Romesh Nalliah, DDS, MHCM
Dr. Romesh P. Nalliah is a distinguished leader in healthcare education and administration, with a career spanning diverse clinical and academic environments. Currently serving as the Associate Dean for Patient Services at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Dr. Nalliah oversees a complex clinical operation, ensuring compliance, quality assurance, and risk management for over 800 providers. His commitment to efficiency and excellence in healthcare was highlighted by his successful leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic where his collaborative leadership and effective protocols led to zero clinical transmissions. Dr. Nalliah also provided oversight to the complete re-modeling of the clinical spaces at University of Michigan School of Dentistry – a four-year project.
Dr. Nalliah’s extensive background in health services research and public health is supported by over 150 peer-reviewed journal publications, national and international awards and numerous international presentations. As a researcher dedicated to change, he has contributed to multiple policy changes in the state of Michigan and co-wrote Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ official opioid prescribing guidelines for dentists in the state of Michigan.
As an Associate Editor for the Journal of Dental Education, he has driven impactful initiatives and helped grow the journal’s readership and submission rates. As an Academic Editor for Pain Research & Management, Dr. Nalliah has helped drive the dissemination of pharmaceutical innovations. Dr. Nalliah has also served as Chair of Curriculum and Programming at Mass Dental Society where, under his leadership, membership grew by 9.5% over two years.
With advanced degrees in Healthcare Management from Harvard and a Fellowship in Healthcare Policy from the University of Michigan, and a Fellowship in Medical Education at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Nalliah has a strong foundation in both the strategic and operational aspects of leadership in academic health centers. His experience in enhancing educational frameworks and developing professional development courses positions him as a visionary leader in leadership training and coaching.
