Today, Chancellor Hershel P. Wall, MD, announced the appointment of Timothy L. Hottel, DDS, MS, MBA, as dean for the UT College of Dentistry. Dr. Hottel is expected to arrive in Memphis to assume his new responsibilities by January 1.
“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Hottel to our Health Science Center community,” stated Chancellor Wall. “Through his 35-year academic career, he has developed the wide variety of skills required to succeed as our Dentistry dean. Dr. Hottel’s experience collaborating with administration, faculty and staff, as well as his background with financial and student issues, will be of tremendous benefit both to his college and to our institution as a whole.” Dr. Hottel was appointed after a seven-month national search.
Currently, Dr. Hottel holds several senior-level positions at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Fla. He has been with NSU since 1998 and has accepted roles with increasing responsibility over the years. Dr. Hottel currently serves NSU as executive associate dean and chief financial officer, associate dean for Academic and Financial Affairs, division chief for Primary Care, professor in the Department of Prosthodontics, and interim chair, Department of Cariology and Restorative Dentistry.
Prior to joining NSU, he was with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1973 to 1998. Starting as an instructor, he earned a number of academic and administrative appointments, including director of Dental Clinics for the Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland, administrative director for the Post Graduate Program in Dental Implant Prosthodontics, and associate professor in the School of Dentistry. He also served as Director of the Dental Materials Program at Lorain County Community College, Department of Dental Hygiene, Elyria, Ohio.
Throughout his career, Dr. Hottel has been an active member of numerous university organizations and industry associations, taking an active role to support faculty, student, research and academic dental groups. He has received a variety of university and teaching awards, and donated a tremendous amount of time and energy to community service. In addition, he has authored, edited or contributed to nearly 100 journal articles, abstracts, poster presentations, table clinics, books, industry publications and graduate thesis committees.
Dr. Hottel spent his early years as a resident of Arkansas and Tennessee before his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from Cleveland State University, plus a DDS and a master’s in biomedical engineering both from Case Western Reserve University. He holds an MBA from California Coast University in Santa Ana, Calif., and is currently involved in graduate studies leading to a PhD. Dr. Hottel and his wife Linda have four children and two grandchildren.
“I would like to express the university’s thanks to Interim Dean Mark Patters, who guided the College of Dentistry in an excellent manner during the transition period,” Chancellor Wall added. When Dr. Hottel arrives on campus, Dr. Patters, who has been with UTHSC since 1988, will relinquish his interim role and continue his position as associate dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Dentistry.