Clinical Innovation · Medical Technology · Strategic Advisory

Gerald Thomas Grant

Maxillofacial prosthodontist and clinical executive whose career has advanced the integration of digital technology, translational research, and interdisciplinary innovation in craniofacial care.

I am a maxillofacial prosthodontist whose work bridges clinical expertise with emerging technologies — digital imaging, virtual surgical planning, additive manufacturing, extended reality, and advanced materials — to create practical, high-value solutions in patient-specific design and complex reconstruction. Across military, academic, and federal healthcare environments, I have led major digital dentistry and medical-technology initiatives, directed multidisciplinary innovation programs, contributed to national standards and regulatory discussions, and partnered with engineering teams to translate clinical needs into validated digital workflows and device development. I bring a track record of strategic innovation, credible technical leadership, and the ability to guide organizations toward more integrated, digitally enabled care.

Open to: Executive leadership, strategic advisory, board & consulting
Service: Captain, U.S. Navy Dental Corps (Ret.)
Board certification: Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics
Degrees: DMD, MS
Based: Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Get in touch View leadership track record

$12M+

Research funding led or supported

5

U.S. patents granted

31

Years U.S. Navy Dental Corps service

40+

Peer-reviewed publications, chapters & abstracts

Walter Reed · Johns Hopkins · NASA · FDA · NIH · DoD/DHA · Lexington VA · University of Louisville

Clinical Innovation

Clinical Innovation Portfolio

Advancing patient care at the intersection of clinical practice and emerging technology — digital dentistry, 3D medical imaging, additive manufacturing, and computer-assisted surgical planning.

Expertise: Medical Device Development / Regulatory & Standards / Additive Manufacturing / Digital Dentistry / 3D Medical Imaging / Computer-Assisted Surgery / Craniofacial Reconstruction / Bioprinting

01

3D Medical Applications Leadership

Walter Reed · Integrated 3-D Medical Applications Service

Served as Service Chief in the Department of Radiology, advancing clinical use of medical imaging, digital modeling, rapid prototyping, and additive manufacturing to produce patient-specific implants, surgical guides, anatomical models, and virtual surgical plans for complex craniofacial reconstruction of combat-injured service members. The work set accuracy and validation benchmarks for 3D-printed medical models.

02

Computer-Assisted Surgery (CAPE)

Johns Hopkins · APL · Walter Reed collaboration

Contributed to the Computer-Assisted Planning and Execution system for face-jaw-teeth transplantation — including patient-specific trackable cutting guides and real-time cephalometry — recognized with the 2015 Tech Connect National Innovation Award. The program produced five related U.S. patent filings, four of them now granted.

2015 Tech Connect National Innovation Award2014 Abell Foundation Award · Technology transfer

03

Digital Dentistry & Clinical Transformation

University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Led institutional adoption of CAD/CAM, digital workflows, virtual planning, and intraoral scanning across clinical practice, research, and advanced dental education as Assistant Dean for Technology & Innovation.

04

Bioprinting & Space Health

DoD/DHA · NASA TRISH

Helped establish a Department of Defense bioprinting/fabrication center, and serves as consultant and board member to the center, which oversees DoD/DHA-funded bioprinting research. Contributed to NASA-sponsored research developing surgical and 3D-printing capabilities for spaceflight environments.

05

Point-of-Care Virtual Planning & Fabrication

University of Louisville · Craniofacial Virtual Laboratory · 2016 – 2022

An in-house service for the Health Sciences Center and Speed School of Engineering: DICOM conversion and segmentation, virtual surgical consultation, medical-model and craniofacial surgical-guide design and fabrication, and virtual dental-implant planning with guide fabrication — supporting education, research, and remote consultation.

06

Expeditionary Additive Manufacturing

U.S. Navy · Print the Fleet · DARPA proof of concept

Spearheaded training in and development of shipboard additive manufacturing as a partner to the Chief of Naval Operations' Rapid Innovation Cell (Print the Fleet, 2013–2015). Designed basic surgical instruments for printing in the field as a DARPA proof of concept, demonstrated at a combat trauma field station.

2013 Grand Prize · Design of Medical Devices Conference

Regulatory & Standards

Regulatory, Standards & National Advisory

FDA

Subject-matter expert, Additive Manufacturing Workshop; consultant, AM in medical/dental devices. Co-author, “FDA Regulatory Pathways and Technical Considerations for the 3D Printing of Medical Models and Devices” (opens in a new tab) (Springer, 2024)

NIH

3D Print Exchange consultant; grant reviewer, 3D printing of pediatric devices

NIST

Panel on photopolymers in medical devices

GAO

Forum on Additive Manufacturing

SECNAV / Navy

Task Force on Additive Manufacturing Implementation

ADA

Standards Committee on Dental Products — Working Group 2.16, Extraoral Maxillofacial Prosthetic Elastomers (2017–present)

ACP

Chair, Digital Dentistry Glossary Development Task Force — Glossary of Digital Dental Terms (opens in a new tab) (2016), standard terminology for digital workflows

CODA

Accreditation site visitor, Prosthodontics (2018–present)

DICOM

Working Group 22 (Dental)

NIDCR

Contributor, 3D Printing section, Report to the Surgeon General on Oral Health (2020)

Quality & validation research

Methods for measuring the dimensional accuracy and calibration of clinical 3D printers and benchmarking intraoral scanners — work with direct implications for quality-assurance standards in point-of-care manufacturing.

2023

Monitoring the Calibration of In-Office 3D Printers (opens in a new tab)

Dentistry Journal

2021

Patient-Specific Maxillofacial Implant Prototype Development by Metal Fused Filament Fabrication of Ti-6Al-4V (opens in a new tab)

Dentistry Journal

2018

Complete-Arch Accuracy of Intraoral Scanners (opens in a new tab)

Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry

2011

Accuracy of Rapid Prototype Models for Head and Neck Reconstruction (opens in a new tab)

Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry · Judson Hickey Award

Research & Intellectual Property

Research Funding & Intellectual Property

Selected research funding

$8M

Defense Health Agency — DoD/DHA Center for Bio-printing / Fabrication (multi-institution collaboration).

2016 · Collaborator

$2M

Department of Commerce — LAMBDA additive manufacturing business development alliance.

2021 – present · Collaborator

$1.7M

BUMED proof-of-concept program for pre-combat digital head and neck imaging.

2007 · Principal Investigator

$1.4M

Congressional Adds for Medical/Dental Research — rapid-prototyped custom titanium implants (cumulative).

2010 – 2012 · Principal Investigator

$500K

NASA Translational Research Institute — surgical and 3D-printing capabilities in space.

2017 · Collaborator

Intellectual property

Computer-Assisted Planning and Execution SystemGranted

U.S. Patent 10,448,956 B2 · 2019 (opens in a new tab)

Computer-Assisted Face-Jaw-Teeth TransplantationGranted

U.S. Patent 10,537,337 B2 · 2020 (opens in a new tab)

Orthognathic Biomechanical SimulationGranted

U.S. Patent 10,631,877 B2 · 2020 (opens in a new tab)

Patient-Specific Trackable Cutting GuidesGranted

U.S. Patent 10,682,147 B2 · 2020 (opens in a new tab)

Adjustable Head Positioning Device for Cone Beam CT ScannerGranted

U.S. Patent 9,456,792 B2 · 2016 (opens in a new tab)

Computer-Assisted Craniomaxillofacial SurgeryPublished application

WO 2015/081225 A1 (opens in a new tab)

Real-Time Cephalometry for Craniomaxillofacial SurgeryPublished application

US 2017/0000504 A1 (opens in a new tab)

Four of the granted patents issued from the CAPE program with Johns Hopkins (see 02).

Leadership & Strategy

Leadership Track Record

I believe leadership is about establishing a clear vision, bringing together the right expertise, and creating the environment for innovation to translate into meaningful clinical outcomes. My approach is centered on developing people, advancing innovation responsibly, and ensuring that emerging technologies are ultimately connected to meaningful improvements in clinical care and patient outcomes.

Current

2022 – Present

Maxillofacial Prosthodontist

Lexington VA Health Care System · Adjunct Professor, University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Lead a VA-wide registry for the use and follow-up of patient-specific dental implants and clinical trials in oral wound healing.
Provide specialized prosthodontic and maxillofacial care while overseeing resident rotations through the prosthodontic service.

Technology & institutional leadership

From 2017

Interim Director, Advanced Program in Prosthodontics

University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Directed one of the institution's advanced postgraduate dental training programs, providing academic, clinical, and educational leadership.
Led integration of advanced digital technologies and emerging clinical workflows into postgraduate training and patient care.
Served on interdisciplinary committees spanning translational bioengineering, curriculum, and advanced digital dental technology.

2018 – 2022

Assistant Dean, Technology & Innovation

Professor (Tenured), Rehabilitative & Reconstructive Dentistry · University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Provided institutional leadership for technology and innovation modernizing dental education, clinical practice, and research.
Served as Associate Director of the Additive Manufacturing Institute of Science and Technology within the Speed School of Engineering.
Contributed to the $2M Department of Commerce LAMBDA additive manufacturing commercialization program.

2015 – 2017

Professor & Interim Chair, Department of Oral Health & Rehabilitation

University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Guided departmental operations, academic priorities, faculty activities, and educational programs during a period of organizational transition.
Advanced interdisciplinary collaboration between dentistry, engineering, medical imaging, additive manufacturing, and translational research.

2009 – 2015

3-D Medical Applications Service Chief

Director, Craniofacial Imaging Research · Walter Reed National Military Medical Center · Naval Postgraduate Dental School

Led the 3-D Medical Applications Service, advancing imaging, digital modeling, rapid prototyping, and additive manufacturing for complex reconstruction.
Directed craniofacial imaging research across cone-beam CT, photogrammetry, and virtual surgical techniques for head and neck reconstruction.
Served as national military subject-matter expert on additive manufacturing and digital design/manufacturing in medicine.

2004 – 2011

Chair, Maxillofacial Prosthetics

Navy Specialty Leader to the Surgeon General · Naval Postgraduate Dental School

Chaired the Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics and served as Acting Chair of the Research Department.
Advised the Navy Surgeon General on Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Dental Implants as Specialty Leader.
Directed research in craniofacial imaging, rapid prototyping, custom implants, and advanced reconstruction technologies.

Military service

1985 – 2016

Captain (Ret.)

U.S. Navy Dental Corps

A 31-year career spanning clinical, operational, command, education, and specialty leadership — including Department Head aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and Navy Specialty Leader to the Surgeon General for Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Dental Implants.

Additional faculty appointments: Johns Hopkins University (Plastic Surgery), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

Military & Professional Service

Service, Governance & Recognition

Gerald Thomas Grant in Navy uniform in front of a 3D facial scan on a workstation monitor

1985 – 2016 · Captain (Ret.)

U.S. Navy Dental Corps

American College of Prosthodontists

National Professional Leadership

President (2022–2023), Immediate Past President (2023–2024), President-Elect, Vice President, Region 6 Director, and Maxillofacial Director — leading digital dentistry, science, technology, and curriculum initiatives.

Board & organizational leadership

American Board of Prosthodontics — Director, 2022–Present; Secretary, 2024–Present

American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics — President, 2015–2016

Advanced Digital Technologies Foundation — President, 2017–2018

International Society for Maxillofacial Reconstruction — Research Committee Chair

Selected honors

Legion of Merit

2015 Tech Connect National Innovation Award

Judson Hickey Award for Scientific Writing (2012, 2024)

Clinician Researcher Award — ACP (2016)

Major General Bill B. Lefler Federal Services Award — ACP (2009)

Scholarship

Selected Publications

Books

2024

3D Printing at Hospitals and Medical Centers, 2nd Edition (opens in a new tab)

Co-author · Springer

2017

3D Printing in Medicine (opens in a new tab)

Co-author · Springer

Selected peer-reviewed papers

2024

The Future of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics in North America: The Role of Advanced Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence (opens in a new tab)

Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry · Judson Hickey Award

2016

A Craniomaxillofacial Surgical Assistance Workstation for Enhanced Single-Stage Reconstruction Using Patient-Specific Implants (opens in a new tab)

Journal of Craniofacial Surgery

2015

Medical 3D Printing for the Radiologist (opens in a new tab)

RadioGraphics

2014

Preliminary Development of a Workstation for Craniomaxillofacial Surgical Procedures: Introducing a Computer-Assisted Planning and Execution (CAPE) System (opens in a new tab)

Journal of Craniofacial Surgery

Author or co-author of 40+ peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and abstracts — full list on ORCID (opens in a new tab). Associate Editor, Journal of 3D Printing in Medicine; editorial boards and peer reviewer for numerous clinical and engineering journals.

Academic leadership & mentorship

Course director for advanced prosthodontics, dental implant, and digital dentistry curricula at the University of Louisville. Chaired or served on 30+ graduate thesis committees at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School and University of Louisville, mentoring clinicians and engineers across digital dentistry, 3D printing, implant planning, and validation research.

Credentials

Education & Fellowships

Education & certification

2002Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics

1999Certificate, Maxillofacial Prosthetics — Naval Dental School

1995Certificate, Prosthodontics — Naval Dental School

1995MS, Health Sciences — George Washington University

1985DMD — University of Louisville School of Dentistry

1981BA — Transylvania University

Fellowships

Fellow, American College of Prosthodontists

Fellow, American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics

Fellow, International College of Dentists

Fellow, International College of Prosthodontists

Fellow, International Society for Maxillofacial Reconstruction

Contact

Get in Touch

Open to executive leadership, strategic advisory, board, and consulting opportunities in clinical innovation and craniomaxillofacial technology.

LinkedIn ORCID · publications