School of Dentistry

Our people

Carlos Smith, D.D.S., M.Div., FACD is VCU School of Dentistry's inaugural associate dean for inclusive excellence, ethics, and community engagement. As a trained ethicist and student of history, he examines the context in which societal practices and institutions were constructed through a lens of equality and social justice. Often, he challenges his colleagues and students to examine the ways in which they interact with others as well as the patients they serve.

At the school, Smith teaches a required ethics course in which he applies historical context to demonstrate how structural racism has led to health disparities and a lack of trust in health care institutions among minority communities. By acknowledging and learning from the past and questioning the reasons behind current organizational and societal structures, Smith believes we can better shape our institutions to create a more just and equitable world.