Clinical Associate Professor Gary Kaplowitz, DDS, vice chairman of the Department of General Dentistry, graduated from the New York University College of Dentistry in 1979. He completed a two-year advanced education program in general dentistry at Lackland Air Force Base in 1990 and became a Diplomate of the American Board of General Dentistry in 2003. He served as Chief Dental Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard from 1998 to 2002, when he retired from military service. While in the military, he worked with the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, National Practitioner Data Bank and the Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force in Washington, D.C. He completed master’s degrees in biology and secondary education. Most of his publications are on dental materials, impressions techniques and health care management.

Before coming to the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, he was in private practice and also worked as a part-time clinical instructor in the Department of Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his role as vice chairman of the Department of General Dentistry, Dr. Kaplowitz serves as associate director of the Advanced Education Program in General Dentistry and associate professor at the University of Maryland Graduate School.