The University of Michigan (U-M) has appointed Laurie McCauley, DDS, PhD, as the new dean of its dental school.
Dr. McCauley is the first woman and the 13th dean since the dental school was founded in 1875, according to the university. She succeeds Peter Polverini, DDS.
Dr. McCauley is a professor of periodontics and she previously chaired the department of periodontics and oral medicine, which had more than 180 faculty, staff, and graduate students. She is also a professor of pathology at the University of Michigan medical school and has been a visiting professor at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Dr. McCauley earned her professional degrees from Ohio State University (OSU). She began her academic career in 1984 as a student teaching assistant at OSU's dental school prior to coming to the University of Michigan in 1992 as an assistant professor. She has also directed the University of Michigan's Center for Biorestoration of Oral Health.