KARACHI: Third-year BDS students took centre stage at JMDC CON 2026 as Day 1 of the event opened with the 1st Annual Dental Research Symposium, giving undergraduate dental students an opportunity to present research projects, defend their ideas and compete for top honours.
The symposium was organised by the Dental Undergraduate Research Committee under the supervision of the JMDC Research Cell, with the programme designed to place student research, academic inquiry and evidence-based dentistry at the heart of the conference.
For the participating students, the event went beyond a conventional classroom exercise.
Their presentations covered a diverse range of research topics and reflected months of academic preparation, faculty guidance and collaborative work, while giving students an opportunity to communicate their findings before an experienced academic jury.
Research moves from classroom to conference stage
Undergraduate research is increasingly becoming an important component of dental education, helping students develop skills in critical thinking, scientific communication, literature appraisal and evidence-based clinical decision-making.
At JMDC CON 2026, those skills were put into practice as third-year BDS students presented their projects in a competitive symposium environment, bringing together research, presentation and teamwork on a single platform.
The organisers said the range of projects reflected the students’ curiosity, creativity and commitment to contributing to the expanding body of knowledge within dentistry.
The competitive element also produced a closely contested result — including a tie that had to be decided through an additional round.
First position goes to Dr. Shaharyar Hamid’s group
The first position was awarded to the student group supervised by Dr. Shaharyar Hamid, securing the top honour on the opening day of the symposium.
Competition for second place proved particularly close.
Two groups supervised by Dr. Mohsin Haider finished level, leading to an exciting tie-breaker round. Following the additional round, both groups were recognised in the second-position outcome.
The third position was awarded to the group supervised by Dr. Rooha Sultan.
The results highlighted not only the students’ research performance but also the contribution of supervising faculty who supported the groups through the research, preparation and presentation process.
Senior dental academics form the jury
The student research presentations were assessed by a distinguished jury comprising senior dental educators and academics.
The jury included Professor Dr. M. Junaid Lakhani, Principal, Dental College; Dr. Hasan Shahid, Head of Department of Community Dentistry at Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU); and Dr. Amir Akbar Sheikh, Associate Professor of Community Dentistry at AIDM.
Their involvement added an academic assessment dimension to the symposium, giving participating students the opportunity to have their work reviewed by experienced professionals from dental education and community dentistry.
Faculty mentorship remains central to student research
Behind the presentations was another important element of the symposium: faculty supervision.
Organisers acknowledged the supervising faculty members who contributed their time, academic guidance and resources to help students move through what was described as a rigorous research process.
For undergraduate researchers, such mentorship can be particularly important at an early stage of their academic careers, when students are learning how to formulate research questions, assess evidence, organise data and communicate scientific findings effectively.
The symposium therefore served not only as a competition but also as a structured learning experience linking students with faculty mentors and senior academics.
JMDC CON 2026 opens with focus on research culture
Day 1 combined student presentations, academic assessment, competitive achievement, teamwork and research learning, setting the tone for JMDC CON 2026 as a platform extending beyond clinical education alone.
The inaugural dental research symposium also placed greater visibility on undergraduate research at a stage when many BDS students are only beginning to develop their academic and scientific interests.
For the winning groups, the day ended with recognition on the conference stage. For the wider cohort, however, the larger takeaway was the opportunity to experience the process of developing, presenting and defending research before an academic audience.
By bringing third-year students into a formal research symposium, JMDC CON 2026 has given undergraduate dental research a visible place within the conference — and created an early platform for students who may go on to contribute to dental science, academia and evidence-based clinical practice.
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