Student Award Programs

AAPHD is proud to recognize dental residents in public health dentistry, dental students and dental hygiene students through two award programs.

The Student Merit Awards offer cash prizes and support to dental public health residents, senior dental students and senior dental hygiene students to present their research during the poster session of the annual National Oral Health Conference.

2017 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, MPH, BDS
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

2017 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 UniversitySchool 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

2017 Dental Hygiene Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Dentistry

First Place
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

2018 AAPHD Student Merit Awards

Student Recognition Awards in Community Dentistry

• Senior Dental Student Award for Special Interest/Achievement in Community Dentistry and Dental Public Health
• Senior Dental Hygiene Student Award for Special Interest/Achievement in Community Dentistry and Dental Public Health