Lauren Patton

Dr. Patton is Professor and Chair of the Department of Dental Ecology at UNC School of Dentistry and Director of the General Practice Residency program. Current Secretary of the American Academy of Oral Medicine, she is a Diplomate and past President of the American Board of Oral Medicine. She is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Special Care Dentistry. She earned her DDS at the University of North Carolina, attended the 2-year GPR at UNC followed by a 2-year Clinical Dental Staff Fellowship with Oral Medicine/Research training at the NIDCR. During her 26 years on UNC faculty, she has conducted industry and federal government-funded clinical and health services research; participated in teaching at dental hygiene, dental, and post-doctoral levels; published over 125 papers, monographs and book chapters; and lectured internationally on oral manifestations and management of patients with medical complexities, such as HIV/AIDS and oral cancer. She is the Oral Medicine Section Editor of Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol.