applications and patient education, particularly in areas of Missouri that are critically underserved. Our state has a signifi cant lack of preven- tive dental services, and this pilot was a forward-thinking approach to addressing that gap.


Knowing that the program will help address workforce shortages while off ering new career opportunities was especially gratifying. What was most rewarding was witnessing the commitment of the pilot program candidates who eagerly trained to become part of a potential new solution to our workforce shortage. Their dedication to expanding access to care was inspiring, and I look forward to the day the program receives full approval and can be implemented on a broader scale to truly make a diff erence in public oral health.


Also, during your time at ODH, you were instrumental in pursuing other eff orts related to workforce development, including partnering with high schools in Pike/Lincoln and St. Charles counties to off er dental as- sistant training. Why did you think this program was important to test and how did you choose these schools? Is there anything a dentist can do if they want to try to bring this type of program to their community? Partnering with high schools to off er dental assistant training was an intentional step toward strengthening Missouri’s oral health workforce, especially in underserved and rural areas where staffi ng shortages often limit access to care. We saw the opportunity to introduce young students to a fulfi lling career path early on, helping them gain skills that could lead to employment right after graduation or inspire further education in dentistry.


We selected Pike/Lincoln and St. Charles counties because they had strong career and technical education programs already in place and because of enthusiastic community leaders ready to support the initiative. These schools were ideal pilot sites to test how feasible it would be to off er this kind of training at the high school level, and the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive.


If a dentist is interested in bringing a similar program to their commu- nity, my advice is to start by building partnerships — with local school districts, technical centers and public health offi cials. Off er to serve on advisory committees, provide insight on curriculum and advocate for funding or equipment donations. Your professional expertise and com- munity leadership can be the catalyst to making these programs a real- ity and opening doors for the next generation of dental professionals. Your involvement as a mentor or partner clinic for hands-on training can have a signifi cant impact.


You have your dental and specialty degrees, but in 2022 completed a Master of Public Health from A.T. Still University in Kirksville. How has that experience and degree made a diff erence in the work you have done since that time. Completing my MPH was one of the most transfor- mative steps in my professional life. While my clinical training taught me how to care for individual patients, the MPH gave me the tools to think broadly — about populations, data and systems. It sharpened my understanding of how social determinants impact oral health and how strategic public health policy can create lasting change.


The degree directly impacted my work as State Dental Director. It gave me the foundation to successfully secure a competitive CDC grant and to launch statewide initiatives, such as expanding dental access in long-term care facilities through teledentistry and supporting eff orts to increase HPV vaccination rates as part of oral cancer prevention. It helped me communicate more eff ectively with stakeholders, analyze


outcomes, and lead with a greater focus on health equity. It continues to shape everything I do — from curriculum design to community service — with a bigger-picture mindset.


You currently are an Orthodontic Curriculum Consultant for KCU College of Dental Medicine in Joplin and responsible for developing and teaching orthodontic curriculum to undergraduate dental students. What has been fun and/or interesting about doing this type of work?


Being part of Kansas City University’s dental program has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I’ve loved the opportunity to build something from the ground up — crafting an orthodontic curriculum that’s not only evidence-based but also relevant and approachable for general dentists. It’s a joy to help students make connections between tooth movement, growth and development and overall oral health.


What I fi nd most fun is seeing the “aha” moments when students realize how much they can do to recognize and refer early orthodontic concerns, helping them see red fl ags in growth and development or malocclusion that may need timely referral especially in cases like de- layed eruption or severe crowding. Their energy and curiosity keep me learning, too. Teaching in this setting gives me the chance to mentor and shape the mindset of future providers, helping them see orthodon- tics not as a siloed specialty, but as an essential part of comprehensive dental care. The academic setting also pushes me to stay sharp, in- novative and current with evidence-based practice. It has been pure joy working with the KCU academic team and especially my orthodontic co-teacher, Dr. Mike LaFerla, in this new endeavor.


You are a founding member of the Washington Overseas Medical and Dental Mission which has been taking place since 1992. As part of that you have packed and coordinated 32 dental mission trips and partici- pated in country on 26 dental and construction mission trips. What would you say to doctors and dental team members who are consider- ing a mission trip but maybe have some reservations for one reason or another? What has been the best part of doing this type of work?


To anyone on the fence about going on a mission trip — don’t let uncertainty stop you. You don’t need to be an expert on global health or fl uent in another language; you just need a willing heart. These trips have been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I’ve been so fortunate to serve alongside incredible teams and develop meaningful relationships — both in the countries we visit and right here at home — with people committed to making a diff erence, one life at a time.


The work is about much more than dentistry. Through collaborative Rotary grants and community partnerships, we’ve helped fund and implement vital projects that transform lives: in-home stoves to replace open fi res, water fi ltration units providing access to clean water and a 40,000-gallon tank that now delivers water for eight hours daily — an enormous improvement from the prior schedule of just one hour every other day. Witnessing these changes and knowing you were a part of making them possible is deeply moving.


The best part, though, is the shared sense of humanity and purpose. You go there to give, but you always come home having received more than you ever expected.


Of all your current activities right now — dental, civic, personal — is there something you are particularly excited about being a part of? I’m especially excited about continuing my academic work with KCU in Joplin, developing and teaching the undergraduate orthodontic curricu-


ISSUE 2 | SUMMER 2025 | focus 27


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