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Justine L. Kolker, DDS MS PhD

Director, Assessment and Evaluation and Professor of Operative Dentistry

Current Positions

  • Professor of Operative Dentistry
  • Professor of Dentistry Administration

Education

  • PhD in Oral Science, University of Iowa
  • MS in Operative Dentistry, University of Iowa
  • Certificate in Operative Dentistry, University of Iowa
  • DDS, University of Iowa
  • BA in Political Science, Iowa State University

Licenses & Certifications

  • American Board of Dental Public Health, Iowa
  • American Board of Operative Dentistry, Iowa
  • Central Regional Dental Testing Service, Iowa
  • Dental License, Iowa

Selected Awards & Honors

  • Fuller-Denehy Professor of Operative Dentistry, University of Iowa, College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics
  • Mentor of the Year, Iowa Chapter of the AADR Student Research Group

Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of Cariology (AAC)
  • American Board of Dental Public Health (ABDPH)
  • American Board of Operative Dentistry (ABOD)
  • Academy of Operative Dentistry (AOD)
  • American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD)
  • European Organisation for Caries Research (ORCA)
  • American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR)
  • American Dental Education Association (ADEA)

Selected Publications

  • Santamaría RM, Fontana M, Chalas R, Guzman-Armstrong S, Kolker JL, Krithikadatta J, Kuzmina I, Maltz M, Martignon S, Ottolenghi L, Pitts N, Abdin M, Splieth CH. The Core Curriculum in Cariology: Fiction or Reality? Challenges about Implementation. Caries Res 2024;58(3):153-161.
  • Shi N, Peter T, Caplan DJ, Xie XJ, Dang CA, Welhaven A, Pendleton C, Allareaddy V, Kolker JL, Marchini, L. (2025) Predictors of survival of large non-occlusal non-incisal glass-ionomer restorations in older adults. Spec Care Dentist 44(4) 1228-1235. DOI: 10.1111/SCD.12981. Epub 2024 Mar 6.
  • Shabayek, M., Warren, J., Tinanoff, N., Kolker, J. & Johnsen, D. (2023). Integrating patient-centered caries management in dental education-A practical approach. Journal of dental education. DOI: 10.1002/jdd.13301. PMID: 37414087.
  • Levy, S. M., Warren, J. J., Kolker, J. L. & Weber-Gasparoni, K. (2023). Generalized permanent dentition fluorosis severity becomes less evident over time among a birth cohort. Frontiers in oral health 4 1198167. DOI: 10.3389/froh.2023.1198167. PMID: 37456361. PMCID: PMC10348053.
  • Fontana, M., Eckert, G. J., Katz, B. P., Keels, M. A., Levy, B. T., Levy, S. M., Kemper, A. R., Yanca, E., Jackson, R., Warren, J., Kolker, J. L., Daly, J. M., Kelly, S., Talbert, J. & McKnight, P. (2023). Predicting Dental Caries in Young Children in Primary Health Care Settings. Journal of dental research 220345231173585. DOI: 10.1177/00220345231173585. PMID: 37329133.
  • Ortega-Verdugo, P., Warren, J. J., Gaeth, G. J., Carter, K., Kateeb, E., Kolker, J. L. & Shane, D. M. (2023). Assessing the Acceptability of Less Invasive Caries Removal Techniques for treating Deep Carious Lesions: A Conjoint Survey among Dentists Practicing in a Midwestern American State. Caries research 57 (3) 243-254. DOI: 10.1159/000533658. PMID: 37699363.
  • Al Saffer, A. The Effectiveness SDF on Caries Lesions in Older Adults retrospective study evaluating the longevity of SDF. Kolker, J. (Eds.) Journal of Public Health Dentistry.
  • Villhauer, A., Zhu, M., Shi, W., Xie, X. J., Hughes, P., Lesch, A., Weber-Gasparoni, K., Kolker, J., Drake, D. & Banas, J. A. (2023). Role of mutans streptococci, acid tolerant bacteria and oral Candida species in predicting the onset of early childhood caries. Frontiers in dental medicine 4. DOI: 10.3389/fdmed.2023.991746. PMID: 38188893. PMCID: PMC10768932.
  • Teixeira, E., Maia, R., Comnick, C., Armstrong, S., Vargas, M., Guzman-Armstrong, S., Kolker, J., Vidal, C., Jain, A., Restrepo-Kennedy, N. & Elgreatly, A. (2023). Outcomes of a Simplified Dental Composite: a Randomized Clinical Trial. (Vols. 102). (Spec Iss A) Journal of Dental Research.
  • Zafar, M., Levy, S. M., Warren, J. J., Xie, X. J., Kolker, J. & Pendleton, C. (2022). Prevalence of non-cavitated lesions and progression, regression, and no change from age 9 to 23 years. Journal of public health dentistry 82 (3) 313-320. DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12538. PMID: 35781658. PMCID: PMC9544189.

Selected Grants & Contracts

  • Longitudinal Analysis of Low pH Streptococci in Early Childhood Caries; NIH; Kolker, Justine (Co-Investigator), Banas, Jeff (Principal Investigator)
  • Predicting Caries Risk in Underserved Toddlers in Primary Health Care Settings; NIH; Margherita Fontana (PI), Levy (Subcontract PI) (Principal Investigator), Kolker, Justine L (Co-Investigator)
  • Fluoride, Dietary, and Other Factors Related to Young Adult Bone Measures and Dental Caries.; NIH; Steven Levy (Principal Investigator), Kolker, Justine L (Co-Investigator)
  • Phase III RCT of the Effectiveness of Silver Diamine Fluoride in Arresting Cavitated Caries Lesions; NIH; Kolker, Justine (Co-Investigator), Margherita Fontana (PI), Levy (Subcontract PI) (Principal Investigator)
  • In vitro and clinical studies of a newly developed dental composite and adhesive system; Tokuyama Dental Corporation; Tiexiera, Erica (Multi-PI), Maia, Rodrigo (Multi-PI), Vidal, Cristina (Multi-PI), Kolker, Justine L (Co-Investigator)
  • Two year clinical study of Estelite Sigma Quick / Tokuyama Bond Force; Tokuyama Dental Corporation; Steve Armstrong (Principal Investigator), Kolker, Justine L
  • Clinical Investigation of a New Resin Composite System; Ivoclar/Vivadent; Cathia Bergeron (Principal Investigator), Kolker, Justine L
  • Iowa Fluoride Study Age 17 Data Collection - Carver Trust; Carver Charitable Trust; Steve Levy (Principal Investigator), Kolker, Justine L
  • Iowa Fluoride Study Age 17 Data Collection; Delta Dental of Iowa; Levy, Steven (Principal Investigator), Kolker, Justine L (Co-Investigator)
  • Clinical Investigation of a New Resin Composite System (NEUN/Venus Diamond); Heraeus Kulzer; Kolker, Justine L (Principal Investigator)