Prof. Georgios N. Belibasakis was recently elected vice-president of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR), marking a significant milestone in a career closely linked to the advancement of oral health science. Professor of clinical oral infection biology at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm in Sweden, he also serves as head of the Division of Oral Health and Periodontology and head of research at the Department of Dental Medicine. In this interview, Prof. Belibasakis reflects on the personal and professional significance of his election, outlines his priorities for the association, and shares his perspective on the value of collaboration, the importance of capacity building and the evolving role of digital technologies in oral health research.