UCSF Names New Dean of the School of Dentistry

UCSF Chancellor J. Michael Bishop, MD, has named John Featherstone, PhD, as dean of UCSF School of Dentistry. In an email message to the campus community on Friday, Bishop said that Featherstone would be the next dean, pending approval by the UC Board of Regents. Here is the full message by the chancellor: September 5, 2008 Dear Colleagues: During the past year, we have been fortunate to have Dr. John Featherstone in the role of interim dean of the UCSF School of Dentistry. After due consideration of all available candidates, I have concluded that Dr. Featherstone is best suited to serve as the school’s next dean. I am pleased that at my request, and subject to Regents’ approval, he has agreed to serve as dean beginning on the effective date approved by The Regents. Dr. Featherstone is a distinguished scholar and a skilled administrator. As interim dean, he has demonstrated excellent leadership and management skills, with accomplishments that include selecting and appointing a department chair, establishing the new position of associate dean for clinical affairs as well as restructuring the school administration accordingly, and improving the clinical infrastructure and the financial situation of the predoctoral dental clinics. Dr. Featherstone has been on the UCSF faculty for thirteen years, and his exemplary service demonstrates how well suited he is to serve as the dean on an ongoing basis. A few examples include his designation as the Leland and Gladys Barber Distinguished Professor of Dentistry at the School of Dentistry, his record of leadership as the chair of the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences from 1996–2005, and his role as principal investigator on major research grants funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. He is also the recipient of numerous awards including the 2003 Yngve Ericsson Prize for research in preventive dentistry, the 2006 International Association for Dental Research’s Distinguished Scientist Award for research in dental caries, the 2002 T. H. Maiman Award for excellence in dental laser research from the Academy of Laser Dentistry, and the 2007 Norton Ross Award for excellence in clinical research from the American Dental Association. I thank him on behalf of the UCSF community for taking on this important assignment and ask that you all join me in giving him wholehearted support. Sincerely, J. Michael Bishop, M.D. Chancellor