Leigh Griffin, D.D.S., joined VCU School of Dentistry's Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences as an oral and maxillofacial pathologist in October 2025.
Griffin earned her D.D.S. from Louisiana State University School of Dentistry and completed a residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at New York Presbyterian Queens Hospital. Before moving to Richmond and joining the faculty at VCU, she served as an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Massachusetts. There, she taught predoctoral and postgraduate courses in oral pathology, participated in research and treated patients in the clinics.
Before entering academia, Griffin practiced general dentistry at Teche Action Board, a federally qualified health center in Louisiana. As a member of the National Health Services Corps, she dedicated herself to improving access to care in underserved communities.
What impresses you most about the VCU School of Dentistry?
I am most impressed by the camaraderie I have witnessed as well as the goal everyone shares to set the bar high for dental education.
Why did you choose to be an oral health provider and educator?
When I was in high school we were required to job shadow a community member. I was paired with a local dentist that also had his own dental lab in his office. After shadowing him for a day treating patients and staining and firing his own PFM crowns, I was hooked. Pathology came later for me. I practiced general dentistry in a rural community and became so passionate about access to care. I also realized that many of my patients were presenting with undiagnosed pathology which led me to specializing in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. I get so much joy sharing my knowledge and experience with others. I think my perspective in first being a general dentist and then an oral pathologist is a unique one.
Can you describe your goals at VCU School of Dentistry?
My goals at VCU include supporting Dr. Glass to the best of my ability, to help make Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology an approachable specialty for students, and to convey to students that pathology is not an "if I will see it in practice" but a "when I see it in practice".
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love sharing my experiences with students so they can learn from my journey.
