Education
After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with honors in 1977, Dr. Bateman graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1981. There, he was an active member of the Dean's Odontological Society and the Baptist Student Union. He has been passionately practicing dentistry in Kingsport for 32 years. Dr. Bateman, the oldest of 3 boys, was born in England to 2 US Air Force officers. He grew up in Lexington, TN, 100 miles from Memphis. Always balancing a job with school, he held a variety of positions: soda jerk on the town square, lifeguard and swim instructor at the city pool, laborer on trash pick-up, a manual laborer in a chain factory, and a busboy in the kitchen for the VA Hospital.
Professional Activities & Honors
Dr. Bateman has been very active in organized dentistry on the local and state level. He is committed to his continuing education and to providing the latest research-based dentistry for his patients. Rick is most proud of becoming a Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, which requires 1300 hours of CE in 8 disciplines of dentistry and an 8-hour exam. Currently, 50 of 3500 dentists in Tennessee hold this distinction.
American Dental Association- member 32 years, delegate, program chair, East TN VP
Fellow in the International College of Dentists
Fellow in American College of Dentists
Pierre Fauchard Academy
Dentist of the Year nominee, TN Academy of General Dentistry, 2001 & 2007
Fellow & Master in the Academy of General Dentistry
Times News Peoples' Choice Dentist of the Year Award, 1997, 1998, 2013
Alumni of the LD Pankey Institute
Tennessee Dental Association Fellowship Award, 1998
Tennessee Dental Association Foreign Service Award, 1994, 2013
Contact info:
1567 N. Eastman Rd, Suite 16,
Kingsport, TN 37664
Phone: (423) 246-9231
Email: frontoffice@batemandentistry.com