First Female Dean of the IU School of Dentistry Named

Photo Courtesy of Indiana University

The Indiana University School of Dentistry at IUPUI has named Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch as dean, subject to formal approval by the IU Board of Trustees. Murdoch-Kinch will be the first woman to lead the school in its 140-year history.

She is slated to step into her new role in July.

Murdoch-Kinch succeeds John N. Williams Jr., who will be stepping down June 30.

"We are delighted to welcome Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch to the leadership team and specifically to our School of Dentistry at IUPUI," IUPUI Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar said. "Dr. Murdoch-Kinch brings world-class experience and dedication to preparing the next generation of dental professionals in Indiana."

Murdoch-Kinch previously served as associate dean for academic affairs and the Dr. Walter H. Swartz Professor of Integrated Special Care Dentistry at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Murdoch-Kinch also received a clinical certificate in dental diagnostic sciences in 1991 and a Ph.D. in 1996 from the IU School of Dentistry. 

"As a proud alumna of IU, I am eager to serve the School of Dentistry, the university, the state of Indiana and the dental profession in this new role. The school’s mission and core values resonate deeply with my own in the education of the finest dental professionals, the promotion of groundbreaking research, and the cultivation of innovative practices to advance oral health and overall health," Murdoch-Kinch said in a news release.