Howard Bailit is Professor and Director of the Health Policy and Primary Care Research Center at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Prior to this position, he was a Senior Vice President for Medical Policy and Programs at Aetna Health Plans (1986-1996). He has also held academic positions at Columbia University, School of Public Health (1982-1986), where he chaired the Department of Health Administration and Policy and the University of Connecticut Health Center (1967-1982), where he served as head of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health. He received his dental degree from Tufts and his Ph.D. from Harvard. He has published widely on health policy, managed care and dental health services research. Currently, his research focuses on community level prevention and treatment programs designed to more effectively care for inner city populations enrolled in managed care plans. He serves on many national committees and editorial boards. He has been of member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences since 1984.