Dr. Sinkford named to womens health advisory post

Bethesda, Md.鈥擠r. Jeanne Craig Sinkford, a former dental dean internationally recognized for dental education and women’s health activities, will advise the National Institutes of Health on research on women’s health.

“I am especially interested in women’s health across a lifespan, research outcomes related to oral systemic relationships, the advancement of women in biomedical careers and other factors that impact the health and wellbeing of women and girls,” she said of her appointment. Dr. Sinkford was appointed to a Feb. 1, 2009鈥揓an. 31, 2013 term as the only dentist on the 18-member advisory committee on research on women’s health. Dr. Linda M. Kaste served a term through Jan. 31, 2009.

The committee advises the NIH office of research on women’s health on appropriate research activities for the NIH institutes with respect to women’s health, sex/gender differences in clinical trials and interdisciplinary research. The health professional advisers on women’s health are non-federal employees.

Dr. Sinkford, one of five 2009 appointees to four-year terms, is the first woman included in the U.S.A. Section of the International College of Dentists’ Chronicles of Outstanding Leaders in Dentistry, the first woman to be appointed dean of a dental school in the United States and for more than 20 years was the only female dean at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is professor and dean emeritus, Howard University College of Dentistry, and currently serves as the associate executive director and director, Center for Equity and Diversity, American Dental Education Association.