Letter from the Alumni President

2022 turned out to be an excellent year for the OU College of Dentistry. This fall, the college celebrated its 50th anniversary. As I sat down to write this letter to you, my fellow alumni and colleagues, I reflected upon the history of our school.

For those of you who don’t already know, my dad, Dr. S. Kelly Brown, was a graduate of the very first class of 1976. I grew up with stories of legends like Drs. Herb Shillingburg, Bill Brown and Frank Miranda. As a graduate of the Class of 2007, I was fortunate to also study under Dr. Miranda, along with other fantastic faculty like Drs. Dunn Cumby, Randy White and Frank Wiebelt.

Thinking back, it’s amazing to realize just how far our school has come. Yet, in 2022 alone, we’ve made great strides to set us on the path to a bright future. In August, the college officially expanded its predoctoral program to the OU-Tulsa campus and dedicated the OU College of Dentistry Delta Dental of Oklahoma Comprehensive Care Clinic. This clinic will serve the northeast corner of Oklahoma, providing patients with the same high-quality dental care and students with the same exceptional hands-on clinical education they would receive at the college’s home in Oklahoma City.

In September, the college planned a series of events celebrating its 50th year, engaging current students, faculty and staff, while welcoming alumni and retired faculty and staff back to campus. I was excited to attend the Dean’s Circle Dinner on Sept. 22. This was the first time in three years we’ve been able to host this event. It was great to be back in a room with colleagues and classmates and support the school through the J. Dean Robertson Society.

As you may already know, the annual gifts made to the J. Dean Robertson Society provide well-deserved scholarships for dental and dental hygiene students. Additionally, gifts to JDR provide indigent care funding for patients unable to afford the cost of treatment. These funds also help fund the student research program and the student externship program, among others. If you’ve not already done so, I encourage you to make a gift to the J. Dean Robertson Society. Your gift goes a long way to support these and other initiatives at the school.

During the Dean’s Circle Dinner, Dean Mullasseril laid out some lofty goals, many of which will require alumni support and financial contributions. But his vision for the future of the school inspired me. If you ever get the chance to hear him speak, I encourage you to do so. I can say with absolute certainty that the best days at the OU College of Dentistry are ahead of us!

Nathan K. Brown, D.D.S. Class of 2007