JUAN IGNACIO
AURA TORMOS

My professional career is characterised by a balanced integration of university teaching, research activity and clinical practice in the fields of paediatric dentistry and orthodontics, having served as an Associate Professor since 2010. Since 2024, I have held the position of Assistant Professor (Profesor Ayudante Doctor) at the University of Valencia, where I coordinate the Paediatric Dentistry course and actively participate in the clinical, preclinical and theoretical training of undergraduate dental students, as well as in postgraduate programmes and faculty development activities. This role is complemented by my previous experience as an Associate Professor at other universities, such as UCV and CEU-UCH, and as a collaborating lecturer at IVIO Dental, where I have supervised postgraduate students in orthodontics, endodontics and aesthetic dentistry. My research activity has become particularly consolidated since 2024, with a growing scientific output in internationally indexed journals (Q1–Q2). My main areas of interest include preventive paediatric dentistry, clinical biomechanics, dental biomaterials, three-dimensional imaging and the digital transformation of dental education. I have conducted studies derived from my doctoral thesis and bibliometric analyses that provide a global overview of scientific trends in paediatric dentistry and orthodontics. In parallel, I have promoted an educational innovation line focused on the use of artificial intelligence, three-dimensional simulation and haptic virtual reality, leading and collaborating in competitive projects funded by the University of Valencia. As a result, I have contributed to the development of digital teaching resources and educational proposals aimed at strengthening the modernisation of health sciences education. In the area of scientific evaluation, I have initiated peer-review activity over the past year, completing between four and five reviews for international journals in the field. This involvement has allowed me to strengthen my critical appraisal skills and remain up to date with research methodologies and emerging trends in dentistry. My clinical experience since 2008, particularly in paediatric care and orthodontics, represents a core component of my professional development and supports a practice-oriented teaching approach grounded in real-world clinical practice and scientific evidence. This experience is complemented by advanced continuing education in biostatistics, digital health, artificial intelligence applied to healthcare and research methodology, undertaken at institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University and Imperial College London. On a personal level, I define myself as a professional committed to improving teaching quality, methodological innovation and the training of future generations of dentists. I value collaborative work, clear communication and ethical responsibility, both in clinical practice and academia. My goal is to continue developing a solid academic career focused on knowledge transfer, educational excellence and a meaningful contribution to the advancement of paediatric dentistry and health education.