Faculty, students, and staff from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics contributed to the 2026 Annual Session of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) with a variety of seminars, workshops, and poster presentations. The event also marked significant leadership transitions and milestones for Iowa participants, reflecting the college’s ongoing engagement in national dental education.

Featured Seminars and Workshops

Iowa contributors led sessions covering clinical perspectives, curriculum development, and public health:

• Occlusion Without Borders: How Brazil Blends American and Scandinavian Viewpoints – Leonardo Marchini
• Oral Health in Palliative Care: Advancing Compassionate, Evidence-Based Education for Inclusive Access – Leonardo Marchini
• Failing to Fail: A Critical Barrier in the Pathway to Competent Care – Dharini van der Hoeven
• Guidelines for Behavioral Sciences Curricula: Pathways toward Health for All – Brendan Young
• Training in HPV Counseling: Bridging a Pathway to Vaccine Access – Brendan Young, Jennifer Sukalski, and Amy Greenwood

Poster Presentations

Iowa students and faculty presented research posters highlighting key educational and clinical topics:

• Critical Thinking: Symbiotic Network of Skillsets, Outcomes, and Learning Moments – Kim Vo (DDS student), Johnsen, Marchini, Garaicoa, Jain, Syrbu, Geneser, Butali, Hartshorn, Desai, Stanford, Spector, Young, McGlynn
• Seeking to Understand Teaching in Dentistry – Kim Vo (DDS student)
• Dental Student Professionalism: Identifying Education Gaps and Developing Assessment Strategies, ADEA poster presentation by Dr. Brendan Young on behalf of authors: Dr. Brendan Young, Dr. Justine Kolker, Dr. Pantip Henprasert (now at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences), and Dr. Marcela Hernandez.

These posters emphasized the breadth of learning and research initiatives at Iowa.

Leadership Transitions and Service

In addition to scholarly contributions, Iowa faculty and staff marked several important leadership transitions and achievements within ADEA:

• Sivaraman Prakasam completed the ADEA Leadership Institute
• Cristina Vidal began the ADEA Leadership Institute and received a fellowship
• Sukirth Ganesan began service as Chair of the ADEA Section on Periodontics
• Joseph Curtis completed his term as Chair of the ADEA Section on Dental Anatomy and Occlusion
• Nikkita Madhu began service as Chair-Elect of the ADEA Section on Dental Anatomy and Occlusion
• Leonardo Marchini completed his term as Councilor of the ADEA Section on Gerontology and Geriatrics Education
• Jodi Graff began service on the ADEA Associated American Dental School Application Services (AADSAS) Advisory Group
• Dharini van der Hoeven served as Co-Vice Chair of the ADEA Strategic Vision 2035 Task Force and completed her term as an ADEA Board Director
• Sukirth Ganesan completed his term as an advisor for the ADEA Emerging Leaders Program
• Brendan Young started as Chair of the ADEA Section on Social and Behavioral Sciences.

These milestones underscore the college’s investment in professional development and leadership at the national level.