Meet the Speakers
The scientific committee of the congress has set up an interesting programme for both senior and junior doctors, which covers in depth important clinical subjects.

Saeed Asgary
IRAN
Saeed Asgary
Saeed Asgary a distinguished figure in Endodontics, currently serves as Professor/Head of the Iranian Center for Endodontic Research at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Concurrently, he is Chairman of the Iranian Endodontic Journal. Recognized as the top dental specialist among 2040 faculty members in Iran, Prof. Asgary is also globally distinguished, ranking among the top 2% of science-wide authors. His influential contributions to "Vital Pulp Therapy" research underscore his significant impact. Prof. Asgary has authored over 285 research articles and holds two USPTO patents. His exceptional contributions have earned him 10+ national and international awards, highlighting expertise demonstrated through 150+ invited lectures, hands-on programs, and live patient-treatment courses.

Dr. James Coll
USA
James A Coll, DMD, MS
Dr. James Coll is a Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Maryland Dental School. He was in fulltime private practice of pediatric dentistry for 39 years. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and is pulp Section-Editor of Pediatric Dentistry. He has over 20 pulp therapy articles published and written four textbook chapters on pulp therapy. He chairs the AAPD Pulp Therapy Workgroup that wrote the vital and non-vital primary tooth pulp therapy guidelines. That workgroup is finishing a permanent tooth vital pulp systematic review and guideline in conjunction with the American Academy of Endodontists.

Dr. Yasmi O Crystal
USA
Dr. Yasmi O Crystal
Dr. Yasmi Crystal is the founder and senior specialist at Comprehensive Pediatric Dentistry, NJ, Clinical Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry and on the medical staff of the Robert Wood Johnson, Rutgers University Hospital.
Dr. Crystal is a Diplomate and an Examiner for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and holds a MSc in Clinical and Translational Research from CTSI, NYU School of Medicine.
She is active in scientific, awards and research groups of AAPD, IAPD and IADR, Editorial Board Member of Pediatric Dentistry and associate editor of IJPD. She has participated in the writing of national guidelines to improve the practice of Pediatric Dentistry, and has published numerous research articles.
As a researcher, educator and with over 30 years’ experience as a private primary care provider, her presentations blend evidence-based recommendations with down to earth approaches for the provision of pediatric dental care in public and private settings.

Ashraf F. Fouad
USA
Ashraf F. Fouad, DDS, MS, FACD, FDS RCSEd
Dr. Fouad obtained his DDS, Certificate of Endodontics and MS at the University of Iowa.
He served on the faculty at University of Connecticut, the University of Maryland, and the University of North Carolina. He is currently Professor and Chair, Department of Endodontics, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Dr. Fouad has published over 110 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 25 textbook chapters, and 145 abstracts. He edited and co-authored two textbooks. He is a Diplomate and Past President of the American Board of Endodontics, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Endodontics. He received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the IADR

Anne O'Connell
IRELAND
Anne O'Connell
Anne O’Connell is currently the Professor/ Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry, at the School of Dental Science and Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Anne is a Board-certified Paediatric Dentist and a Fellow of AAPD, IADT and PFA. She trained in Paediatric Dentistry at the Eastman Dental Center, NY and studied Cariology at the University of Rochester. Anne has always been involved in education and training and lectures extensively on infant oral health, traumatic dental injuries and on management of developmental disorders of the dentition. She has contributed to the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry as a Board member and Honorary Editor and currently serves on the Education Committee. Anne also is active within IADT where she is currently Past-president, and also is involved in AAPD as International Consultant on the Scientific Affairs Committee. Her areas of research interest include traumatic oral injuries, dental education, infant oral health, cariology, and developmental defects of the dentition and actively publishes on these topics.

Jonas de Almeida Rodrigues
BRAZIL
Jonas de Almeida Rodrigues
Master and PhD in Pediatric Dentistry, Unesp, Brazil
Associate Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, UFRGS, Brazil
Head of the Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, UFRGS, Brazil

Nessrin Taha
JORDAN
Nessrin Taha
BDS(Jordan), ADC (Sydney), MFDS RCSI, GradDipClinDent (Melb), DClinDent(Endo), FRACDS, FRACDS (Endo), JDB (Endo), PhD.
Dr Taha attained her BDS from Jordan. Graduate Diploma, Clinical Doctorate in Endodontics and PhD from the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. She is a Member of the Royal College of Ireland and a fellow of the Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons in both general dentistry and in the special field of Endodontics, and a registered endodontist in Jordan and Australia.
She is former vice dean, director of the dental teaching clinics, director of the postgraduate clinics, and head of department of conservative dentistry at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. She is also member and former chair of the scientific committee of the Jordanian Board of Endodontics.
Currently she is a professor in endodontics and coordinator of the postgraduate endodontic program at Jordan university of science and technology. Research interests include; calcium silicate-based materials, regenerative endodontics and vital pulp therapy for permanent teeth. She lectured internationally on the topic, and published several randomized clinical trials on vital pulp therapy that were highly referenced in the European and American position statements on VPT. She serves in the editorial board and reviewers’ panel of more than 10 international indexed journals.

Dr. Nitesh Tewari
INDIA
Dr. Nitesh Tewari
Dr. Nitesh Tewari has been active in Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Traumatology clinical care and research with 121 publications and six test-book contributions. He has lectured in over a hundred events across several states and 16 countries. His works have been awarded by IADT, IAPD, Craniofacial Research Foundation, IADR, Japan Dental Association, IFEA, Royal of Surgeons of Glasgow, and several other associations. He is a fellow of six societies and presently serves as the Director of the International Association of Dental Traumatology, General Secretary of the ISDT, and secretary of the Evidence-based dentistry network of IADR.

Brian Hodgson
USA
Brian Hodgson
Dr. Hodgson graduated from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 1987 and completed his Pediatric Residency at Children’s Wisconsin in 1993. He is a Professor in the Department of Developmental Sciences at Marquette University School of Dentistry and an Adjunct Clinical Instructor at the Pediatric Residency at Children’s Wisconsin.

Ikhlas El Karim
UK
Professor Ikhlas El Karim
Chair of Endodontology and Translational Research, Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at the School of Medicine Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences Queens University Belfast.
Graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry Khartoum University and completed PhD and speciality training in the School of Dentistry Queen’s University Belfast. Professor El karim currently leads a clinical and translational pulp biology research programme in endodontics with a focus on developing novel pulpal diagnostics and therapeutics for vital pulp treatment. She has published over 70 peer reviewed papers, co-edited the textbook “Vital Pulp Treatment” and contributed to four books chapters in pulp biology. She was a member of the European Society of Endodontology Steering Group for development of quality guidelines in endodontics and a co-led the treatment of pulpitis working group. She led an international project for development of core outcome set for endodontic treatment and currently leading an international collaborative study on vital pulp treatment. Professor El Karim is Vice President of the Pulp Biology and Regeneration Group, Past President of the Irish Division of IADR and Associate Editor for the International Endodontic Journal.

Lars Bjørndal
DENMARK
Lars Bjørndal
Lars Bjørndal is from Copenhagen University, Denmark. One of his research topics comprise caries pathology with focus of deep stages. He has been the lead in larger randomized clinical trials covering this topic. He has participated in several review groups including the latest Cochrane review covering caries treatment. He has presented lectures around the world and published numerous publications including book chapters and he is 1. editor on 3.ed. Textbook of Endodontology.

Mani Ekambaram
NEW ZEALAND
Mani Ekambaram
Mani Ekambaram is an Associate Professor, Head of Discipline and Postgraduate Program Director for Paediatric Dentistry at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He holds an Honorary Associate Professor appointment with the University of Hong Kong. He is an elected councillor for the Australia and New Zealand section of the International Association of Dental Research and also a standing member of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry.

Nicola Innes
UK
Nicola Innes
PhD, BDS, BSc, BMSc, MFDS (RCS Eng), MFGDP (RCS Eng)
Head of School of Dentistry, Professor and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry
School of Dentistry, Cardiff University
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9984-0012
I initially qualified as a Registered General Nurse, obtained a BSc in Life Sciences, an intercalated BMSc in Cellular/Molecular Pathology, BDS(hons) and PhD (investigating the Hall Technique). I have worked in General Practice and in Dental Hospital in Paediatric Dentistry. With over £8M grant capture, and 150 publications in peer reviewed journals, my research group investigate topics related to cariology (minimally invasive dentistry), paediatric (Child Friendly) dentistry, marginalised communities and implementation of evidence.
I took up the position of Dean of Cardiff University, School of Dentistry in 2020 and established the Improving Dentistry Research Group in 2021.

Tugba Turk
TüRKIYE
Tugba Turk
Prof Dr Tugba TURK, DDS, PhD
Ege University, Department of Endodontics Izmir
İstanbul Kent University, Department of Endodontics, İstanbul Turkey ic Journal.
Dr. Tugba Turk is a Professor in the Department of Endodontology at the Faculty of Dentistry, Ege University in Izmir, and holds a parallel position at Istanbul Kent University, Department of Endodontology in Istanbul, Turkey. As a full-time faculty member, she is involved in teaching undergraduate and graduate students and supervising PhD students. Additionally, she lectures at postgraduate programs at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
Since 2024, she has been an active member of the Clinical Practice Committee of the European Endodontic Society. Dr. Turk has published several articles, received awards for her scientific studies, and presented at national and international conferences. Dr. Turk has been a featured presenter at numerous international conferences, including ESE, SIE, IES, BES, APEC, BDS, EDSI, MIDS and AEDE Congresses.
Her primary research interests include regenerative endodontics, dental stem cells, tissue engineering, vital pulp therapies, and biomimetic dental treatments. Dr. Turk has extensive experience in performing clinical regenerative endodontic therapies with a large number of patients.

Vineet Dhar
USA
Vineet Dhar
Dr. Dhar is a clinical professor and chair of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry and assistant dean of postgraduate and professional studies at University of Maryland School of Dentistry. He currently serves the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) as Member of Editorial Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Consultant of Council on Scientific Affairs, and as the Chair of Council on Post-doctoral Education. Dr. Dhar also serves the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) as the Chair of Science Committee, and the American Dental Association (ADA) on its Council on Scientific Affairs as the Chair of Policy and Guidance Subcommittee. In addition, he serves the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD) as an examiner on the Oral Clinical Exam. He works on incorporating evidence-based dentistry in education and patient care and serves on AAPD, IAPD, and ADA expert panels to create evidence-based clinical recommendations.

Zafer Cehreli
TüRKIYE
Zafer Cehreli
Dr. Cehreli is professor of Pediatric Dentistry at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey; where he has been for most of his career. He has authored more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals, co-authored in various textbook chapters, and has received extensive citations for his papers. His clinical and research interests include pediatric endodontics, dental traumatology and pediatric esthetic dentistry, delivering extensive lectures on these subjects globally.

Ana Cláudia Rodrigues Chibinski
BRAZIL
Ana Cláudia Rodrigues Chibinski
Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry; Master's and PhD in Dentistry; Associate Professor of Pediatric Dentistry – State University of Ponta Grossa Full Professor in the Graduate Program in Dentistry – Master's and PhD levels – State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG)

Alex Sanders
USA
Dr. Alex Sanders
Dr. Alex Sanders, CEO and Founder of Diagnocat AI, brings over 20 years of experience in dentistry to the table, backed by a PhD in Prosthodontics. He champions innovation, excellence, and lifelong learning, striving to revolutionize dentistry with the power of AI.