Dean Janet Guthmiller, DDS, PhD, was installed as supreme chapter president of Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU), the national dental honor society, during the American Dental Education Association’s Annual Session held in March 2021. As supreme chapter president, Guthmiller will lead the organization in continuing to promote scholarship and character among dental students and educators.
"I am truly honored to have the opportunity to serve this extraordinary organization that recognizes dental students and educators who have distinguished themselves by excellence in scholarship while demonstrating exemplary character traits and potential for professional growth and achievement," Guthmiller said.
The UNMC College of Dentistry – Alpha Alpha Chapter has a longstanding history of leadership in OKU. Guthmiller is the sixth UNMC faculty member and the fourth College of Dentistry dean to serve as supreme chapter president. The other College of Dentistry deans who served as supreme chapter presidents were Richard Bradley, DDS, Stephen Leeper, DDS, and John Reinhardt, DDS, and faculty members were William Kramer, DDS, and Curtis Kuster, DDS.
Additionally, Jan John, a former administrator in the college's dean's office, served the supreme chapter for over a quarter of century. She supported UNMC's OKU leaders and organized the annual meetings.
Two prestigious OKU awards were established to honor UNMC faculty members' leadership and commitment to the organization’s mission.
The "Stephen H. Leeper Award for Teaching Excellence" recognizes dental educators who have implemented innovative techniques or displayed excellence in dental education, and who have instituted creative and unique methods of educating and engaging students, faculty and administrators.
The "Dr. William S. Kramer Award of Excellence" recognizes a junior dental student who has demonstrated scholarship, character and the potential promise for advancement of dentistry and service to humanity as embodied by the dedication and service of Dr. Kramer.
"I am honored and humbled to follow in the footsteps of my UNMC predecessors and serve as supreme chapter president," Guthmiller said. "In this role, I will work with the OKU leadership team to touch the lives of hundreds of dental students and educators across the country and continue to recognize and celebrate tomorrow’s leaders in dentistry."
Guthmiller was elected into OKU as a dental graduate at the University of Iowa. She has been a member of four different institutional chapters: Baltimore College of Dentistry – Phi Chapter; University of Iowa College of Dentistry – Mu Chapter; University of North Carolina School of Dentistry – Upsilon Upsilon Chapter; and currently the UNMC College of Dentistry – Alpha Alpha Chapter. She served as a chapter officer and ultimately president of both the Mu Chapter at Iowa and the Upsilon Upsilon Chapter at North Carolina.