Ronald P. Strauss, Professor


			Ronald P. Strauss Professor B.A., 1968, Queens College of the City University of New York; D.M.D., 1972, M.A., 1973, and Ph.D. (sociology) 1979, University of Pennsylvania; primary apointment: Professor of Dental Ecology

	Academic Interests My research focus has been on the social impacts of chronic health problems, especially dental conditions, craniofacial anomalies and HIV/AIDS. My work combines my clinical, social science, ethical and health policy interests as they relate to craniofacial surgery, fetal surgery, aging, developmental disabilities, prenatal diagnosis, and quality assurance. One of my recent projects examines how physicians deliver "bad news" to families -- parents with children who have cleft lip/palate, developmental disabilities and childhood cancers. I also serve as the sociologist on two longitudinal oral health epidemiologic research projects -- the Piedmont 65+ Project and the Multipied Project (Intergenerational Study of Periodontal Disease); and I am engaged in several HIV/AIDS research projects. One of these deals with the questions of how communities perceive biomedical research and how HIV vaccine testing might be ethically undertaken with the involvement of African American communities. Another is a study of oral health and health care utilization among HIV infected persons in the Southeast; and the third is a program of interdisciplinary education and community-based service projects in 9 nearby counties. I also serve as Dental Director of the UNC Craniofacial Center and am currently the President of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.
	You may contact Dr. Strauss by email: ron_strauss@unc.edu; by phone at: (919) 966-2788; or by post at: CB #7450, Department of Dental Ecology, School of Dentistry / University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7450.
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