Diversity Dialogues: Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
By Dr. Carlos Smith, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the VCU School of Dentistry National Hispanic Heritage Month, or Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana, is annually celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 in the U.S. in an effort to celebrate the history, culture and contributions of celebrates the culture and contributions […]
PRIDE: resources and reflections
From the office of Dr. Carlos Smith, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the VCU School of Dentistry. Continuing on our path towards a more inclusive School of Dentistry, we wanted to take a moment to both reflect and celebrate PRIDE and the recognition of our LGBTQ+ community members – patients, students, staff and […]
Celebrating Juneteenth
A message from Dr. Carlos Smith, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the VCU School of Dentistry. The School of Dentistry, under the auspices of both the State of Virginia and the greater Virginia Commonwealth University, recognizes Juneteenth as a state wide and university holiday on June 18, 2021. As part of the School […]
Honoring Colonel James Avery Booker, Jr., D.D.S. ’61
Honoring Colonel James Avery Booker, Jr., D.D.S., M.D., FACS introduction by Carlos Smith, D.D.S. M.Div., Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director of Ethics Curriculum Assistant professor The great novelist, poet and activist, James Baldwin is known to have said of history… “History, as nearly no one seems to know, is not merely something to […]
AAE Coolidge Award presented to Dean Spatafore
Dean Spatafore received the Coolidge Award from the American Association of Endodontists at a virtual ceremony on Saturday, April 24, 2021. Named for Edgar D. Coolidge, a pioneer in endodontics who was instrumental in establishing the AAE, the award recognizes individuals who exemplify his extraordinary vision, leadership, and dedication to the specialty. Recipients of this […]
It’s OK to not be OK
It’s OK to not be ok – Continued [racialized] violence and why dialogue matters in the journey to racial equity and inclusion By Carlos S. Smith, D.D.S., MDiv, FACD Director, Diversity Equity and Inclusion; Director, Ethics Curriculum Many in the dental profession are known to be high achievers – rightly so, navigating the landscape of […]
Celebrating Women’s History Month with Dean Spatafore
In celebration of Women’s History Month, our new virtual conversation series continues. Please join us on Thursday, March 11, at 5:15 p.m. for a conversation with VCU School of Dentistry’s first female dean, Dr. Clara Spatafore, also a past president of the American Association of Endodontists. Register directly via Zoom Webinar here. Women’s History Month […]
33rd annual ethics lecture Feb. 26, 2021
Karl Haden to present at 33rd annual ethics lecture Karl Haden, Ph.D., presents “Ethics, Leadership and the Future of the Dental Profession” on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, as part of the School of Dentistry’s Mirmelstein Ethics Lecture. The annual lecture is part of the school’s continuing education program. The virtual lecture begins at 9:00 a.m. […]
Spatafore named interim dean
Clara M. Spatafore, D.D.S., M.S., has been named interim dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. As the current chair of the VCU School of Dentistry’s Department of Endodontics and Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Dr. Spatafore comes to her new role with experience as an oral health and dental education insider. “Dr. Spatafore is […]
School Leadership
Last week, Dr. David Sarrett stepped down as Dean of the VCU School of Dentistry. Please join me in acknowledging his many accomplishments and honoring his years of dedicated service to the school and our university. Dr. Sarrett has served as dean since 2010. During his tenure, the School of Dentistry achieved remarkable growth and […]