Alexandria, VA – The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) has named the winners of the 2026 Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and its Application (SCADA). The winners were recognized during the Opening Ceremonies of the 55 th Annual Meeting of the AADOCR, which was held in conjunction with the 104 th General Session of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) and the 50 th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research on March 25-28, 2026 in San Diego, CA.
The winners are:
BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE RESEARCH CATEGORY
1 st – Elizabeth Leon, Nova Southeastern University . Porphyromonas Gingivalis Vesicles Control Osteoclast–Macrophage Lineage Fate.
2 nd – Fatemeh Ebrahimi, UTHealth Houston . Molecular Regulation of Facial Symmetry: Implications for Orofacial Cleft Pathogenesis.
3 rd – Hannah Herzog, University of California, San Francisco. Gut Microbiome Ablation with Antibiotics Attenuates Genetic Heterotopic Ossification.
CLINICAL SCIENCE/PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH CATEGORY
1 st – Edson De Sousa, Harvard University. Metabolic Syndrome and Dyslipidemia May Influence Periodontal Treatment Outcomes.
2 nd – Evan Heidenreich, Kansas City University. VR and Haptic Simulation in Teaching Dental Local Anesthetic Delivery.
3 rd – Alyssa Saltz, University of Kentucky. Guideline Adherence to Dental Opioid Prescribing Recommendations in Kentucky.
In 2017, AADOCR and Dentsply Sirona joined forces to co-sponsor SCADA, which was previously known as the Student Clinicians of the American Dental Association (ADA). The dental student research program was first presented in 1959 at the centennial session of the ADA annual meeting in New York as a joint venture between DENTSPLY International and the ADA. The program has run continuously since 1959 and has expanded globally, engaging dental hygiene students and more than 7,000 undergraduate dental students from 39 countries. Many participants have gone on to serve in leadership roles in dental professional organizations, academics, and industry.
About AADOCR
The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. AADOCR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit and private-sector institutions who share our mission. AADOCR is the largest division of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. Learn more at www.aadocr.org .