Dr. Sarah Hardin, chair of clinical sciences and associate professor at the Lyon CollegeSchoolofDentalMedicine, was honored with the 2025 Cynthia Caceres Baker New Dentist of the Year Award by the Arkansas StateDentalAssociation during its Spring Meeting in Little Rock. The award was presented by the 2022 recipient, Dr. Ashley McMillan, associate dean for clinical affairs at LCSDM.

The Cynthia Caceres Baker New Dentist of the Year Award recognizes early-career dentists who demonstrate excellence in clinical care, leadership in organized dentistry, and dedication to advancing the profession.

"I am deeply honored to receive this award,” said Dr. Hardin. “As our team prepares to welcome LCSDM’s first cohort, I’m grateful for the opportunity to help build a program rooted in clinical excellence and community-minded care. It’s especially meaningful to share the importance of organized dentistry with our students from the start, helping them find connection, purpose, and a strong professional foundation as they begin their journey in dentistry."

A native of Magnolia, Arkansas, Dr. Hardin previously served as assistant program director of the General Practice Residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), where she was also a faculty member. Her early career included work at the Arkansas Children’sDentalClinic.

She holds a Doctor ofDentalSurgery from the University of Tennessee Health Science CenterCollege of Dentistryand a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Hendrix College. She also completed a General Practice Residency at UAMS.

She is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD), and she currently serves as president of the Arkansas Academy of General Dentistry(AGD)and as Arkansas’s delegate to the AGD House of Delegates. She is also a past president of the Central DistrictDentalSociety and is active in both the AGD and AmericanDentalAssociation.

Dr. Burke Soffe, founding dean of the Lyon CollegeSchoolofDentalMedicine, praised Dr. Hardin’s leadership and her commitment to education.

“Dr. Hardin is a gifted educator, a tireless advocate for her profession, and a role model for our students,” Dr. Soffe said. “This honor is well deserved, and her work at Lyon College is already shaping a clinical program rooted in excellence, compassion, and real-world readiness.”