Clinician’s Profile

Nate Lawson, DMD, MA, PhD

Nate Lawson DMD, MA, PhD is the Director of the Division of Biomaterials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry and the program director of the Biomaterials residency program. He graduated from UAB School of Dentistry in 2011 and obtained his PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2012. His research interests are the mechanical, optical, and biologic properties of dental materials and clinical evaluation of new dental materials. He was the 2016 recipient of the Stanford New Investigator Award and the 2017 3M Innovative Research Fellowship both from the American Dental Association. He served on the American Dental Association Council of Scientific Affairs and is on the editorial board of The Journal of Adhesive Dentistry and Compendium. He has lectured nationally and internationally on the subject of dental materials. He also works as a general dentist in the UAB Faculty Practice.

Affiliations

The University of Alabama at Birmingham – Full-Time Faculty: Nate Lawson
https://www.uab.edu/dentistry/home/people/faculty/nate-lawson

Dr Nate Lawson
https://www.drnatelawson.com

Contributed Articles

  • article banner, Dr. Nate Lawson

Ask the Expert: An Interview with Nate Lawson, DMD, PhD on Universal Adhesives

July 8th, 2024|

By Nate Lawson, DMD, PhD

What is an universal adhesive? A “universal” adhesive is not a technical term but rather a clinical term. It implies that an adhesive can be used with or without phosphoric acid on dentin or enamel. In scientific writing, these adhesives are sometimes referred to as mild self-etch adhesives because they have a slightly less acidic pH (around 3) than typical self-etch materials (around 2).

  • Nate Lawson, Ask Expert, composite polishers

Ask the Expert: An Interview with Nate Lawson, DMD, MA, PhD on Composite Polishers

April 13th, 2023|

By Nate Lawson, DMD, MA, PhD

When I first learned to place composite restorations, I had issues achieving a smooth, porous-free surface that blended with my tooth preparation. Perhaps the most important tip to achieve this outcome is to maintain a smooth surface throughout the entire process of placing and layering the composite.

  • Ask the Expert, NAte Lawson, temporary restorations article banner

Ask the Expert: An Interview with Nate Lawson, DMD, MA, PhD on the Fabrication of Temporary Restorations

April 4th, 2023|

By Nate Lawson, DMD, MA, PhD

There are several methods used to fabricate temporary restorations. They range in complexity from “block” temporaries, formed from the free-hand carving of set temporary material placed over the prepared tooth, to pre-fabricated stainless steel or acrylic temporary crowns to 3D printed or milled temporaries.