Vinaya Kundapur, BDS, MDS,FICD

Vinaya Kundapur earned her Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Yenepoya Dental College (2006), RGUHS, Bangalore, India, and a Master of Dental Surgery in Prosthodontics from A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte University, Mangalore, India (2012). She later completed a Graduate Certificate in Geriatrics and Special Needs Dentistry at the University of Iowa, where she received the Samuel Johnston Graduate Student Fellowship Award for outstanding academic achievement. She was elected a Fellow of the International College of Dentists (ICD, Class of 2024), one of the highest honors in global dentistry, recognizing leadership, integrity, and service. Her scholarly work and conference presentations have received multiple awards, reflecting her strong academic and research contributions.

From 2021 to 2023, she served as a faculty assistant and program dentist for the Holistic Oral Health Program for the Elderly (HOPE) at UT Health San Antonio, helping expand oral healthcare access for nursing home residents and promoting interprofessional geriatric care. Her leadership roles include Vice Chair of the Board of Geriatrics for the Federation of Special Care Dentistry (2022–2024) and ICD Counselor for District 15–Texas (since 2024).

Her commitment to community and global oral health includes participation in Special Olympics Texas (2024), organizing “Mouth Care Matters” for Alzheimer’s Day (2023), and contributing to major outreach efforts in India, such as the “Gift a Smile” denture camp recognized in the Limca Book of Records (2019). 

Her academic journey, culminating in a PhD in Translational Science, along with her role as a Clinical Assistant Professor, provides a platform to inspire and educate future dental professionals. By integrating research with clinical practice and teaching, she strives to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and practical application to meet the evolving needs of dental care.