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Young Innovations

151-Dental Research

FLP242 - Clinically Relevant Science 2025: What Providers Need to Know from the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR)

Friday, February 20, 2026
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM  
Location: W475B
Earn 3 ADA CERP

Sponsored By 
Disclosure(s):
Tamanna Tiwari: No financial relationships to disclose
Russell P. Pesavento, DDS, PHD: No relevant disclosure to display
Sukirth M. Ganesan, DDS, PhD, MPH: No financial relationships to disclose
Marco C. Bottino, DDS, MSc, PhD: No financial relationships to disclose
At a time when misinformation and budget pressures threaten research and innovation in oral health, this session places dental research at the intersection of science, policy, and clinical care, showing how each pillar reinforces the others in pursuit of whole-body health. Hosted by the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), this session unites providers, researchers, advocates, and innovators to spotlight how rigorous dental research safeguards both oral and systemic health. Speakers will explain why sustained dental expertise within federal agencies such as the FDA, CMS, and NIDCR underpins advances in dental care—and will share practical ways frontline providers can lend their voices to supporting research and innovation. Complementing this policy perspective, panelists will present breakthrough science that traces obesity-driven periodontal risk, introduces synthetic salivary enzyme mimics for hyposalivation, and showcases bioengineering therapeutics poised to regenerate dentin-pulp and periodontal tissues, illustrating how innovation can rapidly reach everyday practice. By weaving together advocacy and cutting-edge discovery, the session equips attendees with a clear roadmap for championing dental science and accelerating the adoption of transformative therapies throughout the profession.

No Lecture Fee

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand how AADOCR’s mission and activities ultimately benefit chairside care, supplying the evidence base, clinical guidance, and professional advocacy that support everyday decision-making in dental practice.
  • Recognize why having dental experts embedded in federal agencies (FDA, CMS, NIDCR, HRSA, CDC) directly influence the products you use, the therapies you deliver, and the reimbursement you receive, and identify practical ways you can lend your voice to keep oral health priorities on the national agenda.
  • Learn about cutting-edge, clinically relevant innovations presented by the panel (1) how obesity and metabolic syndrome accelerate periodontal disease through systemic and microbiome pathways, (2) the design of low-cost synthetic materials that replicate salivary enzyme function for hyposalivation patients, and (3) next-generation biomaterials driving regenerative dental medicine—and how each could integrate into preventive and reconstructive workflows.