Professor Ove Peters

Professor Ove Peters is an Endodontist (Root Canal Specialist) with research expertise in instrument development, antimicrobial regimes and stem cell biology.  Ove is the Co-Chair for the Department of Endodontics, Professor of Endodontics and Program Director of the Advanced Education Program in Endodontology at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A Dugoni School of Dentistry in California, USA. 

I met Ove (pronounced Ové) when he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Queensland's School of Dentistry, in Brisbane, Australia. Ove's passion for research is infectious and his commitment to our profession, boundless.  Ove recently published a paper in the highly coveted Nature Journal.  This publication is the subject of one my blogs.  Below, you will find  resources that Ove recommends, as well as a podcast where we explore some diverse topics ranging from research methods, student recruitment, to life lessons.   

Endodontic Resources

• Endolit
• The University of The Pacific Endodontic Resident's Instagram page

Valuable Online Research Resouces

• Pubmed to access full-text journal articles
• Scopus & Google Scholar for bibliometrics.
• Jane - The Journal/Author Name Estimator to help you find a journal to suit your research or find relevan papers.

A few questions...

1. What is a tool you find invaluable in your practice? A microscope
2. What is a tool you frequently use in your research? Micro-Computer Tomography  in research and a Macbook Air for writing.

Ove is the first guest in my 'Word of Mouth Podcast' - 

In this episode, we cover:

• How Ove used curiosity to develop his research… (0.15)
• Clinical Excellence and accessing Micro Computer Tomography for  Endodontic Research ..(1:18)
• Ove shares some life lessons he learned along the way including the importance of a linear career path… (3:57)
• The people behind Ove’s success, the importance of teamwork, family and finding great mentors.. (6:20)
• How has Ove’s research impacted his practice, citation counts and what really matters.. (8:00)
• Endodontic instrumentation to inform practice (9:17)
• Changing Endodontic treatment and best practice (10:10)
•  What is a ‘favourite’ work of research , Ove refers to a paper he co-authored in 2001: Peters OA, Schönenberger K, Laib A. Effects of four Ni–Ti preparation techniques on root canal geometry assessed by micro computed tomography. International endodontic journal. 2001 Apr;34(3):221-30. (12:40)
• Ove discusses his most recently published paper on the ability to use stem cells to promote healing :Gaudin A, Tolar M, Peters OA. Lipoxin A 4 Attenuates the Inflammatory Response in Stem Cells of the Apical Papilla via ALX/FPR2. Scientific reports. 2018 Jun 11;8(1):8921. (13:19)
• Some questions we don’t often get to ask.. what are some important lessons Ove can share – a discussion of methodology, instruments and building networks (14:40)
• How to handle rejection and other challenges in the peer-review publication process (16:30)
• What qualities make a good undergraduate or post-graduate dental student (18:30)
• The importance of teamwork in clinical practice (21:50)
• Common fallacies related to Endodontic practice – challenges to linear thinking patterns and the conscious decision to intervene (22:59)
• What question would Ove like more people to ask him (27:40)