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A Message from the PresidentJune 2012 Nation's chief dental officer on a mission for oral health
But that wasn't the original plan. "Life is odd and amazing on so many levels," he said. Bailey had earned an undergraduate degree in social sciences and become an elementary school teacher. He had taken night classes with dreams of becoming a veterinarian. A friend of his wife's family — a regional dental consultant — changed all that. "He urged me to consider a dental career. I applied to dental school instead of veterinary school, and that was one of the best decisions of my life." Bailey entered the USPHS upon graduation from dental school and his first assignment was working at the Westside Health Center operated by Denver Health and Hospitals. "From the first week, I found it to be intrinsically rewarding to work with individuals and families that faced challenges obtaining health care, yet often had pronounced health disparities and complex, unmet health needs," he said. Bailey's assignments included the National Health Service Corps, Bureau of Prisons and the Indian Health Service. "Helping others and improving their lives is naturally rewarding, and I feel fortunate and privileged to have used my time and talents serving vulnerable and underserved populations."
Yet it's the path Bailey took to his prestigious post that continues to inspire him in his quest for oral health access for all. He recalls the stories and faces of his patients and their unique needs: "The elderly man who wept when his last remaining tooth was removed -- the tooth was nonfunctional, but to lose that last tooth meant defeat to him; the mother of four young children who felt so bad that she could not afford their needed dental services, even though our clinic had modest prices based on a sliding fee scale; the tough-guy prison inmate who was so afraid to sit in the dental chair he was shaking, and his appreciation for being treated in an understanding and compassionate manner; the school nurses on Guam that worked tirelessly to get school children in for dental sealants; the 2- to 5-year-olds who needed all four upper anterior incisors extracted; and the water utility operators who were skeptical about adding fluoride to the water supply. These stories are vivid in my memory." Bailey credits the CU School of Dental Medicine with enabling him to embark on his notable career. "The educational foundation we received through the School of Dental Medicine was superb. Our curriculum was more comprehensive than what was taught in most schools and in many ways the procedures we learned during four years were comparable to what is now provided in post-doctoral advanced practice residencies," he said. "Despite all highly technological and complex lessons learned, perhaps the greatest lesson was a simple one: Dentistry requires a team approach, both within and external to the dental office. Building positive relationships and developing interprofessional connections are critically important to success." The students of the School of Dental Medicine have formed a student chapter of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. Recently Bailey was invited as a guest speaker for the student chapter's inaugural meeting to highlight career opportunities in the USPHS and the roles of dentists in times of public health emergencies. More than 50 dental students attended the evening presentation and requested follow-up information. "The education and friendships I developed at the School Of Dental Medicine have been invaluable to my career. It was a privilege to recently visit the school, tour the new space and meet with administrative and faculty leaders at the School of Dental Medicine," he said. "Mostly it was a thrill to engage in a dialogue with dental students and experience their optimism, quest for knowledge and enthusiasm. The University of Colorado has much to be proud of and is continuing to build bright futures for generations of dentists." 
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| Office of the President, University of Colorado 1800 Grant Street, Suite 800, Denver, CO 80203 General Phone: (303) 860-5600 | Fax: (303) 860-5610 |
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For Rear Admiral William "Bill" Bailey, becoming a dentist wasn't a career choice as much as a calling. Bailey, who earned his DDS from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine in 1982, is the chief dental officer for the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and acting director for the Division of Oral Health within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He was appointed by the Surgeon General in May 2010.
Within the USPHS and at CDC, Bailey works to strengthen the capacity of state oral health programs to implement prevention interventions. He's building the evidence base for preventive strategies through prevention research and program evaluation; strengthening state and national capacity to monitor oral health; and disseminating effective prevention practices to health professionals and the public.