Dr. Shankargouda Patil to be honored as a Top 50 Fearless Leader by IAOTP

IAOTP will recognize Dr. Shankargouda Patil at its annual gala in New York City this December, naming him one of its Top 50 Fearless Leaders for 2027. The honor adds to his profile in dental research, academic leadership and digital health innovation, with more than 500 publications and a recent global study on microplastic exposure and oral cancer.

Why it matters: - IAOTP’s Top 50 Fearless Leaders list is limited to 50 professionals worldwide, making the recognition a selective signal of professional visibility and influence. - Dr. Shankargouda Patil’s honor spotlights work that spans dental education, translational research, and digital health innovation. - The recognition comes as AI, multi-omics analytics, and new product development are reshaping oral healthcare research and delivery.

What happened: - IAOTP named Dr. Shankargouda Patil one of its Top 50 Fearless Leaders for 2027. - IAOTP will formally honor Patil at its Annual Awards Gala this December at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. - IAOTP also plans to recognize Patil with the Global Impact Award in Dental Research and Education at the gala. - Patil was selected for inclusion in Top 50 Fearless Leaders, Volume 5, which was released in 2026. - More information is available in IAOTP’s award gala announcement.

The details: - Patil is Professor and Director of Translational Science and Digital Health Innovation at the College of Dental Medicine, Roseman University of Health Sciences in South Jordan, Utah. - From 2016 to 2022, he was Associate Professor in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Oral Pathology, at Jazan University’s College of Dentistry in Saudi Arabia. - Patil has worked in dentistry, research, and academic leadership for more than 15 years. - He serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice. - He sits on editorial boards of numerous international dental and medical publications. - His record includes more than 500 peer-reviewed publications, more than 48,000 citations, and an H-index of 72. - He is co-editor of Springer Nature’s book COVID-19 in Dental Practice. - Patil earned fellowships from the Royal College of Pathologists, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow’s Faculty of Dental Surgery, the International College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and the ADEA Leadership Institute. - He was recently selected as a Fellow of the American College of Dentists. - His degrees include a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from P M Nadagouda Memorial Dental College and Hospital, a master’s in dental surgery from Shree Balaji Dental College, and a Ph.D. in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Siena in 2019. - His recent global study in Scientific Reports examined data from 106 countries to test whether dietary microplastic exposure may be linked to oral cancer. - Patil’s broader research uses artificial intelligence, multi-omics analytics, and advanced statistical modeling to study oral diseases at population scale. - His translational product work includes peptide-driven and probiotic-based formulations and AI-designed product concepts for oral care and wellness. - The announcement says Patil has also been featured in Forbes and Associated Press and was named Top Educator and Top Scientist by Marquis Who’s Who. - IAOTP previously named Patil Top Professor and Innovator of the Year in Transitional Research. - The release says Patil is being considered for a feature in TIP Magazine.

Between the lines: - The award reinforces how professional recognition groups are increasingly elevating leaders who combine academic publishing, clinical expertise, and technology-driven research. - Patil’s portfolio suggests a shift in dental research from single-discipline work toward data-heavy, interdisciplinary and commercially applicable innovation. - The microplastic study shows how oral health research is expanding into environmental health questions with broader public interest.

What’s next: - Patil will be honored in person at IAOTP’s December gala in New York City. - He is developing programs that would bring AI and augmented or virtual reality into dental education. - He expects those technologies to affect teaching and learning in dentistry over the next five to 10 years. - The release says his future focus will remain on translational research, digital health innovation, and oral healthcare outcomes.

The bottom line: - IAOTP is using one of its most selective honors to highlight a dentist-researcher whose work bridges academia, technology, and oral health innovation.