that is exactly what the SOD did by, of all things, making a movie.
Read more: 75 Years of Memories: The UAB School of Dentistry had a starring role in the 1980s

The 17th annual University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Dental Hygiene Symposium and Hinman Lectures was jam packed in more ways than one.
Read more: Both the crowds and the topics continue to grow at annual UAB Dental Hygiene Symposium

After the University of Alabama at Birmingham officially became an independent institution in 1969, it was inevitable that many things were about to happen for the first time throughout the rapidly growing campus. And the UAB School of Dentistry (SOD) was no exception.

Orthodontics isn't just about achieving that perfect smile. The discipline, which focuses on how to move teeth safely and effectively into their proper place, plays a crucial role in overall oral health and well-being.
Read more: UAB experts share why orthodontics is more than just a pretty smile

Chin-Chuan Fu, D.D.S., M.S., has been selected to receive the 2023 UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award recognizes her exceptional accomplishments in both didactic and clinical education.
Read more: Fu receives 2023 UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching

Joana Cunha-Cruz, D.D.S., Ph.D., has been selected to participate in the 2023-2024 cohort of UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy which begins in October.
Read more: Cunha-Cruz selected for UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy

Ramzi V. Abou-Arraj, D.D.S., M.S., was named Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs effective September 1, 2023.
Read more: Abou-Arraj named interim academic dean at UAB School of Dentistry

Mia L. Geisinger, D.D.S., M.S., was named acting chair of the UAB School of Dentistry Department of Periodontology. She steps in as Nicolaas Geurs, D.D.S., M.S., serves as the school’s interim dean.
Read more: Geisinger named acting chair of UAB Periodontology

Dr. Mark Bronsky (’87) grew up in Binghamton, New York. His father was an orthodontist so it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would follow in his father’s footsteps.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Bronsky found the best at UAB School of Dentistry

Welcoming its first cohort of four students, the University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences has launched the Rural Dental Scholars Program in partnership with The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry. The forward-looking program will help address the need for dental professionals in rural areas by providing a pathway for aspiring dentists from these communities.

Christine Blass, D.M.D., has been selected to the UAB Healthcare Educator’s Academy. She will represent the School of Dentistry as a member of the 2023-2025 cohort.
Read more: Blass selected to UAB Healthcare Educator’s Academy

It often helps for a dentist to hear the words coming out of a patient’s mouth before venturing inside it. After all, it is important to discern what a patient is experiencing in order to best treat the situation.

Children leaving home in order to go to college has been a common occurrence for generations. What’s unusual is having home follow along. In a way, that is what happened with Jennifer Wadiak, D.D.S, an assistant professor with the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry and director of the UAB Dentistry Comprehensive Care Clinic.
Read more: Wadiak takes “a chance” and finds an enjoyable new home with UAB Dentistry

Ann Marie Karaki, Director of the Continuing Dental Education program for the UAB School of Dentistry was elected Vice President of the Association for Continuing Dental Education on August 8, 2023 at the ACDE annual session in New Orleans, LA.
Read more: Karaki Named Vice President of the Association for Continuing Dental Education (ACDE)

Chin-Chuan Fu, D.D.S., M.S., has been named Chair of the Department of Restorative Sciences in UAB School of Dentistry. The appointment was effective in August 2023.
Read more: Fu named chair of Restorative Sciences Department at UAB

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry was barely a decade old when the 1960s rolled around, and it already was receiving accolades. The time was right to start taking some major steps toward growth and progress.

D.M.D./Ph.D. UAB dental student Caris Smith encourages others to explore a different side of dentistry.

Cleft lip and cleft palate defects show up in approximately one of every 700 babies born worldwide. It is a condition that can cause feeding problems in infancy, and lead to social embarrassment for pre-teens. UAB School of Dentistry Professor and Chair at the Department of Orthodontics Chung H. Kau, BDS, MScD, Ph.D., works with more than 100 such infants each year through the Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Children’s of Alabama.

It’s been said before that the Class of 1972 is special. Close bonds were formed that have stood the test of time, so that many no longer consider one another just friends, but family.
Read more: Tyrell shares ‘warm memories’ of dental school at UAB

Perng-Ru Liu, DMD, DDS, MS has been named the 2022 H. Moren Fuller Award recipient by the University of Alabama School of Dentistry Alumni Association at UAB.
Read more: Alumni Association presents Fuller Award in Memoriam to Dr. Perng-Ru Liu

The UAB Department of Orthodontics is proud to announce that Christos Vlachos, D.M.D., D.D.S., M.S., is recipient of the 2023 Southern Association of Orthodontics (SAO) Faculty Lecture Award. He will lecture on the use of the Class II Carriere Distalizer in Orthodontics on October 26, 2023 during the SAO Annual Session.
Read more: Vlachos to give the 2023 Faculty Lecture to the Southern Association of Orthodontics

As the summer of 2023 approached, college students from a variety of backgrounds eagerly awaited their acceptance letters into SHPEP at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Read more: Building Bright Futures: UAB SHPEP program engages, empowers aspiring young dentists

A future in dentistry seemed assured for Hannah Bloom the moment when – at age 7 – she stared into the mouth of a 400-pound lion and found it fascinating instead of frightening.
Read more: For UAB student Hannah Bloom, a potential career in dentistry got off to a roaring start

The UAB Department of Pediatric Dentistry recently announced the appointment of two faculty to key academic and clinical roles effective July 1, 2023. Kyounga “Cecilia” Cheon, D.M.D., M.S., was named Director of the Sidney B. Finn Pediatric Dentistry Clinic and Yu Yin Lin, D.D.S., M.S., was appointed as the Pediatric Dentistry Predoctoral Director.
Read more: Cheon, Lin appointed to leadership positions in pediatric dentistry department

As Alabama faces a growing shortage of dentists, SOD welcomes its largest class in years.

Ask any endodontist who completed their endodontic residency at UAB or the Birmingham VA hospital from 2000 to 2019 about Dr. Larry Alley, and chances are they’ll crack a big smile and start gushing.
Read more: Roots of Wisdom: The Extraordinary Journey of UAB’s Dr. Larry Alley

Read more: 2023 UAB School of Dentistry graduates ready to take next step in their journey

Our natural teeth are a precious commodity. We only get one adult set, but sometimes they need rescuing. Enter endodontics.
Read more: Your natural teeth are priceless. Here’s how to protect and preserve them

Alumni Nelson and Carlson forged a lifetime bond as dental students in the 1950s.
Read more: Two of a Kind: Inspiring story of lifelong friendship began at UAB School of Dentistry

Dr. Timothy Trulove, DMD, MS, of Montgomery, Alabama was installed as the President of the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) on April 23, 2023 at the annual conference of the American Association of Orthodontists in Chicago. He had served as the director of the southern component of the ABO since 2016.
Read more: Trulove becomes President of the American Board of Orthodontics

Anthony Morlandt, D.D.S., M.D., F.A.C.S., was named first holder of the Peter D. Waite Endowed Professorship in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery by the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees during its April 2023 meeting.
Read more: Morlandt named first holder of school of dentistry’s Waite endowed professorship

The School of Dentistry’s first dean also was UAB’s first president.
Read more: 75 Years of Memories: Remembering Dr. Joseph F. Volker

About seven miles west of the Alabama/Mississippi state line is the town of Scooba, Miss., boasting a population of 732 according to the 2010 census. And until he entered his ninth grade year in 1960, Scooba was home to UAB School of Dentistry alumnus Dr. Don Weaver.

Oral cavity (mouth) and oropharyngeal (throat) cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers if caught early. Since early detection greatly increases positive outcomes, there’s no better time than now to schedule a checkup to protect your smile from this dangerous and potentially life-threatening disease.
Read more: Protect your smile from a common but dangerous cancer

There are two unusual bonds that bind the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry’s Class of 1952. First, all 50 graduates of that class were military veterans, and most had served in some capacity in World War II.

For much of his career, Jack Lemons, Ph.D., has been a man in the middle. Lemons has straddled the line between dentistry and engineering, providing a valuable link between those who create and improve dental and other medical devices, and those who actually use them.
Read more: For more than 50 years, Jack Lemons has provided a bridge between medical and technical

In today’s world of multi-media, social media, and bright lights, you’ll be hard pressed to find a thriving dental practice that doesn’t have its own web site. If you start searching for Dr. Jiann-Jang “Eric” Wu’s endodontic practice in Winter Park, Florida you won’t find a website, because he’s never had one.

The UAB School of Dentistry kicked off its 75th anniversary on February 2, 2023 in conjunction with the school’s Alumni Association Alumni Weekend in Birmingham, AL.
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry honors two outstanding alumni with awards

Basmah Aref was not some wide-eyed novice when she arrived at UAB in 2021 to start her training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. In fact, she was already a dental school graduate with a year of experience working as an assistant at a pediatric practice.
Read more: International Dentist Program provides passport to success for foreign students

Five years ago, Peyton Billingsley could not have imagined that she currently would be a first-year student in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry.

The School of Dentistry Alumni Association’s 2023 Alumni Weekend was another huge success, with more than 1,900 total participants.
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry Alumni Weekend: Back to Breaking Records

The UAB School of Dentistry kicked off its 75th anniversary on February 2, 2023 in conjunction with the school’s alumni association Alumni Weekend in Birmingham, Ala. One of the highlights of the weekend was the presentation of two special alumni awards.
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry Honors Alumni with Awards

The eighteenth annual UAB School of Dentistry Scholars Symposium will be held Thursday, March 2, 2023. The symposium will feature Esra Sahingur, DDS, MS, PhD as keynote speaker and Ping Zhang, DDS, PhD as the faculty presenter. The day will begin with poster presentations held in UAB Hospital, West Pavilion Atrium from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.

An injury on the football field led to a career in dentistry for Warren Arrasmith, D.M.D.
Read more: Arrasmith turned a dental injury into a dental career

Pulling people together can be difficult when you can’t physically get together. That was the challenge facing the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry Staff Council during much of Nancy Parsons’ recently completed 18-month term as council president.
Read more: Through COVID and construction, the SOD Staff Council works to keep morale high

Not long after arriving at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry in 2017, Michael Kase DMD struck up an Instagram collaboration with an overseas oral surgeon, Eugene Fresenko PhD, who that same year was helping start a new dental journal.
Read more: Kase maintains connection with Ukrainian dental journal despite conflict

A mere 25 years after graduating from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, Sonya Mitchell D.M.D., M.S.H.A., is about to enter private practice.
Read more: Sonya Mitchell is retiring from the School of Dentistry to enter new phase of her career

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry recently lost a longtime and beloved faculty member with the passing of Perng-Ru Liu, DMD, DDS, MS.
Read more: UAB SOD loses a ‘gentle soul’ with passing of longtime faculty member Perng-Ru Liu
UAB School of Dentistry’s annual Alumni Weekend, February 2-5, 2023, will kick off the school’s yearlong 75th anniversary celebration.
Read more: Alumni Weekend to kick off school’s 75th anniversary celebration

Students come to the UAB School of Dentistry for both the traditional classroom instruction and the valuable real-world experience obtained through clinic work.
Read more: Dental conferences provide students with an additional layer of learning

One might say Dr. O. William “Bill” Reeder, Jr. (’71) has taken the scenic route throughout his life. That not only surmises his professional life but his choice of residences as well. Born in Andalusia, AL and raised in Luverne, the UAB School of Dentistry alumnus was influenced to pursue a dental career by long-time Luverne dentist and also UAB alumnus, Dr. Billy Beall. “The UAB School of Dentistry had a great reputation. I thought my education was fair but very tough and my education put me in a position where I could make a difference,” said Reeder.

Dothan and dentistry through and through
Dr. Wayne Prim has always loved making beautiful things with his hands. Before he discovered dentistry, he was interested in pursuing a career as an architect.
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Wayne Prim

Ask the Expert: Dr. Mia Geisinger

Anyone who knows Dr. Milton Essig (Class of ’70), knows his attention to detail and his love of dentistry. During his thirty five years as a UAB School of Dentistry faculty member, he trained hundreds of UAB students, and even more through organized dentistry.
Read more: Catching up with Dr. Milton Essig and his unique retirement adventures

Ramakiran Chavali, B.D.S., M.S., has been appointed Assistant Director of the International Dentist Program (IDP) in the UAB School of Dentistry effective September 1.
Read more: Chavali to join International Dentist Program leadership team

An inspiring mission trip turns into a passion for practice
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Michelle Ireland

Amjad Javed, Ph.D., has been named associate dean for research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry following a national search. He served in an interim capacity since 2018.
Read more: Javed named Associate Dean for Research in UAB School of Dentistry

It is not uncommon for dental offices to use an image of a tooth in their signs or promotional materials. What you rarely see is an image of the gums. Yet gum health is an essential part of overall dental care. Nico Geurs, DDS, MS, Weatherford/Palcanis Endowed Professor and Chair in the Department of Periodontology at the UAB School of Dentistry, talks about the importance of not being dumb when it comes to the gums.

Bryant G. “Don” Speed, D.M.D., a beloved instructor who taught in the UAB School of Dentistry Department of Orthodontics, passed away in 2014.
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry celebrates legacy of beloved instructor through endowment

The UAB School of Dentistry's Class of 2022 enjoyed a big slice of success regarding this year's new Integrated National Board Dental Examination.

A self-confessed continuing-education junkie, Young says it’s an exciting time to be a dentist
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Bruce Young

UAB School of Dentistry honors Class of 2024 at 22nd White Coat Ceremony

Kimberly R. Carr, D.M.D., M.A., has accepted the position of Co- Director of the UAB Sparks Dental Clinic. The announcement was made by Janice Jackson, D.M.D., chair of the UAB School of Dentistry’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry. The appointment is effective immediately due to Dr. Stephen Mitchell, the current Sparks Dental Clinic director, assuming the duties of director of the SOD International Dentistry Program.
Read more: Dr. Kimberly Carr appointed Co-Director of UAB Sparks Dental Clinic

Since 2005, the UAB-led National Dental Practice-Based Research Network has conducted dozens of studies involving thousands of dental practitioners and patients. Now there is statistical evidence that the results of those efforts are being well received by the scientific community.
Read more: Dental research network receives wide acceptance within scientific community

The Covid-19 pandemic hit home for several UAB School of Dentistry students the past couple of years. One student was greatly impacted when her father passed due to COVID and her mother was also hospitalized for several weeks. Subsequently the family and the student suffered financially. The student, and others, who had financial hardships last year, were aided by the School of Dentistry Alumni Association’s Joy White Fund. All told, the association awarded $8,000 in emergency aid to four students.

John P. Anderson, DMD of Rainsville, Ala was named the 2022 H. Moren Fuller Award winner by the University of Alabama School of Dentistry Alumni Association.
Read more: Alumni Association presents Fuller Award to Dr. John Anderson

New Blaze to D.M.D. program provides pathway for promising new School of Dentistry students

Dr. Stephen Mitchell named next director of International Dentist Program at UAB School of Dentistry
Dean Russell S. Taichman has named Stephen (Steve) Mitchell, D.M.D., M.S., as codirector of the International Dentist Program (IDP) effective July 1, 2022. On December 1, 2022 he will take over the directorship. He will replace Dr. Sonya Mitchell, who intends to step down from the position in December.

Graduates from the UAB School of Dentistry can guarantee they will leave with an excellent dental school education and clinical experience. Many will also take with them life-long friendships with classmates and faculty members, and fond memories of living in Birmingham. But every so often, students also leave with something (or, better yet, someone) even more special.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Buckley enjoys serving hometown patients

UAB School of Dentistry honored more than 75 Doctor of Dental Medicine graduates at its commencement ceremony for the class of 2022. Dean Russell S. Taichman, D.M.D., D.M.Sc., presided over the June 4 event at UAB’s Bartow Arena.

One of South Florida’s favorite and fastest sports is Jai-Alai. The ball used in Jai-Alai is called a pelota and it travels at nearly 200 miles per hour. The two contestants bounce the smaller than a baseball pelota off walls with a curbed wicker scoop to score points. The game is fast, furious, and hard to keep up with. The same can be said for Dr. Anissa Broussard Holmes (‘99), who now makes her home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Growing up in Montgomery, Ala., Dr. Keri Miller’s childhood interests looked a bit different from what you might expect of an aspiring dentist. Instead of focusing on science and healthcare, Dr. Miller spent her childhood engrossed in the fine arts.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Miller takes leap of faith to open ‘hometown practice’

It was supposed to be just a quick bite of lunch. Instead, it turned into a chance meeting that propelled second-year UAB School of Dentistry student Gayle Shaffer down the path toward becoming Rear Admiral Gayle Shaffer, Deputy Surgeon General in the United States Navy.
Read more: Shaffer embarked on a Navy adventure after graduating from UAB School of Dentistry

A lot has changed in the dental industry since the days of George Washington’s dentures (which actually were made of ivory, not wood). Innovations and advancements have regularly taken place over the centuries, from the invention of the dental drill in the late 1700s to the creation of the modern nylon toothbrush in 1938.

UAB School of Dentistry faculty, residents, students, and alumni took part in Alabama’s first remote medical event, helping provide dental care to more than 400 underserved people in Gadsden, AL.

When asked about her favorite aspect of being an orthodontist, Dr. Leigh Bayer Curtis doesn’t miss a beat.

Dara Johnson and Zoie McIntosh did not know each other when they arrived at the UAB School of Dentistry a year ago. But they have become such good friends since then that they are now embarking on a 13-month community health project together as members of the 2022-23 class of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Alabama (ASF).
Read more: Two UAB School of Dentistry students are among this year’s Schweitzer Fellowship class

The 17th Annual Scholars Symposium will feature Gerald Kugel, DMD, MS, PhD, as keynote speaker. He will deliver an address entitled “Who Cares About Research, I’m a Clinician.” The talk will kick off the afternoon session, which will be held virtually on Thursday, April 7 beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Read more: 17th Annual Scholars Symposium keynote and faculty speakers announced

Dr. Russell Taichman, Dean of the UAB School of Dentistry, used a couple of cliches to introduce the recipients of the School of Dentistry Alumni Association’s 2021 award winners. The recipients are pillars in dentistry and the Gadsden community.

Every year, alumni from across Alabama and the nation converge on Birmingham, Ala for the Alabama Dental Alumni Association’s Alumni Weekend. This year it was different.

When it came to deciding on which career to pursue, Dr. Tara Moncus got a little help… from Oprah Winfrey.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Tara Moncus: The Real-Life Tooth Fairy of Rainsville, AL

UAB’s Student Research Group, a chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) National Student Research Group (NSRG), has been recognized for having the greatest percentage of new AADOCR student members in 2021-2022.
Read more: Student research group recognized for new student involvement

Caris Smith, a DMD/PhD student, has been selected for the 2022-23 Gert Quigley Government Affairs Fellowship by the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR).

Dr. Bruce Camp (’84) grew up in Alabama, graduated from the UAB School of Dentistry, and has lived and practiced dentistry in Georgia for 37 years. For the better part of those 37 years, he has been crossing state lines to maintain a strong bond with the School of Dentistry and its alumni association.

Dr. Doug Smith is no stranger to long days and hard work. That is because, on top of serving the Dothan, Ala. community as a trusted dentist of almost forty-five years, Dr. Smith works on his family farm where he raises pure bred Black Angus cattle.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dentistry helped make Smith’s dreams come true

At the time she was growing up on the family farm in Western Kentucky, Dr. Stephanie Teichmiller (’90) had no inkling she would become a dentist.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Teichmiller excels in dentistry and in service

Growing up, Dr. Jim Phillips, Jr. didn’t always know he was going to become a dentist. But he did know he was destined to love sports and Auburn University.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Phillips leads and practices with a servant’s heart

Dr. Clay Wright (’01) doesn’t look near as big or menacing as he did when he played linebacker and offensive guard for the Troy University Trojans, but he still carries many of the life lessons he learned on the gridiron.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Wright recalls his leadership roots and journey in dentistry

Charleston, S.C. is home to several nonprofit dental and medical clinics that provide healthcare to underserved communities around the city. And chances are good that, if you walk into any one of these clinics, you might run into periodontist Dr. Bill Sasser.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Sasser reaps the rewards of dentistry and service

If you’ve ever attended the Alabama General Dentistry (AGD) meetings in Destin, Fla., you’ve likely seen and heard the man who emcees the raffle drawing each year, possibly wearing a Hawaiian shirt and winning the crowd over with his laidback charm and clever one-liners. That’s Dr. Bob DeShazer, one of the most fun and easy-going dentists to have ever walked the halls of the UAB School of Dentistry.

In the fall of 1969, Dr. Charles “Scotty” McCallum, dean of the School of Dentistry at the time, hosted a meet-and-greet reception at his home for the School’s incoming freshmen. Among those in attendance were John Anderson, and his new wife, Mimi.

Amjad Javed, Ph.D. has been named director of the Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral and Dental Disorders (GC-CODED). He also serves as the interim associate dean for research and director of postgraduate education in the School of Dentistry.
Read more: Javed named director of Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral and Dental Disorders

Joana Cunha-Cruz, D.D.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., has joined the faculty of the UAB School of Dentistry to foster research collaborations and support the work of the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN).

An R21 award will help Hope Amm, Ph.D., further a lifelong journey of scientific discovery by advancing her research on genetics and signaling pathways in oral tumors.
Read more: Amm’s journey of scientific discovery continues through NIH funding, collaboration

There’s no question the rigors of dental school are just as demanding today as they were 50 years ago. While dentistry has changed in so many ways the past 50 years, the tight bonds developed between classmates remains a constant. Set to have their 50-year reunion in 2022, the Class of 1972 may be the tightest of them all.

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship (ASF) of Alabama recently announced the selection of its 2021-22 class of Alabama Schweitzer Fellows and UAB School of Dentistry is well represented.
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry well represented in service through fellows program

Dr. Calvin Sanders attended Auburn University from 1965 to 1969, and remembers how much fun he had as an undergraduate student. Perhaps even a bit too much fun at first.

For one reason or another, the Medical College of Alabama in Birmingham chose not to accept Dr. Grady Price’s application to enter medical school for the fall of 1959. At the time, Dr. Price was studying pre-med at the University of Alabama and was preparing for a career as a physician when his plans abruptly changed.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: An unexpected career became a labor of love

UAB School of Dentistry honored over 150 Doctor of Dental Medicine graduates at its recent commencement ceremony. Held for the Class of 2021, the June 5 event also included members of the Class of 2020 who returned to celebrate in-person following a virtual ceremony last year.

Warren Arrasmith, D.M.D., associate professor and clinic director in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, was honored with the SSOMS Lifetime Achievement Award at the 72nd meeting of the Southeastern Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Read more: Arrasmith honored with lifetime achievement award by SSOMS

Yuyin Lin, D.D.S., a third-year resident in pediatric dentistry, has been awarded the prestigious 2021 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Graduate Student Research Award (GSRA).
Read more: Lin receives graduate student research award in pediatric dentistry

Whether it’s hunting big game, treating dental patients, or making a big time philanthropic gift, Dr. Bill Adams (’69) of Albertville, Ala., believes in going all out. Adams recently made an $800,000 planned gift commitment to endow a professorship for the UAB School of Dentistry. The dental school will realize the gift through his estate.

It’s no secret that dentistry is an excellent profession, and most dentists love their jobs. However, most would also agree that much of their four years of dental school were spent grinding, just putting one foot in front of the other to push to the end. Dr. Mary Leigh Gillespie is the exception.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Mary Leigh Gillespie – “Just A Big Kid at Heart”

Sonia Makhija, DDS, MPH, was integral to the Department of Clinical and Community Sciences and to the National Dental Practice Based Research Network, housed within the UAB School of Dentistry. Having passed away last Fall, she continues to be missed by her colleagues and friends.

Dr. Clark Browne grew up in Vincent, Ala., a small rural town just outside of Birmingham with a population of about 1400 at the time.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Clark Browne enjoys giving back

Dr. Peter Waite shares his memories about the late Dr. Scotty McCallum, former dean of the School of Dentistry and president of UAB.
Read more: More Stories About Scotty: Dr. Peter Waite shares his memories

Mark McIlwain, D.M.D., M.D., provided leadership in Alabama when the dental profession needed it most – to address the COVID-19 pandemic, while keeping patients and personnel safe and making it possible for practices and the school of dentistry’s clinics to reopen.

The Student National Dental Association (SNDA) chapter at UAB recently hosted one of the school’s leading diversity initiatives.

West Princeton Dental Clinic PC, owned by Dr. Adolphus Jackson, sits quietly tucked away on the west side of Birmingham. It is located on the same property where an Italian-owned grocery store once stood in the West Princeton community where Dr. Jackson was raised.

In 2020, Scholars Symposium was our school's first event to be impacted by the pandemic. While not yet on limited business operations, we had to postpone our guest speaker and limit the event to on campus participants only.
Read more: The wonders of technology and a successful (virtual) Scholars Symposium

The Russell Wing on the first floor of the UAB Hospital is a special place. Here, faculty and residents of the School of Dentistry’s General Practice Residency (GPR) and Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) programs provide dental care to medically complex patients of all ages.
Read more: Passing the baton: Leadership transitions in GPR and AEGD programs

School of Dentistry graduate, retired faculty member, and former Leadership Council member Dr. Wilson Wright, Jr. shares his “Stories About Scotty.”

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry’s Alumni Association has established the Scott and Susan Huffman Endowed Scholarship Fund, named in honor of their executive director, J. Scott Huffman, and his wife Susan.
Read more: Alumni association announces endowed scholarship fund in executive director’s honor

The Clifton O. Dummett Sr. Essay Competition on Diversity in Dentistry & Dental Education announced the winning essayists on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2021. Jacob Martin, a first year D.M.D. student, won Magna Honors for his submission.

Each year, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry graduates enter the field ready to put the knowledge and techniques learned over the previous four years to work. But for Dr. Tom Willis, who graduated from the School of Dentistry in 1977, the school provided him with much more than just dental skills.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Tom Willis – A Lifelong Learner

Dr. Madelyn Coar has been a valuable part of the School of Dentistry and the Department of Endodontics.

Dr. Paul Sproul, an orthodontist at Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates, has a master’s and a doctorate degree, but never actually graduated from an undergraduate program.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: The Orthodontist Who Never Graduated College – Dr. Paul Sproul

Raquel Mazer, DMD, MS, MPH, has been honored as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, USA Section, within the district encompassing Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. She was sponsored by Dr. Toni Neumeier.
Read more: Mazer named Fellow of International College of Dentists, USA Section

The Student National Dental Association (SNDA) chapter at UAB has a proud history of award-winning service.

Dr. Todd Chastain is a big believer in family.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Todd Chastain – A Family Man (with a House Divided!)

The courses and speakers were set. The contracts for venues were signed. The brochures were printed and ready to send. UAB School of Dentistry’s continuing education program was geared up for a busy, yet normal spring. That is, until the pandemic changed everything.

It doesn’t take long after meeting and speaking to Dr. Ralph Kurry Wyatt (‘73) to realize he is a fantastic storyteller, and he does not like to be bored.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: A Man of Service to Others, Dr. Ralph Kurry Wyatt

Since the inaugural Alabama Schweitzer Fellows class kicked off in 2016, UAB School of Dentistry fellows have made the most of their time in the prestigious program. Though they use different tactics, their projects have one thing in common: improving oral health and overall health in vulnerable populations.
Read more: School’s fellows serve, empower vulnerable populations

For more than thirty years, members of the UAB School of Dentistry Class of 1988 have gotten together in the heat of August to play in the Terry Barrett Golf Invitational, named after Dr. Terry Barrett, a fellow classmate who passed away in 1999. Dr. Frank Kimbell attends the tournament every year.

If Elvis Presley is the King of Rock and Roll, then Presley Pruitt is the Queen of the Dental Office.
Read more: UAB School of Dentistry Alumnus’ Hound Dog Brings Joy to Patients

I had the privilege of handing out t-shirts to third and fourth year students last Friday with Alumni Association President Bruce Camp, Dean Russ Taichman, and Alumni and Special Events Coordinator Abby Vinson.

“I’m sorry, I have to step out for a moment,” Dr. Coggin interrupted. “We have a patient who is apparently refusing to receive their injections from anyone other than me. I’ll be right back.”
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Spreading the UAB School of Dentistry Legacy in Georgia

Dr. Kumar Patel (’03) traveled across multiple continents to claim the UAB School of Dentistry as his alma mater. Patel is originally from Ahmedabad, India but he calls London his home town because that’s where he spent his formidable years and “…discovered myself as a person.”

A recent paper by Ping Zhang, DDS, PhD, Professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, has been selected for the ‘Frontline Science’ section and featured as leading edge research in the October, 2020 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology (JLB).

Charles Crowder met Kristen Flowers at a fraternity party in 1995, when the two were undergrads at Birmingham-Southern College.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) Student Chapter was recently named national chapter of the year.
Read more: New student group receives national chapter award

When a newly reestablished School of Dentistry Staff Council kicked off in July 2019, the group quickly went to work developing initiatives to support and engage staff school-wide. That was before COVID-19 brought its activities to a halt.
Read more: Blazing a trail: School’s staff council completes successful inaugural year

Dr. Ben Cumbus (’72) of Montgomery, Ala received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the UAB National Alumni Society.

In 1965, Karen Fox walked into her first day of classes at the University Of Alabama School Of Dentistry in Birmingham, Alabama. She was the only woman in the room. In fact, she was the only woman in her entire class of 52 students.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Making History at the School of Dentistry – Dr. Karen Clements-Crunk

Mark Abere, DMD, (’19) recently launched The Minor Details (TMD), a blog which he titles “a culmination of minority experiences in dentistry, retold to educate and inspire.”
Read more: School of Dentistry alumni share ‘The Minor Details’

Michelle Robinson, DMD, MA, was recognized for her service as interim dean by The Links, Incorporated, Tri-County (AL) Chapter. The award, for international trends and services, was presented at the organization’s annual “Model 2020” event honoring model citizens.
Read more: Robinson, School of Dentistry recognized for international trends and services

Being awarded the Dr. Charles E. Smith Endowed Scholarship means everything to Steven Beard. The Birmingham native plans to graduate from the UAB School of Dentistry in 2023, and he’s hoping to do it without taking on a lot of debt.

If you ask UAB School of Dentistry alumni to list the professors they remember from their time in school, chances are good that Dr. Tommy Weatherford’s name will be on that list.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: He’s Still At It! – A Profile of Dr. Thomas “Tommy” Weatherford

With UAB in limited business operations, its annual Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) was held virtually in 2020.
Read more: UAB adapts to extraordinary circumstances, holds annual SHPEP program virtually

Dr. Raquel Mazer was appointed Director of Community Collaborations shortly before COVID-19 began upending community outreach. She explained how she is settling in to her new position and advancing community partnerships in the wake of the pandemic.

Austin Stiles, a third year D.M.D. student, has assumed an out-of-the-box role at the School of Dentistry.

Dr. Michelle Dandridge (’06) opened Dandridge Dental Family Dentistry in Dothan, Alabama in 2011, just five years after she graduated from UAB’s School of Dentistry.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Discovering A New Balance During Quarantine

George P. Petznick, D.M.D. served the Birmingham community for over 55 years before retiring just this summer, at the age of 86.

Lean and mean. This is the phrase Dr. Thomas Dudney (’77) of Alabaster, Alabama uses to describe how his office is organized.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Thomas Dudney takes a minimalistic approach

Two D.M.D. student researchers recently participated in the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) ePoster Competition, held virtually this year.

Earlier this summer, Dr. Peter Waite stepped down as Chair of UAB’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS). Dr. Patrick Louis was appointed the interim successor to Waite, who had served as chair since 1993.

For most dentists in Alabama, the COVID-19 shutdown during March and April meant slowing down and spending a lot more time at home. Unless, of course, you are Dr. Mark McIlwain.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: The oral surgeon who does it all

Ashraf F. Fouad, DDS, MS, has been appointed chair of the School of Dentistry Department of Endodontics following a national search. He will also serve as the Endodontics program director.
Read more: Fouad named chair and program director of Endodontics

Dr. Forrest Bryant (’97) was recently recognized as a 2020 UAB Excellence in Top 25 Business Class member, but it wasn’t in dentistry, the profession he trained for at UAB.

Dr. Karen Connell (’00) has been with the Anniston Dental Group in Anniston, Alabama for ten years, and took the practice over from her father and fellow UAB School of Dentistry alumnus, Dr. Art Lewis (’67), in 2012.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Karen Connell spends time with family and fellow alumni

Dr. Christy Savage, Dr. Lindsay Limbaugh, and Dr. Keith Harvey all closed their offices by the March 19 COVID-19 mandate from the state legislature, and they remained closed to patients until Monday, May 4.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Orthodontists refocus during pandemic

As Glen Smith, D.M.D., graduated from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry in 1969, his incredible journey was just beginning.

The Class of 2020 was presented on May 30 in a virtual commencement ceremony. Dean Russell S. Taichman, D.M.D., D.M.Sc., presided to confer the Doctor of Dental Medicine degrees.
Read more: Dentistry Class of 2020 graduates in virtual commencement ceremony

It’s a good thing Dr. Rodney Marshall (’85) has been a student of leadership for much of his adult life. He has been called upon to be a leader in his community and profession time and time again.

Dr. Holt Gray (UAB School of Dentistry ’04, ’07), is a prosthodontist at the Luma Dentistry in McCalla, where he has worked since 2008.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Holt Gray discovers unique quarantine pastime

The School of Dentistry hosts Honors Convocation each spring to recognize students for their outstanding academic and leadership efforts.
Read more: School of Dentistry recognizes student accomplishments at virtual Honors Convocation

UAB School of Dentistry will stream a virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 30 to honor its 2020 Doctor of Dental Medicine graduates in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more: School of Dentistry to host virtual commencement celebration May 30

Most of us look for the silver lining in this dark cloud known as the COVID-19 pandemic. For me, I’ve learned to use Zoom and visit with family and alumni virtually.

Drs. David and Melissa Roden are both graduates of the School of Dentistry at UAB.

Dr. Paul Bishop serves the people of North Alabama from his Decatur clinic, Alabama Smile Builders.
Read more: Alumni Spotlight: North Alabama practitioner enjoys extra time with family

It’s hard to imagine a world where the UAB School of Dentistry, its faculty and students aren’t focused on treating patients, learning, researching, and helping the underserved.

Patrick Louis, DDS, MD, has been appointed interim chair of the School of Dentistry Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He succeeds Peter Waite, MPH, DDS, MD, FACS, who served as chair since 1993 and recently stepped down from the role.

When Ben Ingram, D.M.D., of Piedmont, AL was honored with the UAB School of Dentistry’s Distinguished Alumnus Award at the alumni association’s recent Alumni Weekend, the 1984 graduate said he was “humbled and surprised."
Read more: ‘Distinguished Alumnus’ award winner is not surprising

Amy Hartsfield, D.M.D., of Birmingham, AL is widely regarded as a problem solver by her friends and fellow dentists.
Read more: Obstacles are not a problem for Birmingham dentist

Dean Russell S. Taichman recently announced several senior leadership appointments and updates regarding key positions within the School of Dentistry.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Student Recreation Center was bustling with volunteers, sponsors and program staff who came together on February 5 for the city’s second TeamSmile event.
Read more: Department of Pediatric Dentistry partners with TeamSmile to promote healthy smiles

Dr. Bill Chesser (Class of 1967) and his wife, Chris, recently included the School of Dentistry in their estate plans. The Hueytown native has been giving back to his profession for more than 50 years.

Dr. Kent Palcanis and his wife, Phoebe, have pledged $500,000 over the next five years to endow a professorship in the Department of Periodontology. Palcanis is a School of Dentistry Professor Emeritus and serves on the UASOD Alumni Association Executive Council as an Alumnus By Choice (ABC) representative.
Read more: Palcanis gift takes Periodontology to greater heights

Scholars Symposium is an annual celebration of the school’s research accomplishments, highlighting the achievements of students, residents, and faculty as they impact oral health locally and globally. This year’s theme is Craniofacial Development and Dental Genetics.

Harunur Rashid, Ph.D., a Dental Academic Research Trainee (DART) postdoctoral scholar in Dr. Javed Amjad’s lab, received first place for his poster presentation entitled “Title: Runx2 Activity in Hypertrophic Chondrocytes Regulate Cartilage and Bone Homeostasis” at the Sixth Annual CAMBAC Research Day at UAB.

Over 200 underserved and homeless people in the Birmingham area received teeth cleanings, fillings and extractions at no cost as part of the seventh annual ‘UAB Dentistry Cares’ Community Day, which took place on October 16 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry.
Read more: School hosts 7th ‘UAB Dentistry Cares’ community event

Read more: School highlights public health, epidemiology, research at Scholars Symposium