Dear fellow alumni and friends of the School of Dentistry,
We are well into the start of 2026. Goals for the new year are being set, and project execution is underway. This is generally the time of year when many of us feel the need to step back, take a pause, and spend a little time self-assessing — personally, professionally, and organizationally.
Interestingly, the challenge with doing so is the exact reason we need to do so — the pace and significant demands of life and work are moving at ever-increasing speeds, and therefore, our individual and shared purpose must be focused and paramount.
Last fall, I teased a book from Dr. Marsh’s library — The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle, subtitled The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. Initially, I anticipated it would draw parallels to General McChrystal’s Team of Teams, which I have referenced several times in this forum.
The first paragraph in the introduction posed the question: “Why do certain groups add up to be greater than the sum of their parts, while others add up to be less?” With that, I was in … and I was sure that, given the title, we would be taking a dive into organizational culture and strategy.
The author was much deeper than I anticipated. He focused on safety (specifically psychological safety), shared vulnerability, and establishing purpose — not necessarily for the greater organization, but rather on the individuals and subsequently the groups of individuals that make up the organization. He keyed in on how psychological safety allows team members to take risks and learn from failures, while vulnerability-based trust enables open communication and collaboration. Highly successful groups with a shared purpose or goal can work together to build a cohesive and motivating culture that will enable the greater organization to achieve very high levels of success. I have had the opportunity to serve in many organizations and at varying positions of responsibility and accountability in those organizations. One thing is certain — an aligned purpose and motivating culture is incredibly powerful and will build a winning team nearly every time.
Last month, I provided an update on our phase one renovations. We now have a confirmed substantial completion date of May 3, 2026, for phase one, which includes our orthodontic, pediatric dentistry, innovation center, and Dental Group Practice clinics. We will begin returning these clinics to the Health Sciences Center at that time.
We are very excited to share that, as a direct result of the incredibly strong support of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and our University leadership team, our School of Dentistry will be receiving a Congressionally Directed Spending allocation of $15 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for phase two renovations. This will directly support construction and equipment costs to consolidate our specialty clinics and advanced education programs. This comprehensive specialty clinic will also be located in the Health Sciences Center and includes new clinics for oral and maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, and general practice residency, as well as a surgical center and new entryway. This appropriation builds on the previous Congressionally Directed Spending allocation of $12.6 million for phase one, also championed by Sen. Capito, providing a total of $27.6 million for the renovation. Combined with the support of our generous donors whose ongoing contributions to our Campaign for Facilities are essential, this funding will significantly enhance the student and the patient experience. This is transformational for our School, the University, and especially for the people of West Virginia.
Thank you for all you do for our School, and especially for our students and those entrusted to our care.
Lead well at every engagement. Glad to be here. Let’s Go!
Stephen Pachuta
Dean