Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry Names New Dean

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry named Lyndon Cooper, DDS, PhD, as the school’s new dean.

Lyndon Cooper, DDS, PhD, has been named dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, effective April 18.

Cooper currently serves as associate dean for research and head of the Department of Oral Biology at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry.

“Cooper is an internationally renowned and innovative patient-oriented researcher and clinician, whose leadership will build on the VCU School of Dentistry’s existing robust research portfolio and its focus on forward-thinking practices around patient-centered education,” said Art Kellermann, MD, senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health. “With Dr. Cooper at the helm, VCU School of Dentistry will reach new heights in dental research and service to the commonwealth.”

As associate dean for research at UIC, Cooper has expanded research in regenerative sciences, innovative biomedical devices, and translational studies evaluating the roles of a variety of biomarkers linked to cancer.

Under Cooper’s leadership, the Department of Oral Biology at UIC served as a foundation for many basic science topics taught to the school’s DMD, MS, and PhD students.

He continued his clinical activities as a prosthodontist by leading clinical studies and establishing the school’s Clinical Research Center.

After earning his DDS from New York University, Cooper went on to earn a PhD from the University of Rochester, New York, and a certificate in prosthodontics from the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester.

Later, he completed a 2-year research fellowship at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Maryland.

“I am excited and honored to be selected as the next dean of VCU School of Dentistry,” said Cooper. “VCU has a strong reputation in dental education and research, and I’m looking forward to building on this excellent foundation and securing VCU School of Dentistry’s rightful place as one of the top dental schools in the country serving the commonwealth of Virginia.”