Frank Spear
Frank M. Spear (born February 21, 1953) is the Founder and Director of Spear Education. He has been recognized by various academies for his contributions to esthetic and restorative dentistry.
Education
He attended University of Washington School of Dentistry where he attained his DDS in 1979. He then attended Perio-Prosthodontic Program at the University of Washington, where he received a Master of Science in Dentistry. Dr. Spear began his career in dentistry in 1977 in private practice before working as a lab technician from 1981-1982. He then joined Fixed Prosthodontic Associates in Tacoma, Washington, where he practiced for twelve years. In 1995, Dr. Spear opened his own private practice in Seattle, specializing in comprehensive restorative and esthetic dentistry, where he continues to practice when he is not teaching or lecturing.
Career
Dr. Spear co-founded Creating Restorative Excellence, a didactic and clinical education foundation. He became an affiliate professor in Graduate Prosthodontics at the University of Washington School of Dentistry in 1984. In 1994, Dr. Spear founded The Seattle Institute of Advanced Dental Education. SIADE, later renamed The Spear Institute, which teaches clinical and technical workshops for dentists, technicians and their staff. In 2008, The Spear Institute became Spear Education, and was expanded from the small Seattle campus to Scottsdale Center for Dentistry, a much larger venue in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Spear was part of twenty-five year interdisciplinary alliance with orthodontist Dr. Vincent Kokich and periodontist Dr. David Mathews. The three have travelled the world together lecturing on interdisciplinary dentistry.
Awards
- 1993 - Christensen Award for Excellence in Restorative Education
- 1996 - American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Achievement Award for Advancing the Science and Art of Cosmetic Dentistry in the United States
- 1996 - Schluger Award for Excellence in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
- 2004 - Academy of Esthetic Dentistry President’s Award (inaugural award),
- 2004 - Pacific Lutheran University Distinguished Alumnus Award
- 2009-2010 - Townie Award Winner