King honored with Bruning Award for Outstanding Teaching
King brings a student-centered, real-world approach to her teaching, grounded in the belief that dental hygiene education should bridge the gap between the classroom and clinical practice. Photo by Dylan Allen.
Assistant Professor Sumayyah King, RDH, MS, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Lorna J. Bruning Award for Outstanding Teaching at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.
The Bruning Award, selected by second-year dental hygiene students, recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates exceptional knowledge and commitment to effective learning in the classroom and clinic.
King was recognized during the annual Dental Hygiene Awards in May and said she was deeply grateful for the honor.
“Teaching can be a thankless job, and while I don’t do this for the accolades, it does help to be recognized from time to time because it shows me that what I do is effective and meaningful,” she said.
“Since it is the students who choose the winner, receiving this award means a lot to me because I feel like it tells me I am doing something right.”
King brings a student-centered, real-world approach to her teaching, grounded in the belief that dental hygiene education should bridge the gap between the classroom and clinical practice.
“My teaching philosophy is based on the belief that learning should go beyond memorization and help students apply knowledge in real-world settings,” King said.
“In dental hygiene education, this means helping students connect classroom learning to clinical practice so they can make evidence-based decisions in patient care.”
King views the relationship between educator and student as a true partnership and works to foster an inclusive environment where all learners can thrive.
“Students learn in different ways, so I use a variety of methods to reach everyone,” she said. “I strive to create an environment where all students are encouraged to participate, ask questions, and think critically through class discussion, case studies, and reflections.”
King holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology (2010) from Notre Dame College of Ohio, an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene (2016) from Lakeland Community College, and a Master of Science in Dental Hygiene (2020) from the University of Michigan.
Before joining the School of Dentistry faculty in 2022, she practiced clinical dental hygiene for five years and taught clinical dental hygiene for three years in Ohio, bringing a wealth of hands-on experience into the classroom.
King credits a wide network of mentors for shaping her path in dental hygiene education. Educators at Lakeland Community College first sparked her passion for the field as a student, and faculty in the University of Michigan’s Master of Science in Dental Hygiene program further prepared her for a career in academia.
She is grateful for her peers and mentors at the School of Dentistry for their guidance in recent years, including Theresa Dufrene, RDH, MSDH; Harold Henson, RDH, MEd, PhD; Raha Naderi, RDH, MEd; Tulsi Patel, RDH, MHA; and Courtney Routh, RDH, MSDH.
“To the rest of my colleagues in the dental hygiene program, thank you. My success is your success as we all work hard for the benefit of the students,” she said. “Last but most important, thank you to the students past and present. I literally would not have received this honor without them.”
King currently teaches preclinic, local anesthesia, ethics, and applied oral pathology courses in the dental hygiene curriculum. She also serves as a clinic facilitator for dental hygiene students, supporting them through patient communication and treatment documentation, and is the vice chair — and incoming chair — of the Dental Hygiene Admissions and Curriculum Committee.
The Bruning Award comes with a cash prize. Previous winners include:
- Courtney Routh, RDH, MSDH, 2025
- Leanna Nguyen, RDH, BSDH, MS, 2024
- Tulsi Patel, RDH, MHA, 2023, 2018
- Anahita Mortazavi, BSND, BDSH, RDH, MEd, 2022
- Raha Naderi, RDH, MEd, 2021
- Kathy Colston, RDH, BSDH, 2020
- Amber Lovatos, RDH, BSDH, 2019
- Deborah Vayon, RDH, MEd, 2017
- Ruth Conn, RDH, MSDH, 2016
- Darla McKitrick, RDH, MS, 2015
- Donna Warren Morris, RDH, MEd, 2014
- Harold Henson, RDH, MEd, 2013, 2008
- Joanna Allaire, RDH, MDH, 2012, 2010
- Nina Bay Infante, RDH, MS, 2011
- Holly Rice, RDH, MEd, 2009
- Ann O’Kelly Wetmore, RDH, MSDH, 2007
- Jayne McWherter, RDH, MEd, 2006
- Amy Murphy, RDH, BS, 2005