Penn Dental Medicine Profile at a Glance

DENTAL MEDICINE Profile at a Glance

Founded in 1878, Penn Dental Medicine is among the oldest university-affiliated dental schools in the country with a history deeply rooted in forging precedents in education, research, and patient care.

44,775

$138M

Total annual budget for FY24

Patients served in 2023 within the School’s care centers & Penn Dental Family Practice

6,001

Patient visits to the School’s community sites in 2023

PHYSICAL CAMPUS

Located at 240 S. 40th Street, the dental campus includes the Robert Schattner Center & Pavilion, the Thomas W. Evans Building, and the Leon Levy Building.

$20.62M

Research funding spent in 2023

951 STUDENTS

588 students in the four-year DMD program

8,336

Live webinar and self-paced learners at 207 CDE programs in 2023

MORTON AMSTERDAM DEAN

Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD, has served as the Morton Amsterdam Dean of Penn Dental Medicine since 2018. He is the 12th dean in the School’s history.

136 in the 2 1/2-year Program for Advanced Standing Students (PASS)

227 in the Graduate & Advanced Dental Education programs: 136 in the specialty certificate programs, including 44 in the MSOB plus certificate program, 15 in the DScD plus certificate program; 13 in the AEGD program; 6 in the DScD standalone program; 8 in the MOHS program; 3 in the MADS program; and 2 in the MOPH program.

1,032 FACULTY/STAFF/ STUDENT WORKERS

508 faculty members, including 50 full-time standing, 51 full-time nonstanding, 276 part-time, and 131 adjunct.

377 staff members

147 student workers

Centers ADVANCING SCIENCE, EDUCATION, PATIENT CARE

Center for Integrative Global Oral Health (CIGOH)

The School’s first policy center, the CIGOH is devoted to finding innovative solutions to transform the way educators, practitioners, and policymakers address the challenges of achieving equitable oral health, developing and examining evidence-informed interventions, guidelines, and policies to improve oral health care services locally and globally. In 2023, the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine was established within CIGOH. It engages researchers from around the globe in systematic reviews summarizing the best available evidence on oral health topics.

Center for Clinical & Translational Research

Advancing clinical and translational studies within the School, the Center provides centralized support to researchers within Penn Dental Medicine who conduct human subjects research. The highly specialized team provides clinical research support and services spanning the full spectrum of a study from conceptualization to closeout for industry, federal, and foundation sponsors.

Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD)

A partnership between Penn Dental Medicine and Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the CiPD is focused on leveraging cutting-edge yet affordable approaches to accelerate discovery and translation of new therapies, diagnostics, and devices to address unmet oral health needs. Also central to its mission is training the next generation of leaders in dental, oral, and craniofacial research and oral health care innovation.

Care Center for Persons with Disabilities

Designed to meet the oral health care needs of people with physical and intellectual disabilities, the Care Center not only provides a home for treating patients and educating students, but is also a site for developing new products and approaches to care. Penn experts are collaborating with scientists on the design and implementation of products to enhance oral care in people with disabilities.

Digital Design and Milling Center & Center for Virtual Treatment Planning

Digital dental technologies are fully integrated at Penn Dental Medicine with both of these centers outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment and technology for training students, conducting research, and delivering seamless and cutting-edge patient care. The Digital Design Center focuses on chairside CAD/CAM applications with the Center for Virtual Treatment Planning addressing complex cases and full-mouth restorations.

DMD Program

Education TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS

Advanced Graduate Degree Programs

The four-year predoctoral DMD program and curriculum reflects Penn Dental Medicine’s commitment to both oral science and oral health care. Beginning in the first year of study, basic sciences and clinical experiences are closely linked, while early involvement in practice settings helps students integrate classroom instruction with delivering evidence-informed, patient-centered clinical care. Students can pursue added study in areas of interest through a competitive honors program in research and a variety of clinical specialties. And, close ties with other Penn schools allow for dynamic dual-degree options for those exceptional DMD students able to meet the application standards of both programs.

Graduate Dental Education Programs

Postgraduate students can complete specialty training in endodontics, oral medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatrics, periodontics, periodontics/ orthodontics, and prosthodontics.

Program for Advanced Standing Students (PASS)

The two-and-a-half year PASS program enables graduates of foreign dental schools to earn a DMD, allowing them to take licensing exams in any U.S. state. PASS students are fully integrated into the predoctoral class, joining the second-year class in January.

Biodental Consortial Programs

Qualified high school students may apply to accelerated programs at five participating universities, leading to a combined bachelor’s and dental degree in seven years. Accepted students enter Penn Dental Medicine after their third year of undergraduate study and receive a bachelor’s degree from their undergraduate institution after completing the first year at Penn Dental Medicine.

Continuing Dental Education

An ADA CERP-recognized provider of continuing education, Penn Dental Medicine offers robust programming of online and in-person courses and symposia.

• Master of Science in Oral Biology (MSOB), designed for students who are interested in integrating more extensive research into their postgraduate education. Enrollment is limited to individuals concurrently in one of the graduate dental education specialty programs.

• Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD), preparing students to successfully enter the field of academic dentistry as clinical or basic science researchers. It can be pursued concurrently with a specialty program certificate or independently.

• Master of Oral Health Sciences (MOHS) for both predental track students looking to enhance their credentials for applying to a DMD/DDS program and another track for non-U.S.-trained dentists preparing to successfully apply to a U.S. dental school.

• Master of Advanced Dental Studies (MADS), a oneyear hybrid program that includes both synchronous and asynchronous online courses as well as oncampus clinical rotations, is directed to both domestic and international dentists. Offered in seven clinical specialties, MADS is designed for clinicians who wish to enhance their knowledge in a clinical discipline or improve their qualifications when applying to U.S. residency programs. The program also serves international dentists with U.S. specialty degrees whose home country requires a Master’s degree for recognition of the specialty.

• Master of Science in Oral and Population Health (MOPH), an online program (synchronous and asynchronous) that provides students access to state-of-the-art information, knowledge, and skills in population health, focusing on oral health as an essential component of overall health and well-being. Students interact and learn from world-renowned leaders in population health research and evidenceinformed policies, providing a diversity of disciplines, contexts, research methods, and cultures.

Robust Research Enterprise

Research

TRANSLATING SCIENCE TO PRACTICE

Student Research

Penn Dental Medicine has a rich history as a researchintensive institution and continues to be an international leader in the generation of new knowledge and treatment modalities to improve oral health. With its own basic science faculty (unusual among dental schools nationwide), the School’s research enterprise is broad and encompasses many areas of contemporary biomedical investigation with emphasis on both basic and clinical scientific research.

Among Penn Dental Medicine’s leading research programs are investigators studying topics within periodontal disease, oral mucosal diseases and bone disorders, oral facial pain, advanced dental materials and devices, and oral and systemic health, among many others. The faculty and graduate students at Penn Dental Medicine, collaborating with faculty throughout our University and the world, are making vital contributions to understanding a host of diseases and conditions that limit human potential, including cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, afflictions related to developmental disorders and trauma, or related to inevitable human aging. Collectively, Penn Dental Medicine’s research spans scientific disciplines to translate new knowledge into clinical therapies that expand our understanding of oral diseases and advance patient care.

Scholarly Activity

400 RESEARCH ARTICLES

published by faculty in 2023

21 PATENTS

awarded to faculty for their research over the past five fiscal years (FY19-FY23)

30 NEW RESEARCH GRANTS

awarded in FY23

DMD students are encouraged to engage in research activities through a variety of programs:

• Summer Research Program, which allows students to choose from faculty preceptors in the basic or clinical sciences, collaborating on faculty-sponsored research over the summer break

• Individualized research projects that students initiate with faculty

• Leonard Davis Summer Research Fellowship, doing health services and health policy research

• Honors Programs

• Dual-Degree Programs

Students present their research at the School’s annual Research Day, Advances in Clinical Care and Education (ACCE) Day, and through the School’s AADOCR Travel Award program, awardees (students and junior researchers) present their work at the annual AADOCR meeting.

Penn Dental Medicine offers advanced research training opportunities to postgraduate students through its MSOB and DScD programs.

Patient Care

SERVING THE COMMUNITY, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

Clinical Care Centers at Penn Dental Medicine

Penn Dental Medicine students and faculty are a major provider of clinical care to residents of West Philadelphia and the Philadelphia community at large. A full range of general and specialty services are provided at Penn Dental Medicine, including treatment for medically complex patients, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations. The teaching clinical care centers within the School include:

• Predoctoral Comprehensive Care clinics (Robert I. Schattner Clinic and Henry Schein Cares Clinic)

• Brainerd F. Swain Orthodontic Clinic

• Syngcuk Kim Endodontic Clinic

• Oral Surgery Clinic

• Saito Pediatric Clinic

• D. Walter Cohen and Morton Amsterdam Periodontal Clinic

• William W.M. Cheung Advanced Dental Care Clinic

• Personalized Care Suite, clinical arm of the Penn Dental Medicine Care Center for Persons with Disabilities, serving medically complex patients and persons with disabilities

• Vulnerable Populations Clinic, serving refugees, survivors of psychological and physical violence, and intimate partner violence

Penn Dental Family Practice

Penn Dental Medicine also operates two group, interdisciplinary care practices through the Penn Dental Family Practice. These practice locations serve faculty and staff of the University of Pennsylvania and the Health System, as well as the general public. The locations include:

Locust Walk University City

240 South 40th Street 3737 Market Street

3rd Floor 10th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104 Philadelphia, PA 19104

Community Care Centers

Students and faculty treat patients in local community settings via:

• Penn Dental Medicine at Puentes de Salud, serving the Latino immigrant community at 1700 South Street

• Penn Dental Medicine at Mercy LIFE, serving the elderly in West Philadelphia

• PennSmiles mobile vehicle, serving children at Philadelphia schools, Head Start programs, and other neighborhood sites

• Penn Dental Medicine at Woods Mikey Faulkner Dental Care Center, serving children and adults with disabilities and acquired brain injuries at Woods Services Langhorne, PA-based campus

• Penn Dental Medicine at PHMC Health Campus on Cedar – serving the community as part of this public health center at 54th St. and Cedar Ave.

MISSION STATEMENT

To transform global oral health and well-being through exceptional clinical care, innovation, education, and research.

CORE VALUES

Penn Dental Medicine LEADS (Legacy, Empowerment, Aspiration, Discovery, Social Consciousness)

VISION & PHILOSOPHY

• Foster a humanistic environment where each individual in our diverse community is valued, respected and empowered.

• Treat our patients with compassion and respect, and provide exceptional evidence-based care.

• Honor Penn Dental Medicine’s legacy through transformative initiatives to solve the complex problems of today and tomorrow.

• Shape the global dental profession by teaching evidencebased knowledge and providing opportunities to pursue individualized development for life-long learning.

• Promote interdisciplinary collaborations that accelerate innovation and scientific discovery to address unmet needs in health.

• Mentor exceptional leaders in education, research and oral health.

School Leadership

Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD

Morton Amsterdam Dean

Faizan Alawi, DDS Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

Hydar Ali, PhD Associate Dean, Faculty Diversity & Mentorship

Markus Blatz, DMD, PhD, Prof Dr med dent Assistant Dean, Digital Innovation & Professional Development

Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, PhD Assistant Dean, Academic Initiatives

Bruce Brandolin

Assistant Dean, Intramural Practice and External Partnerships

Maren Gaughan

Associate Dean, Leadership Giving

Marco Georeno

Associate Dean, Finance and CFO

Joan Gluch, RDH, PhD Associate Dean, Academic Policies

Dana Graves, DMD, DMSc Vice Dean, Research & Scholarship

Uri Hangorsky, DDS, MS Associate Dean, Student Life

Kelly Jordan-Scuitto

Associate Dean, Organizational Effectiveness

Elizabeth Ketterlinus

Vice Dean, Institutional Advancement

Syngcuk Kim, DDS, PhD, MD (Hon)

Associate Dean, Global Affairs

Sean C. Meehan, DMD Assistant Dean, Office of Clinical Affairs, Chief Dental Officer

Mark Mitchell

Assistant Dean, Admissions

Sinem Esra Sahingur, DDS, MS, PhD

Associate Dean, Graduate Studies and Student Research

Najeed Saleh, DMD Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs

Thomas P. Sollecito, DMD

Associate Dean, Hospital and Extramural Affairs

Kim Wolcott

Chief of Staff, Senior Director, Faculty Affairs

Department Chairs

BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES

Robert P. Ricciardi, MA, PhD Acting Chair

Henry Daniell, PhD Vice Chair

ENDODONTICS

Bekir Karabucak, DMD, MS Chair

ORAL MEDICINE

Thomas Sollecito, DMD, FDS, RCSEd Chair

ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY & PHARMACOLOGY

Anh D. Le, DDS, PhD Chair

ORTHODONTICS

Chun-Hsi Chung, DMD, MS Chair

Nipul Tanna, DMD, MS Associate Chair

PERIODONTICS

Rodrigo Neiva, DDS, MS Chair

PREVENTIVE & RESTORATIVE SCIENCES

Markus B. Blatz, DMD, PhD, Prof Dr med dent Chair

DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ORAL HEALTH

Joan Gluch, PhD, RDH, PHSHP

Division Chief

DIVISION OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Betty Hajishengallis, DMD, DDS, PhD, MSc

Division Chief

DIVISION OF RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY

David Hershkowitz, DDS, AAS Division Chief

Center Directors

CARE CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Miriam Robbins, DDS, MS Director

Alicia Risner-Bauman, DDS, FADPD, DABSCD Associate Director

Temitope Omolehinwa, BDS, DMD, DScD Associate Director

CENTER FOR CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

Eugene Ko, DDS

Deputy Director

CENTER FOR INNOVATION & PRECISION DENTISTRY (CiPD)

Michel Koo, DDS, PhD

Co-Founding Director

CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE GLOBAL ORAL HEALTH (CIGOH)

Michael Glick, DMD

Executive Director

COCHRANE ORAL HEALTH COLLABORATING CENTER

AT PENN DENTAL MEDICINE

Alonso Carrasco-Labra, DDS, MSc, PhD

Director

Board of Advisors

David Tai-Man Shen, DMD, D’79, GD’81, Chair

Stanley M. Bergman, Emeritus

Dirk Brunner, MSC, MBA

Julie Charlestein

William W. M. Cheung, DMD, D’81, GD’82, Emeritus

Joanne ChouinardLuth, DMD, D’79

Terry Dolan, DDS, MPH

Matthew J. Doyle, PhD

Patrik Eriksson

Allen Finkelstein, DDS Ruchi Goel, WG’04

Steve Kess

Anne Koch, DMD, D’77, GD’93

Vincent Mosimann

Joan O’Shea, MD

Daniel W. Perkins

Garry Rayant, DDS, GD’77

Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD

Tony Saito, DMD, D’95

Alfred L. Spencer, Jr.

Thomas Schweiterman, MD

Heather Trombley

Joerg Vogel

Robert Zou, WG’94

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Martin D. Levin, DMD, D’72, GD’74, Chair, Dean’s Council

Alyssa Greenberger, DMD, D’02, President, Alumni Society