Pediatric dentistry
Partnering to save a smile
Like many 9-year-olds, Xavier Quintero Altuve’s summer vacation involves playing with friends, watching television and maybe hanging out at a pool. Great opportunities for grins. But Xavier has more reasons to smile. His healthy mouth is a gift from Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas and partner Metrocrest Hospital Authority in Carrollton. Read More
Passing the drill: Baby boomer dentists bid goodbye, allowing young dentists’ smiles in the spotlight
Disco on FM radio was cool. “Grease” ruled the box office. That’s when Dr. Michael Plunk opened his eponymous dental practice in June 1978 in East Dallas’ Casa Linda neighborhood. “We weren’t dependent on insurance plans, PPOs, like corporations are,” he said. “It was about relationships, long-term relationships.” Fast forward to 2026, and Latin music is popular on Spotify playlists. “Pegasus 3” is this year’s highest-grossing film so far. Plunk officially retired last year, taking with him nearly half a century of memories. His farewell isn’t unique. A large share of dentists aged 60 and older left the workforce between 2017 and 2024. The retirement surge is slowing, but the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute in 2025 projected that most baby boomer dentists will age out of the workforce by the late 2020s. Stepping up is a rapidly growing pool of younger national talent. Dentists under 45 are poised to reshape the profession. There’s more. Read More
Cancer and children’s teeth: Advice for parents
When a child enters a cancer battle, families rarely consider how treatments will affect teeth. However, life-saving measures, particularly chemotherapy and radiation, have immediate and future consequences on oral health. Dr. Carolyn A. Kerins, associate professor and graduate program director in the pediatric dentistry department at Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas, said a dental visit should be scheduled before treatment starts. The dentist needs to ensure the child’s teeth and gums are stable and eliminate any potential sources of infection, including cavities. Read More
Providing a dose of dental care
Texas A&M College of Dentistry students provided dental screenings May 3 as part of UT Southwestern's 20th annual community health fair Carnaval de Salud at T.J. Rusk Middle School in Dallas. Dr. Martha Alvarez supervised four third-year dental students. The dental students are Nichols Baldetti, Leslie Bich Linh Nguyen, Henan Teklu and Vivian Liu. Read More