Michael J. Hanna, DMD, FAAPD
Spanning three decades of service as a board-certified pediatric dentist, Dr. Hanna’s expertise includes hospital dentistry, private practice, legislative affairs, and education. Dr. Hanna’s early experiences as a lifeguard, paramedic, phlebotomist, and researcher of artificial hearts helped light the path to a lifelong career serving pediatric patients.
Dr. Hanna completed a three-year residency at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh where he was on-call for emergency trauma services. His residency included specialty pediatric training in orthodontics, emergencies, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. As an attending pediatric dentist at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Dr. Hanna worked with surgical teams to treat patients with multiple organ transplants. He was among the first pediatric dentists to open Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s Wexford Surgery Center. He was also a founding paramedic of Robinson Township Emergency Medical Services.
With 30 years of private practice experience, Dr. Hanna provided a comprehensive spectrum of pediatric dental care including emergencies, orthodontics, hospital dentistry, surgery, as well as routine dental services. His protocols for patient radiation protection and infection control were recognized by the Department of Environmental Protection as his dental practice was the first to receive a state grant to implement digital radiography. He treated patients with complex medical conditions and was consistently rated by his peers as a “Pittsburgh Top Dentist” in Pittsburgh Magazine.
As a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Hanna served as National Spokesperson and Legislative Liaison for Pennsylvania. In this role, he was instrumental in advancing legislation for access to care for pediatric patients in Pennsylvania. He continued to serve the dental profession as an Office Anesthesia Evaluator for the State of Pennsylvania and a Pediatric Advanced Life Support Instructor for the American Heart Association.
After completing the Master Clinician Program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, Dr. Hanna began work as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Division of Pediatric Dentistry at West Virginia University. Subsequently, he returned to his alma mater as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, where he earned the student award for special needs pediatric dentistry. His undergraduate degrees in psychology and chemistry formed a strong base to help him serve pediatric dental patients.
Dr. Hanna believes in taking a comprehensive approach to understanding the patient’s overall medical and dental needs, in addition to the family’s situation, in order to customize the patient’s treatment plan with understanding and compassion.