Hundreds of dentists made headlines this year for their notable leadership appointments, innovative dental work, practice openings and more.

A Wisconsin woman is being investigated for allegedly practicing dentistry without a license, NBC affiliate TMJ4 reported Dec. 23.

A woman in Norfolk, Va., was convicted of practicing dentistry without a license, according to a Dec. 23 report by KGET 17.

Donald Dinello, DMD, an oral surgeon in Pennsylvania, agreed to pay $120,000 in civil penalties for allegedly failing to comply with the Controlled Substances Act.

An Illinois dentist was sentenced to 15 years in prison for stealing fentanyl from patients, injecting them with adulterated drugs and performing surgery without proper pain management. 

The looming federal government shutdown could lead to oral health workforce programs and small business protections to lose funding, according to a Dec. 19 news release from the American Dental Association.

Sodabeh Etminan, DMD, recently became the first dentist selected for the Obama Foundation Leaders Program. 

Here are five universities and colleges opening and breaking ground on new dental schools that Becker's has reported on in 2024:

New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health opened its eighth outpatient dental practice in Lake Success, N.Y.

The Florida Cabinet voted to allocate $1 million in funding for dental programs designed for veterans, according to a Dec. 17 news release.

A former dental office manager who was previously accused of practicing dentistry without a license is now being charged with unlawful use of a registration number and fraudulent use of a credit card, NECN reported Dec. 17.

Zach Casagrande, DDS, has been recognized for his lifetime achievement for Invisalign treatment by Align Technology. 

A man was recently arrested and charged with breaking into an orthodontics office in Mobile, Ala., WKRG reported Dec. 16.

A Pennsylvania dental practice has relocated into a building that previously housed a restaurant, according to a Dec. 14 report from North Penn Now.

Brian Scott, DDS, past president of the California Dental Association, died Nov. 28 at age 75.

Meilys Fariñas, DMD, and Noriel Garcia, DMD, launched a dental practice in Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Eric Pearson, DDS, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, announced his retirement in a Dec. 14 letter to the editor published in The Messenger.

Here are three dental industry updates that have taken place in Arkansas since October:

A dental practice in Middletown, Ohio, was damaged by a fire, according to a Dec. 12 report from WCPO.

Here are six dental industry updates that have taken place in Virginia since Nov. 15: