Contact: Amy Gilliam

Gaston Toolo

Toolo is a native of Cameroon in central Africa. He would like to return to his home country and start a dental school with links to the UK College of Dentistry.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 21, 2005) -- Third-year University of Kentucky College of Dentistry student Gaston Toolo was selected for February’s front cover of the Journal of Dental Education, the American Dental Education Association’s national monthly publication.

Dental schools throughout the nation submit multiple photographs of students annually for selection by the journal’s editorial staff for use on the cover of the magazine.

“I am highly impressed with Gaston’s level of dedication to service and his emphasis on the social side of the profession of dentistry as well as ethics in the practice of dentistry,” said Dr. Sharon P. Turner, dean, UK College of Dentistry. “He is a very hard worker and is always delightfully upbeat. I think that his classmates truly appreciate his maturity, sensitivity and easy-going nature. I am pleased that Gaston related to us that he chose UK because he believed that our commitment to equal opportunity was deep, genuine and sincere.”

The College of Dentistry has a rich tradition of public service programs that partner with communities and state and local governments to address the problems of oral disease. Its three mobile dental vans, staffed by UK faculty, residents and students, travel daily to rural areas of the Commonwealth to care for children.

“My personal experience has taught me there’s a real need for dentists in inner city areas,” Toolo said.

Toolo is a native of Cameroon in central Africa. He would like to return to his home country and start a dental school with links to the UK College of Dentistry.

Established in 1962, t he UK College of Dentistry has a national and international reputation for its dynamic and innovative approaches to dental education.

The college offers the Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, as well as postdoctoral programs in six fields of study: general practice dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orofacial pain, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and periodontics.