A Newsletter for Alumni and Friends of The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston

EXchangeUT SD

Fall/Winter 2011 Volume 8Number 2

By Rhonda Moran Whitmeyer, UT School of DentistryWhen Fred Garrett was growing up in Kansas in the 1940s, his schoolteacher parents

worked hard to make a living in the public school system, setting an example that would shape his life.

Now 76, Fred Garrett, DDS, MS, is a board-certified orthodontist and clinical professor at The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, where he and his wife, Dianne, have established the first endowed chair in the school’s 106-year history.

Representing a $500,000 commitment, the Fred A. and Dianne F. Garrett Endowed Chair in Orthodontics is dedicated to Fred’s parents, Frank A. and Rosa Lee Garrett, “and all the other educators who, through their personal sacrifices, provided me with an education and the guidance to become a successful orthodontist,” Fred Garrett wrote into the documents establishing the gift.

When awarded, the funds will be used at the discretion of the department chair to enhance the Department of Orthodontics in ways not otherwise funded by UTSD,

With Record-Setting Gift, Dr. Garrett Challenges UTSD Alumni

Report on Progress: UTSD Is ‘Open to Health’By Rhonda Moran Whitmeyer, UT School of Dentistry

The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston has had new buildings before – the last in 1955 – but when the school moves to 314,000 square feet of new space in May 2012, this time it will go with more scholarships, more faculty endowments and more re-search and outreach funds than ever before in its 106-year history, thanks to the success of the school’s Open to Health initiative.

To date, Open to Health has raised nearly $17 million, representing 1,244 gift commit-ments from more than 800 separate donors. The widely varied gifts have included:

• Naming a building (the Denton A. Cooley, MD and Ralph C. Cooley, DDS Uni-versity Life Center) — a first for the School of Dentistry

• The school’s first endowed chair, benefiting the Department of Orthodontics

• The school’s first endowed professorship in biomaterials research

• 10 new faculty endowments supporting positions in pediatric dentistry, endodon-tics, orthodontics, general dentistry, dental ethics, research, and guest lecturers in periodontics

• 12 new scholarship funds, providing 18 students with support in Fiscal Year 2012

• Nearly $2.8 million in research funding from private grants, to go along with more than $12 million in federal, state and contractual grants.

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In this issue:• How to Become a UTSD Patient• Naming Opportunities• Donor Wall Design in New Building

Where it’s going

Where it came from

Dr. and Mrs. Fred Garrett (left) have created the first endowed chair in UTSD’s history. Pictured with them are Orthodontics Department Chair Jeryl English, DDS, MS (center), and Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ‘81.

$1.2MCommunity

Outreach

$2.8MResearchFunding

$749KRestricted

Gifts

$2.3MFaculty

Endowments

$438KScholarships

$9.3MUTSD BuildingFund

$6.6MFoundations

$1.4MDental

Industry andAssociations

$5.7MAlumni Gifts

$3.2MFriends

of UTSD

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Know Someone to Refer? UT School of Dentistry Seeking New Patients, All Ages

Becoming a patient at The University of Texas School of Dentistry (UTSD) at Houston is one of the best ways to get the most value for your dollar. The school, located at 6516 M.D. Anderson Blvd. in the Texas Medical Center, has three types of clinics – student clinics, graduate clinics and the faculty practice, UT★Dentists.

Associate Dean for Patient Care Robert Cederberg, DDS, said students particularly need patients who have moderate dental needs, rather than extremes.

Except for UT★Dentists, which functions like a community dental office, the path to becoming a patient at UTSD begins by making an appointment to be assessed by a faculty dentist, who will determine whether your dental needs match the students’ capa-bilities. If you need the higher level of care available in the graduate clinics, referral information will be provided.

Student Clinics: The care is delivered by students under supervision of licensed fac-ulty dentists and dental hygienists. Payment is by cash, credit card or money order only – no personal checks – but the fees are the lowest available, typically priced about 70 percent lower than a private dentist would charge. Because of our educational mission, the work proceeds at a slower pace than in a private dental office, and multiple visits may be required. Children and adults are accepted as patients.

Urgent Care Clinic: This emergency care clinic at UTSD oper-ates on a first-come, first-served basis and accepts only the num-ber of patients the students can treat within clinic hours that day. The clinic is staffed by dental students and supervised by UTSD faculty. Payment is by cash, credit card or money order.

Special Patient Clinic: This clinic is for patients who have spe-cial needs, such as mental or physical disabilities or complicating medical problems. Treatment is provided by dental students un-der faculty supervision. A referral form must be signed by the pa-tient’s dentist or physician indicating a need for this type of care. Patients are sometimes referred to this clinic when they come for their first assessment at UTSD, or they are referred from the

graduate clinics. Currently, the Special Patient Clinic has a three-month wait-ing list for appointments.

Graduate Clinics: The care is delivered by new graduate dentists (residents) in consultation with ex-perienced faculty dentists. Residents have opted to gain more experience by spending one to three years in a residency program leading to either a certificate or master’s degree in general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, ortho-dontics, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics or oral and maxil-lofacial surgery. Some clinics (not all) accept insurance and Medicaid. Fees are about two-thirds what you’d pay a private dentist, but higher than you’d pay in the student clinics.

UT★Dentists (Faculty Practice): Within the School of Den-tistry is a fully equipped dental office staffed by members of the UTSD faculty, including a full range of dental specialists. Fees here are in line with those charged by private dentists or special-ists. Most insurance is accepted. UT School of Dentistry is part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). For more information about the school, visit www.db.uth.tmc.edu.

UT School of Dentistry is seeking new patients of all ages for a full range of dental services.

Student ClinicsAdults and children age 13 and over: Call 713-500-4000, Option 2, or use the online registration tool: https://secureweb.hsc.uth.tmc.edu/appointmentform/public/

For children ages 5-12: 713-500-4334

For children under age 5: 713-500-8220

Urgent Care ClinicsCall 713-500-4000, Option 1 for current days and hours of operation

UT★Dentists (Faculty Practice) To make an appointment, call 713-500-4444

Special Patient ClinicCall 713-500-4296 for a referral form

Graduate ClinicsFor general appointments, call 713-500-5815

For appointments with specific programs, call:

• Endodontics (root canals): 713-400-4221

• General Dentistry (AEGD): 713-500-7171

• General Practice Residency (hospital dentistry): 713-500-5888

• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery: 713-500-4125

• Orthodontics (braces): 713-500-4190

• Periodontics (gums): 713-500-4048

• Prosthodontics (implants/dentures): 713-500-4347

For Information & Appointments

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On the first floor of the new dental school building, a special “Donor Recogni-tion Wall” will feature names of those who contributed $10,000 or more.

Current plans call for the display to have a backdrop of pink granite harvested from the old UT School of Dentistry building. In front of the granite will be metallic name plaques with slight differences in finish to heighten contrast. Special light-ing will enhance a “3D” effect and create a sense of movement to the slightly curved display. Five levels of giving will be denoted by the size of each plaque, from $10,000 up to the largest gifts.

The wall’s overall design concept was the work of the UTHealth Creative Services team, with the selected version of the wall spearheaded by graphic designer Lauren Laman. She

is the daughter of UT★Dentists Executive Director Stephen Laman, DDS ’86.

It’s not too late to make a gift that will be recognized on this highly visible display. For more information, contact Execu-tive Director of Development John Greer at 713-500-4023, John.T.Greer@uth.tmc.edu, or visit www.opentohealth.org.

New Building’s Historic Naming Opportunities Remain

Special Display in New Building to Honor Donors of $10K or More

The generosity of our University of Texas School of Den-tistry alumni and the dental and philanthropic communities will be recognized in our new building at 7500 Cambridge St., both on a special “Donor Wall” and, as appropriate, by naming key clinical areas, public spaces, classrooms and doz-ens of operatories to recognize donors to the UTSD Building Fund. It’s not too late to be part of this unique moment in

UTSD’s history. A gift to the Building Fund can be desig-nated to honor or remember the person of your choice. The following spaces are available for naming, with contribution levels required by UT System.

For more information contact John Greer in the Office of Development, 713-500-4380, John.T.Greer@uth.tmc.edu or visit www.opentohealth.org.

Gifts of $2 million or more Library and Learning Commons – Fourth floorThe Research Complex – Fifth floor in the UT Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences Building (adjacent and connected to the dental school) Pre-Clinical Laboratory – Third floorSimulation Clinic – Third floor

Gifts of $1 million or more Major clinical areas/Graduate Clinics – First and second floorsDean’s Office suite – Sixth floorStudent Center – Third floor

Gifts of $500,000 or more Urgent Care Clinic – First floorTreatment Planning Clinic – First floor Houston Center for Biomaterials and Biomimetics – Fifth floorLaboratory areas – First, second and third floors

Gifts of $250,000 or more Department office suites – Fourth, fifth and sixth floors

Gifts of $100,000 or more Classroom spaces – Fourth floor (only one remaining)Associate dean office suites – Third, fourth and sixth floorsConference rooms – Fifth floor (only one remaining)Alumni Circle – Fourth floor

Gifts of $50,000 or more Departmental conference rooms – Fourth, fifth and sixth floors

Gifts of $25,000 or more Individual clinical operatories – First, second and third floors

All gifts of $10,000 or more Recognition on Donor Wall – First floor

Artist’s rendering of Donor Wall in new building.

With a total price tag of $155 million, the new dental school building is believed to be the largest single-project capital outlay ever

for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). Major funding for the new building came from state ($71 million in tuition revenue bonds, $63 million from the Permanent University Fund) and local sources, including $9 million raised through Open to Health.

Open to Health launched in 2006 under former Dean Cath-erine M. Flaitz, DDS, MS, and two distinguished alumni vol-unteers: Houston endodontist Stephen F. Schwartz, DDS, MS (‘68, ’70) as chair and Houston general dentist S. Jerry Long, DDS ’66, as vice chair.

The initiative sought to raise awareness of the need – not only for a new building – but for tools to recruit and retain top-notch students, faculty and researchers. The drive to make UTSD the premier dental school in the nation continues under current Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, and volunteer Chair W.R. “Bill” Birdwell, DDS ’73, of Bryan.

Flaitz said the grassroots movement that led to Open to Health smoldered for years and then, under the right conditions, spread like wildfire. “We were able to engage a wide range of stakeholders about the significance of oral health and speak to them directly about a vision that was so much more than a building,” she said. “A major impetus to the success of this initiative was the 2005 Centennial that allowed us to spotlight the value of the School of

Dentistry within the Texas Medical Center, the community and throughout the state.”

Valenza noted that UTSD has benefitted from the support of visionary UTHealth presidents, including James T. Willerson, MD; Larry R. Kaiser, MD, and the current President ad interim

Giuseppe Colasurdo, MD. “The support from these three presidents, Kevin Dillon and others has been the difference-maker in our collec-tive success. Until the health science center got behind this effort, it had no legs,” Valenza said. Dillon is UTHealth’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.

The drive gained further credibil-ity with the receipt of $1 million gifts from two alumni, Dr. R.G. “Wick” Alexander of Arlington and Dr. B.J. Westbrook of Houston. Since then, the momentum has been growing ever stronger, with a record-setting

gift this year from heart surgeon Denton A. Cooley, MD, in memory of his father, Ralph C. Cooley, DDS, a 1908 alumnus of the school.

With 2012 setting up to be a landmark year in the school’s his-tory, Birdwell, the current Open to Health chair, encouraged his fellow alumni to be part of it.

“What an opportunity we’ve been given – that during our life-times we have a chance to give of our resources to say ‘thank you’ for our dental education,” he said. “How can we not be overcome with gratitude for the dental school that made it possible for us to provide for our families, our patients, and to be held in high esteem in our communities? This is our moment in time to make

Progresscontinued from page 1

The drive is named Open to Health, with five key fund-ing goals: new building, scholarships, endowments, research and community outreach.

Flaitz and Schwartz travel the state, presenting the campaign to alumni and friends of the school.

Spring 2007November 2006

UT Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) formally breaks ground on the UT Research Park, which includes the new dental school, on the south cam-pus of the Texas Medical Center. Arlington orthodon-tist R.G. “Wick” Alexander, DDS ‘62, MSD ‘64, donates a record $1M for the new school’s orthodontic clinic.

Inspired by the groundbreak-ing, Houston general dentist B.J. Westbrook,

DDS ’54, contributes $1M to the project in memory of former Dean Frederick C. Elliott, DDS. The Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation gives $500K for the Mobile Dental Van’s work in East Texas.

November 2007August 2007

Fondren Foundation gives $850K to the Building Fund, supporting the Special Pa-tient Clinic; Susman Family Foundation pledges $500K in support for pediatric dental care through the school’s outreach efforts.

The Cullen Foundation gives $1.5M toward clinical areas in the new building.

April 2008December 2007

Dr. and Mrs. Claude Nabers and family establish the school’s second-ever visit-ing professorship, support-ing lectures in periodontics.

Scholarship gifts from friends and alumni of the school create five new endowed funds in support of DDS students. Out-going UTHealth President Will-erson confirms plan to ask UT Regents for additional funding.

June-July 2008June 2008

New UTHealth President Larry R. Kaiser, MD, affirms support for $155M replace-ment building.

Dr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Wade create professor-ship in pediatric dentistry through their estate plan, the first such planned gift to the school.

September 2008September 2008

John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, is named interim dean.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure makes its first-ever research grant to a dentist, Dr. Charles Streckfus, for his work in salivary diagnostics.

May 2009October 2008

Legislature approves $60M in tuition revenue bonds, and with $18M from UT System’s Permanent University Fund, the new building project is a “go.” Former Dean Catherine M. Flaitz, DDS, MS, and former UTHealth President James Willerson, MD, largely credited for spearheading the effort.

Endodontist Stephen F. Schwartz, DDS ‘68, MS ’70 of Houston named volunteer chair of a new fundraising drive. Houston general dentist S. Jerry Long, DDS ’66 is named vice chair.

Summer 2006Spring 2005

Open to Health Timeline

At the UT Research Park groundbreaking in August 2007, the first Open to Health volunteer chair, Dr. Stephen Schwartz, and former Dean Catherine Flaitz, DDS, MS, happened to be photographed with some who would eventually become major donors. From left are Dr. B.J. Westbrook, Dr. Jack Harris, Dr. Denton Cooley, Schwartz, Flaitz and Dr. W. Kenneth Horwitz. Photo by John Everett.

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Chair? Professorship? What’s the Difference?Endowed funds in support of academic positions within The University of Texas System, including the School of Dentistry, are named in a way similar to academic titles, and have great flexibility. The five levels of endowed funds are:

Professorship: $100,000 to $249,999

Distinguished Professorship: $250,000 to $499,999

Chair: $500,000 to $999,999

Distinguished Chair: $1 million to $1,999,999

University Chair: $2 million and up

The names reflect levels of giving and do not signify the academic title of the holder. For example, a faculty professor may hold a “chair” endowment, while a department chair may hold a “profes-sorship” endowment.

Academic endowments enhance a school’s ability to recruit and retain top faculty. To learn more about this type of gift, contact UTSD’s Executive Director of Development John Greer, 713-500-4380, John.T.Greer@uth.tmc.edu or visit www.opentohealth.org.

such as student travel to educational events, giv-ing the department chair

“a way to make everything run smoothly when times are down,” Garrett said. “It will help the chair maintain the quality you want to have.”

Garrett has been on the UTSD faculty since 1968, teaching one day a week while main-taining a practice in Sugar Land. He’s a graduate of Wash-ington University School of Dentistry in St. Louis, Mo., where he earned his dental degree magna cum laude in 1958, followed by a master of science degree in orthodontics in 1963. In between, he served three years in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps in Hawaii, where he met Dianne on a blind date. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year.

“I’ve been [at UTSD] so long, people as-sume I’m a graduate,” said Garrett, whose actual alma mater – once known as the oldest dental school west of Mississippi – closed in 1991. “This endowed chair is the first ever funded at this school, and it did not come from an alumnus. I hope this will encourage some of the Texas alumni to step up.”

Garrett is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists. He is a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society and was Washington University’s Orthodontic Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus of 1984.

He is a past president of the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists and was honored

with their Martin E. Dewey Memorial Award for service to the specialty. He is also a recipient of the American Associa-tion of Orthodontists’ James E. Brophy Award for national service. Garrett has served 18 years on the American Associa-

tion of Orthodontists Foundation Board and is their current national campaign chairman. He will receive the Eugene and Pauline Blair Distinguished Service Award at the AAOF’s annual meeting in May 2012.

At UTSD, he has twice served as interim chair or program director of the Department of Orthodontics, and he was presented the de-partment’s Yellen-Schoverling Award in 1995.

With the closing of Washington Univer-sity’s dental school, Garrett expanded his loy-alty to UT. “I’ve really, truly adopted Texas,

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UTHealth commits to building 14,000 square foot conference center adjacent to new dental school.

UTSD celebrates beginning of construction with a gala evening, VIP reception and “Stake-Out” event. Keynote speaker W.R. “Bill” Birdwell, DDS ’73 receives standing ovation.

Spring 2010December, 2009

With “Molar Bear” as mascot, the “Making Room” effort draws contributions from UTSD employees

Endowed fund in ethics created by Dr. W. Kenneth Horwitz ’61– a first in the school’s history.

May 2010April 2010

Greater Houston Dental Society’s $100K gift names the new building’s key conference room.

Dr. Schwartz steps down as Open to Health chair after helping secure $11M. Dr. Birdwell accepts the post for the remainder of the campaign.

September 2010July 2010

School drops “Dental Branch” and returns to former name: “UT School of Dentistry.” Valenza named dean; first alumnus to serve.

Denton A. Cooley, MD, makes the largest single gift in the history of the School of Dentistry, naming the new conference center and creating a distinguished professorship in bioma-terials, both honoring his father, UTSD alumnus Ralph C. Cooley, DDS 1908.

June 2011May 2011

Dental Derby competition among alumni brings in more than $200K.

Delta Dental’s $350K gift establishes assessment and research clinic in new building.

July 2011July 2011

Two separate gift commit-ments of $500K help create the Fred and Dianne Garrett Endowed Chair in Ortho-dontics, and a similar posi-tion for the Department of Pediatric Dentistry from an anonymous donor’s estate.

On its fifth anniversary, Open to Health initiative credited for nearly $17M in gifts and grants.

September 2011August 2011

UT System Regents approve revised building project: A $155M facility with six stories, 300,000 square feet, to be built in one phase.

American Association of Endodontists Foundation’s Education Fund makes its first-ever $100K gift, to match alumni donations and create UTSD’s first endowed professorship in endodontics.

August 2009June 2009

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“I’ve really, truly adopted Texas, and they’ve adopted me, and it’s amazing to me, with all the wonderful, successful people we’ve had graduate from UT School of Dentistry, that we haven’t had anyone endow a chair before now.”

–Fred Garrett, DDS, MS

5.

6.

Getting Ready to Roll: UTSD’s ‘Move Team’ Starts Planning

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2. 5.6.

Edward F. Roque, DDS ’68, died Nov. 2, 2011. A high school track and football star, he graduated from the University of Florida with a chemical engineering degree and took a job with Shell De-velopment in Houston, working there nearly 12 years before deciding to enter dentistry. After graduation from UTSD, he set up practices around the Houston area and eventually retired from an office in Clear Lake/Webster. He is survived by his wife, Leslie; three children; four stepchildren; and many other relatives.

Marshall D. Fuchs, DDS ’74, died Oct. 31, 2011 at age 64. A native of Lockhart, he built a thriving practice in family and cosmetic dentistry in Bellaire. According to an obituary in the Houston Chronicle, he was a Life Member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and participated in a program that provided presentations to businesses and schools to educate people on the customs and challenges experienced on trail rides in the days of the “Old West.” He is survived by his wife, Diana; mother, Caroline Frances Schiwitz Fuchs; three children and a grandson.

Homero “Homer” Perez Jr., DDS ’99 of Georgetown died Oct. 9, 2011 at the age of 41. He was co-owner of Smile Center Dental and enjoyed outdoor activities such as snow skiing, golf and scuba diving — a passion that led him to become a certified master diver. Surviving relatives include his parents, Homer and Agnes Perez and his sister.

Daingerfield resident Wesley L. “Buddy” Ballard, DDS ’58, died at home Sept. 9, 2011. He was 77. While a student at UT School of Dentistry, he was involved in student affairs and was active in the Xi Psi Phi Dental Fraternity. After honorable discharge from the U.S. Army Dental Corps, Ballard moved to Daingerfield in 1961 and began a 35-year practice, retiring in 1996. He was the first doctor in Daingerfield to have a non-segregated waiting room for his patients. He is survived by his wife, Laura Sue Ballard of Daingerfield, three children and two grandchildren. continued on page 7

In Memoriam

6.

University of Texas School of Dentistry Dean John Valenza, DDS, has established a “Move Team” committee to organize and guide the move to the new building in spring 2012. Highlights from the team’s first few meetings:

• UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has purchased UTSD’s current site and plans to build there.

• Most telephones in the new building will use voice over IP technology and touch screens. All School of Dentistry phone numbers will change to a “486” prefix, replacing “500” currently in use. The area code will remain “713” and the last four digits will remain the same for each user. The new phone system will dramatically increase the number of available lines, easing con-gestion and allowing options not cur-rently possible.

• Community partners have been asking about the old dental equipment. Most of it will be traded in to A-dec, but a few items may be made available, as the budget allows. UTSD is keeping a list of requests.

• The offsite clinics are staying put. The General Practice Residency (GPR) and Advanced Education in General Den-tistry (AEGD) programs will remain at their current location in the UT Pro-fessional Building, 6410 Fannin, Suite 310; the Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Clinic will remain, for now, in the Houston Medical Center building at 6655 Travis St., Suite 460, and the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic will remain in Smith Tower, 6550 Fan-nin, Suite 2237.

• The new dental school will have a Wi-Fi-equipped, landscaped courtyard out back graced by afternoon shade from the building next door, UT’s Behav-ioral and Biomedical Sciences Building (BBSB).Furniture in the new building will be installed in January. All surplus items from the old building will be sent to UTHealth’s Operations Center Building (OCB) for auction.

• Metro bus 87 serves that area, and other buses may be added. School of Dentistry students and employees can catch the UT Shuttle in the circle drive of the BBSB. UTHealth will operate the surface parking lot across from the new building. A park-ing paystation and ATM will be in the first-floor lobby.

Making a gift to The University of Texas School of Dentistry can be accomplished any number of ways — all designed with the donor’s comfort and security in mind while providing lasting impact for the school. As with any sizeable gift transaction, we encourage donors to consult with their financial advisors in advance.

Gifts or Pledges of Cash: A gift of cash is the simplest and fastest way to help the school and can be applied to any of the initiative goals: building capital, research, faculty endowment, student scholarships or community outreach. Pledges of cash gifts may be made over a period of up to five years. Pledges to endowed funds have spe-cific requirements, which can be explained in a conversation with the Office of Devel-opment.

Gifts of Securities, Real Estate, and Other Property: Gifts of negotiable prop-erty, such as real estate, stocks, bonds, oil and gas royalties and mineral rights, are all acceptable and sometimes of great tax ad-vantage to the donor. In most cases, the uni-versity will immediately convert such gifts to cash, with the full amount of proceeds then applied to your intended purpose.

Bequests and Planned Gifts: Many do-nors find a greater ability to give through planned gifts, such as a bequest in an estate, or by creating a trust that provides income throughout the donor’s life, with the prin-cipal going to the School of Dentistry, or vice versa. Planned gifts can also reduce tax burdens on estates and individuals. The UT Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has planned-giving advisors who work with the School of Dentistry to create the appropriate vehicle for practically any purpose.

Gifts ‘in Honor of ’ or ‘in Memory of:’ A gift may be made in honor of or in memory of an individual. These gifts allow donors to express appreciation for mentors, colleagues or loved ones. The School of Dentistry’s Development Office can help with acknowl-edgements and appropriate recognition of such gifts.

Contact Executive Di-rector of Development John Greer at 713-500-4380 or John.T.Greer@uth.tmc.edu for more information, or visit www.opentohealth.org.

Ways to Give

Song Ahn, DDS

Michael J. Anton, DDS

Randall B. Bailey, DDS

James R. Ballinger, DDS

J. Philip Davis, Jr., DDS

DDS Associates

Delta Dental of California

Joseph J. Dusek, DDS

Fannin Dental Associates, Karen A. Walters, DDS

James P. Ferguson, Jr., DDS

Gary N. Frey, DDS

Fred A. Garrett, DDS, MS

Anthony C. Garza, DDS

Mr. and Mrs. John T. Greer

Dr. Peter and Mrs. Grace Holland

Charles R. Hoopingarner, DDS

Howell Family Foundation

Michael R. Loudon, DDS

Ninth District Dental Society

Albert A. Norris, Jr., DDS

Kathy L. O’Keefe-Herrin, DDS, MS

James W. Orr, DDS

Jacqueline S. Park DDS

Ian S. Pearce, DDS

Dwight D. Peccora, DDS

Jackson L. Porter II, DDS

Charles M. Repa, DDS

Edward F. Rod, Jr., DDS

K. Robert Seaberg, DDS

Curtis S. Seelbach, DDS

Andrew H. Smith, Jr., DDS

John D. Smith, Jr., DDS

Stryker Craniomaxillofacial

UTSD Class of 2010

John A. Valenza, DDS

T. Bradford Willis, DDS, MSD

These donors gave $1,000 or more to The University of Texas School of Dentistry between July 1, 2011 and Oct. 31, 2011. All gifts are counted as part of the Open to Health initiative. For more information on ways to support growth at the school, contact John Greer, executive direc-tor of development, at 713-500-4380, John.T.Greer@uth.tmc.edu or visit www.opentohealth.org.

UT SD

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William “Bill” Worrell, DDS ‘44 of Brenham, died Aug. 22, 2011 at age 91. He attended North Texas State University on a football scholarship. After serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II, he set up a dental practice but got called back into active duty for the Korean Conflict. He was instrumental in introducing the use of mouthpieces in Houston sports and served as team dentist for the Rice Owls from 1954 to 1964, the University of Houston Cou-gars for 20 years, the Houston Oilers in the 1960s and the Houston Rockets for 25 years. Worrell was a member of the National Cutting Horse Hall of Fame and Tejas Vaqueros. He is survived by his wife, Charlene (Hickman) Worrell, three children, three grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Orthodontist David G. Hurr, DDS ’66, MS ’69, of Liberty (brother of John R. Hurr, DDS ’67) died Aug. 9, 2011 at age 69 after practicing 42 years in Baytown. He was an avid outdoorsman and spent many happy hours bow hunting. He loved music, enjoyed dancing and reading, and was a skilled whistler. He is survived by his four daughters, three grandchildren and a sister.

Jackson, Tenn. periodontist Frederick Birmingham, DDS ‘62, died July 28, 2011 at age 79. He served 28 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a colonel. He returned to Jackson and practiced periodontics from 1980 to 1998. He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann Mooney Birmingham, four children and seven grandchildren.

Michael P. Huckman, DDS ’68, of Bee-ville died July 2, 2011, having practiced dentistry from August 1968 until the day before his death. For more than 20 years, he was the supervising dentist in the Department of Dental Hygiene at Coastal Bend College. He is survived by his wife, Jerry, three children and six grandchildren.

James Henry Addison, DDS, of Dal-las died Feb. 15, 2011. He was a 1974 graduate of UTSD.

In Memoriam

7.John Greer

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

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School of DentistryOffice of the Dean6516 M. D. Anderson Blvd.Suite 147Houston, TX 77030–3402

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Keep in touch Send your updated postal addresses, email addresses, phone numbers or story ideas to: Rhonda Moran Whitmeyer, Editor Rhonda.Moran@uth.tmc.edu • 713-500-4023 Fax 713-500-4071

www.opentohealth.org

and they’ve adopt-ed me,” he said, “and it’s amazing

to me, with all the wonderful, success-ful people we’ve had graduate from UT School of Dentistry, that we haven’t had anyone endow a chair before now.”

He and Dianne hope their history-making gift will inspire others to con-sider supporting education by support-ing The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston.

“Education is at the heart of every profession,” he said, “so I dedicate this endowment to my parents and all the other educators who, through their personal sacrifices, provided me with an education and the guidance to become a successful orthodontist.”

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a difference. Please join me in being a part of some-thing so much bigger than ourselves.”

Houston general dentist and Open to Health Vice Chair Jerry Long agreed.

“From the moment dentistry said ‘yes’ to me through my acceptance let-ter to The University of Texas Dental Branch, I’ve had a love affair with the

profession,” he said. “And what better way to give back, than to make a contribution to the institution where it all began? Our future colleagues deserve the same opportunities we’ve enjoyed for the past 45 years.

“I chose dentistry as a career because of the legacy of the

profession. A meaningful contribution to the Open to Health campaign will help ensure an even greater tomorrow for our school and its future gradu-ates.”

For more information about Open to Health or other ways to be a part of UTSD history, visit www.OpentoHealth.org or contact John Greer, execu-tive director of development, at 713-500-4380, John.T.Greer@uth.tmc.edu.

UT SD

UT SD

With former UTHealth President Larry R. Kaiser, MD (left) are current Open to Health leaders S. Jerry Long, DDS ’66, vice chair; W.R. “Bill” Birdwell, DDS ’73, chair; and Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81. Photo by John Everett.