The School of Dentistry is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Yun Saksena as the School’s first-ever Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, effective July 1, 2026. This historic new role will report directly to the Dean and will provide leadership and oversight for both Academic Affairs and Student Affairs.
Dr. Saksena will hold a faculty appointment as Professor of Clinical Practice in the Department of Restorative Dentistry.
Dr. Saksena comes to the UWSOD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, where she currently serves as Associate Dean for Education and Campus Culture. She brings to the new role over 25 years of higher education experience, including more than a decade in academic and student affairs leadership.
Her background includes a BDSc from the University of Melbourne, a Prosthodontics Certificate and MMSc from Harvard University, and a DMD from Tufts University, where she worked as a clinical instructor for over 17 years. She is also an alumna of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program and has research interests centered on student learning and cultural dimensions in dental education.
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Dr. Anna Forsyth, who has served exceptionally as Interim Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs for the past 15 months,” said School of Dentistry Dean André Ritter. “My thanks also go to Patti Howell and Dr. Chanira Reang Sperry for their leadership and support during this transition.”
Dr. Greg Huang, the Kokich-Shapiro Endowed Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthodontics, served as Chair of the search committee and was assisted by other committee volunteers in the selection process and in recruiting Dr. Saksena to the UWSOD.