UCLA School of Dentistry Dean Paul Krebsbach appointed three health sciences assistant clinical professors to director-level positions. Dr. Shahed Al Khalifah and Dr. Denny Chao were named co-directors of Innovative Digital Dentistry Systems; Dr. Kelly Vitzthum will direct the Community-Based Clinical Education program.
Innovative Digital Dentistry Systems was established in September 2018 to lead a digital transformation in how dentistry is taught and practiced. It helps provide students, faculty and staff access to online health information across all disciplines.
Community-Based Clinical Education began as a pilot program in March 2018 for select students to complete two-week rotations serving vulnerable populations. All fourth-year dental students now perform at least six weeks of rotations under multiple practice models. More than 22,000 patients in underserved communities have received dental procedures through the program.
Al Khalifah chairs pre-clinical indirect restoration courses and clinical restorative dentistry courses for second- and third-year D.D.S. students. Chao, who teaches prosthodontics, is involved in predoctoral and postdoctoral training. Vitzthum instructs residents and predoctoral students in the section of public and population health and in the section of special patient care and maxillofacial prosthetics.
Read the full story about the appointments at the dental school’s website.
