A dental educator with 20 years of experience in public health and clinical and health services research, Atchison has extensive experience in research, teaching, research administration, and management of individual and institutional conflicts of interest. She is a past President of the American Association of Public Health and Dentistry and a former participant in the Department of Health and Human Services Primary Health Care Policy Fellowship. She received her D.D.S. degree from Marquette University Dental School in 1978 and M.P.H. degree from Boston University School of Public Health in 1982. Atchison formerly served as Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee and as Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Management at the UCLA School of Dentistry, where she catalyzed and facilitated research funding and implemented a computer-based patient record system.