Newswise — Renato M. Silva, DDS, MS, PhD, an internationally respected clinician-scientist, educator, and academic leader, has been selected to serve as dean of UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, effective September 30, 2026.
Melina R. Kibbe, MD, UTHealth Houston president and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair, announced today that Silva will serve as the next dean of Texas’ first dental college, succeeding John A. Valenza, DDS, who is retiring after nearly four decades of extraordinary service and leadership.
“Dr. Silva will be stepping into this role at an especially exciting time at UTHealth Houston,” Kibbe said. “As we launch our university-wide strategic planning process and invest in our future, the School of Dentistry will play an important role in defining what comes next for interprofessional education, oral health research, community service, and patient care. Dr. Silva’s experience, vision, and collaborative approach position him well to build on the school’s momentum and help lead it into its next chapter.”