Some Creighton University School of Dentistry alumni and faculty are recognized among Omaha’s 2026 Top Dentists. The honor highlighted their impact across the community and reinforced Creighton’s reputation for producing skilled, compassionate dental professionals.
Several Creighton University School of Dentistry alumni were recently recognized in Omaha Magazine’s 2026 Top Dentists list, highlighting the impact of Creighton-trained dentists across the Omaha community.
Among those recognized is Dr. Terry Lanphier, associate professor and chair of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Creighton. A three-time Creighton graduate, Lanphier earned his bachelor’s degree, dental degree and later returned to earn his MBA after more than 30 years in private practice.
For Lanphier, the recognition reflects more than individual achievements, but the values Creighton instills in its graduates: service, clinical excellence and care for the whole person.
“One of the things I tell students is that all we can give them is opportunity,” Lanphier said. “We have plenty of patients, which some schools don’t. We have a wide and diverse patient base, so there’s plenty of experience that they can get.”
Lanphier emphasized that Creighton’s location in Omaha allows students to gain hands-on clinical experience early and often, which sets Creighton’s school of dentistry apart. Students participate in outreach programs that expose them to specialized care and underserved populations.
“We have outreach programs where students can go to smaller towns or work in specialty areas like pediatric dentistry,” Lanphier said. “If that’s something they want to do, they’ll get more experience with it.”
Service dentistry plays a central role in Creighton’s mission. Lanphier highlighted several initiatives designed to serve the Omaha community while also shaping students into compassionate professionals. One of those is Heart Ministry Dental Clinic, located near 24th and Binney Streets, where faculty and students have been providing care for the past three years.
“We rotate through there with students,” Lanphier said. “That’s been a great opportunity to serve.”
Another key initiative is Creighton’s After-Hours Clinic, an emergency room diversion program that operates on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
“Patients were going to the emergency room with toothaches, and there really wasn’t much the ER could do,” Lanphier explained. “Now they’re referred to us. It’s lower cost and mostly an extraction clinic.”
Lanphier also pointed to the KIRA Clinic, which operates one Thursday each month to provide affordable care to underserved patients through a flat-fee service model.
Beyond clinical training, Lanphier believes his years in private practice have shaped his approach as an educator and mentor. After practicing dentistry for more than 30 years, he returned to Creighton to earn a master’s degree in business administration. It was a decision that allowed him to guide students not only clinically, but professionally.
“I’ve seen many things,” Lanphier said. “I try to be approachable to the students. On the business side, I can help them with contracts and different types of practice.”
Lanphier also emphasized the importance of listening to students during the challenges of dental school.
“Dental school can be difficult,” he said. “I try to be there for them — whether it’s something personal or school-related. If I can listen and help get them to the right person, I’ll do that.”
When asked what he is most proud of in his career, Lanphier pointed first to clinical excellence.
“Clinically, in the oral surgery department,” he said. “That will always be my first love: the clinic.”
In addition to Lanphier, several other Creighton School of Dentistry alumni were named to Omaha Magazine’s 2026 Top Dentists list, including Dr. Hardeep Chehal (DDS’15), Dr. Jeffry Cherek (BSMTH’90, DDS’96), Dr. Jerome Gradoville (BA’84, DDS’88), Dr. Jose Ibarrola (DDS’91), Dr. Carol Murdock (DDS’84, MBA’14), Dr. Scott Radniecki (BS’08, DDS’12) and Dr. Frank Sleder, Sr. (DDS’84). Dr. Anne Aiello, associate professor in Creighton’s pediatric dentistry department, was also recognized on the list.
The recognition of Creighton alumni and faculty in Omaha Magazine’s Top Dentists list underscores the University’s long-standing reputation for producing skilled, service-driven professionals who continue to give back to their communities — both inside and outside the classroom.