DBMS PhD Program, Track Bone Biology

Mentor: Meenakshi A. Chellaiah, PhD

Hanan Aljohani, DDS graduated in 2011 from King Saud University. Before joining the PhD program in 2014, she worked at King Saud University-Dental College as part of the oral biology faculty. Her PhD research focuses on dental stem cells and their ability to differentiate into bone forming cells to enhance bone formation in defect areas caused by oral diseases.

DBMS PhD Program, Track: Dental Materials 

Mentor: Haukun Xu, PhD 

Bashayer H. Baras BDS, graduated in 2015 from King Saud University, School of Dentistry.  She works as a faculty member in the department of Restorative Dental Sciences at King Saud University, School of Dentistry. She joined the PhD program in the spring of 2016. Her  PhD research focuses on developing novel endodontic materials with potent antibacterial and remineralization capabilities.

DBMS Ph.D. Program, Track Oral Biology

Mentor: Meena Chellaiah, PhD 

Mohammed Al Qranei, BDS graduated with a Bachelor in Dental Surgery degree in 2013 from Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (formerly known as University of Dammam). Before joining the Ph.D. program in 2016, he was working as a teaching assistant in the college of dentistry at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University. His Ph.D. research focuses on understanding and inhibiting the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammatory bone resorption occur in periodontal diseases.

DBMS PhD Program, Track: Dental Biomaterial

Mentor: Mary Anne S. Melo, DDS, PhD

Maria is a PhD Candidate, she graduated from King Abdulaziz University in 2013. She worked as a junior faculty member at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University for one year before joining the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine then Maria moved to Baltimore to pursue her MPH degree from Johns Hopkins University along with her PhD degree from University of Maryland. Maria’s PhD researches focus on developing a dental sealant that combines antibacterial with remineralizing properties. 

DBMS Ph.D. Program, Track Dental Biomaterial 

Mentor: Mary AS Melo, DDS, PhD

Abdulrahman Balhaddad BDS, MSD graduated with a Bachelor in Dental Surgery degree in 2013 from University of Dammam. In 2017 before joining the Ph.D. program, he obtained his clinical training in Operative Dentistry and Master of Science in Dentistry from Indiana University.  His Ph.D. research focuses on bioactive restorative materials and dental microbiology.

DBMS PhD Program, Track: Oral Biology

Mentor:  Silvia Montaner, PHD, MPH

Eman Hefni graduated with Bachelor degree in Dental Medicine and Surgery in 2010 from King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. she is appointed as a faculty member in the Department of Periodontology, collage of Dentistry at Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah. Before joining the PhD program at University of Maryland, she obtained Master of Science in Oral Biology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017. Her PhD research focuses on studying The Role of Angiopoietin-Like 4 In the Progression and Dissemination of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas (HNSCCS).

DBMS PhD Program Track: Clinical Researches

Mentors:  Radi Masri, DDS, PhD and Emmanuel Mongodin, PhD

Anmar A. Kensara graduated with Bachelor degree in Dental Medicine and Surgery in 2010 from King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  Before joining the PhD program at University of Maryland, he obtained his Master of Science in Operative Dentistry with clinical training from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2016. After that, he worked for a year as a research assistant in the Dental Materials and Tissue Engineering Lab at the same school.  Currently, he serves as the Dental Graduate Programs’ Student Representative in the Student Affairs Committee. His PhD research focuses on Oral Microbiome. He is studying the etiology of Peri-implantitis.

DBMS PhD Program, Track Restorative Bio-Materials 

Mentors: Huakun Xu, PhD and Michael Weir, PhD

Heba A. Mitwalli graduated with Bachelor’s degree in Dental Surgery in 2012 from King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Before joining the PhD program at the University of Maryland, she obtained her Master of Science degree in Restorative Dentistry with advanced Clinical Specialty education program in Restorative Dentistry from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2017. After that, she joined the post graduate Restorative Dentistry program for a year at the same school. Currently, she is enrolled in the Dental Biomedical Sciences PhD program Division of Biomaterials. Her research focuses on Dental Restorative Biomaterials. Aspired to pursue an academic position in her home country to be able to teach and supervise different research projects. A proud mother and wife.

DBMS PhD Program, Track Restorative Materials 

Mentors: Huakun Xu, PhD and Michael Weir, PhD

Rashed A Alsahafi graduated with Bachelor degree in Dental Medicine and Surgery in 2011 from King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  Before joining the PhD program at University of Maryland, he completed his Advance Clinical Training in Operative and Esthetics Dentistry in 2016 and his Master of Science degree in 2017 from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. After that, he joined the Fellowship Program in Implant Dentistry for a year at the same school. Currently, he is enrolled in the Dental Biomedical Sciences PhD program Division of Biomaterials. His research focuses on Dental Restorative Materials.

DBMS PhD Program, Track: Microbiology

Mentor: Robert K. Ernst, PhD

Kuei-Ling (Christine) Hsu, DDS, MS completed her pediatric dental residency and M.S. at University of Alabama at Birmingham followed by completion of her pediatric dentistry fellowship at University of Maryland School of Dentistry.  Dr. Hsu holds Diplomate of American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and recognized as a Fellow by American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Hsu is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor at the division of Pediatric Dentistry.  Her PhD research focus on the oral microbiome and their functional aspects related to dental diseases, particularly in early childhood caries using ‘omic analyses. 

DBMS PhD Program, Track microbiology

Mentor: Hanping Feng, PhD

Marjan Sharifi graduated from Mashhad Univeristy of Medical Sciences, dentistry department with Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree. She completed three years residency in pediatric dentistry in the same univeristy in 2011. Before she joins the PhD program, she got her Master of Dental Science (MDS) degree at Rutgers’ School of Dental Medicine in 2018. Her PhD research focus is in cytokine therapy and engineering new antibodies for oral diseases.

DBMS PhD Program, Trach Dental Biomaterials

Mentor: Michael D. Weir, PhD

Ebtehal Albeshir , BDS, MSD, dentist working in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh. She earned a Bachelor degree of dental surgery from King Saud University. In 2018, she obtained her clinical certificates  in Operative dentistry and   MSD in Operative Dentistry and dental biomaterials from IUSD, Indiana, USA. Currently, she is a PhD student in DBMS, UMB, Maryland. Her research interests are therapeutic dental adhesives, surface modification and composite resin.