Dr. Peter Ngan speaks at a continuing education luncheon during which WVU alumni announced more than $900,000 in gifts to name the School of Dentistry’s orthodontic clinic in his honor.
(WVU Photo/Garrett Cullen)
Since 1994, Dr. Peter Ngan has guided students to West Virginia University Dental School through a rigorous residency program to help them build successful specialty careers orthodontics. After 30 years, alumni are sharing their gratitude for his dedication with gifts totaling more than $900,000 to name the orthodontic clinic in his honor.
More than 30 alumni and friends contributed to the $1 million fundraising effort, which supports plans to update and relocate the WVU Dental orthodontic clinic at WVU Health Sciences Morgantown Campus. The renovation is the latest in a series of upgrades to modernize the School of Dentistry’s facilities for future generations of students and patients.
“Dr. Ngan is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the orthodontic community.” Dr. Stephen Pachutadean of the WVU School of Dentistry, said. “His impact on the whole profession has been significant. His research shaped and defined the practice of orthodontics for generations of orthodontists. As evidenced by the support and commitment of its residents over the past 30 years, Peter is an institution in the profession. He also has the distinction of being the longest serving orthodontic department chair in the country. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as a leader in our School of Dentistry.”
Dozens of graduates surprised Ngan with the announcement during a recent continuing education program sponsored by the Department of Orthodontics.
“I was honored and humbled by my students’ gesture,” Ngan said. “There is no greater satisfaction one can receive as a teacher than to see your students succeed in their careers and give back to the University from which they received their education.”
The naming effort grew out of a group conversation among WVU orthodontics alumni led by Drs. Pranav Patel, from Aurora, Illinois.
Patel first met Ngan as a dental student at The Ohio State University, where Ngan previously worked. Patel said he applied to WVU because he liked Ngan and is grateful that Ngan accepted him into the highly competitive orthodontic residency program at WVU.
“When I heard they were building a new clinic, I wanted to see if there was a way to build on the legacy of Dr. Ngan,” Patel said. “He has been an orthodontic graduate of WVU for 30 years and has always created a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The goal is to create an environment that brings the most attractive applicants to WVU. A nicer clinic certainly makes a difference when you’re interviewing, as it does when you hear that residents and alumni are so grateful they dedicated the clinic to the chair. I felt that positive energy when I came to WVU, and thanks to Dr. Ngan, I still do.”
Patel took the lead by giving away $100,000. Dr. Larry Kalaskey, of Charleston, followed suit and helped reach out to alumni for support. He was overwhelmed by the positive feedback he received from other alumni who wanted to contribute.
“All these years in education, Dr. Ngan could have made a lot more money in private practice, but he decided to stay in education and help us, so I feel he deserved it,” Kalaskey said. “I hope he understands that from everyone who contributed to the cause of his name being put up at the clinic. We admire him greatly and appreciate him staying at WVU and teaching us. It has made it one of the top orthodontic programs in the country because of all the research it has done. He is well respected throughout the country and abroad.”
Ngan is a renowned expert on dental and skeletal malformation. He is sometimes even referred to as “Mr. Class III’ because he frequently lectures on this subject at national and international meetings. He has published over 170 original research and clinical papers in peer-reviewed journals and 180 abstracts, including contributions to several monographs and textbooks.
He has also lectured at professional meetings in more than 40 countries. Patel said Ngan often reconnects with WVU alumni and residents at national meetings by taking them out for Chinese dinner.
Dr. James Caveney, a three-time WVU graduate and past president of the American Association of Orthodontists, was involved in Ngan’s hiring and said he remains as impressed by Ngan today as he was 30 years ago. He said Ngan gained recognition when he spoke at an AAO meeting with more than 20,000 people from 90 countries.
Caveney, of Wheeling, said Ngan works hard to promote WVU and recalled Ngan rallying alumni at a national reunion to sing “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
“I think it’s the right thing for WVU to honor the man who was there all these years and had hundreds of graduates, hundreds of residents, across America and some in other countries,” Caveney said. “He is a hero at the Dental School. He is so good, and He is so fair. His enthusiasm is number one. He’s just awesome.”
Ngan immigrated to the US from Hong Kong in 1973 and improved his English while selling dictionaries door-to-door. Ngan received his Bachelor of Dentistry from Harvard University School of Dentistry and his certificates in orthodontics, pediatric dentistry and hospital dentistry from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Ngan is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He also belongs to several professional organizations. In 2014, Ngan was installed as the inaugural Branson-Maddrell Professor of Orthodontics at WVU. He is the president-elect of the AngleEast Orthodontic Society and an honorary professor at the University of Hong Kong and the Wuhan School of Dentistry.
Ngan’s wife, Dr. Elizabeth Kao, is a professor of restorative dentistry at WVU. Their daughter, Dr. Tiffany Ngan, and her husband, Dr. Billy Borowski, are both WVU School of Dentistry graduates practicing in eastern Pennsylvania. The daughter Dr. Emily Ngan is a board certified obstetrics and gynecology specialist practicing in Annandale, Virginia.
Alumni and supporters interested in contributing to the naming effort can make a gift online to support the School of Dentistry Facilities Fund (2W686) or contact Karen Coombs, director of development for the School of Dentistry, at kcoombs@wvuf.org or 304-216-3784.
AGifts to support the WVU School of Dentistry are made through WVU Foundationthe non-profit organization that receives and manages private donations on behalf of the University.
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dor/9/25/24
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Director of Strategic Communications
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304-554-0217; crice@wvuf.org
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