PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville has been awarded a $1 million grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation to support the construction of UPIKE’s Tanner College of Dental Medicine. This transformative investment marks a significant step forward in expanding oral health education and access to oral healthcare in Central Appalachia, a region that has long faced a critical shortage of dental providers.

Construction of the college is underway on UPike’s campus and will be the region’s first dental school. UPike leadership has a deep appreciation for JGBF’s support and its dedication to strengthening communities across Kentucky.

“For decades, the JGBF has invested in projects that will have a lasting impact on the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said UPike President Burton Webb, Ph.D. “We are so pleased and grateful that they have chosen to invest in the Tanner College of Dental Medicine. We believe that, together, we can make an impact on the oral health of Central Appalachia and beyond.”

“The James Graham Brown Foundation has long admired UPike’s leadership and its service to Central Appalachia,” said Mason Rummel, President and CEO of the James Graham Brown Foundation. “This investment in the Tanner College of Dental Medicine reflects our commitment to advancing transformational projects that expand access to education and healthcare, strengthen communities and contribute to a brighter future for Kentucky.”

TCDM will train the next generation of dental professionals using an innovative patient-centered curriculum grounded in community-based care. Its mission is to increase access to quality oral health care, particularly in underserved rural areas, while offering students hands-on clinical experiences in a state-of-the-art facility. TCDM will welcome its first class of students in Summer 2026.

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Jill E. Keaton, DMD, MS, associate dean of clinical affairs at the University of Pikeville, has been named the new dean of the Tanner College of Dental Medicine.

Keaton has served the Eastern Kentucky area for nearly four decades in roles of increasing leadership responsibility, including private dental practice and providing specialty care to patients by owning and operating The Center for TMJ Disorders in Pikeville.

UPike President Burton Webb, Ph.D., announced that Keaton will begin her new role on
Saturday.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Keaton leading the Tanner College of Dental Medicine,” Webb said. “Her strong leadership experience, passion for dental education, and commitment to advancing oral health care, particularly to underserved communities, makes her the ideal leader. We are confident that her leadership will help to elevate the school’s mission regionally while also advancing key community outreach and service goals.”

Keaton has a long and proven record of success and a well-established portfolio. Prior to her position at TCDM, she served as the coordinator for Big Sandy Community & Technical College dental hygiene, dental assisting and community dental health programs. She was one of 29 individuals selected nationally as the recipient of the 2022 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Award from the American Association of Community Colleges.

Since joining TCDM in February 2023 as associate dean of clinical affairs, Keaton has worked to prepare the application for initial accreditation of the dental school with the Commission on Dental Accreditation. She also collaborated with the architectural team to design the dental school, formed partnerships with area stakeholders for external rotations, and networked with other dental school educators to learn more about the changing landscape in dental education with new technology and teaching methodology.

Passionate about dental education, Keaton believes that TCDM will have a tremendous impact on the region by incorporating highly developed technology with a robust curriculum that will provide dental students with a top-notch education.

“It is my honor and privilege to now serve as dean of the TCDM,” Keaton said. “I am thrilled to continue to contribute to creating a state-of-the-art dental school that will provide students with a quality education close to home.”

“UPIKE is forever indebted to the first dean of the dental school, Pamela Sparks-Stein, DMD, MPH, whose vision, brilliance and compassion for underserved people have laid a firm foundation for the success of the Tanner School of Dental Medicine,” said Provost Lori Werth, Ph.D.

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