Cees Kleverlaan conducts research into the characteristics and quality of materials that are used in dentistry and healthcare. He is primarily interested in the development of new materials and in predicting the failure of biomaterials, both in a biological and physical sense. The Oral Regenerative Medicine priority area primarily investigates the interaction between molecules and cells on the one hand and biomaterials on the other. Kleverlaan is specifically interested in the adverse reactions between these materials and the body. In addition to research, he also performs teaching duties in the field of dental material sciences within the dentistry programme at ACTA.

Kleverlaan is head of the material sciences division at the ACTA and heads its Oral Diagnostics dental clinic. He is one of the programme leaders of the Oral Regenerative Medicine research programme. Kleverlaan is the recipient of various research subsidies, including a Veni grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and grants from Technology Foundation STW. He has published in numerous scientific journals such as Dental Materials, Contact Dermatitis and Allergy.