Dr. Ryle A. Bell is a Professor Emeritus and retired Associate Dean in the College of Dentistry at Howard University. He is Barbados’ first awardee of the National Development Scholarship in Dentistry and a 1973 graduate of Howard University’s College of Dentistry. The son of the late Mr. & Mrs. H. Irvin Bell of Tudor Bridge, St. Michael, received his early childhood education in Barbados at St. Giles’ elementary school. He also attended Harrison’s College completing his high school studies there in 1962. While at Harrison’s College, he represented the school in basketball, football, cricket and track. He was also an officer in the cadet corps and a boy scout troop leader. After completing his high school studies, he began his teaching career by serving on the faculty at Combermere High School a school for boys, where he taught for two years. He migrated to the United States in 1964, attending college in New York City, where he lettered in fencing and track. After receiving a BS degree from Long Island University in 1969, he went on to the Howard University College of Dentistry.

Upon graduating, he was elected to membership in Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the National Dental Honor Society and joined the faculty in the Department of Removable Prosthodontics. After one year he was awarded a Louise Ball Fellowship to pursue postgraduate training and attended the Ohio State University where he studied under Dr. Carl Boucher one of the world’s most eminent Prosthodontists. He received a certificate of specialty and a Master of Science degree in Prosthodontics. In 1976 Dr. Bell returned to Howard University and rejoined the faculty, serving in several academic positions and chairing many intra and extramural committees until retiring after forty years of service to the university. To date, he is the only member of the dental faculty to serve as an Associate Dean in two areas, Academic Affairs and Clinical Affairs. On many occasions he was selected as an outstanding Instructor by the students in the College of Dentistry and has also had the distinction of being selected by his peers on the faculty as an Outstanding Teacher and an Outstanding Alumnus. He was also selected for membership in Sigma Xi, the National Research Honor Society and awarded Fellowship into the American College of Dentists.

Dr. Bell has published numerous articles in dental journals and has lectured extensively through the United States and the Caribbean. His commitment to his native land and the Caribbean is demonstrated by his involvement in dental health and education in the region. He has served on the Board of the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Medicine and other Health Professions and has been an external examiner to the dental school at Mount Hope in Trinidad as well as a member of several site visit teams evaluating the standard of education at The University of the West Indies’ Schools of Dentistry at the St. Augustine and Mona campuses.

Dr. Bell is also an author and poet. He has published several articles in dental journals related to his area of specialty as well as a volume of poetry and read his works on WHUR’s radio station in Washington, DC. In conjunction with two other dental colleagues he contributed his works in a volume of poetry to help raise funds for the Howard University Dental Alumni Association. In addition to his literary skills, Brother Bell plays saxophone with two concert bands in the Washington, DC area and is a founding member of the East State Jazz band. He is married to Carley Springer of Welchman Hall, St.Thomas, Barbados and is the father of three daughters.