dr - University of Washington School of Dentistry

Lecture boosts new teaching endowment
Three noted School of Dentistry
alumni and dental educators raised
more than $260,000 for the School
with a benefit lecture in Seattle on
June 12. Drs. Vince Kokich (’71, Ortho
’74), Dave Mathews (Perio ’74)
and Frank Spear (Pros ’79) made their
final joint presentation at Benaroya
Hall. The three have gained a worldwide
reputation after lecturing on interdisciplinary
dentistry for a quarter-century.
The funds raised from the lecture
will establish the foundation of an
endowment for a new part-time visiting
faculty position that would help
Dentistry faculty sharpen their teaching
skills.
“We realized we never learned that
in dental school,” Dr. Kokich said last
fall while discussing plans for the endowment.
“I never had the opportunity
Dr. O. Ross Beirne, chair of the
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgery for the last 10 years, has announced
that he will relinquish
his position but will
remain on faculty.
Dr. Beirne expressed a
desire to devote more time to
teaching, patient care and research,
and noted that he had
imposed a limit of 10 years as
chair when he assumed the post.
“While I regret that he is giving up
his chair, I am delighted that we will
still benefit from his talents and abilities,”
Dean Martha Somerman said.
as a faculty member, if I wanted to improve
my teaching skills, to be guided
by people who do this for a living.”
In addition to the more than
$166,000 pledged or contributedby
attendees at the Benaroya event,
the three lecturers made a dramatic
pledge during their presentation:
another $100,000 for the
endowment. The three had already
planned to donate the CDE fees
news
from the all-day presentation.
Dean Martha Somerman applauded
the trio’s generosity and hailed
their contribution as a significant step
in establishing a new standard of instruction
at the School. In addition,
the lecture featured a surprise visit by
University of Washington President
Mark Emmert, who thanked the lecturers
and attendees for their commitment
and support.
Dean Somerman, Dr. David Mathews, Dr. Vince Kokich, Dr. Frank Spear and UW President
Mark Emmert gather during a break in the lecture.
Beirne stepping down from OMS chair
“We are indeed fortunate to have people
of Dr. Beirne’s caliber.”
Dr. Beirne will continue as chair
until at least this November,
when the School of Dentistry
will have its seven-year review
by the Commission on Dental
Accreditation.
“I have been fortunate
to work with dedicated and
exceptional faculty, staff, residents,
and students,” Dr. Beirne said. “I
leave my position tremendously confident
that the Department will continue
to be recognized for innovation, farreaching
dissemination of knowledge,
and high-quality service to the community
and profession.”
Dr. Beirne is a diplomate of the
American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgery and the National Dental
Board of Anesthesiology. He is also
a Fellow of the American College of
Dentists and Councilor with the Oral
and Maxillofacial Surgery Research
Group of the American Association for
Dental Research.
He received his DMD from the
Harvard School of Dental Medicine in
1972, a PhD in biochemistry from the
University of California, San Francisco
in 1976, and his certificate in Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery from Harbor-
UCLA Medical Center in 1979.
summer / fall 2009 DentalAlumninews 15