SCADA 2020 Awards
Dentsply Sirona and RDAA reward the most talented students.
Clinical students from Dentsply Sirona: Patrick E. Donnelly, Kathryn Teruya, Taylor Robertson, Category II: Blake Latendresse, Eric Mullins, Madison Aungst, Tanner Godfrey.
Dentsply Sirona and the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) congratulate the winners of the student contest on promoting dental research and its 2020 application awards program (SCADA). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional competition and awards ceremony at the IADR/AADR/CADR General Session and Exhibition was discontinued, and students participated in a virtual research competition.
The 61st annual SCADA program was held under special circumstances. Although the current situation with COVID-19 restricts the holding of public events, American dental students were invited to participate in a virtual research competition.
All U.S. dental schools were invited to nominate one student to participate in the research contest in one of two categories: Clinical Science and Public Health Research and Basic and Translational Science.
Participants submitted a complete portfolio, including an electronic copy of their research poster, a slide presentation, and a video of their oral presentation for review by an international jury. 51 clinical students submitted research projects, from which seven winners were selected.
A program dedicated to research and international networking
SCADA was born in 1959, and Dentsply Sirona and the American Dental Association have continued this tradition by co-sponsoring this research competition among leading dental students. The SCADA program includes a U.S. global and clinical student research competition and an annual awards program. Since its inception, the contest and awards program has gained widespread recognition and has involved more than 8,500 young dental professionals from 28 countries. SCADA has two main objectives. Firstly, the program aims to strengthen the field of dental research by supporting young professionals in their research careers.
It also represents a unique opportunity for students to meet clinical professionals and scientists worldwide as they develop their skills and advance in their careers. Although the possibilities of meeting people were limited, students interacted virtually and had the opportunity to showcase their work and gain valuable knowledge as they developed and presented their research virtually.
The winners
- In category 1 - Clinical Science and Public Health Research - first prize went to Patrick E. Donnelly, University of Pittsburgh, for his research on Vascularized Tissue Regeneration in Root Canal Therapy using acellular hydrogel. The second award went to Kathryn Teruya, University of Missouri, Kansas City, for her research on Changes in Dental Student Empathy throughout their education. The third prize was awarded to Taylor Robertson, the University of Detroit Mercy, for her research on Spectral Analysis of Single-Tone Nano filled Resin Compounds under different lights.
- In Category 2 - Basic and Translational Science - first prize went to Tanner Godfrey, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, for his research on BAF45A-Mediated Chromatin to Control Bone Formation. Tied for second place, Blake Latendresse, from Creighton University, was awarded for his research on Immunogenic Candida Albicans Peptide Testing, along with Eric Mullins, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for his research on Comparative Exosome-Derived Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) MicroRNA Expression. The third prize went to Madison Aungst, from the University of Colorado, for her research on the Flow Cytometer Protocol for Quantifying Microbes in Dental Waterlines.
Four additional out-of-competition prizes
The SCADA board also presented five awards to leaders in dental research and academia. SCADA provides scholarship funds to promote continuing education and help support graduate education. Two postdoctoral students received Henry M. Thornton SCADA scholarships: Dr. Nisarg Patel, University of California, San Francisco, and Dr. Lauren Katz, the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill. In collaboration with the American Dental Association, SCADA also awarded the ADA/Dentsply Sirona Foundation Research Award for Dual Degree Candidates to Dr. Joy Kirkpatrick, a DMD/Ph.D. candidate at the Medical University of South Carolina.
The SCADA Board of Directors also supports and honors leaders for their commitment to the advancement of dentistry through two additional awards. Dr. Pandu Gangula of Meharry Medical College received the Burton C. Borgelt /SCADA Faculty Advisor Award. Dr. Rada Sumareda, a long-time private practice periodontist and SCADA judge, received the Alan J. Davis/SCADA award for achievement. Dr. Yoko Ishida Okomura of the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences in Niigata, Japan, was honored for her service on the SCADA board.
