Dr. Brett Durbin, Springfield Dentist, Honored as MDA Outstanding New Dental Leader 

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Dr. Brett Durbin, a dentist in Springfield, Mo., has been named the 2024 Missouri Dental Association (MDA) Outstanding New Dental Leader Award winner. He was honored at the Association’s annual awards banquet hosted during its House of Delegates meeting at Margaritaville Lake Resort, June 21, 2025.

This award recognizes an MDA member in dental practice 10 years or fewer who has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities, professional and ethical conduct, and volunteer activities in their community and organized dentistry.

Dr. Durbin has been a notable new dentist leader since his graduation from the UMKC School of Dentistry in 2014. He has served in numerous roles at the state level, including trustee to the MDA Board, delegate to the MDA House, MDA Legislative and Regulatory Committee member, MDA Education Committee member, and Action Team Leader for the annual ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day. He is a past president of the Greater Springfield Dental Society and currently serves as its CE & Events Committee co-chair. He is a past member of the Missouri Academy of General Dentistry Board and the Academy of General Dentistry New Dentist Committee. He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the International College of Dentists, which all recognize his active leadership, commitment to ethics and community outreach within the dental profession.

In the Springfield community he has been a volunteer and former board member with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks Mobile Dental Unit, is a volunteer dentist for Springfield Public Schools dental health fair screenings and provides care to vulnerable populations as a volunteer dentist through the Dental Lifeline Network/Donated Dental Services, in which he is also a member of its Missouri Leadership Council.

In 2020, he was honored to have taken over the established practice of Dr. Charles Ryen on Springfield's underserved northside and deeply enjoys growing that practice and taking care of his patients there. Prior to private practice, Dr. Durbin worked for six years in public health clinics and is proud of his experience in community health dentistry, where he mentored dental students on rotation and new dentists while being privileged to provide services to patients in healthcare shortage areas.

“Being a member of our wonderful profession and giving back to it in every way possible – whether through leadership, advocacy, outreach, education or participation in our rich community – is a sincere passion for me and I am thankful to be part of organized dentistry,” he said.

Dr. Durbin is a native of the Springfield area; he attended K-12 in Ozark and got his undergraduate degree at Drury University. His practice, Greater Springfield Dentistry, is located at 2235 E. Kearney Street in Springfield.