He is an American College of Dentists fellow and a diplomate
of the American Board of General Dentistry, where he serves on
the board of directors. In 2018, he received Mastership status
in the Academy of General Dentistry. He has authored or
co-authored several dental journal articles and serves as a contributor
to the Merck Manuals on three dental-related subjects.
Hennessy enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife,
Carolyn, three children and four-year-old granddaughter.
Dr. Faizan Kabani
The past two years have been particularly noteworthy for
Dr. Faizan Kabani, an assistant professor in the Caruth School
of Dental Hygiene, as he picked up a slew of prestigious awards.
But being named Dental Hygiene Teacher of the Year by far
means the most.
“I hold this unique honor particularly close to my heart,” he
says. “This distinguished award is voted on and presented by
the student body and, in my opinion, is a measure of success an
educator can be immensely proud of.”
Given the challenges that students navigated after COVID-19
prompted a transition to online classes, Kabani says their vote
of confidence is especially significant.
“I have been able to develop special bonds with each of my students
as we endeavored through these uncharted times,” he
says. “I feel blessed and humbled by their recognition of me.”
The college has become a special place for Kabani, both professionally
and personally. In addition to bonding with students
and alumni, he has built “warm rapport” with colleagues. He
relishes inspiring future dental professionals and helping them
become “culturally and clinically competent, evidence-based
practitioners.”
The spark to educate others was instilled during his five-year
stint in the special needs dental clinic at Texas Scottish Rite
Hospital for Children. Along the way, those teachable moments
motivated him to shift his career track.
Kabani earned his doctorate in public health in 2017 from the
University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.
He has a master’s degree in health care administration and a
master’s in business administration from the University of
Texas at Arlington. He received his bachelor’s
degree in dental hygiene from Texas Woman’s
University in Denton in 2011.
Just this year, Kabani also has received
the Betty M. Unterberger Award from Texas
A&M University, the Heart to Hands Award from
Philips and RDH magazine and Texas Woman’s
University’s Hallmark Alumni Award, as well as
being inducted into Sigma Phi Alpha dental
hygiene honor society by the Caruth School
of Dental Hygiene. Last year, he accepted
the Teaching Award for Interprofessional Excellence
from Texas A&M Health Science
Center, Junior Faculty Award from the American
Dental Education Association and Texas A&M
University College of Dentistry’s Teaching
Excellence Award. In 2018, he won the prestigious
Educator of the Year Award from the
American Dental Hygienists’ Association.
Kabani is a fellow of the American Dental Education Association’s
Leadership Institute and a fellow of the American Academy
of Dental Hygiene. He belongs to the American Dental
Education Association, American Dental Hygienists’ Association,
American Association for Dental Research, American
Association of Public Health Dentistry, and Special Care Dentistry
Association.
Kabani and his wife, Sanya, love to travel and are enjoying their
new role as parents to their baby girl, Nisa.
Texas A&M College of
Dentistry (formerly Baylor
College of Dentistry) in
Dallas is a part of Texas
A&M University and Texas
A&M Health Science Center.
Founded in 1905, the
College of Dentistry is a
nationally recognized center
for oral health sciences
education, research, specialized patient care and continuing dental education.
Learn more at dentistryinsider.tamhsc.edu or follow @TAMUdental.
www.northtexasdentistry.com | NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY 15