Meet Dr. Kayleigh Eaves Temple, a periodontist in private dental practice in Tyler, TX, who attended schools in Galena Park ISD from elementary through high school. Kayleigh attended Cimarron Elementary, Cunningham Middle, and graduated from North Shore Senior High School in 2004. She graduated 3rd in her class at NSSH, received the Houston Endowment Mary Gibbs Jones Scholarship, the GPISD PTA Scholarship, and was on the President’s and Superintendent’s student advisory board. Kayleigh was an active member of the Academic Decathlon, cheerleading, National Honor Society, student council, and the choir throughout her high school years.  

She obtained her undergraduate degree in Bioinformatics in 2008 from the University of St. Thomas. While there, she was voted Outstanding Graduate in Bioinformatics in 2008, made the Dean's List (2004-2008), and received the Biology Department Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Student Achievement in 2007 and 2008. Kayleigh received her master’s degree in Science and Dental Education at the Teachers’ College at Columbia University in New York.  Her master’s residency was done at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She has publications in the Clinical Oral Implants Research Journal and the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry.  

Dr. Temple completed her DDS at Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine in 2012 and received her certificate in periodontics in 2015. Some of the awards she has received include the American Academy of Periodontology Outstanding Achievement in Periodontics, the Crest-Oral-B Scholarship for Predoctoral Students Pursuing Academic Careers, and the American Academy of Women Dentists Outstanding Leadership Award. She was the research assistant to the Dean of the College of Dental Medicine and published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Kayleigh attributes her success as a student, particularly at the college and graduate levels, to the rigorous curriculum taught by excellent teachers, namely Kelly Tumy, Dave Persails, and Don Kirby. Each was incredibly influential to her and helped her to excel in science and math at a liberal arts college. Their tireless efforts and investment in her success are unparalleled. She feels grateful to have had the opportunity to study under each of them. Other very influential educators in Galena Park included Tracy Johnson Gobert, Patsy Morris, Deborah Fuller, and Billy Foster.

Her community outreach and service began in college through the United Methodist Church’s Action Reach Out Mission by Youth (UM ARMY) program. In dental school, she worked in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education outreach program on Saturdays for underprivileged high school students from the greater New York City area. Kayleigh also volunteered at the St. Mary’s Free Clinic in Harlem, which provided free medical and dental care to homeless people. She has been on two global health missions to Guatemala and Cambodia with Kids International Dental Services, providing free screening, oral hygiene instructions, and dental treatment for children. She is currently joining the Junior League of Tyler to continue her volunteerism and community outreach.  

Dr. Temple plans to continue in private practice throughout her career. It is her hope to give back through education in a periodontal postgraduate residency program or a dental hygiene training program. Galena Park ISD is extremely proud of the tremendous work that she has done. We know that she will continue to do wonderful things in her career.