After four years as the director of NCOHC, Dr. Zachary Brian has taken the next step in his career.
Dr. Brian will join UNC-Chapel Hill with a dual appointment with the Adams School of Dentistry and the Gillings School of Global Public Health. While his time with NCOHC has come to an end, it is clear that his impact on oral health in North Carolina is far from over!
Since he joined FHLI in 2018, Dr. Brian has led the NCOHC team along with countless partners and advocates to policy victories that are actively transforming access to care in North Carolina. His leadership was fundamental in achieving regulatory rule changes allowing more children to receive preventive oral health care and passing landmark oral health legislation, making North Carolina’s dental landscape more equitable and accessible.
From key pandemic provisions allowing dentists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to recent expansion of North Carolina’s Medicaid for Pregnant Women program, the entire NCOHC team is incredibly proud of what our broad coalition has been able to accomplish during Dr. Brian’s tenure.
Dr. Brian’s impact certainly won’t end with his departure. This past year, NCOHC was able to launch several programs and initiatives that also promise to positively transform oral health access and equity. The COrHT Initiative, the Oral Health Transformation Initiative, Brush Book Bed, and the Patient Advocate Pilot Program are all ongoing projects exploring new and innovative ways to get care to those who need it most.
The NCOHC team is certainly sad to see Dr. Brian go, but we are also well-equipped to continue our important work as we head into the new year. Dr. Steve Cline, who has served on NCOHC’s advisory team and FHLI’s board, has stepped in as interim vice president of oral health. Crystal Adams, formerly our associate director, has received a well-deserved promotion to director of NCOHC.
We are incredibly proud of Dr. Brian. From the entire NCOHC team, thank you for your tireless work to improve oral health access and equity in North Carolina!
NCOHC, a program of the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, works to advance systems-level changes, improving the overall health and well-being of all North Carolinians by increasing access and equity in care. To stay up-to-date and get involved, join us today as a North Carolinian for Change.
