Roger
Fillingim, Ph.D., has been appointed the Associate
Dean of
Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, a new associate dean role for the University of Florida College of
Dentistry (UF COD), beginning Feb. 1, 2024.
The
new administrative role focuses on assessment, evaluation of outcomes,
strategic planning, data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
He will work closely with the college’s dean and leadership from all offices,
departments and centers in the college to approach strategic planning and
decision-making from a broad perspective.
“Dr.
Fillingim’s track record over the years since founding and directing the UF
Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, or PRICE, demonstrates his
ability to forge collaborations between a variety of people and institutions
that result in success for everyone involved. He also anticipates changes and
challenges, and quickly adapts, which is an integral component in effective
strategic planning,” said A. Isabel Garcia, D.D.S., M.S., Dean of UF
COD.
Another
major strength he brings to this role is his wealth of experience in data
collection and interpretation, which plays a critical role in our ability to
evaluate the strength of our educational, research and clinical care missions
and identify where we need to make changes or enhancements, said Garcia.
Dr. Fillingim, who joined
the college in 2000, is a Distinguished
Professor in
the Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science and the Director of PRICE. He received a 2020 University of Florida
Foundation Term Professorship Award created to invest in the research endeavors
of UF faculty members whose work is transforming lives. Dr. Fillingim graduated from Mercer University
in Macon, GA, with a bachelor’s in psychology. He earned his master’s and
doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Alabama at
Birmingham.
His
research investigates biological, social and psychological factors that may
influence the experience of pain, perhaps the most widespread and expensive
health problem in the United States. One major area of focus for Dr. Fillingim’s research is how women and men
experience pain differently. He served as president of the American Pain
Society, or APS, from 2012-2013, and has
been an active leader in APS for many years. He has served in several
leadership roles including as Chair of both the
Scientific Program and Education Advisory Committees. In 2009, he
received the APS Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award for his
clinical pain scholarship and research achievements. In 2017, he received a
Distinguished Service Award from the APS to recognize his outstanding and
dedicated service.
Dr. Fillingim
also leads the UF Mentor Academy which was established in 2013 to provide
training in best mentoring practices for UF faculty who mentor students,
postgraduate trainees and early-career faculty. The
Mentor Academy employs an active learning model that encourages participant
engagement and experiential learning. The program runs twice a year in the fall
and spring semesters. More than 150 UF faculty have completed the Mentor Academy
across 10 UF colleges, including 25 UFCOD faculty.
“I
am delighted that Roger has agreed to serve in this role for the college and I
am positive that he will help create a roadmap to an even greater future for
the UF College of Dentistry,” said
Dr. Garcia.
Published on March 13, 2024
Courtesy of University of Florida College of Dentistry