Faculty
Faculty awards, honors, achievements and promotions.
In Memoriam: Gerald “Jerry” Brundo, D.D.S., M.A.
Gerald “Jerry” Brundo, a UCLA School of Dentistry faculty member from 1971 to 1984, passed away on Sept. 29 in Omaha, Neb. He was 80.
Dr. Yan Wang Selected for Prestigious AADOCR Research Cohort
Yan Wang, Ph.D., an assistant adjunct professor in the UCLA School of Dentistry’s Section of Public and Population Health, has been selected as one of only ten nationwide mentees in the fourth cohort of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research’s (AADOCR) Mentoring an Inclusive Network for a Diverse Workforce of the Future (
UCLA and Global Periodontics Community Gathers to Honor Dr. Henry H. Takei
A celebration 50-plus years in the making, the UCLA School of Dentistry’s inaugural Dr. Henry H. Takei Endowed Periodontal Symposium brought together more than 150 colleagues, mentees, and associates of this distinguished emeritus professor on Saturday, Aug. 5.
Seven Full-Time Faculty Appointments and One Promotion Highlight Recent Academic Personnel Moves
The UCLA School of Dentistry recently appointed seven scholars to full-time faculty positions, while an eighth has earned a promotion.
Three Faculty Members Appointed to Oversee Impactful Initiatives
UCLA School of Dentistry Dean Paul Krebsbach has announced the appointment of three health sciences assistant clinical professors to director-level positions. Drs. Shahed Al Khalifah and Denny Chao will serve as co-directors of Innovative Digital Dentistry Systems (iDDS), while Dr. Kelly Vitzthum will direct the Community-Based Clinical Education (CBCE) program.
Marginalized No More
***This story appears in the UCLA School of Dentistry's Spring 2023 Magazine***
In the late 1980s, as a newly-minted dentist working at New York University during the height of the AIDS epidemic, Fariba Younai, D.D.S., found herself at the darkest point of her career.
Dr. Alan Felsenfeld Reappointed to Dental Board of California
Alan Felsenfeld, M.S., D.D.S. ’74, professor emeritus of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the UCLA School of Dentistry, was reappointed to the Dental Board of California by Governor Gavin Newsom on Feb. 6, with a term running until Jan.
Messadi Recognized with Egyptian American Organization’s Highest Honor
UCLA School of Dentistry Professor Diana V. Messadi, D.D.S., M.M.SC., D.M.SC., has received the Egyptian American Organization’s (EAO) Outstanding Achievement Award for 2023.
Dr. Flavia Pirih Appointed Chair of Regenerative and Reconstructive Sciences
Flavia Pirih, D.D.S., Ph.D. '06, has been appointed as chair of the UCLA School of Dentistry’s Division of Regenerative and Reconstructive Sciences, effective immediately.
In memoriam: Dr. Henry Cherrick, D.D.S., M.S.D.
Dr. Henry Cherrick, a professor of oral pathology who served as dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry from 1988 to 1995, passed away Jan. 24, 2023, in Davie, Florida. He was 84.
Dr. Cherrick’s affiliation with UCLA spanned two different terms. Arriving at the dental school as assistant professor of oral pathology in 1971, he was promoted to associate professor two years later and then to full professor in 1977. That year, he was honored with the UCLA Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award.