DCG Employment Changes for May-July 2026

This month’s employee updates include a mix of familiar faces moving on to new chapters and many new colleagues joining the DCG family.

We extend our gratitude to faculty members Dr. E. Chesla, Dr. David Kurtzman, Dr. Bruce Riggs and Dr. Rhoda Sword for their service and wish them all the best. At the same time, we’re excited to welcome new faculty members, including Dr. Hussein M. Assaf, Dr. Chin-Yu Lin and Dr. S. Premaraj.

Congratulations are also in order for Dr. Evila Da Silva Lopes Salles on her promotion to assistant professor in the Department of Oral Biology, and for Dr. Kristen Goodell as she begins an exciting new role as an orthodontics resident.

Our staff continues to grow as well. Please join us in welcoming Joyce Smalls Brown as an office assistant in Periodontics, Megan Sliger as an office specialist in Operations, along with several new dental assistants, senior dental assistants, clinic support specialists and sterile supplies specialists. We’re excited to have each of them as part of the DCG team.

New Hires

• Leticia Rezende joined Operations as a Senior Dental Assistant on May 11.
• Dr. Anthony Koagel joined Restorative Sciences as Assistant Professor Part-Time on May 12.
• Joyce Smalls Brown joined Periodontics as an Office Specialist on May 18.
• Gabriella Jackson joined Central Supply/Dispensary as a Dispensary Assistant on May 18.
• Sabrina Johnson joined the Business Office as a Financial Coordinator on May 18.
• Dymonique Foster joined Operations as a Dental Assistant on May 26.
• Ashley Keel transferred within Operations from Dental Assistant to Clinics Support Specialist on May 26.
• Diana Martinez joined Sterilization as a Sterile Supplies Specialist on June 1.
• Dr. Michelle Skelton joined Orthodontics as Assistant Professor Part-Time on June 1.
• Megan Sliger joined Operations as an Office Specialist on June 15.
• Denija Smith joined Operations as a Dental Assistant on June 15.
• Seanel Chance joined Operations as a Clinics Support Specialist on June 22.
• Jaden Glover joined Operations as a Clinics Support Specialist on June 22.
• Logan Woody joined Operations as a Clinics Support Specialist on June 22.
• Benjamin Nadler joined Operations as a Senior Dental Assistant on June 22.
• Dr. Matt Folan joined Restorative Sciences as Assistant Professor on June 22.
• Elizabeth Thompson joined Central Supply/Dispensary as a Dental Dispensary Assistant on June 23.
• Tiffany Martin joined Operations as a Clinics Support Specialist on June 29.
• Shadai Peterson joined Sterilization as a Sterile Supplies Specialist on June 29.
• Marcus Trevisan joined Operations as a Senior Dental Assistant on June 29.
• Dr. Hussain Assaf joined Restorative Sciences as Professor and Department Chair on July 1.
• Dr. Kyung Kim joined General Dentistry as Assistant Professor on July 1.
• Dr. Tina Gupta Patel joined Orthodontics as Instructor Part-Time on July 1.
• Dr. Harini Jindal joined Restorative Sciences as Assistant Professor on July 6.
• Melanie Combs joined Operations as a Dental Assistant on July 6.
• Dr. Chin-Yu Lin joined Orthodontics as Assistant Professor and Program Director on July 8.
• Dr. Amanda Jackson joined Restorative Sciences as Assistant Professor on July 7.

Appointment Changes

• Dr. Theresa Gonzales, Associate Dean to Interim Dean, effective July 1.
• Dr. Kevin Frazier, Acting Dean to Vice Dean, effective July 1.
• Dr. Brent Haeberle, Interim Chair to Associate Professor, effective July 1.
• Dr. Evila Da Silva Lopes Salles, Assistant Research Scientist to Assistant Professor of Oral Biology, effective July 2.
• Dr. Genifer Cummings, Assistant Professor Part-Time, from .50 to .55, effective July 1.
• Dr. Kurt Metzler, Assistant Professor of Restorative Sciences, from 1.00 to .80, effective July 1.

Future Hires

• Dr. Nada Abousorrieh will join Restorative Sciences as Assistant Professor on July 13
• Dr. Charles Lee, III, will join Restorative Sciences as Assistant Professor Part-Time on July 16.
• Dr. Ji Min Yochim will join Pediatrics as Assistant Professor and Program Director on Aug. 3.
• Dr. S. Premaraj will join Orthodontics as Professor, Program Director and Chair on Aug. 21
• Dr. Riyaz Mohammed will join Oral Biology as Assistant Professor, date to be determined.

Separations

• Stephanie Chappell separated from Central Supply/Dispensary on May 1.
• Kimora Cook separated from Operations on May 5.
• Biko Robinson separated from Operations on May 7.
• Dr. Elise Delatour separated from General Dentistry on May 15.
• Dr. Mureed Hamdani separated from Restorative Sciences on May 15.
• Macy Scott separated from Patient Services on May 22.
• Dr. Robert Steven Powell separated from Orthodontics on May 28.
• Quaran Wells transferred from Oral Biology to Psychiatry and Health Behavior on May 28.
• Krystal Herring separated from Dental Hygiene on May 29.
• Rizwana Zaman separated from Oral Biology on May 30.
• Dr. Soumaya Padala separated from Orthodontics on May 31.
• Barbara Cromartie separated from Operations on June 8.
• Dr. Harold Enoch separated from Orthodontics on June 30.
• Dr. Kristin Goodell separated from General Dentistry on June 30 to begin an Orthodontics residency.
• Kellen Tjioe, assistant research scientist for Oral Biology, separated on June 30.

Upcoming Separations

• Melissa Hammac, office specialist for Oral Biology, will separate July 31.
• Dr. Rhoda Sword, professor for Restorative Sciences, will separate Aug. 11.
• Dr. David Kurtzman, assistant professor part-time for General Dentistry, will separate Sept. 1.

Retirements

• Mona Bokhamsin, Office Specialist in Oral Biology, retired May 29.
• Dr. E. Chesla, Assistant Professor of Restorative Sciences, retired July 30.
• Dr. Bruce Riggs, Associate Professor of Restorative Sciences, retired July 30.