Amid I. Ismail, BDS, MPH, MBA, DrPH, and diplomate ABDPH, a passionate advocate for the underserved and an international expert on dental health disparities, has been named dean of the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry effective October 13, 2008.


Ismail joins Temple from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he is professor of health services research and cariology at the School of Dentistry and professor of epidemiology and director of the program in dental public health at the School of Public Health.


“Dr. Ismail is a highly regarded educator, researcher and clinician who shares Temple’s fundamental value of service to others. He will be an effective academic leader and a champion of improved oral health for our community,” said Temple University President Ann Weaver Hart.


Throughout his career, Ismail has spurred collaborative programs and research projects to better meet the needs of society’s underserved populations, particularly Mexican-Americans and African-Americans. In Detroit, he has led two such initiatives, both funded by the

National Institutes of Health: the five-year, $1.6 million Detroit Oral Cancer Prevention Project, and the seven-year, $6.9 million Detroit Center for Research on Oral Health Disparities. He was also the principal investigator of a $6.9 million NIH grant to study a Web-based resource on evidence-based dentistry.


“Dr. Ismail’s vision for integrating education, research, service and dental care will propel the school to the forefront of urban academic dentistry, and serve as a model for others,” said Lisa Staiano-Coico, Temple University Provost.


A consummate leader, Ismail has held positions of stature at numerous professional associations. Currently chair of the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Curriculum Development Committee of the Community Dental Health Coordinator program, he formerly chaired the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs and the National Affairs Committee of the American Association for Dental Research. He has also organized and co-organized several national and international conferences that led to major changes in evidence-based health care and dental practice, including the NIH Consensus Conference on Dental Caries Management Throughout Life and the ADA Clinical Recommendations Panels on Fluoride Supplements and Professional Topical Fluoride. Additionally, he has been active in the ADA’s Dental Economics Advisory Committee and the Division of Science, and co-chairs the Coordinating Committee of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System.


Ismail received his dental degree (BDS) from the University of Baghdad. Prior to joining the University of Michigan, from which he earned an MPH, a DrPH, and later, an MBA, he served on the faculties of Dalhousie and McGill Universities in Canada.


Ismail is a prolific scientist, having published and presented over 200 abstracts, manuscripts and editorials, and co-authoring the chapter, “Dental Care Delivery System,” in the Surgeon General’s 2000 landmark report on Oral Health. His work, focused on oral and overall health issues facing the underserved, such as cancer risk, depression and diet, has appeared in such scholarly journals as The Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Journal of the American Dental Association, and Pediatric Dentistry.


“I’m thrilled to be joining Temple University and the Kornberg School of Dentistry and plan to work with and for the faculty, students, staff and alumni to develop a new urban academic dental education model to prepare dentists with advanced clinical skills and knowledge of current health policy and management methods,” said Ismail.


“Differences of opinion will be welcomed and encouraged, and I will foster a transparent, caring and learning environment at the dental school,” he continued.


Among Ismail’s priorities is building collaborations with alumni.


“Dental alumni are a major resource with extensive experience in dental practice and managing the business of dental practice. Their expertise will be sought after frequently during my tenure as dean,” he said.


The Kornberg School of Dentistry, founded in 1863 and the second oldest U.S. dental school in continuous operation, fills a critical need in Philadelphia and the region, supplying highly qualified dentists and providing dental care to the community. Situated at the Health Sciences Center among the Schools of Medicine and Pharmacy, the College of Health Professions and Temple University Hospital, the dental school offers a rigorous curriculum known for its excellence in clinical preparation. Under the direction of Temple faculty, dental students perform close to 300,000 procedures annually, making it one of the busiest academic dental clinics in the country.