Michael Glick Named Dean of UB Dental School

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The appointment of Michael Glick, D.M.D., as dean of the School of Dental Medicine at the University at Buffalo was announced today by David L. Dunn, M.D., Ph.D., UB vice president for health sciences.

Glick is professor of oral medicine and associate dean for oral and medical sciences at the School of Osteopathic Medicine at A. T. Still University (ATSU) in Arizona and editor of the premier peer-reviewed journal on dentistry and dental science, The Journal of the American Dental Association.

Known for his innovative, medicine-oriented approach to dental care, Glick is a proponent of having dental students think of themselves as health care professionals first, and dentists second. His research interests are focused primarily on the care of the medically complex dental patient, and he has published extensively and lectured worldwide on this topic.

His appointment is effective Dec. 1.

Dunn noted that Glick emerged early on in the national search as the front-runner among a very strong pool of candidates.

"It rapidly became clear that Dr. Glick's administrative acumen, stellar research and clinical background, as well as his national and international experience and reputation, made him a superb fit for the position within the UB Academic Health Center," Dunn said.

"I am very pleased that he accepted our offer to become the new dean of the UB School of Dental Medicine and to lead the school into a new era of academic productivity, training the next generation of dental practitioners, professors and investigators.

"Dr. Glick's dry wit, collegial and forthright nature, and the experience he has acquired in a number of diverse academic environments are invaluable assets that he brings to the position. He also brings enormous cachet to UB and its School of Dental Medicine as the editor of The Journal of the American Dental Association."

Glick will succeed Richard Buchanan, D.M.D., who last year announced plans to step down as dean after seven years in the post to devote more time to national issues in dental education.

"As a superb scientist and clinician, Dr. Glick brings to the fore the many ways in which education and research informs dental education and clinical care," said UB Provost Satish K. Tripathi. "Under Dr. Glick's leadership, we believe the UB School of Dental Medicine's national reputation as a center for innovative dental education, progressive clinical care and ground-breaking research will grow, achieving the top ranks of U.S. schools of dental medicine. As a university, we warmly welcome Dr. Glick into the UB family."

UB President John B. Simpson said: "In Michael Glick, UB welcomes a scholar and practitioner of exceptional experience and academic distinction. We are especially delighted that Dr. Glick's thoroughly interdisciplinary approach to his work mirrors our own intense commitment to collaborative investigation and inquiry.

"The School of Dental Medicine has long been a distinguished center for teaching, research, clinical care and outreach to the public," said Simpson. "Under Dr. Glick's leadership, we fully expect that the school not only will continue to thrive, but also will help us pursue our eventual goal of a world-class health campus downtown. Here, patient care on multiple fronts will be fully integrated with advanced education and research."

Glick said he was drawn to the UB dental school because UB's Academic Health Center -- comprising the schools of Dental Medicine, Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Public Health and Health Professions -- offers "an environment very conducive to research, education and inter-unit collaboration." He said he plans to focus on strengthening the connections between dental, oral and medical health to complement UB's already well-established record of ground-breaking research in this area.

"One way of approaching dentistry is to look into the mouth of the patient and note the effects of systemic illness on his oral health," said Glick, who pointed out that in 2006, 64 percent of all adults in the U.S. visited dentists, while only 39 percent saw a physician. "Or, we could take advantage of this opportunity and act as health care professionals whose approach is proactive and screen for hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes."

Glick was born in Sweden and received degrees in dental medicine at Hebrew University Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel, and Temple University in Philadelphia. He has held academic appointments in oral medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, New Jersey Dental School and, most recently, at A. T. Still University. Glick also has held administrative appointments in infectious disease, postgraduate training, diagnostic sciences, and oral and maxillofacial radiology. He also serves as president of the American Board of Oral Medicine.

Glick is a fellow in the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, and is a member of the faculty in dental surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.