June 2, 2008

Kathleen Roth.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The immediate past president of the American Dental Association (ADA) on Saturday encouraged University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) graduating dentistry students to stay involved and connected in their communities, and to seek leadership roles in volunteer boards and public-health initiatives.

Kathleen Roth, D.D.S., was the featured speaker at UAB's School of Dentistry annual diploma and hooding ceremony for the 52 graduating students in the class of 2008. The ceremony was May 31st at the Alys Stephens Center on campus.

Roth is a dentist in private practice from West Bend, Wisconsin. Her term as ADA president ended in October.

Previously, Roth served on the ADA Board of Trustees where she worked on dental education, licensure, scientific affairs, strategic planning and information technology. She is a past president of the Wisconsin Dental Association and the Washington Ozaukee Dental Society, and she has testified before U.S. Congressional committees on behalf of dentistry and women's oral health.

Roth graduated from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 1974 and has remained active on committees and subcommittees of her alma mater. That university honored her with its Dental Community Service Award in 2005. She has been named a fellow of the International and American Colleges of Dentists.

The UAB dental school's rigorous four-year professional degree program consists of two years of basic sciences and pre-clinical dentistry classes and another two years of patient-based rotations in at least five dentistry specialties, and a comprehensive-patient-care-based program where students follow their assigned patients through a system of   comprehensive care.

The UAB School of Dentistry, which confers a D.M.D. degree to graduates, is the only dental school in the state.