Dr. Ratner is a native of southern California, attending high school in the San Fernando Valley prior Image of Dr. Sanford L. Ratnerto matriculating to UCLA. As an undergraduate at UCLA, he was enthusiastically involved in research in the chemistry department with Dr. Willard Libby, Nobel Laureate and Chairman of the chemistry department. Dr. Ratner then attended Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago from which he graduated with OKU honors in 1977, receiving the Clive Hadlow award for excellence. A one year surgical internship ensued at Highland General Hospital followed by three years in practice of general dentistry in Sunnyvale, California.