Penisten Named Dean Of NSUOCO

TAHLEQUAH Dr. Douglas K. Penisten was named the Dean of the Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry. Penisten will replace Dr. Lynn Cyert, who has been serving as interim dean since the retirement of Dr. George Foster in December, effective April 1.

After 30 years of participation in higher education, I am very honored and humbled to be selected for this position, and to continue the work of my predecessors, said Penisten. I will be working with our faculty, staff and students in continuing to provide the best patient care in optometry.

A member of the NSUOCO faculty since 1988, Penisten has served as the Associate Dean of the Oklahoma College of Optometry since 2000, and also served as the Interim Dean of the NSU College of Science and Health Professions from 2005-2007. He has also taught at Indiana University and the University of the North in the Republic of South Africa.

I have great confidence that under Dr. Penistens leadership, the Oklahoma College of Optometry will continue its stellar record of achievement and will serve the people of Oklahoma in an exemplary manner, providing the most comprehensive optometric clinical care and producing the very best optometric physicians in the nation, said Dr. Dalton Bigbee, Vice President for Academic Affairs. I also send thanks and appreciation to Dr. Lynn Cyert, who has brought great skill and understanding to that position and has given outstanding service to the university.

Praising the work and dedication of the NSUOCO faculty, Penisten plans to place a strong emphasis on quality eye and vision care, as well as remain on the cusp of optometric research.

I couldn't be happier with the faculty I serve with, they are all top notch and dedicated to the best in education and patient care, said Penisten. What we stress most as educators is quality eye and vision care. At the same time, we will continue to produce cutting edge research into the newest applications of technology in vision care.

The NSUOCO is providing a high quality education for its students, Penisten said. Currently, students in the program experience more than 50,000 patient encounters each year.

We are also proud of the number of Native American optometric physicians we have produced over the years and will continue to emphasize that, said Penisten. All of our students continue to be exemplary in their academic performance and their clinical care.

Penisten believes that NSUOCO, one of only 17 optometry schools in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, will sustain its reputation as a leading institution in eye and vision care in this country as it moves forward in the 21st century.

We will to continue to build our reputation as a referral center for specialty eye care, in areas such as low vision, vision therapy and vision problems related to traumatic brain injury, Penisten said. We will also continue to meet the eye and vision care needs of the people of Oklahoma.

Penisten praised the partnership between NSUOCO and the Cherokee Nation in providing eye care and vision services throughout the tribal service area, emphasizing the addition of new services as the tribes health care facilities expand.

We will continue to build our partnership for eye and vision care with the Cherokee Nation, he said. That is a very strong relationship that were very proud of. We have vision services in all Cherokee Nation health care facilities and look forward to expanding services as those facilities continue to grow.

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Optometry from Indiana University and his Doctor of Optometry from the Indiana University School of Optometry. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Physiological Optics and Visual Sciences from Indiana University.

Penisten is a member of the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians, American Optometric Association, American Optometric Student Association, Optometric Historical Society, Kiwanis International and Antique Wireless Association. A fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, he is laser certified with an Oklahoma optometry license and is on the medical staff of the Cherokee Nation.

3/27/2009

Published: 2009-03-27 00:00:00