Loading
Print This Issue
Subscribe:
E-Almanac

School of Dental Medicine Teaching Awards
PDF
May 25, 2010, Volume 56, No. 34

Penn Dental Medicine faculty members were honored by the Class of 2010 for excellence in teaching at the School’s Senior Farewell ceremony for graduating students on May 11 at the Radisson-Plaza Warwick Hotel in Center City Philadelphia. Presented by the Penn Dental Medicine Alumni Society, this annual event celebrates the passage of students to professional dentistry. Each academic year, the graduating class recognizes members of the faculty with teaching awards. Recipients for 2009-2010 include the following:

The Senior Outstanding Teaching Award

Kuperstein

Presented to a faculty member who has gone beyond the scope of his/her responsibilities to significantly impact the class’s education at Penn Dental Medicine. For the fourth consecutive year, the Senior Outstanding Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Arthur Kuperstein, assistant professor-clinician educator of oral medicine. Dr. Kuperstein has been with the School since 2002, currently serving as a clinical instructor for third- and fourth-year students. He is also course director and lecturer of the School’s radiology courses. Dr. Kuperstein is also a past recipient of the Joseph L. T. Appleton Award.

The Joseph L. T. Appleton Award

Odell

Presented to a part-time faculty member for excellence in clinical teaching. Dr. Scott Odell (D’82), clinical assistant professor in the department of oral medicine, is this year’s recipient of the award for the second year in a row. A member of the School’s faculty since 2007, Dr. Odell teaches diagnostic radiology in the department’s division of radiology and in the Emergency Clinic. The Appleton Award is named in honor of Dr. Appleton, a 1914 alumnus of Penn Dental Medicine, who served as dean of the School from 1941 to 1951. The award was founded in 1979 by Dr. Abram Cohen, a member of the Class of 1923 and father of Dean Emeritus D. Walter Cohen, Class of 1950.

The Robert E. DeRevere Award

Smithgall

Presented for excellence in preclinical teaching by a part-time faculty member. This year’s recipient is Dr. Francis Smithgall (C’79, D’83), clinical assistant professor of restorative sciences. Dr. Smithgall currently teaches undergraduate dental students in the general restorative dentistry laboratory. He began service at Penn Dental Medicine as a clinical associate professor in 1984. The award is named in honor of Dr. DeRevere, a member of the Penn Dental Medicine Class of 1945, and served on the School’s faculty.

The Basic Science Award

Alawai
Hersh

Presented for excellence in teaching within the basic sciences. This year, the award was given to co-recipients, Dr. Faizan Alawi, assistant professor in pathology, and Dr. Elliot Hersh, professor of oral surgery and pharmacology. Dr. Alawi, who teaches a second-year pathology course, joined the School in 2001. He was a co-winner of the 2004 Joseph and Josephine Rabinowitz Award for Excellence in Research. Dr. Hersh is a seventeen-time recipient of this award. A Penn Dental Medicine faculty member since 1988, he currently serves as director of the division of pharmacology and therapeutics, teaching a second-year pharmacology course. Dr. Hersh is also a past recipient of the University of Pennsylvania’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.

The Earle Bank Hoyt Award

Maggio

Presented for excellence in teaching to a Penn Dental Medicine graduate who is a full-time junior faculty member. For the third consecutive year, Dr. Margrit Maggio (D’87), assistant professor of restorative dentistry-clinician educator in the department of preventive and restorative sciences, was selected to receive the award. Dr. Maggio, who also serves as director of operative dentistry, teaches courses in the Virtual Reality Simulation Laboratory for first-year, second-year, and PASS students. She runs the General Restorative Dentistry I Operative Dentistry lecture and laboratory courses; as well as the CRASH course, an introduction to clinical dentistry for second-year students; and an Operative Dentistry Module course for third-year students. She has been a member of the School’s faculty since 1996. The award was established by a grateful patient in honor of Dr. Hoyt, a distinguished clinician and educator and member of the Class of 1918.

Almanac - May 25, 2010, Volume 56, No. 34