UMKC School of Dentistry

05/29/2026

⭐ A dazzling night in Kansas City helped make two children’s dreams come true!

The Starry Night Gala was held May 8th by the Magical Moments Foundation, an organization that supports underprivileged children with facial differences and raises funds to grant each child their own wish. The Kansas City gala was dedicated to two local children living with cleft lip/palate and Treacher Collins syndrome.

We were proud to have Drs. Timothy and Liza Cox and Abdullah Al-Faisal from Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Dr. Michell Briner and Prof. Tamara Hoffman from Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, and Monica Johnson from Pediatric Dentistry represent our school for such a meaningful cause!

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Dr. Michael McCunniff, Professor Emeritus, and Dr. Meghan Wendland, Assistant Professor and Interim Vice Chair of Dental Public Health and Behavioral Science, had the privilege of attending the Heart of the Community Awards Gala hosted by Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center in support of Annette Campbell, Senior Advisor for Community Health Programs at Kansas City University, who was recognized for her outstanding leadership of Score 1 for Health.

We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Score 1 for Health, which provides comprehensive pediatric health assessments and valuable interprofessional learning opportunities for our dental and dental hygiene students alongside medical students and nursing staff.

Congratulations, Annette, on this well-deserved recognition!

05/22/2026

🎓 What an incredible celebration! The UMKC School of Dentistry’s 2026 Professional Recognition Ceremony brought together graduates, family, friends, faculty and staff to honor our dental and dental hygiene students and the amazing milestones they’ve reached.

Dean Paul Luepke welcomed the graduates with words to carry forward: be a great listener, be accepting of everyone, and be kind - and always remember their UMKC family.

Dental graduate Lieutenant Quinten Reasoner was commissioned into active duty with the U.S. Navy by Commander Williams. We wish you the best as you begin your next remarkable chapter of service!

Dental hygiene graduates were pinned by Dr. Kim Bray and Prof. Tanya Villalpando-Mitchell, symbolizing their readiness to enter the profession. "We are incredibly proud to now call each of you dental hygienists,” Dr. Bray remarked.

Dental graduates had the special opportunity to be hooded by alumni or dentists in their own family, or by faculty who walked alongside them during their journey. The purple trim on each hood represents the color of dentistry and the values of compassion, purpose, and inspiration that drive us each day.

Congratulations to this year’s award winners!
- Dean’s Academic Distinction Award: Antonia Fraizer (Dental Hygiene) and Juliana Tomita (Dental)
- 2026 Teachers of Excellence: Dr. Bray (Dental Hygiene Class) and Dr. Wendy Weimer (Dental Class)

At the end of the night, faculty gave personal congratulations to the graduates and attendees enjoyed food trucks on the University Walkway.

Congratulations to our Class of 2026! The profession is lucky to have you, and we wish you all the best as you begin your next chapter!

🔍To read about this year’s ceremony and view more photos from the event, click the link in our bio, select our website, and scroll to Latest Headlines to find the story and links to our photo gallery.

05/18/2026

Big smiles, big impact, and an unforgettable day of service! 🦷💙

UMKC School of Dentistry students and faculty were proud to volunteer at the recent TeamSmile event at Children’s Mercy Park alongside TeamSmile and Sporting Kansas City, helping provide free dental care and oral health education to more than 150 children from across the Kansas City area.
From creating positive first dental experiences to making kids feel welcome, comfortable, and cared for, this was a day full of heart, partnership, and purpose. We’re so proud of everyone who represented UMKC and helped make a difference in our community.
Thank you to TeamSmile and Sporting Kansas City for bringing people together to create so many healthy, happy smiles!
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05/12/2026

🎉 Congratulations to the UMKC School of Dentistry Dental Hygiene Class of 2026!
On May 4th, we gathered for our annual Senior Scholarship Day to celebrate these incredible students — with award presentations, portfolio showcases, case study presentations, and a whole lot of well-deserved applause. 👏
A huge thank you to Prof. Tanya Villalpando-Mitchell, Dean Paul Luepke, and Richie Bigham for honoring our graduates, and to all the faculty and staff who cheered them on.
The celebration isn't over yet — graduates will receive their Dental Hygiene program pins at our Annual Recognition Ceremony on May 14, then walk the stage at UMKC Commencement on Saturday. 🎓
Shoutout to this year's award recipients:
🏆 Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities Award — Aleksis Lee 🏆 American Association of Public Health Dentistry — Cheyanne Poterbin 🏆 Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals Star Award — Clara Lindstrom 🏆 Golden Scaler Award — Lorena Barraza 🏆 MDHA Outstanding Student Award — Reagan Thornhill 🏆 UMKC DHAA Sherry Burns Outstanding Clinician Award — Klare Rollins 🏆 American College of Dentists Dental Hygiene Ethics Award — Loren May 🏆 Greater Kansas City Dental Hygienists' Association Community Service Award — Avery Behrends 🏆 Crest & Oral-B Hygienist Proud SMILE Award ⭐ (Inaugural Year!) — Arbyanna Lewis 🏆 Dean's Academic Distinction Award — Antonia Fraizer
Bright futures, well earned. We are so proud of you! 💙
Enjoy photos from the event. https://photos.app.goo.gl/odvTxh5cnMHwN6zS9

05/11/2026

🔬🦷 UMKC School of Dentistry shone bright at the 26th Annual Symposium of Undergraduate Research & Creative Scholarship on April 23, 2026!

We are incredibly proud to celebrate the following honorees:

🏅 Deming Lei, Senior in the School of Computing & Engineering, working in the lab of Dr. Rong (Rose) Wang — recipient of the Presentations of Distinction Award, joined by Dr. Wang.

🎓 Jocelyn Vang, UMKC Dental Hygiene Class of 2026 — 2026 Undergraduate Research Fellow transcript designation & UR + Career Readiness Program, working in the lab of Dr. Erin Bumann.

🌟 Dr. Stefan Lohfeld — Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Researchers, Scholars, & Artists.

🎓 Bianca Alessandra Paraiso Smith, UMKC Clinical Laboratory Sciences Class of 2026 — 2026 Undergraduate Research Fellow transcript designation & Undergraduate Research Ambassador, working with Dr. Bumann.

Also pictured: Dr. James Wahl, Chair of the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences.

Congratulations to all — your dedication to advancing science and mentoring the next generation of researchers is truly inspiring. Thank you for your contributions to the field! 👏

05/11/2026

🧸🦷 Some very lucky teddy bears and stuffed animals received top-notch dental check-ups — and the kids who brought them in left knowing exactly what a trip to the dentist looks like and how to take care of their smiles!
A huge shoutout to Nora Stith and Caden Wehner, proud members of the UMKC School of Dentistry Class of 2028, for their participation in the Teddy Bear Hospital Community Event! 🎉
Organized through the UMKC School of Medicine, this student-led event is dedicated to reducing clinical anxiety in children and inspiring the next generation to pursue higher education through fun, hands-on learning experiences.
We are so proud of your initiative and heart, Nora and Caden! 💙

05/04/2026

04/29/2026

Celebrating outstanding faculty achievements at UMKC School of Dentistry
A huge congratulations to our faculty members recognized at the 2026 Faculty Awards Celebration, “Recognizing Excellence,” hosted by UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal and Provost Jenny Lundgren:

• Dr. John Kiesendahl (Department of Restorative Clinical Sciences) – Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award
• Dr. Mary Walker (Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies) – Provost’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring
• Dr. Stefan Lohfeld (Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences) – Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Researchers, Scholars and Artists + Inventor’s Achievement Award
• Dr. Timothy Cox (Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences) – Curators’ Distinguished Professor
• Dr. Gerald Wyckoff (School of Pharmacy; School of Dentistry faculty) – Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor
These honors reflect the leadership, innovation, scholarship, and commitment to student success that define our school. We’re proud to celebrate each of you—and grateful for the impact you make every day.
Please join us in congratulating them!