Dr. Lonnie H. Norris was appointed interim dean in July 1995, then dean of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in February 1996. A tenured professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery, he has been a faculty member at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine since 1980. He earned his doctor of dental medicine and master of public health degrees from Harvard University before completing a postgraduate residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Tufts. His undergraduate degree is from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

A former captain in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps in the late '60s and early '70s, Dr. Norris worked as a thermoplastics research and processing engineer at Ford Motor's research and development department, and as a plastics engineer at the U.S. Army's Natick, Massachusetts, laboratories. He holds two U.S. patents.

Dr. Norris is a fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the International College of Dentists, the American Academy of Dental Science, the American College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and served as a member of its advisory committee as a certification board examiner.

Dr. Norris has been recognized as a distinguished practitioner in the National Academy of Practice in Dentistry. He served as an American Dental Education Association representative to the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Dr. Norris is currently serving as chair of the Council of Deans on the American Dental Education Association's administrative board.

Recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including Who's Who in American Education, Distinguished Alumni Award, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Dr. Norris has co-authored more than 40 articles and abstracts related to dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery, and has served as co-investigator in more than 20 clinical research studies. In 1998, he participated in the Massachusetts Governor's Commission to study the oral health status and accessibility of dental care services to residents of the state. He has provided dental program consultation to universities and health programs; and lectured in Colombia, Guyana, Greece, Saudi Arabia and Italy.