Dr. Eckert has been involved in research in two primary areas. These are dental implant supported prostheses and maxillofacial prosthetics. The two areas have overlapped in some instances with implants being used to support intra- and extra-oral prostheses that would not otherwise have been clinically acceptable.

Research in the area of Maxillofacial Prosthetics began with animal research on the response of the tooth pulp response to dental restorations within a therapeutic radiation field. This basic research led to further investigation into the effect on dental implant healing when implants are located in a radiated tissue bed. Clinical effectiveness of implant therapy in patients with a history of radiation therapy to the head and neck was evaluated through retrospective studies.

Maxillofacial prosthetic research continued with investigation of the effects of bone grafting on dental implant survival. Most recently, the effect of maxillofacial prosthetics on the quality of life has begun for patients with head and neck cancer. This effort is aimed at the development of validated quality of life scales for use in patients with these malignancies.

Dental implant research has focused on a number of issues related to osseointegration and its effectiveness in addressing the dental maladies of complete and partial edentulism. Implant research has been conducted in both animals and humans. It has also evaluated numerous biomechanical factors that effect long-term clinical efficacy.