Are you ready for bite-size discussion on the big issues? ASDA’s Council on Advocacy will host a series of short-form Advo-casts that quickly dive into key dental student issues. In October, the Advo-cast will focus on two licensure reform experts as they discuss dental licensure reform at their states. In less than 30 minutes, you’ll hear about their successful efforts to remove the live-patient portion of the exam in addition to ASDA’s strides at the national level.
Dr. Shaun O’Neill
Born in southern Wisconsin, Dr. Shaun O’Neill has spent the last decade in Iowa attending both Luther College and the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. He has been recognized with numerous awards from the college, university and the American Student Dental Association for his leadership and clinical skills. During his time at the University of Iowa he served as the Iowa American Student Dental Association President and Governmental Relations Chair for the Graduate and Professional Student Government. He also served as the District 8 ASDA Trustee and an ex-officio member of the ADA Council of Dental Education and Licensure. While in that roll Dr. O'Neill led a movement to create licensure change that ended in the passing of legislation that allowed for alternative pathways to dental licensure in Iowa.
Dr. R. Lamont (Monty) MacNeil
Dr. MacNeil is a Professor of Dental Medicine and Dean Emeritus at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. He served as dean at UConn from eleven years, spanning 2007 to 2018. He holds a DDS degree from Dalhousie University, Canada (1980) and a certificate of advanced education in Periodontics and a Master of Dental Science degree from the University of Connecticut, USA (1989). He has held academic positions at several dental schools and has published extensively on the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating tooth development, periodontal wound healing and tissue regeneration. Dr. MacNeil was a member of the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations from 2001-2005 serving as chair of the commission in 2004-05. Prior to 2007, Dr. MacNeil was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs where his major interests were in achieving better integration of the basic, medical/dental and clinical science elements of the curriculum, in developing evidence-based teaching approaches, and in expanding community-based opportunities for student learning and oral health care delivery. Dr. MacNeil has served as a consultant to several dental schools in their efforts to expand their community-based efforts. In March 2018, he was elected Chair of the Board of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), a 20,000 member organization representing US and Canadian institutions with dental education programs. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure and several other ADEA and national committees.
Craig McKenzie, Pennsylvania ’21, ASDA President
Craig is a third year dual degree student at the University of Pennsylvania pursuing degrees in dental medicine and higher education. He joined ASDA in 2014 as a Predental member and has served in several chapter district and national roles. He previously served as the district 3 trustee and currently serves as national president. Craig advocates for dental students on the Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure, the ADA’s Council on Dental Education and Licensure, and also serves on ASDA's Council on Advocacy.