Christian Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, will end his tenure as Dean of the College of Dental Medicine and Senior Vice President of Columbia University Irving Medical Center at the end of this month.

After over a decade as Dean of the College of Dental Medicine, Christian Stohler will step down from his administrative roles at the end of the month, according to an announcement by Columbia University President Minouche Shafik on Wednesday. Stohler, who is also the Senior Vice President of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will step down from both roles  on December 31, 2023. The full text of President Shafik’s announcement can be found below. 

Stohler began his tenure as Dean in August 2013, after serving as Dean of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry from 2003 to 2013. He previously held a number of positions at the University of Michigan, including William R. Mann Professor and Director of Research at the School of Dentistry, as well as professor and Roy & Natalie Roberts endowed chair of the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences. At Michigan, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award. Stohler chaired the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Board of Scientific Counselors and holds honorary professorships at various universities including Sichuan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. He also received an honorary doctorate from Nippon Dental University. Stohler received both his doctorate and DMD degrees from the University of Bern, with certificates in oral and maxillofacial surgery and prosthodontics.

As Dean of Columbia’s College of Dental Medicine (CDM), Stohler led several major initiatives, including the development of the Center for Precision Dental Medicine, which opened in 2017. During his tenure, CDM also established the Center for Dental and Craniofacial Research in collaboration with the School of Engineering and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. In her email on Wednesday, Shafik applauded the expansion of CDM’s community engagement under Stohler’s leadership. CDM serves patients in Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, and the South Bronx, and is the largest oral health care provider in Northern Manhattan. This involvement continued this year with the opening of a second mobile health clinic, which doubled CDM’s capacity to offer local health screenings and low-cost dental care.

Shafik also announced that Roseanna Graham, DDS, PhD, will serve as Interim Dean following Stohler’s departure. Graham currently chairs CDM’s division of Cardiology and Restorative Sciences, and is the Director of CDM’s Division of Operative Dentistry. She is a CDM alumna who also holds advanced degrees from Teachers College. A search committee will be formed within the coming weeks to identify Stohler’s successor.

Email from Columbia University President Minouche Shafik to students on Wednesday, December 13th, at 4:42 pm:

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

We are writing to share with you that Christian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, Dean of the College of Dental Medicine since August 2013, has informed us that he will be stepping down from his role as Dean and Senior Vice President of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, effective December 31, 2023.

Under Dean Stohler’s leadership, the College of Dental Medicine (CDM) has experienced a decade of growth and innovation, strengthening its leadership in dental education and clinical training. CDM’s curricular offerings have been 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.

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. A graduate of CDM, Roseanna also holds advanced degrees from Teachers College. We will share details regarding the formation of a search committee to identify Christian’s successor in the coming weeks. Please join us in thanking Christian for his contributions to the College of Dental Medicine over the last decade and wishing Roseanna all the best in her new role.

Sincerely,

Minouche Shafik

President, Columbia University in the City of New York

Katrina Armstrong, MD

Chief Executive Officer, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, Columbia University

Featured Image via College of Dental Medicine