The University of Iowa College of Dentistry has appointed Derek Smith as director of the Division of Biostatistics and Computational Biology within the Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research. Smith also joins the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry as an associate professor. He began his appointment in August 2025.

Smith’s work focuses on applying statistical methods to clinical and translational research, with an emphasis on oral health, head and neck cancer, and patient-reported outcomes. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, and industry partners. He has contributed to national guideline development and led studies on osteoradionecrosis, salivary gland dysfunction, and oral health screening tools for cancer survivors.

Before joining Iowa, Smith served as an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he held joint appointments in biostatistics and oral and maxillofacial surgery. He also served as director of clinical and translational research at the American Dental Association Science and Research Institute.

Smith earned a DDS from Indiana University School of Dentistry, a PhD in biostatistics from Vanderbilt University, and an MPH with a certificate in dental public health from A.T. Still University. He has taught biostatistics and research methodology across multiple academic levels and has served as course director for programs in clinical investigations and oral surgery.

He currently serves as a statistical associate editor for the Journal of the American Dental Association, a statistical editor for Supportive Care in Cancer, a board member of the International Society of Oral Oncology, and contributes to guideline development for the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer.

Smith’s leadership will support the college’s commitment to advancing oral health through data-driven research and discovery while supporting collaborative inquiry.