Oral health can be a matter of life and death. Dr Cherae M Farmer Dixon, Dean of the School of Dentistry at Meharry Medical College and chair of the American Dental Education Association, often points to the case of Diamante Driver-a young man who died after an untreated cavity led to a fatal infection. For Farmer Dixon, this story shows what can happen when people lack access, education, or routine care. However, independent confirmation of the Diamante Driver case has not appeared in recent authoritative sources.
Cherae M. Farmer was reported as the first Black woman to lead the American Dental Education Association, and she has served as dean of Meharry Medical College's School of Dentistry for 11 years with over three decades in dental practice and education.
Today, Farmer Dixon works at the intersection of education, policy, and clinical care. As the first African American woman to chair the Board of Directors for the American Dental Education Association, she is changing who leads and who gets served in dentistry. Her 21 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, where she reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, have shaped her drive to build systems that serve everyone, not just the privileged.
Her advice to parents is clear: waiting until a child is in pain is too late. "Dentistry is not just about going when you are in pain, it is going on a routine basis," she says. She urges families to start dental visits as soon as a baby's first teeth appear-around six months-so children see dental care as normal, not scary. Early, regular visits help build habits that last and prevent the cycle of avoidance that can lead to serious problems.
The federal CDC continues to frame oral health inequities as strongly linked to social and economic barriers, with fluoridation and access-to-care efforts presented as core public-health tools for reducing disparities.
At Meharry, Farmer Dixon's impact is measured in generations. She describes watching students arrive unsure, then graduate as confident professionals ready to serve their communities. "I say I graduate every year because I am celebrating with them, seeing a dream fulfilled," she says. Her graduates are changing the face of dentistry, one patient and one practice at a time.
Representation matters, especially for children who rarely see dentists who look like them. Farmer Dixon encourages parents to look for mentors, pipeline programs, and career fairs-anything that helps kids imagine a future in dentistry. "Studies show people will be what they can see," she says, stressing the importance of visibility in shaping goals.
Her daily dental care advice is straightforward: change your toothbrush every three months, brush and floss before bed, and watch out for sugar-especially in children's drinks at night. She notes that tools like Waterpiks can help, but warns that overuse or poor technique can cause harm, so it's best to get professional guidance.
Farmer Dixon credits her ability to stay grounded to humility and faith. "It is not about me. I may be at the forefront, but there is a team that makes this happen," she says. For her, leadership means opening doors for others, just as others did for her.
Dr Farmer Dixon's career shows what can happen when access, representation, and prevention are treated as essentials. The profession cannot ignore the link between oral health and overall health, or the cost of missing children early. If dentistry is to serve everyone, it must reflect everyone-and it starts with habits built at home and reinforced in the clinic. For those who want to learn more or get involved, Farmer Dixon points to resources at adea.org as a good place to start.
