Dr. Luiz Meirelles
Get acquainted with Dr. Luiz Meirelles, Associate Professor in the Division of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry. Find out about his youth in Brazil, the high-tech research he’s engaged in, and the great adventure he’s considering next!
- Question Where did you grow up and what was it like there?
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Answer
I grew up in Barra da Tijuca, a southwest suburb by the beach that’s about 40 minutes from downtown Rio de Janeiro. It was a place with a quiet, small-town feel that attracted families moving away from the busy city area.
- Question In your early years, what did you want to be when you grew up?
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Answer
First, a firefighter – and later, an Air Force pilot. But as I grew up in a family with many dentists, the strength of the DNA showed up and that’s the career I chose.
- Question Who is your real-life or fictional “hero”?
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Answer
Definitely, my mom. I’m not sure how she managed a successful career as a prosecutor while taking care of our family. But she was always generous with family and friends, and always available to fix simple and complex issues.
- Question Your DDS degree is from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and your Master of Science degree is in prosthodontics from Brazil’s State University of Campinas. What prompted you to pursue graduate work in prosthodontics? And what’s an important disco
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Answer
I was really impressed with the opportunity to change the life of edentulous patients. In a few visits, we could help rewrite their lives. The breakthrough moment was with a father who wanted to look sharp for his daughter when he walked her down the aisle at her wedding. After finalizing a few complete dentures in my DDS training, I decided to extend my training in complex rehabilitation procedures. The important discovery was learning to listen to the patients so I could better understand their needs and how to address them within their reality.
- Question What made you choose to pursue a PhD in biomaterials at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden?
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Answer
To me, it’s fascinating that a metal screw can support removable and fixed dental solutions. I was curious to learn how this could be done and how I could contribute to the continuous development of this technology. In Sweden, Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark is known as the “father” of osseointegration – the fusion of titanium and bone, so I decided to contact his group in Gothenburg to work with them. I also had the privilege of working with Dr. Ann Wennerberg, an internationally renowned expert on dental implant surfaces, and Dr. Tomas Albrektsson, a world-renowned authority on osseointegration. They supervised my PhD thesis that demonstrated the impact of nanostructures on early bone formation.
- Question What surprised you most when you moved from Brazil to Sweden?
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Answer
The simple, effective, and respectful way that Swedish society approaches life. Small problems are treated as small problems, offering opportunities to expand relationships, knowledge, and other very meaningful aspects of our lives.
- Question Prior to joining this college, you served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Prosthodontics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. You were also the Director of Product Evaluations for the American Dental Association’
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Answer
In Rochester, I was privileged to learn from the renowned prosthodontist Dr. Gerald Graser who taught me about the neutral zone impression technique using green compound only. It’s a time-consuming technique that’s sensitive to execution, but it offers a great outcome for patients with severe bone resorption. It was a great period of my life – sharing knowledge and the passion for treating edentulous patients with other prosthodontic faculty and residents.
Moving to Chicago to work for the American Dental Association placed me in a different role. During my time there, I had the opportunity to understand how decisions made by legislative branches, as well as national and international organizations, can impact our profession. A simple change that seems very reasonable for one region can have very negative consequences in another. A crucial part of my job was interacting with the general public on emerging topics and facilitating alignment among all stakeholders toward the best practices currently available. Overall, our goal was to ensure that dentists were able to provide the best possible oral care from Florida to Alaska.
- Question As a researcher, your areas of interest include biomaterials, dental implants, and other technological innovations. What are some breakthroughs you anticipate in the coming years?
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Answer
Our team is working with high-resolution scanners to improve diagnostics, providing real-time feedback during complex procedures. We are developing, with financial support from The Ohio State University and Ohio Third Frontier, a novel tool to process digital scans that has the potential to improve surgical accuracy while reducing operatory time. It is well aligned with the “digital twin” concept, offering a surgeon-friendly 3-D visualization of relevant anatomical structures, instruments, and the planned target site. The first clinical study of our first patent-pending technology, “Non-invasive monitoring of dental implant placement,” will start in April 2026.
- Question What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
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Answer
Don’t give up!
- Question If you could do your job anywhere in the world, where would it be?
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Answer
Anywhere that shares my core values. I want to be in a place that teaches and offers the best available care, focusing on excellence and innovation.
- Question What’s one great adventure you want to embark on in the near future?
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Answer
Crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a sailboat. I need to find time to learn how to sail and convince my family to pack and go!
- Question Tell us the question you were hoping to be asked, and then answer it!
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Answer
What’s the best way to bribe you? Coffee and Reese’s!