Department of Veterans Affairs appoints new dental chief

Washington鈥?The Department of Veterans Affairs appointed Dr. Timothy Ward assistant under secretary for health for dentistry. As the VA dental chief he is responsible for policy, oversight and program development for the dental care offered at more than 200 VA hospitals and clinics by 715 VA dentists. The VA in 2007 provided dental care to some 360,000 veterans.

The VA dental graduate education program trains 360 residents annually in general practice, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, prosthodontics and public health and offers a fellowship in dental research.

Dr. Ward is a graduate of Marquette School of Dentistry with a master’s degree in education from Bradley University. He completed residencies in general practice at the VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wis., and oral and maxillofacial surgery at Emory University and is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

A staff oral and maxillofacial surgeon at the Washington VA Medical Center, he recently developed and implemented a two-year VA fellowship for physicians and Ph.D. scientists in war related illnesses and injuries. Dr. Ward has given more than 100 lectures on managing the medically compromised dental patient and been involved in the clinical and didactic education of dental and medical students, residents and practicing clinicians. He has research interests in educational methodology for training health care professionals.

Dr. Ward replaces Dr. Robert Frame, a wounded veteran of the war in Iraq who accepted other VA responsibilities.