Dean Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch is pleased to announce, after highly competitive national searches, the appointments of Dr. Lisa Lang as associate dean for faculty affairs and Dr. Laura Romito as associate dean for education and academic affairs.
Dr. Lang is an experienced educator, administrator, and well-respected academic prosthodontist. She joins IUSD as a tenured professor from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, where she most recently served as the Dr. and Mrs. Julian B. Woelfel Endowed Chair in Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry and chair of the Department of General Practice and Materials Science and the Department of Restorative Sciences and Prosthodontics.
“We are so excited to welcome Dr. Lang to the School of Dentistry to serve as associate dean for faculty affairs. Her record of achievements as a faculty member, her reputation of excellence as an educator and scholar, and her depth and breadth of leadership experience are major strengths for her new role,” said Dean Murdoch-Kinch.
Dr. Lang earned a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and DDS from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. In addition, she completed a certificate in advanced education in general dentistry from Columbia University, a certificate and master’s degree in Prosthodontics from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), and a master’s in business administration from Rawls College at Texas Tech University.
Dr. Lang began her academic teaching and administrator career at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry and rose through the ranks at UTHSCSA, Case Western Reserve University, and The Ohio State College of Dentistry, which she most recently received the Postle Teaching Award. Throughout her career, she has garnered grants and disseminated her scholarly work at national and international forums and in journal and book publications.
Dr. Lang is a diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics and is president of the Academy of Prosthodontics.
In Dr. Lang’s new role at IUSD, she will represent executive-level administration in the delivery of faculty-related programs and activities; work with associate/assistant deans and department chairs to facilitate faculty recruitment, retention, development, advancement, and succession planning; oversee mentoring programs for faculty and department chairs; and collaborate with the associate dean for diversity and student affairs and the associate dean for education and academic affairs to build a broader culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion and create and maintain a humanistic environment among faculty, staff, and students to enhance learning.
“I am very honored to have been selected for this position and am looking forward to working with chairs and their faculty to strengthen faculty development and advancement programs,” Dr. Lang said. “I’m looking forward to working with the assistant and associate deans to build programs to enrich student learning and to broaden the culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have a wonderful team of faculty and staff whom I’m excited to work with and I believe will truly make a difference.”
Please welcome Dr. Lang to IUSD as she begins her new role today.
Dr. Laura Romito has been appointed associate dean for education and academic affairs, effective June 1, 2022.
Dr. Romito has served in this role as interim associate dean since November 2021. She will ensure high-quality education programs at the dental school and the academic success and progression of our students, with a focus on the DDS program. She will oversee the operations of the Office of Education and Academic Affairs, serve ex-officio on the DDS Progress Committee, and co-chair the Curriculum and Assessment Committee, among other duties.
“Dr. Romito’s national reputation as a scholar and educator, her vast experience and expertise in predoctoral dental education and interprofessional education, and her solid track record of collaboration and change leadership are great strengths that will benefit the dental school and its education programs,” Dean Murdoch-Kinch said. “I look forward to her leadership and contributions to our dental school in this role.”
Dr. Romito joined IUSD in 2005 and is a tenured professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Comprehensive Care. She serves as course director of Systems Approaches to the Biomedical Sciences courses and the Evidence-Based Dentistry and Information Literacy course. She also is assistant dean of faculty development and engagement for the IU Interprofessional Practice & Education Center, where she leads faculty development initiatives in interprofessional education (IPE) and develops and implements IPE activities for students in health sciences schools and programs at IU campuses statewide.
Dr. Romito is a member of the Eskenazi Health Services Medical Staff, practices as a general dentist, and is a certified tobacco dependence treatment specialist in IUSD’s Faculty Practice. She also is a restorative dentistry faculty member in the Fritts Clinical Center predoctoral clinic.
Indiana University has recognized Dr. Romito with numerous accolades, including the IU Trustees Teaching Award (2020, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2012). The Indiana Dental Association recognized her as Outstanding Teacher of the Year (2011 and 2015) and Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year (2013).
Dr. Romito earned her bachelor’s and DDS degrees at The Ohio State University. She completed a general practice residency at the University of Nebraska and practiced dentistry in Ohio, Iowa, and Nebraska before entering academic dentistry as faculty at Creighton University School of Dentistry. She holds a master’s degree in health promotion from Nebraska Methodist College and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana State University.
“I am looking forward to collaborating with our administrative team, faculty, staff, and students to create a supportive, inclusive learning environment, and innovations in curriculum and assessment,” Dr. Romito said.