The American Association of Orthodontists Foundation and one of its committee members received the American Dental Education Association’s William J. Gies Awards for Vision, Innovation, and Achievement.
The American Dental Education Association’s philanthropic arm, the ADEAGies Foundation, has announced its 2022 William J, Gies Awards for Vision, Innovation, and Achievement.
Among the recipients are the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (AAOF) and a member of the AAOF Planning and Awards Review Committee, Sylvia Frazier-Bowers, DDS, PhD.
The Gies Awards are named for dental education pioneer William J. Gies, PhD. The awards honor individuals and organizations that exemplify the highest standards in oral health and dental education, research, and leadership.
The mission of the AAOF, the charitable arm of the AAO, is to advance the orthodontic specialty by supporting quality education and research that leads to excellence in patient care and by promoting orthodontic philanthropic giving.
Foundation funding ensures the future viability of the specialty by investing in the next generation of educators and researchers. Since 1994, the AAO Foundation has contributed over $14.6 million to the orthodontic specialty through its education and research awards program.
Frazier-Bowers was recognized for her efforts toward excellence in dental education consistent with the Gies Award stated values. In addition to her many contributions to the science of orthodontics, the ADEA Gies Award highlights Frazier-Bowers’ advancement of oral health, oral health equity, and cultural competence.
An associate professor in the orthodontic residency program at the University of North Carolina, Frazier-Bowers also serves as assistant dean for inclusive excellence and equity initiatives for the UNC Adams School of Dentistry.
She developed the Adams School DOCSpeaks program, featuring Ted Talk-style lectures addressing learning and communication on cultural issues impacting health care.
A graduate of the UNC orthodontic residency program, Frazier-Bowers also received a PhD in genetics from the UNC School of Medicine. Her research interests include clinical management and genetic diagnosis of eruption disorders and Class III malocclusion.
A member of the AAO Foundation Planning and Awards Review Committee (PARC) since 2016, Dr. Frazier-Bowers is currently the committee’s vice-chair, which reviews proposals for AAOF research and education awards and selects recipients.
She also serves on the Foundation’s Rapid Assessment of Evidence (RAE) panel. Any AAO member may ask the RAE panel to review evidence related to orthodontic supplier product claims and assess the validity of the claims.
Frazier-Bowers is a past member and chair of the AAO Council on Scientific Affairs (COSA) and is the AAO Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN) chair.
Photo via Businesswire
