Celebration of Research and Scholarship (CORAS 2026)
Oral Heath in Rural Communities and Translation of Research
Rena N. D’Souza, DDS, PhD, MS
Clinician-scientist and former director, National Institute
of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Former Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Education, Health Sciences at
the University of Utah Professor of Dentistry in
the School of Dentistry and a Professor of Neurobiology
and Anatomy in the School of Medicine.
The ECU School of Dental Medicine (SoDM) hosted it’s eleventh annual Celebration of Research and Scholarship (CORAS) – Poster Presentation & EXPO portion on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 from 11 am – 1:00 pm. It was scheduled to be a live-screening event with our Community Service Learning Centers(CSLCs); unfortunately, due to the adverse weather and transportation delays, Keynote Speaker, Dr. Rena D’Souza provided a robust virtual/Webex presentation on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 10 am)
Keynote Presentation
“Strategic Forecasting for the Oral Health Sciences: A Path Forward in Changing Times”
Rena N. D’Souza, DDS, PhD, MS
Dr. Rena N. D’Souza a clinician-scientist and former director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. She was formerly the assistant vice president for academic affairs and education for health sciences at the University of Utah where she was also a Professor of Dentistry in the School of Dentistry and a Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy in the School of Medicine.
D’Souza’s research interests center on tissue engineering and dental care, working with tooth stem cells to develop a method to re-grow the living tissue and eliminate the need for root canals.
CORAS 2026 Agenda – Poster Presentation & EXPO
