Dr. Elizabeth Palmer received her dental degree in 2008 from the Oregon Health & Science University, having previously completed her BS and MS degrees in Biology at the University of Nevada. She earned her Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry in 2010 from the Oregon Health & Science University. She went on to gain further training and experience in translational research and completed a Certificate in Human Investigations (2016) also at the Oregon Health & Science University.

Upon completing her residency training, Dr. Palmer joined OHSU as a fulltime faculty member (2010-2014). She moved to the University of Washington Department of Pediatric Dentistry in 2014 as a Clinical Assistant Professor. She then returned to OHSU to serve as the Program Director for the Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry (2017-2022). Dr. Palmer moved into the position of  Clinical Site Director for the Pediatric Dentistry Resident Clinic in 2023 and currently holds this position as well as the rank of Associate Professor.

As a lifelong learner and educator, Dr. Palmer’s research interests focus on the microbiome and host interactions in the presence of oral health and disease. She is also involved in improving the interdisciplinary approach to medical and dental care for patients with medical complexities and/or disabilities. She works hard to empower her learners to approach each patient as an individual, to think about that individual as a whole person, and to identify measures to support the individual in their journey toward health.

Dr. Palmer became a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry in 2011. She has been a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry since 2017. She currently serves as a board examiner, a member of the Oral Clinical Examination Committee, and a member of the Program Director Committee for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She maintains a practice limited to pediatric dentistry with a special focus and interest in caring for the area’s most complex patients.

To view a list of Dr. Palmer's publications on the NIH National Library of Medicine, please see: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1BYQvrRwSPF95e/bibliography/public/