Three UAB School of Dentistry faculty members have been promoted, recognizing their achievements in teaching, research, patient care and service.
The faculty members are:
Nathaniel Lawson, D.M.D., M.A., Ph.D.
Promoted to professor, Department of Clinical and Community Sciences
Lawson serves as division director of Biomaterials and is recognized nationally and internationally for his contributions to dental materials research, education and clinical practice.
A UAB D.M.D./Ph.D. graduate, Lawson earned degrees in dental medicine and biomedical engineering before joining the School of Dentistry faculty in 2014. He has served as division director since 2016 and program director since 2014, helping shape education and research in biomaterials for predoctoral students, residents and graduate students.
Lawson's research focuses on the laboratory and clinical evaluation of dental materials, including the mechanical, esthetic and bioactive properties of restorative materials. His work has resulted in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and numerous externally funded research projects aimed at advancing dental materials and improving patient care.
In addition to his research and teaching responsibilities, Lawson maintains a clinical practice through the UAB Dental Group faculty practice and is a frequent lecturer who shares his expertise on dental materials with professional audiences around the world.
Yu-Yin Lin, D.D.S., M.S.
Promoted to associate professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry
Lin serves as program director in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and is recognized for her contributions to pediatric dental education, research and clinical care.
After earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Chung Shan Medical University, Lin completed her pediatric dentistry residency and Master of Science degree at UAB. She joined the faculty in 2021 and was named program director in 2023.
Lin teaches across the predoctoral and advanced education curricula, providing both classroom and clinical instruction for dental students and pediatric dentistry residents. Her research interests include children's oral health, dental materials and dental traumatology.
Lin is actively involved in national and international professional service, serving on committees of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD). She also serves as an ABPD certification examiner and recently became the New Diplomate Representative to the College of Diplomates of the ABPD. Internationally, she was recognized as a member of the inaugural cohort of Fellows of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD).
Augusto Robles, D.D.S., M.S., D.M.D.
Promoted to professor, Department of Restorative Sciences
Robles serves as division director of general dentistry. A member of the UAB faculty since 2009, he has played a significant role in predoctoral dental education, helping shape clinical and didactic training.
Internationally trained, Robles earned his dental degree from Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University in Peru before completing advanced specialty training and a Master of Science degree in restorative dentistry at the University of Michigan. He later earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from UAB.
Robles serves as curriculum director for operative dentistry and teaches extensively across the predoctoral curriculum, including classroom and clinical instruction. His interests include dental materials, adhesion and bonding, composite restorations, minimally invasive dentistry and ceramic onlays. He is a general dentist in the UAB Dental Group faculty practice clinic.
He has contributed to the advancement of restorative dentistry through clinical research, scholarly publications, and continuing education focused on dental materials and evidence-based treatment approaches. He is a member of the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network and has lectured nationally and internationally on the subject of operative dentistry.