Resident Profiles

Naser Alkandari (Class of 2024) was born and raised in Kuwait. He graduated in 2015 with a DDS degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Naser completed his General Practice Residency at Tufts School of Dental Medicine in 2016. Naser returned to his home of Kuwait and practiced dentistry until 2021. Naser is continuing his training in the University of Pennsylvania Oral Medicine Residency Program.

Maya Ramachandran (Class of 2024) graduated Rutgers University in 2016 with a major in Biology and a minor in History. She obtained a dental degree at the Kornberg School of Dentistry in Philadelphia and graduated cum laude in May 2022. Maya received an award in Oral Medicine from the American Academy of Oral Medicine. Maya is continuing her training in Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Natalia Trehan, DMD, Class of 2022 is currently an Oral Medicine Resident at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Trehan graduated from the Medical University of Łódź, Poland in June 2022. She has acquired diverse experience working in the summers during her dental school years in Malta, Toronto, India and USA. Throughout her dental school, Natalia volunteered in the Oral and Maxillofacial department. Natalia is also a Health Care Ambassador with a non-profit organization, Take a Pain Check, that empowers youth with chronic illnesses to advocate for themselves. She is passionate about oral medicine and surgery. Natalia plans to pursue a clinical and academic career in diagnosis and surgery.

Heba Turkstani (Class of 2024) graduated from King Abdulaziz University (KAU), College of Dentistry in 2018 (BDS), and has an internship year 2019 in KAU Hospital and King Fahad Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Working as teaching assistant in the department of Oral Medicine and Oral diagnostic Science at KAU (2019- currently). Heba is currently with the Oral Medicine Residency Program and Master of Science in Oral Biology programs at University of Pennsylvania.

Naheel Alkhudiri (Class of 2025) King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and had an internship year 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Naheel is an Oral Medicine resident and an MSOB candidate.

Kavya Alluri (Class of 2025) is currently an Oral Medicine Resident at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine.
Dr. Alluri was born and raised in India, graduated with honors from Panineeya Institute of Dental Sciences & Research Centre, Hyderabad in December 2019.
In May of 2019, she presented a clinical research paper at American Academy of Oral Medicine, Louisiana.
In 2021, she did a Clinical Preceptorship course with Oral Medicine and Orofacial pain at Rutgers University, Newark.
After graduating, Dr. Alluri plans to pursue a clinical career in the field of Oral Medicine.

Mashael Ben Rashed (Class of 2025) graduated from Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU) in 2018 (BDS) and had an internship year in 2019 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Working since 2020 as a teaching assistant in the Biomedical Dental Science Department at IAU. Mashael is an Oral medicine resident and a DScD candidate.

Dr. Colton Cannon received his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Before dental school, Dr. Cannon received a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Cannon served as the National President of the American Student Dental Association during dental school. Dr. Cannon previously served on the Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure Executive Committee and was a delegate to the American Dental Association. In addition, Dr. Cannon served on the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Dental Education and Licensure and the ADA’s National Fluoridation Advisory Committee. As part of his leadership roles, Dr. Cannon was a Department of Defense/Council on State Government’s Technical Assistance Group member regarding Interstate Dental Licensure Compacts. Dr. Cannon has been awarded the American Academy of Oral Medicine Certificate of Merit, the American Association of Public Health Dentistry Award for Achievement in Community Dentistry and Dental Public Health, and the Minnesota Dental Association Student Appreciation Award. Dr. Cannon also received the International College of Dentists – Washington University Alumni Association Scholarship and the Saint Paul District Dental Society Monson Grant. In Dr. Cannon’s time away from Oral Medicine, he enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with loved ones.

Eman Alamodi, (Class of 2023) graduated from King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia, in 2017 with honors. In 2017, worked as a teaching assistant in the Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences department at KKU. In 2021, completed a one-year internship program in Oral Medicine at Rutgers University, New Jersey. She plan to go back to Saudi Arabia to continue her work in the academic field.