Dr. Patricia Blanton, professor emeritus Photo courtesy John Derryberry Photography

Q&A with Dr. Patricia Blanton

This Baylor College of Dentistry Hall of Fame inductee is on a roll. In addition to her election as president of the American College of Dentists and her ascension to 1st vice president of the American Dental Association, Blanton still practices periodontics and implantology full time here in Dallas. During a pause in that whirlwind schedule, Blanton takes a moment to share the impact her alma mater has had on her and offers a glimpse into her goals for the year ahead. 

BDRO: Dr. Blanton, you’ve been involved with Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry for more than four decades since you obtained your doctorate in anatomy in 1967 followed by your dental degree in 1974. With so much time devoted to TAMHSC-BCD, how has the dental school impacted your approach to the profession, periodontics in particular?

Blanton: I experience daily the fact that it was my fortune to have selected BCD/Baylor University for my predoctoral and graduate educational experiences. A colleague of mine often states that “we are all victims of our training.” Well, this victim was the recipient of not only the best clinical dental training in the world, but fortunate enough to have received that training from an institution with an internationally respected basic science faculty dedicated to a scientific and research-based education for the student of dentistry. TAMHSC-BCD was then and has continued to be “ahead of the times” in educational circles, as today’s contemporary concepts such as lifelong learning, critical thinking and evidence-based dentistry were inculcated in me from day one.

BDRO: On the heels of your election as president of the American College of Dentists and your ascension to the role of 1st vice president of the ADA, you now have become a part of the college’s Hall of Fame. As you assume these leadership roles and the recognition that comes with them, what are some of your specific goals for the year ahead?

Blanton: It has been my experience that when one pursues a goal, more pursuits result. Now that I have the opportunity to serve our profession from national level offices, I feel more than ever the importance of reviewing the basic tenets of leadership, reflecting on the values of our profession and consciously aligning my actions with those values. 

More specifically, though, both the ADA and the American College of Dentists are dealing with “tipping points” for the profession and practice of dentistry. The choices made by today’s leaders of these organizations will forever shape the future of dentistry in more palpable ways than ever before.

I hope I have a positive impact on these choices, to see dentistry continue to be a highly respected profession. I will certainly desire to always serve as a “leader” for TAMHSC-BCD to make every effort to assure that my alma mater continues to be the pre-eminent dental educational institution in the world. Ultimately, I would like for the public to have a better knowledge of dentistry, TAMHSC-BCD and our leading national organizations. Let’s put a face on the significance of dentistry and oral health.