Dental symposium welcomes hundreds to annual research event

A steady buzz of ideas filled the atrium of the J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons on April 17, as students adjusted posters on their easels and small groups leaned in, already deep in conversation. Faculty members paused between greetings to study charts and images, while visitors from several states asked questions about their peers’ work. As the Southeastern Regional Dental Research Symposium (SeDR) convened, the crowd alone told the story of how it has grown.

Poster boards stretched row after row. This year brought 99 research submissions, up from 65 the year before. Organizers counted registered presenters but watched the crowd swell well beyond that number. By the time the keynote lecture began, the audience neared 300.

“We campaigned hard to get the word out this year, and the difference is visible,” said Emily Harris, medical and dental librarian and planning committee member.

The event provides a yearly opportunity for undergraduate, graduate and professional students to present their passions to a like-minded audience. They exhibit research findings, detail clinical investigations and delve into big ideas in oral health. SeDR originated 36 years ago as an internal DCG event, but it has continued to evolve, drawing a broader audience and reinforcing its role as a hub for collaboration and discovery.

This year’s symposium reflected that growth in a noticeable way.

“This is not just a DCG event anymore; it reflects a broader regional effort, thriving through strong partnerships across institutions,” said Dr. Babak Baban, DCG associate dean for research. “It shows how collaboration across disciplines can accelerate discovery and improve patient outcomes.”

The reach of the symposium expanded well beyond Augusta. Participants from 11 institutions across the Southeast took part, including Emory University, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, Lincoln Memorial University, the Medical University of South Carolina, Mercer University, Nova Southeastern University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Florida and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Returning collaborators from the Uniformed Services University and the Dental Education Office at Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon accentuated these long-standing partnerships that continue to shape the event.

For the first time, pre-dental students participated, and visiting scholars toured the college and its facilities. Vendor participation also rose with industry partners on site, further strengthening connections between research and real-world application.

Baban said the opportunity to unite people around a shared purpose drives the symposium each year. He noted that this year’s scale and diversity are especially exciting. With strong participation from regional universities, military partners, and industry, the symposium increasingly serves as a central gathering point for dental and biomedical research in the Southeast.

“It’s very rewarding to see ideas move from basic discovery into something that can have real clinical impact,” he said. “Over time, this event has become more than just presentations. It’s a platform for collaboration, mentorship and growth.”

The day’s event began with the David Pashley Distinguished Lecture that connects the basic sciences to bedside. This year, featured expert Dr. Marcus G. Rocha, director of the University of Florida Center for Dental Biomaterials, presented “AI in Dentistry: How It Works, Where it Excels, Why it Matters.” Rocha continued the symposium’s tradition of addressing the top conversations in the field.

The event continued with poster presentations across seven categories, giving participants the option to compete for top honors. The competition and awards create engagement that is critical for students in the sciences, Baban said.

“Research teaches students how to think, how to ask the right questions, analyze data and approach problems critically. These skills are essential whether they go into clinical practice, academia or industry,” he said. “It also helps them understand that dentistry and medicine are constantly evolving, and they can be part of that progress.

Over the years, many projects first presented at the symposium have gone on to become published studies, grant-funded initiatives and even the foundation for academic careers. What started as a modest internal gathering over three decades ago has grown into a dynamic, multi-institutional event that continues to elevate Augusta University’s reputation as a research-driven institution.

2026 Symposium Award Winners

A panel of judges evaluated entries based on clarity of the topic, its importance, the significance and the strength of presentation.

Graduate Original Research
• 1st Place: Kristen Quartararo, DMD, a resident from Fort Gordon DENTAC Residency Program, for “Evaluation of Barrier Membrane Material Immunogenicity in Human Gingival Fibroblast Cell Cultures” (Mentor: Col. Thomas M. Johnson, DMD, periodontist with the Uniformed Services University at Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon)
• 2nd Place: Shivani Mallishery, DMD, private practice endodontist, for “Comparison of Blue Diode Laser and Multi-Peak LED on Bond Strength of Pre-Coated Orthodontic Brackets” (Mentor: Dr. Rafael Rocha Pacheco, DCG associate dean for digital technologies)
• 3rd Place: Pouya Sabanik, DDS, a second-year master of dental materials student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, for “Curing Time and Unit Effects on Gold-standard Adhesives’ Bond Strength” (Mentor: Dr. Nathaniel C. Lawson, director of the Division of Biomaterials at the UAB School of Dentistry)

Published Work
• 1st Place: Steven Quintero, a senior dental student at Lincoln Memorial University, for “Exploring the relationship between periodontal diseases and osteoporosis: potential role of butyrate” (Mentor: Dr. Modar Kassan, chair of Biomedical Science at Lincoln Memorial University)
• 2nd Place: Daniya Killedar, a second-year dental student at Augusta University, for “PAMAM-IP6 Suppresses MMPs, Kills Bacteria, Maintains Human Pulp Cell Viability” (Mentor: Dr. Theodore Ravenel, DCG associate professor of general dentistry)
• 3rd Place: Reid Loveless, a third-year dental student at Augusta University, for “Macromolecular PAMAM-IP6 Dentin Conditioner: Selective Chelation, Bonding and Interfacial Morphology” (Mentor: Dr. Mohamed Elashiry, DCG associate professor of endodontics)

Undergraduate Original Research
• 1st Place: Jocelyn Tang, a second-year dental student at Augusta University, for “Effect of Transfer-learning on CNN-Identification of Radiographic Root Canal Patterns” (Mentor: Dr. Franklin Tay, DCG chair of endodontics)
• 2nd Place: Sophia Tang, a senior cellular/molecular biology student at Augusta University, for “Mapping of Oral Tissue Extracellular Vesicles in Periodontal Health and Disease” (Mentor: Dr. Ranya El Sayed, DCG assistant professor of periodontics)
• 3rd Place: Bryce Crosby, a second-year dental student at Augusta University, for “Periodontitis Promotes Brain Aging: Insights from the p16-3MR Senescence Reporter Mouse” (Mentor: Dr. Ranya El Sayed, DCG assistant professor of periodontics)

Dental Hygiene
• 1st Place: Madison Christopher and Emily Dixon, senior dental hygiene students at Augusta University, for “The Effectiveness of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in Children with Sleep-Disordered Breathing” (Mentor: Dr. Trina Hutto, DCG assistant professor of dental hygiene)
• 2nd Place: Logan Menard, Marlie Motes & Riley Rogers, senior dental hygiene students at Augusta University, for “The Use of Acupuncture on Pain Management and Local Anesthesia in Dentistry” (Mentor: Prof. Ashley Christman, DCG assistant professor of dental hygiene)
• 3rd Place: Caitlyn Briolat & Frida Alvarado-Cortez, senior dental hygiene students at Augusta University, for “The New Face of Nicotine: Addiction Risks and Health Concerns of E-Cigarettes and Oral Nicotine Pouches” (Mentor: Prof. Ashley Christman, DCG assistant professor of dental hygiene)

Case Reports
• 1st Place: Dr. Hannah Price, a 2025 alum of the Augusta University periodontics residency, for “Beyond Bone Limitations: SFOT for High-Risk Orthodontic Movement” (Mentor: Dr. Ahmed El-Awady, DCG program director for the periodontics residency program)
• 2nd Place: Dr. Justin Galliani, a resident from Fort Gordon DENTAC Residency Program, for “Persistent Erythematous Gingival Lesion at a Free Gingival Graft Site” (Mentor: Dr. Thomas M. Johnson, periodontist with the Uniformed Services University at Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon)
• 3rd Place: Dr. Brad Corino, a third-year prosthodontics resident at Augusta University, for “Combined orthodontic and prosthodontic esthetic rehabilitation of a pediatric patient with congenital oligodontia.” (Mentor: Dr. Jimmy Londono, DCG program director for the prosthodontics residency program)

Literature Review
• 1st Place: Lukas Smidtas, a second-year dental student at Augusta University, for “Allergenic Risks of Dental (Meth)acrylates: A Clinical Overview” (Mentor: Dr. Catherine E. Jauregui, DCG assistant professor of oral biology)
• 2nd Place: Yesha Vyas, a second-year dental student at Augusta University, for “Design Determinants Governing Strength and Toughness of Dental Polymer-Infiltrated Ceramics” (Mentor: Dr. Brian Bergeron, DCG program director for the endodontics residency program)
• 3rd Place: Laurin McCoy, a junior biochemistry student at Kennesaw State University, for “Bridging Oral Health Gaps: Literature Review on Pediatric Preventive Dental Care in Underserved Areas” (Mentor: Dr. Catherine E. Jauregui, DCG assistant professor of oral biology)

Honorable Mention
Dr. John Comisi, interim chair of the DCG Department of General Dentistry, for “Oral microbiome dysbiosis and dental caries risk in obstructive sleep apnea and related sleep-disordered breathing”