Craig Ririe, DDS, MS, has joined the department of periodontics faculty, and was named director, predoctoral periodontics.

Craig Ririe, DDS, MS'78, has joined the School of Dentistry faculty in the department of periodontics.

After completing his DDS degree at Creighton University dental school, Dr. Ririe practiced general dentistry for six years.

In 1976 he was accepted into the advanced education program in periodontics at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and earned his MS degree in 1978.

"Following graduation," he says, "I spent one year in Bergen, Norway doing research with Dr. Knut Selvig in the University of Bergen." Dr. Selvig had served one year as a visiting professor at LLU, directing the periodontics program. In addition to the research done with the electron microscope in Norway, he has also completed research in wound healing. Dr. Ririe's interest in research has continued throughout his career. For seven years, he was chair of the committee on research for the Western Society of Periodontics, and was on the organization's board of directors.

Dr. Ririe enjoys working in his apple orchard in Utah. Here, he harvests red delicious apples with his nieces, Cami (center) and Mariah Ririe.

He served on active duty in the Air Force from 1972 to 1974, and now has the rank of colonel in the Air Force reserves.

From 1979 to 1996, he practiced periodontics in Flagstaff, Arizona, and in 1996, moved his practice to Pleasant Grove, Utah.

During the academic year 2002–03, Dr. Ririe joined the department on a part-time basis. Then, July 1, 2003, he accepted a full-time position and the position of director of predoctoral periodontics.

"I am enjoy working with the predoctoral students," he says. "I would like to continue teaching until I retire."

Dr. Ririe and his wife, Becky, have nine children. In his spare time, Dr. Ririe enjoys tending an apple orchard (he cares for the orchard himself) with 70 trees.

 

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