Faculty in the School of Dentistry are hopeful for the change their new dean will bring.
Scott De Rossi was selected as the new dean for the School of Dentistry on Tuesday. He is currently the chairperson of the Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences at Augusta University’s Dental College of Georgia and will start his new position Jan. 15.
Provost Jim Dean said the ideal candidate could be described as superhuman.
“You want someone who has leadership ability. You want someone who has a distinguished scholarly record," he said. "In the case of the dental school, there is a tremendous amount of clinical education that goes on there so you want someone who is very familiar with clinical work and also in training people in a clinical setting.”
Dean said he was looking for someone who will gain the confidence of the faculty, staff and students.
Tiffany Brannan, spokesperson for the School of Dentistry, said she thinks De Rossi will bring a passionate attitude to the dean's office.
"He’s very outgoing and personable, which I think is going to work well across the board between students, faculty and staff and all the way to our alumni,” she said. “I think he is going to be a fair and decisive leader and that he’ll do a nice job at the helm.”
A UNC press release said De Rossi will not be available to speak to the press until he starts work at UNC in January.
Edward Swift, associate dean for education at the School of Dentistry, said De Rossi's position will come with a lot of challenges, such as financial cuts for the dental school.
