Clark Stanford, distinguished professor and dean of the College of Dentistry at the University of Illinois Chicago, has been named dean of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. He will hold the Edwin Green Chair in Dental Leadership and will begin on April 1.

Stanford succeeds David Johnsen, who stepped down as dean in June 2021 after 26 years.

Since 2014, Stanford has been the dean of the College of Dentistry at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he is also professor in the Department of Bioengineering in the UIC College of Engineering. He is the sole dental faculty member to be named to the rank of distinguished professor in the Illinois system. In 2015, he was named Centennial Professor of Clinical and Translational Research, emeritus status, in the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

“I am very excited that Dr. Stanford will be returning to the University of Iowa, where his distinguished career in academia began and where he contributed so much,” says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost. “He is a national leader in the field of dentistry and his record of service and leadership is outstanding.”

Stanford was one of four finalists who participated in campus visits in November. The search committee was co-chaired by Julie Zerwic, dean of the College of Nursing, and Dan Caplan, department head of Preventive and Community Dentistry in the College of Dentistry.

Stanford received a bachelor of science degree in zoology, doctorate in dental surgery, and PhD in cell biology, all from the University of Iowa. He later received a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Illinois Chicago.

Stanford joined the University of Iowa as an assistant professor in the College of Dentistry Department of Prosthodontics in 1992, and was later an associate professor in the department along with the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation and in the College of Engineering. In 2001, he was named full professor in each of these positions. In 2008, he was named associate dean for research in the College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. He left Iowa for the University of Illinois Chicago in 2014.

“The ability to return to the University of Iowa and support its mission and vision to provide the best in education, discovery, research, and service to the citizens of Iowa is a great honor. I am grateful to the UIC students, staff, and faculty for the camaraderie, friendship, and many lessons I have learned in Chicago. It is an honor to return to my alma mater and be a part of its wonderful future.” 

His research has focused on medical device design, cellular mechanotransduction, clinical trial design, and application of novel clinical and translational approaches to evaluate medical device performance. He currently serves on National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and Food and Drug Administration advisory councils.

Stanford has a distinguished record of mentorship and service over the course of his career. He is a fellow of the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, the International Team for Oral Implantology, and the Academy of Prosthodontics. He is a governor on the board of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago. He is the immediate past president of the Academy of the Osseointegration. He is an accomplished public speaker, having addressed audiences around the world on topics of oral health, prosthodontics, patient care, and more.

Stanford will receive an annual salary of $462,500.

This article was originally published in Iowa Now.