2024 Teachers of the Year
Congratulations to Dr. Victoria Woo and Professor Martha Alicia Estrada, BSDH, RDH! They were selected as the 2024 Teachers of the Year by the student body at Texas A&M School of Dentistry.
Teachers of the Year awards are presented annually by the Texas A&M School of Dentistry Alumni Association. To also mark the occasion, Woo and Estrada led the procession at commencement and were surprised with a special video, where students shared personal messages with each of them.
Dr. Victoria Woo
Dental Teacher of the Year
Woo, clinical professor and director of Advanced Education Program, received her DDS with distinction from the University of Western Ontario School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2001. Following dental school, she completed a General Practice Residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard-wide Hospitals and specialty training in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
Woo is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, American College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy. She also serves on the Editorial Boards of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and the International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health. Woo has held several officer positions with the Psi Omega Chapter of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society and the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (AAOMP) and serves as Chair of the AAOMP Fellowship Examination and DEI Committees.
Woo is actively engaged in teaching and mentoring at the predoctoral and graduate levels, and her research interests include exploring different educational approaches to managing clinical oral pathology in student clinics. She is currently involved in an NIH-funded grant that evaluates the performance of multispectral endogenous fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) in detecting oral premalignant and malignant lesions. Woo has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and four book chapters. In addition to maintaining an active clinical oral pathology consultation practice, she was the founding director of the UNLV Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Biopsy Service.
Professor Martha Alicia Estrada, BSDH, RDH
Dental Hygiene Teacher of the Year
Professor Martha Alicia Estrada BSDH, RDH, is a first-generation college student. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from Caruth School of Dental Hygiene at Texas A&M University School of Dentistry in 2003. She said her parents migrated to the United States when they were children, and she is proud of her Mexican American heritage. Estrada is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Higher Education to gain a comprehensive understanding of higher education practices, empowering her to better serve and support her students on their educational journey.
The pivotal moment that ignited Estrada’s passion for dental hygiene occurred during a mission trip to Mexico. Working alongside fellow volunteers in an orphanage, Estrada witnessed firsthand the impact of oral health care on the lives of those in need. This experience sparked a deep-seated commitment to improving oral health and fostering community connections through education and outreach. In addition to her dedication to dental hygiene and education, Estrada is passionate about teaching dental Spanish to her students and colleagues. She believes effective communication is the cornerstone of quality care, and by equipping others with the tools to communicate with a diverse community, an environment of clear understanding and mutual respect can be cultivated.
Advocating for students is a paramount aspect of Estrada’s educational approach, as she is deeply committed to empowering them to become compassionate and competent dental hygienists who prioritize the well-being of their patients. Through mentorship and guidance, Estrada works to equip her students with the knowledge, skills and ethical framework necessary to advocate for the oral health needs of individuals within diverse community settings. Outside of her professional endeavors, Estrada takes immense pride in being a devoted mother to her 11-year-old daughter. Family is the cornerstone of her life, and she strives to instill in her daughter the values of compassion, integrity and resilience.