ADVANCING RESEARCH, EDUCATION & PATIENT CARE

SINCE JOINING PENN DENTAL MEDICINE IN 2019, DR. ESRA SAHINGUR

HAS LAUNCHED TWO NEW MASTER’S PROGRAMS, EXPANDED STUDENT RESEARCH, AND CONTINUED TO PURSUE HER OWN RESEARCH PROGRAM ON IMMUNE REGULATION

DR. SINEM ESRA SAHINGUR CAN’T RECALL A TIME when academia wasn’t the road she planned to follow. Her father was a physician and an academician who died when Sahingur was 11. “I was always inspired by him and his legacy,” she says. “But my mom was the heart and driving force both for me and my sister. Her unconditional love, caring, and guidance instilled in us to be resilient and not to be afraid to chase our dreams.”

Not only did Sahingur fulfill those dreams— she is a board-certified periodontist and Associate Professor of Periodontics at Penn Dental Medicine with a rigorous research program—but she has also taken her career on a parallel path, helping lead the next generation of scientists- and clinicians-to-be in pursuing their professional goals.

With nearly 20 years of experience as an accomplished scientist, academic leader, and exemplary educator, Sahingur joined Penn Dental Medicine faculty as the school’s first Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research in 2019. Since then, she has launched two master’s programs, initiated centralized online admissions for graduate programs, implemented the first hybrid on-line curriculum, and significantly expanded student research participation and scholarly output.

“It’s been challenging to operate in a new institution and build partnerships during a very disruptive pandemic, but it’s so rewarding, both to see our students succeeding and to work with my research team to keep advancing science,” she says.

OPPOSITE, ABOVE: Dr. Esra Sahingur joined Penn Dental Medicine as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research in 2019. Since then, she has launched two master’s programs, initiated centralized online admissions for graduate programs, implemented the first hybrid on-line curriculum, and significantly expanded student research participation and scholarly output.

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