Dr. Jennifer Gibbs

Dr. Jennifer Gibbs holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) and a PhD in neuropharmacology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She completed her specialist training in endodontics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she also pursued postdoctoral research in pain neurobiology. She is board certified by the American Board of Endodontics.

Gibbs joined Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in 2018 as Program Director of the Advanced Graduate Program in Endodontics within the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences. She previously served on the faculty at UCSF and at NYU College of Dentistry.

As both an academic endodontist and neuroscientist, Gibbs focuses her research on the neurobiology of dental pain, regenerative endodontics, pulp biology, and patient-centered outcomes. Her work has shed light on the atypical innervation of the dental pulp and potential mechanisms underlying persistent pain following tooth injury or endodontic treatment. She has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters, and her research program continues to explore novel approaches to managing dental pain, including targeting bacterial-mediated nociception.

A dedicated educator and mentor, Gibbs emphasizes clinical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and lifelong learning among the residents she trains. She lectures nationally and internationally on advanced endodontic diagnostics, pain mechanisms, and evolving therapeutic approaches.

Gibbs maintains a clinical practice in endodontics and plays an active role in research leadership and postgraduate education at HSDM.