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Faculty promotions

Skip breadcrumb navigation Ten Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry faculty members have been approved for promotion and assumed new titles this summer. Faculty promotions include:

Kerns Dr. David Kerns in periodontics has been promoted to professor. Kerns joined the HSC-BCD faculty in 2002 and teaches 14 graduate courses at HSC-BCD and via distance education for Jacksonville University. He also holds a visiting faculty appointment at the University of Guadalajara. Kerns is a periodontics site visitor for the Commission on Dental Accreditation and an examiner for the American Board of Periodontology. He says his favorite part of teaching is seeing young residents grow personally and professionally into responsible doctors.
 Opperman Dr. Lynne A. Opperman, who previously was granted tenure, has been promoted to professor in biomedical sciences. Opperman serves as director of technology development at the college, where she helps individuals transfer research into products for commercialization. She also mentors graduate students and teaches two D1 courses. Opperman was the keynote speaker this April at the 26th Annual Dental Science Symposium at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where she spoke about technology transfer and the student inventor.
 Bolin Dr. Kenneth Anthony Bolin in public health sciences has been promoted with tenure to associate professor. This is the eighth year Bolin has been on the faculty at HSC-BCD. He lectures at the college on applied preventive dentistry and also supervises D4 students on their rotations in community dentistry. Bolin has presented guest lectures to several national organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Bureau of Primary Health Care. He is a board member and treasurer of the Texas Oral Health Coalition.
Cheng
 Dr. Yi-Shing Lisa Cheng has been promoted with tenure to associate professor in diagnostic sciences. Cheng joined HSC-BCD in 2005 and teaches oral pathology, clinical stomatology and oral microbiology. She also occasionally teaches continuing education courses in oral pathology. Cheng was previously on the faculty at the China Medical University School of Dentistry in Taiwan. She says she enjoys the opportunity of inspiring young people to think.
 Honeyman Dr. Allen L. Honeyman in biomedical sciences has been promoted with tenure to associate professor. Honeyman is the course director of microbiology and immunology and also lectures in biochemistry. Before joining the college in 2002, he taught at the University of South Florida College of Medicine and Washington University in St. Louis. Honeyman is a member of the International Association for Dental Research and the American Association for Dental Research.
 Scofield Ms. JoAnn C. Scofield has been promoted with tenure to associate professor in dental hygiene. In previous years Scofield taught professional ethics and theory of dental hygiene, but this year her responsibilities changed to clinic coordinator and director for several upper-division courses in dental hygiene. She also presents guest lectures on chemical dependency and serves on several drug recovery programs throughout the country. Scofield says going into teaching is the best professional decision she ever made.
 Spears Dr. Robert Spears in biomedical sciences has been promoted with tenure to associate professor. Spears began teaching at HSC-BCD in 1994 and currently instructs dental students, dental hygiene students and graduate students. He also lectures each year to first-year medical students at HSC-College of Medicine, teaching oral histology. Spears is actively involved in the American Dental Education Association, where he represents HSC-BCD on the council of faculties. He also helps Texas higher education by serving on the state anatomical board and as an accreditation site examiner.
 Watanabe Dr. Ikuya Watanabe has been promoted with tenure to associate professor in biomaterials science. Before he joined HSC-BCD in 2002, Watanabe was on the faculty at Nagasaki University in Japan. Today he teaches dental materials and removable prosthodontics. He also gives outreach lectures to the Japanese community in Dallas. Watanabe says he enjoys learning new things in his research, teaching those findings to his students and translating the findings into improved patient care.
 Burkhart Dr. Nancy W. Burkhart in periodontics has been promoted to clinical associate professor. Burkhart lectures on oral pathology and mucosal diseases. She also helps host the International Oral Lichen Planus Support Group.  Before serving on the faculty at HSC-BCD, she taught at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry at Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, and the College of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, N.J. Burkhart says she enjoys her role of educator and feels she’s teaching even when she assists patients in the oral lichen planus support group.
 Rothman Dr. Andrea Rothman has been promoted to clinical associate professor in restorative sciences. An HSC-BCD alumna herself, Rothman teaches clinical fixed prosthodontics and treatment planning. She also has taught at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston and has given lectures on communicating with the dental laboratory. Rothman says she enjoys teaching clinical restorative dentistry to compassionate, enthusiastic students.