William and Mary K. Najjar Endowed Professor of Dentistry
Chair, Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan

Prof. Dr. Purnima Kumar is a globally recognized leader in periodontology, currently serving as the William and Mary K. Najjar Endowed Professor and Chair of the Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine at the University of Michigan. She earned her dental degree from Annamalai University in India and completed her Master’s in Periodontology and PhD in Molecular Microbiology at The Ohio State University.

A Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and a Fellow of numerous prestigious organizations—including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy—Dr. Kumar is a multifaceted academician, clinician, and scientist.
She leads the Oral Microbial Ecology Laboratory at the University of Michigan, with research funded by the NIH, NCI, and oral healthcare industry. She has published over 100 scientific papers and book chapters, and serves as Associate Editor of Periodontology 2000 and Senior Editor of Microbiome.

Dr. Kumar is active in professional leadership, serving on the Budget and Science Strategy Committees of the AAP, and recently concluded her roles as Chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs and AAP Continuing Education Oversight Committee. She is also a Board Member of both the Osteology Foundation and the AAP Foundation, and Past-President of the IADR Periodontal Research Group.

Deeply committed to mentorship and advocacy, Dr. Kumar has guided numerous students and junior faculty across all levels and actively supports taskforces for women in science, surgery, and STEM.