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Dr. Elizabeth "Betsy" S. Pilcher
First female Assistant and Associate Dean of the College of Dental Medicine
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Dr. Elizabeth Pilcher started her collegiate career at the College of Charleston. After graduating with a BS in Biology in 1977, she attended MUSC James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine. She graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine in 1981.
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Dr. Pilcher has since amassed over thirty years of service to the College of Dental Medicine while being on faculty starting in 1981. Most notably, she was appointed Assistant Dean in 2010, Associate Dean in 2012, and Senior Associate Dean in 2020. She also served as the Director of MUSC Strategic Planning from 2010-2015. During her tenure, she has received the MUSC Provost Award in 2008, the MUSC Excellence Award in 2012, and the Distinguished Faculty Service Award in 2018.
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A strong advocated for people with disabilities, Dr. Pilcher was instrumental in securing grant funding for MUSC's
Project SANDs
. The Special Needs Directory of Dentists (SANDs) aims to improve dental care access for patients with special needs in South Carolina, offering assistance in finding providers and patient navigation services either at the Special Needs Clinic of the Medical University of South Carolina or other local facilities, including pediatric dentists. The website lists dental offices comfortable with treating patients with various special health care needs, categorized by counties, specialties, languages, sedation options, and Medicaid acceptance.