Research and Clinical Excellence Day 2026 Showcases 68 Poster Presenters and 11 Award Winners

Keynote presentations by Drs. Marc Hayashi and Justine Lee bridged foundational science and patient impact.

15 people smiling in front of a blue backdrop
By School of Dentistry Communications
3 min read

Sixty-eight poster presenters and 11 award recipients highlighted the UCLA School of Dentistry’s Research and Clinical Excellence Day (RCED) 2026, co-presented for the first time with UCLA’s chapter of the National Student Research Group.

Held Feb. 25 at the Ackerman Grand Ballroom, the annual event brought together D.D.S. and oral biology postgraduate students, residents, trainees and faculty to showcase research spanning cancer biology, artificial intelligence, biomaterials, regenerative science, and clinical outcomes.

Hosted by Dr. Yvonne Hernandez-Kapila, associate dean for research and the Felix and Mildred Yip Endowed Chair, and opened by Dean and Professor Paul H. Krebsbach, the program reflected the School’s expanding culture of scientific discovery and mentorship.

“This day reflects the intellectual curiosity of our School community,” Dr. Hernandez-Kapila said. “The breadth of scholarship presented by our trainees and faculty demonstrates how UCLA Dentistry continues to push the boundaries of oral health research.”

UCLA Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activities Dr. Roger Wakimoto set the tone with an overview of the state of research at UCLA. He spoke candidly about recent funding challenges and encouraged early-career investigators to remain focused and resilient amid what may be temporary obstacles.

Morning faculty talks from seed grant recipients explored topics ranging from molecular mechanisms of oral squamous cell carcinoma to AI-enabled mobile orthodontic triage applications and next-generation 3D-printed prostheses.

Following lunch, the two keynote presentations bridged foundational science and patient impact. Dr. Marc Hayashi, chair of the School’s Section of Restorative Dentistry and Alumni and Friends Presidential Endowed Chair, delivered From Smear Layer to Nanolayer: Evolution of the Adhesive Interface, tracing advances shaping modern adhesive dentistry.

Dr. Justine C. Lee, professor in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Bernard G. Sarnat Endowed Chair for Craniofacial Biology, then presented From Reconstruction to Regeneration, highlighting the translational future of craniofacial science through patient-centered innovation.

Together, these real-world applications of discovery created an aspirational vision for the students, residents, and trainees who competed in this year’s poster competition. Eleven honorees across multiple categories were invited to present their findings before final awards were announced.

RCED 2026 once again demonstrated the School’s commitment to cultivating discovery at every level of training, reinforcing UCLA Dentistry’s leadership in oral health research.

The event was made possible through the support of University Credit Union, Kenvue, Qiagen, the UCLA Campus Programs Committee of the Program Activities Board, and ASUCLA Student Union Event Funding.

Award Winners

Basic Research, D.D.S.

First Place | Ananya H. Srivatsan, D.D.S. ‘28
Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroplastic Changes in a Model of Temporomandibular Disorder  Mentors: Sunil Kapila and Igor Spigelman 

Second Place | Eunice Huang, D.D.S. ‘27
Treponema Denticola-Mediated Bone Loss and Nisin’s Therapeutic Potential | Mentor: Dr. Yvonne Hernandez-Kapila

Third Place | Tahra Nakhai, D.D.S. ‘26
Effects of Fluoride Varnish Treatments on Plaque and Microbial Composition | Mentor: Dr. Renate Lux

Clinical Research, D.D.S.

First Place | Margaret Tajirian, D.D.S. ‘28
Oral Health Literacy and Patient Communication Practices in California Dental Clinic Settings
Mentor: Dr. Vinodh Bhoopathi

Second Place | Soheil Shahbazi, D.D.S. ‘27
Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Photographs of Orthodontic Patients: A Systematic Review
Mentors: Drs. Yi Lin and Farnaz Younessian

Third Place | Ayato Shigihara, D.D.S. ‘27
Leadership Training in Predoctoral Dental Education
Mentors: Drs. Beatriz Bezerra, Marc Hayashi, and Sheila Yaghmai

Basic Research – Master’s, Residents, and Trainees

First Place | Yumna Subhani, D.D.S., P. ‘26
Instrumentation Effects on Surface Characteristics and Biological Response on Zirconia
Mentor: Dr. Takahiro Ogawa

Second Place | Shaiva Thakar, B.D.S., AEGD Preceptor ‘26
Hydrophobic Monomer System for Dental Composites: Development and Physiochemical Evaluation of UDMA/IBOMA Formulations
Mentor: Dr. Mijoo Kim

Clinical Research – Master’s, Residents, and Trainees

First Place | Jason Lai, D.D.S. ’24, O.M.R. ‘26
Volume Fusion Pretraining for Dental CBCT Segmentation: A Clinician-Led, AI-Assisted Study
Mentor: Dr. Mohammed Husain

Second Place | Karen He, D.D.S., M.D., O.M.F.S. ‘27
Exparel Reduces Opioid Use Following Third Molar Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Mentors: Drs. Wayne Ozaki and Michael DeLong

Third Place | Shveta Duggal, D.D.S., O./M.S. ‘29
Feasibility of AI-Assisted TMJ Segmentation: A Pilot Study
Mentors: Drs. Karolina Kaczor Urbanowicz and Sunil Kapila

Basic Research – Postdoc and Ph.D.

First Place | Changlu Xu, Ph.D.
Nanoclay-Exosome Hydrogel Integrating DBM and miRNA for Synergistic Osteogenesis
Mentor: Dr. Min Lee

Second Place | Yimin Chen, Ph.D.
Fusobacterial LPS Programs Autophagy-Mediated Cancer Chemoresistance
Mentor: Dr. Hung Ton-That

Third Place | Shania Day, Ph.D. candidate
A Regulatory Axis Controls Assembly of Gram-Positive Pilus Adhesins
Mentor: Dr. Hung Ton-That