Oral Health Champion Awardees are selected by the MCOH Board upon the recommendation of the Conference Planning Committee. Nominations are based on significant state-level work on oral health policy that contributes to improving Missouri's oral health or making oral health and oral health policy a priority for policy-makers and the Missouri public.
Dr. Aaron Bumann, DDS, FACD, FAAPD
Diplomate - American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Public Policy Advocate - Missouri Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
Aaron Bumann is in private practice in Liberty, Missouri and is the Public Policy Advocate for the Missouri Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Aaron is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Upon graduation he completed an AEGD at the Center for Family Health in Jackson, Michigan before moving to Danville, Pennsylvania to complete his pediatric dental training at Geisinger Medical Center. He has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Michigan as well as the University of Missouri, Kansas City, and frequently lectures to dental students about ethics, advocacy, and organized dentistry. He currently serves as chair for the council for government affairs for the AAPD.
Dr. Ron Wilkerson, DMD
President Elect, Missouri Dental Association
Dr. Ron Wilkerson graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine in 2008. He has been a Medicaid provider since that same year. He co-organized the New Dentist Committee, contributing to the success of the annual Missouri Dental Association meeting focused on engaging new dentists. Dr. Wilkerson has served on the Missouri Dental Association board since 2013, holding various roles including New Dentist Trustee, Treasurer, and Legislative and Regulatory Chair. He is currently the President Elect of the Missouri Dental Association. Additionally, he served on the Governor's task force for COVID-19 reopening guidelines for dental offices in Missouri and was active in passing the limited adult benefit expansion for Medicaid. Dr. Wilkerson has also advocated for Medicaid reimbursement increases in Missouri. He currently chairs the Missouri Dental Advisory Committee and has been involved with the Missouri Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA) program since 2011, including the expansion of the Restorative II module to enhance patient care. Furthermore, he is currently participating in the Oral Health Pilot Project aimed at increasing access to dental care for patients in both rural and urban areas.
Dr. Emily Hahn, DDS
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Skyview Pediatric Dentistry, Washington University, and St. Louis Children's Hospital
Dr. Emily Hahn is the owner and founder of Skyview Pediatric Dentistry located within the St. Louis Children's Hospital West County Specialty Care Center. She is a voluntary professor at Washington University and is the craniofacial team dentist at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Emily's vision was to incorporate Medicaid and children with special health care needs into a private practice-- 5 years later that dream is a reality. She attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI for both undergrad and dental school. Emily completed her pediatric dental training in Yakima, WA through Lutheran Medical Center. During her residency, she also completed a certificate in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities through the University of Washington. Emily is the president elect for the Greater St. Louis Dental Society, serves on the board for the Missouri Dental Association Foundation and sits on the committee for Special Health Care Needs for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Above all else, Emily is the mom to Aiden (7) and Alex (3) and wife to Corey.
Special recognition for exceptional contributions to Missouri's oral health.
Dr. Michael McCunniff, DDS, MS
Professor Emeritus, UMKC School of Dentistry
Dr. Michael McCunniff (Professor Emeritus) is a retired Professor from University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Dentistry and past Chair in the Department of Dental Public Health & Behavioral Science and Director of Outreach programs. Dr. McCunniff earned his DDS degree from UMKC in 1983, completed his residency in Dental Public Health from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1995 and became Board Certified and a Diplomate in Dental Public Health in 2003. Dr. McCunniff is an active member of the following organizations: the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, American Dental Education Association, American Dental Association, and the National Disaster Medical System. Research interests include access to oral health care among underserved populations and dental education. Access to care topics have included evaluation of state Medicaid programs, obesity in children, oral and pharyngeal cancer, dental workforce, and oral health and Emergency Room visits related to oral health issues. Dental education topics have included community-based service learning, extra-mural training programs, and Inter-Professional Education in Health Professional Schools.