Dr. Karlind Moller earned his bachelor’s degree in speech pathology in 1965 and his doctorate in speech pathology and audiology at the University of Minnesota in 1970. After completing a fellowship with the National Institute for Dental Research, he returned to the University’s faculty in 1973 with a dual appointment in the Department of Communication Disorders and the School of Dentistry. He became director of the Cleft Palate Clinic in 1977. He served the School and the Clinic for over thirty years, until his retirement in 2003.
Interview Abstract
Karlind Moller begins his interview with a reflection on his upbringing and early education. He then discusses how he came to the field of speech pathology and particularly, speech pathology in relation to the cleft palate, relating his experiences in the Cleft Palate Clinic and at the National Institute for Dental Research. He emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the Cleft Palate Clinic. He also discusses his experiences publishing with the University of Minnesota Press, his committee work, particularly his work on the Admissions Committee and Minority Student Committee, his work with out-of-state patients, the work of the Cleft Palate Clinic in consulting on treatment, and the completion of the building of the Dental School facilities in the 1970s. Dr. Moller then reflects on his cleft palate work in Guatemala, funding for the Cleft Palate Clinic, the relationship between the Dental School and the Department of Communication Disorders, the Cleft Palate Clinic team, and issues with the state legislature and speech pathologist licensing. He also discusses his teaching, work with dental hygienists, the culture of the Dental School, Dr. Erwin Schaeffer’s tenure as dean, the relationship of the Cleft Palate Clinic with other schools in the AHC, the tenures of Dr. Richard Oliver and Richard Elzay as deans, the threatened closure of the Dental School in 1988, retrenchment, work with the state legislature and the insurance industry over cleft palate correction, the vice presidents for the AHC in the 1990s, and the tenure of Dr. Michael Till as dean. He concludes by discussing additional figures of importance in the Dental School’s history.
Biographical Skectch
Karlind Moller was born on May 25, 1942 in Stillwater, MN and grew up in Chiscago and St. Paul, MN. Moller attended the University of Minnesota and majored in Speech Pathology and Audiology. He then pursued graduate work at the University in the Speech Science Pathology and Audiology (later the Department of Communication Disorders). He earned his doctorate in 1970 and then completed a three-year fellowship with the National Institute for Dental Research. He returned to the University as a member of the faculty in 1973 and became director of the Cleft Palate Clinic in 1977. He became director of the Cleft Palate Clinic in 1977. He served the school and the clinic for over thirty years, until his retirement in 2003.
Interview Transcript