CODA appointment for Texas A&M College of Dentistry dean

Texas A&M College of Dentistry Dean Larry Wolinsky recently was appointed to the Commission on Dental Accreditation and began his role as a commissioner trainee at the conclusion of the ADA annual session held in Denver Oct. 20-24.

Named to CODA by the American Dental Education Association, Wolinsky will commence a four-year term as a commissioner in October 2017. He will balance those duties with his ongoing responsibilities as the College of Dentistry dean, a position he has held since September 2011.

Wolinsky is no stranger to the accreditation process, as the 30 years prior to his appointment to the college were spent as a faculty member at the UCLA School of Dentistry. During a portion of that time, Wolinsky was the associate dean for academic programs and personnel, where he helped lead UCLA’s dental school through a successful reaccreditation. Shortly after he arrived to Dallas, the college successfully completed its own reaccreditation.

“The opportunity to participate in a number of reaccreditation site visits over the last three decades has helped broaden my understanding of what is needed to provide a top-tier education to our future dentists, and this new role brings all of those experiences full circle,” Wolinsky says. “I’m excited to serve in this capacity.”

Wolinsky’s appointment continues a tradition of service to the commission on the part of the college, as several faculty members and administrators have served in commissioner roles. Since 2005, specifically, those individuals include Dr. John Wright and Dr. Byron “Pete” Benson of diagnostic sciences, as well as Dr. Patricia Blanton ’67, ’74, ’76, professor emeritus in biomedical sciences, Dr. Richard Buchanan, dental school dean from 1996 to 2000, and Dr. Ronald Woody, professor of implant dentistry in restorative sciences.