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Remembering Dr. Jacob ‘Jake’ McGuire

Former AAE member Jake McGuire, D.D.S., Ph.D., passed away Oct. 17, 2018, following an ongoing health battle with Myasthenia Gravis. He served as interim chair and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, and a research assistant professor in the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) School of Dentistry. He completed his undergraduate studies at UMKC College of Arts and Sciences and graduated from the UMKC School of Dentistry in 1998.

After completing two years of advanced endodontic specialty training at the University of California at Los Angeles, he practiced clinical endodontics for eight years. Upon returning to an academic career, he completed an interdisciplinary doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences and Pharmacology at the UMKC School of Graduate Studies in 2014, where his doctoral work received the UMKC 2014 Outstanding Dissertation Award. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the UMKC faculty where he teaches/mentors pre-doctoral dental students and dentists pursuing advanced specialty training. In 2017 and 2018, he was chosen by his students as “Lecture Instructor of the Year.” In addition, his research was focused on characterizing the biochemical and structural composition of the interfacial region of the dentin-enamel junction in adult teeth. In addition to receiving an NIH F32 grant to support his research, his work resulted in several peer-reviewed journal publications.

Dr. McGuire was beloved by his family, friends, colleagues, students and patients. He had a gentle and sincere smile and spirit.