Departmental Overview
The Dental School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio admitted its first dental class in 1970, and with it, the Department of Prosthodontics (hence forth, the Department) was incepted. At that time, the Department's primarily teaching focus was to pre-doctoral dental students in the disciplines of complete dentures and removable partial dentures.
In 1978, the Graduate Prosthodontics Division began with the admission of the first 2 residents into the Graduate Prosthodontics Residency. Two years later, those first 2 residents graduated and received Certificates of Training.
In 1991, The Crown and Bridge Division of the Department of Restorative Dentistry was moved into the Department of Prosthodontics. This new division in the Department was called the Fixed Prosthodontics Division. With the addition of the Implant Division in 1996, the Department was responsible for teaching all disciplines of prosthodontics to pre- and post-doctoral students.
From 1970 to 1995, clinical components of prosthodontics were taught to junior dental students in open bays. In 1995 the "Team concept" began. In the Team concept, the junior dental class was divided into 4 teams, each team receiving instruction and mentoring from a limited number of faculty. In 2003, the Team Concept was changed to the General Practice Group (GPG) concept. Under the GPG concept, the junior students are divided into 8 groups, each group linked with one of 8 senior dental student groups. Prosthodontists who are assigned to clinical duties in the GPG concept not only instruct junior students, but have the opportunity to mentor senior dental students as well.
Chairpersons. Listed below are those individuals who have served as Chair, Department of Prosthodontics:
- 2001-Present Lily T. Garcia, DDS, MS
- 2000 - 2001 Edmund Cavazos, Jr., DDS (interim)
- 1994 - 2000 William A. Kuebker, DDS, MS
- 1991 - 1994 David A. Kaiser, DDS (interim)
- 1970 - 1991 Earl E. Feldmann, DDS
Professors Emeritus. Listed below are those individuals who have been awarded the academic rank of Professor Emeritus, Department of Prosthodontics:
- Earl E. Feldmann, DDS
- William A. Kuebker, DDS, MS
- Robert M. Morrow, DDS