DENTAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Dean Nancy Young You are about a year into the job as Dean of The Dental College of Georgia (DCG), although you served as interim before that. How has your first official year gone? I’ve been sincerely welcomed, and everywhere I turn there is real enthusiasm for The DCG and Augusta University (AU). Our culture is unmatched, and our commitment to growth and improvement has led to exciting new ideas and initiatives. The job of a dean is to be at the forefront of learning. So, in everything I do, I try to predict our students’ future skill needs, align our mission with Georgia’s public health needs and advance knowledge through research. I’m most proud to say that The DCG graduates students are incredibly wellprepared for the healthcare workforce. Their hand skills are solid, they care for patients respectfully and their desire to help people runs deep. They enroll for the right reasons, and they leave with the skills and values to live out those reasons. What do you think are The DCG’s greatest strengths? Our greatest strength is the quality of our people. From sterilization on the ground floor to the dean’s office on the top floor, our people care about this college, this university and about Georgia. But we’re well known for strong foundational coursework and early hands-on clinical experiences. Our students see patients as soon as the second year in sophomore block clinic. We have high clinical experience expectations. This means that our students graduate with advanced experience providing comprehensive patient care. The quality of work is also a focus at The DCG. It’s not just about numbers, but about deliberate practice. The DCG is the state’s only dental school. How is The DCG playing its role in public health for Georgia’s citizens? I believe our most significant impact on Georgia’s public health needs is through research. We discover more daily about how oral health affects the entire body. Poor oral health is linked to heart NANCY YOUNG, DMD Dean of The Dental College of Georgia 38 | Nov 2024
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