News Release
Date: 5/21/08
Arizona’s first dental school graduates second class
MESA, Ariz. (June 16, 2008) -- A.T. Still University (ATSU) celebrated its second commencement ceremony for the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health – Arizona’s first dental school – on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona. Fifty-four students received their Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree.
“This commencement marks another milestone for ATSU and the State of Arizona,” said Craig Phelps, D.O., FAOASM , provost of A.T. Still University. “Not only are there 54 students graduating from the first established dental school in Arizona, but these graduates have demonstrated a profound sense of compassion, integrity and ability. They are established leaders in improving community health and wellness.”
The Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health began addressing the nation’s oral healthcare needs in 2003. “Those graduating from the dental school have demonstrated a commitment to improving the oral health of Americans, particularly the underserved,” says Jack Dillenberg, D.D.S., M.P.H., dean of ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health. “Greater than 25 percent of our graduates will provide oral healthcare in Community Health Center settings in Arizona and around the country. They will positively impact some of our nation’s most fragile populations, including children, the physically compromised, the homeless, and the elderly.” Dr. Dillenberg added, “This year’s class is graduating with the recognition that they are healthcare providers seeking to improve total person health, not just tooth technicians.”
The dental school offers a doctor of dental medicine (D.M.D.) degree, along with a certificate in public health. During the first and second years, students study on the Mesa campus, using computer-based instruction and digital resources, and in a dental simulation laboratory. Beginning in the second year and continuing in the third and fourth years, students gain valuable experience and provide compassionate dental care at an on-campus dental clinic as well as clinical sites in underserved communities throughout Arizona and the United States.
Two honorary degrees were awarded
As part of the commencement, two honorary doctoral degrees were conferred: Reed V. Tuckson, M.D., executive vice president and chief of medical affairs for UnitedHealth Group; and Steve Perlman, D.D.S., M.Sc.D., associate clinical professor of pediatric dentistry at The Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine and cofounder of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry. Both gentlemen received the Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Dr. Tuckson is a graduate of Howard University, Georgetown University School of Medicine, and general internal medicine residency and fellowship programs at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Formerly the Commissioner of Public Health for the District of Columbia, Dr. Tuckson held senior leadership positions for the American Medical Association and March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. He is also former president of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles. Finally, Dr. Tuckson holds various instrumental positions, including that of Chair of the Secretary of Health and Human Science’s Advisory Committee on Genetics Health and Society, and is an active member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.
In addition to his work as a professor of pediatric dentistry, Dr. Perlman has devoted much of his private practice as well as teaching to the treatment of children and adults with neurodevelopmental/intellectual disabilities for the past 30 years. Dr. Perlman’s career has been distinguished and filled with multiple honors including the Harold Beck Award from the Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, an organization for which he also served as president; and, the Manny Album Award from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. In 1993, Dr. Perlman founded Special Olympics Special Smiles, an oral health initiative for the athletes of Special Olympics International. In 2002, he was named Dentist of the Year by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Foundation. And in more recent years, he served as an advisor to the President’s Committee for Person’s with Intellectual Disabilities.
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Founded in 1892 as the nation’s first college of osteopathic medicine, A.T. Still University provides graduate level education in whole person healthcare. Recognized internationally for its integrated approach, ATSU equips students with the knowledge, compassion, and hands-on experience needed to address the body, mind, and spirit. The University now comprises the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, the School of Health Management, the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, the Arizona School of Health Sciences, the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, and the Postgraduate School of Osteopathic Clinical Research.
The Arizona Community Foundation is a statewide non-profit organization with four regional offices serving 10 affiliate community foundations. Established in 1978, ACF is among the top 30 community foundations in the nation with more than half a billion dollars in endowment and trust assets. For more information, visit azfoundation.org or call 602.381.1400.