Prof. Margherita Ruth Fontana (born October 25, 1966) is a globally recognised expert in cariology, caries prevention, and evidence-based dental care. She obtained her DDS from the Universidad Central de Venezuela (1985–1990) and her PhD in Dental Sciences with a major in Preventive Dentistry from Indiana University School of Dentistry (1992–1996). In 2011–2012 she completed the ELAM Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Fellowship at Drexel University, Philadelphia.
Academic Career
Fontana began her academic career at Indiana University, where she progressed from Research Assistant (1992) to Associate Professor with tenure (2004–2009), serving simultaneously as Director of the Microbial Caries Facility and Director of the Cariology Undergraduate Education Programme. In 2009 she joined the University of Michigan as a tenured Professor, and in 2018 was appointed the Clifford Nelson Endowed Professor of Dentistry. From 2021 to 2025 she directed the Global Initiatives Programme in Oral and Craniofacial Health, and since 2025 she serves as Chair of the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics at the University of Michigan.
Research & Funding
Fontana’s research focuses on caries risk assessment, non-restorative caries management, Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF), fluoride interventions, and reducing oral health disparities in underserved children. As Principal Investigator, she led a landmark NIH-funded longitudinal study on predicting caries risk in underserved toddlers in primary healthcare settings (2011–2023, total direct costs exceeding $16.6 million). She currently serves as Co-Investigator on an NIDCR-funded study on fluoride for root caries control in older adults (2022–2027) and is a standing member (and Chair from 2025) of the NIH Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Sciences Study Section (ODCS).
Awards & Recognition
Among her many distinctions, she received the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) from the White House in 2012, the Pierre Fauchard Award (2025), the 2025 AAPD Paul P. Taylor Award for the most prestigious article in Pediatric Dentistry in 2024, and was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2024. She has received multiple Outstanding Teaching awards from the University of Michigan, including D1 Faculty of the Year in 2021 and 2022, and has been recognised as an Honorary Fellow of the International College of Dentists (2022).
Professional Memberships & Service
Fontana is an active member of IADR, AADR, ORCA, ADEA, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Oral Health Section, among others. She serves as a scientific consultant to major organisations including the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs, NIH/NIDCR, the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and several industry partners. She is an experienced journal reviewer and editorial board member for publications including the Journal of Dental Research, Caries Research, and Journal of Public Health Dentistry, and has delivered over 300 invited lectures worldwide.
From Static Assessments to Dynamic Journeys: Rethinking Caries Risk in Children through Disease Trajectories
Caries risk assessment is an important component in the management of dental caries. The goals range from disease prediction to helping tailor a caries management plan to the individual’s specific needs. A discussion of caries disease trajectories in childhood, and impact on static risk assessments will be part of this presentation.