ANN ARBOR—Dr. Todd Ester has been named director of multicultural affairs at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Dr. Ester will be collaboratively responsible for planning and delivering programs and services related to minority issues for students and staff at the School, and for coordinating minority programs and functions for students. He also will work as a clinical assistant professor in endodontics, according to William Kotowicz, dean of the dental school.

Since returning to U-M in 1996 to enter the graduate endodontic program, Dr. Ester has been involved in the School of Dentistry’s multicultural efforts, both as a member of the Multicultural Affairs Committee and in recruiting minority students.

Dr. Ester graduated cum laude in 1990 from Morehouse College in Atlanta and four years later earned his dental degree from U-M. He completed a residency at the Harlem Hospital Center in New York City and general practice residency from 1994 to 1996. He was chief resident in 1995. In May, Dr. Ester completed the certificate program in endodontics and was recently licensed to practice endodontics by the State of Michigan Board of Licensure. Later this year he will defend his master’s thesis project.

He is the recipient of various honors and awards including the Delta Dental Fund Scholarship, the Delta Dental Fund Student Leadership Award, the American Association of Public Health Dentistry Student Recognition Award, the Bernard Levy Award at the Harlem Hospital Center for outstanding performance in general dentistry, the Albert Schon Award at the Harlem Hospital Center for excellence in endodontics, and the Grand Prize in the “Current Topics” category at the U-M School of Dentistry’s annual Table Clinic Day.

Dr. Ester is a member of the American Association of Dental Schools, American Association of Endodontists, Michigan Association of Endodontists, the National Dental Association, the National Association of Minority Medical Educators, and the American Dental Association.

“It is an honor to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Lee Jones, who was director of minority affairs for 25 years, and Dr. Emerson Robinson, interim director for the last two years,” Dr. Ester said. “Our dental school is unique in its commitment to diversity. We have graduated more minority dentists than any other state supported dental school. The opportunity to make a difference in the lives of dental students and prepare them to treat those in our increasingly diverse and multicultural society is one of the most important jobs I will ever have,” he added.

The U-M School of Dentistry is one of the nation’s leading dental schools engaged in oral health care education, research, and patient care. General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the School to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout southeast Michigan and the state. Classroom and clinic instruction train future dentists, dental specialists, and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia, and public agencies. Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide. More information is available on the Web at http://www.dent.umich.edu.

American Association of Dental SchoolsEmerson Robinsonhttp://www.dent.umich.edu