Every year in June, the ITI opens the application portal for its Scholarship Program. We took this opportunity to ask one of our former Scholars, Angel Garcia Cañas from the Spain, about his experience, his daily work, and what he enjoyed most about it. Angel began his Scholarship year in 2024 at the ITI Scholarship Center in Columbia University, US.
What are the three most memorable things you will take away from your Scholarship year?
One of the most memorable aspects of my Scholarship year was the privilege of being fully immersed in the clinical and academic environment at Columbia University. Working side by side with world-class mentors and residents every day fundamentally shaped the way I understand implant dentistry and how I approach decision-making.
The second highlight was the chance to build a truly international network. Throughout the year I met professors, residents, researchers, and made friends from all over the world. I attended congresses, gave lectures, joined study clubs, and even had the opportunity to travel to places I had never imagined I would visit at this stage of my career. Those experiences opened doors, broadened my perspective, and created connections that I know will stay with me for a long time.
And finally, living in New York was an experience of its own. The city pushes you – personally and professionally. You grow fast, you adapt, and you learn a lot about yourself. Looking back, I think that combination of clinical intensity, academic guidance, and the energy of the city gave me a level of personal growth that I could not have achieved anywhere else.
Could you give us an idea of how your working week was structured?
My weekly schedule at Columbia was quite structured and very demanding, but that’s exactly what made the experience so valuable. Mondays usually started with a literature review session in the morning with the periodontics department, followed by an afternoon in the clinic.
Tuesdays were dedicated to the Implant Fellowship, working alongside Dr. Tarnow, Dr. Skow, Dr. Carpentieri, Dr. Greenstein, and Dr. Cavallaro. Those mornings were intense and incredibly enriching. During lunch we had the Perio Surgical Seminar and in the afternoon I was back in the clinic treating patients.
Wednesdays were reserved for research, which gave me time to work on ongoing projects and coordinate with my mentor and the research team.
On Thursdays we had the prosthodontics seminar in the morning and clinical sessions in the afternoon, where I was either treating my own patients, assisting residents in surgeries, or supporting the team.
Fridays were full clinical days, which allowed me to apply everything we discussed throughout the week. Having my own patients, participating in surgeries, and working side by side with residents was one of the parts I enjoyed the most.
Why did you choose this specific Scholarship Center?
I chose Columbia University mainly because of the people who lead the program. I had followed the work of Dr. Karim El Kholy and Dr. Luiz Pimenta for years, both as clinicians and as researchers, and the idea of learning directly from them was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Their approach to implant dentistry, their rigor, and the way they combine science with clinical excellence made this center stand out from the very beginning.
Of course, Columbia itself played a big role in my decision. It’s a historic Ivy League institution with a long tradition in periodontics and implant dentistry, and being part of that environment is something very special. And finally, being in New York added an extra layer of motivation. There is an energy in this city that pushes you to grow, to work harder, and to stay curious. It felt like the perfect combination of mentorship, academic prestige, and personal challenge.
Which ITI core values do you most strongly identify with and why?
The ITI core value I identify with the most is evidence-based treatment. My mentors at Columbia reinforced this every single day: every decision, every plan, every discussion had to be supported by science. That mindset has shaped the way I practice and how I teach others.
I also connect strongly with collaboration. My Scholarship year showed me how powerful it is when clinicians, researchers, and teachers share ideas openly. The feeling of being part of a global community that works together, not in competition, was one of the biggest strengths of the program.
And finally, lifelong learning is something that resonates deeply with me. The ITI constantly encourages us to stay curious, to keep improving, and to push ourselves beyond our comfort zone. After my year in New York, this value became even more meaningful, both professionally and personally.
Did you feel you were learning a lot?
Absolutely. From the very first week I realized how much I still had to learn, and that feeling never went away. The combination of clinical work, seminars, research, and daily discussions with my mentors made the learning constant. Some days it was something technical, other days it was a small detail in a treatment plan, or even a different way of approaching a problem.
What I appreciated the most was that the learning didn’t only come in the form of lectures or formal teaching. Many times, it happened between cases, during lunch, or while reviewing a CBCT with a resident. Those moments, when someone took a few minutes to explain their reasoning or share their experience, were incredibly valuable.
By the end of the year, I could clearly see how my perspective had changed, not only in how I treat implant cases, but in how I think, how I organize my work, and how I handle clinical decisions. It was one of the most intense and rewarding learning periods of my life.
What were your plans for the time after your Scholarship when you returned home? And how did this experience influence your current position?
When I finished my Scholarship and returned home, my goal was to keep growing in three directions at the same time: clinical practice, research, and teaching. During my year at Columbia, I saw how powerful that combination can be and I knew I wanted it to become the foundation of my career. I came back with the intention of treating my patients with a more structured, evidence-based approach, while also staying involved in academic projects and sharing what I had learned through lectures and courses.
The experience had a major impact on my current position. It gave me the confidence to take on more responsibility, to lead research initiatives, and to teach with a clearer vision of what high-quality education should look like. It also opened opportunities that simply wouldn’t have existed without the Scholarship, whether through collaborations, invitations to speak, or ongoing research connections.
Staying connected to the ITI community was also a priority for me. The relationships I built during the Scholarship, mentors, colleagues, and friends from all over the world continue to influence my work every day. I still collaborate with many of them, and I try to contribute to the ITI network whenever possible through Study Clubs, education, and new projects.
Looking back, the year in New York shaped not only the way I practice, but the way I think about my long-term career. It helped me define the kind of clinician, researcher, and educator I want to become.
Why would you recommend our Scholarship program to other young professionals?
I would recommend the ITI Scholarship to anyone who truly wants to become the best version of themselves. This program pushes you far beyond your comfort zone and surrounds you with people who constantly inspire you to improve. It challenges the way you think, the way you work, and the goals you set yourself. And it also makes you grow on a personal level, you learn to adapt, to stay open, and to push your own limits. If you want to aim higher and become the best in what you do, this experience gives you everything you need to get there.
Each year we enable young implant dentistry talent to spend a year abroad at a highly regarded university being mentored by an ITI Fellow at one of our 46 ITI Scholarship Centers around the globe. Are you keen on getting insight into every aspect of implant treatment? Would you like to dive into the complex world of case planning, implant surgery and prosthetic restorations in an international context? Our application portal is open from June 1 to June 30 every year. Don’t hesitate any longer and apply now!
More information available on our website.
