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Ricardo Teles, Dental Medicine

caption: Ricardo Teles

Ricardo Teles, professor and chair of periodontics at Penn Dental Medicine, died on December 11. He was 50 years old. Dr. Teles had joined the Penn faculty earlier this year with his wife, Flavia Teles, associate professor in the department of microbiology  at Penn Dental (Almanac September 5, 2017).

Dr. Teles, a native of Brazil, earned a doctor of dental surgery from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1988, as well as a doctor of medical science and a certificate in periodontology from Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1996. 

Prior to joining Penn, Dr. Teles was the OraPharma Distinguished Professor in the department of periodontology from 2014-2017 and vice chair of the department at University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, from 2015-2017. He was also senior research investigator in the department of applied oral sciences within the Center for Periodontology at The Forsyth Institute from 2014-2017 and director of the Center from 2009-2010.

His research focused on the cause and treatment of periodontal diseases, and he was the principal investigator and co-investigator on many NIH-funded clinical trials focusing on the etiology and pathogenesis of periodontal diseases and the clinical and biological effects of periodontal therapies.

“Dr. Teles was an exceptional individual—a highly loved and respected colleague and educator, whose loss impacts so many,” said Denis Kinane, Morton Amsterdam Dean of the School of Dental Medicine.

“Dr. Teles had a passion for clinical research and for educating dental students and residents,” said Dr. Dana Graves, Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship.

He is survived by his wife, Flavia, a son, Victor, a daughter, Isabella, his mother, Olga and siblings, Claudio, Gustavo and Luciana.

 

To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students and other members of the University community. Call (215) 898-5274 or email almanac@upenn.edu

However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Room 517, Franklin Building, (215) 898-8136 or email record@ben.dev.upenn.edu

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