EIOH's 2026 Conferences Bring Leading Experts and Emerging Science to Dental Professionals
From its early commitment to interdisciplinary care to its nationally recognized continuing education programs, Eastman Institute for Oral Health has built a reputation for delivering clinically relevant, research-driven learning experiences that translate directly into better patient outcomes.
In 2026, that legacy continues with a collection of impactful conferences designed to equip dental professionals for the evolving demands of modern practice. From aging populations and medically complex patients to dental implants and laser applications, these conferences will share insights from the latest clinical research and technological breakthroughs.
Cariology Conference
Taking place on April 16, this conference will focus on treatment considerations for older adults, addressing unique challenges for diagnosis, prevention, and management of dental caries. The keynote address will be presented by Joana Cunha-Cruz, DDS, PhD, who is the National Director of Communication and Dissemination for the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network, and Assistant Director for the Network’s South-Central Region.
Widely relevant principles of age-friendly care and applications across dental disciplines will be shared by Thomas Caprio, MD, URMC’s Hospice Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer for UR Medicine Home Care.
Szilvia Arany, DMD, PhD, Director of EIOH’s Geriatric Dental Clinic, will discuss considerations of salivary function on dental health. Elham Emami, DMD, PhD, who served on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Advisory Board, will share insights about tooth loss and dental rehabilitation. Riva Touger-Decker, PhD, RD, former Chair of Rutgers’ Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences, will discuss the impacts of diet and nutrition on oral health.
Oral Medicine Conference
Oral health treatment for cancer survivors and other medically complex patients is the focus of this conference, which will be held May 1. Packed with expert lectures and poster presentations, the conference also offers an optional hands-on workshop on performing oral tissue biopsies.
A variety of these lectures, as well as the hands-on workshop, will be presented by Nathaniel Treister, DMD, DMSc, Clinical Director of Oral Medicine and Oral Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Recent research on oral impacts of immunotherapy and targeted therapy will be shared by Sharon Elad, DMD, MSc, Chair of EIOH’s Division of Oral Medicine. Current research on long-term effects of hematopoietic cell transplantation will also be shared by Judith Raber-Durlacher, DDS, PhD, a former President of the International Society of Oral Oncology.
The conference also features two experts in laser dentistry, who will discuss laser safety and clinical applications for medically complex patients. Praveen Arany, BDS, MDS, PhD is a former president of both the North American Association for Photobiomodulation and the World Association for Photobiomodulation Therapy. Scott Benjamin, DDS currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Laser Institute of America and the ANSI Z136 Committee on Laser Safety, and chairs the ADA Standards’ Working Group on Dental Lasers.
Handelman General Dentistry Conference
On May 8, this conference will feature a variety of lectures from accomplished alumni of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health.
Mario Romero, DDS (GenDen ‘13) will share his expertise on no-drill techniques in esthetic dentistry, walking attendees through the thinking process on how to avoid tooth preparation to esthetically improve our patients’ smiles, as well as use different restorative materials with as little tissue loss as possible.
Mohamed Fayad, DDS, MS, PhD (GenDen ‘98), will discuss innovative applications of new technologies such as dental lasers, Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), and AI software, demonstrating how integrating these tools improves precision, safety, and patient outcomes in managing complex endodontic cases.
Alfonso Piñeyro, DDS (Prostho ’06, GenDen ‘03) will discuss common implant complications and strategies to avoid them, including insights from radiography and methods to achieve more consistent and predictable results.
Hector Sarmiento, DMD (GenDen ‘11) will explore the etiology, diagnosis, and classification of peri-implant complications, emphasizing evidence-based surgical management of peri-implantitis.
Brewer Prosthodontic Conference
On June 12, this conference will feature Stephen Chu, DMD, MSD, CDT, Associate Editor for the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry.
Digital dentistry has transformed restoration types and fabrication protocols in both laboratory and clinical settings. Original equipment manufacturers typically use stock abutments. However, if the subcritical emergence from the implant abutment interface is not optimal, it can affect the health and stability of both the hard and soft tissues. This presentation will compare stock and custom-designed abutments and discuss variations in subcritical and critical emergence using clinical examples and CAD designs.
Caton Periodontal Conference
Soft tissue considerations for implant procedures are the focus of this conference on October 2, featuring Lorenzo Tavelli, DDS, MS, PhD, former director of the Postgraduate Program in Periodontology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Throughout the event, Dr. Tavelli will share his expertise about a variety of surgical techniques and treatment modifications that can improve results for patients with soft tissue deformities such as gingival recession and peri-implantitis.
The lectures will delve into diagnosis and management of these conditions, including surgical approaches and biomaterials for soft tissue management, focusing on prevention of esthetic complications and optimizing tissue stability and health. Cutting-edge diagnostic methods will be introduced, including how ultrasound techniques can be used to enhance evaluation and prosthetic planning.
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