Karen P. West, D.M.D., M.P.H.

A longtime advocate for women’s health and diversity and inclusion in dental education, Dr. West began her career as a project director in the Augusta Dental Project/Children and Youth Dental Clinic in 1984. Her positions on dental faculty and in administration span 30 years, and she has held the deanship at UNLV SDM for the past 12 years. Dr. West manages a $35 million budget and oversees approximately 400 faculty and staff and 350 students.

Dr. West earned her D.M.D. from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and her M.P.H. in Health Administration from the University of South Carolina School of Public Health. She was recruited as a clinical team leader at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry (UKCD) in 1990. Within the UK system she held a number of administrative positions, including Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (1998-2002), Acting Dean for Admissions and Student Services (2002-2003), and Interim Division Chief of Public Service Dentistry (2005). She served as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at UKCD from 2002 to 2007, gaining academic tenure as an Associate Professor at that time. She continued to expand her administrative and leadership scope in 2007 when she was appointed as Dean of UNLV SDM.