2025 SCADA Awards winners recognized during the opening ceremonies of the 54th annual meeting of the AADOCR, which was held in conjunction with the annual Canadian Association for Dental Research meeting.
Dental manufacturer Dentsply Sirona and the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) have worked together in co-sponsoring the SCADA program since 2017, and this spring they recognized the winners of the 2025 Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and its Application (SCADA) Awards.
The SCADA program was first presented in 1959 at the centennial session of the American Dental Association (ADA) annual meeting in New York as a catalyst for students to discover the importance of dental research. In 2017, AADOCR joined forces with Dentsply Sirona to co-sponsor SCADA, and the company has been involved with the program since the competition’s beginning.
Over the years, the competition has expanded globally, engaging dental hygiene students and more than 7,000 undergraduate dental students from 39 countries. Competitors become part of the SCADA Alumni Association and join a select group who competed in their individual schools and their countries’ national programs. Alumni can benefit from this network of global professionals connecting students, dental schools, researchers and clinicians. Many participants have benefited from the opportunities to advance their research skills and have gone on to serve in leadership roles in dental professional organizations, academics, and industry, Dentsply Sirona stated.
“We’re honored to support the SCADA competition and help shine a spotlight on the next generation of dental professionals and innovators,” said Prof. Dr. Rainer Seemann, chief clinical officer, Dentsply Sirona, in a press release last week. “We firmly believe that student-led research is a catalyst for future breakthroughs in oral healthcare. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”
2025 SCADA Award Winning Projects
CLINICAL SCIENCE & PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH CATEGORY
1st – Alex Matthews, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Dental Hygienists’ Awareness and Support for Emerging Oral Health Personnel.
2nd – Migelle Paolo Orobia, University of California, San Francisco. Repair of Carious Affected and Infected Dentin by Remineralization with PILP.
3rd – John Woodward, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis. Traces of Glandular Odontogenic Cysts in Dentigerous Cysts: A Clinicopathologic Analysis.
BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE RESEARCH CATEGORY
1st – Sarah Aitken, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Roles of Streptococcal AgI/II Adhesins in Early Oral Biofilm Formation.
2nd – Daniel Thomas Fleming, The Ohio State University, Columbus. Identification of ADAM10 Partner Proteins and Substrates During Enamel Formation.
3rd – Jonathan Banks, University of Illinois Chicago. NG2/CSPG4 Modulates the Biomineralization of Mandibular Fracture Healing.
“On behalf of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research, we congratulate this year’s winners and all who competed in the 2025 competition,” added Dr. Effie Iannidou, the president of the AADOCR. “Support for SCADA and its commitment to fostering a culture of curiosity and scholarly excellence among our emerging dental professionals, remains critical to advancing patient care and improving lives.”
This recognition of emerging talent also reflects Dentsply Sirona’s commitment to “BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World”, the company’s sustainability strategy, which includes supporting the next generation of dental professionals. By investing in education, research, and mentorship, the Charlotte, NC company aims to empower young innovators to shape the future of oral health and contribute to lasting, positive change in global healthcare.
To learn more about SCADA, visit SCADA (scadaresearch.org)
