School News

Leroy Leggitt, DDS’84, MS’92, MS, PhD, has been appointed LLU School of Dentistry chair, Department of Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedics, effective January 3, 2017. Dr. Leroy Leggitt Born, raised, and educated in Southern California, Dr. Leggitt’s several advanced degrees in higher education are from Loma Linda University. After earning his doctor of dental surgery degree, he practiced privately for six years in the mountain town of Crestline, California (1984-1990). Dr. Leggitt returned to take an MS in orthodontics from his alma mater, graduating in 1992.

Dentistry Class of 2020 Bryce Ashton, Norayr Avakian, Ellin Choi, Jae Chung, Lucas DiCiccio, Jordan Evans, Samer Gazale, Spencer Gibbs, Matthew Green, Michael Henriksen, Kent Horsley, Liudmyla Humen, Melissa Khoury, Joanna Koo, Joshua Lee, Joseph Memmott, George Messiah, Matthew Narita, Hung Nguyen, Marytza Rios Gonzalez, Jordan Smith, Seung Song, Luke Taylor, Greer Thompson, Anthony Traboulsi, Clayton Tran, Brittany Watu, George Wong, Andrew Yoon Dentistry Class of 2019 Nadia Barakat, Jason Bendas, Caitlin Berwick, Michael Chan, Aaron Charpentier, Anna Chavez, Matt Doan, Julia Dolins

At the calling of the names, first- and final-year dental hygiene, doctor of dentistry, and International Dentist Program students took the LLU Church stage individually to receive embossed Bibles (first year) and monogrammed white coats (graduating classes) at the School of Dentistry’s annual Student Dedication service. Division of General Dentistry assistant professor and director, Spiritual Life and Diversity, Scott Smith, DDS’09, welcomed students, faculty, relatives, friends and well-wishers to the School of Dentistry’s 2017 Student Dedication Service, Friday evening, February 24,

The LLUH Board of Trustees honored Tom Rogers, DDS’83, MPH’96, MA, professor and director, Faculty and Leadership Development, on May 24, 2016, with special recognition for his 18-year endeavor to educate LLUSD dental students on best practices for providing oral health care safely and compassionately to dental patients with HIV-AIDS. His efforts include 14 years directing the $300,000 annual Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant in support of teaching future providers how to best serve this at-risk population. Dr.

Murray Jacobs, DDS, assistant professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Jayini Thakker, DDS, MD, program director, Advanced Specialty Education Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, were inducted as fellows of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during the College’s 2016 Convocation Ceremony on Sunday, October 16, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.   Dr. Murray Jacobs Dr.

For the third year in a row LLUSD has won the $5,000 E.

Yiming Li, DDS, PhD, MSD, associate dean for Research, and director, Center for Dental Research (CDR), received a letter (05/09/2016) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Department of Health & Human Services stationery, regarding an FDA “inspection conducted at your site (1/13/2016-1/19/2016).” Dr. Yiming Li The CDR conducts multiple clinical studies annually, which include FDA clinical trials that are subject to inspection by the FDA.

Dentistry Class of 2020 Jae Chung, Lucas DiCiccio, Spencer Gibbs, Matthew Green, Michael Henriksen, Kent Horsley, Joanna Koo, Joshua Lee, George Messiah, Matthew Narita, Hung Nguyen, Marytza Rios Gonzalez, Jordan Smith, Eric Stratton, Luke Taylor, Anthony Traboulsi, Clayton Tran, Brittany Watu, George Wong, Andrew Yoon Dentistry Class of 2019 Namo Asadamongkol, Nadia Barakat, Jason Bendas, Caitlin Berwick, Michael Chan, Aaron Charpentier, Anna Chavez, Matt Doan, Julia Dolinskiy, Kristina Fernandez, Philip Ha, Luke Harbach, Helen Jia, Craig Johnson, Shevanthi Johnson, Mawj Kadokana, Su

Loma Linda University School of Dentistry alumnus Clelan “Butch” Ehrler, DDS’68, MS’71 (orthodontics), will be California Dental Association president beginning January 1, 2017. Dr. Clelan "Butch" Ehrler Dr. Ehrler succeeds immediate past CDA president, Ken Wallis, DDS’86. Dr. Ehrler has held numerous CDA leadership positions that include CDA board of trustees executive committee, the TDIC board of directors, and various committees that include peer review, California Dental Political Action Committee (CalDPAC), finance, and steering. Beyond the degrees he earned at LLUSD, Dr.

Pediatric residents from the LLUSD class of 2015—Drs. Ava Chung, Adi Genish, Pooyan Nasibi, and Minh-Ky Young—all passed their oral clinical board examination in September 2016 and became diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Back row (L-R): pediatric resident dentists Drs. Pooyan Nasibi, Ryan Baker, Amanda Zenthoefer, and Minh-Ky Young. Front row (L-R): Class of 2015 pediatric resident dentists Drs. Luz Adriana Cuellar, Ava Chung, Xuan Lam, and Adi Genish bracket Dr.