Dean of the Faculty of Dental and Senior Vice President, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Dean Dennis A. Mitchell, DDS, MPH, is the Dean of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, Senior Vice President for Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Professor of Dental Medicine (at CUMC). Mitchell, who joined the Columbia faculty in 1991, led student and faculty diversity efforts at the College of Dental Medicine since 2004-2014 and faculty diversity efforts in the Office of the Provost from 2014-2024.

Mitchell joined the Columbia faculty in 1991 after completing his general dentistry residency training at Harlem Hospital. Committed to improving clinical dental practice in Harlem and upper Manhattan, Interim Provost Mitchell co-created and launched the Community DentCare Network, which provides screenings and dental services to underserved patients regardless of ability to pay. In 2004, Dr. Mitchell became the first diversity-focused dean at a U.S. dental school. Among his many leadership roles, he served on the board of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education from 2018-2023 and is a Founding Executive Committee member of the Faculty Advancement Network.

Dr. Mitchell has been widely recognized for his contributions to the fields of public health and dental medicine. Mostrecently, he was named a Fellow in the American College of Dentists and received the American Dental Education Association Distinguished Service Award in 2022; and in 2021, he was named Fellow in the Academy of Community and Public Health Service at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Mitchell received his BA in Biology from Cornell University, a DDS in Dentistry from Howard University and MPH in Health Services Management from Columbia University.