Fellowships

The Dental Foundation of North Carolina works closely with the school’s advanced dental education programs to aid in the selection of fellowship recipients. Each of these awards are made possible by the generosity of donors and friends of the school. On behalf of the residents and graduate students that benefit from these fellowships, the DFNC thanks those donors and friends for their investment in the future of dentistry.

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
Established in 2002 through a bequest from Ms. Breeland, who passed away in 2002. She was a longtime employee of the Foreign Service and wanted to ensure that children in North Carolina would not experience the discomfort she experienced as a child who lacked good access to oral health care.

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
Established in 2005 by many generous friends of the pediatric dentistry program to honor the legacy of two program alumni, Dr. Phillip Caldwell, MS ’74 and Dr. John Christensen, MS ’86. This fellowship commemorates their contributions to graduate education: Dr. Caldwell’s contributions in the area of child patient sedation, and Dr. Christensen’s contributions as a dually-trained pediatric dentist/orthodontist in the realm of growth/development and early treatment orthodontics.

Dr. Bryan and Renea Cobb Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Established in 2017 by Dr. Bryan Cobb and his wife, Renea, this award is given annually to one post-DDS student in the pediatric dentistry program. Dr. Cobb is a two time Carolina alumnus (DDS, MS), an American Board of Pediatric Dentistry certified pediatric dentist, a longtime state advocate and leader for children’s oral health and the Greensboro practice community. Renea Cobb is an alumnus of the Technical Institute of Alamance, serving as a lead dental assistant for 30 years.

Jim Congleton Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Established in 1995 by Dr. James Congleton, a three-time Carolina alumnus, (BS ‘72, DDS ’75, MS ’77), an American Board of Pediatric Dentistry certified pediatric dentist practicing in New Bern, NC. He was a tireless advocate and leader for advancing oral health for underserved children in the state and a community leader and icon in New Bern.

Diane Dilley Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Established in 2008 largely by alumni to honor the legacy of Dr. Diane Dilley and to commemorate her as a female role model. Dr. Dilley was an American Board of Pediatric Dentistry certified pediatric dentist and a longtime faculty member who served as both DDS and graduate program director. She also was an active member of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry Craniofacial Team.

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 
Established in 2018, the fellowship honors the legacy of Dr. Robert Elliot, a Carolina alumnus (MS ‘98) and American Board of Pediatric Dentistry certified pediatric dentist. A beloved practitioner in Cary, NC, he is also a renowned national speaker and consultant for contemporary practice management, as well as an adjunct professor at the Adams School of Dentistry. 

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.  

Sandy Marks Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Established in 2004 to honor the legacy of Dr. Sandy Marks, Jr., a Carolina alumnus (DDS ’67), longtime faculty member and founding member of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry Craniofacial team. Dr. Marks was a Presbyterian missionary who spent many years serving in Africa and established a dental school in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

F. Thomas McIver Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Established in 2007 to honor the legacy of Dr. F. Thomas McIver, a three-time Carolina alumnus (BA ‘59, DDS ‘65, MS ‘70), longtime faculty member, a lifetime leader in the Southern Association of Institutional Dentists. For more than 50 years, Dr. McIver has been an active faculty member and leader, teacher and advocate for the care of children with special health care needs.

Jack Menius Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Established in 1995 to honor the legacy of Dr. Jack Menius, a beloved adjunct faculty member and pediatric dentist who served for 25 years as the director of the Dental Division at Murdoch Developmental Center. Dr. Menius made monumental contributions to the graduate training in care for the developmentally disabled. 

Theodore Oldenburg Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry
Established in 1992 to honor the legacy of Dr. Theodore Oldenberg, a two-time Carolina alumnus (DDS ’57, MS ’62) and faculty member for more than 50 years. Dr. Oldenberg was a prodigious national leader: he served as chair from 1968-85, and as president of the American Academy and American Board 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
Established in 2018 to honor the legacy of Dr. Mike Roberts, Henson Distinguished Professor, former graduate program director and chair. Dr. Roberts has served as a faculty member for nearly three decades and is known for his strong collaboration with pediatric dentistry colleagues and leadership of the program’s presence in UNC Hospitals. 

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
Established in 2012 to honor the legacy of Dr. Bill Vann, a two-time Carolina alumnus (MS ‘76, PhD ‘80) who served as a former DDS program director, graduate program director and chair. Dr. Vann was the first distinguished professor and served as the director of the UNC-Chapel Hill Maternal and Child Oral Health Center for Leadership in Pediatric Dentistry from 1992-2007. His tenure spans nearly 40 years.