The West Virginia University School of Dentistry will present the annual Mesaros Symposium on Friday, Aug. 21, at Erickson Alumni Center. The half-day continuing education opportunity is open to School of Dentistry students, faculty, and staff, and all dental professionals and support staff.
This year’s symposium, titled “Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry,” will be presented by Ching-Chang Ko, DDS, MS, PhD. The session will start at 8:45 a.m. and adjourn at noon. Check-in and a light breakfast will be available beginning at 7:45 a.m. This event has been designated for 3.0 continuing education credits.
Dr. Ko’s presentation will focus on current advances in AI-driven dentistry and highlight future directions in both academic research and industrial applications.
Offered through the Drs. Paul and Laura Mesaros Endowed Lectureship in Dentistry, the symposium is free for WVU School of Dentistry faculty, students, residents, staff, and rural rotation preceptors. The fee for all other attendees is $120 until Aug. 14. The late registration fee is $160.
Online registration is now open.
For questions about registration, contact Dr. Elizabeth Kao.
CE Course Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology capable of processing large volumes of clinical data and is increasingly influencing medical decision-making and the life sciences. Dentistry has long relied on accumulated clinical experience across areas such as restorative care, laboratory fabrication, implantology, orthodontic tooth movement, surgery, diagnosis, and treatment planning. AI systems can learn from these human experiences to perform advanced data analytics, streamline laboratory workflows, and support the creation of digital dental products. In the future, AI may further develop into applications such as dental navigation systems and robotic assistance.
This presentation reviews current advances in AI-driven dentistry and highlights future directions in both academic research and industrial applications. Key topics include automated imaging analysis, craniofacial characterization, tooth autosegmentation, restorative design, dental implant planning, patient outcome assessment, and AI-based diagnosis and treatment planning. These technologies promise improved accuracy, efficiency, and consistency, while enhancing clinical understanding and patient confidence.
Dr. Ching-Chang Ko
Ko has been associated with academic bioengineering and clinical orthodontics in various capacities over the last 35 years. He received his dental degree from Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan, R.O.C., in 1984, M.S. in Bioengineering at National Yang-Ming University, PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Michigan in 1994, and orthodontic certificate from the University of Minnesota in 2006. He is currently a professor and the Vig/Williams Endowed Chair in Orthodontics at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry in Columbus, Ohio.
Ko has contributed more than 180 publications in biomaterial/biomechanical sciences and orthodontic engineering. He has co-authored more than 10 book chapters and is the leading author for the book of “Machine Learning in Dentistry.” Ko’s research interests include bone diseases that affect dental health, biomaterials for bone cell regeneration, biomimetic bone cements for dental implants, and nanocomposite scaffolds for TMJ-related tissue engineering. He serves as a scientific board member for an international orthodontics foundation. He maintains a faculty clinical practice at OSU.
Drs. Paul and Laura Mesaros Endowed Lectureship in Dentistry
Established in 1993, the Drs. Paul and Laura Mesaros Endowed Lectureship in Dentistry reflects a lifelong commitment to healthcare. Following their careers as physicians, the couple wanted to give back to the profession by providing opportunities to advance the field and medical education. Today, their gift enables the School of Dentistry to bring distinguished members of the dental profession to campus for lectures on important areas of current interest and development in oral health.
The Mesaros gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
Download the Mesaros Symposium flyer.
-WVU-
jw/7/9/26
CONTACT: Jessica Wilmoth
Director of Marketing and Communications
WVU School of Dentistry | WVU Dental