PROTECT Co-Investigator. Associate Professor, Department Head, Director, Pediatric Dentistry Outpatient Care Clinic, Department of Pediatric Dentistry. UIC.

As a pediatric dentist, Dr. Avenetti practices the philosophy of providing quality preventive and restorative care with a family-centered approach. He believes it’s important to provide care consistent with the best available science/evidence. He believes in creating an experience that is individualized to each person’s needs. Additionally, he is passionate about promoting a positive dental experience for children. He believes that PROTECT will help establish healthy habits and a positive attitude towards oral health that will last a lifetime to prevent recurrent dental cavities. As a full-time faculty member, Dr. Avenetti is actively involved in clinical and didactic teaching, administration, research, and service; he provides direct patient care in extramural practice and intramurally in the Outpatient Care Center. Dr. Avenetti is actively involved in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, where he serves on Councils/Committees and is also a national spokesperson.

PROTECT Co-Investigator. Savithri and Samuel Raj Endowed Professor. Associate Head of Research, Department of Pediatrics. Director, Center for Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Grant Program. Associate Director, Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science. Research Fellow, Institute for Health Research and Policy. UIC.

Dr. Molly Martin is a practicing pediatrician and researcher. Dr. Martin's research has been continuously funded by the NIH since 2004. Her research addresses health disparities using community-based interventions and implementation science methods. As director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science's Pilot Grant Program, Dr. Martin brings expertise in the fields of implementation science and behavioral intervention design and testing, especially as they relate to community health workers. She is also active in local and national policy efforts that target health disparities. Her research focuses on community models to improve health. As a complement to her research, Dr. Martin sees patients in the Mile Square Health Center and participates in resident and student education.

PROTECT Co-Investigator. Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition. Co-Leader, Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program. UIC.

As a Faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, she is passionate about making a positive impact on children's health. Dr. Tussing-Humphreys loves researching how diet relates to health, especially in terms of eating habits that can influence colorectal cancer risk. She also studies how nutrition plays a vital role in preventing tooth decay in children, paying special attention to the behaviors of families and communities. She is excited to be a partner in PROTECT on the NDSR system, designed to help track the calories your child consumes each day, helping the children get the right nutrition while encouraging good toothbrushing habits. 

The Tussing-Humphreys Lab uses epidemiological, clinical, social, behavioral, and molecular tools and assessments to understand the complex relationship between environmental exposures, including diet, and colorectal cancer risk disparities. She has a unique transdisciplinary approach to cancer health equity research, and she has been leading multidisciplinary research studies and dietary/lifestyle intervention trials for more than 10 years with a major focus on reducing health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities residing in both rural and urban settings. 

PROTECT Co-Investigator. Director, Biostatistics Core, Institute for Health Research and Policy. UIC.

As the Director of the Methodology Research Core at the Institute for Health Research and Policy, he has provided statistical support to numerous investigators in health and community prevention studies, focusing on observational studies, experimental design, power analysis, longitudinal data analysis, and ROC analysis. In the PROTECT Study, he will work with our investigators to analyze the data and get results effectively.

PROTECT Consultant. Associate Professor, Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry. University of Iowa. 

As a registered and licensed dietitian with a doctorate in human nutrition, Dr. Marshall coordinates and teaches the nutrition curriculum at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. She has always been excited about the connections between diet, nutrition, oral health, and overall wellness. She is actively involved in national and international efforts to prevent tooth decay, emphasizing the crucial role that diet plays. Proudly affiliated with several professional organizations such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Academy of Cariology, she serves as a research editor for the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She lends her expertise to the PROTECT study, which focuses on children's dietary intake, especially as it relates to sugary drinks, to help reduce tooth decay and encourage healthier habits.