Carlos Smith, D.D.S., M.Div., associate dean for Inclusive Excellence, Ethics and Community Engagement, was recently appointed as the President of American Society for Dental Ethics (ASDE) and Chair-elect of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Annual Session Program Committee.

As a leader in these organizations, Smith will lead discussions and help organize events to educate dental professionals about ethical practices in the field.

“I’m always honored to represent VCU from a national perspective,” Smith said. “It’s quite humbling to be viewed and affirmed as a national voice across dental education and dentistry more broadly. As I’ve always been a very driven and goal-oriented individual, at times aspiring to specific goals and roles, that rhythm and personal philosophy has evolved over time. That evolution is simply put, to be someone who has an impact and my time here at VCU has afforded me the amazing opportunity to do just that, whether within the walls of the School of Dentistry, partnerships across VCU Health, collaborations across VCU as a whole or at a national level.”

American Society of Dental Ethics

The American Society for Dental Ethics was established in 1987 as a way for dental professionals to discuss and advance ethics in the field. It is a section of the American College of Dentists (ACD). The nonprofit organization advocates for careful ethical discussions and analysis to improve the treatment of patients nationwide.

“The organization was formed out of a recognition that there needs to be a cohesive approach to how dental ethics is taught, researched, discussed and even written about,” Smith said.

Smith joined the organization in 2015, as he began teaching at VCU School of Dentistry. He was able to offer a unique perspective, as Smith earned a Master of Divinity degree, with a focus on theology and ethics from Duke Divinity School.

“I joke that dental school was so rigorous and all encompassing, that I needed to fully turn toward religion afterwards,” Smith said. “I was drawn to the organization with their focus on ethics, and having not formally taught before, I was in search of a community of scholars and I was familiar with the work of some of their noted members like Provost Pam Zarkowski and my own former faculty Dr. Marilyn Lantz. It has been a wonderful opportunity to continue honing my ethics expertise, cultivate community and spread my wings as a continuing education lecturer. ”

It was through the ASDE that Smith was able to give his first national lecture. In addition to attending conferences and giving lectures, Smith’s work with the ASDE includes creating learning modules centered on dental ethics. 

“I want to acknowledge a great friend of the School of Dentistry, Dr. Mayer Levy who nominated me for a fellowship to the ACD several years ago,” said Smith. “While one can be an ASDE member without being a fellow of the ACD, his taking a special interest in me, my background and commitment to ethics and professionalism set me on this course.”

As president, Smith will serve a two-year term.

One of the initiatives Smith will focus on as president is defining and reimagining professionalism.

“What does it mean, how do we teach it, how does it advance optimal care for all?” Smith asked. “We are being called to reimagine the historic notions of what professionalism looks like. How you present yourself, such as being clean-shaven or the presence of tattoos, is now being more appropriately understood as simply personal preference or false norms constructed from past practices, versus true professionalism which centers the patient, maximizing patient experiences and the alignment of personal and vocational values to meet the expectations implicit within the social contract with our patients and society at large.”

Unlike in the field of medicine, there is a lack of clearly defined standards of professionalism in dentistry. Medicine has a code of professional standards called the Physician Charter of Professionalism within medical education, which aims to promote a more universal approach to professionalism within education and health care delivery. 

“Dentistry doesn’t have anything like that, but rather traditions and notions that have been passed down,” Smith said. “While the profession has long had principles of ethics and a code of conduct, we must recognize that as standards and practices evolve, both within dentistry and across society, there might be differing lenses on how those new factors should be theorized and brought to action. Particularly with ever mounting issues around access to care and diversifying our health care workforce, it’s important to look at professionalism through a lens that is free of our biases and grounded in actualized values, not aspirational statements, pun intended, with no teeth.”

Above all, Smith seeks to maintain trust and increase patient satisfaction nationwide.

“It’s all about ensuring that we have more optimal patient outcomes,” Smith said. “We need to put the needs of our patients above our own. We’re part of a social contract; our patients need to trust that we are doing the right thing by them. And often, for those most locked out of accessing health care, that trust has long been severed.”

ADEA Annual Session Program Committee

The American Dental Education Association is an organization designed to improve the education of dental students nationwide. Smith first became affiliated with the ADEA as a dental student at University of Michigan. He found the opportunities offered to current students to be a player in his future success as an educator.

“There was a lot of encouragement for dental students who might have an interest in teaching,” Smith said. “I got to do research, be a first author on a publication and serve on a committee, which solidified that interest for me.”

After completing dental school, Smith worked in community dentistry and private practice for nearly a decade before returning to education, and also to ADEA. He has been consistently involved in the organization since then.

The ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition is the flagship event of the Association. To ensure the success of the meeting the Annual Session Program Committee (ASPC) was established to assist in planning the educational content and networking opportunities of the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition. ADEA has a rotating group of principal officers which includes an elected Chair of the Board of Directors. Each Chair of the Board is able to nominate a chair of the ASPC to assist in leading and carrying out their vision. 

Smith has a longtime connection with the current ADEA chair-elect of the Board of Directors, Todd Ester, D.D.S., M.A.. It was Ester who mentored Smith at the University of Michigan nearly 20 years ago. The two have collaborated on numerous research projects and articles and maintained a friendship since. 

Smith will serve as chair-elect from 2024-2025 both assisting in and observing the process of bringing the 2025 Annual Session into fruition. He will then step up as chair of the 2026 ADEA Annual Session and Exhibition to be held in Montreal, Canada. As chair, Smith will play a role in choosing a meeting theme, leading various symposia and ensuring accepted programs and speakers create a cohesive and educational event.

One of the larger responsibilities as chair-elect was narrowing down the nearly 350 program submissions to fill the 79 available slots.

“We looked at the mission of the organization and the theme that was established by the current chair, Dr. Suzan Kass,” Smith said. “How do these things align? How do they meet the needs of faculty, students and staff nationwide?”

Smith credits his colleagues, especially those from the American Society of Dental Ethics and VCU School of Dentistry, for encouraging him to step up to these leadership positions. 

“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of something like this and to have a hand in shaping the scope and tenor of the annual meeting which serves as the pinnacle convening for all dental educators nationwide and even internationally to attend,” Smith said. “Although it is also daunting, I’ve been encouraged and supported by my colleagues and mentors, including Dean Cooper.”

“Our School of Dentistry, academic dentistry in general and the entire profession is fortunate to have Dr. Smith, an individual who is incomparable in knowledge and dedication to these matters. His ascension to President of ASDE reflects the impact he has and will have on dentistry,” said Lyndon Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Dentistry.

Smith also credits the Office of Inclusive Excellence, Ethics and Community Engagement at VCU School of Dentistry, including Michelle McGregor and Ruth Bravo Anez, for consistent support.

“I want to be clear, that while it is a tremendous amount of work, no person is an island unto themselves,” Smith said. “This team are truly great partners in my efforts, both within the School of Dentistry and externally. I want to be sure to specifically name Drs Alfred Certosimo, Mark Berry and Tegwyn Brickhouse, department chairs under whom I have served, who always encouraged me to pursue efforts and activities external to VCU. I’d also say, in recognizing the full scope of who we are as people, not simply our work selves, but fully human with a multitude of dimensions that contribute to who we are and how we show up, I must acknowledge my wife Heather Smith, a higher education and leadership professional who put her career on pause to devote fully to the rearing of our three daughters. She is a key thought collaborator with all that I do. I like to say, she is the real MVP of the Smith home.”