Catching Up with the Oral Health Community in Canada: The Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR) We checked in with CADR’s president Dr. Leigha Rock to learn more about the work the association does. Dr. Leigha Rock is president of the CADR and associate professor and director of the School of Dental Hygiene at Dalhousie University. She is also cross appointed to the Department of Pathology in the Faculty of Medicine. She is a scientist at the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute and holds a scientific appointment at Nova Scotia Health, Department of Anatomical Pathology. Her research focuses on oral cancer prevention, microbiomics, and population health. She is passionate about connecting science, education, and practice to improve oral health outcomes across Canada. What does CADR do, in a nutshell? The Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR) is a division of the International Association of Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR). CADR’s mission is to advance and promote oral health research, foster collaboration among researchers, and translate scientific discoveries into improvements in oral and overall health across Canada and beyond. CADR is a dynamic community of approximately 250 members from all ten Canadian dental schools and supports researchers at every stage of their careers. CADR maintains strong relationships with members of the dental community in Canada and internationally by ensuring ongoing dialogue with the leadership of the various national dental groups, including the Canadian Dental Association (CDA). How does CADR contribute to the dental profession and oral health in Canada? CADR plays a unique role as a bridge between research and clinical practise. Although many dentists might not think of themselves as researchers, almost everything that happens in a dental office—from the materials used to restore teeth to the guidelines for managing caries or periodontal disease to the ways we integrate oral and systemic health—has its roots in research that CADR members have helped conduct or champion. Through partnerships with organizations like the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR) and CDA, CADR helps shape the national research agenda for oral health. We advocate for investment in research and training, support the next generation of clinicianscientists, and showcase Canadian innovation on the global stage. 14 | 2026 | Issue 2
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