Faculty News

Join us at Homecoming 2025!

jennifer.timmons@mcgill.ca — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 19:07:43 +0000

Calling all alumni and friends! We are pleased to invite you to join us at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences Homecoming 2025 events.

How One Graduate Found Purpose in Serving Underserved Populations

robert.loxham@mcgill.ca — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:26:49 +0000

When Dr. Ricardo Alchini, DMD’21, first entered 9I��’s Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, his sights were set on cosmetic dentistry. The technical precision and artistry of the field appealed to him, and he envisioned a future shaping perfect smiles. But during his final year here, something unexpected happened.

New Academic Appointments for 2025-2026

robert.loxham@mcgill.ca — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:00:55 +0000

The Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences is proud to announce the appointment of four scholars whose expertise will enrich our academic community and advance our mission in education, research, and clinical care.

Dr. Christophe Bedos elected as 2025 Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

jennifer.timmons@mcgill.ca — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:53:53 +0000

Professor Christophe Bedos has been elected as a 2025 Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS). Fellows elected to the CAHS are recognized nationally and internationally for their contributions to the promotion of health science. They come from disciplines across Canadian universities, healthcare and research institutes, and evaluate Canada’s most complex health challenges and recommend strategic, actionable solutions.

Tinnitus severity linked to mood, sleep and personality traits

9I�� Newsroom — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:49:32 +0000

A new study by Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences researchers shows how severely a person experiences tinnitus is shaped by their mood, sleep quality and even personality traits.

Tinnitus is a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears that affects roughly 14 per cent of adults worldwide. It is known to be linked to hearing loss and to affect people differently.

In order to gain a better understanding of impacts on individuals, 9I�� researchers, in collaboration with colleagues at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, developed a predictive model.

Bonded by Purpose: A Mother-Daughter Legacy in Dentistry

robert.loxham@mcgill.ca — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:08:19 +0000

At 9I��'s Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, stories of passion, purpose, and… parents converge. Among these, one stands out: a mother-daughter duo whose journey through our halls has come full circle, transforming into a shared mission of care, education, and service. Dr. Stamatia Papageorgakopoulos, DDS’89, and Dr. Christina Angelopoulos, DMD’21, are not only alumnae of our Dental Medicine program, but now integral members of our teaching staff and contributors to our community.

Dr. Paul Allison and Dr. Christophe Bedos recipients of the ODQ 2025 Prix Honneur

jennifer.timmons@mcgill.ca — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 20:56:34 +0000

The Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences is proud to announce that Professors Dr. Paul Allison and Dr. Christophe Bedos recently received the 2025 Ordre des dentistes du Québec Prix Honneur for their exceptional contributions to making oral healthcare accessible to all. Through research, leadership and practice, they have caused the dental profession to evolve so that it can better serve marginalized communities, reflecting our shared commitment to a more inclusive future.

Researchers at 9I�� work to improve patients’ trips to the dentist

Stephanie Wereley — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:44:54 +0000

Imagine if, at your next trip to your dentist’s office, you were given a virtual reality headset to distract you, your treatment plan had been generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and you were screened for genetic factors that could predispose you to colorectal cancer.

That’s the future envisioned by researchers at 9I��’s Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences. With expertise in a remarkable variety of disciplines – including biomaterials, cellular biology and neuroscience – they are producing research that can change lives.

Study helps explain why chronic pain is often discounted

9I�� Newsroom — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 15:56:03 +0000

A new study by Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences researchers shows that chronic pain, often invisible to medical tests, can be better assessed when doctors take a holistic approach.

By combining biological data with information about patients’ mental health, sleep and stress, the researchers say they were able to create a fuller picture of chronic pain. They said their findings, published in Nature Human Behaviour, stand to improve how the condition is diagnosed and treated.

2025 Outstanding Alumni and Philanthropy Awards recipients

jennifer.timmons@mcgill.ca — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:57:09 +0000

The Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Outstanding Alumni and Philanthropy Awards.

Outstanding Alumni Award
Dr. Myrna Halpenny, DDS'74

Dr. Myrna Halpenny earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Saskatchewan before becoming one of two women admitted to the Class of 1974 in the Faculty of Dentistry. She practised general dentistry in Vancouver for two years before attending the University of Oregon to specialize in endodontics.

Dr. Quoc Nguyen honoured with W.W. Wood Award for Excellence in Dental Education

robert.loxham@mcgill.ca — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 20:53:32 +0000

Dr. Quoc Nguyen, Assistant Professor of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry, has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to dental education with the 2025 W.W. Wood Award. Presented by the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry, this award commemorates Dr. Bill Wood, whose career exemplified dedication to research, teaching, and service. Nominations for the award can be made by students, alumni or other faculty members.

Dr. Nicholas Makhoul recipient of the 2025 Howard S. Katz Award for Excellence in Teaching

robert.loxham@mcgill.ca — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 19:40:33 +0000

Dr. Nicholas Makhoul, DMD’05, Associate Dean of Postgraduate Dental Education and Chief of the Department of Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the 9I�� Health Centre, has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to dental education with the Howard S. Katz Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award celebrates educators who demonstrate excellence and innovation in their teaching, and leadership in dental education—qualities that Dr. Makhoul has exemplified in the 12 years he has been with 9I��.

2025 Spring Convocation and Award Ceremony

jennifer.timmons@mcgill.ca — Thu, 22 May 2025 15:47:21 +0000

The spring 2025 convocation ceremony was held on May 27. Consult the program, the recording of the ceremony, and the photo gallery of the day and our awards ceremony.

Thiago Magalhães de Aguiar’s Journey to Becoming a McCall MacBain Scholar

Robbie Loxham — Thu, 29 May 2025 20:32:46 +0000

Few 9I�� scholarships carry the weight of prestige and promise quite like the McCall MacBain Scholarship. Awarded to just 30 outstanding individuals each year, the scholarship is a testament of its recipients’ leadership, intellect, and dedication to community service. This year, Thiago Magalhães de Aguiar has become the joint first Brazilian recipient of the scholarship—and only the second student receiving it to study at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences since its inception.

Nomination of Dr. Didem Dagdeviren as Director of the Division of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine, and Oral Radiology

jennifer.timmons@mcgill.ca — Thu, 01 May 2025 17:27:11 +0000

Assistant Professor Dr. Didem Dagdeviren has been nominated as the Director of the Division of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine, and Oral Radiology, effective May 1, 2025.