Pitt names Marnie Oakley as new dental school dean

The University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday named Marnie Oakley as its new dean of the School of Dental Medicine.

Oakley is a doctor of dental medicine, educator and administrator who has held positions at Pitt for almost three decades, most recently as the dental school’s interim dean.

A national search to find a successor to Bernard Costello ultimately led to the in-house Oakley, who officials described as passionate about her field and dedicated to advancing oral health in the region.

She began her duties this week.

“Marnie has a long and proven record of leading teams with an entrepreneurial and creative approach to achieve key strategic goals,” said Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences at Pitt and dean of the medical school.

Oakley has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a DMD from Pitt, officials said. She began her career serving as a dental officer in the Navy. She joined Pitt Dental Medicine as a clinical instructor in 1996.

She since has held positions including chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Comprehensive Care (2005-2011), associate dean for clinical affairs (2011-2018) and senior associate dean for clinical and faculty affairs (2018-2021).

She is an associate professor of restorative dentistry and comprehensive care.