Mark Wolff reappointed to second term as dean of Penn Dental School

Penn reappointed Mark Wolff for a second term as the Morton Amsterdam Dean of the School of Dental Medicine through June 30, 2030.

Interim Penn President Larry Jameson and Provost John Jackson announced Wolff’s reappointment in an email to the Dental School community on Aug. 26. The decision, which now awaits approval from the Board of Trustees, comes five months after the formation of a committee to review the accomplishments of Wolff’s first term.

Wolff became the Dental School’s twelfth dean in July 2018, having previously taught at the New York University’s College of Dentistry. With his first term set to end in June 2025, Jameson and Jackson formed a Consultative Review Committee in March to advise them on whether Penn should reappoint Wolff for another term. 

The committee — chaired by School of Policy and Practice Dean Sara Bachman — consisted of six Dental School faculty members, two students, and one alumnus. According to the announcement, the group concluded unanimously that “Dean Wolff has the vision, energy, and skills to succeed in a second term as Dean.”

The email highlighted several developments that took place during Wolff’s first five years of tenure, including three new graduate programs, a doubling in research funding, and successful completion of the school’s reaccreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. It also noted Wolff’s leadership as chair of Penn’s task force on antisemitism, which formed in fall 2023 and released its final report in May 2024.

Jameson and Jackson wrote in the announcement that they “wholeheartedly agree” with the committee’s findings and will “enthusiastically recommend” that Wolff be reappointed.

In July, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported on faculty criticism about the Dental School’s quality of education under Wolff’s deanship. Nearly a dozen current and former Dental School faculty members expressed concern for the direction of the school based on Wolff’s first term, citing a restructuring of clinical time, an increase in overall graduating class size, and an administration dismissive of community concerns. 

Some Dental School community members who spoke with the DP praised Wolff's efforts to open new clinical facilities and train students in treating patients with disabilities — accomplishments that the committee also highlighted in the reappointment announcement.

In response to a request for comment at the time, Bachman wrote that the committee had “spoken with many Dental School faculty members and encouraged input from all members of the Penn community.”

According to Jameson and Jackson's email, the committee assessed data related to the school’s budget, enrollment, and employment, spoke directly with Wolff, and met with members of the Dental School community as part of its review process. Individuals could share their feedback on a confidential basis with the committee members, as well as directly with the president and provost.

“Provost Jackson and I are delighted that Dean Wolff will continue his exemplary leadership of Penn Dental,” Jameson told Penn Today on the day of the announcement. He went on to say that Wolff has been “an exceptional advocate for our University and has worked tirelessly with colleagues across campus to increase the stature and impact of Penn.”

The Board of Trustees will vote on the resolution to formally reappoint Wolff at its next meeting.