2010 Midwest Dental Conference Scientific Sessions

our ability to remain one of the premierdental schools in the country.As we look to the future, we also havean opportunity to be a good citizen withour external partners and stakeholders.We’ll be working closely with our alumniand dental associations, both of whomhave been incredibly supportive of theschool. I’ve been trying my hardest to getout and meet some of the people who careso much for the school. I look forward todeveloping deep and lasting relationshipswith the school’s alumni and with areadental and community organizations.Together we can ensure that UMKCcontinues to graduate the best oral healthcare practitioners in the country.Even though I’ve been at UMKC a shorttime, I’ve already had the opportunity tobe extremely impressed by our alumni’sgenerosity. I attended the annualScholarship Recognition Dinner andwas simply blown away. I don’t know ofanother institution that does somethingquite like this. It was simply amazing tosee scholarship recipients and donorssitting down to dinner together andtalking and getting to know one another.The evening was a powerful display ofwhat a strong bond our alumni have withtheir school. I came away convinced thatour students are as grateful as our alumniand friends are generous; and that whenour students have become successfulalumni, they will be as generous as theirdistinguished predecessors.In that spirit of generosity and gratitudeI would like to thank the UMKC Schoolof Dentistry community for welcoming mewith such warmth and openness. Everyonehas been unbelievably kind and helpful.As I said earlier, I feel comfortable here. Ifeel at home. •Barry Daneman Moves toUMKC FoundationIn July 2009, the University ofMissouri-Kansas City establishedthe UMKC Foundation in order tocentrally coordinate accountabilityfor all the advancement efforts onbehalf of UMKC andits academic units.With the advent of thenew Foundation andplanning for the University’snext capitalcampaign, UMKC hasrealigned advancementpositions to maximizestaffing, resources andexpertise. As part ofthis realignment, BarryDaneman, the Schoolof Dentistry’s directorof Community andAlumni Relations, begandevoting his timeand talents to the UMKC Foundationon October 21, 2009.In a farewell message to the Schoolof Dentistry, Daneman said, “It hasbeen a great honor to work for theUMKC School of Dentistry, theRinehart Foundation and the DentalAlumni Association these past 14-plusyears. I’ve made many good friends andhave had the opportunity to collaborateon a wide variety of interestingprojects: class scholarships, continuingeducation programs, endowed chairsand professorships, Medicaid studies,memorials, outreach programs, renovationprojects and workforce models. Ihave enjoyed my students in the dentalethics classes, faculty colleagues in theDepartment of Dental Public Health,staff colleagues from the Office ofAlumni, Development and ContinuingEducation and alumni friends. I willtreasure these years always. I cannotadequately express my thanks for havingbeen given these opportunities.”In recognition of Barry’s contributionsto the school and the professionof dentistry, Dean Marsha Pyle said,“We are eternally grateful for Barry’smany years of hard work on behalf ofthe school, the Rinehart Foundationand the school’s outreach programs.His good work within theschool and in the communitywill be missed but notforgotten.”Daneman will retainsome accountability forthe School of Dentistrywhile taking on broaderadvancement responsibilitiesas an AdvancementOfficer for the centraloffice. Dean Pyle saidthat she is working withthe University’s Advancementleadershipto develop an alternativestaffing plan for theSchool of Dentistry’s Rinehart Foundationto assure that its needs continueto be met. As part of the reorganizationof the school’s alumni and advancementactivities, Dr. Cynthia Amyothas been asked to assist in the area.Since 2007 Dr. Amyot has served theSchool of Dentistry as a professor andthe director of Distance Educationand Faculty Development. Previouslyshe served as director of the Divisionof Dental Hygiene from 1993 to2006. She has served on the school’sfaculty since earning her MS degree indental hygiene education at UMKC in1993. She earned her EdD degree fromthe University of Missouri in 2003.Dr. Amyot served as president of theUMKC Dental Hygienists’ Alumni Associationin 1996-97 and served on itsboard from 1993 to 2007. •Explorer Winter 2009 • 5