The Hinman Dental Society has pledged $500,000 to establish the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry's 16th professorship: the Dr. Thomas P. Hinman Distinguished Professorship in Restorative Dentistry. This new professorship, specifically for the support of the Department of Operative Dentistry, will be eligible for appointment in fiscal year 2014-15.
“We are very appreciative of the support the Hinman Dental Society has shown our school, historically and today,” Dr. Jane Weintraub, dean of the UNC School of Dentistry, said. “The establishment of this new professorship will allow us to recognize, reward and augment our already top-tier restorative dentistry faculty by providing additional funding to retain or recruit deserving educators to advance our school’s missions.”
The endowed professorship adds to the long-standing support that the school has received from the Hinman Dental Society. The society earlier established the Thomas P. Hinman Continuing Education Scholarship Fund and the Thomas P. Hinman Distinguished Lecture. The Hinman Lecture, hosted annually by the Department of Operative Dentistry, has been in existence nine years and has included notable speakers such as Drs. Frank Spear, John Kois, Gordon Christensen and others. In sum, the Hinman Dental Society has contributed more than $600,000 to the school.
“As a non-profit organization, the Hinman Dental Society is committed to supporting dental education through scholarships, gifts and endowments, such as this $500,000 gift to endow a professorship in restorative dentistry at UNC,” said Dr. Paul G. Isler, Hinman Dental Society chairman of the trustees. “We are honored to be in a position to support one of the most prestigious dental schools in the country. If Dr. Hinman were alive today, he would be very pleased that we continue to dedicate our organization to furthering education for both practicing and emerging dentists.”
The Thomas P. Hinman Dental Society, founded in 1911 by its namesake, is a not-for-profit organization comprising more than 800 member dentists. Committed to the advancement of its membership, the society provides educational and professional development opportunities while promoting high practice standards through advocacy and outreach. The first Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting was held the year of the society's founding and was considered the first clinic strictly for serious-minded educational purposes. Now an annual occurrence, it is known for its attention to detail and hospitality. For more than 100 years, the Hinman Dental Society has maintained its reputation for delivering quality continuing education by the industry's foremost experts, not only for dentists, but also for the whole dental team.
Dr. Thomas P. Hinman graduated from Southern Dental College in Atlanta with his D.D.S. in 1891 and one year later joined the faculty of his alma mater, becoming professor of oral surgery. Hinman held many high offices in numerous professional organizations, including an appointment by President Woodrow Wilson as the U.S. delegate and honorary chairman of Section VII of the Fourth International Congress of Dentists in London.
Source: UNC School of Dentistry
