Vanessa Pardi

Dr. Vanessa Pardi is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Dental Public Health at the ECU School of Dental Medicine. She holds a DDS, MS, and PhD from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil, and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Rochester and New York University. Her research focuses on oral health promotion, dental caries prevention, and addressing health disparities through evidence-based programs.

Education:

• DDS – State University of Campinas
• MS (Dentistry-Cariology) – State University of Campinas
• PhD (Dentistry-Cariology) – State University of Campinas
• Certificate (Dental Public Health) – State University of Campinas
• Postdoctoral (Oral Epidemiology) – University of Rochester
• Postdoctoral (Microbiology) – New York University
• Postdoctoral (Orofacial Pain) – New York University

Research Interests: Dr. Pardi’s work emphasizes oral health interventions for vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and children. She investigates the role of diet, oral health literacy, and social determinants in disease prevention. Her projects aim to reduce oral health disparities through community-based programs and translational research.

Grants & Collaborations:

• NIH/NIDCR R03 (PI): Overcoming early childhood caries through maternal insights
• DOOR Grant (Co-I): Building dental research capacity in academic institutions
• HRSA & Duke Endowment-funded programs: Expanding school-based oral health initiatives in NC

Labs/Teams: Active in ECU’s Dental Public Health research unit, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams on projects related to oral epidemiology and health policy.