From recently appointed dental school deans to North American Dental Group's new chief research and strategies officer, here are nine dentists making headlines:

Three dental schools have recently appointed interim and permanent deans.

Dental schools were active this year in establishing new programs, funding research and expanding services to increase access to dental care in their communities.

Access to dental care in Alabama is diminishing as dentists become more concentrated in urban areas and those over the age of 60 near retirement, WBRC reported Dec. 1.

Mark Feldman, DMD, past president and treasurer of the American Dental Association and executive director of the New York State Dental Association died Nov. 25.

Dental degrees can leave students with significant debt and may threaten the industry's outlook, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis.

Cataldo Leone, DMD, has been named dean of the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, the school said Nov. 30.

From new investments to DSO launches, here are nine private equity moves in the dental industry in 2021:

A Las Vegas woman has been arrested on charges of practicing unlicensed dentistry, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Nov. 29.

A story about CMS's new vaccine mandate — which excludes dentists — garnered the most attention during November.