Lasting Impressions | Winter 2014

NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE x 23 The ultimate goal, Watts said, is to benefit the patient. “It allows the dentist to know the advanced uses of the newest materials to give our patients the best function, look, and price. The patients trust the doc- tors to make those decisions for them. We trust people like Dr. Thompson to have those answers for us.” Thompson became a member of NSU’s dental faculty in 2007. He had previously served as pro- fessor and graduate program director of the Department of Bio- medical Engineering at the Uni- versity of Texas—San Antonio from 2005 to 2006. Before that, he was an associate professor of operative dentistry and biomedi- cal engineering at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill for five years. He graduated from the University of Florida, with a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering in 1995. Thompson has published 135 papers and book chapters and is a fellow of the Academy of Den- tal Materials. He is also a former president of the Dental Materials Group of the International Asso- ciation of Dental Research. “It is really impressive the way he comes from an engineering background and got into the field of dentistry,” said third-year dental student Ian Lieberman. “He is on the cutting edge of what is coming out with implants and different kinds of crowns.” Thompson has been awarded numerous grants, with the two largest coming from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for multiyear research. One project focused on the application of novel zirconia-based, thin-film surface coatings to strengthen dental ceramic restorative mate- rials. The second focused on surface modification of zirconia to improve its ability to adhere to other materials used in the mouth. Working with his former col- leagues from the University of North Carolina, he is pursuing a joint patent on improved adhesion technology for NSU and RTI International, a lead- ing research institute headquar- tered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Thompson mentors postgrad- uate students as they conduct their own research and helps them get published, said Sergio Kuttler, B.S., D.D.S., associate dean for advanced education pro- grams at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine. “One of the things the students fear is research. They feel it is very difficult. With Dr. Thompson at the helm, they have a positive experience conducting research,” he said. Thompson is well known in the research community, Kuttler added. “He lectures extensively. That is good for the school.” Thompson, who is the father of eight-year-old twins (a boy and a girl) and a sports enthusi- ast, was recruited to NSU. “I was given a lot of autonomy,” Thomp- son said. “I have freedom to pur- sue what I want to pursue. I work with faculty members and students from all the subdivi- sions of dentistry. I don’t get pigeonholed in one thing.” The research will continue. “Our goal is to be more and more productive in scholarly activity every year. That means research, publications, and presentations at international and national meetings. That also offers excit- ing opportunities. As a member of the faculty, you have the opportunity to be part of the process of building the univer- sity,” he said. ◆ Jeffrey Thompson’s training in engineering and materials science has propelled him into research.