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

A Biomechanical Comparison of the LaPrade Technique Versus a Novel Technique for Reconstruction of Medial-Sided Knee Injuries.
Dustin L Richter, Natalia D McIver, Tony Sapradit, John Garcia, Robert Mercer, David A Hankins, Orrin Myers, Robert C Schenck, Christina Salas, Gehron Treme

Origins of glycan selectivity in streptococcal Siglec-like adhesins suggest mechanisms of receptor adaptation.
Barbara A Bensing, Haley E Stubbs, Rupesh Agarwal, Izumi Yamakawa, Kelvin Luong, Kemal Solakyildirim, Hai Yu, Azadeh Hadadianpour, Manuel A Castro, Kevin P Fialkowski, KeAndreya M Morrison, Zdzislaw Wawrzak, Xi Chen, Carlito B Lebrilla, Jerome Baudry, Jeremy C Smith, Paul M Sullam, T M Iverson

Increasing Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Cancer Clinical Trials: An American Society of Clinical Oncology and Association of Community Cancer Centers Joint Research Statement.
Randall A Oyer, Patricia Hurley, Leigh Boehmer, Suanna Steeby Bruinooge, Kathryn Levit, Nadine Barrett, Al Benson, Lea Ann Bernick, Leslie Byatt, Marjory Charlot, Jennie Crews, Kyle DeLeon, Lola Fashoyin-Aje, Elizabeth Garrett-Mayer, Julie R Gralow, Sybil Green, Carmen E Guerra, Leila Hamroun, Claudia M Hardy, Bridgette Hempstead, Sanford Jeames, Mel Mann, Khalid Matin, Worta McCaskill-Stevens, Janette Merrill, Grzegorz S Nowakowski, Manali I Patel, Alice Pressman, Amelie G Ramirez, Juanita Segura, Barbara Segarra-Vasquez, Jen Hanley Williams, James E Williams, Karen M Winkfield, Eddy S Yang, Victoria Zwicker, Lori J Pierce

When Patients Recover From COVID-19: Data-Driven Insights From Wearable Technologies.
Muzhe Guo, Long Nguyen, Hongfei Du, Fang Jin

Initial Validation of the Intentions to Co-Use Alcohol and Opioids Scale.
Jessica M Powers, Emma C Lape, Lisa R LaRowe, Julia E Hooker, Bryan W Heckman, Joseph W Ditre

Healthcare-Based Interventions to Improve Parenting Outcomes in LMICs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Reshma Shah, Andrea Camarena, Christen Park, Aleah Martin, Maureen Clark, Marc Atkins, Alan Schwartz