This June, the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) hosted its 103rd General Session in the vibrant city of Barcelona, Spain. As an institution committed to advancing public health through impactful research, the University of Liverpool proudly took part in this global gathering. A number of our staff and students travelled to the conference, eager to showcase their work and forge meaningful connections. The following round-up highlights the individuals whose work shaped our presence at the conference, showcasing their research and contribution to the international dental research community.
Laura Gartshore
At this conference Laura Gartshore officially assumed her internationally elected role as President of the Education Research Group (ERG) of IADR. She delivered her welcoming Presidential address to a well-attended reception held on the terrace. This demanding and prestigious role will involve Laura leading the ERG membership with respect to international research collaborations focused on dental education, and designing the programme for ERG symposia, lectures, and events at IADR in San Diego, March 2026.
Janine Yazdi-Doughty
Janine collaborated with dental colleagues from Queen Mary University of London, the University of Newcastle, and general dental practice to deliver an interactive, hands-on workshop titled “Domestic Abuse and Dentistry: Trauma-Informed Research, Education, and Practice”. A distinctive feature of the workshop was its chair, Marion, who brought a unique perspective as both a dentist and a survivor of domestic abuse, generously sharing her lived experience with the audience. During the session, Janine presented research on healthcare professionals’ experiences of domestic abuse, showcasing both quantitative and qualitative data that highlighted the profound impact domestic abuse can have on working life.
Emma Morgan
Emma organised a hands-on workshop titled “Involving children in research: A journey from design to delivery”. A selection of international speakers with a wealth of experience in involving children in research were brought together, including Prof. Zoe Marshman, Dr. Virginia Dickson-Swift and Prof. Sondos Albadri. During the session, participants were introduced to key concepts to facilitate children's involvement in research by the speakers. Participants were then given the opportunity to apply these concepts during an interactive session where they were tasked with designing a research study with children. This session was well attended by delegates from across the world, sparking much discussion and opportunity for collaboration.
Emma also presented a research poster titled “Impact of oral health problems on children with medical comorbidities”.
Gary Lowery and Sondos Albadri
Gary and Sondos were invited to attend the Global Consortium of Oral Health Birth Cohort Studies (GLOBICS) satellite symposium which brought together researchers from around the world working on oral health related birth cohort studies and oral health research embedded within wider birth cohort studies. The symposium provided an opportunity to discuss and shape the future direction of GLOBICS research and collaboration, with particular emphasis on developing consistency among key cohort study questions, and dissemination and translational research.
Michael Aspden
Michael was honoured to present his work at this year’s IADR conference. His abstract, titled “Development of 3D Printed Endodontic Typodonts for Simulated Practice” was accepted as part of the Innovations in Manufacturing & Dental Materials poster session. Michael’s work produced positive engagement and insightful discussions with delegates; many of whom recognised the advanced work being undertaken at Liverpool in this area.
Lisa Allen
Lisa’s poster presentation was titled “Food insecurity and the dental team: A PPI Perspective”. The study focused on the views of public members who attended local community supermarkets, in relation to their dental care. 30 Community members participated, indicating that key priorities for the future include better understanding of the challenges of poverty and patient support. Further research was advocated to investigate how dental professionals can improve their communication with patients with lived experience of poverty.
Amir Mukhtar
Amir, who has just completed his undergraduate studies, was funded by the Dental School Alumni Association to attend and IADR 2025 and present his work. Amir’s research, titled “Student Partnership Engagements in IADR ERG Dental Community”, investigated how student representatives were involved in the Education Research Group within the IADR, as well as general student engagement in the IADR General Sessions. Amir was delighted to showcase his work to a range of students and dental leaders at the conference, and to network with likeminded dental professionals. Amir was very grateful for the experience and support given by the dental school to be at IADR 2025. Amir will continue in his role as ERG student representative for the pan-European region.
Fatimah Alyousif
Fatimah’s presentation provided an overview of some of the key findings from her DDSC, notably, a service evaluation that retrospectively investigated case notes from patients who received treatment using Hall Technique Preformed Metal Crowns (HTPMCs) at Liverpool University Dental Hospital undergraduate clinic. The findings highlighted that HTPMC, when applied by the undergraduate students, is a minimally invasive and cost-effective intervention that may participate in the reduction of the need for invasive procedures including general anaesthesia in children.
The conference was a special milestone for Fatimah, who travelled from Saudi Arabia while 8 months pregnant to present her research. She also received an important opportunity to submit her research to the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (IJPD) for evaluation and proudly celebrated her graduation as well. It was a moment of both personal and professional joy.
Nada Al Hafidh
Nada’s poster presentation titled “Oral Hygiene Practices Following the Implementation of Mini Mouth Care Matters” was her first time presenting at the IADR conference. Nada’s presentation drew on her research which assesses the impact of implementing an oral health programme - 'MiniMouth Care Matters' - on children's oral hygiene practices in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The results of the research showed little significant difference after implementation regarding staff inquiries about children's mouth or teeth conditions, frequency of tooth brushing and perception of mouthcare condition during hospital stay. These findings suggest that although the participation and engagement with training sessions was good, for new practice to be fully adopted by healthcare professionals' additional input is required.
Raghd Albader
Raghd’s poster presentation was titled “Effectiveness of Pulpotomy in manging Symptomatic/Asymptomatic Deep Caries Permanent Posterior Teeth in Children: A Systematic Review”. The research found that pulpotomy in immature and mature permanent teeth using materials like MTA and Biodentine shows high clinical success and survival rates, supporting its use as a biologically based alternative to root canal treatment in children.
Barry Quinn
Prof. Barry Quinn began the conference by chairing a symposium titled "Innovative integration of VR haptics in Oral Health Research and Education." He also delivered a presentation on the advances in VR haptic simulation. On the Friday, Barry judged the Prosthodontics Education posters and chaired a workshop on Friday morning titled “Designing an Educational Research Project” alongside a multinational panel of academics. Barry also took over as President of the Prosthodontic Research Group.
Recognition and Awards
Reflecting the excellence of research outputs, a number were shortlisted for awards. Emma Morgan’s poster presentation titled ‘Impact of oral health problems on children with medical comorbidities’ was shortlisted for IADR Paediatric Oral Health Research Group student award. Amir Mukhtar was also shortlisted for the IADR BSODR Awards Junior Colgate Prize for this work and achieved second place - an incredible feat amongst international and postgraduate students! A special congratulations also goes to Madhavi Seshu whose poster presentation on inclusion of under-served groups in oral health inequalities was Highly Commended in the British Society for Oral and Dental Research Poster Prize.
Representing the Department
Finally, a huge thank you to everybody else who presented and networked - and particularly Alison Hawkins and Becky Flanagan - who did such an incredible job of representing all that is best about the department over the course of the conference. We are incredibly proud of the work that all of our staff and students have done leading up to this event and are excited to see what is in store for the School of Dentistry next year at the IADR general session 2026 in San Diago, California!
