How the insightful leadership of James English transformed a traditional dental school into a leading educational institution.

During the 1960s, the dental school at the University of Buffalo underwent a profound change, as a result of its merger with the State University of New York (SUNY), and, very importantly, because of the outstanding leadership provided by Dean James A. English. This article contrasts what the school was like in 1960 before Dean English's arrival, and what it had become in 1970 when his deanship ended. It also recounts the leadership qualities of Dean English and the measures he took to transform the dental school into a leading educational institution. During his tenure, the school experienced profound change, including integration of medicine with dentistry in the curriculum; "internationalization" of dental education and research; organization of the first Oral Biology Department and PhD graduate program in a dental school in the United States; insistence on "knowledge-driven" dental practice--a concept we now term "evidenced-based dentistry"; the establishment of novel approaches to dental education including the "diagonal" curriculum; incorporation of prevention in practice; elective courses for dental students; and comprehensive clinical care. All of these accomplishments were novel for the day and greatly influenced incorporation of similar innovations in many schools around the world.