Mia L. Geisinger, D.D.S., M.S., has been named chair of the UAB School of Dentistry Department of Periodontology following a national search. She served as acting chair beginning in 2023.
Geisinger is a Professor and Director of Advanced Education in Periodontology. She was recruited to the department in 2008 and appointed Predoctoral Periodontal Program Director, a position she held until 2015 when she was named Director of the Advanced Education Program in Periodontology.
A Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, Geisinger is a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology, the International College of Dentists, and the American College of Dentists. She has held prominent leadership positions, including President of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, Chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs, member of the ADA Science and Research Institute Board of Directors, and President of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation. She has served on numerous national and regional committees and currently is Immediate Past President of the American Academy of Periodontology. She was also selected as a Most Excellent Fellow by the Alabama Dental Association (ALDA) in 2023.
Her university service includes chairing the School of Dentistry Faculty Council, serving on the UAB Health Leadership Academy advisory board and the Commission on the Status of Women, and contributing to multiple research center committees.
“Dr. Geisinger is widely recognized for her contributions to periodontology at UAB and nationally through her work with the American Academy of Periodontology and the ADA,” said Dean Nicolaas Geurs, DDS, MS. “Her vision and leadership will strengthen our department’s role in shaping education, research, and clinical care, and support the continued success of our school.”
"Dentistry and periodontology are evolving rapidly, and UAB is at the forefront of that change,” said Geisinger. “I am excited to lead efforts that translate cutting-edge research into better outcomes for patients while fostering an environment where innovation and mentorship drive progress for our faculty, residents, and students."
Geisinger has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and serves on the editorial board of several journals. Her research on COVID-19 and its impact on dentistry was recognized with back-to-back Cuspie awards in 2022 and 2023. She has been cited in numerous ADA, AAP, UAB, and other news releases. She lectures nationally and internationally on topics in periodontology and oral healthcare.