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Dr. Joel Berg takes over as Dean
Declaring his intent to lead broad, fundamental
change, Dr. Joel Berg became
the 13th Dean of the UW School of
Dentistry on Aug. 15.
In his first message to students, faculty
and staff, Dean Berg said one of his
most important goals was to establish
a distinct culture at UWSOD. “Our
most important function is to produce
outstanding dentists. Everything follows
from that,” he said, listing other key elements
of this culture:
• “We all work together – across departments
and programs and clinics – in
an organized and efficient way.”
• “We embrace necessary change
and a spirit of discovery – not just in
research or the clinic or the classroom,
but in everything we do, including administration.”
Alumni and dental community leaders
indicated that Dr. Berg would have
their strong support as he began his tenure.
“I think Joel brings with him a very
broad community including business,
political, academic and organized dentistry,”
said Dr. Doug Walsh, Past President
of the Washington State Dental
Association and President of the Dean’s
Club Board of Trustees. “He is the right
dean to innovate, inspire and make sure
the University of Washington School of
Dentistry continues to be the premier
dental school in America.”
“He has the unique blend of clinical,
managerial and research experience
combined with a vision to guide
the School of Dentistry to new heights,”
said Dr. Bryan Edgar, President of the
UW Dental Alumni Association and
Secretary-Treasurer of the WSDA.
“The external practicing community are
very supportive of Dr. Berg’s vision for
the future.”
Dr. Berg assumed the deanship from
“If we want to be
a true leader,
we should be
looking at what
we need to do
to create the
dentist of 2025.”
—Dean Joel Berg
Dr. Tim DeRouen, who served as Interim
Dean for the 2011-12 academic year
after Dr. Martha Somerman resigned to
become director of the National Institute
of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
The new Dean, a board-certified
pediatric dentist and active researcher,
came to the UW in 2003 from Philips
Oral Healthcare, where he had been
Vice President of Clinical Affairs since
2000. Previously he was head of the
Scientific Department of ESPE Dental
AG and, before that, Vice President for
Research and Development at IONOS-
America Inc. He was also director of
the Postgraduate/Residency Program in
Pediatric Dentistry at the University of
Texas, Houston.
At the UW, Dean Berg chaired the
Department of Pediatric Dentistry,
where his signature achievement was
the creation of The Center for Pediatric
Dentistry, which opened in September
2010 at Magnuson Park in Seattle. The
new home of Pediatric Dentistry is a
state-of-the-art facility designed to be a
model of patient care, dental education
and research. In addition, it expanded
the School of Dentistry’s physical footprint
by about 16 percent, freeing up
much-needed space for other clinics.
Dean Berg is Professor in the Department
of Pediatric Dentistry and
holds the Lloyd and Kay Chapman
Chair for Oral Health. This year, he
assumed the presidency of the Ameri-
Student K’la Benson (’15) takes a break from clinic to talk with the new Dean.
FALL 2012 DentalAlumninews 9