University of Kentucky Professor Jeffrey Okeson has been named dean of the College of Dentistry, pending approval by the UK Board of Trustees.

 

Dr. Okeson has been a full-time faculty member at UK for 45 years. Serving in various leadership roles within the College of Dentistry, including chief of the Division of Orofacial Pain and director of the UK Orofacial Pain Clinic, which he founded in 1977; chair of the Department of Oral Health Science; and interim dean since September 2019.

 

“I am very honored to have the opportunity to lead our College through these challenging times and into the future. We have a very strong and dedicated faculty and staff to support the learning of a bright and enthusiastic group of students. With this excellent team, I am certain we will continue to be leaders in dental education and the profession. It is a privilege for me to serve the College as it has given me so much,” shares Okeson.

 

As a world-renowned specialist in orofacial pain, Okeson has more than 240 publications in various national and international journals covering the areas of occlusion, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), and orofacial pain. He has written two textbooks on TMD and orofacial pain, which have been translated into 12 languages. Okeson was named International Dentist of the Year by the Academy of Dentistry International to recognize his worldwide efforts in these fields. He has lectured in every U.S. state and 59 foreign countries.

 

During his tenure at UK, Okeson has received numerous awards. He has been honored with UK’s campus-wide Great Teacher Award, the Provost’s Distinguished Service Professorship, and received the first-ever Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Dentistry. He has been inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni and recognized as the most outstanding professor in the state of Kentucky with the Acorn Award.

 

Okeson is a graduate of the UK College of Dentistry. He completed a general practice residency at the United States Public Health Service in Phoenix, Arizona.