PRESS RELEASES
Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) Places Chair, Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at University of Texas Health, San Antonio
(August 5, 2025, WEST HARTFORD, CT) Following a national search, Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES), a leading higher education focused executive search firm, is pleased to announce the successful placement of Dr. Hai Zhang securing the role as Chair for the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at University of Texas Health, San Antonio.
Dr. Hai Zhang will join UT Health San Antonio from the University of Washington School of Dentistry, where he served as a professor and leader in restorative and comprehensive dental education. He also held a position as a graduate faculty member at the University of Washington Graduate School. With an accomplished academic background and a strong dedication to clinical excellence, education, and research, Zhang brings a depth of experience to enrich student and resident training programs. Zhang earned his DMD from the West China University of Medical Sciences and his PhD from the University of Connecticut, where he also completed advanced training in prosthodontics. A diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontists, he further strengthened his leadership expertise through a fellowship with the American Dental Education Association’s Leadership Institute. Zhang has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has been invited to speak at leading institutions nationally and internationally. As the new Chair, Zhang will lead the department of comprehensive dentistry in advancing clinical education, fostering innovation and enhancing patient-centered care across general and restorative dentistry.
Established in 1959, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, one of six health institutions in The University of Texas System, is the major source of health professions education and life sciences research in South Texas and is a major center for patient care. UT Health San Antonio has six schools offering 59 professional, graduate and undergraduate degree and certificate programs across campuses in San Antonio and Laredo. Solidly funded and well resourced, the School of Dentistry is uniquely situated among the 14 UT sister institutions on an expanding and growing campus with 10 new buildings. The rapidly growing research and clinical enterprises offer unlimited opportunities for innovative research and collaborations across campus with the other schools of Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions, Biomedical Sciences and Public Health. The School of Dentistry consistently ranks at the top of all schools of dentistry in the country and is currently ranked 7th in the country for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among 48 public and private dental schools, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Biomedical Research, an independent nonprofit organization.
Affordable Excellence
Academic Career & Executive Search, a higher education focused search firm, specializes in affordable excellence, providing perfectly matched candidates to institutions quickly and accurately. Their methodologies, based on frequent touchpoints, pinpoint ideal candidates with speed and meticulous care resulting in highly successful placements.
They offer flexible service/pricing levels for all positions, ensuring affordability. Contact Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, at 860-740-2600 or Jennifer@ACESrch.com, or visit https://acesrch.com/.
