White Coat Celebration

Laurie K. McCauley is the William K. and Mary Anne Najjar Professor and Dean of the School of Dentistry, and Professor in the Department of Pathology at the Medical School at the University of Michigan. Dr. McCauley earned her BS, DDS, MS and PhD (Veterinary Pathobiology) all from The Ohio State University. She has had several visiting scientist/professor appointments including the Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, and the Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Dr. McCauley is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a former council member of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), former Associate Editor of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (JBMR), a Fellow in the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists, and also served on the National Institutes of Health, National Advisory Dental & Craniofacial Research Council.

For more than twenty years, Dr. McCauley has led an active research program in hormonal controls of bone remodeling, parathyroid hormone anabolic actions in bone, and prostate cancer skeletal metastasis. Among her many recognitions are the inaugural Paula Stern Achievement award from the ASBMR, a distinguished scientist award from the International Association for Dental Research, The Ohio State College of Dentistry Distinguished Alumnus award, and membership in the National Academy of Medicine.

Dr. Stephen Meraw is currently President of the Michigan Dental Association and a dedicated volunteer to organized dentistry. He practices Periodontics in Southeast Michigan and is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. He earned his DDS from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. Following dental school, he completed a General Practice Residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Periodontics Residency at the Mayo Clinic. He earned Masters degrees at the Mayo Graduate School and the Harvard School of Public Health.

A Fellow of the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy, Dr. Meraw has also served as President of the Michigan Periodontal Association, Midwest Society of Periodontology, Russell W. Bunting Periodontal Society, and Detroit Dental Society. He was recently elected Secretary-Treasurer of the American Academy of Periodontology.

His volunteer activities have included international dental mission work to Belize and Honduras, participation in the Children’s Heartfelt Project that provides dental screenings and treatment to children in need, and volunteering for the MDA Foundation’s Mission of Mercy program. He is also an author or co-author of more than 20 peer-reviewed articles.

Nahid Kashani DDS, MSD graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry (CWRU) in 1988 and received an MSD in Oral Medicine in 1990 from CWRU with Master Thesis in OSHA and Infection Control. Kashani also completed 2 years of Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) in 1992 from CWRU. Kashani was Co-Director of the AEGD at CWRU until 1995, as well as full-time faculty. With hospital privileges, she was able to work with the Oral Surgery department on patient treatment in the operating room and treat dental needs of university hospital inpatients.

Dr. Kashani moved to Detroit, Michigan and started teaching at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry as a clinical instructor. She rose through the ranks and became a group leader, and chairman of the Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic sciences. Currently, she serves as the Co-Director of the Division of Clinical Dentistry.

Kashani’s main interests are diagnosis, treatment planning, and teaching students how to treat medically complex cases and to incorporate biomedical and pharmacology into clinical dentistry.

Dr. Kashani’s goal is to teach students to become lifelong learners and to incorporate evidence-based dentistry into their treatment of their patients.

Dr. Kashani is a member of the MDA, ADA, ADEA, AGD, and ACD and has been involved with the Academy of General Dentistry and the Board of Michigan Academy of General Dentistry since 2000. Kashani has been secretary, vice president, and president of the Michigan AGD, has worked at the national level on the AGD PACE council and dental education council, and has served as Member of the AGD House of Delegates.

Dr. Kashani has been involved in the ADEA as a member of different councils and delegate. She worked on programs for dental faculty, as a member of the council and ultimately chairman of the council of dental faculties. Kashani believes that being involved in dental organizations can help and support the dentist and dental student.

Dr. Sulfaro was raised in the Flint area. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan-Flint. Dr. Sulfaro graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1985. After graduation, Dr. Sulfaro established a private practice in Holly, MI which he has maintained now for over 30 years. Dr. Sulfaro is member of the American Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association and the Genesee District Dental Society. He is a Fellow in the International College of Dentists in which he currently serves as Vice-Regent. Dr. Sulfaro is also a fellow of the American College of Dentists and the Pierre Fuchard Academy. Dr. Sulfaro is past-president of the Genesee District Dental Society, past-president of the Holly Chamber of Commerce, past-president of the Holly Kiwanis and a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He is currently serving as a board member of the Holly DDA. Dr. Sulfaro and his wife of 34 years, Lori, have raised 4 children. They live on a small farm near Holly.

Dr. Danciu is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and a consultant for the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. She graduated with a BA in Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley after which she completed her DMD at Harvard University. She continued her training at Harvard where she obtained a Doctor of Medical Sciences degree as well as a certificate in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. After two years as Instructor at Harvard, she joined the University of Michigan in 2007.

Dr. Danciu is the recipient of numerous teaching awards both at Harvard and University of Michigan and research awards including the National Research Service Award and the National Institute of Health Career Transition Award. She currently serves on several committees at the School of Dentistry, American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, American Dental Association and American Association for Dental Research.