President’s listening tour visits dental school

President Melina R. Kibbe, MD (right), sits on stage with Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, during her visit to UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry as part of a university-wide listening tour. Photo by UTHealth Houston.

President Melina R. Kibbe, MD, visited UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry on Jan. 8 as part of her university-wide listening tour, spending the afternoon hearing directly from students, residents, faculty, and staff while gaining a deeper understanding of the school’s research enterprise, clinical training, and culture.

Her visit began with a curbside stop inside the School of Dentistry’s Mobile Dental Van, where fourth-year dental students complete a three-week rotation as part of their clinical education. The program has delivered thousands of dental procedures while logging over 150,000 miles from Houston to East Texas, expanding access to care in underserved communities.

Kibbe participated in a guided tour focused on research and innovation, highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration and training across the academic pipeline. Accompanied by school leadership, she toured the John M. Powers, PhD, Houston Center for Biomaterials and Biomimetics; the laboratories of Noriaki Ono, DDS, PhD, and Simon Young, DDS, MD, PhD; the Confocal Microscopy Facility with Danielle Wu, PhD; the Center for Craniofacial Research; and the School of Dentistry Office of Research. She also visited the Simulation Clinic and UT Dentists Group Practice.

Throughout the tour, faculty and trainees noted how advanced instrumentation, shared research cores, and cross-institutional partnerships are strengthening discovery science while supporting predoctoral, doctoral, and postdoctoral training. Kibbe praised the school’s momentum, noting, “The research here is going up, up, up, and I want to help support that trajectory.”

Kibbe held two listening sessions moderated by Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, first with students and residents, then with faculty and staff. The sessions were designed to foster open dialogue and hear directly from the School of Dentistry community about what they value most and where they see growth opportunities.

“The most important thing for me right now is to listen,” Kibbe said. “I want to understand what makes each school strong and how we can best support you in doing your work.”

Students and residents

The student and resident session quickly revealed a shared theme: community.

First-year dental student Julia Dwelle said the sense of community is unmistakable. “People here didn’t have to say anything — I just saw how everyone interacted with everyone,” she said. “I’m a very family-oriented person, and that was a big impact.”

Fourth-year dental class president Hanan Abdelgilil reflected on the support she’s received throughout her education. “This place has taught me so much about family. The leadership here truly invests in us beyond our resumes, and that has made all the difference,” she said.

Second-year dental hygiene class president Mia Jackson highlighted the unique advantage of training in a dental school environment, where dental hygiene students learn alongside future dentists. “You want to be in a community that reflects the population that you will be serving when you leave,” she said. “Having the opportunity to work alongside dental students is important because when you graduate, that’s what you’re going to be doing.”

Students and residents also highlighted the importance of research opportunities that support hands-on learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and early exposure to discovery science.

Kibbe reaffirmed her support for the School of Dentistry’s research mission and its continued growth.

“I’m 100% supportive of continuing the growth trajectory of research at this school,” she said. “It’s not about the dollar amount. It’s about the impact — on science, on training, and on patient care.”

Faculty and staff

In the faculty and staff session, comments from the audience echoed many of the same themes, emphasizing the School of Dentistry’s collaborative culture and a shared passion for service — commitments they described as central to the school’s identity.

Professor H. Philip Pierpont, DDS ’77, who will enter his 49th year on the faculty in February, reflected on the school’s legacy of developing leaders. He also asked his crowd of colleagues how many he had taught when they were students, and several hands raised across the room.

“I’m most proud of our history and our culture,” he said. “We’ve developed highly trained professionals who come back and give to this place.”

Professor Fred A. Garrett, DDS, MS, who joined the faculty in 1968 and was named an honorary alumnus in 2019, reflected on his decadeslong connection to the school. “This place is my second home. As long as my mind is quick and I enjoy coming here, I don’t see any reason to stop,” he said.

Faculty also emphasized the importance of investing in people and infrastructure.

“Our people go beyond what is expected every day,” said Anita Joy-Thomas, BDS, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences. “That’s what makes this place special.”

Looking ahead: A shared purpose

Kibbe used both sessions to convey the purpose of her listening tour and her approach to leadership.

“It’s important that I get to know all of you. I need to hear from you so that I know how I can best support your success. I’m here to learn, and I’m here because everything this university is doing is something I want to support.”

Kibbe also addressed the ongoing search for the School of Dentistry’s next dean, encouraging broad engagement as the process moves forward. She emphasized that attracting top candidates requires showcasing the school’s strengths.

“We want to identify the best possible leader for this school,” Kibbe said. “I’m going to count on all of you to help us attract that person.”

The visit was part of Kibbe’s broader effort to visit each of UTHealth Houston’s schools and clinical locations, reinforcing her commitment to listening, transparency, and shared purpose as the university develops its next strategic plan.