Search underway for dental dean

Published August 30, 2022

The search for a new dean for the School of Dental Medicine is underway, with the appointment of a search committee headed by Gary Pollack, dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The search is seeking a successor to Joseph J. Zambon, who retired from UB in January after 39 years as a UB faculty member — including the last six as dean.

The search committee, appointed by Provost A. Scott Weber and Allison Brashear, vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, includes faculty and administrators from the School of Dental Medicine, as well as other UB and community members whose interests and expertise are relevant to the field of dentistry. In addition to Pollack, members are:

  • Thikriat Al-Jewair, associate professor, Orthodontics, and assistant dean for diversity and inclusion, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Stelios Andreadis, SUNY Distinguished Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
  • Genene Crofut, Genene Crofut, DDS, and president, UB Dental Alumni Association.
  • Neil R. Dengler, assistant dean and senior director for university advancement, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Patricia I. Diaz, Empire Innovation Professor, Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Anthony J. Felli, DDS student, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Jo L. Freudenheim, SUNY Distinguished Professor, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, and associate dean for faculty affairs, School of Public Health and Health Professions.
  • Joseph E. Gambacorta, clinical associate professor, Restorative Dentistry, and associate dean for clinical affairs, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Yoly Gonzalez-Stucker, associate professor and chair, Oral Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Richard E. Hall, professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Keith L. Kirkwood, professor and Centennial Endowed Chair, Oral Biology, and senior associate dean for research, School of Dental Medicine.
  • Nojin Kwak, vice provost for international education.
  • Teresa Quattrin, UB Distinguished Professor, Pediatrics, and senior associate dean for research integration, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
  • Eugena Stephan, clinical associate professor, Restorative Dentistry, and associate dean for clinical affairs, School of Dental Medicine.

To assist in the search, UB has hired the consulting firm of Isaacson, Miller.

Throughout the coming months, Pollack will update the university community in the coming months on the search progress. Information will also be posted on the search website.