Dr. Jeanne C. Sinkford is the associate executive director and director of the Center for Equity and Diversity at the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) in Washington, D.C. Dr. Sinkford also is professor emeritus and dean emeritus of the Howard University College of Dentistry. She is the first woman dean of an American dental school.

Dr. Sinkford served 16 years as dean at Howard University before joining ADEA in 1991. She has served on numerous committees and advisory councils of national significance, including the National Advisory Dental Research Council; Directors Advisory Council, National Institutes of Health; governing board of the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry; advisory board, Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Program; chair, Appeal Board Council on Dental Education, American Dental Association; Council on Dental Research, American Dental Association; Special Medical Advisory Group for the Veterans Administration; Council, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences; NRC Governing Board, National Academy of Sciences; Dental Devices Classification Panel, Food and Drug Administration; chair, Anatomical Board for the District of Columbia; and member of the Girl Scouts of the USA. She currently serves on the editorial board of the Journal of the American College of Dentists and the Education Committee of the National Dental Association.

She was elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Sinkford currently serves on advisory boards at Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Temple University School of Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry and the Oral Cancer Regional Center for Research for Adolescent & Adult Health Promotion at New York University.

Dr. Sinkford holds honorary degrees from Georgetown University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Detroit-Mercy University.

Dr. Sinkford earned her B.S. degree from Howard University, and her master's and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. She completed her residency in pediatric dentistry at Children's Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

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