Meet the clinical leadership teams in student clinics
Dental students provide patient care under the supervision of experienced faculty in the School of Dentistry’s student clinics. Photo by Kyle Rogers.
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s student clinics are organized into five color-coded group practices, each supported by a dedicated team of faculty and staff who oversee patient care and support the clinical education of dental students.
Under the supervision of faculty, dental and dental hygiene students provide comprehensive oral health care to patients while gaining hands-on clinical experience. Each group practice is led by a group practice director, first attending, second attending, and patient care coordinator. Carole Ortegon is the dental clinic manager, and Sandra Hernandez serves as the lead patient care coordinator for the student clinics.
The clinical leadership teams for the student clinics are:
Blue Group Practice
- Group Practice Director: Randal Glenn, DDS
- First Attending: Dianna Arriaga, DDS, MEd
- Second Attending: Kathy Gibson, DDS
- Patient Care Coordinator: Vaishali Rana
Green Group Practice
- Group Practice Director: Elham Abbassi, DDS
- First Attending: Behshid Bahraini, DDS, MS
- Second Attending: Elizabeth Hamilton, DDS
- Patient Care Coordinator: Julie Alexander
Orange Group Practice
- Group Practice Director: Steve Laman, DDS
- First Attending: Vinu Sista, DDS
- Second Attending: Robert “Bobby” Stephen, DDS
- Patient Care Coordinator: Joselin Herrera
Red Group Practice
- Group Practice Director: Michele Bright, DDS
- First Attending: Gary Pillers, DDS
- Second Attending: Ahmad Naraghi, DDS
- Patient Care Coordinator: Angela Norman
Yellow Group Practice
- Group Practice Director: Saba Khan, DMD
- First Attending: Bano Ali, DMD
- Second Attending: John Lauten, DDS
- Patient Care Coordinator: Victoria Garza
Carole Ortegon is the dental clinic manager, and Sandra Hernandez serves as the lead patient care coordinator for the student clinics.