About
The Department of Primary Dental Care plays a significant role in creating the next generation of oral health care professionals for our state and region. We focus on the development of dental, dental therapy and dental hygiene students as they gain technical skills, apply knowledge gained from their classroom experiences and embody the values and critical thinking skills demonstrated by our world-class faculty.
Mission
The Department of Primary Dental Care is central to realizing the School of Dentistry’s mission to advance health through scientific discovery, innovative education, and the highest-quality care for all communities. We advance health by:
- creating new knowledge through community engagement, educational research and clinical trials.
- contributing to the curriculum. We provide over 200 credits of instruction toward five degree programs, delivering educational content in the classroom, online, in the clinic and in the community. Our faculty employ evidence-based teaching methods, often based on the results of their research initiatives.
- by delivering preventive, diagnostic, and primary care in rural and urban settings.
Sheila Riggs
Chair, Department of Primary Dental Care
[email protected]
Rosemary Burns-Valez, Department Administrator
[email protected]
Divisions
The Department of Primary Dental Care is home to five divisions.
Comprehensive Care
The Division of Comprehensive Care is responsible for educating learners in the clinical setting. Six leaders each provide instruction for a group comprised of approximately 20 third-year DDS students, 20 fourth-year DDSstudents, one Dental Therapy learner, and three dental hygiene students. Additional full- and part-time faculty provide instruction in the clinics. We oversee the students’ development in regards to their technical and critical thinking skills for oral diagnosis, treatment planning, urgent care and restorative treatment. In addition, we work closely with all specialty departments ensuring a comprehensive plan for each patient.
Faculty and Color Group Leaders
Richard Nadeau, DDS, MPH
Division Director
Clinical Professor
Amy Browning, DDS
Clinical Assistant Professor - Maroon
Wendy Engstrom, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor – Green
Gregory Gella, DDS
Clinical Assistant Professor - Silver
Brian Hatch, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor – Yellow
Natalie Peterson, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor - Orange
Carmen Real, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor - Blue
Carol Meyer, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor
Director of Admissions
George Demonakos
Clinical Assistant Professor
Kacie Woodis
Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
The Division of Dental Hygiene seeks to educate individuals who are prepared intellectually, technically and ethically to meet the oral health care needs and challenges of the future. Our purpose is to create a learning environment that fosters collaboration, lifelong learning, informed citizens and leaders, and oral health care professionals who provide quality care to diverse populations in a variety of settings. We are committed to excellence in dental hygiene education, practice, public health, management and research.
Faculty
Cyndee Stull, DHSc, MDH, RDH
Assistant Professor
Division Director and Director of MSDH Program
Michelle Arnett, RDH, MS, BS
Associate Professor
Hiwet Ephrem, MSDH, RF
Clinical Professor
Dental Hygiene Admissions Chair
Yvette Reibel, EdD, LDH
Clinical Associate Professor
Clinic Director, Dental Hygiene
Keta Desai, DDS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene and Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology
Keeley Flavin
Clinical Associate Professor
Rachel Thelen
Clinical Assistant Professor
Kelly Rogers
Clinical Assistant Professor
Mercedes VanDeWiele
Clinical Assistant Professor
Hospital Consultant
Dental Public Health
The Division of Dental Public Health educates, prevents and controls disease on a community basis. Rather than focusing on an individual, Dental Public Health serves the greater population. .
Faculty
Karin Quick, DDS, PhD
Associate Professor
Division Director
Boyen Huang, DDS, MHA, PhD
Associate Professor
Sheila Riggs, DDS, MS, DMSc
Associate Professor
Chair, Primary Dental Care
Jeffrey Stefani, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor
Dental Therapy
The Division of Dental Therapy works to address issues with oral health care access to underserved communities within Minnesota by advancing the profession of dental therapy through a well-rounded dental education.
Faculty
Karl Self, DDS, MBA
Associate Professor
Division Director
Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Drew Christianson, MDT
Clinical Associate Professor
Danae Kotula, MDT
Clinical Associate Professor
Phonsuda Chanthivisouk
Research Assistant Professor
Community Outreach and Engagement
The School of Dentistry has a strong commitment to community outreach. Students in the last year of their DDS, Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene programs participate in community Outreach rotations through the Division of Community Outreach and Engagement. Outreach experiences provide an opportunity for our students to develop a broad understanding of the community and social responsibilities they will have as dental professionals, treat a diverse patient population that is often underserved, enhance their clinical skills and participate in career promotion and interprofessional learning experiences. All dental services provided by students in Outreach are overseen by faculty of the School of Dentistry.
Faculty
Angela Hastings, DMD
Clinical Associate Professor
Division Director
Iqbal Petker, DMD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Director, East Side Family Dental
John Zupancic, DDS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Director, Hibbing Dental Clinic
Michael Henderson, DDS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Director, Mobile Dental Clinic