On Friday, November 10, 2023, AAP award recipients were celebrated at a ceremony during the Academy’s 109th Annual Meeting in Austin.
Each year, the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) honors members whose service, dedication, and accomplishments have made a significant impact on the field of periodontics. Through extensive research, publications, teaching, or giving back to their communities, these members stand out amongst the crowd and deserve to be recognized for all they do.
Gold Medal Award: In 2023, the Academy was pleased to present its highest honor—the Gold Medal—to Dr. Bryan Frantz. Dr. Frantz has been in practice for over 30 years and has a board-certified periodontal practice in several Pennsylvanian counties. Currently, he is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Dept of Periodontology at the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry of Temple University. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dentistry in the Dept of Periodontics Eastman Dental Center at the School of Medicine & Dentistry of the University of Rochester, Board Examiner of the American Board of Periodontology, and a Periodontal Consultant in the Dept of Surgery at Regional Hospital. During his time at the AAP, he has been a part of the Strategic Planning Committee from 2012-2013, Board of Trustees from 2012-2015, and Membership Advisory Committee and Executive Committee from 2014-2015.
Master Clinician: The 2023 Master Clinician Award was sponsored by HuFriedyGroup. The 2023 winner of the Master Clinician award was Dr. Marc Nevins. Dr. Nevins is internationally renowned as a leader in his field, has served on numerous major professional committees, and regularly conducts peer-education lectures and training sessions and serves as Assistant Clinical Professor of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Nevins served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry from 2011-2022. In addition to his education and service, Dr. Nevins is a two-time winner of the American Academy of Periodontology’s R. Earl Robinson Periodontal Regeneration Award and is a 2017 recipient of the Clinical Research Award for the publication of “A randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial of post-extraction alveolar ridge preservation.”
Distinguished Service: The 2023 Distinguished Service Award recipient was Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel. Dr. Otomo-Corgel is currently a Clinical Full Professor, UCLA School of Dentistry, Department of Periodontics, faculty at the Greater Los Angeles VA Health Care Center Dental Service, and Chair of Postdoc Research. Dr. Otomo-Corgel has been inducted into the Fellowship of the American College of Dentists, as well as the Fellowship of the International College of Dentists. She has been in private practice limited to periodontics and implantology in Los Angeles for over 4 decades. Dr. Otomo-Corgel is the past president of the American Academy of Periodontology, California Society of Periodontists, Western Society of Periodontology, National VA Periodontists, the Los Angeles Dental Society, and the UCLA Chapter of OKU. She is currently the Chair of UCLA School of Dentistry Board of Counselors and serves on the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure.
Outstanding Periodontal Educator: The 2023 Outstanding Periodontal Educator Award was sponsored by the American Academy of Periodontology. The Academy’s Outstanding Periodontal Educators for 2023 were Dr. Steven Blanchard and Dr. Henry Greenwell.
Since his arrival at Indiana University School of Dentistry in 2002, Dr. Blanchard advanced in academic rank from Assistant Professor to Professor quickly and successfully. His outstanding efforts in education have resulted in recognition by his university (multiple Trustees Teaching Awards), by his state dental association (Outstanding Faculty of the Year), and by several awards and recognitions from the AAP, including the 2012 H. Dalton Connor Humanitarian Award. Dr. Blanchard’s service to the Academy and the specialty includes presenting and co-presenting at the AAP Annual Meetings for multiple sessions, workshops, and research forums. His outstanding efforts have been recognized within his community through numerous awards for volunteerism, community commitment, and leadership.
The Academy remembers and honors Dr. Henry Greenwell, who passed away in June of 2023. The program director of the post-doctoral Periodontics Program at the University of Louisville, Dr. Greenwell was a dedicated thirty-five-year faculty member of the University of Louisville School of Dentistry Department of Periodontics. For over twenty years, his research into surgical practice has had a significant impact on periodontal treatment by developing new surgical procedures with his students and training his students in these techniques. He was an active member of the American Academy of Periodontology, the American Board of Periodontics, and the American Dental Association. Dr. Greenwell trained more than 100 students to become periodontists, and most of them are now Diplomates of the American Board of Periodontology. He was a program director for over 25 years.
Honorary Membership: The Academy was pleased to bestow an honorary membership to Dr. Maurizio Tonetti. Dr. Tonetti is currently Chair Professor at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Director of the Shanghai Perio-Implant Innovation Center and of the Shanghai Oral Health Research Institute. Dr. Tonetti is widely recognized for his contributions to improved periodontal diagnosis and risk assessment, control of periodontitis, the practice of periodontal regeneration, and design and execution of large clinical trials in periodontology and implant dentistry. He is the architect of the new periodontitis classification and the senior author of the EFP S3 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the treatment of periodontitis. His scientific work has been cited >50,000 times, and his H-factor is 110.
H. Dalton Conner Humanitarian: The H. Dalton Conner Humanitarian Award is presented to an Academy member who has given selflessly through extraordinary actions that benefit a deserving population. The 2023 recipient of this honor was Dr. Patrick Angelo. Dr. Angelo is the founder of “The Angel of Lower Wacker Drive Fund,” a 501c3. His organization mentors and educates those at risk and feeds and supports the unhoused and substance user citizens of Chicago. For 22 years, Dr. Angelo personally purchased and distributed food, water, hand warmers, socks, blankets, and more to these citizens. Dr. Angelo was chosen as the 2019 recipient of Chicago’s 20 Most Influential People Award. He was also honored by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago City Council. Dr. Angelo’s organization currently hands out over 500 meals per week.
R. Earl Robinson Regeneration: Funded by the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, this award recognized an outstanding recent scientific article about periodontal regeneration in the basic and clinical sciences. For their article, “Recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor improves root coverage of a collagen matrix for multiple adjacent gingival recessions: A triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial,” the Academy recognizes Drs. Lorenzo Tavelli, Jim Sugai, Shayan Barootchi, Hsun-Liang Chan, Maria Vera Rodriguez, Oliver Kripfgans, Leonardo Mancini, Hom-Lay Wang, Jad Majzoub, William V. Giannobile, and Suncica Travan.
Clinical Research: Sponsored by Quintessence Publishing, this award recognized an outstanding recent scientific article with direct clinical reference to periodontics. For their article, “Clinical, microbiological, and immunological effects of 3- or 7-day systemic antibiotics adjunctive to subgingival instrumentation in patients with aggressive (Stage III/IV Grade C) periodontitis: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial,” the Academy recognizes Drs. Raluca Cosgarea, Raluca Bora, Soren Jepsen, Nicole B. Arweiler, Christian Heumann, Sigrun Eick, Ionela Batori-Andronsecu, Anton Sculean, and Alexandra Rosu.
About the American Academy of Periodontology
The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) represents nearly 7,500 periodontists—specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, and in the placement of dental implants.
Periodontics is one of 12 dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.
