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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), a community health system serving Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston’s metro-north communities, has named Caleb Tam, MS, DDS, chief of dental medicine, after serving as interim chief since April 2022.
Dr. Tam brings expertise in performing hospital-based dentistry with a focus on using digital technology and modern techniques to produce efficient, high-quality patient outcomes. As interim chief, he expanded oral surgery workflows and created a special needs dental program, ultimately leading to a threefold increase in dental operating room utilization and productivity. Dr. Tam has also demonstrated a strong track record of public service and promoting oral health within our communities. During his time at CHA, he has formed strategic partnerships with the Cambridge Public Health Department, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), Boston Children’s Hospital, and various local charitable groups (e.g., African Community Health Initiatives and the Salvation Army) to help reach and care for vulnerable populations.
Dr. Tam received his master’s in biomedical imaging and Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees from the University of California, San Francisco. He went on to complete a General Practice Residency through CHA/Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) and has since remained with the program as a lecturer and the current GPR director for HSDM’s Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology. In these roles, he maintained residency accreditation status at the highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic and introduced a novel PGY-2 curriculum into the program, making CHA/HSDM the only general practice residency (GPR) in Mass. to offer an advanced, second year of training.
Research interests include dental regenerative therapies, medical-dental integration, and the “Oral Physician” practice model. Most recently, Dr. Tam received a Substance Use Disorder Pilot award through Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (2021) and is a key member of a HRSA-funded study exploring applications for portable dentistry (2022).
“Dr. Tam is a highly respected clinician, educator, and leader who has done an exceptional job serving in an interim capacity,” said Jeffrey Hoffman, MD, FACS, CHA’s chief medical officer. “I have full confidence he will continue to lead the department toward success in the future. I look forward to working closely with him to advance our dental service line and deliver outstanding care and new services to our patients.”
