Currently a fourth year student at the UAB School of Dentistry, also a graduate of McKenzie High School and Troy State University, Tara Jernigan has been honored with a number of awards.

Most recently Tara received a scholarship from the Alabama Dental Association and the Cumberland Dental Award and has been selected to travel to Japan as part of a short-term dental student exchange program.

In addition, Ms. Jernigan is a 2009 Hinman Dental Society Scholar, a three-time recipient of the Alabama Board of Dental Scholars Scholarship, and recipient of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry Alumni Association Scholarship.

Tara is the daughter of Beth & Alvin Brogden of McKenzie and David Jernigan of Mobile and the mother of Morgan Jernigan, a ninth grader at Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham.

Ms. Jernigan also serves as Vice President of her dental school class and the Student Dental Association and has participated in numerous dental mission projects throughout Tennessee and in Central and South America.

After graduation with her D.M.D. degree in June 2010, Tara hopes to return to south Alabama to practice as a general dentist.