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NJAPD Full-Day Halloween Course

Managing Dental Caries as a Multifactorial Disease: Current Perspectives in Chronic Disease Management

Date
October 30, 2026 | 8 AM - 5 PM

Location
Delta Hotel
110 Davidson Avenue
Somerset, NJ 08873

Speakers
Dr. Alex Mira, Dr. Rosalyn Sulyanto, and Ms. Jillian Kaye

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Course objectives include gaining a better understanding of the following:

  • the microbiology of dental caries (initial and deep caries) and acquisition of the microbiome
  • the role of the microbiome on health and disease
  • the role of the oral microbiome in systemic health
  • the role of prebiotics and probiotics in oral health and caries prevention
  • the role of toothbrushing in plaque control.
  • the role of fluoride and other chemicals to modify tooth structure and the biofilm (including SDF)
  • are there other proven chemical or mechanical alternatives for caries prevention?
  • the role of diet in microbiome modification to control caries and improve nutrition
  • barriers to diet modification and strategies to overcome them
  • the role of dietary counseling in a modern pediatric practice
Speaker Bios

Dr. Alex Mira
Alex Mira completed his doctorate in microbiology at Oxford University (UK) and carried out post-doctoral research in the USA and Sweden. He returned to Spain with the Ramón y Cajal repatriation program in 2003 and initiated his own research group working on the genomics and metagenomics of oral bacteria. He was awarded the “Jaime Ferran” National Award for Research in Microbiology and the FIPSE National Award for Health Innovation, the latter for the discovery of Streptococcus dentisani, isolated from caries-free individuals, and its development as a probiotic to promote oral health. He is currently the principal investigator of the Oral Microbiome Laboratory at the FISABIO Foundation in Spain, where he has applied metagenomics to the study of the oral microbiome from birth to adulthood, contributing to the current understanding of the microbial etiology of dental caries, periodontal diseases and halitosis. His current research lines include the search for new oral prebiotics and probiotics to promote oral health, as well as the use of nanoparticles to improve endodontic treatment and the links between oral microbiota and systemic conditions like cardiovascular health, neurodegenerative diseases or colon cancer. He has registered 13 patents in the oral care field and his research is generally applied. He is currently promoting the creation of a Saliva Biobank directed towards the identification of early diagnostics of systemic diseases.

Dr. Rosalyn Sulyanto
Dr. Rosalyn Sulyanto graduated with a double major in Bioengineering and Materials Science and Engineering from UC Berkeley and received her D.M.D. degree from Harvard School of Dental Medicine. While at Harvard, she conducted research on bone development as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow. She completed her residency in pediatric dentistry at Nationwide Children’s Hospital/The Ohio State University and was a recipient of the 3M ESPE Preventive Pediatric Dentistry Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, the Ralph E MacDonald Award, and was awarded a Master’s Degree in Dentistry. Dr. Sulyanto is an assistant professor at HSDM and a clinical specialist in Pediatric Dentistry and the Director of Post-Doctoral Research at Boston Children’s Hospital. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She is an examiner for the written section of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and serves on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Committee on Scientific Affairs. Her NIH-supported research has focused on early childhood caries and the oral microbiome, and she has published numerous research articles in peer reviewed scientific journals on caries management and minimal intervention approaches.

Jillian Kaye, MS, RDN
Jillian Kaye, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and the Director of Nutrition and Interprofessional Education in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry. For nearly a decade, Jillian has dedicated her work to exploring the role of dietitians in oral health and advancing collaboration between nutrition and dental professionals. Jillian has previously presented at the AAPD Annual Session and the Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM), sharing her expertise on the connection between nutrition and oral health and the opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Jillian earned her Master of Science in Nutrition and completed her Dietetic Internship at NYU. She is honored to be invited to participate in this year’s NJAPD program, where she hopes to inspire dental professionals to recognize the important role of diet and nutrition in oral health and encourage future collaborations between dental and nutrition professionals. Jillian is especially grateful to Dr.Crystal for her continued mentorship, encouragement, and support.