Awards, Faculty and Staff

Divaris Named an IADR Centennial Emerging Leader 

Kimon Divaris, DDS, PhD, associate professor of pediatric dentistry, was named an International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Centennial Emerging Leader. The Emerging Leaders Award recognizes young investigators who will lead the research field into the next century.  

Divaris, who represents one of six winners from the American Division, and one of only 19 winners across the globe, was selected for demonstrated scientific accomplishment in the field of dental, oral and craniofacial research, and has shown outstanding promise for continuing service and leadership within the IADR and the scientific community. 

I cannot imagine a more fitting award for Kimon,” said Dean Scott S. De Rossi, DMD, MBA. “He is ambitious, future oriented and, simply, incredibly gifted. We are truly fortunate to have someone with his vision, passion and acumen at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry.” 

Divaris’ research program covers several aspects of oral health and is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Currently, the major focus of Divaris’ team is the study of the biological basis of early childhood oral health, using human genome, oral microbiome and other ‘omics information, in the context of a community-based multi-ethnic cohort of preschool-age children in North Carolina. 

“The award is a great honor and recognizes our multidisciplinary team members’ tireless, high-quality and visionary work,” said Divaris. “It is also a testament to the strategic mindset and supportive environment in our Division of Pediatric and Public Health at the Adams School of Dentistry, and the highly collaborative spirit that we are known for at Carolina.” 

“While our current work lives on the interface between basic, clinical and epidemiologic research, we are actively exploring avenues for accelerating the translation of these discoveries to solutions.” 

The award winners will be highlighted during the 98th General Session and Exhibition of the IADR March 18-21 in Washington, D.C. 

The IADR is a nonprofit organization with over 10,000 individual members worldwide, with a Mission to drive dental, oral and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being worldwide.