AAOMS recognizes award winners during Annual Meeting
October 4, 2023
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) honored nearly 40 award recipients for their accomplishments in education, research, advocacy and humanitarianism at the association’s 105th Annual Meeting, Scientific Sessions and Exhibition.
The awards presentation was held during the Opening Ceremony of the event – the largest gathering of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the country – in September.
AAOMS dedicated its Annual Meeting to those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. AAOMS’s history is inextricably linked with that of the military, and many of the procedures oral and maxillofacial surgeons use today were developed during the Civil War and World War I and II. AAOMS was founded in 1918, the same year World War I ended.
Accepting the award on behalf of U.S. Armed Forces were three oral and maxillofacial surgeons who serve in the military: Col. Trey Labella of the U.S. Air Force, Cmdr. Daniel Hammer of the U.S. Navy and Maj. Andrew Jenzer of the U.S. Army.
Paul G. Sims, DDS, of Butte, Mont., received the Robert V. Walker Distinguished Service Award recognizing significant contributions to the oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty. Dr. Sims served on the Montana Board of Dentistry for 14 years, seven of which as president. He was co-editor of the two most recent editions of the AAOMS Parameters of Care and provided guidance for two earlier editions, helping ensure the document remains a current clinical practice guideline for the specialty. Additionally, Sims served as chair of the AAOMS Committee on Anesthesia and played a fundamental role in the 2000 edition of the Office Anesthesia Evaluation manual.
Other AAOMS award winners are:
Board of Trustees Special Citation Award – Andreas Geistlich, PhD, of Switzerland.
Clinical Research Award – James C. Melville, DDS, FACS, of Bellaire, Texas; and Simon Young, DDS, MD, PhD, FACS, of Houston, Texas.
Committee Person of the Year – William V. Jordan III, DDS, of Sugarland, Texas.
Daniel M. Laskin Award for an Outstanding Predoctoral Educator – Mark F. Sosovicka, DMD, of Pittsburgh, Pa.
Distinguished Service Award for Non-OMSs – Andrew Herlich, DMD, MD, of Pittsburgh, Pa.
Donald B. Osbon Award for an Outstanding Educator – Michael Miloro, DMD, MD, FACS, of Chicago, Ill.
Faculty Educator Development Award – Anthony M. Bunnell, DMD, MD, FACS, Jacksonville, Fla.; Nicholas Callahan, DMD, MD, of Chicago, Ill.; Daniel Choi, DDS, MD, of Cambridge, Mass.; and Daniel A. Hammer, DDS, FACS, of San Diego, Calif.
Honorary Fellowship – Kelly Ann Shy, MHSM, San Antonio, Texas; and J.W. (Hank) Holderfield, of Buford, Ga.
Humanitarian Award for Fellows and Members – Jose Manuel Marchena, DMD, MD, FACS, of Houston, Texas.
Humanitarian Award for Residents – Vickas Agarwal, DDS, MD, of Richmond, Va.
John F. Freihaut Political Activist Award – The North Carolina Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Outstanding Legislator of the Year Award – U.S. Reps. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.)
Presidential Achievement Award – Charles R. Weber, DMD, of Lacey, Wash.
Resident Scientific Award – Caitlyn M. McGue, DDS, MD, of Loma Linda, Calif.
Special Honorary Fellowship – Daljit K. Dhariwal, BDSFDSRCS, MD, BCh, FRCS (OMFS), of vice president of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; Robert Wagner, DMD, MD, FRCD, president of the Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; Patrishia Bordbar, BDSc, MBBS, PGDip. Surg.Anat, MDSc, FRACDS, FRCS, president of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
The OMS Foundation awards also were announced. In alliance with AAOMS, the Foundation strives to enhance patient care quality and safety through advancing innovation in OMS research and education:
OMS Foundation Torch Award – Charles R. Weber, DMD, of Lacey, Wash.
OMS Foundation Research Recognition Award – Chi Viet, DDS, MD, PhD, FACS, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
OMS Foundation Gerald E. Hanson Outstanding Service Award – Victor L. Nannini, DDS, FACS, of Hauppauge, N.Y.
OMS Foundation Daniel M. Laskin Award – “Most Facial Fractures Do Not Require Surgical Intervention,” Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, by Felix Jose Amarista, DDS; Edward Ellis III, DDS, MD; Jason P. Jones, DDS, MD; Mary Katherine Spinella, DMD, MD; and Megan A. Sullivan, DMD, MD.
OMS Foundation Dr. David Stanton Resident Research Award – “Orthognathic Surgery in Older Patients: Is Age Associated with Perioperative Conditions?” Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, by Cameron C. Lee, DMD, MD, of Baltimore, Md. The winning paper was written during his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.