Innovative research is a key aspect of our mission at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Scholarly activity, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and presenting at scientific meetings of national scope and merit are strongly encouraged and facilitated.
The Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery supports active research and continually seeks collaboration with other dental specialists, physicians, and basic scientists within and outside the University's Health Sciences Center. Collaborative research occurs throughout the School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Department of Anthropology, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
Residents from the department have won several training grants from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation, which is the research support arm of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Each year, only five training grants are awarded nationally to promote research awareness in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Current areas of investigation include:
- Application of bone morphogenic protein (bmp) to nanoparticles in osseous regeneration
- Extracellular matrix in TMJ disc regeneration
- Novel therapies in craniofacial disorders