Dr. Brianna Muñoz
Dr. Brianna Muñoz is a board-certified pediatric dentist and an AAPD public policy advocate for the state of Connecticut. Originally from Worcester, Massachusetts, Dr. Muñoz graduated from the Liberal Arts Honors Program at Providence College with a double major in chemistry and biology and a minor in dance. She obtained her doctorate in dental medicine from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine at which time she was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) National Dental Honor Society. Dr. Muñoz completed a residency in pediatric dentistry at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) and concurrently attained her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree along with a Certificate of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies through a UConn-HRSA Dual Degree Training Program.
With an avid interest in oral health advocacy, Dr. Muñoz serves as President of the Connecticut Oral Health Initiative (COHI), Legislative Representative for the Connecticut Society of Pediatric Dentists (CSPD), and Region 1 Representative for the Pediatric Dental Medicaid & CHIP Advisory Committee of the Council on Government Affairs. In further pursuing her passion for community involvement, Dr. Muñoz has been appointed to the Connecticut Dental Sealant Advisory as well as the Connecticut Medicaid/CHIP Oral Health Affinity Group for Advancing Prevention and Reducing Childhood Caries. As the Connecticut public policy advocate, Dr. Muñoz fulfills the role of state team leader for the AAPD Pediatric Oral Health Advocacy Conference on Capitol Hill where she trains residents and lobbies for various legislative issues pertaining to oral health equity. In addition to lecturing at the UConn Health Center, Dr. Muñoz finds it very rewarding to teach non-dental providers about the importance of oral health in an effort to improve oral health literacy and to increase the accessibility of care. She has facilitated interprofessional practice by developing an oral health curriculum for community health workers and collaborating with the Connecticut Department of Public Health to create a nutrition and oral health toolkit. Her interest in public health was first incited while volunteering on a service trip to Neltume, Chile when she was exposed to the plight of oral health care disparities. Since then, it became her personal and professional goal to impact policy in promoting oral health and preventing disease for all children irrespective of race, ethnicity, or income level.
Dr. Muñoz was presented with the Oral Health Champion Award in recognition of the instrumental role that she played in the advocacy campaign to expand the period in which Connecticut youth may retain dental insurance coverage on a parent’s policy to age 26. Throughout the years, she also has been honored and humbled to receive the Mulvihill Medal for Academic and Research Excellence, the AAPD Resident Recognition Award, the AAPD Samuel D. Harris Research and Policy Fellowship, the Provost’s Outstanding Senior Woman Academic Achievement Award, the Pierre Fauchard Academy Academic Achievement Award in the Profession of Dentistry, the Special Care Dentistry Award for Achievement in Dental Care for Disabled Persons, and the Dean’s Award.
Dr. Muñoz takes pride in volunteering for a wide array of organizations, but her fondest memory was directing the Special Smiles Program for Healthy Athletes at the Connecticut Special Olympics. Outside of work, Dr. Muñoz likes to dance, try new restaurants, and partake in Harry Potter marathons. She also enjoys cheering on Boston sports teams as an avid fan and former New England Patriots Cheerleader for the 2011 and 2021 seasons!
