Pekka Vallittu
DDS, PhD, CDT
pekval@utu.fi +358 29 450 2861 +358 40 574 8200 Lemminkäisenkatu 2 Turku : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9981-6717 |
Biomaterials in dentistry and medicine; Dental Technology; Prosthetic Dentistry
Number of Peer-Reviewed Publications: 742 (ISI Web of Science All Databases)
H-index: 112
For full list of publications, see Web of Science All Databases
For materials science:
https://research.com/scientists-rankings/materials-science/fi
For art:
http://www.pekkavallittuart.wordpress.com
Pekka Vallittu earned his degrees in Dental Technology in 1988 and completed both his Doctor of Dental Surgery and Doctor of Philosophy in 1994. He received Adjunct Professorship in 1995 and specialized in prosthodontics and stomatognathic physiology, becoming a European Prosthodontic Association Recognized Prosthodontist in 2000. Currently, he serves as a Full Professor and Chair of Biomaterials Science in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Turku, Finland. Since 2004, with one interruption, he has worked as the Head of the Institute of Dentistry at the University of Turku until 2024 and he is the Director of the Turku Clinical Biomaterials Centre too. He holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Hong Kong, Visiting Professorship at the King Saud University and is a Doctor of Odontology honoris causa (h.c.) from the University of Eastern Finland. Additionally, he has been a Board Member of the University of Turku since 2018. He is member of The Finnish Artists (Suomen Taiteilijat ry).
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Pekka Vallittu has received numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Scientist Award in Prosthodontics and Implant Research from the International Association of Dental Research (IADR), the Acta Odontologica Scandinavica Big Prize, the Bensow-Äyräpää Prize, and the George Winter Award.
Scientific and Societal Impact
Vallittu's research interests began in dental technology and dentistry in the early 1990s, evolving to focus on high aspect ratio filler resin composites (FRC). This area became his predominant research focus for the following decades. In the early 2000s, FRC research expanded to include ceramics, bioceramics, and bioactive glasses, leading to investigations into biomineralizing and bioactive non-metallic bone surgery implants. His current research also explores natural-based fibers, such as nanocellulose, biomineralization, and hydrogels, for applications in dental restorations and bone implants. Through these research initiatives, Vallittu has collaborated with experts in cell biology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and materials chemistry. A significant aspect of his research is translating findings into clinical applications through existing companies or start-ups and addressing regulatory issues related to dental and medical biomaterials (MDR-EU, FDA). Recently, he has been involved in spin-off activities centered on sustainable 3D printing technology and the development of hydrating compounds for medical and technical uses. Pekka Vallittu’s h-index is 111 according to Google Scholar, and the Web of Science databases list 765 of his indexed publications. Research.com ranks him 848th in the world and 4th in Finland among the best materials scientists. He holds over 150 granted international patents based on more than 45 inventions and is a Fellow of the Academy of Dental Materials. He is an invited member of Finska Vetenskaps-Societeten - Suomen Tiedeseura - The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters – Société Scientifique de Finlande - Finnische Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft and The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters - Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia.
Dental education (theoretical, preclinical and clinical), biomaterial education at different levels in dentistry and medicine.
- Influence of increment thickness on dentin bond strength and light transmission of composite base materials (2017)
- Clinical Oral Investigations
- In vitro cytotoxicity and surface topography evaluation of additive manufacturing titanium implant materials (2017)
- Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine
- Key requirements for dental FRCs (2017) A Clinical Guide to Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRCs) in Dentistry Pekka Vallittu
- Light Transmission of Novel CAD/CAM Materials and Their Influence on the Degree of Conversion of a Dual-curing Resin Cement (2017)
- Journal of Adhesive Dentistry
- Load-bearing capacity and fracture behavior of glass fiber-reinforced composite cranioplasty implants (2017)
- Journal of Applied Biomaterials and Functional Materials
- Mechanical Properties and Wear of Five Commercial Fibre-Reinforced Filling Materials (2017)
- Chinese Journal of Dental Research
- Preliminary fabrication and characterization of electron beam melted Ti-6Al-4V customized dental implant (2017)
- Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences
- Preparation and characterization of high radio-opaque E-glass fiber-reinforced composite with iodine containing methacrylate monomer (2017)
- Dental Materials
- Properties of discontinuous S2-glass fiber-particulate-reinforced resin composites with two different fiber length distributions (2017)
- Journal of Prosthodontic Research
- Removable devices and facial epithesis prostheses (2017) A Clinical Guide to Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRCs) in Dentistry Rosita Kantola, Hemmo Kurunmäki, Pekka Vallittu
- Root canal anchoring systems (2017) A Clinical Guide to Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRCs) in Dentistry Johanna Tanner, Anna-Maria Le Bell-Rönnlöf, Pekka Vallittu
- Single and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Fillers in Poly(methyl methacrylate)-Based Implant Material (2017)
- Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
- Spot-Bonding and Full-Bonding Techniques for Fiber Reinforced Composite (FRC) and Metallic Retainers (2017)
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Structural properties of dental FRC structures (2017) A Clinical Guide to Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRCs) in Dentistry Pekka Vallittu, Akikazu Shinya
- Types of FRCs used in dentistry (2017) A Clinical Guide to Fibre Reinforced Composites (FRCs) in Dentistry Pekka Vallittu, Jukka Matinlinna
- A glass fiber-reinforced composite - bioactive glass cranioplasty implant: A case study of an early development stage implant removed due to a late infection (2016)
- Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
- Are we misusing fiber posts? Guest editorial (2016)
- Dental Materials
- Bioactive glass surface for fiber reinforced composite implants via surface etching by Excimer laser (2016)
- Medical Engineering and Physics
- Compression properties and dissolution of bioactive glass S53P4 and n-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive –composite (2016)
- Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering
- Corrigendum to 'Physical properties and depth of cure of a new short fiber reinforced composite' [Dent Mater 29 (8) (2013) 835-841] (2016)
- Dental Materials



