Research Day set a record this year with 84 poster presentations from OHSU School of Dentistry students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty and staff. This School of Dentistry Anthology, or SODA, edition features winners from that competition and more.

Eight winning D.M.D. student posters—covering caseCAT and research topics—and two postdoctoral posters from Research Day and a separate Alumni Day event are highlighted in this edition of SODA. Additionally, the issue features articles by Jonathan Broadbent, Ph.D. and Rachel Meek, D.M.D. ’22.

The OHSU School of Dentistry, recognized as a leading institution in dental health care research, is dedicated to advancing oral health through a wide range of studies on dental diseases, clinical practices, biomedical sciences and oral biology. To celebrate pioneering research conducted at the school, a special Research Day occurs each spring in the Robertson Life Sciences Building. This year it was held on March 4, 2025.

CaseCATs are concise summaries of the best available evidence addressing specific clinical questions, structured using the PICO format—problem, intervention, comparison and outcome. Through this process, students develop the skills to search for, critically evaluate and apply scientific literature to inform clinical decision-making.

The topics covered in this issue’s caseCATs are diverse, ranging from the impact of non-surgical periodontal therapy on hypertensive patients to the effectiveness of zygomatic implants in treating atrophic maxilla. Other areas of focus include the use of potassium iodide to minimize silver diamine staining, the application of multisonic irrigation for root canal disinfection, comparisons between multisonic and passive ultrasonic irrigation, and the evaluation of coronectomy versus complete extraction of mandibular third molars.

Research posters featured in this edition explore a wide array of innovative subjects, including the use of quaternary ammonium methacrylates, or QAMs, to prevent dental collagen degradation, the antibiofilm properties of QAM-based materials, organ-on-a-chip models for studying multiple myeloma interactions with bone and the biocompatibility of dental restorative biomaterials enhanced with melamine-reinforced self-healing microcapsules.

Beyond caseCATs and research posters, this SODA edition features perspectives from Rachel Meek, D.M.D., ’22 who sheds light on the barriers Indigenous communities face in accessing dental care and the critical role dental professionals play in improving Indigenous oral health. Additionally, an article by Jonathan Broadbent, Ph.D., a professor of dental epidemiology and public health at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, offers insights into New Zealand’s approach to community water fluoridation and its effect on oral health.