Two assistant deans of the Dental College of Georgia earn national recognition

Two assistant deans in the Dental College of Georgia have recently earned national recognition.

Dr. Alan Furness, assistant dean of patient services, was recently accepted into the American Dental Education Association Leadership Institute. The ADEA Leadership Institute is a yearlong program designed to develop the most promising individuals at academic dental institutions to become future leaders in dental and higher education.

In addition, Furness was selected as a 2022 ADEA/American College of Dentists Dr. Jerome Bright Miller Scholar in the ADEA Leadership Institute, which comes with a $5,000 scholarship to defray costs for the institute. Furness joins an elite cadre of the nation’s most promising dental educators.

Dr. Regina Messer, assistant dean for student admissions, was recently awarded an American College of Dentists Honorary Fellowship. Honorary fellows are non-dentists who have made exceptional contributions to the profession and society.

Nominees are evaluated for their contributions to dentistry, human welfare, leadership, community service and ethics and professionalism. Honorary Fellowship is a means to bestow the honor of fellowship on deserving non-dentists who exhibit the same levels of leadership and excellence as dental fellows.

This award, given since 1930, is the highest honor the ACD awards to non-dentists. Only five honorary fellows were selected nationwide.