Upoma Guha, BDS, MS, joins the College of Dentistry

Title: Associate Professor, Department of Adult Restorative Dentistry

Education: I received my BDS degree from the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh in 2009 and earned numerous distinctions, including highest honors in professional examinations. After graduation, I moved to the United States and completed a one-year course work and research assistantship at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Biostatics from 2011-2012.

I followed my passion for dentistry and joined the highly prestigious operative dentistry residency program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill in 2012. I received my MS and Clinical Certificate in Operative Dentistry in 2015.

My professional journey: I have been a practicing dentist for the past 13 years. After I completed my dental degree in 2009, I worked as a dentist at the Bangladesh Dental College and Hospital. After completing my residency at UNC Chapel Hill, I joined the University at Buffalo (SUNY) in 2015 as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Restorative Dentistry and the University of Florida in 2018.

My diverse career path brought unique opportunities for my role as an educator, researcher and dental practitioner. At both institutions, I taught a wide range of preclinical and clinical courses as course director, including dental anatomy, operative dentistry and cariology courses. I introduced concepts of digital technology in the pre-clinical curriculum and the graduate residency and international dentist programs.

My research experience is understanding the effect of incorporating digital technology in improving dental education, and I enjoy providing patient care in local and regional communities.

I am thrilled to join the College of Dentistry where I can leverage my previous experiences to enhance students’ educational journeys and provide world-class patient care to the people of Nebraska.  

The accomplishment I am most proud of: To my knowledge, I am the first Bangladeshi dentist to complete an operative dentistry residency program and become a faculty member in restorative dentistry in the United States. As a Bangladeshi woman dentist, I am most proud of this achievement. I am also proud to have received the ADEA Faculty of Color Tuition Scholarship and be named a 2020 ADEA Emerging Leaders Program Fellow.

Research/professional interests: My major research interests aim at the implementation of innovative digital technology and assessing their outcomes in improving dental education. I have developed innovative teaching methods, such as using digital comparison software in improving student self-assessment.

I have a special interest in presenting novel techniques of teaching dentistry to modern-day students with the help of digital technology and artificial intelligence. My other research interests include dental materials innovation and improvement and dental erosion from various food and drinks.

How I fell in love with dentistry: I fell in love with dentistry at an early age. My father would take me to his dental appointments and I saw how happy he was after his dental treatments and how dentists can shape human life and happiness. My passion for the health professions and my skill for artistic expression lead me to develop an ultimate desire and determination for pursuing dentistry as profession.

Hometown: I grew up in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. I lived there most of my life before I moved to the United States in 2010. During my childhood, I travelled to many countries with my family which shaped my global perspective about lives in different parts of the world.

My family: I come from a family of educators. My parents are retired professors and I have two loving sisters and an adorable niece. My elder sister is an artist and my younger sister is an economist. My husband is an environmental engineering professor. My husband and I are animal lovers, and we love our little furry friends.

Favorite things to do on a day off: I love the outdoors and biking. I like to stroll through the parks and trails.

Three things people may not know about me:

• I love rescuing and fostering animals in need.
• I love the serenity of the mountains.
• A good soup is always a yes for me.

What I’m most looking forward to about working at the college: The College of Dentistry is going through an exciting period of growth. I am thrilled and excited to contribute to this journey. I am looking forward to working with the wonderful faculty members to educate future dentists.

Professional memberships:

• I presently serve as an Executive Council Member (2024 Councilor) of the Academy of Operative Dentistry (AOD). This prestigious opportunity helps me give back to the operative dentistry community.
• I represented my previous institutions at Consortium of Operative Dentistry Educators (CODE) meetings to help improve operative dentistry curriculum.
• I am a member of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). ADEA recognized my contributions to students, faculty and society at large by awarding me the 2020 ADEA Faculty of Color Tuition Scholarship for professional development. Additionally, I participated in the ADEA Summer Program for Emerging Academic Leaders in 2021. As a fellow, I am actively involved in developing leadership projects and collaborating with peers from other institutions.