Jonathan E. Burke, D.M.D.

Jonathan E. Burke, D.M.D. is the Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Bringing more than three decades of distinguished service in oral and maxillofacial surgery, clinical leadership, and healthcare management, Dr. Jonathan Burke possesses a rare dual perspective as both a premier surgeon and a former surgical patient—having undergone orthognathic jaw reconstruction as a young adult, an experience that instilled in him a lifelong commitment to patient-centered clinical innovation.

A native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Dr. Burke earned his undergraduate degree with honors from the Temple University School of Pharmacy and practiced as a registered pharmacist while completing his dental education. He received his Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.), cum laude, from the Temple University Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry in 1989, subsequently completing his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery through the Temple University Hospital program. His comprehensive clinical training spanned major regional academic medical centers, including Pennsylvania Hospital, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, and Cooper University Health Care.

Throughout his career, Dr. Burke has stood at the forefront of surgical innovation, academic medicine, and health systems management. As an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey / Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, he co-founded Cooper Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, establishing a vital clinical and instructional hub that trained generations of resident surgeons. A pioneer in advanced surgical techniques, he was the first in the Delaware Valley to implement craniofacial implants for bone-anchored hearing devices and contributed significantly to pediatric reconstructive care through the Regional Cleft Palate Program at Cooper. In 2004, he cofounded Lanzi Burke Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, expanding specialized surgical care across Southern New Jersey.

In addition to his surgical practice, Dr. Burke served as Partner and Medical Director of Practice Metrix, an international practice management and consulting enterprise. In this capacity, he spearheaded cross-disciplinary care delivery models, introducing nurse practitioners into dental subspecialties and driving technological advancements in referral communication and clinical data visualization across operations in the United States, South Africa, and India.

Dr. Burke’s contributions to patient care and public welfare have earned notable institutional and government recognition, highlighted by a formal New Jersey General Assembly Resolution honoring his inspired and effective service in oral and maxillofacial trauma surgery.