Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, affects periodontal tissues. These tissues include the gums, the periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone supporting the teeth. Poor oral hygiene, genetics and systemic disease (along with smoking) influence the occurrence of gum disease — a chronic condition that leads to tooth loss if left untreated, and affects a staggering 40% of the adult population in the United States.
Periodontics is the specialty of dentistry that encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the periodontal tissues that support and surround the teeth. The practice of periodontics is focused on prolonging the life of teeth with periodontal disease by utilizing resective and regenerative surgical approaches. Periodontics also encompasses the provision of surgical alveolar augmentation, surgical implant placement and mucogingival surgery for supporting and enhancing esthetic dental prostheses.
The Periodontics Certificate is offered as a combined degree with a MS in Oral Sciences or a PhD in Oral Biology. This clinical program is well balanced with a research training program to train students for academic, research or clinical careers. Apart from research our program also involves teaching as an important component of training. The postgraduate students participate in mandatory tier-based teaching in predoctoral clinics during the 2nd and 3rd years of training.
The graduates from our program are serving as leaders in dental education in the United States as well as across the world. Graduates of our program have also received several generous awards and scholarships from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Foundation. Some of our notable award recipients in the recent past include:
The Periodontics Individualized Advanced Education Program (IAEP) is a customized, variable-length continuing education program offered to dentists who wish to obtain additional training in periodontics and implant dentistry. Details can be found here.
The Periodontics division houses nationally and internationally recognized award-winning faculty. A majority of our faculty have received doctoral and post-doctoral clinical and research training and have DDS and PhD degrees. A majority of our faculty are also Diplomates of the American Board of Periodontology, making them highly qualified clinicians.
Robert Schifferle, DDS, MMSc , PhD
Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics; Department of Oral Biology
Isolde Rojas-Rudolph, DDS, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor; Research Associate Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Rubelisa Oliveira, DDS, MS, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Nathalia Paiva de Andrade, DDS, MSc, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor;
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Waqar Ahmad, DDS, MSD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Joseph P Breloff, DDS, MS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Christopher Heard
Clinical Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Clinical Assistant Professor; Diplomate, American Board of Periodontology
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
John P. Lazarus
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Amarpreet Sabharwal
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Email: sabel2@buffalo.edu
Irwin L. Burstein
Emeritus, Clinical Assistant Professor HS
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Email: ilburst@buffalo.edu
Michael J. Levine
Emeritus, Professor, HS
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Katrina Pruyn
Administrative Assistant 1
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
Lisa M. Solomon
Dental Hygienist
Department of Periodontics and Endodontics