Sharing our knowledge and experience with others | A message from the Dean

Every year in March, thousands of dental educators and researchers trek to selected venues across the country to share new knowledge, research, and lessons learned, with the goal of advancing oral health. The American Dental Education Association Annual Session and the American Association of Dental and Craniofacial Research Annual Meeting occur in March annually, and the School of Dentistry has a strong contingent attending and presenting at both meetings. As a school, we have remained highly engaged with both organizations. Previously, we have had faculty members serving in the highest governance positions within these organizations, as board members, board Presidents and Chairs, and section officers. 
        
This year, we are honored to have faculty and students presenting at both meetings. Approximately 30 individuals from our school attended the American Dental Education Association Annual Meeting at the National Harbor, near Washington, DC. There were ten poster presentations and six oral presentations, two of which were student poster presentations. We are also proud and honored to have several faculty who serve as officers within the ADEA governance structure or on committees.  

Approximately 25 faculty and students will head to the American Association of Dental and Craniofacial Research in New York City. We will share our research findings with other members of the research community. Topics will include but are not limited to: “Roles of Streptococcal AgI/II Adhesins in Early Oral Biofilm Formation,” “Monitoring Aligner Forces Through Their Correlations With Surface Strains,” “Teledentistry Utilization During-and-After the COVID-19 Shutdown: a Retrospective Study,” and “Micro-CT and OCT-Based Analysis of Demineralization Depths of Artificial Enamel Caries.” One outstanding example of our impact is that one of our PhD students, Nicholas Fischer, will deliver the keynote address, “Biofabrication and Regenerative Biomaterials.”

Our presence and leadership is an essential way for the School of Dentistry to influence the oral health of the nation. These are just two meetings that we attend and participate in at a high level. We also attend, serve as leaders and share our knowledge and research at our various specialty meetings and other symposia. We are doing great work, and it is awesome that we get to share nationally and internationally.