Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer/Oral Oncology Program

Ellen Eisenberg, D.M.D.

Dr. Ellen Eisenberg received her D.M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and did her postgraduate training and residency in oral medicine and oral pathology at Harvard University, where she was an American Cancer Society-sponsored Oral Cancer Clinical Fellow. She has been a full time member of the University of Connecticut Schools of Dental Medicine and Medicine faculties for almost 30 years.

Dr. Eisenberg is director of the oral pathology program at UConn, which includes the pre- and postdoctoral academic and clinical teaching programs in oral pathology, and she directs the University’s Oral Pathology Biopsy Service, the only one of its kind in Connecticut. She also sees patients referred for clinical diagnostic consultations and management of diverse conditions affecting the oral mucous membranes and the jaws.

She has investigated, published and spoken extensively on subjects ranging from autoimmune mucocutaneous diseases with special emphasis on lichenoid stomatitis, and the epidemiology and diagnosis of oral cancer and oral epithelial dysplasia.

She is a member of the medical staff of the John Dempsey Hospital, and serves as consultant in oral pathology to Hartford Hospital and the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Eisenberg is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. For many years, Dr. Eisenberg has served as Section Editor for Pathology for the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and is a reviewer for many other scientific journals in the fields of dental medicine and medicine. She is also an honorary member of the Connecticut Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Appointments

• Professor, Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences
• Section Chair, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology

Specialty

• Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology

Subspecialty

• Oral Medicine

Office Location
Oral Pathology Biopsy Service
University Dentists
UConn Health Center
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT
Phone: 860-679-3170  or 860-679-3172
Directions

Certification
American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology

Education
D.M.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

Residency
Harvard University

Fellowship
Harvard University

Affiliation

• John Dempsey Hospital
• Hartford Hospital
• Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Honors and Awards

• 2006 Floor Marshall, Commencement Ceremony, University of Connecticut Health Center
• 2007 Floor Marshall, Commencement Ceremony, University of Connecticut Health Center
• 2008 Floor Marshall, Commencement Ceremony, University of Connecticut Health Center
• 2008 Elected Vice President, Phi Chi Chapter, Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine
• 2008 Nominated for Kaiser-Permanente Outstanding Teacher Award, University of Connecticut, School of Dental Medicine

Selected Publications
Morse DE, Psoter WJ, Baek L, Eisenberg E, Cohen D, Cleveland D, Mohit-Tabatabai M, Reisine S. Smoking and drinking in relation to depressive symptoms among persons with oral cancer and oral epithelial dysplasia. Head Neck 2010;32:578-587.

Wilkey JF, Buchberger GK, Michaylira CZ, Saucier K, Eisenberg E, Rustgi AK, Mallya SM. Cyclin D1 overexpression increases susceptibility to 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide induced dysplasia and neoplasia in murine oral squamous epithelium. Mol Carcinog 2009; March 4 [E-pub ahead of print] PMID 19263437.

Panossian M, Gady J, Natarajan E, Eisenberg E. Breast cancer metastatic to the mandible misdiagnosed as parotitis: Report of a case. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2009;67:1333-1337.

Eisenberg E. "Book Review:  "Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology", 3rd edition, by Brad W. Neville, DDS; Douglas D. Damm, DDS; Carl M. Allen, DDS, MSD; Jerry E. Bouquot, DDS, MSD."Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Radiol Endodontol 2009; 108, 639-40.

Morse DE, Pendrys DG, Katz RV, Holford TR, Krutchkoff DJ, Eisenberg E, Kosis DL, Kerpel S, Freedman P, Mayne ST. Food Group Intake and the Risk of Oral Epithelial Dysplasia in a United States Population. Cancer Causes Control 2000; 11:713-720.

Eisen D, Eisenberg E. Oral lichen planus and the burning mouth syndrome: Is there a role for patch testing? Am J Contact Derm 2000; 11:111-114.

Eisenberg E. Clinical Controversies in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Oral Lichen Planus: A Benign Lesion. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2000; 58:1278-85.

Eisenberg E. Discussion: Presence of human papilloma viruses in intraosseous ameloblastoma. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2000; 58:1135-36.

Benton DC, Eisenberg E. Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma: a diagnostically challenging neoplasm. Report of a case. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2001; 59:83-88.

Eisenberg E. Cheilitis glandularis. In e-medicine Textbook of Dermatology, 2001.

Eisenberg E. Diagnosis and treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Oral Maxillofacial Surg Clin N Am 2003; 15:111-122.

Eisenberg E. Discussion: Frozen section examination of the margins for resection of squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2003;61:895-897.

Eisenberg E, Peterson DE, Barr CE. Section I. Clinical Oral Pathology & Oral Medicine. In: Douglass AB, Douglass JM, Barr C, et al. Oral Health. FP Essentials, Edition No. 304, AAFP Home Study. Leawood, Kan: American Academy of Family Physicians, November 2004.

Eisenberg E. Cheilitis glandularis (updated version). Section on Dermatology, e-Medicine, 2005.

Reisine S, Morse DE, Psoter WJ, Eisenberg E, Cohen D, Cleveland D, Mohit-Tabatabai M. Sociodemographic risk indicators for depressive symptoms among persons with oral cancer or oral epithelial dysplasia. J Oral and Maxillofac Surg 2005; 63:513-520.

Eisenberg E. Book Review: Photographic Atlas of Bone Diseases: A Guide to Pathologic and Normal Variation in the Human Skeleton, 2nd edition, by Robert W. Mann and David R. Hunt. Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, 2004. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endodontol 2006;
101: 264-265.

Eisenberg E, Natarajan E, Yamase H, Hatzigiannis G. Undifferentiated cardiac sarcoma metastatic to the maxilla: Report of a case. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2007;65:148-151.

Brennan M, Migliorati CA, Lockhart PB, Wray D, Al-Hashimi I, Axel T, Bruce AJ, Carpenter W, Eisenberg E, et al. Management of oral epithelial dysplasia: a review. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2007; 103 (suppl 1): S19-S24.

Al-Hashimi I, Schifter M, Lockhart PB, Wray D, Brennan M, Migliorati CA, Axell T, Bruce AJ, Eisenberg E, et al. Oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions: diagnostic and therapeutic considerations. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2007; 103 (suppl 1): S25-S31.

Morse DE, Psoter WJ, Cleveland D, Mohit-Tabatsbai M, Kosis DM, Eisenberg E. Smoking and drinking in relation to oral cancer and oral epithelial dysplasia. Cancer Causes Control 2007; 9:919-929.

Melina A I-A, Eisenberg E, Mathieu G. Peripheral complex odontoma in a pediatric dental patient: a case report. J Mass Dent Soc 2008; 56:24-26.

View more publications, see Pubmed listing.

Manuscripts in Press

Eisenberg E. Differential Diagnosis and Management of Oral Mucosal Lesions. In: Kwon, P H and Laskin, DM, eds. Clinician’s Manual of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, ed 4 Quintessence, Chicago. (In press).

Eisenberg E. Differential Diagnosis and Management of Bone Lesions. In: Kwon, P H and Laskin, DM, eds. Clinician’s Manual of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, ed 4 Quintessence, Chicago. (In press).

Manuscripts in Preparation

Natarajan E, Eisenberg E.“Contemporary Concepts in the Diagnosis of Oral Cancer and Precancer”. Dental Clinics of North America. (To be published January 2011).

Relevant Presentations

“Current Clinicopathological Considerations in the Approach to Oral Cancer and Precancer”. Annual Meeting, American Institute of Oral Biology. Palm Springs, CA. October 20, 2007.

“Bisphosphonates and Osteonecrosis of the Jaws: A Pathologist’s Perspective”. Annual Meeting, American Institute of Oral Biology. Palm Springs, CA. October 19, 2007.

“Current Clinical Considerations in the Approach to Oral Cancer and Precancer, 2009”. Annual Meeting and Continuing Education program, Connecticut State Dental Association, Mohegan Sun Resort, Ledyard, CT. May 8, 2009.“

Current Clinical Considerations in the Approach to Screening for Oral Precancer and Cancer”. Prosthodontics Residents, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT. February 19, 2010.

Clinical Interests
Oral epithelial dysplasia, oral cancer, mucocutaneous diseases

Research Interests

Clinical Research

• Oral neoplastic development, risk factors, epidemiology

Current Research Collaborations

• Principal Investigator with Douglas E. Morse, DDS, PhD, “Epidemiologic and Genetic Risk Factors for Oral Cancer”. Sponsor: NIH NIDR.
• Principal Investigator with Douglas E. Morse, DDS, PhD, “Risk Factors for Oral Epithelial Dysplasia: A Case-Controlled Study”. Sponsors: NIH NCI/NIDR/HRAC.
• Reference Pathologist, “Risk Factors for Oral Epithelial Dysplasia in Puerto Ricans Living in Puerto Rico”. Douglas E. Morse, DDS, PhD, Principal Investigator.