Home // Faculty // Carolina Martins Pfeifer, Phd, MS, DDS

Carolina Martins Pfeifer, Phd, MS, DDS

Research Associate Professor
Center for Integrative Global Oral Health
Email: camapf@upenn.edu

Professional Biography

Dr. Carolina Martins-Pfeifer is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences. Before joining Penn Dental Medicine in March 2025, she served as an Adjunct/Associate Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG, Brazil) for 13 years, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in the Graduate Dental Program, teaching evidence-based dentistry, and supervising predoctoral students as a clinical instructor at the pediatric dental clinic. Dr. Martins-Pfeifer obtained her degree in Dental Surgery in July 2001 and is a specialist in Pediatric Dentistry. She obtained a Master’s Degree in Dentistry in 2005 and a Ph.D. in 2010, both from UFMG. From 2017 to 2018, she was a Visiting Faculty Member at the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University (Canada). Dr. Martins-Pfeifer has worked with evidence synthesis and the GRADE approach and has authored systematic reviews and meta-analyses in oral health.

Appointments
  • Research Associate Professor, Center for Integrative Global Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (2025-Present)
  • Associate Professor, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2020-2025)
    Visiting Faculty Member, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Canada (2017-2018)
  • Adjunct Professor, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2012-2020)
  • Post Doctoral Researcher, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2010-2012)
Most recent and relevant publications
  • Martins-Pfeifer C, Bhosale AS, Zhang L, Urquhart O, Verdugo-Paiva F, Glick M, Carrasco-Labra A. Development of living evidence-informed guidelines, part 1: Framework for the conduct of living systematic reviews and guidelines. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026, 157(3):247-56. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.09.014
  • Carrasco-Labra A, Urquhart O, Bhosale AS, Verdugo-Paiva F, Martins-Pfeifer C, Aravamudhan K, Vujicic M, Wright JT, Glick M. ADA Living Evidence-Informed Guidelines: Shaping the Future of Clinical and Public Oral Health Decision-Making. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026, 157(3):213-17. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.07.025
  • Bhosale AS, Urquhart O, Martins-Pfeifer C, Verdugo-Paiva F, Glick M, Carrasco-Labra A. Development of living evidence-informed guidelines: Part 2 Guideline topic prioritization. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.09.013
  • Urquhart O, Verdugo-Paiva F, Martins-Pfeifer C, Bhosale AS, Glick M, Carrasco-Labra A. Development of living evidence-informed guidelines: Part 3 Formulation of recommendations. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.09.010
  • Verdugo-Paiva F, Urquhart O, Bhosale AS, Martins-Pfeifer C, Glick M, Carrasco-Labra A. Development of living evidence-informed guidelines: Part 4 Rationale and methodology for conducting systematic reviews to inform guidelines. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.09.011
  • Urquhart O, Bhosale, AS, Martins-Pfeifer C, Verdugo-Paiva F, Carrasco-Labra A, Pimentel J, Sadek N, Agrawal N, Chaturvedi AK, Gurenlian J, Grayzel E, Ross Kerr A, Magalhaes M, Murdoch-Kinch CA, Pearson AT, Melville JC, Patel ASH, Villa A, Glick M, Lingen MW. ADA Living Guidelines Living evidence-informed guideline on the early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma and potentially malignant disorders: Cytology adjuncts to determine the need for biopsy, Version 2025 1.0. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026, 157(3):224-34. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.12.017
  • Verdugo-Paiva F, Martins-Pfeifer C, Bhosale AS, Urquhart O, Walsh T, Balagopal M, Zakershahrak M, O’Brien KK, Avila-Oliver C, Glick M, Lingen MW, Carrasco-Labra A. Cytology adjuncts to determine the need for biopsy for early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma and potentially malignant disorders: An evidence summary of a living systematic review, Version 2025 1.0. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026, 157(3):235-46. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.12.008
  • Pimentel J, Alalyani A, Bhosale AS, Lytvyn L, Urquhart O, Verdugo-Paiva F, Martins-Pfeifer C, Glick M, Carrasco-Labra A. Patient and Clinician Values and Preferences in the Early Detection of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Oral Cancer: A Scoping Review. J Am Dent Assoc, 2026, 157(1):3-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2025.05.014
  • Vieira-França IF, Moreno A, Vilela CR, Lai H, Ge L, Behring CLP, Martins-Pfeifer CC. Rehabilitation of patients with maxillary defects: network meta-analysis. J Prosthet Dent. 2025, S0022-3913(25)00008-3. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prosdent.2024.12.026
  • Souza, MRF, Goncalves MWA, Martins-Chaves RR, Alvarenga-Brant R, Chrcanovic B, Long G, Honghao L, Gomez RS, Martins-Pfeifer CC. Treatments of avoid ranula recurrence: a network meta-analysis. J Oral Pathol Med, 2025, doi: 10.1111/jop.70041
  • Gismonti-Gaudencio L, Povoa-Santos L, Alvarenga-Brant R, De Luca Canto G, Abreu LG, Lai H, Ge L, Martins-Pfeifer CC. Prevalence of ankyloglossia among infants with breastfeeding difficulties: a systematic review. Midwifery, 2025, 149:104564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2025.104564 .
  • Therriault J, Brum WS, Trudel L, Macedo AC, Bitencourt FV, Martins-Pfeifer CC, Nakouzi IP, Pola I, Wong M, Kac PR, Real AP, Witherow C, Karikari TK, Moscoso A, Zimmer ER, Scholl M, Pascoal T, Benedet A, Ashton NJ, Schindler SE, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Rosa-Neto P. Blood phosphorylated tau for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Neurol, 2025, 24(9): 740-752.
  • Póvoa-Santos L, Lacerda-Santos R, Alvarenga-Brant R, Notaro SQ, Souza-Oliveira AC, Occhi-Alexandre IGP, Martins-Pfeifer CC. Ankyloglossia and malocclusion: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Dent Assoc. 2024, 155(1):59-73.e9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2023.09.014.
  • Puljak L, Bala MM, Zając J, Meštrović T, Buttiġieġ S, Yanakoulia M, Briel M, Lunny C, Lesniak W, Poklepović-Peričić T, Alonso-Coello P, Clarke M, Djulbegovc B, Gartlehner G, Giannakou K, Glenny A, Glenton C, Guyatt G, Hemkens LG, Ioannidis JP, Jaeschke R, Jørgensen KJ, Martins-Pfeifer CC, Marušić A, Mbuagbaw L, Echavez JFM, Moher D, Nussbaumer-Streit B, Page MJ, Perez-Gaxiola G, Robinson KA, Salanti G, Saldanha IJ, Savović J, Thomas J, Tricco AC, Tugwell P, Hoof JV, Pieper D. Methods proposed for monitoring the implementation of evidence-based research: a cross-sectional study. J Clin Epidemiol. 2024, 168:111247. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111247
  • Souza-Oliveira AC, Paschoal MAB, Rezende T, Alvarenga-Brant R, Abreu MHN, Matins-Pfeifer CC. Adhesive restorations in primary dentition: a retrospective analysis of survival rate and associated factors. Int J Paediatr Dent, 2024, 00-1-9. doi: 10.1111/ipd.13190.
  • Alvarenga-Brant R, Notaro SQ, Stefani CM, De Luca Canto G, Pereira A, Póvoa-Santos L, Souza-Oliveira AC, Campos JR, Martins-Pfeifer CC. Pediatric dentistry systematic reviews using the GRADE approach: methodological study. BMC Oral Health, 2024; doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04542-w.
  • Martins CC, Lockhart PB, Firmino RT, Kilmartin C, Cahill TJ, Dayer M, Occhi-Alexandre IGP, Lai H, Ge L, Thornhill M. Bacteremia following different oral procedures: systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral Diseases, 2023.  doi: 10.1111/odi.14531.
  • Povoa-Santos L, Lacerda-Santos R, Alvarenga-Brant R, Notaro SQ, Souza-Oliveira AC, Occhi-Alexandre IGP, Martins CC. Ankyloglossia and malocclusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Dent Assoc. 2023, 155(1): P59-73.E9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2023.09.014
  • Riva JJ, Bhatt M, Martins CC, Brunarski DJ, Busse JW, Xie F, Schünemann HJ, Brozek JL. Indirectness (transferability) is critical when considering existing economic evaluations for GRADE Clinical Practice Guidelines: A systematic review. J Clin Epidemiol. 2022, 21:S0895-4356(22)00094-4. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.04.011.
  • Cruz PV, Souza-Oliveira AC, Notaro SQ, Occhi-Alexandre IGP, Maia RM, De Luca Canto G, Bendo CB, Martins CC. Prevalence of ankyloglossia according to different assessment tools: a meta-analysis. J Am Dent Assoc. 2022. 153(11): 1026-1040.e31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2022.07.011.
  • Patel P, Patel P, Bhatt M, Braun C, Begum H, Nieuwlaat R, Khatib R, Martins CC, Zhang Y, Etxeandia-Ikobaltzeta I, Varghese J, Alturkmani H, Bahaj W, Baig M, Kehar R, Mustafa A, Ponnapureddy R, Sethi A, Thomas M, Wooldridge D, Lim W, Bates SM, Lang E; Le GG, Haramati LB, Kline J, Righini Ma, Wiercioch W, Schünemann H, Mustafa RA. Systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. Blood Adv, 2021, 5:2237-2244
  • Langendam MW, Piggott T, Nothacker M, Agarwal A, Armstrong D, Baldeh T, Braithwaite J, Martins CC, Darzi A, Etxeandia I, Florez I, Hoving J, Karam SG, Kotter T, Meerpohl JJ, Mustafa R, Multi-Schünemann GE, Wees PJVD, Follmann M, Schünemann HJ. Approaches of integrating the development of guidelines and quality indicators: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res, 2020, 20:875.
  • Martins CC, Firmino, RT, Riva JJ, Conlunga-Lozano LE, Ge L, Carrasco-Labra A, Brignaderllo-Petersen R, Granville-Garcia AF, Costa FO, Yepes-Nuñez YJ, Zhang Y, Schünemann HJ. Desensitizing toothpastes for dentin hypersensitivity: a network meta-analysis. J Dent Res, 2020, 99(5): 514-520.

Education

  • Ph.D., Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2010)
  • M.Sc., Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2005)
  • D.D.S., Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (2001)