Dentist and student dentist providing dental care to a patient.

School of Dental Medicine News

As the only accredited dental school in Nevada, the School of Dental medicine provides world-class oral health education while providing for the dental needs of Nevada residents. With eight academic degree and advanced education certificate programs, students obtain the necessary skills to provide oral healthcare services to the community and make significant impacts to the field.

Current Dental Medicine News

Kayla Minor at her desk
People |

The School of Dental Medicine cashiering supervisor reflects on a longtime talent for numbers, an unexpected career pivot, and a love of heavy metal.

three children in dental chair
Business and Community |

In places where patients often travel hours or go without treatment, UNLV-trained dentists are closing critical gaps in access.

two photo collage of woman in classroom reading to students and book cover of "Where Do the Sugar Bugs Hide?"
Business and Community |

Through storytelling, Dr. Himali Patel Bhatt helps children build healthy brushing habits.

Chelsey Nicol wearing a shirt that reads "#Cleft Strong"
People |

UNLV’s new clinic restores a critical statewide service; for Nicol, it restores something even more personal.

two adults organizing and distributing food at event
Campus News |

UNLV community outreach programs offer practical learning opportunities for students while leveraging our resources to address societal needs.

Dr. Kalout and team with dental patient
People |

Dental residency prepares Dr. Will Kalout to deliver emergency care during a humanitarian mission to his parents’ homeland.

Dental Medicine In The News

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

City officials say affordable units will help retain doctors, nurses and students as southern Nevada faces staffing gap

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

The mayor said the district continues to grow as UNLV’s School of Medicine and School of Dentistry expand, creating a need for more housing for medical students.

Dentistry Today

The digital evolution of dentistry has had a significant impact across multiple disciplines, particularly in orthodontics and the use of clear aligner therapy. Initially, clear aligners were viewed as a limited treatment option, primarily indicated for minor tooth movements and adult patients. However, continued advancements in aligner materials, attachment design, biomechanics, and digital treatment planning have expanded their clinical applications. Today, clear aligners are widely used to treat patients of varying ages and increasingly complex orthodontic cases.

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

]The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has earned its second consecutive Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, retaining its status as one of the nation’s top community-serving higher education institutions. The distinction was awarded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education. Only 5% of U.S. postsecondary institutions receive a Carnegie classification for community engagement. One example of UNLV’s community engagement is the state’s first cleft palate and craniofacial clinic.

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

A UNLV professor who helps establish medical clinics by day spends his free time trapping stray cats in his neighborhood to get them spayed and neutered.

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

UNLV has opened the only purpose-built clinical facility in Nevada dedicated to caring for patients with cleft lip, cleft palate and other craniofacial and dental conditions.

Dental Medicine Experts

An expert in general dentistry, oral health, and animal dentistry.
An expert in general dentistry and dental anesthesiology.
A prolific researcher and expert on immunology and the immunobiology of oral infections. 
An expert on orthodontics and dental growth.
An expert on pediatric dentistry and dental surgery.

Recent Dental Medicine Accomplishments

Dr. Jeffrey Ebersole (Dental) co-authored “Salivary Biological Responses to Nonsurgical Periodontal Treatment in Type 2 Diabetics,” which published May 5 in the JDR Clinical & Translational Research journal. The investigation evaluated the predictive capacity of the oral microbiome and host salivary biomarkers specific to treatment outcomes…
Stephanie Andrade and Dr. Tanya Al-Talib (both Dental) presented a poster titled "Do we refer who we screen?" at the 2026 American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 2, 2026.
Dr Hassan Ziada (Dental) has been invited to join and has accepted a position on the Editorial Board of BMC Medical Education, a peer-reviewed journal published by Springer Nature that considers articles on all aspects of education and training for healthcare professionals.
Dr. Sonal Shah and fourth-year dental student Jace Porter (both Dental) co-authored and presented a poster abstract titled "What's Behind the Red Spots? A Rare Case of Mucocutaneous Telangiectasias" during the American Academy of Oral Medicine annual meeting last month. The case centered on a female with facial, lip, palatal, tongue, and fingertip…
Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Shotell (Dental) who appears on the cover of Dentistry Today magazine and wrote the April issue’s feature story. Her article, “Digital Workflows for Adult Orthodontic–Restorative Treatment” will also be offered as a complimentary webinar on June 16 at 5 p.m., which will explore the importance of selecting an aligner…
Dr. Neamat Hassan (Dental) has been appointed as associate editor to the editorial board of Odontology. Published by Springer Nature, Odontology is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research and review articles in dentistry and craniofacial research.