A 1994 graduate of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Smith began his pharmacy career as the operations director of Corum Health Services, Inc., a long-term care pharmacy in St. Louis, MO. In 2002, he enrolled in law school at St. Louis University, and graduated in 2005 with a Juris Doctorate degree and certificate in health law from the school’s top-ranked Center for Health Law Studies.  

Smith served on the faculty of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy from 2008 to 2015 where he served as director of the College’s online master’s program pharmaceutical outcomes and policy and director of the co-curriculum. He also taught pharmacy law and addition to other duties. Prior to his service at UF, Smith served on the faculty of the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy from 2005 to 2008.

Among his notable service accomplishments, Smith also has served as chair of AACP’s Health Disparities and Cultural Competence special interest group and completed its Academic Leadership Fellows Program. Smith also has been very active in the Health Law Section of the ABA, serving a 3-year term on its leadership council, and chairing a number of committees. In 2016, he was appointed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee.

Dean Smith has served as an author, speaker and leader in areas such as pharmacy law, cultural competency, health disparities, bioethics, and disability law.