Creighton University

Creighton University School of Dentistry

• Faculty

Dr. Murdock was born in the Buffalo, New York area and attended Canisius College in Buffalo for her undergraduate studies.  She received her D.D.S. degree from Creighton University in 1984 after which she entered general practice dentistry in rural Iowa for 14 years.  Dr. Murdock joined the faculty of the School of Dentistry in August of 1998 and is currently the Chair of the General Dentistry Department and an Assistant Professor of General Dentistry.  She also serves as the director of the preclinical operative dentistry didactic and technique courses.

Phone: (402) 280-5271

email: cmurdock@creighton.edu

Mrs. Beehner is originally from the Chicago area.  She graduated from Marquette University with a B.S. degree in Dental Hygiene.  In 2000, she received her M.S. degree in Counseling.  Mrs. Beehner joined the faculty of Creighton University School of Dentistry in 1993.  Her special interest is in managing patients with fears and anxieties.  She is currently an Assistant Professor in General Dentistry and has been actively involved in private practice for over 30 years.

Phone: (402) 280-4523

email: beehner@creighton.edu

Dr. Benn was born in London, England and studied dentistry at The London Hospital Medical College, University of London. He spent 10 years as a General Dentist with  interests in providing minor  oral surgery and routine care for patients with special needs. During this time he obtained a Masters  in Computer Science in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) . For the following 6 years he was a Research Fellow in the Dept. of General Dentistry and Public Health, University College London Dental School and was awarded a PhD for developing AI techniques to detect and monitor caries and the periodontal diseases. He then moved to Guy’s Hospital, University of London and trained as an Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologist becoming a diplomate of the Royal College of Radiologists (England).  In 1992 he moved to the University of Florida and became Professor of Maxillofacial Radiology.  During this time he was Editor-in-Chief of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, the journal of the International Association of Dental & Maxillofacial Radiology. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers and is the inventor on several patents.

In 2009 he joined CUSD as Professor of Maxillofacial Radiology and studied for his DDS to become a member of the 2010 graduating class. His responsibilities are the development of the radiology curriculum as well as expanding the Cone Beam CT service. His current research is on creating teaching software for radiographic anatomy of the head and neck to interpret CT images. A related area is the development of automated methods for recognizing CT anatomy.

Phone:  402-280-5025

Email:  douglasbenn@creighton.edu

Dr. Carroll is a native of Omaha, Nebraska.  She attended Creighton University for her undergraduate studies and received her D.D.S. degree from the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry in 1984.  Dr. Carroll joined the full-time faculty of the School of Dentistry in 2000.  She is currently an Associate Professor of General Dentistry.  She has maintained a private practice since graduation and brings this experience to the School’s Acute Care Clinic for her primary clinical teaching responsibility.  She is also the Co-course Director for the Dental Anatomy Laboratory.

Phone: (402) 280-4569

email: lcarroll@creighton.edu

Dr. Cavel, a Professor of General Dentistry, is a native of Omaha, Nebraska.  He received his D.D.S. degree from Creighton University in 1970 after which he served two years in the U.S. Army as a dental officer at Fort Monroe, Virginia.  He joined the faculty of the School of Dentistry in 1970.  He has twice served as the Chair of the former Department of Operative Dentistry and is a Past President of the Central Regional Dental Testing Service.  He is the inaugural inductee of the Raymond W. Shaddy Endowed Chair in Operative Dentistry, a position he still holds.  In addition to serving as the Director of the preclinical course in Dental Anatomy, Dr. Cavel also maintains a private practice in Omaha.

Phone: (402) 280-5078

email: wtcavel@creighton.edu

Dr. Franco is a 1972 graduate of Creighton University School of Dentistry.  He joined the Dental School faculty in 1974 after completing two years of military service as a dental officer.  Dr. Franco is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of General Dentistry.  He also maintains a private general dentistry practice with the Creighton Dental Faculty Practice group.

Phone: (402) 280-5074

email: sfranco@creighton.edu

Dr. Ken Hermsen was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska.  After graduation from high school, he attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduating with a B.S. Degree in Chemistry in 1971.  His dental career began in 1975 following graduation from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry.  After two years in general practice, he returned to the University of Nebraska for a residency in Endodontics, receiving an M.S. degree and a Certificate in Endodontics in 1980.  From 1977 until 1990, he was an Associate Professor at the Creighton University School of Dentistry and practiced part-time.  He left teaching in 1990 to enter full-time Endodontic practice in Omaha.  In 2006, he retired from practice and returned once again to teaching at Creighton University School of Dentistry.
 

In addition to Endodontics, Dr. Hermsen has a strong interest in Forensic Odontology.  He is a member of Region 7 DMORT, where he participated in the identification of the victims of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on 9/11 and the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  He is also a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American Society of Forensic Odontology.

Phone: (402) 280-4574

email: kennethhermsen@creighton.edu

Dr. Hess is a native of Omaha, Nebraska.  He earned his B.S. degree in 1969 and his M.S. degree in 1971 from Creighton University.  He received his D.D.S. degree in 1978, also from Creighton.  He began his pathology training in 1989 at the University of Iowa and received his Certificate in Pathology in 1992 from that institution.  He concluded a 23 year career in the United States Army Dental Corps in 2002 and is currently an Associate Professor of General Dentistry.

Phone: (402) 280-5642

email: sjhess@creighton.edu

Dr. Higginbotham is originally from Council Bluffs, Iowa.  He is a 1967 graduate of Creighton University School of Dentistry.  Following graduation, he served two years in the U.S. Army as a dental officer.  Dr. Higginbotham entered private practice in 1969 after which he joined the faculty of the School of Dentistry in 1973.  He has served as Chair of the former Department of Comprehensive Dental Care and as the Associate Dean for Clinical Services / Director of Clinics.  He is currently an Associate Professor of General Dentistry and is the Director of Continuing Dental Education.

Phone: (402) 280-4586

email: dhiggin@creighton.edu

Dr. Kimmes was raised in Hosmer, South Dakota.  She received her B.S. degree from Northern State University in 1997.  She attended Creighton University School of Dentistry and graduated with a D.D.S. degree in 2001.  Dr. Kimmes joined the School of Dentistry faculty following graduation and is currently an Assistant Professor of General Dentistry.  She also maintains a private practice in Omaha.

Phone: (402) 280-3961

email: nsk62362@creighton.edu

Dr. Matranga is originally from Rockford, Illinois.  He received his D.D.S. degree from Marquette University in 1966 and his M.S. degree in General Dentistry from the University of Texas at Houston in 1983.  He retired from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of Colonel in 1988.  He joined the faculty at the School of Dentistry in 1988 as a member of the former Department of Fixed Prosthodontics.  In 1989, he was made Chair of the former Department of Comprehensive Dental Care, a position he held until the departmental re-organization project in 2000.  He is currently an Associate Professor of General Dentistry and he maintains a private practice in Omaha.

Phone: (402) 280-4556

email: matranga@creighton.edu

Dr. Moore is a native of Cambridge, Ohio, and a 1974 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry.  Dr. Moore served in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years attaining the rank of Colonel.  He is a graduate of the two-year comprehensive general dentistry residency at Wilford Hall USAF Medical in San Antonio, Texas, and is a Diplomate of the Federal Services Board of General Dentistry. He is an Assistant Professor in General Dentistry.

Phone:

email: stephenmoore@creighton.edu

Dr. Mowat is originally from Joliet, Illinois.  He received his D.D.S. degree from the University of Illinois in 1959.  He then served two years in the U.S. Air Force as a dental officer.  Dr. Mowat joined the faculty of the School of Dentistry in 1964.  He is currently an Associate Professor of General Dentistry.  Dr. Mowat also maintains a private practice in Omaha.

Phone: (402) 280-5621

email: bmowat@creighton.edu

Dr. Naughton is a native of St. Louis, Missouri.  He is a 1978 graduate of the Creighton University School of Dentistry.  Dr. Naughton joined the faculty of the Department of General Dentistry in 2000 upon completion of a 20 year career in the United States Air Force Dental Corps.

Phone: (402) 280-4565

email: wnaughto@creighton.edu

Dr. O’Meara received his D.D.S. degree from Creighton University in 1986.  He then entered private practice in Des Moines, Iowa and continued such until 1997.  Dr. O’Meara then served as the Vice-President of Provider Relations for Delta Dental Plan of Iowa prior to joining the faculty of Creighton University School of Dentistry in March of 2001.  Dr. O’Meara is currently an Assistant Professor of General Dentistry.

Phone: (402) 280-3420

email: jomeara@creighton.edu

Dr. Shaddy was born in Wurzburg, Germany while his father was in the U. S. Army Dental Corps.  He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and attended Seattle University for his undergraduate studies.  He received his D.D.S. degree from Creighton University in 1988.  Following graduation, Dr. Shaddy entered private practice on a full-time basis and joined the School of Dentistry as a part-time faculty member.  He became a full-time faculty member in the former Department of Operative Dentistry in 1998.  He is currently an Assistant Professor of General Dentistry and is director of the third-year didactic curriculum in operative dentistry.  Dr. Shaddy is a member of the Air Force Reserves Dental Corp and he maintains a private practice in Omaha.

Phone: (402) 280-5226

email: shaddy@creighton.edu

A 1973 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Shaner received his M.S. degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Texas at Houston Dental Branch in 1978.  Dr. Shaner joined the full-time faculty of Creighton University School of Dentistry in 1999 after having served in the U. S. Air Force and retiring with the rank of Colonel.  Dr. Shaner is an Associate Professor of General Dentistry and is the director of courses in Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine, and Temporomandibular Disorders.  He also maintains a private practice in Omaha.

Phone: (402) 280-4579

email: jwshaner@creighton.edu

Dr. Tamisiea is originally from Missouri Valley, Iowa.  He attended Creighton University as an undergraduate from 1952 to 1954.  He then graduated from Creighton with his D.D.S. degree in 1958.  He also earned a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Iowa in 1974.  Dr. Tamisiea has been associated with the School of Dentistry at Creighton University since 1960, either as a teacher or administrator (17 years as Assistant/Associate Dean of Academic Affairs). He currently is a Professor of General Dentistry.

Phone: (402) 280-5229

email: pault@creighton.edu