Letter from the President
Dear ERG members,
The ERG officers have been working hard to strengthen our group. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Michael Botelho who has been instrumental in continuing and expanding the activities he initiated, ensuring that our group remains vibrant and impactful. His vision and commitment have inspired us all, and his efforts have significantly contributed to our ongoing success. As your president, we are embarking on a new chapter filled with opportunities and growth. I am committed to building on the strong foundation.
I am thrilled to announce the launch of our new IADR ERG website! This platform is designed to enhance our communication and outreach, providing a comprehensive resource for all members. Our new website will serve as a hub for showcasing the diverse and impactful research conducted by our members. It will also feature updates on planned activities, events, and opportunities available within our group. We believe this tool will significantly broaden our reach and engagement, allowing us to connect more effectively with our group and beyond. We encourage you to explore the website and take advantage of the resources it offers. Your feedback is invaluable as we continue to improve and expand our digital presence.
I am delighted to share some exciting updates with you. We now have our regional representatives in place, along with a new set of student representatives. Their enthusiasm and dedication are already making a significant impact.
Our representatives are actively contributing to the preparations for the upcoming AADOCR conference, which will be held in New York from March 12-15, 2025. This event promises to be a fantastic opportunity for networking, learning, and showcasing our collective research efforts.
Additionally, I am proud to announce that our student representatives have taken the initiative to contribute to this edition of our newsletter. Their hard work and fresh perspectives are evident in the content, and I encourage you to read through it to stay informed about our group's activities and achievements.
I believe that our strength lies in our community. Therefore, I encourage open communication and collaboration. Your ideas, feedback, and participation are invaluable as we strive to achieve our shared goals. Let’s work together to make the ERG group an even more vibrant and impactful community of DOCR education researcher.
In the coming months, the ERG officers will be reaching out to many of you to hear your thoughts and suggestions. We are eager to learn from your experiences and insights.
As we approach the end of the year, I want to take a moment to wish all our members a very happy holiday season. May this time be filled with joy, relaxation, and cherished moments with loved ones. Thank you for your continued dedication and contributions to our group. We look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead. Thank you once again for this incredible opportunity. I look forward to serving you and working alongside each of you to help achieve our group's mission.
Warmest wishes,
Jonathan San Diego
President, IADR ERG

ERG President
Jonathan San Diego
DISCOVER • NETWORK • ADVANCE
2025 AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition
March 12-15, 2025 New York, NY, USA
54th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the AADOCR
49th Annual Meeting of the CADR
2025 IADR/PER General Session & Exhibition
June 25-28, 2025 Barcelona, Spain
103rd General Session & Exhibition of the IADR
IADR Pan European Regional Congress
AWARDS
IADR Education Research Group Grant
The Education Research Group (ERG) invites proposals of up to $2,500 USD for consideration. The ERG Grant is designed to fund any educational research endeavor that leads to the promotion or dissemination of effective learning and/or teaching activities in dental education.
KEY DATES
Applications Open:
Aug 08, 2024
Applications Closed:
Jan 24, 2025
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Meet Our New Members
Ting-Khee Ho
I am Ting-Khee Ho, currently a PhD candidate at the School of Medical Sciences, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom. I obtained my bachelor's degree in Malaysia and later completed a three-year MSc in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics in the UK. Following my prosthodontics training, I served as both an academic and practicing prosthodontist at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (The National University of Malaysia). These experiences have deepened my commitment to advancing dental education, ultimately leading me to pursue a PhD focusing on standard setting methods in dental assessments and psychometric data analysis.
My PhD research aims to improve the understanding of rater variations in different standard setting methods, with a particular focus on Malaysian dental educators. This work aspires to establish more consistent and defensible assessment standards, thereby ensuring the quality of dental graduates in my region. I have had the privilege of participating in the South East Asia Association for Dental Education (SEAADE) 2023 and the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) 2024. These enriching experiences have enabled me to stay abreast of the latest developments in dental education, innovative teaching strategies, and robust assessment quality assurance practices. Moreover, they provided invaluable opportunities to connect with outstanding educators and researchers from around the world. These interactions have been transformative, inspiring me to integrate global best practices into local and regional contexts.
As a new member of the ERG, I am eagerly anticipating participating in the 2025 IADR/PER General Session in Barcelona. This event presents a unique opportunity to share my research findings and engage in meaningful discussions on advancing assessment standards in dental education. I am excited to connect with other ERG members who share my passion for fostering excellence in our profession. Through collaboration across borders, we can elevate the standards of dental education globally, leaving a sustainable and lasting impact on the field. I look forward to learning from and contributing to this network of like-minded professionals.

2024 IADR Annual Meeting held at New Orleans
Congratulations to all who presented at the 2024 IADR meeting! Presentations at the Interactive Short Talk Sessions were as follows.
ERG 2024 at New Orleans
IADR Education Research Group Best Presentation Award

Bruce Gitter
Staff Awardee
Dr. Bruce D. Gitter is a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Adams School of Dentistry (ASOD). Prior to joining ASOD, Dr, Gitter was Clinical Professor of Pharmacology in the Department of Biomedical and Applied Sciences, Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD). Dr. Gitter received his B.S. in biochemistry and chemistry, a M.S. in microbiology, and a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Georgia. Following completion of a postdoctoral fellowship in immunology at Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Gitter spent the next 32 years conducting basic and applied pharmacology research at Eli Lilly and Co., Covance Laboratories, and GliaPharm Consulting, LLC, focusing on inflammatory, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric diseases. He made significant research and leadership contributions to the discovery and development of potential Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics, one of which is currently under Phase III clinical investigation. At the ASOD, Dr. Gitter teaches general pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics to dental students, dental hygiene students, advanced standing international dental students, and graduate residents. In addition, Dr. Gitter is the co-Biomedical Sciences Stream Leader and co-course director for several integrated biomedical sciences courses within the recently launched ACT curriculum.Dr. Gitter’s abstract was part of a larger educational research project examining the impact of active learning in integrated biomedical sciences courses in collaboration with Dr. Joshua W. Little (ASOD). The study focused on student preferences and the potential benefits of active learning approaches (e.g., “flipped classroom”) in first year dental students in the ASOD class of 2027. The students in the study expressed a preference for a combination of flipped and traditional classroom instructional methods and their engagement in pre-class activities (e.g., watching pre-class videos and completing post-video quizzes) was associated with stronger exam performance.Dr. Gitter acknowledges and greatly appreciates the contributions of his co-authors/collaborators, and they are honored to receive this award from the Education Research Group of the IADR.
ERG 2024 at New Orleans
IADR ERG Best Student Presentation Award

Elina Nourmand
Research student Awardee
As a third-year dental student at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, I am humbled with being awarded The Education Research Group Best Student Presentation Award. I am forever thankful to Dr. Jonathan San Diego and all the ERG members. This award holds immense significance for me, because it acknowledges the dedication and effort invested in advancing dental research, education, and ethics. As I start my dental journey, this award fuels
my passion to continue making advancements in the field of dental education.
My attendance at the 2024 IADR General Session and Exhibition marked a milestone in my academic journey. Presenting my research titled "Editors-in-Chief Publishing in Their Dental Journal During Service: Ethical Dilemma?" was an opportunity to shed light on the often-overlooked issue of potential conflicts of interest among editors-in-chief publishing in their dental journals while in service. As someone deeply committed to ethical principles, undertaking this research and sharing our findings with national and international dental professionals held great importance to me. Our research revealed over a quarter of the studied editors-in-chief self-published 15% of their total lifetime publications during their tenure. This underscores the
need for clear guidelines and international standards regarding editors-in-chief self-publishing during their service term.
During my poster session, I was heartened by the positive reception from professionals who expressed gratitude for bringing attention to this topic. The realization of how many individuals appreciated our research was truly rewarding. Being immersed in this collaborative environment, united in the pursuit of advancing dental science and improving global oral health, reaffirmed my dedication to making a meaningful impact in the field. Although this was my first IADR conference, it certainly won’t be my last!
Grants and Awards

E
IADR Education Research Group Grant
The Education Research Group (ERG) invites proposals of up to $2,500 USD for consideration. The ERG Grant is designed to fund any educational research endeavor that leads to the promotion or dissemination of effective learning and/or teaching activities in dental education.
Typically only one grant will be awarded in a calendar year.
R
IADR Education Research Group Best Presentation Awards
Given to the oral or poster presentation judged to be the best in the ERG sessions at the Annual General Session and Exhibition of the International Association for Dental, Oral, Craniofacial Research (IADR). Usually one award is given to the best student presentation and one award to the best faculty presentation. Presentations are judged by ERG members.
G
IADR Centennial Travel Award for New Investigators
Assist new investigators residing in low to upper middle-income countries to attend the IADR General Session & Exhibition. This grant is designed to encourage new investigators to undertake research and to support their attendance at the IADR General Session for presentation of research in any of the IADR Scientific Group .