(L. to r.) Joel Pluymert, Dentsply Sirona; Callahan Doughty of Western University, program runner-up; Rolando Dallarte, Dentsply Sirona. (L. to r.) Dr. Bruce Ward, CDA past-president, with Diego Alejandro González Poleo of Laval University, winner of this year’s program. Winning Student Clinicians This year, top honours were awarded to Diego Alejandro González Poleo, a third-year student at Lavel University, who earned first place for his research on Selective Antitumor Activity of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. “Participating in the event was one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic journey so far. Being able to present my research at the national level and meet students from dental faculties across Canada was incredibly inspiring,” says González Poleo. “Seeing the amount of talent, curiosity and innovation among the next generation of dental professionals made the experience especially motivating.” González Poleo was grateful for the support and mentorship he received from Dr. Abdelhabib Semlali, from the Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Buccale (GREB), and the faculty of dental medicine at Laval University. For many student-participants, the experience serves as an introduction to lifelong involvement in research, education and clinical innovation. “Research has become an essential part of my journey in dentistry,” says González Poleo. “It has given me the opportunity to explore my curiosity, think critically and contribute to projects that could eventually have a meaningful impact on patient care. I believe research plays a major role in shaping the future of dentistry, and I would encourage any student or clinician to get involved if they have the opportunity.” Callahan Doughty, in third-year dentistry at Western University, earned runner-up honours for his research on the Effects of Print Angle and Aging on DLP Dental Resin Properties. Dentsply Sirona provided the $2,000 and $1,000 awards for these two winners respectively. “Participating in this year’s event was an incredible experience and an honour to represent the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry on a national stage,” says Doughty. “Presenting alongside such talented student researchers from across Canada was both inspiring and motivating. I’m grateful to Dr. Santiago Cobos and the FORUS research program at Western for their guidance and support throughout the project, as well as to my co-authors and faculty mentors who contributed to the research.” 16 | 2026 | Issue 3
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