The Dr. Shannon Barnhart Distinguished Resident Award shall be used for the benefit of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program in the School of Dentistry at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Barnhart earned a Bachelor's Degree in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University. Thereafter, Dr. Barnhart was selected for a military health professions scholarship while attending her first year of dental school. She earned her Doctor of Dental Science degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Barnhart completed her four-year oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, where she gained years of experience treating patients needing a wide range of oral and facial procedures. She then moved to Las Vegas where she completed her service treating military members, dependents, and veterans.
While in the U.S. Air Force, she served as an advanced trained general dentist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and as the 99th Dental Squadron Clinical Flight Commander/Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. She was chosen to promote to Lieutenant Colonel but decided to leave the military to join her husband, a Fresno City firefighter, and stepdaughter and enter private practice in Fresno, California.
In 2013, Dr. Barnhart joined Fresno Oral Maxillofacial Surgery & Dental Implant Center. She enjoys being part of a specialty group practice that provides a full range of oral and facial procedures for its patients. Additionally, she is part-time faculty at UCSF Fresno Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department and maintains privileges at five local hospitals where she performs some of her surgeries and takes trauma calls.
She believes in treating all members of the care team with respect, from referring providers, to patients, to other members of the practice or hospital staff. All patients deserve individualized care to fit their needs, and she works to improve their life through surgery. Dr. Barnhart is certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and believes strongly in maintaining and strengthening OMS specialty standards.
Outside of work, Dr. Barnhart enjoys time outdoors hiking, scuba diving, paddle boarding, mountain biking and sailing in beautiful Central California.
"Scholarships played an integral role in helping me financially achieve my undergraduate and post-graduate training on my road to becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. I am thankful to assist others in pursuing their oral surgery career aspirations.”
Please email or phone Alex Castañeda, Director of Development in the School of Dentistry, at 210.567-6536 for additional information.
