Inaugural Dental Dean’s Council
Hunt School of Dental Medicine Welcomes Dental Dean’s Council
Council will champion the dental school’s mission through leadership and outreach
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Hunt School of Dental Medicine will continue building engagement and expanding its community network with help from a newly formed Dental Dean’s Council.
This inaugural Dental Dean’s Council, consisting of volunteer community leaders selected for their expertise and community advocacy, will work with Richard Black, D.D.S., M.S., founding dean of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine, to chart the future of the school.
“The Hunt School of Dental Medicine is a first-class dental school with the most innovative curriculum in the country,” Dr. Black said. “The school’s impact started with our students, faculty and staff but expands into our community, including underserved communities, and will continue for generations to come. With that impact comes great responsibility, and our council will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise as we move forward.”
Members of the Dental Dean’s Council include:
Gregory R. Caldwell, D.D.S., M.S., Periodontics and Oral Implant Surgery Specialist, Caldwell & Dimmitt.
Michael Kelly, Ph.D., Vice President of Programs, Paso Del Norte Health Foundation.
Kristi Marcum, President, Bank of America El Paso.
Kimberly Martin, D.M.D., Practitioner, University Family Dental and Immediate Past-President, New Mexico Dental Association.
Teresa Montoya, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, GECU.
Shari Schwartz, Community Advocate.
VJ Smith, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Marathon Petroleum.
Secret Wherrett, Publisher, El Paso Inc.
Sherri Wolf, Community Advocate.
Members of the Dental Dean’s Council will connect with their networks to host engagement events throughout the year. This includes Sip & Sim, a social event that brings together El Paso community members and business leaders for an up-close look at the school’s Dental Learning Center and its high-tech simulation training stations and advanced fabrication laboratory. Sip & Sim events engage long-time TTUHSC El Paso supporters and highlight the dental school’s accomplishments.
The Dental Dean’s Council will advocate among organizations, businesses and nonprofits to increase community engagement and build collaborations that benefit families across our Borderplex region. That connection with the community will expand partnerships allowing the Hunt School of Dental Medicine to expand its reach of service and create a dental home for underserved patients who might be uninsured.
The Hunt School of Dental Medicine opened in 2021 as the first dental school on the U.S.-Mexico border and the first in Texas in over 50 years. The school received over 900 applications for only 40 spots in the inaugural class of 2025. In 2022, 61 dental students were welcomed into the school’s class of 2026.
The school is also the first and only dental school in the nation that requires Spanish language courses, allowing them to bridge language and cultural barriers to deliver the highest quality of bilingual oral health care.
A first for any dental school in the nation, students begin clinical training and patient interaction during their first semester in the Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic. The clinic is equipped with 145 treatment chairs where students work with faculty providers to deliver high-quality oral health care to Borderplex residents. Since the Hunt School of Dental Medicine opened in 2021, students and staff have treated 1,500 patients in the clinic, providing over 7,100 hours of clinical care.
“We know that across West Texas, many suffer from poor dental health due to a lack of access to affordable care,” Dr. Black said. “Our Dental Dean’s Council will help with that. By connecting with the community and bringing together partnerships, we will help more patients receive the care they need to maintain good oral health. I’m grateful for our council members and the work they’re doing.”
About Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
TTUHSC El Paso is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border and serves 108 counties in West Texas that have been historically underserved. It’s a designated Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, preparing the next generation of health care heroes, 48% of whom identify as Hispanic and are often first-generation students.
Established as an independent university in the Texas Tech University System in 2013, TTUHSC El Paso is celebrating 10 years as a proudly diverse and uniquely innovative destination for education and research.
With a mission of eliminating health care barriers and creating life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, TTUHSC El Paso has graduated over 2,000 doctors, nurses and researchers over the past decade, and will add dentists to its alumni beginning in 2025. For more information, visit www.ttuhscepimpact.com.