Carlos S. Smith, D.D.S., M.Div.

Dr. Carlos Smith is an emerging and gifted communicator across multiple disciplines.

A Columbia, SC native, he is an alumnus of Hampton University, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and Duke Divinity School.

Both a born and trained leader with such varied experiences as class president to publication in academic journals, Carlos has a wealth of practical knowledge applicable to several arenas.

He served as a past National President of the Student National Dental Association instituting the country’s only national leadership conference for dental students of color. With experience in both public health dentistry and private practice, he remains dedicated to issues surrounding access to care and minority recruitment initiatives. Most recently, Carlos has accepted an appointment as assistant professor in the Department of General Practice at Virginia Commonwealth School of Dentistry. He also serves as the Director of Ethics Curriculum.

Reared in a family of educators and clergy, Carlos obtained a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School. Building upon a life commitment to the development of others, Carlos has served in active pastoral ministry for nearly a decade most notably at World Overcomers Christian Church in Durham NC, under the senior pastorate of Andy Thompson.

An associate pastor and member of the pastoral teaching team, Carlos ministered during weekend and mid-week services as well as taught Christian education courses. He served as both the young adults pastor and college pastor, ministering to more than 1200 students across 12 college and university campuses in the Triangle area. He also completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Duke Medical Center where he focused on providing pastoral care and counseling to families of pediatric and cardiac pediatric patients. In 2013, Carlos served as a panelist on young adult ministry in the 21st century at the International Pastors and Leadership Conference hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Carlos counts as his greatest joy being a husband to Heather and father to their daughter Savannah. He also loves college sports, mentoring men, being a history buff and 5 Guys Burgers and Fries.

With a call to and heart for Richmond, VA, Carlos and his family moved from the comforts of their Durham NC lives in the fall of 2015 to embark upon the unknown of a new faith journey in the city of Richmond. Truly, the best is yet to come!