School of Dentistry introduces Many F.A.C.E.S. program at summer retreat

UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry officially introduced its Many F.A.C.E.S. program during the annual summer retreat on July 28. The initiative is designed to support the well-being, productivity, and engagement of faculty, staff, students, and residents while reflecting, as a public professional school, the culture of Texas.

The program was presented by co-chairs Shawn Adibi, DDS, MEd, professor in the Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health, and Grace Avila, MEd, senior administrative manager in the Office of Student and Academic Affairs. The presentation included the unveiling of the program’s logo, the launch of its webpage on the intranet, and a community celebration complete with commemorative T-shirts and a large group photo of retreat attendees.

Many F.A.C.E.S. stands for Foster, Affirm, Create, Empower, Strive. Its mission is to:

• Foster a culture where every voice is welcome, heard, and respected.
• Affirm understanding, accepting, and embracing differences.
• Create an environment that respects all learners, faculty, and staff’s unique characteristics, skills, and experiences.
• Empower individuals to promote a humanistic environment.
• Strive toward belonging for all.

The program emphasizes three key objectives: increasing awareness, providing education, and promoting accountability. These strategies are applied across five focus areas: well-being; sense of community; environment and culture; policies and practices; and fostering a humanistic environment.

Guided by a collaborative oversight group of faculty, staff, and student representatives, and supported by School of Dentistry leadership and external advisors, the program seeks input from the entire dental school community.

The Many F.A.C.E.S. program represents a school-wide effort to foster stronger connections among members of the dental school, advance shared goals, and ensure all participants are engaged and empowered to contribute to the life of the school. It aims to positively impact the School of Dentistry’s educational, patient care, research, and service mission, while also serving as a model for other institutions across UTHealth Houston and beyond.

Many F.A.C.E.S. is supported by a grant from the ADEAGies Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Dental Education Association. The foundation promotes innovative, future-ready oral health initiatives that advance dental education and elevate the dental professions by supporting grants, programs, scholarships, and special initiatives that develop leaders in academic dentistry and ensure a robust future faculty.