Kenneth L. Kalkwarf, DDS, MS, received his DDS in 1970 and his master's degree and certificate in periodontics in 1973 from the UNMC College of Dentistry. He held faculty positions at the University of Nebraska and the University of Oklahoma before serving as dean of the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Dentistry for 24 years.
Kalkwarf recently returned to the UNMC College of Dentistry to share his journey "from a Nebraska farm boy to a career in academic dentistry" with first- and second-year dental students. His presentation was part of the Richard A. Reinhardt Lecture Series, which was established to help dental students explore careers in academic dentistry.
Kalkwarf grew up on a farm in Nebraska and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He explored a career in architecture before deciding to try dentistry.
Throughout his presentation, Kalkwarf described the environmental, social, economic and personal factors that influenced his decisions – "some planned and some not, some good and some mistakes."
A key theme he explored was how an individual’s passion and willingness to "go outside their comfort zone" influence how they address challenges and identify opportunities.
Kalkwarf discussed how he took advantage of opportunities during dental school, including taking a summer research fellowship at Northwestern University in Illinois, which was the first time he traveled outside of Nebraska.
After dental school, he completed a general practice residency at the Milwaukee Veterans Administration Medical Center in Wisconsin, then returned to UNMC for his master's degree and certificate in periodontics.
Another theme throughout his presentation was the importance of mentors.
After Kalkwarf graduated, he was faced with three choices – join Project Hope and help the underserved in Egypt, join a private practice in Montana, or pursue his PhD in Connecticut.
Then one of his mentors, Gerald Tussing, DDS, MSD, a professor in the department of surgical specialties at the UNMC College of Dentistry, offered him a fourth choice – become a faculty member at UNMC.
Kalkwarf chose to stay at UNMC and found his passion for academic dentistry.
"I experienced how faculty help students learn who they are and help them grow," he said.
Another theme Kalkwarf explored was the importance of networking. During his time at UNMC, he grew his network both nationally and internationally.
"Networks work," he said, and led him to his next opportunities – becoming a program director, then an associate dean, and finally dean of the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Dentistry when he was only 39 years old.
"I was in the right place at the right time," he said. "And, at times, I was scared to death and had no idea what I was doing."
But Kalkwarf’s passion for academic dentistry and willingness to step outside his comfort zone led to incredible opportunities.
While serving as dean, he overcame many challenges, including convincing the state legislature to keep the dental school open. He also celebrated many successes, including the school being ranked the number one dental school in the nation by US News and World Report.
Kalkwarf's passion and hard work as dean led to him being named interim president of the University of Texas Health Science Center in 2012, where he had a role in ground-breaking projects, including building a new cancer therapy center.
For the first- and second-year dental students, Kalkwarf summarized the main reasons he has enjoyed his career.
"A career in academic dentistry offers autonomy to make decisions and opportunities to support and develop faculty," he said.
Kalkwarf ended with simple, but profound, advice for the students.
"Today, focus on getting things done. Work hard and take advantage of the opportunities in front of you."
Janet Guthmiller, DDS, PhD, dean of the college, thanked Kalkwarf for sharing his inspiring story.
"Dr. Kalkwarf is an inspiration for our students. Through telling his story, he helped our students better understand the roles of faculty in dental education and the rewards that can be found in these roles," she said.