UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry
Dr. John Valenza is a Houston native who attended The University of Texas at Austin before enrolling at the UTHealth School of Dentistry (UTSD), where he graduated in 1981. He subsequently completed a residency in general practice at The University of Tennessee Memorial Hospital in Knoxville and practiced full time in the Nashville, Tenn. area while also serving part-time on the faculty of Meharry Medical College - School of Dentistry.
In 1987, Dr. Valenza was appointed to the full-time faculty at UTSD where he initiated the school’s General Practice Residency program with Memorial Hermann Hospital, serving as the program's director until 1996. He subsequently held positions as director of Advanced Education and Extramural Affairs, associate dean for Patient Care, and acting chair of a new Department of Diagnostic Sciences.
From 2004-09, Dr. Valenza served as executive associate dean and was directly responsible for several initiatives, such as initiating a faculty practice, developing a simulation clinic, converting to electronic patient records and digital radiography, and obtaining new equipment for UTSD clinics. Dr. Valenza also led the design, planning and construction of a new, 314,000 square foot full replacement dental school building and conference center, both which opened in May 2012.
Dr. Valenza is a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists, and he is a member of the American Dental Association, ADEA, AADR/IADR and the American Association of Hospital Dentists. He currently serves as a consultant to the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and a member of ADEA’s Legislative Advisory Committee and advisor in ADEA’s Leadership Institute.
In 2007, he was inducted into The University of Texas Academy of Health Science Education. He was appointed dean of UTSD in 2011 after serving 2 years as interim.
Electoral Succes: Implications of the 2024 Presidential Election for Dental Education
Monday, November 11, 2024
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM PST