Olson named associate dean for technology services, informatics

Gregory W. Olson, DDS, MSc, has been named the new associate dean for Technology Services and Informatics, Dean John A. Valenza, DDS, announced July 29. His appointment is effective Sept. 1.

Olson has served as the Department of Pediatric Dentistry chair since joining the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry faculty in 2018. In addition, since July 1, 2023, he has been serving as the Department of Orthodontics interim chair.

“I look forward to serving with the Technology Services and Informatics team at UTHealth Houston and the School of Dentistry,” said Olson. “The unwavering dedication of Dr. Giuseppe Colasurdo and Dr. John Valenza to technology and innovation propels our success. It also solidifies our position as leaders in these critical areas, ensuring that we continue to impact the future of health care significantly.”

Holder of the Catherine M. Flaitz, DDS Professorship in Pediatric Dentistry, Olson is a dual-trained orthodontist/pediatric dentist certified by the American Board of Orthodontics and the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

He earned a doctorate in dental surgery, a certificate in pediatric dentistry, and a master’s degree in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics from Loma Linda University in California. This fall, he will complete his doctorate in health informatics from the UTHealth Houston McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics.

Olson completed a legislative fellowship with the American Dental Education Association and is an ADEA/AAL Leadership Institute graduate.

With a passion for advocacy, Olson held a Faculty Scholar appointment at the Institute for Health Policy and Leadership at LLU, where he taught in both the graduate and predoctoral programs. While there, Olson led policy research projects ranging from hunger issues to opioid-prescribing practices.

His research focuses on extracting and analyzing digital data related to clinical, educational, and business processes to enhance individual and decision-making to improve quality of life — with a global impact.

Olson underscores the collaborative nature of TSI in the academic, clinical, and research efforts at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.

“TSI’s understated ‘Yes, we can!’ attitude and creative nature rise from a determination to think outside the box and understand the needs of those we serve. Both individuals and team members appear to thrive on collaboration and creativity while bringing together the varied expertise of faculty, staff, residents, and students to solve complex problems and implement innovative solutions.

“I’m inspired to see how the efforts of TSI directly contribute to the success of our students, residents, and faculty, whether it is improving access to cutting-edge resources, streamlined processes, or facilitating groundbreaking research. This supportive environment will empower everyone to leverage technology and informatics to enhance clinical care, work, and learning experiences.”

Olson succeeds Professor Muhammad F. Walji, MS, PhD, who served in the role from 2013 to 2023. Walji serves as the inaugural chair of the Department of Clinical and Health Informatics at the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston and maintains a joint appointment at the School of Dentistry.