Fellowships
Advanced Education Fellowships
Established in 1990 to provide support for post-DDS students pursuing advanced degrees in the Adams School of Dentistry.
Ann and G. Randolph Babcock Fellowship
Established in 1980 to help support graduate students in the Adams School of Dentistry. Randy and Ann Babcock, long-time friends of the school and of the dental profession, have five children and live in Charlotte, NC. Mr. Babcock, retired president of Pelton and Crane, a major dental equipment manufacturer, served on the Board of the Dental Foundation of North Carolina for many years and was president in 1981. His support of the school can be traced back to 1959, when he was serving as President of Pelton and Crane. His company granted the school funds to add dental lights to its student laboratories. Since then, Randy has received distinguished service awards from both the Adams School of Dentistry and the NC Dental Society for his contributions to the profession. Mrs. Babcock also served on the Dental Foundation Board. Both Ann and Randy are very active members of their church and community. They have given much time and support to the Salvation Army and other local organizations.
Miriam Easterling Baker Fellowship in Orthodontics
The Miriam Easterling Baker Fellowship was established by Dr. Ed Baker to support graduate study in the orthodontics program in memory of his wife, Miriam, who suffered from a disease for 25 years before her untimely death in the mid-1980s. She was a musician, artist and taught flying. Dr Baker, born in Philadelphia, attended the College of William and Mary and graduated in 1938 from Dental School at Virginia Commonwealth University. He then received his orthodontic training at the University of Michigan. Dr. Baker joined the practice of Dr. Fred Hale, one of the first orthodontists in North Carolina, in Raleigh in 1940 and has been practicing ever since. He is a past-president of the North Carolina Dental Society and the Southern Society of Orthodontists. For 19 years, Dr. Baker gave a great deal of time to the school as an associate clinical professor in the orthodontics program. He was involved in the establishment of the Adams School of Dentistry and the Dental Foundation of North Carolina, and has been a constant friend and supporter of the school since its opened in 1950. Dr. Baker has two children who live in Raleigh.
Mary Jean Breeland Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Ms. Breeland grew up in Aiken, SC. In 1963, she joined the US Department of State and served as a member of the Foreign Service in Baghdad, Madrid, Moscow, Asuncion, Caracas, West Berlin, Tokyo, Ankara, and Munich and retired to Greensboro in 1988. She established the Fellowship with a bequest to the Dental Foundation of NC upon her passing in 2002. She wanted to help ensure that children of our state have access to dental care. The Breeland Fellowship is awarded to a pediatric resident from North Carolina, or one who intends to practice in the state.
Dr. D. Gregory Brooks and Andrew M. Brooks Fellowship in Orthodontics
Dr. Greg and Martha Brooks established the Andrew Brooks Fellowship Fund in honor of their son, who was killed in a tragic snowmobile accident in 1992. Dr. Brooks earned three degrees at UNC-Chapel Hill— his bachelor’s degree, DDS, and master’s degree in orthodontics. When Dr. Greg Brooks passed away in 2014, his wife Martha added his name to the fellowship.
Caldwell-Christensen Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
The Caldwell-Christensen Fellowship was established by many generous friends of the UNC-CH Department of Pediatric Dentistry to honor alumni Drs. John Christensen M.S. ’86 and Phillip Caldwell, M.S. ’74 for their many contributions. Both individuals are long-time adjunct faculty who took time away from their private practices to assist with the teaching programs at the school. Phil made huge contributions to the conscious sedation clinical program and John to the residents’ clinical orthodontic experience.
Dr. Bryan and Renea Cobb Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Bryan Cobb is a graduate of Wake Forest University where he was a varsity football athlete. He is a 1977 DDS graduate of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, and a 1979 pediatric dentistry graduate. In addition to his private practice in Greensboro, NC, Bryan has been very active in the North Carolina Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (NCAPD) leadership for many years as an advocate for the underserved and as a champion for Medicaid enhancements. He is a recipient of the NCAPD Oral Health Service Award. Renea Cobb is a graduate of Technical Institute of Alamance and was Bryan’s chief dental assistant for many years.
Jim Congleton Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Congleton grew up in Stokes, a small community in eastern North Carolina. He earned his BS from UNC-CH in 1972, his DDS from the UNC Adams School of Dentistry in 1975 and his MS in pediatric dentistry in 1977. He practiced in New Bern for many years before retiring. He is a past president of the NC Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and was the 2000 recipient of the Dental Foundation of NC (DFNC) Distinguished Service Award. He also previously served as president of the UNC Dental Alumni Association and president of the Dental Foundation of North Carolina. He remains active with the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh and the Tryon Palace Foundation.
Diane Dilley Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Diane Dilley served as the first female role model for UNC pediatric dentistry residents where today females constitute almost half of the program’s alumni. Her clinical and didactic teachings have touched many of the educational curricula throughout the UNC Adams School of Dentistry and her contributions over the years helped develop and maintain excellence in a diversity of programs involving literally thousands of students. She also gave selflessly to numerous organized dental groups including the North Carolina Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Diane passed away in 2023.
Jack and Renee Dunlevy Fellowship in Orthodontics
Established in 2003 by Dr. Jack Dunlevy, an orthodontist in Midlothian, VA, and his wife, Renee.
Robert D. Elliot Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Bobby Elliott is from Louisville, KY and graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in 1995. He completed his pediatric dentistry residency at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry in 1998 and remains affiliated with both universities as an adjunct professor. He currently practices in Cary, N.C. with fellow pediatric dentistry alumnus Dr. Julie Molina, and is an active continuing education speaker on topics related to practice management, office design and office efficiency.
Drs. James and Maggie Fetner are both natives of Randolph County who met during their time in the Adams School of Dentistry and together established Randolph Pediatric Dentistry in Asheboro. Maggie graduated from dental school in 2011 and immediately entered the residency in pediatric dentistry, receiving her MS in 2014. As a dental student, she served as Spurgeon Dental Society Student Body President and Admissions Committee Student Representative and as a prestigious Schweitzer Fellow. Together with husband, James, they have a thriving practice. The Fetner Family includes children Gabriel and Iris Ann.
Freedland Advanced Dental Education Fellowships
Established in 1994 with contributions from Dr. Jacob B. Freedland, a generous friend of the Adams School of Dentistry who practiced endodontics in Charlotte, NC. Preference for two awards for Oral Biology PhD candidates. Preference for one award for an endodontic resident.
Jacob Freedland Fellowship in Endodontics
Dr. Freedland established this endowment fund in 1992 to provide support for endodontics residents.
Eugene F. Howden Pediatric Dentistry Fellowship
Dr. Howden received his undergraduate degree from UNC-CH. He earned his DDS from the UNC Adams School of Dentistry in 1966 and completed a residency in pediatric dentistry with a MS from the school’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry in 1971. He served for seven years as a full-time faculty member, as a highly respected teacher/mentor and as the department’s Undergraduate Clinical Director. A past president of the North Carolina Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Gene was a longtime consultant for the NC Medicaid Program. He left academia in 1980 to establish Chapel Hill Pediatric Dentistry.
Sandy Marks Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Marks attended Davidson College prior to receiving his DDS degree from Emory University. He practiced general dentistry in Wilmington, NC for 15 years. After retiring from private practice, and as a Presbyterian minister, he was instrumental in founding a dental school in the Belgian Congo. He returned from Africa in 1961 and enrolled in the pediatric dentistry residency here where he received a MS degree in 1963. Sandy was a faculty member for many years and played a unique role in serving as the first director of pediatric dentistry section of the oral-facial communicative disorders clinic, the precursor to the current UNC Craniofacial Team.
F. Thomas McIver Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. McIver attended UNC-CH, where he was a varsity tennis player and a 1959 graduate. He earned his DDS from the UNC Adams School of Dentistry in 1965. Following service in the US Navy, he earned his MS in pediatric dentistry at Carolina in 1970. Tom was a longtime faculty member who focused on the teaching of and caring for patients with developmental disabilities. He served as our director of the Special Needs Clinic. He held leadership roles in many community service organizations and was a recipient of the prestigious Manuel M. Album Award from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Jack Menius Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Jack Menius is a native of Raleigh who graduated from NC State University. He received his DDS and graduate training in pediatric dentistry at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. As a pediatric dentist, he spent his career focusing on the oral health care needs of individuals with developmental abnormalities. Jack served as clinic director at the Murdoch Center and as an adjunct professor of pediatric dentistry from 1961-85, where he was recognized as an expert in dental care for those with special health care needs. He was a founder of and longtime leader in the Southern Association of Institutional Dentists.
Theodore Oldenburg Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Oldenburg is a native of Michigan who received his DDS from the Adams School of Dentistry in 1957, followed by service in the US Air Force. He completed the master’s program in pediatric dentistry in 1962 and joined the faculty where he served as Department Chair and later as Interim Dean and Assistant Dean for Administration. Ted was a leader in many dental organizations, serving as president of the North Carolina Society of Pediatric Dentistry, the North Carolina American Society of Dentistry for Children, Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Olmsted, Torney, Mohorn, Mohorn, Morgan, and Baird Fellowship in Endodontics
Dr. John Olmsted, a 1977 graduate of the Endodontics program, led the creation of this Fellowship along with his partners and colleagues to make this outstanding resident support possible. Dr. Olmsted is a former president of the American Association of Endodontics and currently practices in the Piedmont area of North Carolina.
Mike Roberts Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Roberts came to UNC-CH in 1989 to serve as Graduate Program Director. Previously, he had a distinguished career in the US Public Health Service. After five years as Graduate Program Director, he served as Department Chair for 10 years. Mike’s tenure at UNC is most notable for his role as Chief, Division of Pediatric Dentistry in the UNC Hospitals for over three decades during which he was responsible for unimaginable growth experienced in the hospital dentistry-training program. He served as a director and president of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
Elsie and Baxter Sapp Fellowship
Established in 1991 by Dr. Sapp, a general dentist in Durham, NC, and his wife, Elsie, this fund provides support for post-DDS students pursuing advanced degrees at the School of Dentistry.
Vaiden Blakenship Kendrick in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Fellowship
Established by Mrs. Anne Kendrick Hall in honor of her father, the late Dr. Vaiden Kendrick Blankenship. This award is based on academic and clinical excellence, as well as outstanding promise in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, personal character and integrity.
William F. Vann, Jr. Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Vann completed his residency training (MS) at the dental school and doctoral studies (PhD) on the Carolina Campus. He joined the faculty in 1978 and served as the DDS program director, department chair, and graduate program director. Bill was named the Demeritt Distinguished Professor in 1998 through his retirement from full-time service in 2010. He served in leadership roles in numerous organizations including president of the NC Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the AAPD Foundation.
Dr. Wright was recruited to UNC-CH to spearhead the department’s research program. A West Virginia School of Dentistry DDS graduate, he served as the graduate program director in pediatric dentistry at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Tim led our department as chair for 10 years before moving to the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the School. He was named the first James W. Bawden Distinguished Professor in 2006. He served as president of the American Association for Dental Research and editor of the Journal of the American Dental Association.
G.W. Robinson/J.R. Molina Fellowship
To honor her late father, Dr. Julie Robinson Molina (BS ’00, DDS ’05 and MS ‘08) personally established the Robinson/Molina Fellowship to honor her late father, G. W. Robinson. A three-time Carolina graduate, Julie is a native of the small eastern North Carolina town of Aurora. A highly decorated award winner during her residency at UNC, she is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. In 2008, Julie collaborated with fellow alumni Dr. Bobby Elliott to found Cary Pediatric Dentistry, where she remains in active practice today while serving as an adjunct professor at UNC-CH.
Orthodontics Pediatric Dentistry San Francisco Fellowship
Also known as the Pang/Lee Fellowship, this pediatric fellowship honors the legacy of Peter Lee (Ortho MS 1992) and Dorothy Pang (Pediatric Dentistry MS 1991), who own and practice at Orthodontics Pediatric Dentistry in San Francisco. Dorothy is a naïve of Hong Kong and Peter hails for Kuala Lumpur. They completed BDS degrees at the King’s College of London and DDS Degrees at the University of Texas- Houston. Both serve as professors at the University of California at San Francisco. Dorothy recent competed a term on the Board of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, serving as President in 2021-22.