Finding Balance Through Residency at EIOH

Kamdar (l) and her husband at the Lilac Festival.

For Dr. Diya Kamdar, from Bangalore, India, one of the defining features of the Orofacial Pain residency at Eastman Institute for Oral Health was how easily it could be personalized.

“The program is flexible enough to shape your training around your interests,” she said. “Whether that’s focusing more on research, increasing your exposure to certain clinics, or diving deeper into specific areas within orofacial pain itself.”

That individualized approach gave Kamdar opportunities far beyond the traditional clinic setting. During her two-year residency, she trained in Strong Memorial Hospital’s neurology clinic to deepen her understanding of complex pain conditions, provided emergency dental care in urgent care settings, and collaborated across multiple specialties.

“What stood out the most, though, was the culture of support,” she said. “Eastman is a place that genuinely invests in your development, not just as a specialist, but as a complete, well-rounded dentist and lifelong learner.”

(l to r) Orofacial Pain residents Drs. Ravikumar, Kamdar, Ahuja, Thyagaraajen, Elsaid, and Galindo Caro.

Faculty mentors encouraged residents to pursue research, attend conferences, and explore professional opportunities while balancing the demands of complex patient care and board preparation. Kamdar embraced those opportunities fully.

Over the course of the program, she delivered four presentations – including two at national conferences – and published five research papers in collaboration with faculty and fellow residents. She also received a scholarship from the American Equilibration Society and earned the Outstanding Senior Award from the American Academy of Orofacial Pain in recognition of her contributions to the field.

Amid the hectic pace of residency, moments of peace and connection were precious.

“My core memories from EIOH will always be the nights out with my batchmates,” Kamdar said. “Just having fun, laughing, and unwinding after long days. Those were the moments that made everything worth it.”

Those friendships and the support of faculty and mentors were especially helpful to navigate inevitable challenges.

“There will be days when you question everything, but that’s part of the process,” she said. “You have to trust that the experience is shaping you – not only clinically, but personally too.”

Through difficult cases, long hours, and unfamiliar situations, Kamdar learned resilience, adaptability, and the importance of relying on the people around her.

“Eastman didn’t just train me to be a comprehensive dentist,” she said. “It helped me become a stronger, more confident person.”

After graduation, Kamdar will join a Houston clinic that combines cosmetic dentistry with orofacial pain management, an opportunity that aligns closely with her long-term goals.

Spending time with her mentors and fellow residents outside the clinic was a highlight of Kamdar's experience.

“I’m excited to learn and work in a setting that blends aesthetics, function, and pain management,” she said. “It’s a chance to continue developing within my specialty while strengthening my general clinical skills.”

Eventually, Kamdar hopes to open her own multidisciplinary practice focused on orofacial pain and dental sleep medicine, modeled after the collaborative approach she experienced at Eastman.

When she’s not in the clinic, Kamdar finds peace creating still life artwork, as a way to slow down and disconnect. That mindset – slowing down to manage stress – has become central to how she approaches both her work and personal life.

“The best advice I’ve ever received came from my husband: sabr and shukr – patience and gratitude,” she said. “He always reminds me that what’s meant for you is already finding its way to you. It’s helped me to stop overthinking as much and remember to be grateful for where I am, even in the middle of the chaos.”

Kamdar was pleased to celebrate her wedding with her EIOH friends and co-residents.

She credits her parents as a major inspiration as well. Her mother’s sacrifices for family and her father’s willingness to step outside his comfort zone shaped her understanding of resilience and hard work.

“They’ve set the bar so high for me that it pushes me to do better every single day and keep striving for more,” she said.

During her time in Rochester, Kamdar also developed an appreciation for the city’s “underrated” food scene, including Atlas Eats, REDD, Vern’s, and The Daily Refresher, along with summer trips to Three Brothers Wineries & Estates.

And if she hadn’t pursued dentistry?

“Probably law,” she said with a laugh. “I love a good argument and thinking on my feet.”

Papers

Dr. Kamdar's family are her biggest supporters and inspiration.

• Altuhafy M, Kamdar D, Khan J. Efficacy of tenoxicam for postoperative dental pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2026 Apr;26(2):91-107. doi: 10.17245/jdapm.2026.26.2.91. Epub 2026 Mar 26. PMID: 41952911; PMCID: PMC13053197.
• Thyagaraajen, A., Mathew, J. V., Agrawal, G., Kamdar, D., Altuhafy, M., & Khan, J. (2026). Adjunctive systemic melatonin in patients with periodontitis and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review of clinical and biomarker outcomes from randomized controlled trials. Periodontal and Implant Research, 10(1), 8.
• Ahuja, T. K., Ravikumar, A. J., Kamdar, D. J., Altuhafy, M., Saghazadeh, A., & Khan, J. (2026). Efficacy of Propranolol in Reducing Pain Associated with Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medicine, and Pathology.
• Agrawal G, Askar G, Kaur T, Kamdar D, Kumar SS, Khan J. The efficacy of intra-articular morphine injections in arthrogenous temporomandibular joint pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2026 Jan;141(1):23-35. doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2025.07.002. Epub 2025 Jul 14. PMID: 40915880.
• Rao, A. V., Kamdar, D. J., Ahuja, T. K., Domench, D. I., Sanjeevi, A., & Khan, J. (2025). Comparative efficacy of benzydamine and alternative mouthwashes in the management of oral mucositis: A systematic review of randomized control trials. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 43(16_suppl), e24124-e24124.

Presentations

• American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research, Rochester Chapter, June 2024.: Analgesic efficacy of oral diclofenac versus transdermal patch following dental treatment: A systematic review of randomised clinical trials
• URMC Headache Lecture Series, April 2025 - Jaw and Trauma: Exploring the Dental Implications of Post-Traumatic Injury.  Presented to neurologists, headache fellows and fellow residents.
• EIOH Grand Rounds. March 2025 Efficacy of Nerve Blocks in Orofacial Pain.
• Synovial Chondromatosis of the Temporomandibular Joint: A Narrative Review,” Presented at the American Equilibration Society Annual Scientific Meeting, Chicago — February, 2026