Jeanne Craig Sinkford, the first woman to serve as dean of a dental school in the United States, passed away on October 1. She was 92 years old.
Born in Washington, D.C., Dr. Sinkford graduated at age 16 from the Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School, the first public high school for African Americans in the city. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Howard University, she enrolled in Howard’s College of Dentistry, where she graduated first in her class with her doctor of dental surgery degree. She then earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Northwestern University, followed by a residency in pedodontics at Children’s National Medical Center.
In 1975, Dr. Sinkford returned to Howard University to become dean of the College of Dentistry, making her the country’s first woman to lead a dental school. She served in this capacity until 1991, when she transitioned to the American Dental Education Association as associate executive director. She also founded and directed the association’s Center for Equity and Diversity.
Alongside her own dental research and teaching endeavors, Dr. Sinkford was dedicated to supporting other women and African Americans in healthcare. With two other women dentists, she co-authored Undaunted Trailblazers: Minority Women Leaders for Oral Health – A Collection of 31 Inspiring Stories of Triumph and Achievement (Capgenus, 2021).
For her many contributions to dentistry and academia, Dr. Sinkford received seven honorary doctorates and numerous awards throughout her lifetime. Currently, the ADEA presents three annual awards named in her honor. At the University of Michigan, a collection of materials from Dr. Sinkford’s career are on permanent display at the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry.