Samanta Mascarenhas Moraes

PhD in Sciences from the Department of Biological Sciences (Biochemistry) at the Bauru School of Dentistry University of São Paulo (FOB/USP), where she also earned her DDS degree. Throughout her academic journey, she was mentored by Professor Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf, from her undergraduate research training through to her direct-entry PhD, funded by FAPESP. Her doctoral research involved a two-year longitudinal clinical study with adolescents at high risk for dental caries, evaluating the efficacy of fluoride varnishes (NaF and TiF#8324;) in preventing and remineralizing white spot lesions. The project included clinical assessments, imaging analysis using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), and microbiome characterization of the dental biofilm via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Part of the project was conducted at East Carolina University (USA) during a FAPESP-funded research internship (BEPE) under the supervision of Professor Ramiro Murata. During her undergraduate studies, she also completed a research internship at the University of Michigan (USA), under the supervision of Professor James Simmer.A licensed dentist with a specialization in Orthodontics from PROFIS/HRAC-USP (Craniofacial Rehabilitation Hospital University of São Paulo), she has solid experience in Preventive Dentistry, Orthodontics, and Oral Microbiology. Her main areas of interest include diagnosis and prevention of dental caries, white spot lesions, fluoride-based therapies, optical technologies in dentistry, the oral microbiome, and dental biofilms.She also worked as an instructor and program coordinator in a Technical Program in Oral Health, leading initiatives focused on professional training through active learning methodologies. Her role involved curriculum planning, supervision of the teaching staff, student mentoring, and the development of content aligned with the institutions pedagogical framework.Additionally, she worked for nearly a decade in public oral healthcare, both as a general dentist in Primary Care Units and as the coordinator of the Dental Specialties Center (CEO) in the municipality of Tatuí/SP, with a strong focus on specialized care, prevention, and health promotion.She has received several awards and distinctions for her scientific work, including honors from the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), the European Organization for Caries Research (ORCA), and the Brazilian Society for Dental Research (SBPQO), the Brazilian division of the IADR. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)