Christian Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, announced that he will step down from his role as dean of the Columbia College of Dental Medicine.

Christian Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, dean of the College of Dental Medicine since August 2013, informed Columbia University that he will step down from his role as dean and senior vice president of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, effective December 31, 2023.

Roseanna Graham, DDS, PhD, has agreed to serve as Interim Dean following Christian’s departure. Roseanna is Chair of CDM’s section of Cariology and Restorative Sciences and Director of the College’s Division of Operative Dentistry.

Under Stohler’s leadership, the College of Dental Medicine (CDM) experienced a decade of growth and innovation, strengthening its leadership in dental education and clinical training, remarked Minouche Shafik, president, Columbia University in the City of New York in a statement.

CDM’s curricular offerings were transformed through a variety of initiatives and new programs, most notably, the Center for Precision Dental Medicine, a 15,000-square-foot space for high-tech learning that opened in 2017. During his tenure, CDM established the Center for Dental and Craniofacial Research, expanding its collaboration with the School of Engineering and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.

CDM’s community engagement also flourished during Christian’s tenure. Columbia’s CDM is the largest provider of primary and specialty oral health care in Northern Manhattan, treating patients in Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood, and also serves patients in the South Bronx. This year, CDM opened its second mobile health clinic and doubled its capacity to deliver health screenings and low-cost dental care across our local service area.

The two Mobile Dental Centers integrate primary medicine and oral health as they travel to neighborhood schools, Head Start programs, daycare centers, and other neighborhood locations. CDM’s commitment to diversity has been recognized with a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from Insight Into Diversity magazine.

Photo via Columbia University