Yang Chai installed as dean of the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC

After more than three decades, multiple degrees, some 180 research articles and a host of awards, Yang Chai’s USC career reached a new pinnacle on Wednesday as the “interim” was removed from his title and he was officially installed as dean of the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.

“As someone who has called himself a member of the Ostrow community for many years, and who has a deep love and commitment to this institution, I can tell you, I am all-in to lead the school forward — but I know that one person can only do so much,” Chai said from the podium during his installation ceremony at Town and Gown on the University Park Campus. “Fortunately, what makes this institution remarkable is the community that surrounds it: the faculty, staff, students, residents, alumni, friends and colleagues who are deeply committed to the best of Ostrow.”

Chai is a USC University Professor of Dentistry, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. He will be appointed as the G. Donald and Marian James Montgomery Professor of Dentistry. Chai is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine, an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors.

Though Chai was officially installed as dean earlier this week, he assumed the role on July 1. His tenure as interim dean started after former Dean Avishai Sadan — who was in attendance Wednesday — transitioned to the position of associate senior vice president for health sciences interprofessional education and curricular innovations in 2024.

In addition to highlighting Chai’s research and accomplishments, USC Interim President Beong-Soo Kim made sure to point out Chai’s prowess as an educator and commitment to serving the community.

“His commitment to teaching and to mentorship reflects the same devotion he has to USC, a belief in giving back to the place that shaped him,” Kim said. “Dean Chai is the perfect embodiment of the school’s mission of education, discovery and service. At the heart of Dean Chai’s work is a simple conviction: Discovery only matters if it reaches patients.”

A passion for life-changing research

Born and raised in Beijing, Chai earned his Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from Peking University School of Stomatology, where he also did his residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery, which he said was a defining moment in his career. It was in Beijing that he began treating patients with craniofacial birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

“The families of my patients often asked me two questions: Why did this happen to my child, and how can we prevent this from happening again?” Chai said. “Those questions really changed me and then became the sort of the driving force for me to seek additional education.”

At the time, USC had had one of the longest-running PhD programs in craniofacial biology, so Chai moved to Los Angeles and joined the program. He completed his PhD in 1991.

“I have since dedicated myself really to finding solutions for some of these very complex craniofacial birth defects,” Chai said. “Working with everyone, we built Ostrow’s research program and raised our profile on the national and international stage.”

A family of Trojans

Chai’s wife, Lihua Liu, is an associate professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. The couple’s two daughters also graduated from USC, earning both undergraduate and graduate degrees. With Chai’s and Liu’s two degrees each, that makes eight USC degrees among them.

“Our blood runs Cardinal and Gold,” Chai said. “Our family crest might as well include the words: ‘Fight On.’”

Though Chai has come a long way — both literally and figuratively — since leaving Beijing for USC, he hopes his story can inspire the next generation of dental students and researchers, and that people see just how important of a role the university plays in the medical world.

“Our story is really not unique — it is more of a testament to the Trojan Family,” Chai said. “People from across the world come to USC looking to lay a solid educational foundation upon which they can build lasting careers.”

Vision for Ostrow School and the road ahead

Chai described his year as interim dean of Ostrow School as a time of reflection and appreciation.

“I was deeply inspired by the passion, talent, commitment of the Ostrow community,” he said. “The spirit really strengthened my own sense of purpose and my desire to give back not only to Ostrow but to USC as a whole.”

Chai talked about reducing the costs of education for students, while still ensuring the best quality for the world’s next generation of medical professionals. Part of that, he said, entails embracing new technologies in the field.

“We often say at Ostrow, ‘We are educating our students, the residents, to practice in the world, not as it exists today, but as it will exist in the future,’” Chai said. “To continue doing that, we must not only strengthen our educational program to develop original thinkers and leaders in their professions, but also begin to integrate artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital workflows into our educational programs to ensure our graduates are at the leading edge of their professions.”

He also spoke about the future of Ostrow School, the challenges faced by higher learning institutions across the country and how now is the time for strong academic leadership.

“We must be mindful of the challenges presented to us by current events, but we also don’t have time to cower in the face of these challenges,” Chai said. “Other schools are constantly evolving, becoming formidable competitors, looking to recruit the same brilliant faculty, staff and residents and students we are. So, we must move forward despite these challenges, to protect our 130-year legacy of excellence in clinical education, patient care, research and community outreach efforts.”