Creighton University

Continuing a Legacy of Service

Gift Establishes Endowed Chair in Dentistry

While many dentists may shy away from treating children whose families are on Medicaid, Creighton alumnus Edward DeRose, DDS’61, of Pueblo, Colo., has made their care his life’s passion. “That mindset, of serving the underserved, was developed during his days at Creighton,” said Michael DeRose, DDS’82, who followed in his father’s professional footsteps. Edward and Neta DeRose, through their care and example, taught their five children to believe in themselves and to work to make a difference in the lives of others.

To honor their parents, Michael and his brother, Dan, made a $1.5 million gift to the school their father so loves — establishing the Edward J. “Eddie,” D.D.S., and Neta DeRose Endowed Chair in the School of Dentistry. James Howard, D.D.S., associate dean for clinical services and director of clinics in the Creighton School of Dentistry, was selected as the first holder of the chair.

The gift was a “natural fit,” the brothers said, considering their father’s love of Creighton and the University’s Jesuit mission of educating women and men of service to others. Endowed faculty chairs are the hallmark of a great university and a critical component of The Campaign for Creighton. Endowed chairs support and strengthen the University’s core asset, its faculty — enriching the student experience.

Eddie DeRose is a second-generation dentist. His father, Bruno, established the first DeRose Dental Clinic in Pueblo, Colo., in 1928. Eddie joined his father’s family dental practice in 1961 after graduating from Creighton’s dental school. When the U.S. government established the Medicaid program in 1965, Eddie began laying the groundwork for his future calling — providing competent, professional care to the area’s underserved children on Medicaid. “Our father has always been for the underdog,” Michael said. “He’s always had a big heart.” Dan added that his mother, Neta, has always been there to provide encouragement. Eddie and Neta celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year. At a young age, Mike knew he wanted to follow his father, and grandfather, into dentistry — and there was no doubt about what school he would attend for his professional education

“All Eddie talked about was what a great education he received at Creighton,” Mike said. “He was really a PR person for the Creighton dental school,” having recruited, counseled and advised many prospective students to attend Creighton. After graduating magna cum laude from Creighton’s dental school in 1982, Mike joined his father’s practice — caring for a large number of underserved children. The Italian dentists were loved by their young patients — who affectionately referred to them as “Spaghetti Eddie” and “Meatball Mike.”

“The positive reaction our father got from the kids motivated him to look to continue that service on a larger scale,” said Dan DeRose.

They would open the Small Smiles dental clinic in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1995, and establish FORBA (For Better Access), a dental practice management company, to push their dream forward. Today, FORBA manages 50 clinics in 17 states — caring for 10 percent of the 32 million children in the United States on Medicaid. But the need remains great. According to government statistics, fewer than one of every five poor children with state Medicaid insurance receives preventive dental services in a given year. “Our hope is that through this endowed chair, we might continue to make a difference in the lives of underserved children,” Dan said. “Our life’s passion has been to close the gap — to give more children on Medicaid access to quality dental care.”

“Support for this endowed chair is doubly welcomed by the School of Dentistry,” said Steven Friedrichsen, D.D.S., dean of the Creighton School of Dentistry. “It infuses the school with new and ongoing resources to support our most valuable asset — faculty. At the same time, it honors an individual who has demonstrated an involvement with and advancement of care for underserved patients — allowing us to more fully embrace our mission of service.”

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