The college's General Practice Residency director, Dr. Mark Wenzel, was joined by the program's incoming residents as they provided support for Special Olympics athletes at the event held June 23-25 on Ohio State's campus.

Each June we set aside some time to celebrate excellence. As you will see in the newsletter below, we recently hosted two events that recognize staff and faculty members’ outstanding achievements.

The first was the Faculty Awards and Recognition dinner. We created a special publication for that celebration. It highlights promotions, tenure, and reappointments; positions with national, state, and local dental organizations; journal and textbook editorships; research grants and other funding; patents and licenses approved; national honors and awards received -- and more. We also presented the college's annual awards at the event.

This year, two faculty members received awards for which they were nominated by their peers. Dr. Justin Kaspar, an Assistant Professor in the Division of Biosciences, received the Stazen Junior Faculty Award for demonstrating "exceptional promise in research." And Dr. Beau Meyer, an Associate Professor in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry, received the Larry J. Peterson Young Educators Award that honors a faculty member who has shown "exceptional enthusiasm for teaching."

Following the Faculty Awards event, the college held its annual Staff Development Day that includes the presentation of Outstanding Staff Awards. Recipients are full-time staff members who have served the college for at least three years. Nominated by their peers, award recipients are selected by the Dentistry Staff Development Committee for their “actions that inspire others to excellence, achievements, and outstanding performance in the work place."

This year's award winners were Ms. Pamela Hallum, a Dental Assistant Supervisor in the Division of Orthodontics, and Mr. Frank Munyon, a Biomedical Engineering Technician in the Office of Building Services. I was glad to present the awards that honor Pamela and Frank for their excellence, their contributions, and for setting a standard.

Other news items that showcase excellence are the Ruberg Team Spirit Award that was given to Dr. Shereen Azer by the Faculty Leadership Institute participants; the OSU President’s Research Excellence Award that was received by Dr. Do-Gyoon Kim; and Dr. Eileen Kalmar’s Distinguished Educator Award that was presented by the College of Medicine. We also include a “faculty feature” article about Dr. Hany Emam, Chair of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Anesthesiology. Throughout his career, Dr. Emam has been recognized for his outstanding leadership, his novel research, and his clinical excellence. Most recently, he was part of an international exchange of knowledge as he presented distinguished lectures and demonstrated techniques for oral surgeons in Cairo, Egypt.

Everyone in the college is busy all year ‘round as we work together to educate students, conduct research, and care for patients. But it is important to take some time to recognize the vital contributions of our staff and faculty. I am proud of their hard work, their dedication, and their efforts that go “above and beyond.”

Dr. Emam’s first professional position was a faculty appointment in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Cairo University. He had earned his Bachelor of Dental Medicine and Surgery degree with top honors from the university in 1999, after which he completed a four-year residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He then joined the faculty and took up his clinical and teaching duties. After finishing his master's degree in oral and maxillofacial surgery, he began preparing for work on additional projects to augment his knowledge, skills, and credentials. He was then offered a research fellowship with Dr. Mohamed Sharawy, a professor at the Medical College of Georgia, now known as Augusta University (AU).

“Research has always been an important part of my work as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon,” Dr. Emam said. “Research allows us to practice on a solid scientific basis that is evidence-based, and to provide the best possible care for our patients. So the fellowship at AU was a great opportunity. It was also the beginning of a new phase in my life and career.” Around that time, he became acquainted with Dr. Mark Stevens, a professor at Augusta University and Chair of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department. After completing his research fellowship, Dr. Emam was drawn to the residency program in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He said, “After almost a year of observation, I liked the way AU's program was set up. It included multiple hospital rotations, and that was very interesting to me. I wanted to broaden my knowledge and enhance my skills, so I applied and was very fortunate to be one of two residents accepted that year.”

When asked about the decision to embark on a second, highly demanding oral and maxillofacial surgery residency, Dr. Emam admits there were challenging moments. “In the beginning, it was like going back to square one,” he said. “I was doing procedures I’d learned in the first year of my residency at Cairo University. But I was treated as a colleague by the faculty at AU who knew I was a qualified oral surgeon. And I was honing my skills and gaining another level of expertise. Those years did require some sacrifices, but it was worth it.”

With a decade of advanced training in oral and maxillofacial surgery and research, Dr. Emam’s professional experience and expertise was welcomed by the Egyptian surgeons who attended his lectures and demonstrations at Maadi Hospital.

“On the first day, I saw about 40-45 patients with a multitude of different conditions,” Dr. Emam said. “During the rest of the week, I performed a variety of surgical procedures that included complex facial trauma, alveolar and palatal cleft repair, orthognathic procedures, tumor resections, and reconstructive surgeries.” He added, “Many of the surgeries involved treatments I’ve researched, helped to develop, and have written about over the years, so it was especially rewarding to share the knowledge I’ve gained. The hard work continues to pay off.”

When asked if he plans to return to Egypt for other lectures and demonstrations, Dr. Emam said, “I’d like to do something similar in the future because I feel that everyone benefited from the experience. The patients received care. The surgeons learned new methods and techniques. Some of the young residents were inspired by the possibilities for their future careers. And I was able to contribute in a way that helps others. In addition to all that, the trip represented an international exchange of knowledge, and it put Ohio State’s College of Dentistry on the map as a place where excellence is a top priority."

Throughout his career, Dr. Emam has received a number of awards and honors. They include the Larry J. Peterson Young Educator’s award for faculty who demonstrate “exceptional enthusiasm for teaching” and the faculty Paper of the Year Award for best clinical research. He has also been honored with a Faculty Educator Development Award given by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in recognition of his scholarly activities and overall impact on the profession. Most recently, he was ranked among the top 1% of all faculty experts on the Ohio Innovation Exchange that includes more than 10,000 experts from The Ohio State University and five other universities in the state. The ranking was based on the frequency with which his scholarly publications have been viewed and used.

Dr. Emam’s research has been widely published in the most respected peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; the Journal of Oral Implantology; and Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, and Oral Radiology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and an examiner and Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.