AAP honors award recipients

CHICAGO, Ikkinois--The American Academy of Periodontology awarded excellence in the field of periodontology among members at the 96th annual meeting Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 2010, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“I am honored to recognize my colleagues that have dedicated so much of their time and efforts to the American Academy of Periodontology,” said AAP President Dr. Donald S. Clem. “This year’s award winners prove that the specialty of periodontics is alive and well. Their achievements should also help to inspire future generations of periodontists.”

Individual Awards

Gold Medal Award
The Gold Medal Award is the highest honor bestowed by the academy and is sponsored by Sunstar Americas. This year, the Academy recognized Dr. Lloyd K. Croft for his outstanding contributions to the field of periodontics. Dr. Croft served on the AAP Board of Trustees from 1987 to 1990 during which time he helped to establish the AAP Foundation. During his active involvement with the AAPF, he guided it to become a financially independent entity and to run more efficiently to help allow the specialty of periodontics prepare for the future.

Master Clinician Award
The Master Clinician Award, sponsored by Hu-Friedy, recognized Dr. Dennis A. Shanelec for the consistent clinical excellence he has demonstrated and practiced in the field of periodontics. Dr. Shanelec is a pioneer in the use of microsurgery in periodontics, and has published on topics, including magnification in dentistry and periodontal microsurgery. In addition to being an international lecturer, Dr. Shanelec is the founder of the Microsurgery Training Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif., where he has trained hundreds of dental clinicians and educators. Dr. Shanelec has contributed to the development of several microsurgery instruments for use in periodontology and implantology. His innovations have increased surgical precision, resulting in better outcomes for countless patients.

Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award recognized Dr. Gary Greenstein for his commitment to the AAP for several decades. In addition to advancing the specialty of periodontics through his seminal research and published work, Dr. Greenstein has also authored several academy position papers and editorials for the Journal of Periodontology. Dr. Greenstein has also served on a variety of AAP scientific committees, as well as the Board of Trustees.

Distinguished Scientist Award
The Distinguished Scientist Award, sponsored by Procter & Gamble Professional Oral Health, honored Dr. William V. Giannobile for his contribution to the science and discipline of periodontology. Dr. Giannobile’s innovative research has had a lasting impact on periodontology. He served as an associate editor of the Journal of Periodontology for 10 years, and was recently appointed as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Dental Research. In addition, Dr. Giannobile is an endowed professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, serves as a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes for Health, and maintains a private periodontal practice in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Outstanding Periodontal Educator Award
The Outstanding Periodontal Educator Award, sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, recognized Dr. Nabil F. Bissada for his contributions as a teacher and mentor in periodontology. Since 1959, Dr. Bissada has inspired dental students and periodontal residents around the world. Upon receiving his certificate in periodontics from the University of Minnesota, Dr. Bissada helped found the periodontics graduate program at Cairo University. He then went on to establish Case Western University as one of the most diverse dental schools in the U.S., where he encouraged students to embrace the clinical and academic aspects of periodontology. In addition to being a member of the AAP, Dr. Bissada has served on more than 90 master's thesis committees.

Special Citation
This year’s Special Citation honored Dr. S. Jerome Zackin. Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, the Special Citation is awarded to an individual who has contributed to the academy in a noteworthy manner. Dr. Zackin was awarded for his service as the academy’s insurance consultant. For the past 12 years, Dr. Zackin has provided crucial third party support to AAP members, offering insights on matters related to insurance. In addition, he has lent his expertise to numerous AAP committees and played a central role in the development of third party tools for members.

Research and Literature Awards

Clinical Research Award
The Clinical Research Award is sponsored by Quintessence Publishing and honored an outstanding published scientific manuscript that had direct clinical relevance and application to the practice of periodontics. Authors Michael McGuire, E. Todd Scheyer, Myron Nevins, and Peter Schupbach were honored for their paper, “Evaluation of human recession defects treated with coronally advanced flaps and either purified recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB with beta tricalcium phosphate or connective tissue: A histologic and microcomputed tomographic examination,” which was published in the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry.

R. Earl Robinson Regeneration Award
The R. Earl Robinson Regeneration Award is sponsored by the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation and honored the most outstanding published scientific article on periodontal regeneration in the basic or clinical sciences. Authors Michael McGuire, E. Todd Scheye,r and Peter Schupbach were honored for their paper, “Growth factor-mediated treatment of recession defects: A randomized controlled trial and histologic and microcomputed tomography examination,” which was published in the Journal of Periodontology.

William J. Gies Award
The William J. Gies Award is sponsored by American Dental Education Association and presented annually for outstanding contributions to literature and education in the field of periodontology. The award is provided by the William J. Gies Foundation for the Advancement of Dentistry. This year’s recipient, Dr. Laurie K. McCauley, has published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and has served on numerous editorial boards, including the Journal of Dental Research, Calcified Tissue International, and Oral Diseases. She is the associate editor at the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Dr. McCauley is the chair of the department of periodontics and oral medicine at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, where she focuses on recruiting accomplished postgraduate students to cultivate a new generation of periodontal educators.

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