Gerhard Schmalz

Professor Gerhard Schmalz serves as Managing Director of the University Clinic for Dentistry and Director of the Polyclinic for Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology at Brandenburg Medical School. Holding a Professorship for Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, he leads both clinical and academic initiatives within the School of Dentistry since October 2024.

His research program focuses on the critical intersection between oral and systemic health, with particular emphasis on periodontitis-diabetes relationships, preoperative dental screening protocols for surgical patients, and the role of oral health in successful aging. Professor Schmalz also contributes significantly to dental education research, developing innovative assessment methodologies for dental students.

Recent publications demonstrate consistent scholarly output across high-impact journals including Biogerontology, Infection, and BMC Medical Education. His work bridges dental and medical disciplines, positioning oral health as integral to comprehensive patient care. Current research trajectories emphasize clinical applications that improve interdisciplinary healthcare delivery.

Key research contributions include:

• Development of questionnaire-based diabetes screening for periodontitis patients
• Evidence that preoperative dental screening reduces prosthetic joint infections
• Investigation of oral health's role in successful aging metrics
• Innovative visual metaphor approaches to dental student assessment

Professor Schmalz maintains active clinical leadership while advancing research that connects dental practice with broader healthcare outcomes, creating valuable interdisciplinary bridges between dentistry and medicine.