California Dental Board accredits the School of Dentistry at De La Salle University at Bajío: In August 1975, De La Salle University's School of Dentistry opened its doors in the city of León, the first school for dentistry to do so in the entire state of Guanajuato, Mexico.

Since that time some 25 generations of dentists have been trained in an academic program that has come to be one of the best dental schools in the country.

Thanks to the academic excellence of our students and graduates, five years ago steps were initiated to obtain formal recognition and certification by the Dental Board of the state of California.

With the support of the Latin American Dental Association of California, Doctors Ramiro Sánchez and Luis Dominicis, himself a graduate of the University, began to work on the idea that a school outside the United States could be accredited and have their plans and programs recognized. Their idea became law on January 1, 1998.

The process of accreditation by the Dental Board of California involved the evaluation of all aspects related to dentistry: facilities, teaching faculty, students, clinics, laboratories, and study plans among many other things.

In August 2002, after being inspected and evaluated by a group of members of the Dental Board of California, the School of Dentistry received provisional certification.

On November 5, 2004, by a unanimous vote, the Dental Board of California awarded the School of Dentistry at De La Salle University at Bajío final certification for a period of 7 years, making us the first foreign dental school to be accredited outside of the United States.

On February 18, 2005, on the campus of De La Salle University at Bajío, the official ceremony of accreditation was held.

"To maintain the highest quality possible and to reach out to the maximum number of persons, has always been the Lasallian mission. It is also a demand of our country, thanks to its citizens who are outside its borders. This mission that we want to fulfill by means of the young people who come from California and who will return later on to serve, in the style of De La Salle, so many who are in need of practical dentistry with deep human conviction," said Brother Juan Roberto López, Rector.

All of this is a powerful incentive that nourishes our desire to continue improving in a responsible way and with a strategic plan, so that we might continue training dental professionals who are well prepared and who are filled with social responsibility in response to our Lasallian mission.
^{(Lic. Itzel Villanueva Marcochio)}

Brother Vincent Malham named president of Christian Brothers University, Memphis, TN, USA: Brother Vincent Malham, F.S.C., currently the president, vice chancellor and chief executive officer of Bethlehem University in the Palestinian Authority, has been named the 21st president of Christian Brothers University. Brother Vincent will assume his duties at CBU on December 1, 2005, after completing a sabbatical.

“The trustees are delighted that Brother Vincent has accepted our invitation to become CBU’s 21st president,” said James Harwood, chair of the CBU presidential search committee. “In addition to being an excellent administrator and leader, he knows our university and our area well. We are honored that he has accepted our invitation.

The trustees also announced the appointment of Mr. H. Lance Forsdick Sr., as the interim president of the university for the time period between July 1 and December 1, 2005. Forsdick, a prominent local businessman and philanthropist, is a CBU graduate, past chair of the CBU Board of Trustees and a past chair of the Christian Brothers High School Board of Trustees.

An accomplished musician, Brother Vincent performed extensively as part of a piano duo with the recently deceased Brother Laurence Walther for 30 years in the United States and abroad. He has performed as a solo pianist for the past few years to promote Bethlehem University. Because of his living experience in the Middle East and leadership of the only Catholic institution in the Holy Land, Brother Vincent has received many invitations for speaking engagements in the United States and Europe to address the conflict in the region and its impact. A lover of languages and international cultures, he speaks French, Spanish and Arabic.

Brother Vincent is a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He has been honored by the Sovereign Order of Malta with the “Croix Pro Piis Meritis”, by St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA with an honorary doctorate, and by Christian Brothers University with the Bishop Dozier Award for Peace and Justice.
^{(John W. Kerr, Director, Communications and Marketing)}