Meeske to headline 2026 Faith & Science Symposium
(Hastings, Nebraska) – The 3rd annual Sachtleben/Throckmorton Faith & Science Symposium, co-hosted by Hastings College and First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, will welcome Dr. Jessica Meeske as its 2026 featured speaker April 17-19.
Meeske, a 1991 Hastings College alumna, member of the College’s Board of Trustees, and active member of First Presbyterian Church, was named the 2023 Pediatric Dentist of the Year by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). She is widely recognized not only for her clinical excellence, but also for her groundbreaking advocacy work in Medicaid reform and expanding access to dental care for low-income and historically marginalized children.
This year’s symposium will explore how faith and science intersect in lived vocation, public policy and community advocacy.
“When we talk about faith and science, we are not talking about two competing forces,” said Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church and Hastings College trustee. “Dr. Meeske embodies what it looks like to integrate rigorous scientific practice with deep moral conviction. Her work demonstrates how faith can inspire scientific excellence and how science can serve justice.”
The symposium opens Friday, April 17 at 2:10 p.m., when Meeske offers a public lecture in room 219 in Morrison-Reeves Science Center (717 N. Ash Avenue).
Then on Sunday, April 19, she will start by leading the Adult Education Forum at 9:15 a.m. in Fellowship Hall at First Presbyterian Church (621 N. Lincoln Avenue) and later share her story during the 10:30 a.m. worship service.
All are free and open to the public.
Meeske’s presentation will be of particular interest to students and faculty in religion, science, public health, political science, sociology and other healthcare-related disciplines.
“Jessica’s work is a powerful case study in how scientific knowledge, ethical conviction, and civic engagement can come together for the common good,” Allen-Pickett said. “She helps us see that advocacy for children’s health is not merely political, it is deeply moral work grounded in her faith convictions.”
A vocation rooted in both clinic and capitol
Meeske serves as senior partner at Pediatric Dental Specialists of Greater Nebraska, with clinics in Hastings, Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte and Omaha. She is also a clinical instructor at the UNMC College of Dentistry and past president of the Nebraska Dental Association.
From early in her career, Meeske recognized that addressing childhood tooth decay required more than fixing teeth on the day of an appointment.
“I knew we were never going to get to the bottom of this problem of rampant tooth decay in this country by drilling and filling one tooth at a time,” Meeske has said. “So even back when I was in dental school, I started to look at the problem from a population basis and a policy basis.”
Her advocacy has led to the passage of more than 15 pieces of legislation in the Nebraska Legislature related to access to dental care. She has served in numerous national leadership roles with both the AAPD and the American Dental Association, including chairing the Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention and serving as vice chair of the Medicaid Reform Task Force.
As both a Hastings College alumna and a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church, Meeske represents the kind of integrated life the symposium seeks to celebrate — one where learning, faith, service and civic responsibility converge. Her work has shifted the conversation within the dental profession — from simply improving reimbursement structures to asking how public policy can better serve children and families most in need.
Faith, science, and the common good
The Faith & Science Symposium was created to foster thoughtful dialogue between disciplines that are often mistakenly portrayed as being in conflict. Instead, the symposium highlights leaders whose lives demonstrate how faith and scientific inquiry can mutually inform one another.
For Meeske, caring for children and reforming systems go hand in hand. Her work reflects a commitment not only to individual patient care but to transforming systems so that every child — regardless of income, geography, or background — has access to quality dental care.
In south central Nebraska, where free and reduced-price lunch numbers are high in local schools, untreated tooth decay remains a persistent challenge. Meeske collaborates with school nurses, pediatricians, Head Start programs, and social workers to connect families to Medicaid and other resources. She also participates in statewide free dental care events for uninsured families.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at www.hastings.edu.