University of Pikeville names Dr. Pamela Sparks-Stein as the first dean of its dental school, the third in Kentucky

Pamela Sparks-Stein

The University of Pikeville has named Pamela Sparks-Stein as the first dean of its College of Dental Health, Kentucky's new dental school.

"Among several strong candidates, Dr. Sparks-Stein stood out for her incredible alignment to the mission of the University of Pikeville,”  UPike President Burton Webb said in a news release. “Her compassion and empathy will help her create the kind of dental school where care for the underserved is central to our identity, where the health of the public is paramount, and where quality care is an absolute necessity.”

Sparks-Stein comes to UPike from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, where she serves as division chief of dental public health. Prior to her roles in education, she was in private practice in Kentucky for 13 years. 

“I am a public-health dentist and my heart has a passion for helping vulnerable and underserved populations,” Sparks-Stein said in the release. “My years of working with grants and projects in Eastern Kentucky have shown me there are so many wonderful partners who are willing to help, making it a great place to forge partnerships that will allow us to make a true impact in central Appalachia.”

Sparks-Stein received her dental degree and and master’s of public health degree from UK.

The UPike College of Dental Health is the third dental school in Kentucky and was made possible from a $25 million gift from an anonymous donor's family foundation. The other two dental colleges are at UK and the University of Louisville.