Master of Healthcare Administration alumna Dr. Deborah Brown, DMD, MHA ’12, FACHE, was named a West Michigan Notable
Leader in Health Care by Crain’s Business. The accolade came on the heels of Brown’s reappointment in September to the Michigan Board of Dentistry by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Crain’s notes

Deborah Brown is a dedicated advocate for public health dentistry, actively engaged
in grassroots initiatives to reform oral health care. She played a pivotal role in
restructuring Michigan’s adult Medicaid dental program and serves on the Michigan
Board of Dentistry, contributing actively to the Michigan Dental Association. In Grand
Rapids, she is involved with the Walter Durkee American Legion Post and the Kent County
Honor Guard. As the CEO of My Community Dental Centers Inc. since 2006, she oversees
the organization’s mission, primarily serving patients covered through Medicaid, Healthy
Kids Dental, the Healthy Michigan Plan, and private dental insurance. In 2022, MCDC
served over 90,000 unique patients with 192,936 office visits, generating $40 million
in revenue.

“The MHA program at Seton Hall is designed to prepare all students for leadership
and management positions in today’s complex, dynamic healthcare industry,” said Program
Director and Associate Professor Nalin Johri. “In looking at even a small segment of Dr. Brown’s career and accomplishments, it’s
obvious that she exemplifies success— working within and restructuring those complex
systems to better serve those most in need.”

Professor Anne Hewitt, Chair of the Department of Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration, agreed. “Deborah Brown is a living example of the meaning of servant leadership
for all. Dental and oral health impact quality of life, employment prospects and even,
research has shown, life expectancy. Dr. Brown’s work is a crucial component in combatting
disparities in health care for the underserved.”

Following her career in the military, where she served her country with distinction
as a Specialist-4 in the U.S. Army., Dr. Brown “discovered her love for dentistry”
and began a career as a practicing dentist for the underserved and has accomplished
much, including the following:

• In 2020, during the Covid-19 shutdown, Dr. Brown led MCDC as one of the only providers
  to provide emergency/palliative care to alleviate the burden for ERs and dental clearance
  for life-saving treatment/surgeries.

• Dr. Brown has been at the forefront of statewide conversations, uniting partners to
  streamline access to Medicaid Dental Benefits. The landmark budget proposal was the
  first of its kind in 30+ years allocating $2+ million toward contracts with Dental
  Health Plans and $4+ million to increase the dental procedure reimbursement rate.

•  Expanding access to dental care for the underserved, MCDC serves more than 90,000
  patients a year across 34 dental centers. MCDC serves 82 of 83 counties throughout
  Michigan. Patients include 73,000+ State Funded Dental Insurance, 7,000+ uninsured,
  23,000+ children, and 2,000+ veterans.

“In many ways, the MHA degree from Seton Hall was the missing piece in my career,”
said Brown. “My degree in dentistry allowed me the joy of practice and the ability
to serve many individuals within the community. But the MHA gave me the organizational
and administrative knowledge and credentials to scale my efforts, exponentially, within
a healthcare structure dedicated to bringing these much-needed services to people
everywhere across the state.” She added, “I see myself as a servant leader, and if
I have my way, I’ll have a hand in bringing these services to those in need across
the entire country.”

Dr. Brown joined MCDC as Chief Executive Officer in August 2018 with an extensive
executive background in oral health, non-profit management, and Medicaid, as well
as Medicare health insurance programs. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Doctor
of Dental Medicine degrees from Rutgers University School of Medicine, as well as
a Masters of Healthcare Administration from Seton Hall University, where she graduated
with High Honors as a member of the Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society. She is board
certified in Healthcare Administration with the American College of Healthcare Executives
and in Healthcare Compliance with the Compliance Certification Board.

In addition, Dr. Brown is a member of the Medicaid Medicare CHIP Services Dental Association.
She served as Senior Director for Dental Services for WellCare Health Plans, a company
that specializes exclusively in providing government-sponsored managed care services.
She also served as the Chief Dental Officer for Dental Health Associates in Phillipsburg,
NJ and was Dental Director of the Ocean Health Initiatives, a Federally Qualified
Health Center in Lakewood, NJ.

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Alumni