Lincoln Memorial University-College of Dental Medicine (LMU-CDM) announces the appointment of John Eisner, DMD, PhD, as the new associate dean for Academic Affairs. Eisner brings with him decades of leadership and expertise in dental education, curriculum development, and dental informatics, further enriching LMU-CDM’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Eisner to LMU-CDM," said the Dean of the College of Dental Medicine, Qi Wang, DDS. "His exceptional experience in academic leadership, curriculum development, and dental informatics will be invaluable as we continue to expand our programs and enhance the educational experience for our students."
Eisner earned his DDS from the University of Alberta and a PhD in Education from The Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Michigan. His journey in academic leadership began during his doctoral studies when he joined the faculty at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers University School of Dental Medicine). There, he also served as assistant to the dean for Planning. In 1980, he was appointed assistant dean for Academic Affairs at Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry, where he played a key role in designing and implementing the school's clinic information system and directed a prestigious Summer Teaching and Management Institute for dental educators across Canada.
In 1989, Eisner joined the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Dental Medicine, where he advanced dental education and informatics. His contributions included developing UB’s innovative online Clinic Management System and serving as associate dean for Academic Affairs and later associate dean for Information Resources. Eisner’s pioneering efforts in dental informatics led him to be the inaugural chair of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Information Technology Advisory Committee.
Throughout his distinguished career, Eisner has received nine informatics grants or contracts totaling over $500,000. In 2001, he co-founded Academic Management Systems, a former subsidiary of Liaison International, Inc., a software company whose tools, including CoursEval and WebAdMIT, are now used by more than 300 universities and over 5,000 health professions schools.
Eisner’s contributions to dental education and informatics have earned him numerous accolades, including being named a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, serving as vice president of ADEA, and receiving the prestigious ADEA Gies Award for Vision, Innovation, and Achievement in 2014.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. Lincoln Memorial University-College of Dental Medicine (LMU-CDM) is home to the Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) and Dental Hygiene (DH) programs. It is located in Knoxville at the newly renovated LMU Tower. For more information about LMU-CDM programs contact, CollegeofDentalMedicine@LMUnet.edu.
