Beyond the CV: John A. Valenza, DDS

In every health care university, there are leaders whose journeys, passions, and commitments shape the experiences of students and the future.

The Beyond the CV series looks past the bios of the deans leading UTHealth Houston’s schools to explore their personal motivations, defining moments, and guiding philosophies.

In this installment, John A. Valenza, DDS, dean of UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry and The William N. Finnegan III Distinguished Professor in the Dental Sciences, shares his journey from initially considering medicine to finding his calling in dentistry, driven by a passion for working with his hands and helping people. He reflects on the unique "family" culture within the school, the thrill of leading the top dental school in Texas, and the profound impact of educating future dentists.

Why did you pursue a career in dentistry?

Growing up in Houston, I knew I wanted to be in health care but wasn't sure what was the best fit for me. Dentistry wasn't really on my radar until early in college. My father and two brothers are podiatrists, and people often ask how I ended up at the other end of the body. I joke that I didn't want to work on smelly feet! But seriously, I had many dentists on my mother's side of the family, although most were in Chicago. The more I thought about it, considering my likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses, I realized dentistry was the best blend for me. I've always loved building models and using my hands, and the passion for helping people is central to dentistry.

You mentioned working with your hands and the artistry involved. What do you think people don't understand about the artistry required in dentistry?

I think one thing people don't always appreciate about being a dentist, especially regarding health care and artistry, is that it's about more than just teeth and gums. It's truly about relationships. It’s about someone’s overall health and self-image. While we are very hands-on in treating patients, we constantly tell our students that dentistry is about building relationships and making a difference in others’ lives. Our vision statement, "Improving oral health and improving overall health," clearly reflects this broader perspective.

You've accomplished so much in your career. How do you keep evolving professionally and stay motivated?

My motivation has really been, in part, by accident. I've become a person who loves change, not for its own sake, but for the opportunity to always improve things and myself. Over the years as an educator, I've been very fortunate that every time I was ready for something different, a door opened for me here. This is quite unusual, as most people who've done the variety of things I have often need to move to different institutions. But here, every five to six years in my academic career, I've been ready for a new challenge, and an opportunity has presented itself. Now, almost 17 years as dean, I haven't felt the itch to do anything different, so it's worked out wonderfully.

What's it like to serve as dean of the school where you received your dental education?

There has been no greater thrill than being dean of my alma mater. I have immense respect for deans who serve at schools they didn't attend. I often joke that no alumnus has ever told me, "Well, you wouldn't understand; you didn't go to school here." Being able to interact with alums and share past experiences is special. I especially recall, when I first became dean, meeting some very senior alums for an event and wondering what we'd have in common. I soon realized we had most of the same faculty members, just at different stages of their careers, and trained in the same building and city. Now, all I have to do is ask an alum what year they graduated, and we're off to the races with conversations. It's truly been a thrill.

Could you share a proud moment in your career where you felt you greatly impacted a student or students, and what that means to you?

It's hard to single out one moment because, as educators, we constantly look for that "magic moment" when the light goes off in a student's eyes. Those moments happen all the time, and I live for them — explaining something, showing them how to do something, and seeing that understanding click. It's an "aha!" moment that hopefully imparts something they'll carry for the rest of their lives and careers. These small, frequent moments are incredibly special.

I also think about the broader impact. As a practitioner, you impact each patient's life. But as an educator, you impact each student, who then goes on to impact all of their patients. The magnitude of influencing so many patients through our students and graduates is profound.

It's very clear that there's a culture of family at the School of Dentistry. What have you brought to help create that culture?

I'm often asked about our culture, whether by prospective students, faculty, or staff. The word "family" comes up constantly. I tell them it's not by accident; it's a very deliberate effort on our part to ensure people understand that they come first. That's paramount to me. It's wonderful to hear from prospective students who have interviewed elsewhere that our culture is different. When we look for new faculty, we certainly want experts, but we also prioritize good communicators and mentors who are well suited to join our team.

What's the proudest moment for you as dean?

The proudest moment for me is probably this building — having the opportunity to be involved in a brand new, full replacement building. That doesn't happen very often, and it's been incredibly special. But also, that throughout the planning, design, and construction, we constantly reminded ourselves that while the new building would be fabulous, it's what we do inside that truly matters. Leading that effort for a new building has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

What makes UTHealth Houston and the School of Dentistry unique, and what has kept you here for so long?

We've already touched on the unique culture of family and community, which is a significant part of what makes us stand out and what has kept me here. I would add that Houston and UT have also been my home. Although I spent six years in Tennessee between graduating from the school in 1981 and returning as a faculty in 1987, it was truly a homecoming for me. While many have come and gone at the School of Dentistry and UTHealth Houston, it has truly been special to be part of this professional family.

What are you most passionate about in life right now, outside of retirement?

I am a teacher at heart. Most dentists are experts in dentistry but don't always have formal training in education. Since the mid-90s, this school has had a formal office dedicated to faculty and staff development, which has been fantastic. I'm still very passionate about seeing new faculty, in particular, grow into educational roles and become great teachers. For many of us, it's just in our nature.

Dentistry, like much of health care, is constantly changing, largely due to technology. I'm a real technology enthusiast. However, going back to our culture of family and people, we've been driven by the idea that while we embrace new technologies and techniques, we won't leave behind the people involved, whether it's the faculty delivering content or the student learning.

An example is our new clinical Center for Health Promotion and the forthcoming UT Dentists practice at Bellaire Station. These two facilities represent our passion and commitment for educating students and caring for patients. Again, with the goal of improving oral health and overall health in mind. We are part of health care and want our patients and providers to experience that connection in our clinics.

What qualities do you want graduates to leave with as they pursue the next steps in their careers?

My hope for our graduates, whether they're just starting out or are 20, 30, or 40 years into practice, is that they carry with them the same traits we instilled: lifelong learning, that people come first, and that this profession is about relationships and improving overall health. I recall an alumnus who, at his son's elementary school career day, asked the kids what business he was in. They said, "the dental business," but he corrected them, saying, "No, I'm in the people business." It's easy to get sidetracked by life's demands, and dental practice has changed significantly, moving from solo practices to group and corporate models. So, I hope our graduates retain those core values, no matter their professional environment.

As you prepare for retirement, what excites you most about the future of dentistry and dental education, and how are you preparing the school for that next chapter?

The future for us, like all of health care and the world, is driven by technology. Our school has also been using electronic health records and digital imaging for 20 years, which surprises many. We've more recently embraced digital dentistry, which is incredibly exciting. The days of multiple appointments for a crown, with impression material in your mouth and temporary restorations, are being replaced by technology that allows us to do it all in one visit. We've been good at assessing when it's the right time to adopt new technologies.

Regarding AI, I wish I could say more about its future impact, but I don't think anyone truly knows yet. There's much speculation about how AI will transform the world. But when you consider how these technologies apply to dentistry, those are the truly exciting things to think about for the profession's future.

We've been fortunate to do many innovative things, including our EHR for 20 years, and our simulation clinic, which is unique among dental schools. The new Center for Health Promotion is a significant addition, advancing our vision of improving both oral and overall health. Starting a faculty practice, UT Dentists, has been a game changer, becoming one of the top-ranked faculty practices in the U.S. Our research enterprise has also been in the top 10 nationally for the past few years, which was a long-standing goal. These achievements are a testament to the dedication of those involved.

Tell us one or more things that most people don't know about you outside of academia.

Most people probably don't know that in high school, I played competitive tennis. I often joke that I don't look like a tennis player! While in dental school, I helped finance my education by teaching tennis. It was during those times that I realized how much I enjoyed teaching, no matter the subject. Dentists are inherently teachers. We teach good oral hygiene and explain procedures to patients and are leaders of the dental delivery team. So, leadership and teaching are natural parts of being a practicing dentist or dental educator.

Being a tennis player also reminds me of a quote from one of my coaches: "You always change a losing game." I've used that throughout my life, not just in tennis. When something isn't working, you have to make changes. I often share that quote with others, saying, "What we've been doing just isn't working." It's been fun to apply that wisdom from high school to nearly every day of my life.

Do you have any parting words of wisdom or advice, especially for students or seasoned faculty?

Any words of advice I could give, especially to students, would be to maintain persistence in what they want and not be deterred by failure. It's not about how many times you fail, but what you do when you fail — getting back up and moving forward. We often tell dental school applicants who aren't successful the first time that if this is what they truly want, they should stay at it.

For new faculty, especially those new to dental education, when I meet with them, I ask, "At the end, what do you want to be known for? What do you want to achieve as a faculty member, beyond being the best teacher? What specific accomplishments do you want to be recognized for?"

What are you planning on doing during retirement?

I have a bucket list of nearly 40 items, several of which are travel related. One thing I've always wanted to do is learn how to play the piano, which I know won't happen overnight, so that will be a work in progress. The other notable thing is that I went into dental school after three years of college, about 20 hours short of a bachelor's degree. So, one of my dreams is to go back to UT Austin and finish up to get my bachelor's degree. We'll see about that one!

As for travel, one place I haven't been to yet, but is a top priority, is Italy, specifically Sicily, where my family originated from. I've been to other parts of Italy, but not Sicily. I hear there's a wonderful cruise from Rome that stops at Sicily and then goes to the Greek islands, so that's definitely on the bucket list.