2018 AAPHD Student Merit Award Winners

Dental Hygiene Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Dentistry

First Place: Pranayan Chakma, DH student
Title: Creating a Climate of Oral Public Health Connections in a Transitional Housing Community: Dental Hygiene Students Promoting Oral and Systemic Link
School: West Coast University
Nominator: Mary Ann A. Pedersen, RDH

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

First Place: Doaa Alsaggaf, BDS, DScD
Title: Psychosocial stressors and dental care utilization of low-income African-American women
School: Boston University, Henry M Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Nominator: Woosung Sohn, DDS, PhD, DrPH

Second Place: Jennifer Sukalski, RDH, BS
Title: Periodontal Treatment Need in a Medicaid Expansion Population
School: University of Iowa College of Dentistry
Nominator: Susan C. McKernan, DMD, MS, PhD

Third Place: Elizabeth Pitts, RDH, MS
Title: Dental Utilization Pattern of Ages 2-3 Covered by Medicaid and Residing in Wayne County, Michigan
School: University of Michigan
Nominator: Janet Kinney, RDH, MS

Honorable Mention by Student (in alphabetical order by last name):

Eman AlSagob, BDS, MS, DScD
Title: Influence of Community Level Factors on Non-Traumatic Dental Visit Rates to Emergency Departments in Rhode Island
School: Boston University, Henry M Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Nominator: Woosung Sohn, DDS, PhD, DrPH

Siddardha G. Chandrupatla, BDS, MMSc
Title: Group visits - a model to improve access to care and reduce treatment period for partial dentures
School: Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Nominator: Mary Tavares, DMD, MPH

Jennifer Clemens, DMD, MPH
Title: Effects and Acceptance of Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatment on Dental Caries in Primary Teeth
School: A.T. Still University
Nominator: Jaana Gold, DDS, MPH, PhD, CPH

Predoctoral Dental Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Dentistry

First Place: Katie Takach, MS, MPH
Title: The Oral Health Needs of Women Inmates in Phoenix, AZ
School: A.T. Still University
Nominator: Ashley Love, DrPH, MPH, MS, CPH

Second Place: Morgan Thorne and Vrinda Tarneja
Title: Community Education About Caries Risk Behavior Through Use of an Electronic Application
School: University of Buffalo, School of Dental Medicine
Nominator: Juan F Yepes, DDS, MD, MPH, MS, DrPH

Third Place: JungSoo Kim, BS
Title: Providing One Visit Dentures to Edentulous Homeless Individuals in San Francisco, California: A Program Evaluation
School: University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry
Nominator: George W Taylor, DMD, MPH, DrPH

Honorable Mention by Student (in alphabetical order by last name):

Adeena Arain, BS & Moustafa Badawi, BS
Title: Seeking Refuge from Plaque
School: UT Health School of Dentistry
Nominator: Robert Spears, PhD

Dan Malloy, BS & David Carpinello, BS
Title: A Pilot Oral Health Knowledge and Dental Career Awareness Program for Foster Care Youth in Greater Philadelphia Region
School: Temple University Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry
Nominator: Vinodh Bhoopathi., BDS, MPH, DScD