Olga Baker, PhD, DDS

Olga Baker, PhD, DDS, was drawn out of dental practice by the realization that many of her patients could not be aided by existing treatments. In particular, she was struck by the suffering endured by patients who experienced hyposalivation (and did not benefit from common treatments, such as the reliance on artificial saliva and/or the use of secretory agonists). She enrolled in a doctoral program in Biochemistry in her home country of Venezuela to work in research and to gain experience in the pathobiology of salivary gland disorders. She later moved to the U.S. to increase her access to current research, facilities, and collaboration. Having gained access to these resources as a doctoral student and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Missouri, she worked among a concentrated and dedicated group of dental researchers at the State University of New York-Buffalo and later at the University of Utah.

Her current interests mirror past concerns for the well-being of people who do not produce adequate saliva, either due to genetics or treatment side effects. She focuses on a comprehensive approach to the problem, involving not just treatment but preventative aspects. She works in the areas of clinically applicable implants (using new biomaterials) and resolution of inflammation (using resolvins), which she believes to be the most efficacious treatment available. She believes this research will bring tangible benefits to those who suffer from hyposalivation and looks forward to bringing these research programs to fruition.

Baker Research Lab