Rate My Professor Melvyn Yeoh

Melvyn Yeoh, DMD, MD, FACS, is the Chair of the Department of Oral Health Science and Chief of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, holding the rank of Associate Professor. He received his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000 and his Doctor of Medicine from Weill Cornell Medical College in 2008. Yeoh completed his residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital at Cornell Medical Center in 2010, followed by a two-year fellowship in Head and Neck Surgery and Microvascular Reconstruction at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, earning a Graduate Certificate in 2012. Before joining the University of Kentucky faculty in 2016 as an Assistant Professor in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, he served for four years as Assistant Professor and Residency Program Director in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

Yeoh's academic interests focus on oral and oropharyngeal cancer detection, including HPV-related markers such as HPV16 E6 seropositivity, circulating tumor HPV DNA, and antibody detection via dried blood spots. He was principal investigator for the 'Eradicate Oral Cancer in Eastern Kentucky' project, funded by the United Health Foundation from 2018 to 2025, which conducted screenings and awareness initiatives in Appalachian regions. Currently, he serves as co-investigator on National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and American Cancer Society grants investigating HPV16 E6 antibodies as early markers for oropharyngeal cancer, particularly among men living with HIV. His peer-reviewed publications include 'Cysts and Benign Odontogenic Tumors of the Jaws' (2024, Dental Clinics of North America), 'Performance of Dried Blood Spot Cards for Serologic Detection of HPV16 Antibodies in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients' (2025, Microorganisms), 'Mandibular Destruction with a Moth-Eaten Appearance' (2026, Journal of the American Dental Association), and contributions to chapters such as 'The Salivary Glands' (2023) and 'Management of Maxillary Fractures'. Yeoh contributes to oral cancer summits, public screenings, and outreach programs in Eastern Kentucky.