MCV Foundation awards $4M to VCU to advance student DEI on health sciences campus
The MCV Foundation has announced it will award $4 million over four years to Virginia Commonwealth University to recruit highly qualified students from underrepresented backgrounds to the university’s five health sciences programs, including the School of Dentistry.
Ammoun named Revere Scholar
Program supports junior faculty, encourages continued research Rami Ammoun, D.D.S., M.S., CDT, FACP, has been named a Revere Scholar at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. Revere Scholars exemplify the highest standards of the oral health profession as modeled by James H. Revere Jr. (D.D.S. ’65), former instructor, interim dean, fundraiser, mentor and friend […]
‘That is a brilliant idea’: Faculty and students are creating dental supply kits for Afghan refugees
A group at the VCU School of Dentistry has put together over 100 bags of toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash that will be distributed to refugees at Fort Lee. After the August withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Omar Abubaker wanted to find out how one of his students, Nadia Abdul-Ghafoor, a native of Afghanistan, was […]
Dean Spatafore creates new communications role, Massey Cancer veteran tapped for position
John Wallace, former communications professional with VCU Massey Cancer Center, will join the VCU School of Dentistry on Oct. 11. As Director of Communications, he fills a new role at the school, one created by Interim Dean Clara Spatafore, D.D.S., M.S. “Strong institutional communications are critical to our mission,” Spatafore says. “John Wallace brings multifaceted […]
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 […]
DEI 2020-21 Annual Report
By Carlos S. Smith, DDS, MDiv, FACD Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Director of Ethics Curriculum & the Mirmelstein Lecture Associate Professor, Department of Dental Public Health and Policy and Affiliate Faculty, Oral Health Equity Core, VCU Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry and Innovation It is my pleasure to share our 2020-21 Office of […]
A message from SNDA at VCU SoD
Significance of Juneteenth: Emancipation of enslaved African Americans Hello Everyone, We hope you all are enjoying your day off. As of June 15, 2021, Juneteenth has been officially recognized as a federal holiday! Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) marked the day where African American slaves in Texas received their freedom. Weren’t slaves free when the Emancipation Proclamation was […]
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 […]
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 […]