Alumnae appointed to Texas State Board of Dental Examiners

UTHealth School of Dentistry at Houston alumnae Margo Melchor, RDH, EdD, and Yvonne Maldonado, DDS, have been appointed to the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, Gov. Greg Abbott announced May 6. Their terms will expire on Feb. 1, 2027.

TSBDE’s mission is to protect public health and safety and promote high quality and safe dental care by providing enforcement, licensing, peer assistance, and related information services to licensees and their patients.

Melchor, an associate professor and director of community outreach at UTHealth School of Dentistry, has been reappointed to the TSBDE. She was first appointed in November 2017.

“It’s with great gratitude and pride to accept the honor of a board reappointment to the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners by Gov. Abbott,” said Melchor. “My initial term allowed for such a great learning experience as I took part in the mission of protecting the public’s health and providing guidance and reinforcement of licensure rules and regulations for the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene.

“It’s without question the COVID-19 pandemic brought great concern to the citizens of Texas and licensees; therefore, it was essential to implement guidelines that would protect all and allow for the delivery of safe, efficient patient care. I look forward to another term of personal and leadership growth as I work with fellow board members to uphold the charge bestowed upon me by Gov. Abbott.”

A 2020 recipient of the Hispanic Hero Award, presented by Comcast, Melchor currently serves as faculty advisor for the Hispanic Student Dental Association, which is comprised of both dental and dental hygiene students. She is a member and past national president of Hispanic Dental Association and serves as a board member of the Hispanic Dental Association Foundation which improves Hispanic health through scholarship and leadership opportunities. She was a founding member and past president of the Greater Houston Hispanic Dental Association established in 2002.

Throughout her professional career, Melchor has been an active member of dental hygiene and dental organizations, holding numerous positions at local and state levels, including president of the Greater Houston Dental Hygienists’ Society in 1996-97. She is affiliated with the Texas Dental Hygiene Educators’ Association, American Dental Education Association, Texas Oral Health Coalition, and the American Dental Hygienists’ Association’s Institute for Oral Health Research Grant Committee.

Melchor is also on the board of the San Jose Clinic, and served on the Colgate-Palmolive Research and Development’s Partner’s Board.

Maldonado, who practices at Stevenson’s Dental Ark in El Paso, Texas, has served children, ages 3 to 21, in the public and private practice sectors of her hometown since 2001. She returned home after several years working in an underserved community in Sunland Park, New Mexico, following graduation from UTSD in 1996 (then UT Dental Branch).

Maldonado is a recipient of the Texas Dental Association’s Service Recognition Award for her services to the El Paso Homeless Community as well as the YMCA Recognized Achievement Award. She is a past president of the El Paso District Dental Society and was the first female president elected to the society. Maldonado currently serves on the Peer Review Committee.

Maldonado has held several positions within the TDA, including serving as its director from 2011-12, senior director 2012-13, and vice president 2013-14. She currently serves on the American Dental Association’s Council on Dental Benefit Programs and is a representative on the Dental Quality Alliance for the American Dental Association.