American Dental Association President Visits HPU’s New Dental School
Dr. Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association, visited High Point University’s Workman School of Dental Medicine on May 19. Pictured from left are Dr. Sompop Bencharit, associate dean for innovation; Evan Castro, manager of events and experience; Audie Cashion, speaker and coach at Dental ONE Thing; Dr. Roslyn Crisp, president of the North Carolina Dental Society; Dr. Ali Shazib, dean of the Workman School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association; Jim Goodman, executive director of the North Carolina Dental Society; and Dr. Kevin Cain, senior associate dean for administration and finance.
HIGH POINT, N.C., May 23, 2025 – Dr. Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association (ADA), visited High Point University’s Workman School of Dental Medicine on May 19 as the new dental school prepares to welcome its second cohort of students this summer.
As the ADA president, Kessler oversees the nation’s largest dental association with more than 159,000 members. This was his first time visiting the Workman School of Dental Medicine, which welcomed its inaugural class of 60 Doctor of Dental Medicine students last August. He was joined by Dr. Roslyn Crisp, president of the North Carolina Dental Society and Jim Goodman, the dental society’s executive director.
During their visit, Kessler, Crisp and Goodman were given a tour of the new three-story, 77,500-square-foot building that will be the dental school’s permanent home when it opens this summer. Located on a section of HPU’s campus known as the Innovation Corridor, the facility will have state-of-the-art simulation labs, digital design and 3D and CAD/CAM labs, and a fully functional dental office complete with a reception area.
“It’s very exciting. I’m a visionary type of person, and so I love to see these visions turn into reality,” Kessler said following the tour. “I see a new school that’s looking towards the future as opposed to trying to protect the past, and that’s really exciting for me.”
Kessler provided updates on the status of oral health care with administrators from the dental school. He also shared with them three initiatives that are important to him as the ADA president — encouraging dentists to focus on their own physical and mental health and wellness, celebrating diversity and inclusion in the profession and understanding that good oral health improves a patient’s overall health.
Kessler said he was looking forward to visiting HPU after watching from afar as the university has grown over the past two decades under the leadership of HPU President Nido Qubein.
“I’m a big fan of Nido Qubein. He’s a visionary guy,” Kessler said. “I love what he did with the university and how he brought this vision to life.”
During their meeting, administrators from the Workman School of Dental Medicine presented Kessler, Crisp and Goodman with an overview of the school’s curriculum and facilities. They also shared their model for teaching new dental students and their approach to offering experiential education opportunities through HPU Health LLC, a network of dental practices owned and operated by the university with locations across the state.
“It was an honor to host our visionary and resilient leaders, Dr. Brett Kessler, Dr. Roslyn Crisp and Mr. Jim Goodman. From advocating the needs of oral health care to innovating translational research, the future of dental medicine is bright and one without silos,” said Dr. Ali Shazib, dean of the Workman School of Dental Medicine. “The HPU Workman School of Dental Medicine’s personalized CARE curriculum, distributed academic oral health system (HPU Health) and emphasis on medical-dental integration (EPIC) provide a robust platform for partnerships with the American Dental Association to advance oral health together.”