(Joplin, MO) – Members of the Kansas City University (KCU) College of Dental Medicine (CDM) Class of 2030 received their white coats on August 15, 2026, marking the beginning of their journey as student doctors.
The ceremony at the Joplin High School Performing Arts Center brought together students, family members, friends, faculty and staff to celebrate.
The arrival of the Class of 2030 marks an important milestone for the CDM, bringing the program to full enrollment three years after welcoming the inaugural class in 2023.
Throughout the ceremony speakers reflected on the responsibility and privilege of a career in dentistry. Linda Niessen, DMD, MPH, MPP, CDM dean and vice provost of oral health affairs, highlighted the important role oral health professionals play in improving overall health and well-being.
“In four short years, as graduating dentists, you will develop the knowledge, skills and critical thinking that can relieve pain, improve quality of life functions like chewing and smiling, prevent chronic illness and ultimately save lives,” Niessen said.
Robert Arnce, MD, vice dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, welcomed the incoming class and emphasized the need for oral health care providers throughout southwest Missouri and the surrounding region.
“Today you receive your white coat. In doing so, you officially begin your careers as students of dental medicine and seal your commitment to the oral health and well-being of this community,” Arnce said.
Offering a peer perspective, third-year dental student doctor Shi Cochran shared insights from his own experience and encouraged members of the class to embrace challenges, seek support from those around them and invest in relationships with classmates.
“Dental school isn’t about getting everything right the first time,” Cochran said. “It’s about showing up and trying again.”
Keynote speaker Sheila Riggs, DDS, DMSc, associate professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and member of the KCU Board of Trustees, spoke about the need for dentists nationwide and the opportunity members of the Class of 2030 will have to make a difference throughout their careers.
Drawing on her experience in clinical practice, research, education and public health, Riggs encouraged the future dentists to build strong relationships, support one another and lead with integrity.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others,” she said.
One by one each student doctor crossed the stage to introduce themselves and receive the white coats they will wear throughout dental school.
The ceremony concluded with the students reciting the Dental Medicine Oath and presenting the Class of 2030 Creed, affirming their commitment to the profession and to one another.
About Kansas City University
Founded in 1916, Kansas City University (KCU) is a fully accredited, private not-for-private health sciences university with Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Biosciences and Dental Medicine and Health Professions. The University has campuses in Kansas City and Joplin, Mo. The College of Osteopathic Medicine is the fourth-largest medical school in the U.S. and the leading producer of physicians in Missouri. It ranks #1 for producing physicians who practice in primary care, rural areas and underserved regions in the state. KCU’s Center for Population Health and Equity addresses the variables that affect a population’s health and contribute to health in health outcomes. KCU offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, dental medicine and clinical psychology and a master’s degree in public health..
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