Rate My Professor Karl Lyons

Professor Karl Lyons is a Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Specialist Prosthodontist in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation at the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry. He holds the positions of Deputy Dean (Clinical), Associate Dean (Admissions), and Director of Clinical Education. Lyons earned his BDS from the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry in 1989, followed by an MDS, a Certificate in Maxillofacial Prosthetics from UCLA, and a PhD in 2012 for research on microbial adhesion to dental obturator prostheses. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (FRACDS) and received the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) Fellowship in 2025. Lyons has been a member of the Faculty of Dentistry academic staff since 1995, initially in teaching, research, and clinical service roles. He was appointed to the Chair in Restorative Dentistry in 2013 and has headed the discipline of prosthodontics since the early 2000s. He previously served as president of the Academy of Australian and New Zealand Prosthodontists and the New Zealand Association of Prosthodontists and Restorative Dentists.

His research specializations include prosthodontics, dental implants and materials, and microbial adhesion to dental obturator prostheses, particularly Candida albicans and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Key findings from his PhD work include increased microbial colonisation during head and neck radiotherapy, predictive high Candida albicans counts for antifungal treatment needs, and saliva's influence on adhesion via specific salivary proteins. He collaborates with Doctor of Clinical Dentistry students on implant prosthodontics and dental materials, especially ceramics. Notable publications include 'The effect of saliva on the adhesion of Candida albicans to prosthodontic obturator materials' (2026), 'The evolution of high-strength ceramics: The role of microstructure and manufacturing' (2026), 'Sociodemographic characteristics of Aotearoa New Zealand oral health students' (2026), 'Effect of NaOCl or EDTA pretreatments on the shear bond strength' (2025), and 'A comparison of fit of CNC-milled titanium and zirconia frameworks to implants' (2012). Lyons has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters, contributing to advancements in restorative dentistry and prosthodontics through clinical and laboratory research.