David J. Zajac, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Director, Speech-Language Pathology

Craniofacial Center - Department of Dental Ecology

and

Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Phone: (919) 966-1362

E-mail: david_zajac@dentistry.unc.edu

Education

                                  Ph.D. Univ of Pittsburgh, 1989 - Communication Disorders
                                  M.A. Univ of Pittsburgh, 1982 - Speech Pathology/Audiology
                                  B.S. Univ of Pittsburgh, 1978 - Psychology
 

 

 

Personal Statement

David J. Zajac, Ph.D., is Associate Professor and Director of Speech-Language Pathology in the Craniofacial Center, Department of Dental Ecology, School of Dentistry, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Department of Allied Health Sciences, School of Medicine, and Faculty Fellow at the Frank Porter Graham Institute of Child Development.. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Zajac is both a clinical speech-language pathologist (CCC-SLP) and a speech scientist. Dr. Zajac is Principal Investigator of three current NIH studies: Speech Intelligibility Testing in Children with Repaired Cleft Palate (NIDCR), Early Assessment of Infants with Cleft Palate Following Surgical Repair (NIDCR), and Speech of Young Males with Fragile X Syndrome (NICHD).

Dr. Zajac previously completed two NIDCR sponsored grants that focused on speech and respiratory aerodynamics in individuals with cleft palate. He has published over 35 research articles and/or book chapters. He is a former Associate Editor for the Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research and an ASHA Fellow.

Clinical interests of Dr. Zajac include the development of behavioral  programs to address marginal symptoms of velopharyngeal dysfunction and phoneme-specific nasal emission. Additional information is available by clicking on the links below.

Patient Care

UNC Craniofacial Center

Pressure-Flow Laboratory

For Parents/Professionals

 

Classroom Teaching

DENT 486 - Elective in Craniofacial Anomalies

          SPHS 130 - Introduction to Phonetics

          SPHS 130 - Introduction to Phonetics - Spring 2003

          SPHS 349 – Oral Facial Anomalies - Spring 2005

          SPHS 749 – Oral Facial Anomalies - Spring 2007

·        Video Fluoroscopy Observations

 

 

Research

Speech Physiology Laboratory

Publications

Last Updated: 10/3/09