Lyon College School of Dental Medicine and Arkansas Children’s have announced the inaugural leadership team for a first-of-its-kind statewide pediatric dental program that will expand access to oral health care for Arkansas children while helping educate the next generation of dentists.
Dr. Ashley McMillan has been appointed the program’s inaugural Medical Director,
while Drew Ramey, MPA, has been named Administrative Director of the Arkansas Children’s Dental Program.
The innovative partnership combines the clinical expertise of Arkansas Children’s with the educational mission of the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine to provide comprehensive pediatric dental care across the state through hospital-based services, school-based clinics and mobile dental programs.
First-of-Its-Kind Academic Partnership
The Arkansas Children’s Dental Program is designed to improve access to pediatric oral health care, particularly for medically complex patients and children with special health care needs, while serving as a premier clinical training site for Lyon College dental students and residents.
Officials say the partnership integrates patient care, education and community outreach under a unified leadership model to strengthen Arkansas’ future dental workforce.
McMillan to Lead Clinical Operations
As Medical Director, Dr. Ashley McMillan will oversee the clinical direction of the statewide program.
McMillan currently serves as Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine and played a key role in developing both the academic curriculum and clinical training program that led to the successful initial accreditation of Arkansas’ first dental school.
Before joining Lyon College, she held several leadership positions at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), ultimately serving as director of the General Practice Residency Program.
Throughout her career, McMillan has focused on improving dental education, expanding treatment for medically complex patients and strengthening interprofessional health care training throughout Arkansas.
Ramey to Oversee Statewide Operations
As Administrative Director, Drew Ramey will oversee operations, strategic planning, community outreach and administrative integration for the statewide dental program.
His responsibilities include coordinating services across hospital-based clinics, school-based dental programs and mobile dental units that will deliver preventive and restorative care to children across Arkansas.
Ramey previously served as Assistant Executive Director of the Arkansas State Dental Association and later as Chief Strategy Officer for Rock Dental Brands.
He also served as a founding strategic adviser to the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, helping guide the legislative and institutional efforts that resulted in the creation of Arkansas’ first dental school.
His experience also includes leadership with the Arkansas Mission of Mercy, one of the state’s largest volunteer dental outreach programs.
Expanding Care for Arkansas Children
According to program leaders, the Arkansas Children’s Dental Program will provide specialized hospital-based treatment for medically complex pediatric patients while expanding preventive dental services through community-based clinics and mobile programs throughout the state.
The partnership will also become the primary pediatric clinical education site for Lyon College dental students and residents, allowing future dentists to receive hands-on experience caring for Arkansas children.
“This partnership represents an extraordinary opportunity to improve the oral health of Arkansas’ children while creating an educational model that integrates hospital-based care, community outreach and dental education,” Ramey said.
“Together, Lyon College and Arkansas Children’s are building a program that will expand access to care while preparing the next generation of dentists to serve Arkansas for decades to come.”
Officials say the initiative represents a major step toward improving oral health outcomes while addressing the growing need for pediatric dental services throughout Arkansas.
About the Partners
Arkansas Children’s is the state’s only health system dedicated exclusively to pediatric care, serving approximately 850,000 children through Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas Children’s Northwest in Springdale and numerous statewide clinics and outreach programs.
Lyon College, founded in 1872, is Arkansas’ oldest college operating under its original charter. The college opened the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine in Little Rock in 2025 and plans to open the Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine in Cabot in 2027, pending accreditation.
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