About ASDOH

Mission : Goals : Leadership Team : Community-based Education Model : Accreditation : Identified Need

Leadership Team

Jack Dillenberg, D.D.S., M.P.H.
Dr. Jack Dillenberg is the inaugural dean of the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health. Dr. Dillenberg received his master’s degree in public health from Harvard School of Public Health and completed his dental education at New York University, College of Dentistry. He received his undergraduate degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. Prior to joining the Arizona dental school, Dr. Dillenberg was associate director for public health programs in the California Department of Health Services and prior to that was area health officer serving the west area of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Dr. Dillenberg also is president of Dillenberg & Friends Health Services Consulting providing a full scope of health services consulting. During most of the 1990s, Dr. Dillenberg served in several capacities in the Arizona Department of Health Services, including director for more than four years and assistant director in the Division of Family Health Services. Dr. Dillenberg has also served in numerous positions on health-related boards and associations and is the recipient of a great number of honors and awards, including the U.S Public Health Service Chief Dental Officer’s Service Award and the Harvard School of Public Health Alumni Award of Merit. Dr. Dillenberg is recognized at the local, state, and national levels as an expert in the area of public health leadership, health program development, social marketing, oral health issues, health center design, training of community health workers, community organizing, and lecture presentations.

James Bell, D.D.S.
Vice Dean

George Blue Spruce Jr. , D.D.S., M.P.H.
Assistant Dean for American Indian Affairs
Dr. George Blue Spruce, the nation's first American Indian dentist, is the former assistant surgeon general and director of the Indian Health Service Phoenix Area Office. In 1990, he was instrumental in the organization of the Society of American Indian Dentists and has been its president for the past 16 years. This position has allowed Dr. Blue Spruce to continue his life's work in the encouragement of American Indian individuals to pursue a career in dentistry and other health professions. He holds membership in numerous American Indian organizations, with missions that promote post-secondary education. Dr. Blue Spruce, a member of the San Juan-Laguna Pueblos of New Mexico, firmly believes in true self-determination for Indian people. He says, "True Indian self-determination will occur only when our American Indian people are given opportunities to pursue those educational credentials that allow them to assume meaningful leadership roles in their respective Indian communities. As leaders, Indians will be able to assess their peoples’ needs, prioritize them, and most importantly manage and control their own programs." In his new position, Dr. Blue Spruce hopes to continue addressing the severe dearth of American Indian dentists and other health professionals. Dr. Blue Spruce remains an active tennis competitor and in 1996 was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame. He is the first and only male tennis player to be inducted.

Robert A. Cederberg, M.A., D.D.S.
Associate Dean for Clinical Activities
Dr. Robert Cederberg graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1979.  He owned and managed a dental practice from 1979 until 1994.  He returned to Baylor in 1984 as a part-time instructor in the division of radiology, Department of Diagnostic Sciences.  In 1994 he joined the Department of Diagnostic Sciences as a full-time faculty member.  He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2000.  In addition to didactic and clinical teaching responsibilities in radiology and emergency care, Dr. Cederberg served as Director of Quality Assurance where he managed quality assurance and risk management issues, as well as other clinic functions through the Office of Clinical Services at Baylor.  Dr. Cederberg currently serves as the Associate Dean for Clinical Activities and Clinic Director at the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health.   Dr. Cederberg has published articles which focus on various aspects of digital radiography and co-authored studies which deal with various aspects of clinic compliance.  He has presented Quality Assurance workshops at national meetings, served as a QA consultant and has been intimately involved in CODA site visit preparations.  He is a member of several professional organizations including the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and the American Dental Education Association.

Wayne W. Cottam, D.M.D., M.S.
Associate Dean of Community Partnerships
Dr. Wayne Cottam is the Associate Dean of Community Partnerships at the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health. In this position, he developed and oversees the external rotation program for ASDOH as well as other student community activities and partnerships, teaches Head and Neck Anatomy and serves on the senior administrative team of the school.   Prior to his current position, he was the Dental Director with Community Health Centers in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Cottam graduated from the University of Utah in 1990 and attended dental school at the Oregon Health Sciences University, graduating with honors in 1993. He completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at the University of Utah Hospital and went into an associateship in private practice for one year. In 1995, he re-opened an Urban Indian Dental clinic and ran that program until joining Community Health Centers developing that program from one clinic to four clinics.  During that time he received a Master’s Degree in Anatomy from the University of Utah Medical School and served on the faculty in the Gross Anatomy course until taking the position in Arizona.  Dr. Cottam and his wife Marie have three daughters and one son.

Kneka Smith, M.P.H.
Associate Dean for Education
Kneka (“Nee-ka”) Smith is the Associate Dean for Education at A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health in Mesa, Arizona.  In this position, she directs the predoctoral dental curriculum, chairs the curriculum committee, teaches dental public health and serves on the senior administrative team of the School. Prior to her position, she served as the State Dental Director for the Arizona Department of Health Services where she was responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of clinical programs and statewide policy initiatives.  Prior to moving to Arizona, Prof. Smith worked for the Maine Department of Human Services in dental public health as well as practiced clinically in a private practice in Maine. Prof. Smith earned her undergraduate degrees with honors from Westbrook College in Portland, Maine and her Master’s Degree in Public Health (Health Policy & Administration) from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Prof. Smith has a daughter and a son.

Janet Woldt, M.S., P.h.D
Associate Dean for Academic Assessment
Dr. Janet Woldt is the Associate Dean for Academic Assessment at A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health in Mesa, Arizona. In this position, Dr. Woldt ensures the academic success of the predoctoral and postdoctoral students, manages the accreditation process, directs the assessment efforts of the School, and serves as the School’s student services liaison. Dr. Woldt received her undergraduate degrees from Indiana University (1986), Northwestern University (1990) and her graduate degrees from Iowa State University (masters 2001, doctorate 2004). From 1986-1990, she practiced as a clinical dental hygienist in Northwest Indiana. Dr. Woldt  also served as a didactic and clinical instructor at Indiana University from 1988-1990. From 1990-1993 she served as the Examination Coordinator of the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Woldt worked for the Commission on Dental Accreditation as Manager of Dental Hygiene Education, 1993-1999. In her tenure with the Commission, she managed the revision of the Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education, provided guidance to the dental education community regarding accreditation, and formulated and implemented policies related to dental education, utilization and licensure. While conducting her graduate studies at Iowa State, Dr. Woldt developed and implemented faculty enrichment programs for both new community college instructors, and masters and doctorate programs for experienced instructors. She worked in the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs office at Iowa State as well.  Dr. Woldt and her husband Phil live in Phoenix with their five-year old daughter, Katarina.