Maria Velasco, DMD, MSEd, MS

Professional Biography

Dr. Velasco serves as Assistant Professor and Director of both the Pre-Doctoral Pediatric Dental Program and the Pediatric Honors Program at Penn Dental Medicine. After completing her Master’s Degree in Biotechnology at Johns Hopkins University in 2006, she obtained both her Master’s in Education and D.M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010. Dr. Velasco went on to complete her Residency in Pediatric Dentistry at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University in 2012, serving as chief resident during her second year. In addition to being a faculty advisor for the Hispanic Student Dental Association and the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry at Penn Dental Medicine, she also serves on both the Pre-Doctoral Admissions Committee and Post-Doctoral Pediatric Dental Residency Program Committee. Dr. Velasco’s research interests include behavior management of patient’s with Special Needs, including but not limited to patients in the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Prior to joining PDM, Dr. Velasco was an attending faculty for the NYU/Lutheran program in the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She has dedicated her career to serving underserved populations in rural and urban areas.

Honors / Credentials

• Pre-Doctoral Pediatric Dental Program Director, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2015 – Present
• Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry, Division of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 2015 – Present
• Director of the Pediatric Honors Program, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2019 – Present
• Pediatric Oral Health Advocacy Conference Representative to Pennsylvania, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 2019 – Present
• Attending Faculty, Lutheran Medical Center, Maryland Pediatric Dentistry, Three Lower Counties, 2013 – 2015
• Instructor in Dental Medicine, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University, 2012 – 2013

Education

• Residency in Pediatric Dentistry, New York Presbyterian/Columbia University, 2010 – 2012 , Chief resident (2011-2012)
• D.M.D, University of Pennsylvania, 2010
• M.S.Ed, University of Pennsylvania, 2010
• M.S., Biotechnology, Johns Hopkins University, 2006
• B.S., Molecular Biology, Montclair State University, 2003