Welcome New Faculty Members

Since the beginning of this academic year, six new full-time faculty members have joined the LSUHSC School of Dentistry (LSUSD). Three are in the Department of Prosthodontics, two in Comprehensive Dentistry and Biomaterials, and one in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

From left, Drs. Miniotis, Aparicio, Jayanetti, DiMattia, Berron, Kent

Arnau Aparicio, DDS, CDT, assistant professor of prosthodontics, joined the faculty on July 1. A native of Barcelona, Spain, he received his dental degree from the Universidad Europea de Madrid in 2009. He then entered the LSUSD advanced education program in prosthodontics and received his certificate this past June. He also successfully completed requirements for the certificate in ceramics from the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. Dr. Aparicio's current research interest is a new surface treatment for bonding porcelain to titanium. He is co-director of Dental Morphology and director of Principles of Occlusal Equilibration.

Joaquin Berron, DDS, assistant professor of prosthodontics, came to LSUSD in 2010 as an implant fellow. Upon completion of the one-year program, he joined the part-time faculty, serving as coordinator of the prosthodontics implant fellowship program. Dr. Berron received his DDS from Universidad Intercontinental in Mexico City and trained for two additional years in a program in integral dentistry at Universidad Technologica de Mexico, also in Mexico City. From 1993-2012, he owned a private practice in Cancun, specializing in prosthodontics and dental implants. He became a full-time faculty member on July 1, 2012. Dr. Berron is co-director of two courses, Principles of Occlusion and Introduction to Implant Dentistry, and continues as coordinator of the implant fellowship program.

Stephanie DiMattia, DDS, is an assistant professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, Division of Clinical Comprehensive Dentistry. A native of the New Orleans area, she attended LSU and UNO, graduating in 1995, and received her dental degree from LSUSD in 1999. Dr. DiMattia was previously in private practice and joined the faculty part-time in August 2010. She became a full-time faculty member in June 2012. As a team leader in the senior clinic, she is in charge of nine junior and nine senior dental students.

Jay Jayanetti, DDS, assistant professor of prosthodontics, received his dental degree in 2007 from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and three years later completed his certificate in prosthodontics from the same school. He then trained in maxillofacial prosthetics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, receiving his certificate in 2012. From 2010-2011, he held the position of clinical assistant professor at both the University of the Pacific and UCSF. Among the academic honors he received were the OKU Kramer Award, the American Prosthodontic Society Award, the UCSF Postgraduate Prosthodontics Dr. Sciutto Award, and appointment as chief resident at UCSF. At LSUSD Dr. Jayanetti will be director of Oral Oncology and co-direct Removable Prosthodontic Techniques and Clinical Removable Prosthodontics. In addition, as an attending faculty member at Interim University Hospital, he will work with residents in the prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and general practice residency programs to treat patients in need of maxillofacial prosthetics.

John Kent III, DMD, assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS), received his dental degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1988. He then completed an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo, followed by a one-year fellowship at LSU. Since 1993 Dr. Kent has been in private practice in High Point, North Carolina. At LSUSD he will assume responsibilities for the pre-doctoral OMS program as Dr. Michael O'Brien transitions to part-time.

Nicholas Miniotis, DDS, is an assistant professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry and Biomaterials, Division of Operative Dentistry. He received his BS in biology from Pennsylvania State University in 1976 and his DDS from Temple University in 1982. The next year he completed a general practice residency at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois and in 1991 completed the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at the National Naval Dental School in Bethesda. Dr. Miniotis has been a dentist in the U.S. Air Force at bases from Alaska, Mississippi, and Delaware to Saudi Arabia, Portugal, and Germany. He has co-authored technical reports in the USAF Dental Evaluation and Consultation Service series as well as articles in dental journals. At LSUSD he is co-director of Fundamentals of Operative Dentistry.