Governor Appoints Prosthodontics Resident to Board of Trustees
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has appointed Kendall C. (Latshaw) Buchan, ‘23 DDS, as the graduate/professional student representative on The Ohio State University Board of Trustees. Her two-year term began on October 18, 2024.
"Over the past five years at Ohio State, I have developed a love for the College of Dentistry and the university as a whole.” Dr. Buchan said. “What makes Ohio State special to me, and what made me want to come here in the first place, is the people. I hope that my experience as both a graduate student and healthcare professional will bring a unique perspective to the board, and that I can give back even a fraction of what this university has given to me in my time here.”
The board is comprised of 15 Ohio residents and two voting student trustees, each appointed by the governor. The trustees oversee Ohio State’s “academic programs, budgets and general administration, and employment of faculty and staff.” Dr. Buchan will participate in all discussions and deliberations, including executive sessions.
As a dental student at the College of Dentistry, Dr. Buchan served in several leadership positions, including as president of the Student Government Association, the Give Kids A Smile student leadership team, and the Ohio State Student Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. “My favorite part about my previous involvement in student organizations was always being able to meet and connect with people I may not have met otherwise,” she said. “When the opportunity to apply to the Board of Trustees was presented to me, the idea really scared me—and that is when I knew I should go for it. I could never have imagined that I would actually be appointed, but it was such a happy surprise!”
Dr. Buchan earned her dental degree in 2023, and she is currently a resident in the college’s Advanced Prosthodontics Residency program. The last College of Dentistry alum to be appointed as the graduate student representative on The Ohio State University Board of Trustees was Lydia Lancaster, ’16 DDS, ’19 MS, who served from 2016 to 2018.
“I am extremely honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve the university in this new role,” Dr. Buchan said. “It is a privilege that I will not take lightly.”