Forty-eight U.S.-based universities were recently ranked among the best in the world for dentistry and oral sciences in 2026 by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy.
ShanghaiRanking used academic indicators to measure the performance of 300 schools worldwide in several categories, including world-class faculty, world-class research output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.
Here are the deans who lead the five top U.S.-based schools on the list:
Note: Dental schools are listed in the order they appear on the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy list.
Jacques Eduardo Nor, DDS, PhD. Dean of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry (Ann Arbor): Dr. Nor is a past president of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. He is also a former chair of the Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Sciences study section of the National Institutes of Health. He has experience as an editor and board member for several journals.
Mark Wolff, DDS, PhD. Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (Philadelphia): Dr. Wolff is an advocate and provider for individuals with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has served as the principal or co-principal investigator for several clinical research projects, publishing more than 100 scientific papers and text chapters. He is a past president of the American Association of Oral Biologists.
André Ritter, DDS, PhD. Dean of the University of Washington School of Dentistry (Seattle): Dr. Ritter was appointed dean in 2022. He previously served as executive dean at the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill, as well as chair of the department of cariology and comprehensive care at New York University in New York City. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, 80 research abstracts, and co-authored over 20 book chapters.
William Giannobile, DDS. Dean of the Harvard University School of Dental Medicine (Boston): Dr. Giannobile has served as dean since September 2020. He is known as a leader in periodontology and is an internationally recognized scholar in oral regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and precision medicine. In addition to his role as dean, Dr. Giannobile is also the A. Lee Loomis, Jr. professor of oral medicine, infection and immunity at the dental school
Michael Reddy, DMD. Dean of the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry: Before joining UCSF in June 2018, Dr. Reddy served as dean of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry for nearly seven years. His clinical expertise includes periodontal therapy and dental implants. He has also served as an examiner for the American Board of Periodontology, an associate editor for the Journal of Periodontology and an editor of Clinical Advances in Periodontics.
