# HSDM Alumnus Cataldo Leone, DMSc89, to Lead BU’s School of Dental Medicine December 06, 2021 Dr. Cataldo Leone, a 1989 alumnus of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) periodontology program, was recently named dean of Boston University’s (BU) Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Leone is an expert in periodontal disease and is well-known for his contributions to dental education and curriculum design over his lengthy career in academia. He has served in teaching and administrative roles at the University of Florida, Tufts University, and at BU where he has taught for more than 20 years, most recently serving as the dental school’s interim dean. Leone joins two other HSDM alumni leading Massachusetts’ dental schools—Dr. Nadeem Karimbux, DMD91, MMSc93, PD93, dean of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, and Dr. William Giannobile, DMSc96, PD96, dean of HSDM. All three deans are graduates of HSDM’s periodontology program which has produced a number of leaders in academia nationwide. “I’m delighted to congratulate Cataldo on his recent appointment as dean. He is well regarded as a dedicated educator, valued colleague, and mentor in the field. I look forward to collaborating with him in this new capacity as we lead our respective schools and advance the excellence of dental education in the greater Boston area and the state of Massachusetts,” said Dean Giannobile. Leone’s appointment as dean became effective November 30, 2021. In an announcement published by *BU Today*, he said, “I am both excited and humbled by the privilege of serving as the next dean, building upon the successes of the school’s previous deans. Our immediate next step will be to develop a new strategic plan that will guide our educational, research, clinical care, and service mission through this decade and into the next.” [Read the full announcement](https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/cataldo-leone-named-dean-of-the-goldman-school-of-dental-medicine/)** *Photo courtesy of Goldman School of Dental Medicine.*