A Leader of Transformation

An internationally respected scholar, clinician and public health advocate, Dr. Niessen brings decades of leadership in dental education, health policy and geriatric oral health. As the founding dean of the CDM, she has guided the college from concept to reality, shaping its mission, recruiting its faculty, and designing a curriculum built around service to rural and underserved communities.

Under her leadership, the College achieved a critical milestone in 2022, receiving initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), a rigorous national standard required for any new dental school to begin educating students.

Even more remarkable, in 2025 the CDM successfully maintained accreditation with no recommendations from site visitors – an accomplishment that is almost unheard of for a newly established dental school and a powerful affirmation of the strength of the program that Dr. Niessen has built.

Today, the state-of-the-art Harry M. Cornell Oral Health Center stands as a hub for dental education, patient care and community engagement. Faculty have been recruited from across the country, and students committed to service and rural practice now span three cohorts. And clinical partnerships are expanding access to care throughout the four-state region.

Under Dr. Niessen’s leadership, what began as a bold idea has become a powerful force for improving oral health in communities that have long gone without adequate access to care.

Now, as the inaugural class approaches graduation and the CDM enters its next phase of growth, you have an opportunity to help KCU not only celebrate the extraordinary leadership that launched this effort, but also to ensure that the College will always attract leaders of similar vision, experience and commitment.