Author
Ryan O. Grier
About Ryan O. Grier
Dr. Grier has been the Program Director of the Harbor UCLA Medical Center General Practice Residency Program since 2017. He has been with Harbor UCLA Medical Center since 2016. He started as Attending Faculty where he proved to be a resourceful, enthusiastic, and creative clinical educator. In the middle of 2016, he became Assistant Program Director before taking the helm as Program Director. Prior to Harbor-UCLA, Dr. Grier was an Associate Dentist in private dental practice.
He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Morehouse College, a Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Howard University College of Dentistry, a General Practice Residency Certificate from LAC+USC Medical Center, and a Master of Business Administration degree from The UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Prior to dentistry Dr. Grier taught High School Biology in the Watts Community of Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Grier has continued to work diligently with community leadership to serve in and develop volunteer and outreach opportunities.
Leadership Experience
Dr. Grier initiated his professional journey as a High-School Educator. He inspired students as a Ninth Grade Biology Teacher in the Watts Community of Los Angeles, one of the most historically underserved communities in in the nation. After two years of working in this community Dr. Grier decided to pursue a career in healthcare. After much deliberation he decided to pursue a career in dentistry and attended Howard University College of Dentistry. Here he was constantly challenged as he learned the healing art and science of Dentistry. Howard also helped him develop the intellect and grit needed to be successful in our profession. Dr. Grier not only developed these attributes as an exceptional student but also as he served in leadership roles in the Howard University College of Dentistry’s chapters of the American Dental Education Association as well as the Hispanic Dental Association.
Following dental school Dr. Grier completed the General Practice Residency Program at LAC+USC Medical Center where he developed the skills to heal medically complex patients in the hospital setting but also exemplified impressive leadership skills and potential. So much so that shortly after completing GPR training he was offered the amazing opportunity to work as an attending faculty member at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center with the hopes that he would eventually lead the program as director. As he served patients and educated trainees at both Harbor-UCLA and Martin Luther King Jr., Outpatient Center he grew a great deal and did indeed, earn the role of GPR Program Director.
In the first year and a half in this role he led the GPR Program through the challenges of a CODA Site Visit. During this time, he also recognized the importance of continued growth as a leader and initiated training at UCLA Anderson School of Management. He worked with management and the Union of American Physicians and Dentists to help capture more value for dental providers in LA County Department of Health Services. He also worked diligently to recruit multiple specialists as attending faculty members to increase the value captured by patients through treatment and the value captured by residents through training. He constantly seeks new ways to provide unique training experiences for trainees and opportunities for faculty development and growth.
Service
He helped to establish the annual Harbor UCLA Children’s Health Fair in collaboration with many stakeholders including local politicians. His development as a leader was recognized by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center leadership and he was asked to serve as Co-Chair of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Graduate Medical Education Committee’s Sub-Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Antiracism. His leadership on this sub-committee was recognized and he was nominated to serve as chair of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Surgery Department Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism. In these roles he has directed efforts towards research, awareness, and increased community engagement and service.
His work at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Martin Luther King Jr., Outpatient Center as GPR Program Director has given him the opportunity to inspire trainees every year to utilize their training to heal people holistically. His work at these safety net institutions indicates the following: a commitment to serve underserved communities; recruit, educate, and mentor trainees including those who identify as underrepresented minorities in healthcare; and bridge the gap between medicine and dentistry for providers and patients. He also encourages trainees to think outside the box about dentistry as an industry and creatively about their own career development and how it can be of service.
