After an extensive national search, Fadie Coleman, PhD, has been named Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s (HSDM) new Assistant Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB).

“Dr. Coleman is an accomplished educator, researcher, and leader who is passionate about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Dean William Giannobile. “I’m confident she will bring great insights and expertise to advancing important diversity initiatives at HSDM.”

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A new report exploring America’s oral health over the last 20 years includes noteworthy contributions from 15 current and former Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) faculty members.

“Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges” is a sweeping effort to tell the whole story of the state of oral health in America. Widely considered the most comprehensive evaluation of oral health currently available in the U.S., the report shows that oral health plays a central role in overall health.

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Dr. Mohamed Maksoud, lecturer on Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, was recently selected by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Exchanges, for the Fulbright Specialist Program. He is the first dentist to be chosen for the honor.

The Fulbright Specialist Program provides an opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two-to six-week project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe. The program matches tenured specialists and educational...

Dr. Reshma Menon, lecturer on Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, will step into the role of society director beginning in January 2022. In this role, she will work closely with predoctoral students guiding them through their academic and clinical development.

Menon has served as the course director for several predoctoral and postdoctoral courses as well as served as the predoctoral discipline director for Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at HSDM since 2019. She has also been the chair for the Education Quality...

“As a healthcare provider, the number one call for help, and the most rewarding service that I have provided to patients, is palliative care,” said Dr. Leonard Brennan. Dr. Brennan, a faculty lecturer in Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, and expert in geriatric dentistry, spoke with caregivers and health providers in a recent webinar, Supporting Family Caregivers to Provide Oral Palliative Care for Older Adults. He explained how the management of cancer and other serious illnesses may negatively impact the oral health of older adult patients, and how early palliative care interventions can limit severe complications from treatment.... Read more about Supporting Family Caregivers: Oral Palliative Care for Older Adults

Today, Dr. Vicki Rosen, professor and chair of Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Developmental Biology, announced that Dr. Sercan Akyalcin will join the School as a member of the faculty in the department of Developmental Biology and program director for Advanced Graduate Education (AGE) in Orthodontics. His appointment will begin on March 1, 2022.

“Dr. Akyalcin was chosen for this important role for his vision and enthusiasm as a leader in the field of Orthodontics,” Rosen said. “He will bring innovation to the program, mentor advanced graduate students and...

Should Medicare offer dental coverage for millions of older or underserved Americans? This is the question currently under consideration before Congress.

According to Dr. Lisa Simon, physician, dentist, and educator at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Harvard Medical School, the answer is a resounding yes.

Simon weighs in on the impact that such a dental benefit could have for millions of underserved Americans in a newly published commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine.... Read more about Making the Case for a Medicare Dental Benefit

On Saturday October 2, 2021, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) opened its doors to veterans for free dental care and consultations during the School’s first Give Veterans a Smile event.

Similar to HSDM’s annual Give Kids a Smile event, the event was organized by dental students with the goal of providing care to the community and addressing gaps in veterans’ access to oral healthcare. Over 30 predoctoral students volunteered for the event along with residents from AGE specialty programs, faculty, and Harvard Dental Center staff members. Veterans from several branches of...

Dr. Lorenzo Tavelli will join Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Oral Medicine and Immunity (OMII) in August as a full-time faculty member in the Division of Periodontology. He will teach periodontology, conduct clinical research, and treat patients in the Harvard Dental Center.

Dr. Tavelli graduated from the University of Milan in 2017. He completed his three-year residency in Periodontics and his Master of Science in 2020 at the University of Michigan. His main focus has been to conduct clinical research in periodontal and peri-implant plastic surgery.... Read more about Dr. Lorenzo Tavelli Joins HSDM as Faculty Member in the Division of Periodontology

Tooth loss is often accepted as a natural part of aging, but what if there was a way to better identify those most susceptible without the need for a dental exam?

New research led by investigators at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) suggests that machine learning tools can help identify those at greatest risk for tooth loss and refer them for further dental assessment in an effort to ensure early interventions to avert or delay the condition.

The study, published June 18 in PLOS ONE, compared five algorithms using a different combination of variables to screen for risk.... Read more about Predicting Tooth Loss: Machine-Learning Algorithms May Help Identify Those at Risk

Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) have teamed up to address critical oral health challenges in the African region, worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project aims to build the capacity of primary care workers in oral health promotion, and oral disease prevention and control, to better address the unmet demand for oral health services and strengthen oral health care systems. The team will develop an online oral health training program that will leverage digital technologies... Read more about Strengthening Oral Health Care Systems in Africa: New Agreement Between HSDM and the WHO Will Address Critical Needs

Dr. Francesca Gori, assistant professor of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, program director for the Harvard Forsyth Research Academy, and director of predoctoral research at HSDM, was chosen by the Board of Directors of the Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and its Application (SCADA) as the 2021 Burton C. Borgelt Faculty Advisory Award recipient. This award honors a faculty advisor who has distinguished herself as a dental scientist and...

Dean William Giannobile recently announced the promotion of three Harvard School of Dental Medicine faculty members serving at affiliated hospitals. Their new academic appointments became effective on March 1, 2021.

"Please join me in congratulating the following faculty members who have been recently promoted. I am very grateful to these individuals for their continued service to HSDM as dedicated educators and clinicians," Dean Giannobile said.

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