Alex Gillone is appointed division director of periodontology

Alex Gillone, DDS, MS, clinical assistant professor, has been appointed division director of periodontology within the Department of Surgical Sciences at the ECU School of Dental Medicine.

Among his duties, Gillone will oversee the periodontology curriculum within the school’s predoctoral (DMD) program, advise on matters relating to periodontology for advanced education residency programs and oversee recruitment of periodontal faculty.

Alex Gillone, DDS, MS, clinical assistant professor, has been appointed division director of periodontology within the Department of Surgical Sciences at the ECU School of Dental Medicine.

“The appointment will broaden Dr. Gillone’s teaching role and serves as a catalyst for his faculty and leadership development,” said David Paquette, chair of the Department of Surgical Sciences. “We thank him for his dedication to the predoctoral program and look forward to his oversight in continuing a strong periodontology program at all levels of education and patient care.”

“I am honored and humbled for this opportunity to further serve the students, patients and ECU School of Dental Medicine,” said Gillone.

Gillone joined the school’s faculty in 2017 and has directed the teaching module in periodontology for first-year dental students.

He earned a doctor of dental surgery (DDS) degree from the University of Cagliari School of Dentistry in 2009. Thereafter, he began private practice as a general dentist in Cagliari while attending the advanced training program in endodontics at the University of Bologna School of Dentistry. In 2011, he received a master of clinical endodontics from the University of Bologna.

While greatly satisfied with private practice, Gillone realized a desire to pursue the surgical discipline of periodontics and study in the United States. He was admitted to the advanced specialty education program in periodontology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry. He was awarded a certificate and master’s degree in periodontology in 2016.

His clinical and research expertise lies in implant dentistry, guided bone regeneration and periodontal regeneration, soft tissue management and cosmetic dentistry, relationship between systemic disease and periodontal disease, and quorum sensing within the oral microbiota.

Gillone is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology. He has won awards for his research, including the 2016 Billy M. Pennel Award (third place, basic science category) from the Southern Academy of Periodontology.