About the Authors

Maria A. Patestas is Associate Professor of Anatomy at Des Moines University. She has taught gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, embryology, and histology in various programs, and served as the chief coordinator of the physical therapy program neuroanatomy course from 1995 to 2001. In 2000, Dr Patestas received the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Physical Therapy Program Class.

Leslie P. Gartner is Professor of Anatomy in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Dental School of the University of Maryland. He has received numerous teaching awards and is the author of Essentials of Oral Histology and Embryology, 3rd edn (1999), coauthor of the well-respected Textbook of Head and Neck Anatomy, 3rd edn, with James L. Hiatt (2001), and coauthor of the Color Atlas of Histology, 3rd edn, also with James L. Hiatt (2000), an atlas which is used by almost half the US medical schools, and has been translated into eight languages.