Rate My Professor Kc Li

Associate Professor KC Li serves in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation within the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Otago. He holds a BSc, BDentTech(Hons), and PhD, all obtained from the University of Otago. Previously known as Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials Science, he was promoted to Associate Professor in Oral Rehabilitation effective 1 February 2026. Li is a key staff member at the Sir John Walsh Research Institute, contributing to the Biomechanics, Biomaterials, and Oral Implantology programme. His career at Otago includes supervising multiple postgraduate theses, such as those on implant surface decontamination in peri-implantitis therapy, correlation of wear test modules in 3D-printed crown materials, and influence of 3D-printed scanbodies on implant accuracy.

Li's academic interests center on dental materials science and biomechanics, with research focused on failure analyses of amorphous and crystalline materials under in situ and in vitro conditions. He possesses expertise in macro- and nano-scale mechanical properties testing, structural, adhesive, and cyclic failure analysis employing experimental testing and finite element methods. Additional areas include biomaterials, material characterisation, and 3D printing. Li guest-edited a special issue of Nanomaterials on nanomaterials for managing dental diseases in 2022 and secured funding through the 2025 University of Otago Research Grant round. His publications feature prominently in leading journals; notable works include "Additive technology: update on current materials and applications in dentistry" (Journal of Prosthodontics, 2017), "Anti-biofilm activity of silver nanoparticle-containing glass ionomer cements" (Dental Materials, 2020), "Comparison of the microstructure and phase stability of as-cast, CAD/CAM and powder metallurgy manufactured Co–Cr dental alloys" (Dental Materials, 2015), "Is titanium–zirconium alloy a better alternative to pure titanium for oral implant?" (The Saudi Dental Journal, 2021), and recent papers on wear prediction in 3D-printed restorative materials (Dental Materials, 2025) and high-strength ceramics (European Journal of General Dentistry, 2026). His scholarship has earned over 1,400 citations.