Dean's blog

It has been said that “the road to success is always under construction,” and this past weekend we witnessed an important step made by our fourth-year dental students in building their success.  They challenged their mock board experiences in both fixed prosthodontics and endodontics and, irrespective of individual outcomes, it revealed the potential challenges that face them in the eventual […]

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you all enjoyed the winter break and are energized for a successful spring semester. Already, we have much to celebrate.  We started the year by welcoming Dr. Imbery into a new role as interim chair of the Department of General Practice. And last weekend, I attended the ASDA District 4 Conference in Raleigh, NC, where the leadership of […]

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”  – John F. Kennedy As this year ends, I must admit that change has been a way of life here at VCU School of Dentistry. I joined the school as our new Dean […]

Welcome to December. This is a time when we begin planning celebrations and vacations, dreaming about seeing old friends and family and enjoying some time off. It’s a little cooler each morning and a bit darker each evening. It’s also a time when we are faced with completing year-end tasks, finishing classes and preparing for exams. It often […]

Next week, we will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Irrespective of the different ways that we may choose to embrace this day, it reminds me that beyond the gastronomic excess, football, and relaxation of a cool fall day, there is the important theme of gratitude. I am extremely grateful for the extended and generous welcome that […]

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of hosting the Dean’s Advisory Board luncheon. Former deans, faculty and students traveled various distances, taking time from their practices to show their commitment to VCU School of Dentistry. I was excited to share my first six months’ experiences and impressions of the School, and I highlighted the ongoing activities in our preclinical, clinical, post-doctoral, research and […]

The early fall is a busy time in academic dentistry. For the VCU School of Dentistry community it’s been a particularly busy time, and for the dean, well, let’s say that October has been a whirlwind of exciting and important events. We have new faculty joining Oral Surgery, General Dentistry, and Prosthodontics and we have also welcomed a new director of our Dental […]

Two weeks ago, Dr. Omar Abubaker, chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, shared in the Richmond Times Dispatch some important facts, thoughts and emotions about the ongoing opiate crisis facing our society. I am grateful for his efforts to highlight the ongoing crisis of opiate addiction and death. While the COVID-19 pandemic has grabbed our attention over the past few years, opiate addiction has continued to challenge […]

I had the pleasure of spending part of last weekend at the VDA Showcase in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was among the first of returning to in-person meetings and it was encouraging and refreshing to watch audience members’ responses to speakers’ remarks, to see hugs among old friends, to hear about others’ experiences, to feel the buzz in the exhibition hall, […]

Today, I met a new faculty member. A few weeks ago, I met three others. And just a few months ago, I was that new faculty member. I have spent some time reflecting on what joining a new institution and moving to a new city has meant to me and my family. I envisioned the move to be a new adventure filled with places and opportunities that would be […]