Dentist and student dentist providing dental care to a patient.

School of Dental Medicine News

As the only accredited dental school in Nevada, the School of Dental medicine provides world-class oral health education while providing for the dental needs of Nevada residents. With eight academic degree and advanced education certificate programs, students obtain the necessary skills to provide oral healthcare services to the community and make significant impacts to the field.

Current Dental Medicine News

dental students in white cloats stand in front of UNLV Flashlight
Campus News |

UNLV's School of Dental Medicine draws experienced, internationally-trained dentists seeking U.S. licensure through a 24-month intensive curriculum.

man shows to other male classmates in dental scrubs how to insert an IV
People |

Leveraging his paramedic experience, John Regis leads ACLS workshops that teach classmates to recognize and respond to medical emergencies.

Kayla Minor at her desk
People |

The School of Dental Medicine cashiering supervisor reflects on a longtime talent for numbers, an unexpected career pivot, and a love of heavy metal.

three children in dental chair
Business and Community |

In places where patients often travel hours or go without treatment, UNLV-trained dentists are closing critical gaps in access.

two photo collage of woman in classroom reading to students and book cover of "Where Do the Sugar Bugs Hide?"
Business and Community |

Through storytelling, Dr. Himali Patel Bhatt helps children build healthy brushing habits.

Chelsey Nicol wearing a shirt that reads "#Cleft Strong"
People |

UNLV’s new clinic restores a critical statewide service; for Nicol, it restores something even more personal.

Dental Medicine In The News

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

City officials say affordable units will help retain doctors, nurses and students as southern Nevada faces staffing gap

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

The mayor said the district continues to grow as UNLV’s School of Medicine and School of Dentistry expand, creating a need for more housing for medical students.

Dentistry Today

The digital evolution of dentistry has had a significant impact across multiple disciplines, particularly in orthodontics and the use of clear aligner therapy. Initially, clear aligners were viewed as a limited treatment option, primarily indicated for minor tooth movements and adult patients. However, continued advancements in aligner materials, attachment design, biomechanics, and digital treatment planning have expanded their clinical applications. Today, clear aligners are widely used to treat patients of varying ages and increasingly complex orthodontic cases.

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

]The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has earned its second consecutive Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, retaining its status as one of the nation’s top community-serving higher education institutions. The distinction was awarded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education. Only 5% of U.S. postsecondary institutions receive a Carnegie classification for community engagement. One example of UNLV’s community engagement is the state’s first cleft palate and craniofacial clinic.

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

A UNLV professor who helps establish medical clinics by day spends his free time trapping stray cats in his neighborhood to get them spayed and neutered.

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

UNLV has opened the only purpose-built clinical facility in Nevada dedicated to caring for patients with cleft lip, cleft palate and other craniofacial and dental conditions.

Dental Medicine Experts

An expert in general dentistry, oral health, and animal dentistry.
A prolific researcher and expert on immunology and the immunobiology of oral infections. 
An expert in general dentistry and dental anesthesiology.
An expert on pediatric dentistry and dental surgery.
An expert on orthodontics and dental growth.

Recent Dental Medicine Accomplishments

Dr. Jeffrey Ebersole co-authored “Characteristics of the Health-Associated Oral Microbiome in Young Nonhuman Primates,” which published May 16 in the journal Molecular Oral Microbiology. The results provide seminal details of the oral microbiome in this disease model and underpin the ability to elucidate specific microbial changes that can occur…
Dr. Jeffrey Ebersole (Dental) co-authored “Transcriptomic analysis of gingival tissues in resolved experimental periodontal lesions of nonhuman primates,” which published May 4 in Journal of Periodontology. The study, which used a preclinical model of experimental periodontitis in nonhuman primates to evaluate the biological features of resolved…
Dr. Tina Brandon Abbatangelo (Dental) authored “Carceral Systems and Oral Health Access," which explores the high proportion of incarcerated people suffering from untreated dental caries, periodontal disease, and other oral pathologies. The article was published in the April issue of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry within its…
Dr. Jeffrey Ebersole (Dental) co-authored “Salivary Biological Responses to Nonsurgical Periodontal Treatment in Type 2 Diabetics,” which published May 5 in the JDR Clinical & Translational Research journal. The investigation evaluated the predictive capacity of the oral microbiome and host salivary biomarkers specific to treatment outcomes…
Stephanie Andrade and Dr. Tanya Al-Talib (both Dental) presented a poster titled "Do we refer who we screen?" at the 2026 American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 2, 2026.
Dr Hassan Ziada (Dental) has been invited to join and has accepted a position on the Editorial Board of BMC Medical Education, a peer-reviewed journal published by Springer Nature that considers articles on all aspects of education and training for healthcare professionals.