Dental school’s opening delayed

Thursday, July 22, 1999 | 12:02 p.m.

UNLV President Carol Harter announced Wednesday the appointment of an acting dean of the proposed new School of Dentistry and said opening of the school would be put off from the fall of 2000 to the fall of 2001.

The reason given for the delay in the start-up date is the complex accreditation process.

"This postponement will allow us to make certain that all financial and academic requirements are met and procedures are followed so that when the time comes to begin educating students, we can be assured of accreditation," Harter, who is out of town, said in a press release.

The postponement, she said, was an agreement between UNLV and the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation.

The commission had intended to begin the accreditation process in mid-August, but instead will not begin until the summer of 2000, which means students would not begin classes until the fall of 2001.

E. Steven Smith has been named acting dean of the school of dentistry as well as associate dean for clinical services for the school.

His salary will be $142,000 per year.

"We are extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Smith," Harter said. "He will be an asset to UNLV and will ensure that the dental school continues to move forward."

Smith, a native of Nevada, was hired last year to be an assistant director of dental programs by the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Smith, a practicing dentist for 35 years, had been a professor at Northwestern University Dental School.

"Our first step after appointing the acting dean will be to begin a national search for an associate dean for academic affairs for the school," Harter said. "Then we will begin a search for a permanent dental school dean in the fall of 2000."