Innovation Centers / Healthcare Education / Dentistry Center of Excellence

Dentistry Center of Excellence

For over one hundred and thirty-four years, Meharry’s School of Dentistry has provided educational opportunities for African Americans, ethnic minorities, and underrepresented/disadvantaged students through educational programs, service delivery and community outreach programs. The School of Dentistry plays a vital role in addressing oral health disparities within the United States and other underserved countries. We emphasize comprehensive evidence-based care, regardless of social or economic circumstances, geographical origin or ethnicity.

Established in 1988, Meharry’s Dentistry Center of Excellence remains a nationally recognized resource for providing a strong curriculum in clinical dentistry and basic principles of research. Forty percent of active African American dentists graduated from Meharry and a vast majority of our graduates practice in underserved communities. We ensure that research training is fully integrated within the academic programs, encouraging faculty and students to be fully engaged in research activities.

Research support for students is available and has focused on:

oral biology and systemic health
issues surrounding opioid use
diabetes
intimate partner violence
cancer
behavioral sciences
women’s health
HIV/AIDS

For more information, contact the School of Dentistry Student & Academic Affairs.

Dentistry Center of Excellence Publications

Sex-specific mitochondrial DNA changes in neuron-derived extracellular vesicles of African American adults: impact of HIV infection and smoking.
Vladimir Berthaud, Tarik Smith, Venkateswara R Amara, Derek Wilus, Franklin J Nouvet, Waldemar Popik

Sialic Acid Identity Modulates Host Tropism of Sialoglycan-binding Viridans Group Streptococci.
KeAndreya M Morrison, Rupesh Agarwal, Haley E Stubbs, Hai Yu, Stefan Ruhl, Xi Chen, Paul M Sullam, Barbara A Bensing, Jeremy C Smith, T M Iverson

Preparing Wearable Data for AI-Powered Mood and Compliance Prediction in HCT Patients and Caregivers.
Charles B Ziegenbein, Bengie L Ortiz, Vibhuti Gupta, Sung Won Choi

From Data to Care: Development of a recommendation engine to university student mental health support aligned with stepped care.
Pedro Velmovitsky, Charles Keown-Stoneman, Kaylen Pfisterer, Julia Hews-Girard, Joseph Saliba, Shumit Saha, Scott Patten, Nathan King, Anne Duffy, Quynh Pham

Insights from the trial innovation network's initial consultation process.
Paul A Harris, Nan Kennedy, Consuelo H Wilkins, Karen Lane, Gordon R Bernard, Jonathan D Casey, Daniel E Ford, Salina P Waddy, Ken L Wiley, Terri L Edwards, Nichol McBee, Dixie D Thompson, Mary Stroud, Emily S Serdoz, Sarah J Nelson, Michelle Jones, Lindsay M Eyzaguirre, Leslie R Boone, Jessica Baird, Colleen E Lawrence, Elizabeth Holthouse, Sarah K Cook, Maeve Tischbein, Natalya Amrine, Tiffany Chen, Jodie Cohen, LaShondra Deyampert, Natalie A Dilts, Delicia Burts, Amna Baig, Joseph G Christodoulou, Mariela Rodriguez, Edgar R Miller, James F Casella, W Andrew Mould, J Michael Dean, Daniel K Benjamin, Harry P Selker, Marisha E Palm, Lori Poole, Jeri S Burr, Sara Hassani, Angeline Nanni, Meghan Hildreth, Daniel F Hanley