Dr. Teresa Dolan appointed dean of dentistry at UF
Teresa A. Dolan, D.D.S., was named dean of the University of Florida College of Dentistry today (5/8), after serving a strong 11-month term as interim dean.
University Provost David Colburn, Ph.D., and Vice President for Health Affairs Douglas Barrett, M.D., announced her appointment this morning during a special dental faculty assembly.
“Doug Barrett and I have been very pleased with the way in which Terri Dolan has represented this college, and she has done an extraordinarily effective job in representing you (the faculty). We would like to proceed forward with her permanent appointment and remove the interimship,” Colburn told the faculty.
Barrett said, “I’ve seen the team come together in a very effective way, a process that was really astounding for me to watch. You are all to be commended for pulling together as an academic team. It is my perspective that Terri Dolan’s leadership has been instrumental in making that happen.”
During the assembly, the college’s faculty expressed overwhelming support and delight in Dolan’s appointment as dean. Many faculty members expressed their respect and admiration for Dolan, as well as their confidence in her leadership.
“I’ve been in general dental education for more than 30 years now, and I’ve worked for a lot of deans,” said Frank Dolwick, D.M.D., Ph.D., chairman of oral and maxillofacial surgery. “I think Terri is the best dean I’ve ever worked for. She’s done a fantastic job, and my department supports her 100 percent.”
Dolan, a professor of dentistry who came to UF in 1989, is known for her expertise in geriatric dentistry and geriatric dental education. Her research has focused on access-to-care issues for indigent or elderly patients.
“Being the dean of this college gives me an opportunity to combine my interests in academic dentistry, health services research and public health into the administration and oversight of an institution that has the ability to advance science, provide care and improve access to care, and advance health-policy issues related to dentistry,” Dolan said. “It provides an opportunity to speak about the things I’ve studied, believe in and want to advocate.”
As interim dean, Dolan began carrying out the college’s recently completed strategic plan, which focuses on excellence in education, research and service.
“I’m envisioning a five-year goal of fully implementing our strategic plan,” Dolan said. “We’ve already come a long way, especially in terms of the physical plant. We have spent about $9 million in the past seven years upgrading this facility, and we have a fair amount of work left to do, but I think we’re well on our way to seeing the physical plant renovations completed.”
Renovations and expansion of the college’s physical plant will facilitate growth in research and expand educational opportunities for students, she said. The college ranks seventh out of 55 dental schools in National Institutes of Health research funding. Dolan said she believes the key to growth in research and research awards is to “continue to recruit outstanding faculty to focus on core research initiatives, such as infectious diseases in dentistry, bone biology, pain and neurosciences, and translational research to improve approaches to clinical dental care.”
The college’s effort to enhance its academic programs to achieve a sustained level of national excellence is demonstrated by the high caliber of its students. Every member of the class of 2003 passed the National Dental Board Part II Exam this spring.
“That is a phenomenal achievement for any institution,” Dolan said, “but we will continue to pursue excellence in education to prepare exceptional dentists to serve the state of Florida.”
Service to Florida through provision of care for indigent, underserved and medically compromised residents also is a major component of the college’s strategic plan. The college is one of the largest providers of low-cost dental care to indigent residents through its Statewide Network for Community Oral Health. The college owns three clinics (in Jacksonville, St. Petersburg and Hialeah) and partners with 11 others to provide affordable dental care to Florida’s 2.2 million indigent residents.
This emphasis on providing service to the underserved is just fine with Dolan, whose career has focused on dental care for the elderly. Her work in geriatric research earned her diplomate status from the American Board of Dental Public Health in 1994.
Dolan, a native of Jersey City, N.J., earned her doctorate in dental surgery from the University of Texas and a master’s degree in public health from the University of California at Los Angeles. She continued her education by earning certificates in general dentistry at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, in geriatric dentistry at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Sepulveda, Calif., and in dental public health at UF. Since joining the college in 1989 as an assistant professor, Dolan has stood out from the start, finding time to teach, conduct geriatric research, publish and serve as associate dean for academic affairs — a position she has held since 1996. As the associate dean of academic affairs, Dolan helped enact curriculum revisions, an ongoing process that has made great strides to improve the quality of the Doctor of Dental Medicine educational program.
Dolan credits her husband, Stanley H. Givens II, and daughter Victoria for their support of her career and new position as dean.
“I have to thank my family,” said Dolan, “because without the strong support of my husband and daughter, I simply would not be able to do this job.”
She also acknowledged the support of the college’s faculty, staff, students and alumni, who have made her work at the university meaningful and enjoyable.