State Dental Health Director
Office of Oral Health and Dentistry
Department of Health & Human Services
Nebraska State Office Building
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
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Dr. Charles F. Craft
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Craft graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry in 1980 and immediately joined the U.S. Public Health Service as a Commissioned Officer assigned to the Indian Health Service in Alaska. For 20 years he served Native American patients in village clinics, regional centers and base hospitals throughout remote regions of the state and he was promoted to the rank of 0-6 Captain.
In 2000, he moved to Southeast Asia where he was the Chief Dental Officer for the International SOS Medical Company and the Dental Consultant for the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Continuing his service as a Reserve Officer, he was directly detailed to the Department of Defense for more than 30 stability operations and humanitarian assistance medical missions in over 15 foreign counties as part of the Global War on Terror. He served with all branches of the military and deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom with the U.S. Army Special Operations Task Force to the southern Philippines in 2007 and the U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division to southern Afghanistan in 2008.
He is the founder of the East meets West Dental Program in Da Nang, Vietnam in 1995. Over the past 25 years, this international humanitarian relief organization has provided free and modern dental care services to more than 175,000 underserved children living in the post war central provinces and impoverished rural hamlets while also working with more than 1,500 dental volunteers and students from countries around the world.
Dr. Craft has received numerous professional awards during his transpacfic career including the Outstanding Service Medal from the U.S. Surgeon General, the Meritorious Service Medal from the Department of Defense and the Royal Sahametri Knight Medal from the Prime Minister of Cambodia. He is the recipient of the UNMC College of Dentistry Alumni Distinguished Service Award and was honored with the American Dental Association’s Humanitarian Award in 2019. He joined the State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and became the State Dental Health Director in April 2014.
-
Dr. Charles F. Craft
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Craft graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry in 1980 and immediately joined the U.S. Public Health Service as a Commissioned Officer assigned to the Indian Health Service in Alaska. For 20 years he served Native American patients in village clinics, regional centers and base hospitals throughout remote regions of the state and he was promoted to the rank of 0-6 Captain.
In 2000, he moved to Southeast Asia where he was the Chief Dental Officer for the International SOS Medical Company and the Dental Consultant for the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Continuing his service as a Reserve Officer, he was directly detailed to the Department of Defense for more than 30 stability operations and humanitarian assistance medical missions in over 15 foreign counties as part of the Global War on Terror. He served with all branches of the military and deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom with the U.S. Army Special Operations Task Force to the southern Philippines in 2007 and the U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division to southern Afghanistan in 2008.
He is the founder of the East meets West Dental Program in Da Nang, Vietnam in 1995. Over the past 25 years, this international humanitarian relief organization has provided free and modern dental care services to more than 175,000 underserved children living in the post war central provinces and impoverished rural hamlets while also working with more than 1,500 dental volunteers and students from countries around the world.
Dr. Craft has received numerous professional awards during his transpacfic career including the Outstanding Service Medal from the U.S. Surgeon General, the Meritorious Service Medal from the Department of Defense and the Royal Sahametri Knight Medal from the Prime Minister of Cambodia. He is the recipient of the UNMC College of Dentistry Alumni Distinguished Service Award and was honored with the American Dental Association’s Humanitarian Award in 2019. He joined the State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and became the State Dental Health Director in April 2014.
-
Dr. Charles F. Craft
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Craft graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry in 1980 and immediately joined the U.S. Public Health Service as a Commissioned Officer assigned to the Indian Health Service in Alaska. For 20 years he served Native American patients in village clinics, regional centers and base hospitals throughout remote regions of the state and he was promoted to the rank of 0-6 Captain.
In 2000, he moved to Southeast Asia where he was the Chief Dental Officer for the International SOS Medical Company and the Dental Consultant for the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Continuing his service as a Reserve Officer, he was directly detailed to the Department of Defense for more than 30 stability operations and humanitarian assistance medical missions in over 15 foreign counties as part of the Global War on Terror. He served with all branches of the military and deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom with the U.S. Army Special Operations Task Force to the southern Philippines in 2007 and the U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division to southern Afghanistan in 2008.
He is the founder of the East meets West Dental Program in Da Nang, Vietnam in 1995. Over the past 25 years, this international humanitarian relief organization has provided free and modern dental care services to more than 175,000 underserved children living in the post war central provinces and impoverished rural hamlets while also working with more than 1,500 dental volunteers and students from countries around the world.
Dr. Craft has received numerous professional awards during his transpacfic career including the Outstanding Service Medal from the U.S. Surgeon General, the Meritorious Service Medal from the Department of Defense and the Royal Sahametri Knight Medal from the Prime Minister of Cambodia. He is the recipient of the UNMC College of Dentistry Alumni Distinguished Service Award and was honored with the American Dental Association’s Humanitarian Award in 2019. He joined the State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and became the State Dental Health Director in April 2014.
