Curriculum vitae

Employments

Education

Research profile  

i. To investigate caries pathology and treatment with a focus on gaining best know-how for arresting caries at a non-operative level as well as on an operative level.

ii. To optimize treatments that prevent inflammation of the dental pulp and as a model to understand inflammation.  

iii. To initiate practice-based research and clinical trials involving cariology and endodontics to ensure the best possible dental health with enhanced focus on limiting the prevalence of oral diseases caused by microbiological dysbiosis.

iv. To investigate AI and Big Data (BD) in general dentistry within diagnostics and treatment outcomes and with focus on cariology, endodontics and general health.

Short background and coverage of the academic profile  

For the past 30 years, I have worked with preventative aspects within cariology and endodontics. 

• My PhD thesis from 1991 and subsequent work has provided a better understanding of what is happening in the tooth bone (dentine) and the nerve (dental pulp) during caries progression 
• Forms the basis for the performance of a more gentle excavation of deep carious lesions, called stepwise excavation , which inhibits bacterial growth in the tooth and can be carried out in a private dental clinic
• A recent PhD-project (principal supervisor) has increased the understanding of the tooth nerve's biological defence potential, but also the limit for when it is possible to prevent root canal treatment 
• Doctoral dissertation from 2011 substantiates:
  • Stepwise excavation can prevent root canal treatment
  • An ongoing need for performing root canal treatments
  • Root canal treatments are becoming more difficult to perform, because they are carried out in molars
  • Root canal treatments comprises one of the most frequent reasons for patient complaints
  • Dentists must be equipped for the future when root-treatment is unavoidable, partly with the use of new techniques and partly by a better understanding of infection control using an protecting cover (rubber dam) during the root canal treatment.
  • Dentists must use rubber dam more frequently.

From research to practice, both nationally and internationally

• Main trial coordinator for several universities and dental clinics in connection with the completion of an international randomized clinical trial involving the prevention of pulp exposures during caries treatment
• The completion of a nationally funded treatment to avoid root canal treatments as part of the financial agreement between the Danish National Board of Health and the Dental Association in connection with dental treatment subsidies
• Leading author of international treatment guidelines aimed at avoiding pulp exposures
• Contributed to an international consensus group on caries treatment with regard to global prevalence for less invasive pulp treatments 
• Contributed to a systematic summary article in the Cochrane Organization concerning less invasive caries treatment
• Co-founder and member of the Board of PRIRATE (Preferred Reporting Items for Randomized Trials in Endodontics), which has established international guidelines for endodontic randomized clinical trials 
• Co-founder of the 'The Scandinavian Endodontic Research Collaboration' (EndoReCo), which, among other things, focuses on the durability of the root-treated tooth. |(researchgate.net)

Teaching of dental students and post graduate education of dentists, both nationally and internationally

• Post-graduate training of dentists to comply with the higher technical and biological requirements for the performance of a root canal treatment
• Contributions to the organization of dental symposia as well as extensive lectures and practical courses, including the presentation of the new principles in video
• Co-founder of the Danish Endodontics Society 2001
• In collaboration with the Danish Dental Association, prepared a patient folder in which rubber dam was introduced as part of a standard treatment. Updated 2005, 2009 and 2021 (print run 15,000)
• Has for the past 20 years been invited to lecture in Europe, Russia, USA, Canada and South America (Brazil, Chile and Columbia) as well as Egypt, Iran and India (approx. more than 70 lectures since 2002)
• Has visited a number of universities in the USA (supported by the Department of Odontology, University of Copenhagen) to prepare and organize a Specialist programme in the field of root-treatment
• Participated in an academic committee under the Danish Health authority with a view to implementing specialist study programmes within odontology.

Development and new thinking within  the area of Endodontics and ongoing projects

• Has started a project about artificial intelligence and machine learning: Can BIG DATA save teeth? The collaboration takes place between Department of Computer Science and Department of Odontology, University of Copenhagen
• Has implemented surgical microscopes in the university environment as an aid during root canal treatments of difficult teeth
• In collaboration with clinical practice, contributed to a new methodology, when treating very narrow root canals, using 3D and surface scanning of the tooth root
• Ongoing randomized clinical trial between stepwise excavation in two visits versus one visit
• Coming randomized clinical trial comparing pulpotomy with selective removal of carious tissue.

Selected external and internal grants

Total received grants (2023-value DKK)

During my associate professor position I have received internal grants for over 6 million DKK and external grants for over 2 million DKK. As co-applicant I have participated in grants for almost 2 million DKK.

Supervised PhD and school-based projects

2022-:       Current principal supervisor for two PhD student and co-
                 supervisor for 1

2014:        Completed 1 ‘doktorand’ (Sweden) as co-supervisor

2011:        Completed 1 PhD student (principal supervisor)

Has for the past five years been a supervisor for several Bachelor's and Master's theses (18). Supervised two scholarships.  

National and international professional corporate positions 

Peer reviewer and other assessment work

• Has made several internal academic assessments in the appointment Committees for Professor, Associate professor, assistant professor and PhD level
• International peer reviewer for 20 journals
• Has been an opponent for several PhD students Dissertations in Europe and a couple of doctoral theses
• External evaluator of the dental degree programme at 'Int. Medical University`, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Opponent at the final clinical specialist exam in endodontics at ACTA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Honors 

• Held Buonocore Commemorative Lecture (2002) and received the reward from 'Academy of Operative Dentistry ', Chicago, USA
• Received the Danish Zendium Research Prize 2015, selected by representatives from the two schools of dentistry in Denmark
• Received 'Journal of Endodontics' publication award in 2020 for the work: Buchgreitz J, Buchgreitz M, Bjørndal L. Guided Endodontics Modified for Treating Molars by Using an Intracoronal Guide Technique. Journal of Endodontics 2019; 45(6): 818-23
• Top-cited publication 2020-21, in the International Endodontic Journal (Wiley): Nagendrababu V, Duncan HF, Bjørndal L, Kvist T, Priya E, Jayaraman J, Pulikkotil SJ, Pigg M, Rechenberg DK, Væth M, Dummer PMH. PRIRATE 2020 guidelines for reporting randomized trials in Endodontics: a consensus-based development. International Endodontic Journal 2020; 53(6): 764-73.

Publications

PhD Dissertation (1991) and a doctoral dissertation (2011). 190 contributions, including more than hundred peer-reviewed publications in various journals (16 of which are as collaborator under the EndoReCo abbreviation),  19 book chapters and 1 is being prepared. First editor of the third edition of the International textbook for Endodontics (Wiley-Blackwell, 2018).
Web of science  Wob: 27 (2154 citations), Scopus HIS score 31 (3247 citations), Google Scholar HIS score 43 (6664 citations) 
Research Reports (abstracts) are not included. ORCID Link primarily represents the current contributions in international journals, but not the Scandinavian Lars Bjørndal (0000-0002-2183-6400) (orcid.org).

Dentist, PhD, Dr. odont