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

HIV persists in late coronary atheroma and is associated with increased local inflammation and disease progression.
Laventa M Obare, Samuel S Bailin, Xiuqi Zhang, Kisyua Nthenge, Stephen Priest, Qi Liu, Lindsey K Stolze, Quanhu Sheng, Rama Gangula, Madelaine Behrens, Brenita Jenkins, Praveena Prasad, Kit Neikirk, Prem Prakash, Meghan Hogan, Liang Zhang, Heather K Beasley, Jianqiang Shao, Tyne W Miller-Fleming, Kyera V Actkins, Mark A Phillips, David Hubert, Jordan Malone, Cassia Labeeb, Alexander Gelbard, Antoine Chaillon, Mona Mashayekhi, Curtis L Gabriel, Tecla Temu, Lana Olson, Angela Jones, Karen Beeri, Paxton Baker, Kenji Kawai, Saikat Kumar B Ghosh, Laing Guo, Renu Virmani, Aloke Finn, Palak Shah, Tzushan Sharon Yang, Alexander G Bick, Annet Kirabo, Yan R Su, Elizabeth J Phillips, Simon Mallal, Chandravanu Dash, John R Koethe, Sara Gianella, Melanie R McReynolds, Tarek Absi, Antentor Hinton, Celestine N Wanjalla

Advances and Challenges in Zone 2 Flexor Tendon Repairs.
Mae Wimbiscus, Lauren Sullivan, Justin Lee, Ariel Vinson, Ricardo A Torres-Guzman, Justin Stehr, Laxminarayan Bhandari

Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy: Differences by Hispanic Ethnicity and Black Race.
Jheanelle A Atkinson, Suzan L Carmichael, Stephanie A Leonard

Cyclophilin A facilitates HIV-1 integration.
Adrian Padron, Richa Dwivedi, Rajasree Chakraborty, Prem Prakash, Kyusik Kim, Jiong Shi, Jinwoo Ahn, Jui Pandhare, Jeremy Luban, Christopher Aiken, Muthukumar Balasubramaniam, Chandravanu Dash

Differential Effects of Punicic Acid on Cytotoxicity and Peroxiredoxin Expression in MCF-7 Breast Cancer and MCF-10A Normal Cells.
Braden Quitmeyer, Chiemelie Emelife, Hannah Klausner, Oluwafemi Gbayisomore, Shelley Phelan

The Building Respectful Integrated Doula Support as a Gateway for Enhanced Maternal Health Outcomes and Experiences Conceptual Framework for Integrating Doula Support in the Pregnancy Continuum.
Mulubrhan F Mogos, Rolanda L Lister, Etoi Garrison, Stephanie Devane-Johnson, Kristin Mejia, Taneisha Gillyard