The Senior Outstanding Teaching Award and The Joseph L. T. Appleton Award—The Senior Outstanding Teacher Award is presented to a faculty member who has gone beyond the scope of his/her responsibilities to significantly impact the class’s educational experience while at Penn Dental Medicine. The Appleton Award recognizes a part-time faculty member for excellence in clinical teaching. This year, Dr. Scott Odell (D’82), clinical assistant professor of oral medicine, was the recipient of both awards. A member of the School’s faculty since 2007, Dr. Odell teaches Diagnostic Radiology and in the Emergency Care Clinic. This is the fourth year in a row he received the Appleton Award, named in honor of Dr. Joseph Appleton, a 1914 alumnus of Penn Dental Medicine, who served as dean of the School from 1941 to 1951. The award was founded in 1979 by Dr. Abram Cohen, a member of the Class of 1923 and father of Dean Emeritus D. Walter Cohen, Class of 1950.

The Basic Science Award—presented for excellence in teaching within the basic sciences. This year’s recipient is Dr. Elliot Hersh, professor of oral surgery and pharmacology. A highly respected researcher in local anesthesia and the management of acute pain, Dr. Hersh is a 19-time recipient of this award. A Penn Dental Medicine faculty member since 1988, he currently serves as course director for the second-year Pharmacology course and also lectures in the first-year Physiology course, second-year Pain Control course, third-year Geriatrics Course, and directs the fourth-year Clinical Therapeutics and Board Review Course. Dr. Hersh is a past recipient of the University of Pennsylvania’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and of the International Association for Dental Research’s Distinguished Scientist Award in Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology. He has also served as a University IRB Chair for the last 16 years.

The Earle Bank Hoyt Award—presented for excellence in teaching to a Penn Dental Medicine graduate who is a full-time junior faculty member. The award was established by a grateful patient in honor of Dr. Hoyt, a distinguished clinician and educator and member of the Class of 1918. This year’s recipient is Dr. Cyelee Kulkarni (D’07), clinical instructor, division of pediatric dentistry. Dr. Kulkarni joined the faculty in 2011 after completing a residency in pediatric dentistry at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY. She is course director of the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic for the third-year and fourth-year students.

The Robert E. DeRevere Award—presented for excellence in preclinical teaching. The award is named in honor of Dr. DeRevere, a member of the Penn Dental Medicine Class of 1945, who served on the School’s faculty. This year’s recipient is Dr. Margrit Maggio (D’87), assistant professor of restorative dentistry. She has been a member of the School’s faculty since 1996. Dr. Maggio, who also serves as director of operative dentistry, teaches courses in the Virtual Reality Simulation Laboratory for first-year, second-year, and advanced standing students. She runs the general restorative dentistry operative dentistry lecture and laboratory courses; as well as the introduction to clinical dentistry for second-year students; and an operative dentistry module course for third-year students. She is also a past recipient of the Earle Bank Hoyt Award, recognized in four consecutive years.