Dr. Sara Gordon
DDS, MSc
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Academic Administration, CODA Standards I, II
Sara Gordon, DDS, MSc is an expert in dental education and curriculum development. She is Professor Emerita in the Department of Oral Medicine and former Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Washington School of Dentistry (UWSOD). Under her 11-year tenure, UWSOD scores on national board exams rose to among the highest in the nation, while the school’s world ranking climbed to 4th place. Dr. Gordon also led curricular innovations during the COVID pandemic, setting a benchmark for other North American dental schools.
BIOGRAPHY
She is a proven leader with decades of experience in health education and access to care. She is exceptionally experienced in dental accreditation, both as a specialty site visitor in oral and maxillofacial pathology since 2008 for the US Commission on Dental Accreditation and as a leader of accreditation efforts within US dental schools, most recently as overall accreditation chair at UWSOD. She is also past chair of the Academic Deans and Section on Academic Affairs of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) as well as several other ADEA sections.
Dr. Gordon advocates internationally for the importance of understanding oral healthcare as a mandatory part of medical care, and oral health as a mandatory part of overall health. She has taught and practiced oral medicine, oral pathology, and oral diagnosis for four decades at dental schools in the USA and Canada. Dr. Gordon received a DDS from Dalhousie University (1985) and MSc in pathology (1996) from the University of Western Ontario, where she also completed a four-year residency in oral and maxillofacial pathology (1997). She has held teaching positions coast to coast in North America: Dalhousie University, University of Western Ontario, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of Washington.
Dr. Gordon has international experience. She is a diplomate in the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and a fellow in both oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial pathology in the Royal College of Dentists of Canada. She is also a fellow in dental surgery in the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. She is former President of the Canadian Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Medicine, and former national council member of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. She is a national board examiner in oral medicine and oral pathology for the Royal College of Dentists of Canada and a member of the Dental Education Specialty Advisory Board of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is also a commissioner of the US Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations.
In 2024, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) awarded Dr. Gordon the Chair of the ADEA Board of Directors Citation for her “exceptional service to ADEA and the dental education community.” Her many distinctions include dozens of awards and scholarships recognizing her teaching, research, leadership, and writing. She has authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific publications and presented at hundreds of professional events and continuing education courses around the world. She lives in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, and travels widely.