Students to Benefit from Revamped Student Affairs and New Assistant Dean of Students
In order to broaden the scope of services available to our students, Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter announced July 1 that he has reorganized the Office of Student Services into what will now be the Office of Student Affairs. This newly established Office of Student Affairs will be comprised of a Division of Educational Resources and a Division of Career Services and Opportunities.
Dean Hutter also announced that he has appointed Dr. Joseph Calabrese Assistant Dean of Students. Under Dr. Calabrese’s leadership, the Office of Student Affairs will provide a center for student advocacy within the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) community by fostering an environment that is supportive and respectful, and encourages students to engage in School-wide curricular and extra-curricular activities that will enrich their time at the School, the Medical Campus and the University.
"I am very pleased that Dr. Calabrese will be leading the Office of Student Affairs," said Dean Hutter adding "Dr. Calabrese has a wonderful rapport with our students and I am confident that his office will provide supportive programming for the students in order to help them to become better students and ultimately, better dentists."
Dr. Calabrese joined the faculty of GSDM as a Course Lecturer in 1993. He was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and Biomaterials in 1994 and Assistant Professor in the Department of General Dentistry in 2001. In addition, he is a Clinical Instructor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and he has been a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Forsyth Dental Hygiene Program.
“My experience over the last two years as the ASDA Faculty Advisor has been one of the most rewarding of my academic career,” said Dr. Calabrese. “I am grateful to Dean Hutter for the opportunity to take on leadership roles that have a significant impact on our most valuable asset, our students. I am both humbled and honored to be appointed the Assistant Dean of Students at my alma mater. I look forward to building on our strong foundation of support for our students and expanding the scope of opportunities in our new office of Student Affairs.”
Dr. Calabrese received a DMD and C.A.G.S. in Advanced Education in General Dentistry from the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine in 1991 and 1992, respectively. He completed a US Department of Health and Human Services / Bureau of Health Professions Faculty Training Fellowship in Geriatric Dentistry at the Boston Medical Center / Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Medicine in 1994. Dr. Calabrese completed a B.S. in Chemistry from Manhattanville College in 1987.
Dr. Calabrese has received many awards and honors including the American Student Dental Association Faculty Award, Honorary Faculty induction into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society, the Altshuler Family Award for Excellence in Geriatric Education, and the Massachusetts Dental Society Grant for Geriatric Fellowship Research Project. He is a member of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, the American Society of Public Health Dentistry, and holds a Fellowship in the American College of Dentists.
Dr. Calabrese has served on numerous committees and boards at GSDM and Boston University including: the Student Enrichment Committee; Junior Faculty Advisor to the Student Government; the Admissions Committee; the Judicial Board; the Instrument Committee; the Alumni Board, where he is Immediate Past President; and as Faculty Advisor to the American Student Dental Association. He also serves as Director of Dentistry at Hebrew Senior Life and, in this capacity, as a member of the Executive Committee of the Department of Medicine at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged.
Dr. A. Stephen Polins will continue to provide excellent support for our students by now serving in a new capacity as Director of the Division of Educational Resources within the Office of Student Affairs. In this capacity Dr. Polins will assist with any, and all, student concerns and questions, and provide referrals to programs and services that facilitate personal and academic growth, health and well-being. Specifically, these services include counseling on academic and student-related issues, and referrals to other educational, medical and community resources, including personal counseling and services for students with disabilities.
Dr. Polins joined the GSDM faculty in 1973. In 1980, he was appointed Program Director for Pre-doctoral Periodontology and in 1985 became a full Professor. Dr. Polins has been actively involved with the Office of Admissions and Student Services as a member of the Pre-doctoral Admissions Committee and, in 2004, was appointed Director of Academic Counseling. In 2006, Dr. Polins became Assistant Dean for Student Services. He also chairs the DMD I and DMD II Promotions Committees. Dr. Polins received a DDS from Howard University in 1971 and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Periodontology from GSDM in 1973. A member of many professional organizations, he is also President of the GSDM Lambda Mu Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honorary Society.
A Director of the Division of Career Services and Opportunities will be added to the Office of Student Affairs at a later date. At the present time, Assistant Dean Calabrese will oversee efforts to help students seeking information and direction regarding life choices for future private, military, research, public health or post-doctoral and specialty training opportunities. The Office of Student Affairs will provide program planning and support services and resources that encourage and facilitate the application process or consideration for other future professional commitments. The Office will also work closely with the Office of Extramural Programs regarding student and resident access to the Dental Career Network.
Ms. Marissa Murphy and Ms. Amy Nelson will continue to serve as Student Affairs Manager and Student Affairs Coordinator, respectively. The entire staff of the Office of Student Affairs will report to Assistant Dean of Students Calabrese. Ms. Linda Reed will now focus her efforts exclusively on Admissions and her title will be Associate Director of Admissions. She will report to Assistant Dean of Admissions Sarkis.
Please join us in thanking Dr. Polins for the role he has played as Assistant Dean for Student Services and congratulating Dr. Calabrese on his well deserved appointment and new role as Assistant Dean of Students.