CDA Foundation Newsletter - Dr. John Featherstone Wins 2007 Norton M. Ross Award

Dr. John Featherstone Wins 2007 Norton M. Ross Award

John Featherstone, MSc, PhD, interim dean of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious ADA Norton M. Ross Award. Dr. Featherstone is being recognized for his perseverance in investigating the field of cariology. “His groundbreaking research has significantly advanced scientific knowledge of dental caries and caries-inhibitory mechanisms, and changed the way we treat caries and control the underlying infectious disease,” according to ADA Executive Director James Bramson, DDS.

According to Rolande Tellier Loftus, program director for the CDA Foundation, Dr. Featherstone played an integral role in the CDA Foundation’s First Smiles curriculum because of his work introducing the Caries Balance and the concept of Caries Management By Risk Assessment (CAMBRA). The goal of First Smiles is to significantly reduce the incidence of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in children under five years of age, and those with special health care needs. “The CDA Foundation is proud of its association with Dr. Featherstone. His research is woven throughout First Smiles' messages on caries transmission and prevention, and has been the basis for the most requested issues of the CDA Journal,” said Loftus. To date, more than 11,000 dental professionals and over 4,000 medical professionals have participated in First Smiles through live lectures or web-based learning.

In addition, Dr. Featherstone has served as guest editor of the Journal of the California Dental Association in February and March 2003 on the topic of cariology and again in October and November 2007 on the practical implementation of CAMBRA principles.

The Norton M. Ross Award was established in 1991 to recognize an individual who has made significant contributions in clinical investigations that have advanced the diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of craniofacial-oral-dental diseases, as well as outstanding research accomplishments in other areas. Dr. Ross was a dentist and pharmacologist who contributed significantly to oral medicine and dental clinical research.

Read additional articles from this issue.