Dean's Message

Russell Taichman sitting at a table.

It is an honor to serve as your ninth dean. What an exciting opportunity to lead a great school with a proud tradition of producing dentists and educators who are well prepared to practice and to serve their communities. The passion and commitment to revolutionizing oral health that is shared by our faculty, staff, students, and alumni alike is second-to-none. I can see a future of many possibilities.

After all, how cool is a career where by serving the public you can advance science and change lives for the better. Whether bench side or chairside, the beauty of dentistry is that no matter what path you take, it is a rewarding profession and UAB is a first choice in dental education. Our clinics provide cutting-edge comprehensive care focused on improving overall health through better oral health. And our developments in dental research including the oral microbiome and the discovery of links between oral and systemic diseases, the epidemiology of caries, the continued development of new materials and techniques, and the advance of practice-based research place dentistry on the cutting edge of discovery and patient care.

With a collective vision for continued excellence and increased collaboration, we have a solid foundation on which to build future success.

Go Blazers!

Russel Taichman's signature

Russell S. Taichman, D.M.D., D.M.Sc.

About Dean Taichman

Named the ninth dean of the School of Dentistry, Dr. Russell Taichman joined UAB from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry where he was associate dean for research and the Major Ash Collegiate Professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine. He received his doctoral degree in dental medicine from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, his doctor of medical science degree and a certificate in periodontology from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and engaged in post-doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Dr. Taichman’s research has focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms that regulate how bone marrow functions in both health and disease and how marrow relates to tissue regeneration and cancer stem cells. He has had continuous NIH funding for over 25 years, with multiple grants awarded as an investigator or co-investigator, and has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of bone biology, hematology, leadership training for oral health professionals, and Arctic exploration. He has taught over 20 courses, including serving as course director for several periodontology and leadership courses, as well as a dozen continuing education classes and numerous invited seminars. In addition to classroom and clinical instruction and patient care activities that have spanned more than two decades, Dr. Taichman received the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award in recognition of his extensive mentorship of budding investigators. He also developed and directed the University of Michigan School of Dentistry Scholars Program in Dental Leadership, a program focused on the leadership development of dental and dental hygiene students.

Dr. Taichman is a graduate of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Leadership Institute and has received numerous awards and honors including the distinction of Fellow of the American College of Dentists. His national/international leadership includes service as Founding Editor and Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Healthcare Leadership and he served as a member of the editorial boards of the American Journal of Translational Research and Cancer Research. He is a member of the American Association of Dental Research (AADR) Mineralized Tissue and Periodontics groups, an invited member of the American Association for Cancer Research, and an honorary member of the Stem Cell Research Italy Association. He was also named an Honorary Professor at Jilin University.

As dean, Dr. Taichman brings a collaborative philosophy. He envisions a strong coalition of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners who share his vision to improve health through better oral health. HIs goal is to build on UAB’s quest for continued excellence by expanding the school’s leadership in clinical dentistry, research, and progressive education through cutting-edge technology and innovative initiatives.

Messages from Dean Taichman

Dean’s Message: Peanut statues, parties, and pandemics: All in the life of a first year dean

Dean’s Message: Peanut statues, parties, and pandemics: All in the life of a first year dean

Written by: Russell S. Taichman, D.M.D., D.M.Sc.

July 1 marked my first anniversary as your dean. It has been an amazing and exhilarating experience filled with great highs, as well as many fun and certainly unusual challenges. If you will indulge me, I’d like to share the year from my vantage point.

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