2017 AAPHD Student Merit Award Winners

Leverett Graduate Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dental Public Health

First Place 
Ayman Sulimany, BDS, MS, Certi. in Pediatric Dentistry 
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Title: THE INFLUENCE OF LEAD TOXICITY ON DENTAL CARIES RISK AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN 
Nominator: Woosung Sohn, DDS, PhD, DrPH, Diplomate, ABDPH

Second Place
Mary Kelly, RDH, MS 
University of Iowa
Title: UTILIZATION OF ORAL HEALTH PROCEDURES BY MEDICAID-ENROLLED SENIOR ADULTS AS THEY TRANSITION FROM COMMUNITY-DWELLING TO NURSING FACILITY 
Nominator: John J. Warren, DDS, MS

Third Place 
Claudia A. Serna, PhD, DDS, MPH 
NYU Lutheran Medical Center
Title: DENTAL-RELATED USE OF HOSPITAL EDS BY HISPANICS AND NON-HISPANICS IN FLORIDA 
Nominator: Scott L. Tomar, DMD, DrPH

Honorable Mention by Student Last Name Alphabetical order
Tayyaba S. Ahmed, BDS, MPH 
Case Western Reserve University, School of Dental Medicine 
Title: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AMONG AN ADULT POPULATION
Nominator: Kristin A Williams, DDS, MPH

Hend Alqaderi, BDS, DMSc 
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Title: EFFECT OF SLEEP AND SALIVARY GLUCOSE ON GINGIVITIS IN CHILDREN 
Nominator: Mary Tavares, DMD, MPH

Lorene Kline, RDH, BS, MS
University of Michigan
Title: NO COST DENTAL CARE IN EXCHANGE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS: PARTICIPATING PATIENTS' AND DENTISTS' RESPONSES
Nominator: Ann Gwozdek, RDH, BA, MA

Ogechi A. Obiakor, BDS, MS
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, School of Dentistry
Title: ASSESSMENT OF ORAL HEALTH STATUS AMONG ADULTS AGED 50 AND OLDER IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Nominator: David P. Cappelli, DMD, MPH, PhD

Jennifer Romaszewski, BDS, MPH, CPH, CCHP
State of North Carolina, Oral Health Section
Title: NORTH CAROLINA ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY-LEVEL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF RESIDENTS
Nominator: B Alex White, DDS, DrPH

Predoctoral Dental Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community and Preventive Dentistry

First Place 
Jie Sun 
Harvard School of Dental Medicine 
Title: RETURNING THE MOUTH TO THE BODY: AN ORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE FOR BROOKLYN, NEW YORK IMMIGRANTS UNDER PRIMARY CARE SETTING 
Nominator: Aram Kim, DMD, MS

Second Place 
Anna Vishnevetsky, BS and Jennifer Mirman, BS
Temple University School of Dentistry 
Title: PRACTICE LOCATION, NEW MEDICAID CHILDREN ACCEPTANCE, AND TRAINING IN ADVOCACY: PREDICT PEDIATRIC DENTISTS WILLINGNESS TO ADVOCATE FOR WATER FLUORIDATION 
Nominator: Vinodh Bhoopathi, BDS, MPH, DScD

Dental Hygiene Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Dentistry

Chelsea Holladay, RDH
University of Michigan School of Dentistry
Title: ASSESSMENT OF MICHIGAN DENTISTS’ AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD OBTAINING CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS FOR VOLUNTEERING IN COMMUNITY-BASED CLINICS
Nominator: Ann Gwozdek, RDH, BA, MA