Dentistry News
!["Dr. Mark McIlwain"](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/Mark-McIlwain.jpg)
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
![Dr. Ashraf Fouad](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/fouad_preview.jpg)
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
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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.
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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
![Bhakti Desai and Parker Alison headshots.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/Christy-Savage.jpg)
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
![Bhakti Desai and Parker Alison headshots.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/glen-and-rhoda-smith.jpg)
As Glen Smith, D.M.D., graduated from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry in 1969, his incredible journey was just beginning.
![Bhakti Desai and Parker Alison headshots.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/Desai-Allison-intro.jpg)
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
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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.
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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
![Raymond (Ray) Dawkins II and Bhakti Desai.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/Bhakti-Ray.jpg)
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
![Empty dentist's chair.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/dentist-chair.jpg)
The UAB Dental Group, or dental faculty practice, reopened for patient care on May 18, 2020. With an emphasis on patient safety, as well as the safety of our faculty and staff during the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, critical oral health needs delayed by the onset of the pandemic can now be addressed.
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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
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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.
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Drs. David and Melissa Roden are both graduates of the School of Dentistry at UAB.
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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
!["Faculty and staff manage school's COVID-19 screening station"](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/world-keeps-spinning-sign-in.jpg)
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 and Katie Powell"](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/Louis_Powell2.jpg)
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.
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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
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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
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Dean Russell S. Taichman recently announced several senior leadership appointments and updates regarding key positions within the School of Dentistry.
![Group of volunteers wearing TeamSmile shirts.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/2nd-annual-teamsmile.jpg)
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
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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.
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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
![Woman standing in front of poster and talking to two people.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/15th-scholars-symposium-news.jpg)
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 being presented with a certificate.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/rashid-award-news.jpg)
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.
![Two dentists in scrubs sitting in an exam room.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/7th-uab-dentistry-cares.jpg)
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
![Woman presenting information from a poster.](/dentistry/home/images/images/about/news/scholars-symposium-news.jpg)
Read more: School highlights public health, epidemiology, research at Scholars Symposium