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Martinna Bertolini DDS MS PhD

Assistant Professor

Dr. Martinna Bertolini, is a highly motivated clinician-scientist-educator with a DDS/PhD degree and a passion for advancing oral health through research, clinical care, and education. As an Assistant Professor in the Department of Periodontics and Preventive Dentistry, she is deeply committed to studying the complex inter-kingdom interactions driving oral diseases and chronic inflammation, particularly those involving the oral microbiome and mucosal immunity. Her work spans basic, translational, and clinical research, aiming to pioneer therapeutic strategies for managing microbial infections and chronic mucosal conditions.

Dual-trained in Prosthodontics (Brazil) and Periodontics (University of Connecticut, US), Dr. Bertolini is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. Her clinical expertise includes advanced periodontal and dental implant surgery, full-arch implant reconstruction, digital dentistry, bone regeneration, and peri-implantitis therapy. She is dedicated to adopting the latest techniques and technologies to deliver exceptional care to her patients.

Dr. Bertolini's commitment to education extends beyond the university setting as she actively communicates oral health science to the general public through media engagements with outlets such as NBC News, The New York Times, and Consumer Reports, making complex dental topics accessible and actionable.

Education & Training
University of Connecticut, Certificate in Periodontology, 2021
University of Connecticut, Master’s in Dental Sciences, 2021
University of Connecticut, Postdoctoral Research in Oral Microbiology & Immunology, 2021
University of Campinas, Brazil, PhD, 2015
University of Connecticut, Research Internship during PhD ‘Science without Boarders’, 2014
State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Master’s in Dental Sciences, 2011
State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Certificate in Prosthodontics, 2011
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2008
Awards
2024 Included on the Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List created by Stanford University using Scopus data provided by Elsevier through ICSR Lab, at World's Top 2% Scientists
2024 Winner of American Academy of Periodontics Foundation Teaching Fellowship
2023 Finalist on the American Academy of Periodontics Foundation Teaching Fellowship
2023 Winner selected to present at “IP1: Advances in Periodontics” session at the American Academy of Periodontology's 109th Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas at the Austin Convention Center on November 9-12, 2023
2023 Winner of the AAP Leadership, Engagement, Action, and Development (LEAD) Program, in Chicago, from September 22-23, 2023.
2023 Winner of the AAP Foundation to be sponsored to attend the 2023 Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL), in Chicago from August 13 -16, 2023.
2021 1st place “Academy of Prosthodontics 2021: Virtual Meeting Advancing New Frontiers in Prosthodontics” (online due to COVID Pandemic
2020 1st place – IADR - Frechette Award Competition at 2020 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session (Washington, D.C., USA), 2020, Washington, D.C., USA
2020 Winner of American Academia of Periodontology (AAP) Foundation Educator Scholar, for periodontal residents in the US aspiring a career in academia.
2019 1st place - AADR Hatton Competition - IADR General Session & Exhibition - Vancouver, BC, Canada - June, 2019.
Representative Publications

martinna bertolini - Search Results - PubMed

Research Interests

Dr. Bertolini’s research focuses on the interactions between the oral microbiome, host immunity, and chronic inflammation in the oral cavity. By exploring the molecular drivers of mucosal immunology and microbial infections, she aims to develop novel therapeutic strategies and expand insights into oral mucosal defense mechanisms. Her experience encompasses biofilm research, fungal-bacterial interactions, dental implant surface technologies, and developing preclinical models for testing new treatments

Administrative

Danielle DeRose
dmd216@pitt.edu