Teaching Activities: Dr. Johnsen taught predoctoral pediatric dentistry at West Virginia University & Case Western Reserve University and was department chair and director of the pediatric dentistry residency program at Case Western Reserve University (1990-1995).
Clinical Activities: Dr. Johnsen has been involved in private pediatric practice, pediatric clinics, or intramural faculty practice since 1974.
Research Dr. Johnsen's research has focused in two main areas, both with federal funding: innervation of teeth as an indicator of capacity to transmit pain sensory impulses and early childhood caries/caries patterns in preschoolers. The latter area included demonstration projects or consulting nationally in the Women and Infant Clinics (WIC) and the Head Start programs. He has also published on a variety of clinical and educational topics.
Activities: Dr. Johnsen has received grants from both public and private sources to support research projects and for programs to provide dental care for children and people with disabilities. His research has focused on the innervation of teeth and the early caries process. The focus on the early caries process has been assessing dental decay as a distinct pattern of disease, designing ways to prevent the disease and building those interventions into health networks. Dr. Johnsen has been a frequent contributor to the scientific literature and has presented the results of his research to state and national organizations.
National or International Professional Appointments and Activities: Dr. Johnsen's professional service has included the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Board of Directors, 1988-91; Child Health Advocate (legislative), 1992-95, with the Distinguished Service Award in 1996. Dr. Johnsen received the Achievement Award from the Ohio Dental Association in 1992. He served on the American Dental Education Association Council of Deans Board from 1998-2001 and as ADEA president from 2002-2003.
Dean Johnsen's university service has included being elected to chair the Faculty Senate at Case University in 1994. At The University of Iowa, he served as chair of the Search for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics CEO in 2002; as co-convener of the Health Sciences Policy Council, 2003-2004; as co-chair of the University Task Force on Clinical/Translational Research, 2005-2006; and as chair of the Nursing Dean Search in 2006.E-mail: David C. Johnsen