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Category: 2018 Awards

  • AAWD’s 2018 Chapter of the Year

     

    From left are Dr. Lisa Itaya (faculty advisor), Caitlin Ha (treasurer), Hilary Parsons (secretary), Sammy Lee (president), Caitlin Konicek (social events chair), Shivali Bhatt (wellness chair), Victoria Saykally (advocacy and community service chair), Sarah Osborne (public relations chair), and Michelle Comroe (membership chair).
    Not pictured: Sonal Anand (Vice President), Sarah Baik (social events chair), James Ichiuji (public relations), and Lizzie Santos (mentorship chair).

     

    The student chapter at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry was recognized for “the positive impact it has had on the dental school community this year through the many unique events that the chapter has organized.”

    These events included:

    • Hosting 16 successful events, raising more than $600.
    • Donating over $1000 to nonprofit organizations and charities.
    • Hosting multiple educational and social events (seminar discussions, health and wellness events,
      networking socials and philanthropic events).
    • Conducting a school-wide survey to better connect and mentor Pacific AAWD members with community dentists.
    • Developing their own study to assess how students feel about recognizing and responding to domestic violence.
    • Organizing an oral health fair for the families of a nonprofit organization in San Francisco.
    • Performing free dental screenings and provided a referral list of community dental clinics.

    Although this was the first year the Pacific AAWD student chapter has been recognized as an official chapter of the national AAWD, the chapter “has opened opportunities for leadership and mentorship, not only among female dental students, but for the dental school community as a whole. In all, the work the chapter has done this year has been very noteworthy to supporting the AAWD mission.”

  • AAWD’s 2018 Student of the Year

     

    Britney D. Lewis
    Dental College of Georgia, Augusta University

     

    Britney Lewis has demonstrated leadership, service and a strong commitment to serve her community. Recognized by her nominators for her “passion for service and for bringing this organization as a resource for her fellow female classmates and faculty members,” Britney Lewis helped to launch her school’s first chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists.

    As the founding president of her campus AAWD chapter, Britney has worked diligently to lead an organization that upholds the mission of AAWD to advance and enrich the lives of women dentist through events, mentorship, and service. By introducing AAWD to the Dental College of Georgia, Britney led her team to establish a resource for students, faculty, and staff to collaborate, encourage, mentor and share collegiality while making advancements in the fields of dentistry.

  • 2018 AAWD/Colgate Research Awards

    2018 AAWD/Colgate Research Awards

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    Devon Allison
    University of Maryland
    School of Dentistry
    Investigation of the Application of RNA-Seq in Quantitation of Gene Expression by Microbial Populations in Patients with Agressessive Periodontitis
    Principal Investigators
    Mark Shirtliff, PhD
    Kuei-Ling Hsu, DDS

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    Brittney Ciszek
    University of North Carolina at
    Chapel Hill School of Dentistry
    Implementation of a Prenatal Oral Health Program: Benefits, Barriers, and
    Goals for the Future
    Principal Investigator
    Rocio Quinonez, DMD, MS, MPH

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    Ariana Dela Cruz
    Boston University Henry M. Goldman
    School of Dental Medicine
    Decoding Early Molecular Changes in Sjögren’s Syndrome
    Principal Investigator
    Maria Kukuruzinska, PhD

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    Anusha Etikala
    University of Michigan School of Dentistry
    Epigenetic Regulatory
    Mechanisms in Human Periodontitis
    Principal Investigator
    Rogerio Castilho, DDS, MS, PhD

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    Savannah Lancaster
    University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry
    Effect of Hydrochloric Acid on Surface Roughness on Glazed CAD/CAM Ceramics
    Principal Investigators
    Alexander Dozier, BS
    James Simon, DDS, MS
    Mojdeh Dehghan, DDS
    Brian Morrow, BS
    Mohammad Shafter, PhD
    Franklin Garcia-Godoy, DDS, MS, PhD

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    Ji Yoo Lee
    Indiana University School of Dentistry
    Effect of Various Concentrations of
    Double Antibiotic Paste on Biofilm Formation Induced by Oral Bacterial Species and Nicotine
    Principal Investigator
    Richard L Gregory, PhD

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    Chrystopher Perez
    Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine
    Anxiety Reduction and Oral Health Promotion for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
    Principal Investigator
    Yawen Peng, DMD

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    Mengyi Shi
    University of Alabama at
    Birmingham School of Dentistry
    Periodontal Inflammation Changes in
    Women with Pregnancy Gingivitis
    Principal Investigator
    Mia Geisinger, DDS, MS

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    Nancy Epstein
    Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
    Brand Matched Effect on Fluoride Release of Restorative Materials through Bonding Agents
    Principal Investigators
    Steven Eisen, DMD

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    Eugenia Monaghan
    University of North Carolina School of Dentistry
    Effects of a Caspase-1 Inhibitor on the Inflammatory Process in Experimental Periodontitis
    Principal Investigator
    Julie T. Marchesan, DDS, PhD

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  • AAWD Honors Women in Military

     

    Lieutenant Jane Han, DMD

     

    The American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD) awarded Lt. Jane Han (U.S. Navy), DMD, with the 2018 Federal Services Award on October 6, 2018, during the 97th AAWD Annual Conference. The Federal Services Award recognizes the achievements made by an AAWD member dentist in the Federal Services arena. The award is presented to a woman dentist who exhibits role model qualities that positively reflect the image of women dentists and commitment to the profession.

    Dr. Jane Han grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, where she attended the University of North Florida. She gained a deep appreciation for the opportunities given to her and wanted to give back to our country, so she joined the U.S. Navy through the Health Professions Scholarship Program. Dr. Han earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Upon graduation, she commissioned as a lieutenant and worked as a general dentist at Marine Corp Recruit Depot Parris Island in Beaufort, South Carolina. Dr. Han currently serves aboard the USS New York, homeported in Mayport, Florida. She has taken a special interest in tobacco cessation among the sailors and marines.

    In her nomination, Dr. Han was praised for being a “role model for all sailors to aspire to become. Along with providing the best dental care to her crew, she always volunteers for extra duties to foster teamwork and inclusiveness.” In addition to providing dental care, Dr. Han has demonstrated her commitment to dentistry by mentoring U.S. Navy corpsmen and Marines, who plan to apply to dental school in the future.

    As the only female department head, Dr. Han is a role model for other women in the Navy, as she encourages and inspires them to higher leadership positions.

    For more information about the American Association of Women Dentists or about the Federal Services Award, contact the AAWD national office at 800-920-2293 or send an email to awards@aawd.org.

  • 2018 Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award Goes To Dr. Leslie E. Grant

    THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN DENTISTS ANNOUNCES LUCY HOBBS TAYLOR AWARD GOES TO DR. LESLIE E. GRANT

    The American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD) recently awarded Leslie E. Grant, DDS, MSPA, with the Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award, the organization’s top honor.

    About Dr. Grant

    Dr. Leslie E. Grant is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. She graduated from high school in Gary, Indiana, and received a Bachelor of Science Degree, Cum Laude, from Boston University. Dr. Grant obtained her Master of Speech Pathology and Audiology Degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. She has worked at the Washington State Cerebral Palsy Center, The Kennedy Hospital for Children in Boston and for the North Jersey Developmental Center in New Jersey.

    Dr. Leslie E. Grant, DDS, MSPA

    Dr. Grant entered the University of Maryland Dental School in 1982 and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree in 1986. She completed a General Practice Residency at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey (1987), and provided dental care in her Baltimore City office, “Dentally Speaking,” for more than 20 years. Most recently, Dr. Grant worked for the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners as the Chief Dental Officer.

    Dr. Grant participates in many professional dental affiliations. She served on the Board of Directors of the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention, from 2010-2017, and currently serves on the Boards of the Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Baltimore County League of Women Voters, and Oral Health America. In 2015 she was named as one of Maryland’s “Top 100 Women” by the Maryland Daily Record, and in 2006 she was named as one the “One Hundred Most Influential African Americans” by Ebony magazine. She is a member of the National Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Association of Women Dentists, the American Dental Association and the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association. Dr. Grant is a Fellow in both the American and the International College of Dentists. She served as Secretary of the Maryland Dental Society for six years and as a delegate for six years. Dr. Grants’ NDA activities include serving on the Reference Committee, Chairing the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws and serving as Speaker of the House for five years. She was the President of the National Dental Association in 2006, and served as Legislative Chair from 2007 through 2012. Dr. Grant is passionate about advocating for children and young adults who are in foster care. She has been recognized twice by the Baltimore County Council for her support and engagement with foster care initiatives and programs.

    AAWD President Dr. Tamara Berg states, “I am thrilled with the selection of Dr. Leslie Grant to receive our organization’s highest honor, the Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award. Dr. Grant exemplifies the female leader, mentor, educator and humanitarian, in one outstanding voice for females in dentistry throughout the country. I offer my sincere congratulations to her on receiving this recognition by her colleagues.”

    About the Award

    In 1859 Lucy Hobbs Taylor moved to Cincinnati, intent on attending medical school. After being refused admission based on her gender, Taylor studied privately under a professor who encouraged her to turn to dentistry. Following her studies in dentistry, Taylor started her own practice in Cincinnati. Finally, in 1865, she gained professional recognition when she was elected to membership of the Iowa State Dental Society and served as a delegate at the American Dental Association convention in Chicago, Illinois. That November, she was admitted to the Ohio College of Dental Surgery, where she became the first woman to earn a doctorate in dentistry.

    The Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award is the highest honor given by the AAWD and was first presented in 1983. AAWD presents this award to a member who exemplifies a true professional with accomplishment in one or more areas of dentistry, organized dentistry, academia, government, anthropology, archeology, philanthropy and consulting. With at least 10 years membership in AAWD and a career as a licensed dentist for 20 years or more, the recipient demonstrates a record of mentoring women dentists and/or service to organizations that further the cause of women in dentistry. AAWD will officially present the award to Dr. Grant on Oct. 6, during AAWD’s 97th Annual Conference in Savannah, Georgia.

    About AAWD

    Founded in 1893, the goal of the American Association of Women Dentists is to serve as the leading resource for advancing, connecting and enriching the lives of women dentists. AAWD offers a variety of programs and services that benefit the unique needs of women dentists. For more information, visit our website at aawd.org or call 800-920-2293.