Overview
Our faculty trains predoctoral dental students by emphasizing the evidence-based underpinnings of contemporary periodontics while providing innovative educational instruction. The department also trains specialists in periodontics via its Residency programpostgraduate program. Furthermore, our faculty provides outstanding care to our patients through the Faculty Private Practice.
The VCU Department of Periodontics faculty comprises individuals with an array of talents and accomplishments. The leadership of the department includes Sharon Lanning, D.D.S (chair), Janina Golob Deeb, D.D.S., M.S. (director, pre-doctoral periodontics), and Rafael Siqueira, D.D.S., M.S., PhD (director, graduate program).
Faculty in the department have been recognized nationally and internationally, winning multiple awards including the Clinical Research Award and the Robinson Regeneration Award from the American Academy of Periodontology, the Basic Research in Periodontal Disease Award from the International Association for Dental Research and the Junior Faculty Award from the American Dental Education Association. Two department members have served or currently serve as directors of the American Board of Periodontology, with one serving as its chair.
Research
In addition to its teaching and service activities, the VCU Department of Periodontics is committed to carrying out the scholarly mission of the institution. Faculty conduct clinical, basic sciences and educational research in diverse areas including:
- Immunobiology
- Microbiology and genetics of periodontal diseases
- Systemic effects of periodontal infections
- Cost-effectiveness of clinical dental procedures
- Efficacy of educational modalities in dentistry