SDM Fall 2025 Newsletter

Is it already November?  Wow!  It seems like just yesterday that our inaugural class started.  They are now a month away from completing the fall semester.

It has been a very busy autumn for the team.  Besides all of the teaching in the D1 fall semester program, the team is preparing for the spring term,  recruiting new faculty for the main campus team, recruiting and interviewing students for the Class of 2030 (we have received over 850 applications this cycle) preparing to welcome our first group of clinical faculty in January, and in the midst of all this, packing up our offices in Iron Horse Lodge and move into our new space in “the building formally known as DOT” (hopeful some get the Prince reference!).

I hope you enjoy this quarterly update and look for our next one in mid/late January 2026.

David Grow, DDS, Professor of Dentistry

Dr. David E Grow was born in Moses Lake, WA, and raised in Grandview, WA, where his father practiced dentistry for 45 years. He grew up on a family concord grape farm with an older brother and younger sister, where he learned the value of a rural lifestyle and hard work.

He attended Seattle Pacific University (1979-1982), where he met his wife, Beverly of 43 years, and majored in Biology.  He received his DDS in 1986 from the University of Washington.

Dr. Grow, his wife, and 2-year-old son returned to the Yakima Valley after graduation and was in private practice in Prosser, WA for 35 years. His second son and daughter were born in Prosser.  All three children are now married, and he and Bev have 11 grandchildren.

His practice, Highland Family Dentistry, was a true “family” practice serving infants to seniors. He focused on having a tight-knit team that provided care for the whole person with excellence, compassion, and humor.

Dr. Grow served as a Clinical Instructor at the Yakima Valley Dental Hygiene Program through the years.  He has provided dental care all around the globe, including Ukraine, Solomon Islands, and Peru.

Dr. Grow is a Lifetime member of ADA/WSDA/YVDS, Rotary International, and the Church of the Nazarene.  He served as President of the Board for the Prosser Boys and Girls Club, Prosser Rotary, and Church Board.  

He has enjoyed coaching youth soccer, basketball, and high school basketball.  His hobbies include golf, woodworking, yardwork, cooking, travel, and spending time with his grandchildren.

“I am eternally thankful for my career in dentistry,” said Dr Grow. “We enjoyed serving Prosser for 35 years and raising our family in a small, tight-knit community. I always felt like my staff and patients were a part of our extended family and loved working with them all.”

Dr. Grow stated, “I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the team at PNWU SDM and working with the aspiring new dentists. I hope that I can in some small way help prepare them for their futures in dentistry.”

Kevin Hudson, DDS, FACP, Associate Professor of Dentistry

Dr. Hudson started his healthcare career in 1992 working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. In 1995, he graduated from Lewis-Clark State College with an Associate of Science in Nursing, and in 1996 he completed his Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing. For several years, Dr. Hudson worked full-time as a Registered Nurse while continuing his pre-doctoral coursework and tutoring students in Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Pathogenic Microbiology, Pathophysiology and Biological Sciences. It was in this capacity he found his love of teaching in both academic and nonacademic settings.

In 2003, he earned his Doctorate in Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from the Creighton University School of Dentistry. He passed the Central Regional Dental Testing Board, and entered full-time military service, being commissioned as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps. After completing an Advanced Education General Dentistry residency, he completed Combat Casualty Care Course, and completed Field Medical School and was attached to the U. S. Marines stationed in Twentynine Palms, California where he was the dental liaison officer for 1st Tank Battalion as well as Delta Company, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion. In this capacity as a “Devil Doc,” he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal and earned the Fleet Marine Force Warfare Insignia.

Dr. Hudson completed his residency in the specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, at Naval Medical Center San Diego, graduating in 2010. Later, he was assigned to duty as the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, where he was awarded his first Navy Commendation Medal and earned his Surface Warfare Dental Officer Insignia. After serving two years aboard the USS Nimitz, he was selected to become the Chief of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Naval Hospital Bremerton.

During his tenure, as an active member of the Directorate for Surgical Services, he was awarded his second Navy Commendation Medal. After almost 14 years of active duty military service, Dr. Hudson transitioned into private practice in St. Paul Minnesota, then finally in Yakima, Washington where he continues to practice as the owner of Yakima Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Dr. Hudson is currently a Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserves.

Construction of our three community clinics is progressing.  In Tacoma, the Sea Mar team is in the midst of renovating the building.  PNWU President Dr Mittelman visited the site earlier this month and received a tour from Sea Mar Dental Director Dr Alex Narvaez.  In Kennewick and Yakima, the framing of the new clinics is almost complete, just in time for the winter weather.  All three projects are on schedule.

As mentioned above, the team moved into our new offices at the beginning of the month.  It is wonderful to have the team finally all together in one space!  Everyone is getting settled and comfortable in this beautiful new space.  Special thanks to the PNWU Facilities team for making the move as painless as possible!

John Gibbons, DMD

Dr. John Gibbons is a retired pediatric dentist who practiced for over 35 years in Silverdale, Washington. Dr. Gibbons has had the privilege of being involved in many different leadership positions during his career. At the state level, he served as both the President of the Washington State Dental Association (WSDA) and the Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (WSAPD). Nationally, he had the opportunity to serve as the Western District Trustee for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and as the President of the Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry. Currently, he sits on various state and national committees, including the Chair of the AAPD PAC Steering Committee

His passion is advocacy, especially issues related to the underserved. Two Washington state Medicaid bills he worked on were passed into law: a dental Medicaid audit bill and an ABCD Expansion bill that brought better access for dental healthcare to children with disabilities. In 2024, Dr. Gibbons made unsuccessful bid to run for the Washington State House of Representatives Legislative District 23 in hopes of improving healthcare in his state. He is the recipient of the WSDA President’s Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to dentistry in the state of Washington.

Dr. Gibbons received his DMD from Washington University School of Dental Medicine in St. Louis and completed a two-year pediatric dental residency at Oregon Health Sciences University. He is a graduate of the AAPD’s Leadership Institutes and received Executive Leadership Certificates from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and Wharton School of Executive Education. 

When asked how he felt about being on the SDM Leadership Council, Dr. Gibbons shared, “It is an honor to serve on the Pacific Northwest University School of Dental Medicine Leadership Council with prestigious state and national leaders who are committed to the education of our future generation of healthcare professionals.  The PNWU SDM is a dental school that is dedicated to providing an education based on care for those from underserved communities. The clinical experience the dental students will receive at FQHCs will make a lasting impact on both the students and their patients lives and I am excited to be involved with this great program.”

Kristi Trickett, DO

Dr. Kristi Trickett earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima, Washington, and completed her Family Medicine Residency at Central Washington Family Medicine in 2019.

She currently serves as the Medical Director at the Yakima Union Gospel Mission Medical Care Center, a free clinic dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality care to uninsured and underinsured individuals throughout the Yakima Valley. Dr. Trickett is also an adjunct faculty member at Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine and participates in the Leadership Council for PNWU’s School of Dental Medicine.

Passionate about interprofessional collaboration, Dr. Trickett works to bring students from diverse healthcare disciplines together to serve the community’s most vulnerable populations. She is deeply committed to caring for individuals experiencing homelessness, supporting Spanish-speaking patients with limited access to resources, and advocating for those in YUGM’s long-term residential addiction recovery program. In her work, she provides medical support, facilitates continuity of care, and helps bridge gaps in treatment access. She continues to champion the integration of YUGM’s medical and dental clinics, promoting stronger collaboration and a more holistic approach to preventive healthcare.

Dr. Trickett values family, language, and culture, and enjoys connecting with people from diverse backgrounds. She and her husband are blessed with five children—first through adoption and later biologically—and cherish the unique journey that built their family.

When asked how she felt about being on the SDM Leadership Council, Dr. Trickett shared, “Being part of the PNWU School of Dental Medicine Leadership Council has been both humbling and inspiring. I work alongside leaders with decades of experience in the dental profession, and while I’m early in my own career, I’ve come to see how my background in family medicine and community health offers a unique bridge between disciplines. I’m learning to embrace my voice and purpose within this remarkable team, united by our shared commitment to service and education in the Yakima Valley.”

Archna Sharma, BDS, MDS, MDSC

Dr. Archna Sharma earned her Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree (BDS) from Manipal University in Karnataka, India in 2002. She also completed her Master’s in Dental Surgery (MDS) in Oral Medicine and Radiology in 2005 from Manipal University.

Dr. Sharma’s teaching journey in India spanned 15 years, during which she was engaged in predoc and postdoc teaching, as well as mentoring PhD scholars. She moved to the United States in 2021, and her passion for Radiology led her to pursue a Residency and Master’s program in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at the University of Connecticut, School of Dental Medicine, with successful completion in June 2025.

She was awarded the “Howard R Raper OMFR” award at AAOMR annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia in 2023 for being a promising post doc student with potential for an academic career in Oral Radiology, as well as the “Albert Gibbs Richards” award for her research project titled “Comparison of incidentally discovered maxillofacial fractures with classical fractures related to possible Intimate Partner Violence on CBCT volumes – Highlighting the role of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologists” in the field of OMFR at the AAOMR Annual Meeting in Hawaii in 2024.

Teaching is her passion, and she always aims to develop creative, engaging, and innovative courses to deliver class materials to students effectively and thoroughly. She believes that “a positive attitude towards diligent teaching with a great aptitude can take the emerging dentists to a high altitude!”