Restorative dentist appointed inaugural holder of UCLA Dentistry’s 10th endowed chair
Dr. Marc Hayashi, Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor and Vice Chair of the Section of Restorative Dentistry, has been appointed the inaugural holder of the Alumni and Friends Presidential Endowed Chair at the UCLA School of Dentistry, made effective at the end of 2020.
The endowed chair – the tenth at the dental school – was the leading campaign of UCLA Dentistry’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, which culminated in 2015 under the leadership of former dean, Dr. No-Hee Park. The chair was made possible thanks to the generosity of over 40 donors ranging from past alumni and private individuals. The total contributions were matched by the Presidential Match for Endowed Chairs program established by Janet Napolitano, former President of the University of California.
“Our goal in establishing this chair was to further solidify UCLA School of Dentistry’s commitment to the recruitment and retention of junior faculty who have demonstrated excellence in education and research,” said Dr. Thomas Rauth, campaign chair and alumnus from the UCLA DDS Class of 1973. “I am extremely grateful to all of the donors who believed in the importance of recognizing these faculty as one of our greatest resources and their role in promoting UCLA’s legacy of excellence in our graduates.”
Dr. Hayashi’s accolades speak for themselves. He earned his DMD degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 2009 – graduating no. 1 in his class. He received two postgraduate certificates, both in general practice residency: one from LAC+USC Medical Center in 2010 and the second from Sepulveda VA Medical Center in 2011.
In 2016, Dr. Hayashi became a full-time faculty member in UCLA Dentistry’s section of restorative dentistry after serving as a lecturer for three years. He recently capped off his training by earning an executive master of business administration degree at the end of 2019, through the university’s faculty development program.
Outside of UCLA, Dr. Hayashi serves as president-elect of the Western Los Angeles Dental Society and is a member of several dental associations, including the American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, California Dental Association and several others. He also received the Pierre Fauchard Academy Teacher of the Year Award from the UCLA Dentistry Classes of 2017, 2018 and 2019.
“It is truly an honor to be appointed as the inaugural holder of the Alumni and Friends Presidential Endowed Chair at UCLA,” said Hayashi. “This endowment will allow me to continue building upon my prior achievements and help elevate my service to the school. I want to give thanks to the many talented and caring individuals at UCLA who have helped grow and shape my career, as I would not be here without their support.”
Just two years into his full-time faculty appointment, Dr. Hayashi was named the vice chair of the section of restorative dentistry – one of the largest departments in the dental school. The administrative leadership he has exhibited in this section has been instrumental to the more than 130 restorative faculty members who teach more than 1,200 hours per year with everyday clinic coverage.
“Dr. Hayashi brings excellence to his roles as an educator, a clinician and a researcher – making him a worthy recipient of this appointment,” said Dr. Paul Krebsbach, dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry. “As a growing number of educators in the school reach retirement age, the shortage of qualified educators to take their place means we must take the steps necessary to attract and retain the very best faculty. Dr. Hayashi has proven that he is an indispensable core teaching faculty member not only in his section, but also in the entire dental school.”