Transformational educators
Highly accomplished clinicians, researchers and distinguished scholars are instrumental in producing graduates who are amply prepared for the realities of an evolving health care landscape. Get to know the dedicated faculty who support our mission.
Dr. Kerin L. Burdette, DDS, MPH, FAAPD
“This is my motto as far as teaching,” Kerin Burdette, she says. “To foster growth and confidence in my dental patients and in future dental professionals, to serve my community through volunteerism, and live a life of integrity to make a significant impact on those around me. That is what I try to live by each day.”
Prof. Eric Fox, RDH, MS
“The interactions with the students is the favorite part of teaching for Eric Fox, RDH, MS. “Especially, whether it’s in class or the clinic, when they get that “lightbulb” moment. You tell them what they need, and you can almost literally see it. You’re like, “Yes, they get it!” I try to guide them but let them figure it out on their own, not just feed them the answers. Hopefully they can put it together. That’s a good feeling; that’s a big thing”.
Poorya Jalali
"I always think about it, trying to come up with new ideas," Poorya Jalali, DDS says. "When you look at other materials and devices used in other fields, many times you can actually find a way to change them or improve them, or make some small adjustment to make them useful to dentistry."
Jacqueline Plemons
Jacqueline Plemons, DDS, MS, CERT, says she was first drawn to oral medicine while working with a group of oral cancer survivors when she was a resident here in the late ’80s. Because those patients’ conditions fell somewhere between oral and medical health, they often struggled to find the specialized care they needed.
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Kerin Burdette
“This is my motto as far as teaching,” Kerin Burdette, she says. “To foster growth and confidence in my dental patients and in future dental professionals, to serve my community through volunteerism, and live a life of integrity to make a significant impact on those around me. That is what I try to live by each day.”
Eric Fox
“The interactions with the students is the favorite part of teaching for Eric Fox, RDH, MS. “Especially, whether it’s in class or the clinic, when they get that “lightbulb” moment. You tell them what they need, and you can almost literally see it. You’re like, “Yes, they get it!” I try to guide them but let them figure it out on their own, not just feed them the answers. Hopefully they can put it together. That’s a good feeling; that’s a big thing”.
Poorya Jalali
"I always think about it, trying to come up with new ideas," Poorya Jalali, DDS says. "When you look at other materials and devices used in other fields, many times you can actually find a way to change them or improve them, or make some small adjustment to make them useful to dentistry."
Jacqueline Plemons
Jacqueline Plemons, DDS, MS, CERT, says she was first drawn to oral medicine while working with a group of oral cancer survivors when she was a resident here in the late '80s. Because those patients' conditions fell somewhere between oral and medical health, they often struggled to find the specialized care they needed.
