Welcome and Opening Remarks
Robert Vogel, DDS
President
Paul Fugazzotto, DDS
Annual Meeting Program Chair
Opening Symposium: It’s All About the Why
Recordings are Available Within 24 Hours of the Live Presentation
Bunmi Tokede , BDS, MPH, DMSc
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving from a futuristic concept to a practical clinical tool in dentistry. This session will explore the current and near-futureimpact of AI on the practice of clinical dentistry, moving beyond the hype to focus on tangible applications. The presentation will frame AI not as a replacement for clinical judgment, but as a powerful partner that augments the clinician’s expertise to achieve new levels of excellence.
Focusing specifically on the core concerns of every practitioner, this presentation will demonstrate how integrating AI into clinical workflows can directly improve patient safety and optimize treatment success. We will discuss AI’s role in mitigating common risks, preventing diagnostic errors, and personalizing treatment strategies to fit the unique needs of each patient. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how these technologies can lead to more predictable, durable, and successful clinical outcomes.
Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:
1) identify key applications of AI that directly enhance patient safety in clinical dentistry, from improved diagnostics to proactive risk mitigation;
2) discuss the role of AI-driven predictive analytics and decision support in personalizing treatment plans to optimize clinical outcomes; and
3) assess the practical challenges and ethical considerations of integrating AI into clinical workflows and recognize the clinician’s essential role in its responsible adoption.
Biography
Dr. Tokede is working on the future of dental care. As a board-certified orthodontist and an Associate Professor at UTHealth Houston, his research is focused on creating a Learning Health System for dentistry – an integrated system that harnesses the power of data and analytics to learn from every patient encounter (real-world data), feeding the insights generated back to clinicians, health professionals, patients, and other stakeholders in order to create continuous cycles of healthcare quality improvement.
This pioneering work is supported by multiple NIH grants on which he serves as a Principal and Co-Investigator. His academic journey includes a dental degree with honors from the University of Ibadan and three credentials from Harvard: a Master of Public Health, a Doctorate, and a residency certificate in Orthodontics.
William Giannobile, DDS, MS, DMSc
Regenerative and precision medicine are rapidly transforming the field of implant dentistry by shifting the focus from standardized treatment protocols to biologically tailored solutions. Advances in biomaterials, tissue engineering, and stem cell therapies are enabling clinicians to restore bone and soft tissue more predictably, creating a improving treatment outcomes for long-term implant success. Advances in precision medicine—offers tailored patient diagnosis through genetic profiling, digital diagnostics, and patient-specific risk assessments—offers the ability to customize implant therapies, improving both long-term outcomes and patient satisfaction. Together, these approaches represent a paradigm shift toward more personalized, biologically integrated implant care.
Upon completion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1) describe the principles of regenerative medicine and their applications in bone and soft tissue augmentation for implant dentistry;
2) explain how precision medicine tools, such as AI/Machine learning, genetic profiling, salivary diagnostics and digital diagnostics, inform personalized implant treatment planning; and
3) evaluate the clinical advantages and challenges of integrating regenerative and precision strategies into contemporary implant dentistry.
Biography
William Giannobile is the Dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and A. Lee Loomis Jr. Professor of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity at Harvard University. He received his DDS and MS in Oral Biology from the University of Missouri. He later received his Certificate in Periodontology and Doctor of Medical Sciences in Oral Biology from Harvard University. He completed postdoctoral training in Molecular Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. He has served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Genova Medical School Biotechnology Institute, Sapienza University of Rome, and the Eastman Dental Institute, University College London.
Dr. Giannobile’s continuously NIH-funded research program over the past 30 years has focused on Oral and Periodontal Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Engineering and Precision Medicine. He currently serves as Co-Principal Investigator to the NIH/NIDCR-supported Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Regenerative Medicine Resource Center. The goal of the center is to translate early-stage dental, oral and craniofacial reconstructive technologies into clinical practice. He has produced over 300 manuscripts and patents focused on periodontology, regenerative medicine, and oral health research. He is the editor or co-editor of over 10 books focused on clinical, translational research, periodontology, and regenerative medicine. Dr. Giannobile served as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Dental Research, the official journal of the International Association for Dental Research from 2010-2020. Dr. Giannobile has serves as a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Dental Devices since 2006.
Dr. Giannobile received the received the Galileo Galilei Award in 2022 from the SIdP and the International Eminence in Periodontology Award, European Federation of Periodontology in 2023. Recently, he received the American Dental Association’s Gold Medal for Excellence in Dental Research in 2024. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for Dental Research, and the International and American Colleges of Dentists. He is a past president of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, and the Osteology Foundation. In addition to his administrative and teaching responsibilities, he practices periodontics and implant dentistry at the Harvard Dental Center in Cambridge, MA.
Marta Revilla-Leon, DDS, MSD, PhD
Digital implant data acquisition extends beyond the use of intraoral scanners and photogrammetry, which serve as tools for initiating the digitalization process. This acquisition step is not only the beginning of the digital workflow but also a critical decision point where the appropriate techniques and tools must be selected to influence the entire workflow. Therefore, a clear understanding and correct choice of technique are essential to achieving optimal results.
This presentation will introduce a clear classification of current digital implant acquisition methods, scrutinize their accuracy and reliability, and discuss their integral role in shaping clinical outcomes—all supported by the most recent evidence-based research.
Upon completion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1) identify the main data acquisition methods and the elements that can influence their accuracy for an intraoral digital scans;
2) explain the impact of operator factors on the acquisition of digital data; and
3) recognize patient factors and their influence on intraoral data acquisition methods.
Biography
Dr. Marta Revilla-Leon is Faculty and Director of Research and Digital Dentistry at the Kois Center. Dr. Revilla-León obtained her PhD in Prosthodontics and Digital Dentistry at ACTA University in Amsterdam. She obtained her MSD in prosthodontics at the University of Washington in Seattle and a MS in Esthetic Dentistry at the Complutense University of Madrid.
Dr. Revilla-León is specialist in digital dentistry with more than 200 publications in peer-reviewed dental journals in the last 5 years, Dr. Revilla-Leon is also an Affiliate Faculty in the Graduate in Prosthodontic Program at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Irene Marron-Tarrazzi, DMD, MS
In esthetic implant therapy, the most powerful interventions are often the least invasive. This presentation explores how understanding the “why” behind each decision is essential to achieving seamless results. A minimalist surgical mindset, combined with deep biological understanding and prosthetic awareness, can elevate outcomes in the esthetic zone.
From flapless and remote incisions to guided soft tissue sculpting and strategic grafting, this session highlights how restraint and precision—not aggressiveness—can preserve architecture, improve predictability, and enhance long-term success. Emphasis will be placed on the surgeon’s role in recognizing prosthetic factors, designing biologically respectful emergence profiles, and planning with intention from the outset. Clinical cases will illustrate how “less is more” becomes a philosophy that protects both tissue health and esthetic harmony.
Upon completion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1) integrate surgical and restorative planning by recognizing how guided, flapless, or remote incisions preserve vascularity, reduce morbidity, and improve soft tissue stability;
2) integrate surgical and restorative planning using emergence profile design, prosthetic factors, and restorative timelines influence predictable esthetic outcomes; and
3) apply a minimalist approach to complex challenges, exploring how intentional, biologically driven surgical decisions—supported by digital tools—lead to harmonious, stable, and esthetic results.
Biography
Dr. Irene Marron-Tarrazzi is a board-certified periodontist who maintains a full-time private practice in the vibrant Brickell neighborhood of Miami, Florida. She earned her dental degree from Nova Southeastern University and completed her post-doctoral training in Periodontics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to her clinical practice, she serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Post-Graduate Periodontics Program at Nova Southeastern University.
She has received several prestigious honors, including Florida Dentist of the Year, NSU Alumni of the Year, and the Lucy Hobbs Project Woman-to-Watch Award. Dr. Marron-Tarrazzi also served as the first and youngest Vice President of the American Dental Association. Actively involved in the global dental community, she is the current Vice Chair of the FDI Membership Liaison and Support Committee and the former Chair of the FDI Section on Women Dentists Worldwide. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology (ITI).
Markus B. Blatz, DMD, PhD
The integration of advanced technology into dentistry has fundamentally transformed oral healthcare across research, education, and clinical practice. In research, digital imaging, artificial intelligence (AI), and computational modeling have accelerated discovery and enhanced study precision. Educational paradigms now incorporate virtual reality simulations and AI-powered digital platforms that provide students with immersive, personalized learning environments. Clinical care has been revolutionized by AI-supported technologies, treatment planning and smile design software, CAD/CAM technology, and platforms that improve diagnostic accuracy, treatment outcomes, and patient accessibility.
The convergence of these innovations has created unprecedented opportunities for evidence-based and personalized treatment approaches. Digital health records, advanced imaging and emerging AI applications in diagnostic support as well as treatment planning and execution have streamlined workflows and enabled more precise, patient-specific, and minimally invasive procedures. This presentation will discuss how these technological advances are reshaping research and education while improving patient outcomes.
Upon completion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1) review current applications of digital technologies and AI in dental research, education, and clinical practice;
2) explain how technological integration has improved diagnostic accuracy, treatment outcomes, and workflow efficiency in dentistry; and
3) assess the implications of emerging technologies for future dental practice and education.
Biography
Dr. Markus B. Blatz is Professor of Restorative Dentistry, Chairman of the Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, and Assistant Dean for Digital Innovation and Professional Development at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he
also founded the Penn Dental Medicine CAD/CAM Ceramic Center. Dr. Blatz graduated from Albert- Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany, and was awarded additional Doctorate Degrees, a Postgraduate Certificate in Prosthodontics, and a Professorship from the same University.
Dr. Blatz is co-founder and past President of the International Academy for Adhesive Dentistry (IAAD) and a founding member of the European Academy of Digital Dentistry (EADD). He is a board-certified Diplomat in the German Society for Prosthodontics and Biomaterials (DGPro) and a member of multiple other professional organizations, including the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, the International College of
Prosthodontists, the American College of Prosthodontists (honorary member), Academy of Osseointegration, and O.K.U. Honor Dental Society.
Dr. Blatz is Editor-in-Chief of Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry, Associate Editor of the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry and Associate Editor of Quintessence International, Section Editor of the International Journal of Prosthodontics, and serves on the editorial boards of numerous other recognized scientific dental journals. He is coauthor of the international bestseller “evolution – contemporary protocols for anterior single-tooth implants”.
Dr. Blatz is the recipient of multiple teaching and research awards and has published and lectured extensively on dental esthetics, restorative materials, and implant dentistry. He was named one of he “World’s Top 100 Doctors in Dentistry” and “Most Educational Instagram Account (@profmarkusblatz)” by his peers.
