John R. Zuniga DMD MS PhD

Dr. Zuniga received his dental degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts in 1978. He completed a general dental residency in 1979 and an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at the University of Rochester, Strong Memorial Hospital in 1986.  He received a MS and PhD in Neuroscience in the Neuroendocrine Unit of the University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry in 1986.  He was a full time faculty member of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1986 to 2006.  He served as the Program Director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency from 1992 to 2005 and was the co-director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Pain Program.  He has been chair of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and Parkland Memorial Hospital since 2006.

Dr. Zuniga has authored over 150 contributions to the scientific literature.  Dr. Zuniga’s major research interest includes regenerative neuroscience, pain and taste function.  He has been the recipient of numerous research grants, contracts and awards; he has served as a consultant to the editorial boards of a number of scientific and clinical journals, served on the FDA advisory panel for dental products, the examination committee of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and served on several research, resident education and faculty committees for AAOMS, the OMS Foundation and the ADA.