I am pleased to announce the second extension of the appointment of Dr. Andrea Esteves as Dean pro tem for the UBC Faculty of Dentistry.
Dr. Esteves, Clinical Professor in the Department of Oral Health Sciences, has served as Dean pro tem since August 28, 2023. This extension of appointment is for the period August 28, 2025, until the earlier of August 27, 2026, or the appointment of the new Dean.
Dr. Esteves completed her DDS degree at the State University of Londrina in 1989 and her MSc at UBC in 1994. As a graduate student, she taught in a number of DMD courses and modules, including prosthodontics, and joined the faculty ranks as Clinical Assistant Professor in 1996. Dr. Esteves was a key member of the planning team for the Nobel Biocare Oral Health Centre, where she has been clinic director since 2009. She also served as Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs from 2011 until her appointment as Dean pro tem. She has served as President and Past-President of the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry.
During her time as Dean pro tem, Dr. Esteves has successfully led the accreditation site visits for eight undergraduate and graduate programs. Throughout 2024, Dentistry celebrated its 60th anniversary, and to mark this milestone, the Student Wellness Fund was successfully launched. The fund enables meaningful initiatives that support dental students as they navigate the demands of their programs. Also in the last year, Dentistry’s researchers were highlighted with the first-ever Impressions magazine dedicated to their innovative work and impact.
Leaning on her extensive experience as clinic director, Dr. Esteves worked with the dental clinic’s outstanding team on the implementation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan. This unique opportunity to increase access to oral health care for vulnerable populations is significantly aligned with the experiential education Dentistry’s students receive. In a purposeful partnership with Health Canada, Dr. Esteves has secured funding for strategies that will sustain a continuous flow of patients receiving care in the faculty’s clinical facilities. Prescribed by Dr. Esteves, the DMD program completed a comprehensive review of its curriculum and started to incorporate the recommended enhancements. This project also ignited discussion and initiatives regarding the application of technologies already in place, such as Digital Dentistry and the role of Artificial Intelligence in education and patient care throughout all programs. These initiatives have the aim to strengthen and increase the relevance of UBC Dentistry in education and research and its contribution to the population of British Columbia and beyond.
I am grateful to Dr. Esteves for her hard work to date as Dean pro tem, and look forward to continuing to work with her and the Faculty of Dentistry leadership team.
Janice Stewart
Acting Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Vancouver