INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHY
Dr James Wealleans
Dr. James A. Wealleans is originally from Christchurch New Zealand, he is married and has 2 children. In 2006 James graduated with honors from Nova Southeastern College of Dental Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A year later he completed an Advanced General Dentistry Residency in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In 2010, Dr. Wealleans graduated Endodontic Residency from the prestigious University of Texas Health Science Center and Wilford Hall Medical Center, in San Antonio, Texas. James is an American Board-Certified Endodontist, an accomplishment that only 20% of in the specialty obtain. Dr. Wealleans served as the Director of Endodontic Residency Training and Education from 2013-2018 at the Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. James has held teaching appointments as Associate Professor with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Assistant Professor with University of Texas Health Sciences, San Antonio, Texas.
Dr. Wealleans has authored over 10 published research papers and serves as a scientific advisor for the Journal of Endodontics. In 2017 James invented guided endodontic microsurgery, which he holds 2 US patents. He has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally. In 2018, after serving 20 honorable years in the Air Force, James retired as a Lt. Colonel. Recently, Dr. Wealleans moved to Sydney where he devotes his time practicing endodontics on Sydney’s Northshore and the Central Coast
Dr. Anibal Diogenes
Dr. Anibal Diogenes received his D.D.S. from UFPE in Brazil, his M.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of Nebraska, and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Certificate in Endodontics from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Diogenes is the Vice-Chair at the department of Endodontics at the University of Texas Health at San Antonio, a director of the American Board of Endodontics. His areas of research include: inflammation, pain and regenerative endodontics. He currently serves as a member of the Oral Dental Craniofacial Science Study Section of the National Institute of Health (NIH). He has received the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Distinguished Research Award, the AAE Osetek Award and the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation Professorship Award.
Dr. Ruparel
Dr. Ruparel is Board certified Endodontist who practices in San Antonio at UT Faculty Endodontics. She is the Director of the Advanced Program in Endodontics at UT San Antonio. She received her certificate in Endodontics in 2013 after receiving her doctoral (PhD) and DDS at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her practice in Endodontics includes all aspects of modern endodontics. She also lectures at national and international meetings on pain biology, management, and regenerative endodontics. She has also been awarded the Women in Science award from the International Association of Dental Research and the American Association of Endodontics Educator Fellowship for committing her career to academics. She has served as the Vice-Program Chair, Program Chair, and General Chair for the American Association of Endodontics for a 3-year term. Nikita Ruparel is committed to a long-term career as a clinicianscientist.
