Lasting Impressions | Fall 2014

36 © LASTING IMPRESSIONS When Melissa Marchesan , D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., gives presentations about laser technology in dentistry, she says the reaction is often the same. At first, the audience wonders how much this 37-year-old associate professor of endodontics at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine could possibly know about lasers. By the end of her lecture, however, it becomes evident that Marchesan is not only passionate about the sub- ject, but is also an expert in the field. She has dedicated more than 17 years to researching, writing, teaching, and speak- ing about how lasers can be used in root canals and other dental procedures. This past July, Marchesan brought her knowledge and expertise to a more global level when she became president of the North Amer- ican branch of the World Fed- eration for Laser Dentistry (WFLD). She is excited about her new, two-year term and what it might mean for the CDM’s programs. “I am hoping that, with my role in the WFLD, I will be able to create partner- ships within the industry that will help bring the technology here not only for research, but also for use in the clinical envi- ronment,” Marchesan said. Marchesan grew up in Brazil and completed all of her dental school training there. She received a mas- ter’s degree in restorative dentistry from the University of Sao Paulo, and a doctoral degree in dentistry/ endodontic and specialty degree in endodontics from the University of Ribeirao Preto. She also spent six years as a faculty member at the Uni- versity of Ribeirao Preto. Because students can enter dental school at the age of 17 in Brazil, Marchesan said it gave her the unique opportunity to learn and do research early on in her dental career. In 1997, she was still a predoctoral student when she was first introduced to laser research through a lecture given by Aldo Brugnera Junior, a highly respected educator in Brazil and the emeritus professor at Camilo Castelo Branco University. Under the guidance of her adviser, Marchesan began delving into laser research and participated in several research projects with Brugnera. Currently the president of the entire WFLD, Brugnera nominated Marchesan for the North American branch position. “He (Brugnera) ended up becoming one of the pio- neers in lasers and we became really good friends,” Marchesan said. While she was working toward her master’s and doctoral degrees, Marchesan’s research focused on the different types of lasers and how they could help clean root canals better than the existing instruments. “When we do root canals, as in any- thing in dentistry, nothing is 100 per- cent successful. So we are continually striving to reach that goal,” she said. “Lasers are a way of thinking out- side of the box to try to reach that 100 percent success rate. The tech- nology can be applied to many areas, not just root canals,’’ Marchesan said. “It has also been very successful in soft tissue cutting, like surgeries. And people talk about how lasers can replace the high-speed unit.” Faculty Impressions Marchesan brings laser focus to NSU dental program. by Ellen Wolfson Valladares