Ronald P. Strauss

Dr. Ronald P. Strauss serves as the Adams Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Adams School of Dentistry, with additional appointments as Professor of Social Medicine in the School of Medicine and Clinical Professor of Epidemiology in the Gillings School of Global Public Health. He concurrently holds the position of Chief Global Officer for the Adams School of Dentistry and is an active member of the UNC Craniofacial Center Team.

His academic credentials include:

• BA in Biology from Queens College New York
• DMD from the University of Pennsylvania
• PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Strauss's research examines the social dimensions of chronic health conditions, with specialized focus on craniofacial differences and HIV/AIDS. His interdisciplinary approach integrates clinical practice, sociological theory, ethical frameworks, and health policy analysis to address stigma, healthcare access barriers, prenatal diagnosis implications, and community engagement strategies. Methodologically, he employs qualitative ethnography and survey research to investigate psychosocial impacts.

His scholarly output demonstrates consistent thematic focus across decades, with recent publications revealing intensified examination of structural determinants of health, intersectional disparities in craniofacial care, and innovative community-based HIV/AIDS interventions. Key patterns include transdisciplinary collaboration, emphasis on patient-centered outcomes, and critical analysis of systemic inequities in healthcare delivery.

Dr. Strauss directs the campus-wide HIV/AIDS Course annually since 1987 and teaches Social and Health Systems to medical students. As Faculty Director of the CFAR Office of Community Engagement and lead of the Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholars Program, he mentors faculty in community-engaged scholarship while maintaining active clinical and research supervision.

He maintains leadership within the UNC Craniofacial Center Team and has conducted international fieldwork across five countries, reflecting his commitment to global health equity through partnerships in Brazil, Israel, Thailand, Moldova, and China.