Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry faculty members and a recent graduate received accolades from two major dental associations, the California Dental Association and the Pierre Fauchard Academy, earlier this spring at CDA Presents in Anaheim, Calif.

Teacher of the Year Award

Assistant professor of clinical dentistry Christopher Truhan DDS ’79 was awarded the 2016 Teacher of the Year Award for Ostrow by the Southern California section of Pierre Fauchard. The award, determined by student vote, is bestowed at participating dental schools across Southern California each year. Last year’s award went to Michael Madden DDS ’86

It was the second award Truhan received this spring for teaching. At this year’s senior banquet, he received Ostrow’s annual Excellence in Teaching award for the full-time clinical science faculty

“I was really very honored to have been selected and presented these two awards,” Truhan said. “I love my job and all that it enables me do with my fellow faculty members as well as our dental students.”

“To have the support of an organization as strong as CDA is empowering as a new dentist.”

–Alexandra Chamberlain ‘11 DDS ’16

Pierre Fauchard Academy Fellowships

Assistant clinical professor Parish Sedghizadeh DDS ‘01 and assistant professor of clinical dentistry Boris Keselbrener were also inducted as fellows into the Pierre Fauchard Academy at CDA Presents.

Fellowship in the academy is by invitation and was designed as an accolade for ethical standards, past accomplishments and encouragement to future productivity. The international organization is comprised of 8,000 fellows from 65 countries.

Founded in 1936, the Pierre Fauchard Academy is a dental honor society that recognizes and develops exemplary leaders for their outstanding contributions to the dental profession, their communities and society. The prestigious academy is named after an 18th century French dentist recognized as the “father of modern dentistry.”

Outstanding Senior Award

Alexandra Chamberlain ’11 DDS ’16 was awarded the Outstanding Senior Award from the CDA for her role as Ostrow’s Class of 2016 student representative to the CDA for the past four years, her service as chair and vice-chair of the association’s student delegation and her role as student liaison to the CDA Board of Trustees.

“I feel so honored to be recognized for the work I’ve done throughout the past four years as a member of the student delegation,” said Chamberlain, who just graduated. “To have the support of an organization as strong as CDA is empowering as a new dentist.”

Chamberlain was also appointed to CDA’s New Dentist Task Force.

The California Dental Association was founded in 1870 and is a community of 26,000 dental professionals who together champion better oral health care for all Californians. With 32 local dental societies, the CDA is the largest constituent of the American Dental Association.