Rewarding Excellence: Dental School Dean Receives Oral Medicine's Highest Academic Honor

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Michael Glick, DMD, professor of oral medicine and dean of the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, has been presented with the highest academic award given by the American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM), conferred at their 66th annual meeting in April.

Glick received the Samuel Charles Miller Award in recognition of his outstanding academic and clinical achievements, specifically his pioneering work with dental management of patients with HIV/AIDS, as well as patients with other medically complex conditions.

The AAOM, whose tagline is, "We Bring Medicine to Dentistry," was founded in 1945 and is the membership organization representing the discipline of oral medicine. While the primary focus of most dental specialties is a particular area of dental, oral or maxillofacial expertise, oral medicine encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of primarily adult patients who have medical conditions that affect the mouth or the delivery of dental care.

"Looking at previous recipients and knowing that this award is one decided upon by one's peers, I was both humbled and honored to be a recipient of the Samuel Charles Miler Award," Glick said. "But, this type of award is also recognition of all the great people I have had the pleasure of collaborating with during my career."

Glick is regarded as a leader in clinical dental care/oral medicine for medically complex patients. He is a proponent for dentists to become involved in the overall health and well being of their patients, including chair-side screening of dental patients for cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses, such as HIV disease and diabetes.

AAOM President Martin S. Greenberg, DDS, professor and associate dean of hospital affairs at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, praised Glick for his outstanding research and publications into the dental and oral management of patients with complex medical problems.

"He has been an important role model for dentists and dental specialists and has guided his students and residents into careers in oral medicine and academic dentistry," Greenberg said. "Dr. Glick highly deserves this honor."

Glick, who became UB dean in December 2009, is the immediate past president of the American Board of Oral Medicine and serves as the editor of JADA, the premier, peer-reviewed journal in dentistry. He has twice been the recipient of the American Dental Education Association's William J. Gies Foundation First Place Editorial Award. He has also received the Edward B. Shills Entrepreneurial Education Award for his innovative, medicine-oriented approach to dental care.

Glick has authored more than 200 journal publications, numerous book chapters and has co-edited several textbooks including "Dental Management of Patients with HIV" and "Burket's Oral Medicine: Diagnosis and Treatment," a standard, internationally recognized textbook. He serves on several national and global committees, including Chairman of the Science Committee for FDI, the World Dental Federation.