Nashville dentist Walter R. Owens will be installed as the 86th president of the National Dental Association on December 5 at the Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel in Nashville.
Dr. Owens, a native of Nashville, practiced dentistry in Tennessee for more than 25 years before retiring from private practice in 2005. He currently serves as senior development officer for the Meharry Medical College of Dentistry.
“I am honored to serve as head of one of the nation’s largest professional health care associations during this important time for health care policy in our nation’s history,” said Dr. Owens, who was elected for a one-year term. “The National Dental Association has been the leader in representing the concerns of ethnic minorities in dentistry and I look forward to continuing that mission.”
Dr. Owens promotes dental health awareness for the disadvantaged through many public and private organizations and recently spoke to congressional representatives on Capitol Hill regarding the Deamonte Driver bill and other related legislation affecting access to care.
The 96-year-old National Dental Association is the leading voice and advocate of oral health care concerns for ethnic minorities. Its mission is to elevate the global oral health concerns of underserved communities and to enhance educational and financial opportunities and public policy awareness for its members.
