Sukirth Ganesan, associate professor of periodontics and program director of the Advanced Education Program in Periodontology, has been named the Dentistry Centennial Associate Professor of Clinical Research by the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. The five-year appointment is effective January 2, 2026.
Since 2020, Ganesan has served as program director for the periodontology residency program, where he oversees advanced clinical training, curriculum development, accreditation efforts, and resident scholarly activity. He also works to strengthen the integration between clinical education and research.
“I am deeply grateful for the support of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry,” Ganesan says. “This appointment reflects the college’s commitment to advancing clinical research that connects oral and systemic health while integrating discovery, education, and patient care. It is made possible by an outstanding community of trainees, collaborators, and clinical partners across Iowa Health working together to improve long-term patient outcomes.”
Ganesan leads a nationally visible clinical and translational research program focused on understanding how the oral microbiome, immune system, and metabolism interact to influence both oral and systemic health. His work applies multi-omics approaches—including microbiome, metabolomics, immunology, and spatial biology—to identify early molecular signatures of disease in conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and peri-implant disease. Together, these investigations highlight the oral cavity as a sensitive indicator of systemic health and a platform for early risk assessment and prevention.
Trained across public health, clinical research, and advanced periodontal care, Ganesan earned his MPH in health policy and administration from the University of Illinois Chicago, completed a dental clinical research fellowship at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH), and received his PhD in oral biology and certificate in periodontics from The Ohio State University. He earned his Bachelor of Dental Surgery from The Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University in Chennai, India. He is board certified in periodontology and dental implant surgery and holds clinical licenses in Iowa and Ohio.
In addition to his research and educational leadership, Ganesan is widely recognized for excellence in mentorship and national service. He is an alumnus of the American Dental Education Association Leadership Institute and the American Academy of Periodontology’s Leadership, Engagement, Action, and Development (LEAD) Program, where he now contributes to program strategy. His honors include fellowships in the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, and OKU Honor Society, as well as the AAP Educator Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring in Periodontics and the Student Research Group Mentor of the Year Award. He also serves as a mentor in the ADEA Emerging Leaders Program and as a National Advisory Council member for the Academy for Advancing Leadership’s Institute of Teaching and Learning.
Ganesan maintains extensive leadership involvement with regional, national, and international professional organizations, including the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), International Association for Dental Research (IADR), American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), and Midwest Society of Periodontology. His service includes chairing the AAP Research Submissions Committee, serving as president of the IADR Implant Research Group, and contributing to multiple Best Evidence Consensus (BEC) initiatives that shape evidence-based guidance on peri-implant disease and oral–medical integration.