Charles N. Bertolami, a leader in the dental research, education, and clinical communities, has been named the 14th Dean of the 142-year-old New York University College of Dentistry, the largest College of Dentistry in the world. He will officially take his post at NYU's College of Dentistry on September 1, 2007.
For the past 12 years, Bertolami has served as the dean of the University of California - San Francisco School of Dentistry, where he has been responsible for expanding the school's research capacity, renovating clinics and laboratories, implementing a new curriculum reinforcing integration of basic and clinical sciences in dental education, establishing and expanding joint degree programs, and founding a year-long post-baccalaureate program for students from economically or educationally disadvantaged groups. In addition, during Bertolami's time at the UCSF School of Dentistry, the school has led the nation in overall NIH funding for dental schools.
"If you go to a dentist in the United States, chances are 1-in-12 that you will be cared for by a graduate of the NYU College of Dentistry," said Robert Berne, NYU's Senior Vice President for Health. "We have an obligation, therefore, to ensure that the leader of the school is among the best in the country, a person who can set an agenda for excellence in research, education, and clinical care delivery and envision new possibilities for the role of the profession within the health care field. The search committee did an outstanding job, and we are very grateful and pleased that Charles Bertolami will be taking on the deanship. This is a great day for the Dental College - its students, its faculty, and its patients."