School of Dentistry alumni honored for exceptional service to their communities

Published on Monday, January 27, 2025

By: Rachel Vanderford, rvanderford@umc.edu

Photos By: Jay Ferchaud/ UMMC Communications

The University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry recently celebrated two outstanding graduates during its annual alumni awards ceremony.  

Dr. Charles Ramsey was named Alumnus of the Year, and Dr. Mary Catherine Hoover was the recipient of the Early Career Achievement Award.  

Ramsey’s exceptional career in dentistry has been anything but conventional.  

After earning a biology degree from Mississippi College (now Mississippi Christian University), Ramsey completed his DMD at UMMC in 1988. The Jackson native had a thriving private practice for 23 years before a devastating spinal injury changed the course of his life and career forever. 

“When I had to sell my practice, I thought my career in dentistry was over,” Ramsey said. “But what I thought was the end turned out to be the beginning of the most rewarding chapter of my life.”  

In 2012, Ramsey joined UMMC as an assistant clinical instructor in the Department of Dental Hygiene, later transitioning to a full-time faculty position in the Department of Care Planning and Restorative Sciences. Over the years, he became a beloved mentor, teaching courses such as head and neck anatomy, local anesthetics and nitrous oxide sedation.  

Ramsey’s influence extended far beyond the classroom. In 2018, he became the first School of Dentistry representative to speak at UMMC’s prestigious “Last Lecture” series, and the following year, he was honored with the Norman C. Nelson Order of Teaching Excellence Award.  

In 2019, Ramsey took on a new challenge, founding the Mississippi Center for Orofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine, a groundbreaking practice in the state. Specializing in treating chronic pain and sleep-disordered breathing, Ramsey has transformed the lives of countless patients while educating dentists statewide about these critical issues.  

“I’ve had the privilege of offering hope to chronic pain patients who felt like they’d run out of options,” he said. “It’s been the most fulfilling work of my career.”  

Ramsey is also deeply committed to service beyond Mississippi. He has participated in eight mission trips to Honduras with Baptist Medical Dental Missions International, where he served on the board of directors, and 12 trips to Belize with Caribbean Resource Ministries. These missions provided vital dental care to underserved communities, often bringing along hygiene students to fluoridate schools and dental students to perform restorative treatments.  

“If you look up the definition of ‘good guy’ in the dictionary, his picture would be there,” said Dr. Britt McCarty, president of the UMMC Dental Alumni Association and a longtime friend of Ramsey. “I’ve known Charles since high school, and then we went to dental school together. He’s contributed so much to the School of Dentistry and to the field of pain management and sleep medicine. I’m proud to call him a friend.”  

Hoover’s career path has also been full of unexpected twists. 

A native of Winona, Hoover was inspired by her father, Dr. Dennis Hoover, who practiced dentistry for over four decades.  

“I grew up watching my dad take care of patients, and I saw the impact he had on our community,” Hoover said. “I never imagined I’d one day step into his shoes.”  

Before pursuing dentistry, Hoover earned a degree in fashion merchandising from Mississippi State University and later opened her own boutique, Very Mary, which became a local success. Her father, who served as her business advisor, unknowingly set the stage for her future career.  

“Running a boutique taught me the business skills I now use every day in my practice,” Hoover said.  

She later decided to follow her father’s footsteps into dentistry. Accepted into the Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program, she completed her DMD at UMMC in 2018. Returning to Winona, she joined her father’s practice, working under his mentorship before taking over the reins when he retired a year later.  

In just a few years, Hoover transformed the practice, upgrading it into a state-of-the-art facility. “What was once a dark room for X-rays is now a digital imaging suite,” she said.  

Hoover remains dedicated to rural dentistry, serving as board chair for the Rural Dentists Scholarship Program. Her practice has become a hub for students exploring careers in dentistry, offering them invaluable mentorship.   

“I call it the ‘straight talk express,’” she said. “I want to give them an honest look at the challenges and rewards of rural dentistry.”  

In addition to her work with students, Hoover has become a leader in organized dentistry, serving as chair of the Council on Administration and trustee for her district with the Mississippi Dental Association. Her commitment to advancing the profession has earned her the respect of her peers statewide.  

“Dr. Hoover has done a lot in her early career. She’s deeply involved in her community and has a bright future ahead,” said McCarty. 

“Dr. Ramsey and Dr. Hoover have both contributed greatly to the UMMC School of Dentistry and I congratulate them on this accolade,” Dr. Pia Chatterjee Kirk, interim dean of the School of Dentistry, said.