The history of challenge coins
Challenge coins are steeped in military tradition. The tokens possibly originated in ancient Rome, where soldiers were rewarded for valor with a bonus coin featuring the legion’s mark. Instead of spending the coin, the soldiers often would keep it as a memento. In more recent times, commanders have presented challenge coins to recognize specific unit members’ special achievements.
Challenge coins: What they are today
The military still distributes coins a soldier can use to prove he or she served with a particular unit. Sometimes, others “challenge” by producing their own coin and slamming it on a table or bar. Many organizations now mint their own coins to distribute to members, enhance morale or reward someone for extraordinary service. Other coins are handed out to generate publicity or sold as fundraising items.
AAOMS Advocacy Challenge Coins
AAOMS designed its own Challenge Coin to recognize oral and maxillofacial surgeons who have made significant advocacy contributions on behalf of the Association. The distribution of these Challenge Coins will not only acknowledge these AAOMS members for their extraordinary service but perhaps also provide an inspiration to others to promote the specialty through advocacy.
As part of the AAOMS Advocacy Challenge Coin program, these AAOMS members have been recognized for their efforts to promote the specialty through advocacy:
- Mark D. Abel, DMD, MD
- Warren W. Arrasmith, DMD
- Normund K. Auzins, DDS
- Jay Asdell, DDS
- Shahid R Aziz, DMD, MD, FACS
- Kathy A. Banks, DMD
- Christopher R. Bevin, DMD, MD
- Carolyn Discus Brookes, DMD, MD
- Thomas Burk, DMD, MD
- Lionel M. Candelaria, DDS, FACS
- Robert S. Clark, DMD
- Kristopher R. Cooper, DMD, MD
- Charles A. Crago, DMD, MD, FACS
- Jay A. Crossland, DDS
- Timothy B. Durtsche, DDS
- Donita U. Dyalram, DDS, MD, FACS
- Wendell A. Edgin, DDS
- Mark A. Egbert, DDS, FACS
- Martin E. Eichner, DDS
- Jeffrey Elo, DDS, FACS, MS
- Douglas Fain, DDS, MS, FACS
- Benjamin Farr, DDS, MD
- John E. Feeney, DDS
- David A. Fenton, DDS, MD, FACS
- Aaron D. Figueroa, DDS
- Elda L. Fisher, DMD, MD, FACS
- David E. Frost, DDS, MS
- Eric T. Geist, DDS, FACS
- Daniel J. Gesek, DMD
- Sandy M. Guenther, MS
- Robert F. Guyette, DMD, MD
- James M. Henderson, DDS, MD
- David W. Howerton, DMD
- A. Thomas Indresano, DMD, FACS
- Dana C. Jackson, DDS
- Jeremy Jannuzzi, DMD, MD
- Joyce A. Jeffries, DDS
- J. David Johnson, DDS
- Guenter J. Jonke, DMD, MS
- William V. Jordan, DDS
- Roderick Y. Kim, DDS, MD
- Christopher King, DMD
- Daniel J. Klemmedson, DDS, MD
- Thomas Kolodge, DDS, MD
- Deepak G. Krishnan, DDS, FACS
- Artem Krutyansky, DMD, MD, MPH
- Elizabeth A. Kutcipal, DDS
- Robert M. Lamb, DDS
- Michael Lee, DDS
- N. Ray Lee, DDS
- Matthew C. Lowe, DDS
- Salman Malik, DMD, MD
- George Maranon, DDS, MD
- Glenn Maron, DDS
- James C. Melville, DDS, FACS
- Patricia E. Miller, DDS
- Justine Moe, DDS, MD
- Larry J. Moore, DDS, MS
- J. David Morrison, DMD
- Richard A Mufson, DDS
- Victor L. Nannini, DDS, FACS
- Steven R. Nelson, DDS, MS
- William Nelson, DDS
- Gregory M. Ness, DDS, FACS
- Bryan R. Neuwirth, DDS, MD
- Larry W. Nissen, DDS
- Mark A. Oghalai, DDS
- Thomas Padgett, DMD
- Vincent J Perciaccante, DDS, FACS
- Julia R. Plevnia, DDS, FACS
- D. Allen Pulsipher, DDS, MD
- Faisal A. Quereshy, DDS, MD, FACS
- Louis K. Rafetto, DMD
- Steven M. Roser, DMD, MD, FACS
- John J. Rydlewicz, DDS
- Debra M. Sacco, DMD, MD
- Christopher J. Saal, DDS, MD
- Salam O. Salman, DDS, MD, FACS
- Steven A. Saxe, DMD
- Thomas Schlieve, DDS, MD, FACS
- Jeffrey D. Schultz, DDS, MMS
- Paul J. Schwartz, DMD
- Scott W. Searcey, DDS
- David M. Shafer, DMD
- Paul G. Sims, DDS
- Anthony M. Spina, DDS, MD
- Martin B. Steed, DDS, FACS
- W. Frederick Stephens, DDS
- Larry E. Stigall, DDS
- Herbert D. Stith, DDS
- Brian H. Stone, DDS, MD
- William C. Storoe, DDS
- Marcus B. Tanabe, DDS
- Don Tillery Jr., DMD
- Cynthia Trentacosti-Franck, DDS, MS
- B.D. Tiner, DDS, MD, FACS
- Thomas Trowbridge, DDS, MD
- Mark Tucker, DDS
- Jeanne O. Tuerk, MS
- Jeffrey H. Wallen, DDS
- Russell Walther, DDS, MD
- Erik D. Warren, DDS, MD
- John Werther, DMD, MD, FACS
- Graham H. Wilson, DDS
- Spencer G. Wilson, DDS
- Cynthia E. Winne, DMD, MPH, MS
- Karin K. Wittich, CAE
- Monte K. Zysset, DDS
