Acela Martinez Luna becomes the school’s first division director of clinical implantology
Acela Martinez Luna, DMD, MS, clinical assistant professor, has been appointed inaugural division director of clinical implantology within the Department of Surgical Sciences at the ECU School of Dental Medicine.
“This appointment deepens Dr. Martinez Luna’s teaching role at the School of Dental Medicine and serves as a basis for her faculty and leadership development,” said David Paquette, chair of the Department of Surgical Sciences. “Thanks to Dean Greg Chadwick and Dr. Linc Conn, chair of the Department of General Dentistry, for their support of this new division designation and of Dr. Martinez Luna’s significant contributions to our implantology program.”
Acela Martinez Luna, DMD, MS, clinical assistant professor, has been appointed inaugural division director of clinical implantology within the Department of Surgical Sciences at the ECU School of Dental Medicine.
In this newly established role, Martinez Luna will oversee and advise the school’s predoctoral and residency programs in matters relating to dental implants and serve as chair of the school’s Dental Implant Advisory Committee. She will also oversee the distribution and referral of dental implant cases among student, resident and faculty clinics; advise on the inventory of implant components and continuous review of quality care regarding implant services; and serve as the school’s liaison with dental implant and device companies, including continuing dental education events.
“I am very excited and honored for this opportunity, and I am eager to make a positive contribution to the School of Dental Medicine,” said Martinez Luna.
Martinez Luna joined the ECU dental faculty in 2017. She received a doctor of dental medicine (DDS) with honors from Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi in Mexico in 2009 and completed a certificate in restorative dentistry at Centro de Estudios Odontologicos de Queretaro in 2011.
After a year of private practice in her home country, Martinez Luna pursued specialty training and completed the advanced education program and master of science in periodontology at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry in 2015. Following her specialty training, she completed a one-year fellowship in advanced implant dentistry at the UNC School of Dentistry.
Martinez Luna is the recipient of the Straumann New Periodontist Award (2017), Straumann SUPER Grant (2015), the North Carolina/American Association of Dental Research Section Derek T. Turner Student Research Award (2015), and the UNC-Chapel Hill Elsie and Baxter Sapp Fellowship Award (2014).
Her clinical and research expertise includes implant dentistry, digital dentistry, 3D printing, periodontal plastic surgery, and periodontal and guided bone regeneration.
She is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, American Dental Association, East Central Dental Society, Hispanic Dental Association, North Carolina Dental Society, Mexican Association of Periodontology, and she is a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology.