Alumni Awards

Upon the arrival of her first child in 2013, she began working as a dental assisting educator at Community Care College.

Later, she returned to clinical work with Drs. Beena and Tej Ladd, before beginning a career in a periodontal specialty practice.

It was at Tulsa Dental Implants and Periodontics that Ms. Walk realized the full potential of a career in dental hygiene. She discovered she was not just a scientist and a clinician, but she was also an educator, a philanthropist and patient advocate of dental care. Ms. Walk was excited and motivated to be all of those things, as she and Dr. Trung Tran created their research-based hygiene program.

She became certified in laser therapy and was one of the first hygienists to use subginigival air polishing technology in Tulsa.

She and her team at Tulsa Dental Implants and Periodontics serve the community as a part of their vision and values at Oklahoma Mission of Mercy, Catholic Charities, James Mission, Day Center for The Homeless, Nightlight of Tulsa and Flights for Life.

In addition, Ms. Walk served as the Tulsa County Dental Hygiene Society President from 2014 to 2015.

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YOUNG DENTAL HYGIENE ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

She published a testimonial in Dental Products Report Magazine in 2016.

Ms. Walk is also on the Tulsa Community College Dental Hygiene Program Advisory Board.

She organizes the Tulsa Dental Hygiene Symposium and the Canady Spear Study Club.

Stacy D. Walk, R.D.H. Presenter: Donna L. Brogan, R.D.H.

From a very young age, Ms. Stacy Walk knew she wanted to pursue a career in dentistry. In the eighth grade, she started shadowing her local family practitioner and hygienist. In her junior and senior years of high school, she completed a dental assisting program, and started working for Drs. Jeff and Mary Parker while completing prerequisite classes before she applied to dental hygiene school.

In 2011, Ms. Walk graduated with a bachelor of science degree in dental hygiene from the OU College of Dentistry’s Broken Arrow campus. That summer, she began her first job as a dental hygienist at Dentistry by Design in Tulsa. She continues to work as a dental hygienist and professional relationship director at Tulsa Dental Implants and Periodontics.

She has been happily married to Kevin Walk for nearly five years and has been blessed with two boys, Carter and Parker, ages 5 and 2.

She would like to give credit to her employer, Dr. Tran, because without him she would not have the opportunity to become the leader she is today.

Ms. Walk would also like to give credit to Drs. Jeff Parker, Mary Parker and James Kessler and hygienists Amy King and Debbie Batson, all of whom had a very positive impact on her journey to becoming a dental hygienist.

In recognition of her dedication to the dental hygiene profession, the Alumni Association honored Ms. Stacy Walk as the 2018 Young Dental Hygiene Alumna of the Year.

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DENTAL HYGIENE ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

Sherrie L. Brown, R.D.H. Presenter: Donna A. Wood, R.D.H., M.S. Ms. Sherrie Brown graduated with a bachelor of science degree in dental hygiene from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry in 1978. She immediately began practicing hygiene, and has had a distinguished resume throughout her tenure.

In 1991, Ms. Brown was one of the three full-time founding faculty members of the dental hygiene program at the Tulsa Junior College, now Tulsa Community College.

It was around this same time that she started her own consulting business, Sherrie Brown Consulting. The original plan was to consult part time in the summers. In 1997, she made the decision to focus her efforts full time as a consultant.

She teaches in-office courses such as Infection Control; Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office; CPR; Ethics; HIPAA; Perio Management and Street Drugs and Their Effect on the Dentition; among others.

She proudly serves the profession as a member of the American Dental Hygiene Association, the Oklahoma Dental Hygiene Association and the Tulsa County Dental Hygiene Association. She also is a member of the Office Sterilization and Asepsis Procedures, and is a St. Jude Partner in Hope.

Furthermore, she regularly donates her time and talents to the Samaritan House Community Clinic Dental Services.

Earlier this year, she received the Dr. James S. Torchia Award in recognition of her dedication to the dental profession.

Ms. Brown says she has been immensely blessed to have so many friends and clients in the dental community. Her love of the dental profession is evident in the way in which she has dedicated her life and career to her clients.

In recognition of this, and her enormous contribution to the dental hygiene profession, the Alumni Association honored Ms. Sherrie L. Brown as the 2018 Dental Hygiene Alumna of the Year.

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YOUNG DENTAL ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

Blaire A. Bowers, D.D.S., M.S. Presenter: Kevin L. Haney, D.D.S., M.S., Assistant Dean Dr. Blaire Bowers grew up in Shawnee. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma, and went on to earn her doctor of dental surgery from the OU College of Dentistry in 2010.

Upon graduating dental school, Dr. Bowers completed a general practice residency at the University of Colorado, Denver. She then returned to her “Sooner born and Sooner bred” roots to enroll in the graduate periodontics program at the OU College of Dentistry.

During her time at the OU College of Dentistry, Dr. Bowers was highly involved in both college and campus activities and organizations. She served as president of the Student Government Association for the 2013-2014 academic year. She also participated in Leadership HSC and was a student adviser from 2012 to 2014.

Most notably, Dr. Bowers was named Outstanding Graduate Student for the entire Health Sciences Center campus in 2014, the year she graduated.

Upon completing her master of science degree in periodontics, she went to work full time for Dr. Jacob Hager at the Periodontal Implant Center.

It was around that same time that she started Shawnee Periodontics and Dental Implants in her hometown.

In August 2015, she opened the Periodontal Implant Center North office in Edmond.

Dr. Bowers has been active in the Oklahoma Dental Association and completed the ODA Leadership Academy in 2017. She has also had several roles on the Oklahoma Dental Society Board, including vice president and president-elect; she currently serves as president.

In addition, Dr. Bowers is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Periodontology and the Southwest Society of Periodontics. She also participates in various study clubs.

Dr. Bowers also regularly volunteers her time and talents to the Oklahoma Mission of Mercy and Dentistry from the Heart.

For her outstanding contributions to the advancement of the dental profession and her commitment to community service, the Alumni Association honored Dr. Blaire Bowers as the 2018 Young Dental Alumna of the Year.

He then entered the advanced education in general dentistry residency at the OU College of Dentistry, and received a certificate of completion in June 1996.

Dr. Bridges is active in many professional dental organizations, including the American Dental Association, the American Academy of General Dentistry, the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the Oklahoma Dental Association, the Southwest District Dental Society and the Comanche County Dental Society.

Dr. Bridges is a past president of the Oklahoma Dental Association, the Southwest District Dental Society and the Comanche County Dental Society.

In 2002, Dr. Bridges was presented with the Oklahoma Dental Association’s Distinguished Presidents Leadership Award for outstanding service and leadership to the association. He has served two terms for the OU College of Dentistry’s Admissions Committee and is serving this fall in a part-time role as needed for the College.

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DENTAL ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR

Dr. Bridges is especially proud of his affiliation with Dentists for the Disabled and Elderly in Need of Treatment.

Furthermore, he is a founding member of the Calvary Free Dental Clinic. This clinic provides free dental care to the indigent population of southwest Oklahoma.

In addition, Dr. Bridges was the co-chair of the Lawton 2014, Oklahoma Mission of Mercy (OKMOM). He continues to lead the removable prosthodontic department for OKMOM each year. C. Todd Bridges, D.D.S. Presenter: Raymond A. Cohlmia, D.D.S., Dean

Dr. Todd Bridges is a Lawton native. He earned his undergraduate degree from Cameron University, where he was a Presidential Leader and University Scholar. He went on to earn his doctor of dental surgery degree from the OU College of Dentistry in 1995.

Dr. Bridges is also very active in the local community. He is a member and deacon of Northwest Church of Christ, and is the coordinator for the Back to the Bible Campaign, a weeklong mission that has been ongoing for 43 years.

He is a current trustee and treasurer of the McMahon Foundation, which provides philanthropic dollars to the Lawton/Fort Sill community and the southwest Oklahoma region.

For his outstanding contributions to the advancement of professional dentistry, and in recognition of his loyal commitment to community service, the Alumni Association honored Dr. Todd Bridges as the 2018 Dental Alumnus of the Year.

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DR. STEPHEN K. YOUNG DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Kathryn F. Miller, R.D.H., M.Ed. Presenter: Stephen K. Young, D.D.S.

For the past 30 years, Dean Kathyrn Miller has loyally served the OU College of Dentistry, its students and the entire dental profession.

In addition, she has served as secretary for the Beta Delta Chapter of the Sigma Phi Alpha National Dental Hygiene Honor Society for nearly 15 years. She is also a longtime member of the American Dental Education Association.

Throughout her career, Dean Miller has been recognized with various honors and awards, including Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award in 1992 and 1997, and both the Outstanding Faculty Award and Outstanding Professorial Achievement Award in 2005.

In 2007, she was awarded the ADEA/Zimmerman Dental Implant Education Award. And in 2008, she was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student in Professional Health Occupations Award.

14 The University of Oklahoma-College of Dentistry / 2019 Magazine Upon earning her bachelor of science degree in dental hygiene from the OU College of Dentistry in 1983, she spent the next four years working as a dental hygienist in private practice. In 1987, she began her career in education as a professor in the dental hygiene program at her alma mater. In 2000, she began teaching implantology and pediatric dentistry to both dental and dental hygiene students. In 2009, she was named director of clinics, and in 2015, she was named assistant dean for quality assurance and compliance, a role she holds to this day. She has been a member of the American Dental Hygiene Association since her graduation and served as a delegate several times. She also served as the ADHA Liaison for the Oral Health Institute. She has held many roles at both the county and state level, including president of both the Oklahoma County Dental Hygienists’ Society and the Oklahoma Dental Hygienists’ Association. Furthermore, she served as an ODHA parliamentarian for more than 10 years. In 2012, the OU College of Dentistry Alumni Association honored her with the Dental Hygiene Alumna of the Year award. And in 2014, she was honored with the Dean’s Service Award. She was recognized earlier this year by the College of Dentistry with a 30 Year Service award. Dean Miller is known for giving back to the community. Each year, she eagerly provides dental care at National Guard Service Days and at Oklahoma Mission of Mercy. She participates in Special Olympics Special Smiles, and loves to volunteer at the college’s annual Kids’ Day. In addition, she is very active in her church and participates in various community service projects. In recognition of her service to the OU College of Dentistry and the profession of dentistry, the Alumni Association honored Dean Kathryn Miller with the 2018 Dr. Stephen K. Young Distinguished Service Award.