Dr. Lyndon Cooper: A Leader in Dental Innovation and Research
Dr. Lyndon F. Cooper stands at the intersection of clinical excellence and groundbreaking research, bringing decades of experience to his role as dean of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Dentistry and Harry Lyons Professor of Prosthodontics.
Cooper’s distinguished career spans multiple prestigious institutions and leadership positions. A diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics, he served as president of the American College of Prosthodontists in 2010. His professional journey has taken him from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as Chairperson and Graduate Program Director, to the University of Illinois Chicago, where he held the position of Associate Dean for Research.
At UIC, Cooper expanded research initiatives in regenerative sciences and innovative biomedical devices while leading translational studies examining biomarkers linked to cancer. Under his leadership, the Department of Oral Biology became foundational to the school’s
curriculum, supporting DMD, MS and PhD students. He also established the school’s Clinical Research Center while maintaining his clinical practice as a prosthodontist.
During his tenure at UNC’s Adams School of Dentistry, Cooper served as Program Director of Advanced Prosthodontics and Stallings Distinguished Professor. His contributions to the field have been recognized with numerous honors, including the ACP’s 2004 Clinician/ Researcher Award and the 2009 International Association for Dental Research Distinguished Scientist Award for Prosthodontics and Implantology.
Cooper’s academic credentials are equally impressive. After earning his DDS from New York University, he pursued a PhD at the University of Rochester, New York, and obtained a certificate in prosthodontics from the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester. He later completed a two-year research fellowship at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Maryland.
His scholarly impact is evidenced by more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and numerous national and international presentations. Cooper remains actively engaged in both research and patient care, focusing his efforts on enhancing dental education, advancing dental
therapeutic excellence and improving access to oral health care.
The Academy of Osseointegration has recognized Cooper’s continued contributions to the field with multiple honors in 2026. The article “Comparing Single- Tooth Implant Placement With and Without Allogeneic Soft Tissue Augmentation: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” for which Cooper served as chief investigator with Dr. Al-Tarawneh as first author, was selected for the Academy’s 2026 William R. Laney Award. The study was published in Volume 39, Issue 5 of the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants.
Cooper will also receive the Academy’s Distinguished Educator Award at AO’s 2026 Annual Meeting and has been nominated to join the AO’s Board of Directors in 2026.
He will share his expertise at the Academy of Osseointegration’s 2026 Annual Meeting, “Planning for Longevity and Improving People’s Lives: Key Factors to Embrace” on Saturday, March 7.
Through his leadership at VCU and his ongoing contributions to research and clinical practice, Cooper continues to shape the future of dental education and patient care.
