Today UNLV President Carol C. Harter announced the appointment of Dr. E. Steven Smith as associate dean for clinical services for UNLV's School of Dentistry and acting dean of the school at a salary of $142,000.
"We are extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Smith," said Harter. "He will be an asset to UNLV and will ensure that the dental school continues to move forward."
"Dr. Smith will bring strong leadership to the school at this pivotal time," said Provost Douglas Ferraro. "We are fortunate to have someone with his credentials to act as dean."
Smith, a native Nevadan, was hired by the University and Community College System of Nevada last year to serve as assistant director of dental programs.
Prior to returning to his home state, Smith was a professor of oral diagnosis/oral medicine/restorative dentistry and the director of forensic dental education at the Northwestern University Dental School.
A practicing dentist for more than 25 years in Chicago, he held several academic and administrative positions at Northwestern in the departments of restorative dentistry, stomatology, oral diagnosis, oral medicine, and oral radiology.
Smith is a member and/or officer of several professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, the American Society of Forensic Odontology, and the American Association of Dental Schools.
A leading expert in bite mark identification and forensic dentistry, Smith holds a degree in dental surgery from Northwestern and a bachelor of science degree from Weber State College in Utah.
Harter also announced that in a mutual agreement reached by UNLV and the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation, the ADA's accreditation eligibility visit to UNLV -- originally set for mid-August -- will be postponed until summer of 2000.
This decision will delay admission of students to the program until fall 2001. It was originally scheduled for fall 2000.
"I have conferred with Drs. Frank Licari and Karen Hart of the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation, and we have agreed that this is the best course of action," Harter said. "Although we are postponing the visit, I am confident that UNLV will have a first-rate dental school. This postponement will allow us to make certain that all financial and academic requirements are met and procedures are followed so that when the time comes to begin educating students, we can be assured of accreditation by the ADA."
"Our first step after appointing the acting dean will be to begin a national search for an associate dean for academic affairs for the school," she added. "Then we will begin a search for a permanent dental school dean in fall 2000."
