VMC partners with LMU to expand dental clinic
Volunteer Ministry Center has partnered with the LMU Dental Program to provide services to VMC clients. VMC’s longstanding community Dental Clinic, powered by local dentists, professional dental students and volunteers, is expanding services through new clinical internships.
The clinic’s goal is to provide dental care and treatment to the homeless and low income of Knox County while also providing important clinical experience to LMU dental students.
In January, the first class to begin Community Based Dental Education (CBDE) Rotations at LMU started serving with VMC’s Dental Clinic supervised by Dr. John Osborn of House Mountain Dentistry.
The VMC Dental Clinic offers fillings, extractions, cleanings and the provision and repair of dentures. These services not only address dental pain and improve overall health, but also empower patients to take steps toward stability, including seeking employment and permanent housing. This new partnership allows VMC to serve students in their education while also providing critical life-changing care to the unhoused and low-income residents of our community.
Learn more about the VMC Dental Clinic here.
Shalee Allen, VMC director of development and marketing, provided information for this report.
Carson-Newman makes strong statement in online rankings
Carson-Newman University scored high in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2026 Best Online Programs rankings. According to the publication released January 27, 2026, Carson-Newman leads all Tennessee private universities in two categories and is No. 2 among the state’s private universities in two other categories.
Within the “Best Online Master’s in Education Programs” category, Carson-Newman ranked No. 1 among private universities in the state and No. 2 among all Tennessee universities, trailing only the University of Memphis.
C-N ranked No. 2 for private universities in “Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs,” falling behind only Vanderbilt University. Carson-Newman was No. 3 among all Tennessee universities.
Carson-Newman ranked No. 1 among private schools in “Best Online Master’s in MBA Programs,” and was No. 6 among all universities in the state.
Finally, in the “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs” Carson-Newman earned the No. 2 spot among Tennessee private universities and No. 4 among all Tennessee universities. Learn more about the report here.
In Memoriam
Retired educators who passed away recently include:
Mariam Ross
Miriam Louise Jones Ross, 88, taught for 34 years with Knox County Schools. A South Carolina native, she earned her degree at Furman University. She belonged to First Baptist Concord in Farragut, Tennessee, where she sang in the church choir for many years. The family will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026, at Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, 11915 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, with a Celebration of Life service to follow. The full obituary is here.
Ray Hinton
William “Ray” Hinton, 89, was a proud graduate of UT Knoxville where his father, Sam Hinton, was the founder and head of the dairy department in the College of Agriculture. Ray Hinton competed as a member of the university’s track team. He then dedicated many years to shaping young lives through education and sports, serving as a basketball coach at Jacksboro High School and Powell High School. The full obituary is here.
Notes & Quotes
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, the inaugural recipient of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Award for Public Service, will be at UT Knoxville on Monday, February 2, 2026, to visit with students and faculty at the Baker Center. He will deliver the Baker Memorial Lecture from 5:30-6:30 p.m. It is free and open to all. Link to register.
Students in Knox County Schools are organizing an “ICE OUT” rally at 9:30 a.m. Friday, January 30. Gather at the World’s Fair Park Amphitheater and then march together to the City-County Building. “Dress for walking and the frigid cold,” instructions read. “Bring water and signs.”
Quote: “To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” – Somerset Maugham
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