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Wanida Ono, DDS, PhD, DMSc, is a board-certified orthodontist, NIH-funded scientist, and the Division Chief of Orthodontics at the University of California, San Francisco, effective September 1, 2025. The UCSF School of Dentistry’s long-standing reputation for excellence in clinical care, education, and research has deeply inspired her, and she is honored to serve a division that exemplifies such distinction.

Originally from Bangkok, Thailand, Dr. Ono earned her DDS from Chulalongkorn University and served as a general dentist in the Royal Thai Navy before pursuing a PhD at the Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Medical and Dental University). She completed her postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, followed by a DMSc and orthodontic certificate from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Ono began her academic career at the University of Michigan, where she served as the Pediatric Orthodontic Program Director, and later joined UTHealth Houston, where she served as a full professor. Her NIH-supported research investigates the molecular and developmental mechanisms underlying tooth eruption and root formation, with the goal of developing pharmacological treatments for eruption disorders.

Dr. Ono has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, including papers in PNAS, Journal of Dental Research, and Nature Communications, and has received major honors from the AAO, ASBMR, AADR/IADR, and ADEA. She is deeply committed to mentoring future orthodontists and orthodontist-scientists and to advancing the next generation of leaders in orthodontic education and research.

Dr. Niki Fallah is a board-certified Diplomate in Pediatric Dentistry. She completed her pediatric residency training from the University of California, San Francisco, as well as a Master of Science in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences. She obtained a DDS from the University of Southern California and a BA from the University of California at Berkeley.

Dr. Fallah is currently a part-time assistant clinical professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco.

She sat on the board of directors for the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry between 2017-2021.

Dr. Fallah was born and raised in the Bay Area. She feels fortunate to be able to serve the very community she grew up in. Dr. Fallah has three daughters, Maya and identical twins Emmy and Ella, and is married to Dr. Amir Schricker, an electrophysiologist and the Chief of Cardiology at Mills-Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame.

Dr. Jennifer Lo serves as a volunteer part-time faculty member in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry. She earned her Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from Tufts University School of Dentistry. She also completed the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Following her passion, she further completed the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program at UCSF and also earned her master's in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences. She is a board-certified pediatric dentist. Dr. Lo contributes to the post-doctoral education in pediatric dentistry.

Dr. Thai serves as a part-time faculty member in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry. She earned her DDS degree from New York University in 2005, completed her pediatric specialty certificate at New York University in 2007, and is board-certified with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Thai contributes primarily to our pre-doctoral education in pediatric dentistry.

Jonathan Wong was born and raised in New York. He grew up with a passion for building and tinkering. This passion for form and function drove him to earn his B.E. in mechanical engineering and complete two internships designing, analyzing, and prototyping novel solar aircraft structures. During this time, he nurtured a slowly growing desire to serve people more directly that led to him pursue a career in healthcare. He went on to earn his D.D.S. degree at Columbia University. There, he conducted research on trends in the surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea, organized multiple case study presentation events for his year, and trained his junior class in the use of new Epic templates he developed for his faculty.

Dr. Wong then decided to pursue training in oral and maxillofacial surgery, a field that challenges him to master form and function for the sake of patients. His areas of interest include orthognathic surgery, benign pathology, and reconstruction.

When he is not in clinic, he can be found riding and tinkering with his bike, learning to cook, going to science museums, and watching various shows and documentaries that catch his interest. He is currently amassing parts to build a second bike.

Sahm Rafati is a Bay Area native, born and raised in Saratoga, California. He attended the University of the Pacific as part of their accelerated 3+3 pre-dental program, graduating magna cum laude with a B.S. in Biology. He went on to earn his DDS from the UCSF School of Dentistry, and is excited to begin residency at his home program.

During dental school, Dr. Rafati served as surgical and implant chief in his clinical group practice, president of the OMFS Club, conducted clinical research, and participated in multiple outreach organizations. His clinical interests include orthognathic surgery, maxillofacial trauma, and dentoalveolar surgery.

Outside of residency, he enjoys rooting for the 49ers and Lakers, working out, exploring San Francisco’s restaurant scene, and spending quality time with his fiancé and their Australian Labradoodle, Rye.

Alex Li originally comes from North Carolina and went to UNC Chapel Hill for his undergraduate degree in chemistry. He went on and obtained DMD at University of Pennsylvania where he was mentored by multiple faculties in oral and maxillofacial surgery and developed a passion for the specialty. He is clinically interested in maxillofacial trauma, orthognathic surgery, and implant surgery. He is looking forward to pursuing his education at UCSF OMFS and learn from the leaders of the specialty. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing basketball, and trying different cuisines from around the world.

Dr. Benyamin Makhani grew up in Los Angeles, California, where dentistry ran in the family — both his father and grandfather were dentists, sparking his early interest in the field. He went on to attend UCLA, earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology, where he became fascinated by the connection between science, health, and human behavior. Benyamin earned his DDS from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, where he found his true passion in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

He immersed himself in clinical training and was honored by the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons as a fourth-year dental student for his dedication and promise in the specialty. He is especially interested in full-scope OMFS and looks forward to developing his skills in trauma, pathology, reconstruction, and orthognathic surgery during residency. Known for his easygoing personality and strong work ethic, Benyamin brings a team-oriented mindset to every environment.

Outside of residency, you can find him lifting weights, hiking new trails, and passionately following the Michigan Wolverines and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dr. Apoena Ribeiro serves as Professor and Division Chief of Pediatric Dentistry in the Department of Orofacial Sciences at UCSF School of Dentistry. She earned her doctor of dental surgery degree from the Fluminense Federal University and a master’s degree in Pediatric Dentistry from the Rio de Janeiro Federal University in Brazil, where she also completed a PhD in Science focusing on Microbiology and Immunology. She then pursued postdoctoral training in Oral Microbiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Before joining UCSF, Dr. Ribeiro served as a tenured Professor and Director of the Cariology Curriculum and the Oral Microbiology Laboratories at the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry. Previously, she was a tenured Associate Professor and Division Chief of Pediatric Dentistry and Cariology at the Fluminense Federal University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With over 25 years of experience in academia and pediatric clinical practice, she has established a distinguished career as a clinician-scientist, educator, and leader in Pediatric Dentistry, Cariology, and Oral Microbiology.

Internationally recognized for her contributions, Dr. Ribeiro has improved children’s oral health worldwide by pioneering new research approaches, implementing advanced clinical programs, and establishing educational standards adopted by institutions globally. Her vision and leadership not only shape the field in pediatric oral health outcomes, reinforcing UCSF’s influence in pediatric dentistry.

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/apoena.de%20aguiar%20ribeiro.1/bibliography/public/