Two leadership appointments announced for School of Dentistry2 min read

Ann Arbor, Mich., Oct. 11, 2023 – Two leadership appointments for the School of Dentistry have been announced by Dean Jacques Nör.

Dr. Mark Fitzgerald is the school’s new Senior Associate Dean, and Diane Thomas has been named Director of Budget and Financial Planning. Both appointments were effective Oct. 1.

Fitzgerald is a professor in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics and has served as Associate Dean for Community-Based Collaborative Care & Education (CBCE) since 2017.  He will continue his CBCE leadership. In his new role, he will have broad responsibilities that include representing the dean in university and school functions; supporting the 2024 dental school accreditation process; leading the school’s strategic planning; and continuing to provide oversight to Human Resources.

Fitzgerald earned his undergraduate, DDS and MS (in restorative dentistry) degrees at the University of Michigan. His teaching, research and patient care, in both private practice and at the school, have been recognized with numerous awards and grants. He is particularly interested in interprofessional education and care opportunities for students.

Thomas, as part of the dental school’s leadership team, will advise the dean and senior administration on the varied and complex financial issues related to the school’s educational, patient care and research missions. She will support the fiscal operations of all units and activities in the school.

Thomas has part of the school’s finance team for 15 years, with extensive experience in budget planning and clinical finance systems. She has served as Senior Manager for Budget and Finance since 2019, with prior roles as Financial Analyst and Accountant.  She holds a Master’s of Business Administration and Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Accounting, both from Eastern Michigan University.

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The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is one of the nation’s leading dental schools engaged in oral healthcare education, research, patient care and community service.  General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the school to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan.  Classroom and clinic instruction prepare future dentists, dental specialists and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia and public agencies.  Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide.  For more information about the School of Dentistry, visit us on the Web at: www.dent.umich.edu.  Contact: Lynn Monson, associate director of communications, at dentistry.communications@umich.edu, or (734) 615-1971.