Awards of the American College of Dentists recognize unique and exceptional efforts of Fellows, non-dentists involved with the profession or oral health, and Sections of the College.
The William John Gies Award is the highest honor the College can bestow upon a Fellow. Named after William J. Gies, who was instrumental in shaping the College and the entire dental profession, this award has been given since 1940 and recognizes Fellows who have made truly unique and exceptional contributions to advancing the profession and its service to society. The 2024 recipient of the William J. Gies Award is Dr. Nadar Nadershahi.
Consistent with the mission of the ACD, the Ethics and Professionalism Award recognizes exceptional contributions by individuals or organizations in the promotion of ethics or professionalism in dentistry. The 2024 recipient is Dr. Barry Schwartz.
This award is made possible through the generosity of The Jerome B. Miller Family Foundation. Nominations are by the Board of Regents, however, any Fellow may submit names and supporting information to the Board for consideration.
The Distinguished Leadership Award is the College’s newest award. This award recognizes individuals having a record of significant and distinguished leadership in dentistry, public health, or national health policy while in a position of national or international responsibility. Nominations are by the Board of Regents, however, any fellow may submit names and supporting information to the Board for consideration. The 2024 Distinguished Leadership Award is bestowed on Dr. Janet Lynn Tomkins.
The Outstanding Service Award, given since 1995, recognizes Fellows for specific, outstanding service to dentistry, the community, or humanity. This award is presented through a special recommendation of the Board of Regents. The 2024 recipients are Dr. Thomas Harle and Dr. Lance Rucker.
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have been Fellows for 50 years. This award is supported by the Samuel D. Harris Fund of the American College of Dentists Foundation. The 2024 recipients are Andrejs Baumhammers, Kenneth C. Bentley, Moses J. Finder, John F. Hasler, George L. Humphrey, Sewell R. McKinney, David N. Plessett, and Robert A. Uchin.
Honorary Fellowship is a means to bestow the honor of Fellowship on deserving non-dentists who exhibit the same levels of leadership and excellence as Fellows. This award, given since 1930, is the highest honor the College awards to non-dentists. The 2024 recipients are Dr. Eizabeth Carr, Mr. Thomas Elliot, Esq., and Nancy Costello Miller, Esq.
The Award of Merit recognizes and acknowledges specific, outstanding achievements of non-dentists. This award has been given since 1959. The Award of Merit was not given in 2021, 2022, or 2023 and will not be awarded in 2024.
The Section Achievement Award, presented to a College Section, recognizes effective projects and activities in areas such as professional education, public education, or community service. This award has been given since 1995. The Section Achievement Award was not given in 2021, 2022, 2023 and was not given in 2024.
Since 1997 the Section Newsletter Award has recognized outstanding achievement in the publication of a Section newsletter. The Award is based on overall quality, design, content, and technical excellence. Electronic newsletters are highly encouraged. The 2024 recipient is the Northern California Section; Jean Creasey, Editor.
The purpose of the Model Section program is to encourage Section improvement by recognizing Sections that meet quality performance standards in four areas: Membership, Section Projects, ACD Foundation Support, and Commitment and Communication. In 2024 Colorado, Chair Gerald Savory; New England, Chair Maria Smith; and Washington, Chair Darcie Morris earned the Model Section designation.
The Outstanding Student Leader Award is awarded by Sections and recognizes senior dental students for demonstrated leadership and outstanding scholastic performance.
1940 Peter J. Brekhus
1941 Frederick B. Noyes
1955 John E. Gurley
1955 Arthur H. Merritt
1955 Albert L. Midgley
1955 Charles F. Harper
1955 J. Ben Robinson
1959 Otto W. Brandhorst
1959 C. Willard Camalier
1959 Thomas J. Hill
1959 Harold Hillenbrand
1959 Gerald H. Leatherman
1959 Lon W. Morrey
1959 Percy T. Phillips
1959 Carlos H. Schott
1959 C. Carroll Smith
1959 Edward B. Spalding
1959 Gerald D. Timmons
1961 Frank O. Alford
1961 Edgar David Coolidge
1962 Donald W. Gullett
1963 Francis A. Arnold, Jr.
1963 Kenneth A. Easlick
1965 Thomas F. McBride
1965 Emory W. Morris
1965 George C. Paffenbarger
1965 Henry A. Swanson
1966 Wallace D. Armstrong
1966 Willard C. Fleming
1966 Paul C. Kitchin
1967 Philip E. Blackerby
1967 Robert S. Davis
1967 Fritz A. Pierson, Sr.
1967 Harry S. Thomson
1968 Russell A. Dixon
1968 Samuel Pruzansky
1968 Carl J. Stark
1969 Leuman M. Waugh
1970 B. Holly Broadbent
1970 Herbert K. Cooper
1970 George Hollenback
1970 Philip Jay
1971 John O. McCall
1971 Paul Jones
1972 W. Harry Archer
1972 Maynard K. Hine
1973 Frederick C. Elliott
1973 Stanley D. Tylman
1974 Winfield C. Dunn
1975 Clemens V. Rault
1976 Ralph W. Phillips
1977 Clyde H. Schuyler
1978 Harry Lyons
1979 Alfred A. Lanza
1980 Miles R. Markley
1981 Ralph A. Boelsche
1981 Edward V. Zegarelli
1982 Frederick T. West
1983 Robert I. Kaplan
1984 Floyd E. Dewhirst, Jr.
1984 Gerald D. Stibbs
1985 Allen A. Copping
1986 Wilmer B. Eames
1986 Irving E. Gruber
1986 L. D. Pankey, Sr.
1986 Robert B. Shira
1987 Frank P. Bowyer, Jr.
1987 Russell I. Todd
1987 Lynden M. Kennedy
1988 Carl A. Laughlin
1989 Carlton H. Williams
1990 José Enrique Medina
1991 Robert J. Nelsen
1992 Clifton O. Dummett
1992 Thaddeus V. Weclew
1993 Norman H. Olsen
1993 James P. Vernetti
1994 James A. Harrell, Sr.
1994 Frank J. Orland
1995 I. Lawrence Kerr
1996 Charles A. McCallum
1997 Robert W. Elliott, Jr.
1998 W. Robert Biddington
1998 F. Gene Dixon
1998 Gordon H. Rovelstad
1999 John A. DiBiaggio
2000 James Burrows Edwards
2001 Arthur A. Dugoni
2002 Prem S. Sharma
2003 Lawrence H. Meskin
2004 Robert T. Ragan
2005 Gordon J. Christensen
2005 Richard V. Tucker
2006 Harold C. Slavkin
2007 Richard E. Bradley
2008 Harry Rosen
2009 Roger W. Triftshauser
2010 Dale Francis Redig
2012 Marcia A. Boyd
2013 Dushanka V. Kleinman
2014 Patricia L. Blanton
2014 Arthur I. Hazlewood
2017 Jerome B. Miller
2018 Allan J. Formicola
2019 Charles J. Goodacre
2020 David W. Chambers
2020 Jeanne C. Sinkford
2021 Stephen A. Ralls
2022 Kathleen O’Loughlin
2023 Lawrence P. Garetto
2023 Leo E. Rouse
2006 James B. Bramson
2010 James T. Fanno
2023 Paula K. Friedman
2005 American Dental Association
2006 Academy of General Dentistry
2007 The Pankey Institute
2008 American Society for Dental Ethics
2009 American Dental Education Association
2010 Kennedy Institute of Ethics
2011 International Dental Ethics and Law Society
2012 Student Professionalism and Ethics Association
2013 New York Academy of Dentistry
2014 Healthy Kids, Healthy Smiles
2015 Dental Lifeline Network
2016 Judicial Council of CDA
2017 American Student Dental Association
2018 Dr. David T. Ozar
2019 Dr. Karl Haden
2020 Dr. Robert E. Barsley
2021 Dr. Tariq Javed
2022 American Society of Bioethics and Humanities
2023 Eddie G. Smith Leadership Institute of the National Dental Association
1930 George K. Burgess
1930 Wilmer Souder
1931 Timothy Leary
1931 Charles E. Riggs
1932 Joseph H. Samuel
1932 Edward H. Kraus
1932 Hugh S. Cummings
1932 Lewis R. Thompson
1933 Paul J. Hanzlik
1933 Arno B. Luckhardt
1933 F.E. Rodriquez
1933 Clifford E. Waller
1934 Nathan Sinai
1936 Chauncey D. Leake
1937 William D. Cutter
1937 Frederick T. Guild
1938 Vilray P. Blair
1938 Fr. A.M. Schwitalla
1939 Lloyd E. Blauch
1939 Eben J. Carey
1939 Francis D. Murphy
1940 Lyman J. Briggs
1940 Timothy O. Heatwole
1940 Sidney R. Miller
1940 Thomas Parran
1942 Harlan H. Horner
1947 James E. Ash
1951 Frederick S. McKay
1951 Irvine McQuarrie
1951 John A. Kolmer
1953 Charles B. Bolton
1953 Shailer Peterson
1954 Herbert B. Bain
1955 Robert G. Sproul
1956 Wilton M. Krogman
1956 Willis A. Sutton
1957 Millard E. Gladfelter
1957 Irl C. Schoonover
1958 Wallace D. Armstrong
1958 Wilby T. Gooch
1959 T. Brandrup-Wognsen
1959 Arthur S. Flemming
1959 Herbert C. Hoover
1959 Albert Joachim
1959 Charles F.L. Nord
1960 Rufus B. Von Kleinsmid
1961 John E. Fogarty
1961 Lister Hill
1961 John A. Perkins
1962 Luther L. Terry
1963 Herman B. Wells
1964 Russell S. Poor
1964 J.B. de C.M. Saunders
1965 Joseph C. Robert
1966 M.G. Candau
1966 Edwin L. Crosby
1966 Ernest C. Colwell
1967 Arthur S. Adams
1967 John S. Millis
1968 Andrew D. Holt
1968 S. Richard Silverman
1969 George Bugbee
1971 Howard Rusk
1972 Lauriston S. Taylor
1974 Melvin R. Laird
1975 Theodore R. Van Dellen
1976 Albert B. Sabin
1977 Ewald B. Nyquist
1978 Gerald J. Cox
1979 Walter E. Brown
1980 David E. Rogers
1982 Henry M. Thornton
1983 John A. Gray
1984 William S. Banoswsky
1985 Gerhard M. Brauer
1986 Muriel J. Bebeau
1987 Leon Singer
1988 Lois K. Cohen
1989 Bernard J. Beazley
1991 Jack I. Nicholls
1992 Althea A. Kowitz
1993 David W. Chambers
1994 John P. Howe III
1995 Harvey Sarner
1996 Burton C. Borgelt
1997 Nancy C. Quinn
1998 Arthur Meisel
1999 Martin F. Tansy
2000 Mae Mun Hom
2000 David T. Ozar
2000 George K. Stookey
2001 Christian B. Sager
2002 John A. Molinari
2003 Robert A. Rechner
2004 Daniel J. Buker, Esq.
2004 Roy E. Lasky
2005 Gerry J. Barker
2005 Lawrence P. Garetto
2006 Randall B. Grove
2006 George R. Rhodes
2006 Pamela Zarkowski, Esq.
2007 Jane D. Evans
2007 Faye K. Marley
2007 John D. Rugh
2007 Thomas B. Taft
2008 Michelle V. Curtin
2008 Stephen A. Hardymon
2008 David S. Horvat
2008 Martha S. Phillips
2009 C. Jay Brown
2009 Rosemary C. Fetter
2009 R. Barkley Payne
2009 Gerald R. Winslow
2010 Phyllis L. Beemsterboer
2010 Francis X. McLaughlin, Jr.
2010 David Owsiany
2010 Bruce N. Peltier
2011 Laura J. Bishop
2011 John D.B. Featherstone
2011 Joseph M. Holtzman
2011 Jos. V.M. Welie
2012 Valerie J. Fridley
2012 Beth Truett
2013 Peter A. DuBois
2013 Jack L. Ferracane
2013 Karen Matthiesen
2014 Robert E. Boose
2014 Grace Deshaw-Wilner
2014 N. Karl Haden
2015 John C. Kornitzer
2015 Frank J. Pokorny II
2015 Elizabeth A. Price
2015 Billy W. Tarpley
2016 Elaine L. Davis
2016 Nancy R. Honeycutt
2016 Jocelyn Johnston
2016 Dorothy A. Perry
2017 Nanette R. Elster, Esq.
2017 Michael A. Graham
2017 Kevin J. Robertson
2017 Michael G. Schmidt
2018 William (Bill) Oliver Butler
2018 Kevin Earle
2018 Connie F. Lane
2018 F. Lynn Means
2019 Karen M. Fischer
2019 LaVette C. Henderson
2019 Christopher Scott Litch
2019 Kay Mosley Miller
2020 Judith Albino
2020 Amy Brock Martin
2020 Frank Bevilacqua
2021 Lori Barnhart
2021 Rella Christensen
2021 Vaughn Collins
2021 Paul Dobson
2021 Regina Messer
2022 Subrata Saha
2022 Sonya Guyjean Smith
2022 Henri M. Treadwell
2022 Carol Yakiwchuk
2023 Gregory D. Hill
2023 N. Dorin Ruse
2023 Joan L. Rush
2023 Marco Vujicic
1959 J. Roy Doty
1959 John J. Hollister
1959 B. Duane Moen
1960 Fern Crawford
1961 George H. Whipple
1962 Byron S. Hollinshead
1966 Harry Sicher
1966 William T. Sweeney
1967 Nathan Kohn, Jr.
1967 Minnie Orfanos
1968 Velma Child
1968 Grace Parkin
1969 Peter C. Goulding
1970 Henry Thornton
1970 Andrew Howe
1971 Victor Hill
1972 John W. Kumpula
1973 Violet L. Crowley
1974 John B. Goetz
1975 Thomas E. Malone
1976 Ray Cobaugh
1977 Howard I. Wells
1978 William T. McCormick
1979 Leonard P. Wheat
1980 Eric M. Bishop
1981 Karl S. Richardson
1982 James E. Brophy
1983 Esther F. Richwine
1984 Beverly Bane
1985 Delmar J. Stauffer
1986 Hazel W. Wallace
1987 Jo Clark
1988 E. B. Tarrson
1989 Nikolaj M. Petrovic
1990 George Ken Austin
1991 John J. Nevin
1992 Phyllis H. Davis
1993 Robert D. Crawford
1994 Anne Hecker
1995 D. William Harman
1996 Martha Phillips
1997 Donald Guithues
1998 Barbara Sims
1999 Jeannine Jochec
2000 Bob D. Berry
2000 C.J. Brown
2001 Robert W. Harpster
2002 Geraldine M. Cherney
2003 Elza Harrison
2008 Henrietta L. Logan
1995 Russell W. Buchert
1996 Jeremiah Lowney, Jr.
1997 Emanuel Ploumis
1998 Herbert Caplan
1999 Chris C. Scures
2001 Arthur I. Hazlewood
2002 Jeffrey R. Burkes
2003 Burton L. Edelstein
2004 Malvin E. Ring
2007 Emmanuel J. Rajczak
2009 Carl E. Rieder
2011 Frank C. Andolino II
2012 Allan J. Formicola
2015 James D. Hudson
2019 Guy N. Minoli
2020 B. Charles Kerkhove
2023 Victoria Bikofsky
1995 New Jersey Section
1996 British Columbia Section
1997 Maryland Section
1997 New York Section
1998 Georgia Section
1999 Indiana Section
2000 Oregon Section
2001 Mississippi Section
2002 West Virginia Section
2003 Ohio Section
2004 Florida Section
2005 Hudson-Mohawk Section
2006 Indiana Section
2007 Upper Midwest Section
2008 Mississippi Section
2008 All New York Sections
2010 New Jersey Section
2011 New York Section
2012 Northern California Section
2014 New York Section
2018 ASDE Section
1997 Southern California Section
1998 Northern California Section
1999 Atlantic Provinces Section
2000 Mississippi Section
2001 Montana Section
2002 Ontario Section
2003 Southern California Section
2004 New York Section
2005 Mississippi Section
2007 Southern California Section
2008 Ontario Section
2009 Mississippi Section
2010 New England Section
2011 Tennessee Section
2012 Mississippi Section
2013 Ontario Section
2014 Michigan Section
2015 Tennessee Section
2016 Southern California Section
2017 Ontario Section
2018 Northern California Section
2019 British Columbia Section
2020 Washington Section
2021 Florida and New England Sections
2022 Ontario
2023 Southern California
2009 Carolinas Section
2009 Mississippi Section
2009 New York Section
2009 Tennessee Section
2010 Oklahoma Section
2011 British Columbia Section
2012 Mississippi Section
2012 New York Section
2012 Northern California Section
2012 Quebec Section
2012 Tennessee Section
2013 Oklahoma Section
2014 Indiana Section
2014 Ontario Section
2014 West Virginia Section
2015 Arkansas Section
2015 British Columbia Section
2016 Kansas Section
2016 Kentucky Section
2016 Northern California Section
2016 Oregon Section
2017 Atlantic Provinces Section
2017 Quebec Section
2017 Indiana Section
2017 Ontario Section
2017 Louisiana Section
2017 Oklahoma Section
2017 Washington Section
2018 New York Section
2018 Metro Washington Section
2018 West Virginia Section
2018 Missouri Section
2018 Tennessee Section
2018 British Columbia Section
2018 Hawaii Section
2019 Arkansas Section
2019 Kentucky Section
2019 Nebraska Section
2019 Wisconsin Section
2020 Atlantic Provinces Section
2020 Hudson-Mohawk Section
2020 Kansas Section
2020 Louisiana Section
2020 New England Section
2020 Oklahoma Section
2020 Ontario Section
2020 Washington Section
2021 British Columbia Section
2021 Carolinas Section
2021 Western Pennsylvania Section
2022 Indiana
2022 Metro Washington
2022 Michigan
2022 Southern California
2022 West Virginia
2022 Western New York
2023 Atlantic Provinces
2023 Illinois
2023 Kentucky
2023 Maryland
2023 Ontario
2023 Virginia
2023 Wisconsin
