MCC's Dr. Paige Pennington Receives 2024 Crooks Teaching Chair
To enhance dental hygiene students' education experience, Meridian Community College
Director of Dental Programs Dr. Paige Pennington has been awarded the MCC Foundation's
2024 William Crooks Teaching Chair.
The Crooks Chairholder can initiate or refine course or program development, purchase books, materials, and/or equipment to improve a course or program, and/or develop new programs, performances, or events.
Mississippi law now allows dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia. With the passage of the new statute, Dr. Pennington and fellow MCC dental program instructors will focus on teaching students how to administer local anesthesia. The award will support the development of didactic modules and hands-on training, including simulators for students to practice and refine their skills. "It's important that our students feel confident in their technical skills before actually giving an injection to a patient the first time," she said.
The Crooks Teaching Chair, one of the first endowed chairs in any Mississippi community college and among a few endowed chairs in the nation's community colleges, celebrates the life of Crooks, his dedication to education, and the building of community in East Mississippi.
Dr. Pennington, who has been a part of MCC since 2015, shared her excitement upon receiving the award. "We are absolutely thrilled to win this award! We can create an excellent skills lab now," she said, explaining with the support of dental program colleagues Karen McPherson, Kelli Bounds, and Shannon McCharen, they will implement this skill into the Dental Hygiene Technology curriculum, ensuring that students are prepared to meet the profession's standards.
With a strong background in dentistry and education, Dr. Pennington was drawn to MCC by the recommendation of a friend and former classmate, Dr. Jennifer Avara-Lott, and an MCC alum. The College's reputation for providing a solid educational foundation and a positive work environment for faculty members further solidified Dr. Pennington's decision to come to MCC.
Dr. Pennington teaches core dental sciences such as dental anatomy, embryology, histology, general and oral pathology, pharmacology, dental ethics and laws, and head and neck anatomy, in addition to overseeing the Dental Hygiene and Dental Assistant programs. Her commitment to excellence in teaching was recognized when she received other MCC Foundation awards, the Dr. Clarence W. Roberts Teacher of the Year in 2023, and the MCCer of the Month in April 2021.
She holds a bachelor of arts in biology and psychology from Converse College and a doctor of dental medicine degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry.
To learn more, visit meridiancc.edu/foundation.