When Dr. John Kersey walks into a classroom or clinic at the UNLV School of Dental Medicine, he carries with him more than three decades of military and professional experience. A retired colonel who served 27 years in the U.S. Air Force, Kersey brought to academia a purpose-driven mindset: service, mentorship, and developing the next generation of leaders.
Now the interim director of the advanced education program in pediatric dentistry, Kersey is as dedicated to his residents as he once was to his squadron. “The reason I’m here is because I’m just so grateful,” he said. “The Air Force developed me as a person and as a dentist, and I feel a responsibility to pass that forward.”
Kersey’s journey to the military was not a straight line. After dental school, he tried private practice, but the challenges of early debt and building a business while balancing family life pushed him to reevaluate. At his wife’s suggestion, he spoke to classmates who had joined the Air Force. “Within a few months,” Kersey recalled, “I was heading off to D.C. to start my career in the military.”
Kersey served as both a general dentist and, later, as a pediatric dentist, combining clinical expertise in countries like Germany and Japan with humanitarian missions in Guatemala, Thailand, Cambodia, and underserved U.S. communities. “Those missions kept me in [the service]. I saw how much impact we could have, and I loved it,” he said.
Early in his career, a senior officer took him under his wing. “He mentored me not only about dentistry, but also how to be a better officer and a better person,” Kersey said. “That experience made me want to go into education. I realized how important it is to develop others.”
Those values now shape his approach with UNLV’s pediatric dentistry residents. “My residents could be my kids,” he said with a smile. “But they’ve earned the title of doctor, so that’s how I address them. Respect goes a long way.”
His openness about his own past struggles with depression and stress makes him an empathetic mentor. “I understand stress. I understand competing priorities. So I try to help residents make decisions about what’s really important, whether that’s family, health, or balance,” he mentioned.
As an educator, Kersey finds joy in helping students build both confidence and competence. “Most people run from treating kids, especially when it involves giving injections,” he said. “But I try to make it fun for them and show them how much you can affect the life of a child. Kids are moldable. You can take them from fearful to high-fiving you on the way out the door.”
Though his military uniform has been replaced by a white coat, Kersey remains deeply connected to his identity as a veteran. At UNLV, he has found camaraderie with fellow military-affiliated colleagues and students. “Las Vegas has a great respect for the military,” he said. “I still feel connected, and I’m grateful the Lord brought me here.”
Looking back, Kersey is proud of the path that brought him to UNLV. “I hope someone will say, ‘I want to be like John Kersey when I grow up,’” he said. “If I can inspire even a few students to pursue their calling with passion, respect, and service, then I’ve done my job.”
