Student Researchers Take Center Stage at TCDM Research Day

The event brought together students, faculty and administrators at TCDM’s Hawthorne campus for a full day of poster presentations, an oral health seminar series and an awards ceremony recognizing student research achievement. Twenty-five student posters were presented this year.

“This year’s TCDM Research Day was especially meaningful as we celebrated our fifth year of showcasing student scholarship and innovation,” said Dr. Jaffer A. Shariff, director of research for Touro College of Dental Medicine’s New York and New Mexico campuses. “I am incredibly proud of all our students and faculty mentors who contributed to this year’s success, with 25 presentations spanning clinical research, epidemiology, basic science, technological innovation, and emerging applications of AI in dentistry. Having had the opportunity to mentor many of these students over the years, it is inspiring to witness the tremendous growth of research culture at TCDM and the expanding involvement of faculty mentors dedicated to advancing academic inquiry.”

The day’s keynote speaker, Dr. Marko Vujicic, chief economist and vice president of the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, delivered a presentation titled “New Opportunities for Oral Health in the Shifting Health Policy Landscape,” discussing changes reshaping oral healthcare, including policy shifts, access to care and future workforce needs in dentistry. “It’s an exciting time for oral health, and more research is needed, more than ever,” Vujicic said. “And Touro, thankfully, is one of the leaders in this field.”

Students Explore Research Methods Across Disciplines

Students presented projects throughout the afternoon while classmates, faculty members and judges stopped to ask questions and discuss research methods and clinical applications.

Alexander Smyk, a D3 student and president of the TCDM Research Society, said research became part of his dental school experience early in his second year. “I feel like studying research has given me an opportunity to really learn so much about dentistry beyond just the clinical lectures that we undertake as a regular part of our curriculum,” Smyk said.

His project, completed with Vishwas Wadhwa and Zahava Davidowitz, examined implant survival rates in relation to implant stability quotient values and patient-level variables. Davidowitz, a D3 student and student editor-in-chief of the TCDM Research Society Journal, said the event reflected the range of work students completed throughout the year. “I’m so proud of what everyone has accomplished here,” she said. “All of my peers, and the research that they have put into.”

Wadhwa, a second-year student and D1/D2 representative for the Research Society, said working on research projects exposed him to areas of dentistry outside the classroom. “I’ve learned so much throughout my experience,” he said.

Several projects focused on new technology and diagnostic tools. First-year student Andrew Kim presented research comparing radiographic caries detection performed by students, faculty members and artificial intelligence systems across different display monitors. “It’s been a really exciting journey into research,” Kim said. “I think that Touro has a lot to offer in terms of research.” Kim said faculty mentors encouraged him to continue exploring research during his first year at TCDM.

Using Technology to Drive Better Clinical Decisions

Orthodontics resident Dr. Abe Hashim, DDS, presented a case involving three-dimensional printed replicas of teeth generated from CBCT imaging to help evaluate treatment decisions for an eight-year-old patient with an unerupted tooth and a supernumerary tooth. “With this new idea that we came up with, really printing the teeth, we were able to come up with a better decision,” Hashim said.

Other students presented projects examining intraoral cameras and patient compliance, the relationship between glycemic control and tooth extraction outcomes in patients with Type 2 diabetes, asthma and dental caries prevalence in children and young adults, and the effects of marijuana use on periodontal health.

Nisha Parakadavil, a second-year student, presented two projects during the competition, including one examining anticipated effects of proposed federal legislation on graduate education and healthcare access. “Touro is a place where science meets passion,” Parakadavil said. “When you’re interested in something in dentistry, follow that passion, and you can find out a lot about the science.”

Dr. Alan Rosenthal, DDS, Assistant Dean of Community Outreach and Global Health at Touro College of Dental Medicine, and one of the event judges, said the quality of the presentations made the competition difficult to evaluate. “I’m very impressed with our students and what they’ve accomplished,” Rosenthal said. “It’s going to be very difficult to choose a winner today because they are all very outstanding.”

Clinical studies accounted for 52 percent of this year’s projects, while dental public health and epidemiological studies made up 36 percent and educational and innovation studies accounted for 12 percent. The TCDM Research Society helped organize the event with student leadership representing multiple class years and both the New York and New Mexico campuses.

Comparison of Adhesive System Takes Top Prize

At the conclusion of the event, students gathered for the Research Day award ceremony recognizing the top poster presentations.

Winners of the 2026 TCDM Research Day Poster Competition included:

• First Place: Abe Hashim and Kaile Pagonis — “Comparative Evaluation of Shear Bond Strength of Orthodontic Adhesive Systems Using Standardized Universal Testing”
• Second Place: Nisha Parakadavil, Vishwas Wadhwa and Nicole Shlimon — “Perceived and Anticipated Impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) on Access to Graduate Education and Healthcare in Underserved Communities”
• Third Place (tie): Gina Cantatore, Ingrid Chen and Sundar Embar — “Pre-Surgical Infant Orthopedics Using Lip Taping and Nasal Elevator in Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: A Multidisciplinary Case Report”
• Third Place (tie): Tamara Shoen and Andrew Kim — “Radiographic Caries Detection Across Display Monitors: A Comparison of Faculty, Student and Artificial Intelligence Assessments — A Pilot Feasibility Study”