Summer updates
New dental clinics
VCU Health’s new adult outpatient facility is coming out of the ground and floorplans for our dental clinics have been approved. Now comes the fun part where spaces become “reality” through the developmental design phase. All of our clinics with the exception of pediatric dentistry will occupy the eighth and ninth floors of the new building.
The elevator shaft is out of the ground from the parking deck area and soon steel will be going up to create the framework of the building.
Be sure to visit our YouTube channel to see what it looks like in the latest edition of The Dental Fill-In vlog.
You can also track the construction progress and see a time-lapse video.
Administrative changes
We’ve had some administrative changes this summer with the merger of the Departments of Prosthodontics and General Practice. Mark Barry (D.D.S. ’85) is now serving as interim chair of the combined departments.
There are a number of reasons we’re doing this and a lot of it has to do with the new way we’re teaching restorative dentistry, particularly the integration of CAD/CAM and digital dentistry and the way we need to evaluate the competency of our students in these areas. All in line with changing technology and the way dental practice and education is evolving. Whenever you merge groups together there’s always lots of tension that needs to be managed and we thank Dr. Barry for stepping up to the plate and helping the transition become a smooth one.
Strategic planning
The research portion of our new strategic plan is complete and our next steps are to develop our service and educational components. We’ll be launching the complete plan in about a year.
New pediatric dentistry clinic
Our new pediatric dental clinic in the Children’s Hospital of Richmond Pavilion on the 6th floor has been designed and construction bids have gone out to get the work done. The clinic is expected to move in a year or so.
Good luck and welcome
Congratulations and the best of luck to our 2019 D.D.S. and D.H. graduates and to our residents who’ve completed their time with us.
Please join me in welcoming our new residents, who are already here, and our D.D.S. and D.H. students who just arrived this week.
We’re happy for all of you and wish you much success.
Presidential Medallion
Congratulations to Frank Macrina, Ph.D., who was awarded the Presidential Medallion at the May VCU Commencement. We’re proud of Frank, a retired dental faculty member, who rose to direct the entire VCU research operation. It’s a real feather in our cap and we’re very proud of his dental school roots.
Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel where you’ll find my latest vlog post.
Categories Deans blog