Rate My Professor Mario Manski

Marion C. Manski, M.S., R.D.H., is Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Dental Hygiene in the Department of General Practice at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. With over 42 years of experience as a registered dental hygienist, she earned her RDH certificate and associate's degree from the Community College of Baltimore, a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and a Master of Science degree from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 2004. Previously, Manski served as director of the dental hygiene program and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. Appointed director at VCU School of Dentistry in 2022, she manages program administration, faculty development, curriculum, mentoring, academic advising, and strategic goals. She participates in the PATHs grant through VCU's College of Education and leads interprofessional initiatives across VCU Health Sciences.

Manski's research specializations include access to oral health care, dental hygienists' scope of practice, pain management with local anesthesia, and early childhood caries prevention and treatment. Her key publications feature articles in Dimensions of Dental Hygiene: "A Cost-Effective Solution for Dental Caries Treatment" (2024), "Strategies for the Prevention of Dental Caries" (2019), "A Maryland Perspective on Expanding Scope of Practice" (2017), "Tips for Administering the Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block" (2015), "Intervention in Early Childhood Caries" (2010), and "Starting Kids Off on the Path to Oral Health" (2006). Additional contributions include "Full Course Reviews for Curriculum Management and Faculty Development" in the Journal of Dental Education (2024) with Kimberly Lintag-Nguyen, and studies on clinical faculty calibration in the Journal of Dental Hygiene (2008, 2011). Major awards encompass the 2025 ADHA Ann Battrell Visionary Legacy Award sponsored by Crest Oral-B, the VCU Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care Excellence in Interprofessionalism Leadership Award (2024), and chair of the ADEA Council of Allied Dental Program Directors. She serves on the Dimensions of Dental Hygiene Editorial Advisory Board and delivers public lectures at ADEA Annual Sessions, including "Bridging Pathways Between Medicine and Dentistry: Interprofessional Education in Action" (2026).