Kee Chosen Educator of the Year

Edwin Kee, MCDT

Edwin Kee, a Master Certified Dental Technician and an assistant professor of clinical prosthodontics at LSUSD, has been chosen Educator of the Year by the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL), which has a membership of 1,600. The award has been presented for the last 25 years. The presentation was made at the NADL annual meeting in Las Vegas on January 22.

"This is a wonderful honor," said Dean Henry Gremillion. "To be recognized at the national level shows Mr. Kee's dedication to the ideals of education and the tremendous value of teamwork. We can all celebrate the prestige he has added to the school."

Kee is the youngest person ever to achieve the designation of Master Certified Dental Technician, which means that he has been certified in all aspects of dental technology by the National Board of Certification. The test includes dentures, removable partial dentures, ceramics, crown and bridge, and orthodontics. Only 55 technicians, less than one percent of all technicians in the United States, have achieved the master status. Suleiman Hamdan and David Tran, two other technicians in the central lab at LSUSD, also hold the master designation.

When Kee earned his associate degree in dental laboratory technology in 1998, he was also the recipient of Chancellor's Award, an honor given to the top student in each program at the LSU Health Sciences Center. After graduating with his bachelor's degree the following year, he worked for laboratory services at LSUSD. In 2005, he was appointed assistant professor of clinical prosthodontics.

A native of the town of Penang in Malaysia, Kee immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 17 years old. "This award means a lot to a person from a whole different country seeking an education. It was a dream come true to work for LSUSD after graduation. I appreciate so much the faculty members who taught me and supported me. Now, to be recognized by my teachers, my peers and the NADL means that the job I do is not forgotten," he stated.

Kee is assistant director of the LSUSD CAD/CAM Center, located in the E.E. Jeansonne Clinic Building. He is a member of the National Board of Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. "What I enjoy most about teaching is seeing the students do well and understand what I try to explain to them."