Interview with George Belibasakis on his appointment as Vice President of the IADR
On 4 December 2025, a press release announced that the members of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) had elected George Belibasakis, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, as Vice-president. Read the interview with George here.
Congratulations on this prestigious assignment!
What does it mean to you to become Vice-president of the IADR?
IADR is the scientific organization that drives oral and dental research globally, with more than 10 000 scientific members world-wide. Becoming its Vice-president is both an honor and a responsibility, reflecting scientific recognition and leadership trust by the global research community. Following my Vice-president term, I will continue to serve as President-elect and then President. I also take great pride being the second elected Swedish Vice-president and first of Greek descent, over the 105 years of IADR history.
What is your vision for the assignment?
Leading the IADR means shaping the future of dental and oral health science globally. I see an opportunity to promote collaborations across dental disciplines and geographical regions, under the scope of innovative and evidence-based research. Therefore, I will enforce further IADR as a platform for impactful science that translates into better patient care for all. Among the inclusivity strategies, I aim to encourage the participation of early-career researchers in the initiatives of the IADR.
In what way can you make a difference?
My work experience from different research environments and collaborations with different scientific partners are crucial for making a difference here. They help build research bridges and enhance scientific interactions between geographical regions of the IADR, while ensuring that emerging scientists participate actively. This requires a series of strategic initiatives that I will be able to establish with the support of the IADR headquarters.
What do you see as the biggest challenge for global dental research in the coming years, and how can it be addressed?
One of the biggest challenges will be ensuring equitable access to research resources and opportunities across all regions, especially in low-resource settings. IADR will continue to foster global collaboration and support capacity-building initiatives to bridge these gaps. Research participation and knowledge sharing becomes truly global, by promoting more interactive events and leveraging digital platforms.