with every staff member, including new hires. It helped them understand the roles of each department and why every person was important to the mission of the school. “It gave people a sense of their worth to the institution,” he said. An example of the positive effects of transparency involved budgeting during the period in the late 1980s when school was tasked with a major reorganization, reducing
always a consensus,” Kotowicz said. “You have to be real in that not all people are going to be pleased with every decision you make. You have to understand that. They have to understand that. I always tried to think about how a decision was going to impact everyone throughout the school. You don’t just think of the main players but everybody. That helps you when you have to explain why a decision was made.” Kotowicz notes that many former U-M School of Dentistry department chairs and administrators have become deans and top leaders at other dental schools around the country. Part of that equation was hiring good people and placing them in an improved organizational structure that strengthened their leadership skills. “By the time they interviewed elsewhere, they were already doing the things that deans do. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of – how many dental schools now have Michigan people as leaders.”
Endowing the ASK Scholarship
“When you lead you don’t have to lead from the front of the room.” Dr. William Kotowicz
its departments from about 15 to six. Each department chair was given copies of every department’s budget. That way, the chairs knew the dean was being consistent and fair across the school in terms of expectations for staffing, research, raises and growth. “They had some freedom to deal with the monies as they saw fit, but they also knew there were consequences to those decisions.” Delegation is important and effective but often the final decision comes down to the person at the top. “Decision-making is not
In creating the ASK Scholarship, Mark Adams is encouraging dental students and young dentists to embrace the value of leadership. “Early in my career, I was limited by what I could do with my two hands, first as a dentist in Flint and then as a dentist in Denver. I never imagined that I’d be able to impact tens of thousands of patients through the ClearChoice centers and also be able to impact hundreds of dentists in their development, not only as clinical doctors but also as leaders. I have to pinch myself at the opportunity I’ve been given to be able to have that kind of influence.” “Watching another human being develop into their potential is the most satisfying thing I’ve ever had in my career,” Adams said. “At this stage of my career, I don’t need to personally achieve it anymore, but helping others to achieve it – that’s been the most powerful medication I’ve ever taken. It’s just an honor to be able to work with these young doctors and see them master the path into leadership.” Including Shick and Kotowicz in the scholarship’s name is fitting, Adams said. “It’s upon their shoulders that I stand. If I’ve been able to reach a little higher and farther, it’s only because of the foundation they established, whether they knew they were establishing
that in me or not. Now I hope to pass that along and have the same impact on other doctors in the next generation.” Earlier this year the Adamses made a second financial gift to the scholarship fund, $150,000, which takes them one-fourth of the way to their $1 million goal. Mark hopes their example encourages other alumni to help the school financially, in general, or perhaps in support of the leadership scholarship. “If others wanted to get involved and create a legacy through a scholarship focused on leadership, how awesome would that be?” he asks.
S ave t h 2020 & 2021
REUNION BE NOVEM
R
e date!
, 20 6 & , 5 4,
21
The DDS and Dental Hygiene Classes of 1970 and 1971 will be the Emeritus honorees on Nov. 4. (Two classes are featured this year because last year's reunion was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.) The All-Class Reception on Nov. 5 will honor the classes of (1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1970 (Emeritus), 1971 (Emeritus), 1975, 1976 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016.) Enjoy the Indiana vs. Michigan football game at the Big House on Nov. 6. For more information, please go to the reunion website at
www.dent.umich.edu/reunion ALUMNI 27 Spring 2021 | M Dentistry
