Spagnoli New Chair of OMFS

The LSUHSC School of Dentistry (LSUSD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Daniel Spagnoli as the new chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS). A 1989 graduate of the LSUSD OMFS residency program, Dr. Spagnoli brings a depth of experience to the school as a surgeon, scholar, researcher, and educator.

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Spagnoli received his BS in biology from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1974 and an MS and PhD in anatomy from West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1977 and 1980. He received training in cell biology as a research fellow at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He then attended dental school at West Virginia University, receiving his DDS in 1985.

After completing his OMFS residency at LSUSD, Dr. Spagnoli entered private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, but maintained academic affiliations with LSU and the University of North Carolina. From 1990-2000 he was director of oral and maxillofacial residency training at the Carolinas Medical Center. His private practice, The Carolinas Center for Oral and Facial Surgery, is a rotation site for training of LSU OMFS residents.

Dr. Spagnoli is the author of over 30 articles and book chapters. He has served as section editor of the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal and AAOMFS Knowledge Update. In 2005 and 2006, he co-authored two award-winning papers published in the Journal of Periodontology and the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. His most recent article, “Dental Implants and the Use of rhBMP-2,” which appeared in the May 2011 issue of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America, was reprinted in Dental Clinics of North America that same year. His research, numerous lectures, and continuing education courses are focused on temporomandibular joint disorders and surgery, tissue engineering, and preprosthetic surgery.

The OMFS curriculum at LSUSD includes seven courses for dental students and two courses in the dental hygiene program. Each year the residency program accepts four dentists who train for six years, ultimately receiving both an MD and a certificate in OMFS. A number of one-year interns also train with the residents. The program, with residents working at various hospitals and clinics in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Charlotte, recently completed a successful accreditation process, with no recommended changes cited during the site visit.

Dr. Spagnoli’s arrival at LSUSD this fall coincided with discussion of reorganization of the LSU hospitals, which will have a large impact on his program. He plans to significantly reintegrate the OMFS program into the dental school, with increased resident and faculty participation at the school. Although the department faces multiple challenges, Dr. Spagnoli is enthusiastic about the opportunities at LSUSD. He is confident that the evolution of the department will strengthen the LSUSD residency program and increase the scope of care within the health sciences center.

"Dr. Spagnoli brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to LSUSD,” said Dean Henry Gremillion. “We are grateful that he has chosen to join our team, and I look forward to working with him to ensure that our OMFS program sustains its reputation as one of the best in the country.”