Texas A&M University College of Dentistry adds two leaders

DALLAS – Drs. Liang Hong and John K. Neubert recently joined Texas A&M University College of Dentistry in leadership roles. Hong is the new department head of public health sciences, and Neubert is the leader of the biomedical sciences department.

Hong, also named a Faculty Fellow of Texas A&M Institute for Healthcare Access, joined A&M Dentistry after serving as professor and director in the Division of Community Dentistry at the University of Tennessee HSC College of Dentistry and professor in the UTHSC College of Medicine.

“This dental school, the location – the Dallas area and the state of Texas – provides huge opportunities to pursue my professional goal of improving oral health and access to dental care of the public,” he said. “Oral health indicators in Texas are behind the national average and the objectives of Healthy People 2030. There’s a lot of work to do.”

Neubert joined the dental college after more than 20 years on the University of Florida faculty, including several years as the director of predoctoral orthodontic education. A translational researcher, his work is recognized worldwide.

His background is in neuroscience, pain research and therapeutics. Neubert said he pursued a leadership role at the dental college to focus more on leading a basic science and research program.

“Even though I’m a dentist and an orthodontist, I consider myself a researcher and academic,” Neubert said.

The department’s strong neuroscience group complements his research in finding alternatives to opioids and other drug treatments for those suffering from pain, especially in the orofacial region.