Sulaiman Begins Appointment with Department of Operative Dentistry

Dr. Taiseer Sulaiman recently began his appointment as an assistant professor in the Department of Operative Dentistry. Sulaiman will primarily focus on teaching, research and service, and will also see patient in the school’s Dental Faculty Practice.

“It is a great honor and privilege to be appointed as a faculty of Operative Dentistry in the UNC School of Dentistry,” said Sulaiman. “I studied Sturdevant’s Art and Science of Operative Dentistry during my school years, and to be part of the department that publishes this book is truly overwhelming. Needless to say I am a diehard Tar Heel!”

Dr. Sulaiman received his Bachelor of Dental Surgery from the University of Mosul in 2003. He was appointed as a full-time clinical instructor in the College of Dentistry, University of Mosul and lecturer at the AEGD program at the Dental Specialty Clinics in the Al-Salam Hospital, Ministry of Health (2003-05). After that, he moved to Ajman in the United Arabs Emirates where he was a clinical instructor and clinic group director at the Ajman University of Science and Technology, Department of Clinical Dentistry. Since graduating from dental school, Sulaiman has provided patient care in private practice settings in these different locations. In 2010, he and his family moved back to the U.S., where he joined the Tokushinkai Dental Group at World Lab / Ultimate Styles Dental Laboratories in Irvine, California as a dental advisor to the group.

Since arriving at UNC in 2013 as a visiting scholar, Sulaiman has earned a clinical certificate in Operative Dentistry and also a PhD in biomaterial sciences through a combined program supported by UNC and the University of Turku, Finland. He has been recognized with the 2014 Teaching Assistant of the Year Award and has been active in pre-clinical and clinical teaching.

Dr. Sulaiman’s research interest is related to dental ceramics, composite resin, dental adhesives, color in dentistry and dental cements.

“I am very happy to welcome Dr. Sulaiman as a new full-time faculty member in the Department of Operative Dentistry,” said Dr. Andre Ritter, chair of the department. “Dr. Sulaiman is quickly developing a solid reputation in research and academia, particularly in the area of biomaterials. I have no doubt he will be a strong addition to our department and school.”