DENTAL DIGEST Dr. Leigha Rock Dr. Anil Kishen Dr. Anil Kishen was appointed dean of the University of Toronto’s (U of T) faculty of dentistry as of July 1, 2025, for a five-year term. Dr. Kishen is an associate scientist in the department of dentistry at Mount Sinai Hospital and associate dean of graduate education at U of T. He is an expert in oral microbiology and immunology, with research areas focused on bioactive nanobiomaterials and phototherapeutics to fight oral infections. “I am tremendously honoured to be appointed dean of the faculty of dentistry,” said Dr. Kishen, who joined U of T in 2009 and holds the Dr. Lloyd and Mrs. Kay Chapman Chair in Clinical Sciences and a Canada Research Chair in Oral Health Nanomedicine. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead such an exceptional community of faculty, students and staff in advancing dentistry scholarship, practice and community engagement.” Dr. Kishen has received many awards including the National Dental Research Award from the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR) and the Association of the Canadian New Dean of U of T Faculty of Dentistry Faculties of Dentistry (ACFD), the WW Wood Award from ACFD and the Louis I Grossman Award from the American Association of Endodontics (AAE). Dr. Kishen is also a pastpresident of CADR and contributed to the development of Canada’s first-ever National Oral Health Research Strategy. See: bit.ly/4krLcGT Dr. Leigha Rock was inducted as president of the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR) for a 2-year term, during the annual meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) in New York. Dr. Rock is currently director of the School of Dental Hygiene at Dalhousie University and is the first dental hygienist to become CADR president in the organization’s history. In her new role with CADR, Dr. Rock says she is committed to fostering an environment of inclusivity, collaboration and innovation. “Together, we will ensure that our research is not only advancing knowledge but also making a tangible difference in people’s lives,” she said in a speech delivered at the AADOCR event in March 2025. Dr. Rock was also co-chair, with Dr. Paul Allison of McGill University, of the 2024 National Oral Health Research Strategy (NOHRS), officially launched at the Canadian Oral Health Summit in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June 2024. The NOHRS is intended to galvanize the oral health community into action Dr. Leigha Rock is New CADR President See: cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52773.html to build up the sector’s research workforce and infrastructure, and to generate new knowledge to help improve the oral health of people living in Canada. 18 | 2025 | Issue 3
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