Kimberly Pyron

Assistant Professor and Junior Clinical Director

Office: Edgewater Hall Suite 216
Dental Hygiene
College of Health
KimberlyPyron@clayton.edu
Phone: (678) 466-4919

Biography

Kimberly Pyron is an Assistant Professor and Junior Clinical Director of Dental Hygiene at Clayton State University. Prior to this role, she worked as a clinical registered dental hygienist for specialty offices such as periodontics for 11 years and pediatrics. She also worked as an adjunctive faculty for the CSU dental hygiene program and as a professional educator promoting oral health for her profession. In addition to this, she has also collaborated and made significant contributions to literature as a published author.

Kimberly earned her Associate’s in Dental Hygiene from Armstrong Atlantic State University, her Bachelor’s in Dental Hygiene from Clayton State University, and her Master's in Public Health from A.T. Still University.

Education

AS, Dental Hygiene, Gordan State College, 2006

AS, Dental Hygiene, Armstrong Atlantic State University, 2008

BA, Dental Hygiene, Clayton State University , 2017

MPH, Public Health, A.T. Still University, 2021

Intellectual Contributions

Naquilla Thomas, Michele Boyce, Heather Eddy, Victoria Foster, J. Dwayne Hooks, Michelle Nelson, Melanie Poudevigne, Kimberly Pyron, Kendolyn Smith, Building A Lasting Academic Community: Meaningful Metrics For Scholarship, Pedagogy, And Life That Impact Faculty Recruitment And Retention, Business & Health Administration Proceedings –

Contracts, Grants, and Sponsored Research

Kimberly Pyron, Naquilla Thomas, , Teaching and Learning Innovation Grant (TLI): Bridging the Gap in Dental Hygiene Education with Next-Gen Palpation Simulation Technology, Clayton State Retirees, Other, 2000, Funded – October 2025 to Present

Presentations

Kimberly Pyron, Naquilla Thomas, Building A Lasting Academic Community: Meaningful Metrics For Scholarship, Pedagogy, And Life That Impact Faculty Recruitment And Retention, 2025 Business & Health Administration Association Blended Conference , Midwest Business Administration Association – April 2025

Heather L Eddy, Kimberly Pyron, Kendolyn Smith, Naquilla Thomas, Empowering Future: Faculty-Led Collaborations with Community Agencies and Nonprofits, Social Mobility Summit, Clayton State University – June 6 2025

Naquilla Thomas, Heather Eddy, Kimberly Pyron, Cheryl Mills, TELEHEALTH AND THE PREPARATION OF GRADUATES OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE, 2023 Business & Health Administration Association Blended Conference, Midwest Business Administration Association – March 2023

Service to the University & University System of Georgia

University, University Institutional Review Board (IRB) Committee , Committee Member – Fall 2024 to Present

University, University Honors Program Council, Committee Member – Spring 2025 to Present

College, College of Heath Smith Award Committee , Committee Member – Spring 2025 to Present

Department, Dental Hygiene Department Admissions Review Committee, , Committee Member – April 2025 to Present

Department, Dental Hygiene Department Search and Interview Committee, Committee Member – Fall 2022 to Present

Service to the Profession

Member, American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) 2008 to Present

Member, American Dental Education Association (ADEA): 2020 to Present

Member, Georgia Dental Hygiene Association (GDHA) 2008 to Present

Service to the Community

Guest Speaker, AHEC: Pathway to College Professional Panel Speaker March 2025 to Present

, AHEC: Pathway to Smiles Community Event November 2025 to Present

, Clayton County Community Health Fair March 2023 to Present

Other, Clayton State Retirees Meeting for Teaching and Learning Grant October 2025 to Present

, Clayton State University Children’s Day/Week 2022 to 2025

, Hidden Valley Senior Center and Resource Fair, Local – 2024 to Present

Other, McGrath Elementary School Career Day 2024 to Present

Committee Member, Student American Dental Hygiene Association (SADHA) Fall 2025 to Present

Board Member, Department of Dental Hygiene Board Fall 2022 to Present

Teaching Interest

I am deeply committed to educating future dental hygienists in the profession of dental hygiene. Being detail oriented and acquiring expert clinical skills while having patience, empathy, and strong communication skills is essential in this profession. My teaching interests center around foundational sciences and pre-clinical courses that integrate scientific theory, psychomotor skill development, and critical thinking within dental hygiene education. My primary goal is to ensure students establish a robust scientific basis, enabling them to make evidence-based decisions when they eventually transition to patient care. I emphasize critical thinking, ethical practice, and compassionate care, to prepare students to deliver optimal dental care.

Research Interest

My research interests have focused on telehealth and health professions, faculty recruitment and retention, and faculty led collaborations with the community and non profits.