Faculty member Dr. Renée Duff to serve as school’s next Senior Associate Dean5 min read
Ann Arbor, Mich., March 21, 2025 – The appointment of School of Dentistry faculty member Dr. Renée E. Duff as the school’s next Senior Associate Dean was approved Thursday by the University of Michigan Board of Regents.
Dr. Duff’s five-year appointment begins June 1 and continues through May 31, 2030. The position opens in June with the retirement of Dr. Mark Fitzgerald.
The Senior Associate Dean works closely with Dean Jacques Nör on all critical decisions related to the School of Dentistry. Duff will represent the dean at the university and school levels, and act on behalf of the dean as delegated. She will lead the school’s strategic planning process and will supervise the school’s director of human resources, compliance manager and the director of safety, emergency preparedness and infection prevention.
In making the announcement, Nör cited Duff’s strong leadership in her current position as Associate Dean for Students in the Office of Student Services. “Dr. Duff has been an invaluable asset to the students and school leadership,” Nör said. “She has managed the real and complex challenges experienced by our students, providing counsel and support for their development and success. She has tremendous insight and wisdom and is regularly relied upon for guidance in navigating conflicts and complex issues affecting the school’s learning community.”
Duff has a longstanding connection to the university and dental school, first as a student who earned three degrees – a bachelor’s degree (1991), Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (1996), and a master’s degree in prosthodontics (2005). She began teaching at the dental school as a part-time faculty member in 1997 and became a full-time faculty member in 2004. She holds a faculty appointment as clinical associate professor in the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences and Division of Prosthodontics.
Duff was awarded the Dr. Paul Gibbons Award by the Dental Class of 2017, as the instructor who had the greatest influence on them during the four years of their pre-doctoral program. In 2018, she was awarded the Michigan Section of the Pierre Fauchard Academy Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Faculty of the University of Michigan. In 2019, she received the Alpha Omega Professional Dental Fraternity Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Faculty at the University of Michigan. In 2021, she was honored as a Fellow of the American College of Dentistry, and in 2024, her dedication to student support was recognized with the University of Michigan Profile for Success Award of Appreciation.
Her leadership work with students dates to 2013 when she began as Assistant Dean for Student Services, with a promotion to Associate Dean for Students in 2020. The Office of Student Services focuses on recruiting, retaining and fostering the educational and career development of students in the school’s academic programs, including dental, dental hygiene, graduate and DDS/PhD students. Student Services is responsible for admissions, financial aid, registrar services, course registration and student support, such as wellness counseling and academic and career advising.
“Having had the honor of experiencing the School of Dentistry both as a student and a faculty member over the past 30 years, I have a profound appreciation for its outstanding legacy and unwavering commitment to excellence,” Duff said. “I’ve developed a deep respect for the amazing students, faculty, and staff who make up this community and for our shared dedication to high standards. In my new role, I look forward to further supporting and advancing the school’s history of leadership in education, service, advocacy, research and innovation.”
Fitzgerald is retiring after being a part of the dental school for more than 45 years. He earned his undergraduate, DDS and MS degrees at U-M. He is a professor in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics and served as Associate Dean for Community-Based Collaborative Care and Education (CBCE) from 2017 to 2024. His teaching, research and patient care, in both private practice and at the school, have been recognized with numerous awards and grants.
Nör praised Fitzgerald for his leadership and devotion to the school. “His direction and further development of the CBCE program have created one of the most valued and impactful programs at our school, both for our students and the communities their care provides to patients across the state,” Nör said. “He has been an important advisor to me as dean and throughout my time at the school. His counsel and steady leadership have helped us in many ways, including the recent dental school accreditation process.”
The school will soon announce the search process for Duff’s successor in the Office of Student Services.
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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. Email: [email protected], or (734) 615-1971.