Dr. Dennis Sourvanos Receives ADA Foundation Crest and Oral-B Promising Researcher Award
Philadelphia — Dr. Dennis Sourvanos (GD23, DScD’23), an NIDCR postdoctoral trainee at Penn Dental Medicine, is the recipient of the American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation 2023 Crest and Oral-B Promising Researcher Award. This supports Dr. Sourvanos’ multidisciplinary, translational preclinical research, which has developed new investigative avenues in Photobiomodulation light therapy.
Dr. Sourvanos’s translational research model is based on his prior work, which was published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (PMID: 37204376). This contribution investigated the potential of photobiomodulation to reduce postsurgical pain and accelerate wound healing after dental extraction.
“Photobiomodulation is an approach that not only aligns with the Penn Dental Medicine commitment to non-invasive patient care but also resonates with the institution’s mission to reduce dependency on opioids, says Dr. Souvanos”
Dr. Sourvanos expresses gratitude to his co-mentors, Dr. Joseph P. Fiorellini, Professor of Periodontics at Penn Dental Medicine, and Dr. Timothy C. Zhu, Professor of Radiation Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, for their dedicated cross-disciplinary mentorship and collaboration. The diverse mentorship provided by the NIDCR Postdoctoral fellowship training model has been critical in shaping his research training and methodologies.
Having been an NIH TL1 Scholar (TL1RTR001880) through the Perelman School of Medicine’s Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT), Dr. Sourvanos attributes his current research approach to the specialized training curriculum in translational research and regulatory sciences he received under the guidance of Dr. Emma Meagher, ITMAT’s Director of Translational Research Education.
Dr. Sourvanos is nearing the completion of his postdoctoral training in periodontics and his DScD degree, concurrently serving as a fellow in the NIDCR T90/R90 Postdoctoral Training Program (NIH T90 Scholar 1T90DE030854-01) at the Center for Innovation and Precision Dentistry (CiPD). His multidisciplinary mentorship committee includes Dr. Timothy C. Zhu, Dr. Theresa M. Busch in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, as well as Dr. Joseph P. Fiorellini, and Dr. Rodrigo Neiva in the Department of Periodontics at Penn Dental Medicine. All actively contribute to a robust environment for his professional growth and long-term professional trajectory.
“This acknowledgment reflects the inclusive research community at Penn Dental Medicine and the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,” says Sourvanos. “I look forward to furthering our collaborative efforts in pushing the boundaries of translational research science.”
The ADA Foundation award will support Dr. Sourvanos in attending scientific conferences, enhancing his expertise, and sharing his research with the broader scientific community.