Portland, Ore.

Weston Heringer, D.M.D., has been appointed the director of the pediatric dentistry residency program at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry. His first duty will be to supervise the reinstatement of the program, which was discontinued in the 1990s.

"Dr. Heringer brings the enthusiasm of the dental community, the energy to maintain the momentum generated by our faculty and the ability to coordinate with the other key people essential to gaining acceptance of the new program within the university. He possesses all the traits necessary to lead us through the accreditation process," said Jack Clinton, D.M.D., dean of the OHSU School of Dentistry.

Heringer is a 1971 graduate of the OHSU School of Dentistry. He received his pediatric residency certification from Children's Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio, in 1977. He then joined the staff of Salem Hospital where he held a variety of positions, including chairman of the dental department. In 1990 Heringer received his Board Certification in Pediatric Dentistry from the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. He has a pediatric dentistry practice in Salem, Ore.

Heringer began working for OHSU began in 1992 as an assistant professor in both graduate and undergraduate pediatric dentistry programs.

He also served as vice chairman of the Oregon Dental Association and chairman of the association's Give Kids a Smile Day, and he has been active in Northwest Medical Teams International working in Mexico, Romania and Panama.

Heringer, who has already begun his new duties, will gradually be increasing his time commitment with the school during the next few months. Some of those duties involve selecting the first pediatric residents into the program. The goal is to have pediatric residents enter the program in July 2005.

"I am excited by this opportunity. It is my belief that a pediatric dentistry residency program will strengthen the entire dental experience for students. By interacting on a daily basis with the residents, the undergraduate students will be able to see first-hand the depth of patient conditions that can be treated by pediatric dentists. They can then carry this learning into their practices, creating better partnerships between general dentists and pediatric dentists in our area," Heringer said.

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