Clinical Professor , Chair of the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry

Mary Anne Melo (DDS, MSc, Ph.D., Fellow of ADM, ACD,PFA, ) is a Clinical Professor at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and currently serving as Chair of the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry. Dr. Melo applies her experience as a dentist and dental materials researcher to advance the development of smart and bioactive restorative materials. Her clinical areas of interest focus on minimally invasive dentistry, management of high caries risk patients, and esthetic dentistry. Her research has focused chiefly on anticaries approaches for caries-inhibiting, antibacterial, or remineralization functionalities. Her research group has pioneered the investigations of antibacterial and remineralizing dental adhesives and resin composites. Dr. Melo is a current member of the Academy of Operative Dentistry; the International Association for Dental Research; The American Academy of Cariology, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Melo is a co-inventor on two patents, has edited three books, and has published more than 200 papers in the area of dental materials. Several grants support her research. She lectures nationally and internationally on diverse topics of restorative dentistry.She also serves as an advisor to graduate theses in the School of Dentistry for the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Program for Advanced General Dentistry and Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences on the Dental Biomaterials track. As a American Dental Education Association member, she has served as a mentor for the Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program.

Her clinical areas of interest are minimally invasive dentistry, management of high caries risk patients, and esthetic dentistry. She has extensive training and experience in esthetic dentistry, especially with direct restorations.

As a clinician-scientist, she is also actively involved in dental research, particularly in areas of antibiofilm approaches: 1) Nanotechnology-based dental materials with functionalities for caries-inhibiting, antibacterial, or remineralization (Fig.1) and 2) Mechanism of action/interactions of the experimental modality of antibacterial photodynamic therapy, including the types of sensitizing agents used and the various light/laser sources that can be applied to dental field (Fig.2).

Dr. Melo’s studies the interactions between oral biofilms and dental biomaterials using advanced oral biofilm models, including genetically-engineered and patient-derived versions of inoculum directly from the oral cavity. Her works emphasis on developing novel strategies to reduce the initiation and progression of dental caries. She lectures regionally and nationally on topics related to antibiofilm approaches. 

Dr. Melo is a current member of the Academy of Operative Dentistry; the International Association for Dental Research; the Society for Color and Appearance in Dentistry, and American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

With a prolific publication record of over 200 papers in the specialized field of dental materials, Dr. Melo's impact on the dissemination of knowledge cannot be overstated. Supported by several esteemed grants, her research is a beacon of innovation that drives progress in dentistry.

Dr. Melo imparts her insights and expertise on the global stage, delivering lectures that traverse a spectrum of restorative dentistry topics. This commitment to education solidifies her role as a guiding light, shaping the next generation of dental professionals and propelling the field to new horizons.

Full list of publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/maryanne.melo.1/bibliography/public/

1. Melo MA.Isadora M. Garcia; Mokeem L, Xu H, Montoya C,Weir M, Orrego, S.; Developing Bioactive Dental Resins for Restorative Dentistry. Journal of Dental Research. Epud Ahead
2. Abdulrahman A. Balhaddad; Isadora M. Garcia; Fabrício M. Collares; Melo MA.Three-dimensional (3D) printing in dental practice: Applications, areas of interest, and level of evidence. Clin Oral Investig. 2023 Jun;27(6):2465-2481. doi: 10.1007/s00784-023-04983-7. Epub 2023 Apr 5.
3. Ferracane, J, Sidhu S, Melo MA, Yeo In-Sung, Diogenes A, Darvell B. Bioactive Dental Materials – Developing, Promising, Confusing. JADA Foundational Science(just accepted).
4. Melo MAS, Mokeem L, Sun J. Bioactive Restorative Dental Materials-The New Frontier.Dent Clin North Am. 2022 Oct;66(4):551-566. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2022.05.005.
5. Delgado AH, Sauro S, Lima AF, Loguercio AD, Della Bona A, Mazzoni A, Collares FM, Staxrud F, Ferracane J, Tsoi J, Amato J, Neuhaus KW, Ceballos L, Breschi L, Hannig M, Melo MA, Özcan M, Scotti N, Opdam N, Yamaguchi S, Paris S, Turkun LS, Doméjean S, Rosa V, Palin W, Schwendicke F.RoBDEMAT: A risk of bias tool and guideline to support reporting of pre-clinical dental materials research and assessment of systematic reviews.J Dent. 2022 Dec;127:104350. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104350. Epub 2022 Oct 28.
6. Mathias-Santamaria IF, Huey JP, Strassler HE, Melo MA .Activated Charcoal Dental Products: Evidence of Effectiveness Is Lacking.Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2022 Oct;43(9):612-615.
7. Mathias-Santamaria IF, Santamaria MP, Silveira CA, Martinho FC, Melo MAS, De Marco AC, Augusto MG, de Andrade GS, Roulet JF, Bresciani E.Evaluation of a novel restorative protocol to treat non-carious cervical lesion associated with gingival recession: a 2-year follow-up randomized clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig. 2022 Dec 3. doi: 10.1007/s00784-022-04806-1. Online ahead of print.
8. Albeshir EG, Balhaddad AA, Mitwalli H, Wang X, Sun J, Melo MAS, Weir MD, Xu HHK.Minimally-invasive dentistry via dual-function novel bioactive low-shrinkage-stress flowable nanocomposites.Dent Mater. 2022 Feb;38(2):409-420. doi: 10.1016/j.dental.2021.12.023. Epub 2021 Dec 30.
9. AlSahafi R, Mitwalli H, Alhussein A, Balhaddad AA, Alquria TA, Melo MAS, Lynch CD, Oates TW, Zhang K, Xu HHK, Weir MD.Novel rechargeable nano-calcium phosphate and nano-calcium fluoride resin cements. J Dent. 2022 Nov;126:104312. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104312. Epub 2022 Sep 29.
10. AlSahafi R, Wang X, Mitwalli H, Alhussein A, Balhaddad AA, Melo MAS, Oates TW, Sun J, Xu HK, Weir MD.Novel antibacterial low-shrinkage-stress resin-based cement.Dent Mater. 2022 Nov;38(11):1689-1702. doi: 10.1016/j.dental.2022.08.005. Epub 2022 Sep 15.
11. AlSahafi R, Mitwalli H, Alhussein A, Melo MAS, Martinho F, Lynch CD, Oates TW, Xu HHK, Weir MD.Novel rechargeable nanostructured calcium phosphate crown cement with long-term ion release and antibacterial activity to suppress saliva microcosm biofilms.J Dent. 2022 Jul;122:104140. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104140. Epub 2022 Apr 28.
12. Filemban H, Bhadila G, Wang X, Melo MAS, Oates TW, Hack GD, Lynch CD, Weir MD, Sun J, Xu HHK. Effects of thermal cycling on mechanical and antibacterial durability of bioactive low-shrinkage-stress nanocomposite.J Dent. 2022 Sep;124:104218. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104218. Epub 2022 Jul 8.
13. Filemban Hanan; Ghalia Bhadila; Xiaohong Wang; Melo MAS; Thomas Oates; Michael D. Weir; Jirun Sun; Hockin H.K. Xu.Novel low-shrinkage-stress bioactive nanocomposite with anti-biofilm and remineralization capabilities to inhibit caries Journal of Dental Sciences. Volume 17, Issue 2, April 2022, Pages 811-821.
14. Abdulrahman A. Balhaddad; Lamia Mokeem; Sharukh S. Khajotia; Fernando L. Esteban Florez; Melo MAS. Perspectives on Light-Based Disinfection to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 Transmission during Dental Care. BioMed 2022, 2(1), 27-36.
15. Abdulrahman A. Balhaddad; Isadora M. Garcia; Haifa Maktabi; Maria Salem Ibrahim; Qoot Alkhubaizi; Howard Strassler; Fabrício M. Collares; Melo MAS. Errors in light-emitting diodes positioning when curing bulk fill and incremental composites: impact on properties after aging. Restor Dent Endod. 2021 Nov;46(4):e51.
16. Abdulrahman Balhaddad; Yang Xia; Yucheng Lan; Lamia Mokeem; Maria S. Ibrahim; Michael D. Weir; Hockin K. Xu; Melo MAS. Magnetic-Responsive Photosensitizer Nanoplatform for Optimized Inactivation of Dental Caries-Related Biofilms: Technology Development and Proof of Principle. CS Nano 2021, 15, 12, 19888–19904.
17. Abdulrahman Balhaddad; Lamia Mokeem; Melo MAS; Richard L. Gregory. Antibacterial Activities of Methanol and Aqueous Extracts of Salvadora persica against Streptococcus mutans Biofilms: An In Vitro Study. Dent. J. 2021, 9(12), 143.
18. Abdulrahman A. Balhaddad; Isadora M. Garcia; Lamia Mokeem; Rashed Alsahafi; Fabrício Mezzomo Collares; Melo MAS. Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and Nanotubes: Ultrasmall Nanostructures to Engineer Antibacterial and Improved Dental Adhesives and Composites. Bioengineering 2021, 8(10), 146.
19. Carolina Montoya; Anubhav Jain; Juan José Londoño; Santiago Correa; Peter I. Lelkes; Melo MA; Santiago Orrego. Multifunctional Dental Composite with Piezoelectric Nanofillers for Combined Antibacterial and Mineralization Effects. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2021, 13, 37, 43868–43879.
20. Garcia IM, Balhaddad AA, Lan, Simionato A, Ibrahim MS, Weir MW, Masri R, Xu HH, Collares FM, Melo MAS. Magnetic motion of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles- loaded dental adhesives: physicochemical/biological properties, and dentin bonding performance studied through the tooth pulpal pressure model. Acta 2021 Jul 21;S1742-7061(21)00469-4. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.07.031. Online ahead of print.
21. Melo MAS, Collares FM, Sauro Editorial: Developing Bioactive Materials for Dental Applications. Front. Mater., 18 August 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2021.751618
22. Maktabi H, Ibrahim M, Alkhubaizi Q, Garcia IM, Collares FM, Strassler H, Fugolin APP, Pfeifer CS, Melo MAS*. Improper Light Curing of Bulkfill Composite Drives Surface Changes and Increases mutans Biofilm Growth as a Pathway for Higher Risk of Recurrent Caries around Restorations. Dent. J. 2021, 9(8), 83.
23. Bhadila G, Wang X, Zhou W, Menon D, Melo MAS, Monttaner S, Oates T, Weir M, Sun J, Xu HHK. Novel low- shrinkage-stress bioactive nanocomposite with anti-biofilm and remineralization capabilities to inhibit caries.Journal of Dental Sciences.2021 [Epud ahead].
24. Mitwalli H, Alsahafi R, Albeshir EG, Dai Q, Sun J, Oates TW, Melo MAS, Xu HH, Weir MD .Novel Nano Calcium Fluoride Remineralizing and Antibacterial Dental Composites. J of Dent . [Epud ahead] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103789
25. Balhaddad AA, Mokeem LS, Weir MD, Xu H, Melo MAS*. Sustained Antibacterial Effect and Wear Behavior of Quaternary Ammonium Contact-Killing Dental Polymers after One-Year of Hydrolytic Degradation. Applied< Sciences. 2021; 11(8):3718. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083718.
26. Garcia IM, VCB Leitune,DeSouza G, Balhaddad AA, Melo MAS, Samuel S, FM Physicochemical Effects of Niobic Acid Addition Into Dental Adhesives. Front. Mater., 02 February 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2020.601078.
27. Choe R, Balhaddad AA, Fisher JP, Melo MAS, Huang H. Photodynamic Therapy for Biomodulation and Disinfection in Implant Dentistry: Is It Feasible and Effective? Photochem Photobiol. 2021 Apr 19. doi: 10.1111/php.13434. Online ahead of print.
28. Alsahafi RA, Mitwalli H, Balhaddad AA, Weir MD, Xu HH, Melo MAS*. Regenerating Dental and Craniofacial Defects with Calcium Phosphate Cement Scaffolds: Current Status & Innovative Scope Front. Dent. Med 2021 | doi: 10.3389/fdmed.2021.743065
29. Abdelrahman M, Hsu K, Melo MAS, Dhar V, Tinanof Mapping Evidence on Early Childhood Caries Prevalence: Complexity of Worldwide Data Reporting. Int. J. Clin. Pediatr. Dent. 2021: 10.5005/jp-journals- 10005-1882.
30. Alfirdous RA, Garcia IM, Balhaddad AA, Collares FM, Martinho FC, Melo MAS*. Advancing Photodynamic Therapy for Endodontic Disinfection with Nanoparticles: Present Evidence and Upcoming Approaches. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11(11):4759. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11114759
31. Santamaria IF, Silveira CA, Rossato A, Melo MAS, Bresciani E, Santamaria MP. Single gingival recession associated with non-carious cervical lesion treated by partial restoration and coronally advanced flap with or without xenogenous collagen matrix: A randomized clinical trial evaluating the coverage procedures and restorative protocol. J Periodontol. 2021 Jul 26. doi: 10.1002/JPER.21-0358. Online ahead of
32. Balhaddad AA., Garcia IM., Mokeem L, Ibrahim MS, Collares FM, Weir MD, Xu HH, Melo MAS*. Bifunctional Composites for Biofilms Modulation on Cervical Journal of Dental Research, vol. 100, 10: pp. 1063- 1071, First Published June 24, 2021.