Sumita B. Mitra, Ph.D.

Professor, Institute for Advanced Discovery & Innovation
University of South Florida
Partner, Co-Owner
Mitra Chemical Consulting, LLC
Corporate Scientist, Retired
3M

100 U.S. Patents

Sumita Mitra, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Institute for Advanced Discovery & Innovation at the University of South Florida. She is also Partner and Co-Owner of Mitra Chemical Consulting LLC, an independent firm she co-founded following her retirement from 3M Company. At 3M, she served as a Corporate Scientist in the Dental Products Division for over 30 years, leading pioneering efforts in the development of advanced dental materials.

An internationally recognized pioneer, Dr. Mitra innovated groundbreaking applications of nanotechnology to dental composites advancing both clinical practice and material science, and enabling the creation of products that have improved dental outcomes worldwide. Most notably, her innovation, 3M™ Filtek™ Supreme Universal Restorative, introduced in 2002, marked a major advancement in restorative dentistry. It was the first to use a novel class of nanoparticle composites that combined superior aesthetics with exceptional mechanical strength and durability. Prior to this breakthrough, dental composites were limited by issues such as shrinkage, poor polish retention, and reduced strength over time. Since its launch, Filtek™ has been used in well over one billion restorations globally, a testament to its transformative impact. Dr. Mitra’s visionary work also contributed to revolutionary technologies in resin-modified glass ionomers, and led to other breakthrough products including Vitrebond™, Vitremer™, RelyX™ Luting Cements, Scotchbond™ Multipurpose, and APC™ Orthodontic Adhesive.

Dr. Mitra was the first to create and introduce a stable, high-load nanocluster filler system. By engineering these nanoclusters, she and her team enabled significantly increased filler loading without compromising viscosity or workability. This innovation allowed clinicians to place and sculpt composites with greater ease while delivering long-term mechanical performance in the oral environment. Her work also had a transformative effect on adhesive technology in dentistry, contributing to materials that bonded more effectively to tooth structures and maintained their bond over time. These innovations not only set new benchmarks in the industry, but also enabled restorative procedures to become less invasive, more reliable, and longer lasting.

From 1999 to 2010 she served as the Industrial Directore of Minnesota Dental Resarch Center of Biomechanics and Biomaterials at the University of Minnesota. Since 2015 she is a member of the Association of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC) in St. Petersburg, Florida which is dedicated to lifelong learning where she co-chairs a forum on “Science and Society” and interacts with faculty and students.

Dr. Mitra holds 100 U.S. patents. She is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018 and received the prestigious European Patent Office Inventor Award in 2021. Her other honors include the American Chemical Society Heroes of Chemistry Award, the Peyton-Skinner Award for Innovation in Dental Materials, and the Hollenback Memorial Prize from the Academy of Operative Dentistry.

Dr. Mitra received a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Presidency College in India, an M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Calcutta, and a Ph.D. in Organic/Polymer Chemistry from the University of Michigan.