Suman Challa, B.D.S., MSPH Appointed as Associate Dean for Advanced Education Programs and Strategic Initatives

February 14, 2020

Dear School of Dentistry faculty, staff, and students:

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Suman Challa, B.D.S., MSPH, as Associate Dean for Advanced Education Programs and Strategic Initiatives, effective February 24, 2020.

Dr. Challa has been a UT Health San Antonio faculty member since 2008 and is currently serving as Interim Assistant Dean for Advanced Education Programs and Strategic Initiatives as well as Director for our Dental Public Health graduate program.  Dr. Challa has operated in increasingly responsible leadership roles at UT Health San Antonio, most recently as Chair of Faculty Senate, all while also fostering an active research program focused on promoting oral health and disease prevention for at risk individuals and populations. 

Dr. Challa’s general dentistry training was conducted at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education in Manipal, India.  He subsequently completed a MSPH in Health Policy and Management from Texas A&M University and an advanced education program and fellowship in Dental Public Health from UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry. 

In his role as Associate Dean for Advanced Education Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Challa will partner with our advanced education directors to further enhance our training programs.  He will serve as director for the core courses common to the Master’s degree program in Dental Science, as well as the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS) Chair.  Dr. Challa will be a key advisor on the Dean’s leadership team regarding the development and implementation of new and existing research, clinical, and educational strategic initiatives.

Please join me in extending warm congratulations to Suman as he assumes this vital role in the School of Dentistry.  Dr. Suman Challa can be reached at challas@uthscsa.edu.

Kindest regards,

Peter M. Loomer, BSc, DDS, PhD, MRCD(C), FACD

Professor and Dean

School of Dentistry