PDT | Welcome ABPD Director: Steve Rayes
The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry is pleased to introduce our newest director, Dr. Steve Rayes. He will serve on the ABPD Board of Directors from 2023-2029.
Dr. Rayes completed his undergraduate education at Indiana State University and his dental education at the University of Michigan. This was then followed by a general practice residency (GPR) program at the Louisville VA Medical Center.
Dr. Rayes brings a broad depth of public health, administrative, educational, and private practice experience to ABPD. After completing his GPR, he entered a loan repayment program with the US Public Health Service/Indian Health Services and worked with some of the populations with the greatest access to care issues in remote Alaska. Heeding the call for specialization in pediatric dentistry, he returned to the University of Michigan and earned his certificate and master’s degree in pediatric dentistry. He then returned to Alaska to provide critically needed pediatric dental services to the Alaskan Native American population. The tremendous needs of this population led him to assist in the formation of a pediatric dentistry residency program in Anchorage. He eventually was appointed the Associate Director of the Graduate Program in Pediatric Dentistry through the NYU-Langone – AK site. To provide some idea of his energy level, during this time he also earned a Certificate in Dental Education through the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, CA.
In 2015, the call of a different challenge led Dr. Rayes to purchase a private dental practice in Vermont, while still traveling periodically to Anchorage to assist in the administration of the residency there. He eventually transitioned full-time to his Vermont private practice, where he and his family currently call home.
Three years after board certification in 2007, he became a consultant with ABPD. He began serving on the Qualifying Examination (QE) Committee in 2013 and continued as a committee member until 2017. In 2017, he joined the Oral Clinical Examination (OCE) Committee as a member, was selected to serve as an OCE Committee Part Leader in 2018, and was appointed as the OCE Committee Chair in 2019.
As OCE Committee Chair, his leadership, patience, and ability to promote compromise has been instrumental in advancing the quality of this examination to its current format, with many other ideas for improvements in the future to employ advancing technology and testing formats. His vision and passion for the examination process brings further impetus for aligning the certification process to our medical peers, and he has chosen to champion the strategic plan pillar of a fair and valid examination during his tenure on the ABPD Board of Directors.
Dr. Rayes is the proud father of three children. Together with his family, they enjoy many outdoor- related activities. Dr. Rayes is an avid private pilot and enjoys farming, bee keeping, fishing, hiking, camping, and spending quality time with family. We eagerly look forward to his continued expertise and leadership on the ABPD Board of Directors.
Read the full article as printed in Pediatric Dentistry Today here.
Brian Hodgson, DDS
Director, ABPD
Board Certified 2001
Milwaukee, WI
