Two TUSDM Faculty Members Named to New Endowed Professorships

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) is pleased to share exciting news about two members of the TUSDM faculty whose achievements, leadership, and contributions have been recognized through new endowed professorships.

Damian J. Lee, D.D.S., M.S., FACP, Appointed Inaugural DeVitre and Shahinian Family Professor in Prosthodontics

Dr. Lee is associate professor and chair of the Department of Prosthodontics at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. A graduate of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Dr. Lee completed his prosthodontic training at the University of Illinois Chicago. He is a fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists and a diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics.

Dr. Lee joined our faculty in February 2024, bringing nearly 20 years of clinical and academic experience. He teaches in both predoctoral and postdoctoral programs and is widely recognized as an accomplished educator, clinician, and researcher in the field of prosthodontics. His scholarly work includes extensive publications in dental implants, 3D-printed dental materials, and the application of dental lasers in prosthodontics.

The inaugural DeVitre and Shahinian Family Professorship in Prosthodontics recognizes Dr. Lee's achievements and influence as an educator, clinician, researcher, and leader in the field. I am delighted to honor his contributions and look forward to the continued impact of his work at TUSDM and beyond.

Aikaterini Papathanasiou, D.D.S., D.M.D., M.B.A., FICD, DI16, DG97, Named Inaugural Elsie R. and Norbert P. Fraga, D.M.D., D47 Professor

We are equally pleased to announce that Dr. Papathanasiou has been named the inaugural Elsie R. and Norbert P. Fraga, D.M.D., D47 Professor, a fitting recognition of her decades of service, leadership, and commitment to excellence in dental education and patient care.

Dr. Papathanasiou is professor and chair of the Department of Comprehensive Care. A graduate of the University of Athens Dental School in Greece, she received her postgraduate certificate in Operative Dentistry, Endodontics and Cariology from Aarhus University Royal Dental College in Denmark before completing advanced training in Esthetic Dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM), where she also received her D.M.D. She later completed an Executive Master of Business Administration. She was inducted as a fellow of the International Academy for Dental Facial Esthetics in 2005 and the International College of Dentists in 2014.

Since joining the faculty in 1997 as a clinical instructor in Operative Dentistry within the Department of Restorative Dentistry, Dr. Papathanasiou has demonstrated exceptional leadership, scholarship, and dedication to academic excellence, rising through the academic ranks to become chair of the school's largest academic and clinical department in 2023. With nearly three decades of clinical, educational, and academic experience, Dr. Papathanasiou has made significant contributions to the field of dentistry through her teaching, mentorship, and scholarship. She has been a full-time faculty member at the Departments of Prosthodontics and Comprehensive Care at TUSDM teaching predoctoral and postdoctoral students and conducting research for many years and has published widely in the areas of prosthodontics and operative dentistry. Her longstanding dedication to advancing dental education, patient care, scholarship, and mentorship has had a lasting impact on generations of students and colleagues, making her exceptionally deserving of this honor.

We look forward to celebrating the continued impact of their contributions to TUSDM and the broader dental profession.

Learn more about TUSDM’s Professorships and current Professorship holders.