What is this about?

• How early mentors and global opportunities shaped France Lambert’s career

• Why teamwork, mentorship, and inclusivity define her approach to academia

• Her vision for the future of implant dentistry, research, and innovation

Shaping a career through mentorship and opportunity

France Lambert’s professional journey begins with a passion for periodontology and implant dentistry, sparked during her student years in Belgium. Mentorship from renowned professor Eric Rompen instills in her a deep respect for biology and a clinician-first mindset. A defining moment arrives when she earns an ITI scholarship to Harvard, where exposure to diverse philosophies, leading experts, and a global community opens her perspective and accelerates her growth. These experiences not only strengthen her surgical and academic skills but also shape her as a leader with a patient-centered philosophy.

Building influence through leadership and collaboration

Beyond clinical excellence, Lambert emphasizes the value of teamwork, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentorship. She leads major academic departments at the the University of Liège in Belgium and the ITI global research committee, championing initiatives such as mentoring programs for young researchers and encouraging intergenerational exchange. She advocates for inclusivity in dentistry, particularly supporting women in leadership roles, and stresses the importance of industry – academia collaboration to drive innovation. Her commitment lies in empowering others, building ecosystems of trust, and ensuring progress benefits patients worldwide.

Looking toward innovation and the future of dentistry

Lambert sees dentistry at a transformative moment, driven by digitalization, AI, and real-world data collection. She believes in minimally invasive, biologically respectful treatments, with personalized medicine and biomaterials playing a bigger role in the near future. Through guidelines, registries, and global consensus projects, she pushes for safe yet progressive approaches that balance innovation with evidence. For her, the future of dentistry is not only about technology but also about preserving teeth when possible, enhancing patient outcomes, and mentoring the next generation of clinicians and researchers.

Key takeaways

• Mentorship and global exposure shape careers and foster open-minded, patient-centric practice.

• Collaboration, inclusivity, and mentorship are vital for advancing dentistry and research.

• The future lies in personalized, evidence-based, and minimally invasive care, integrating AI and real-world data.

The Straumann ProTalk hosts