The judges of this year’s program (L. to r.): Dr. Benoit Soucy, CDA Chief Knowledge Officer; Dr. Lesli Hapak, CDA Board of Directors; Dr. Mitch Taillon, CDA past-president. Dr. Heather Carr, PFA Canadian Trustee, talking to student participants at the PFA Luncheon. The Broader Significance A key highlight of the student clinician events in Newfoundland is the Pierre Fauchard Academy (PFA) Luncheon, in recognition of all participants’ accomplishments. The PFA is an international honour society comprised of dentists who are acknowledged for their professionalism and contributions to the dental profession. Pierre Fauchard Academy Each student clinician is awarded a $1,000 scholarship from PFA, recognizing their dedication, innovation, and contributions to advancing dental research. Through the support of the PFA Oral Health Foundation, the Canadian chapter of PFA continues to demonstrate its commitment to nurturing the next generation of dental professionals. Its ongoing support of student research and excellence remains a cornerstone of the CDA/Dentsply Sirona event. Dr. Lisa Bentley (shown in photo above, PFA Canadian Trustee at the time of the event) and Dr. Heather Carr (recently elected PFA Canadian Trustee) were pleased to present the scholarships.“These student clinicians are the leaders of tomorrow and most deserving of this recognition of their efforts,” says Dr. Carr.“It was a pleasure to meet them and watch their excellent presentations. It is my hope that more of the profession will attend the talks as they are informative and present unique perspectives on current research and issues in our profession,” she says. PFA Canada plans to host a gala luncheon on April 17, 2026, at the CDA/Manitoba Dental Association Prairie Lights Dental Convention.“The event will honour both the student clinicians and deserving Canadian PFA members,” says Dr. Carr.“We hope to see our PFA members and guests at that event celebrating excellence in our profession.” For the student participants, the experience in St. John’s was memorable. “This event will help guide further research to paint a better picture of how oral and systemic health interact,” says Abbas. And for Karkout, the competition provided both validation and motivation: “We want to refine this tool for the purpose of treatment individualization,” he said. “So that patients with oral cancer can benefit the most. I would also like to express my gratitude to Drs. Amal Idrissi and Nicholas Makhoul for their invaluable support, guidance, and encouragement throughout this project. Their mentorship and dedication have profoundly shaped this work and made this achievement possible.” Both student research projects embody the spirit of the program: interdisciplinary, patient-centered, and deeply relevant to the future of health care. “I have no doubt these student clinicians will be our future leaders of the Canadian dental profession,” concludes Dr. Taillon. 11 Issue 6 | 2025 |
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