ATLANTA—For the past three years, it has been Carestream Dental’s pleasure to sponsor the Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award, which is presented by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Foundation. This year, the prestiguous scholarship is awarded to Yau-Hua Yu, D.D.S.
“The 2015 recipient of the award, Dr. Yu, has already shown that she will contribute great things to our specialty,” Vanchit John, D.D.S., M.S.D., president, AAP Foundation, said. “We are proud of the fact that Carestream Dental and the AAP Foundation are able to support gifted individuals like Dr. Yu in such a meaningful way.”
Yu earned her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. She completed her clinical training in Taiwan and also served for five years as a dental school faculty member while overseas.
In May 2015, Yu graduated from Harvard University School of Dental Medicine’s periodontology program. She also received a certificate in dental informatics and a Doctorate of Medical Science in oral biology. Yu’s research focuses on epidemiological studies and bioinformatics. With this background, Yu used advanced imaging tools, genomics and gene-expression, while managing large datasets, to make contributions to the field of oncology and various other conditions during her time at Harvard.
Yu currently teaches at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. She also spends a portion of her time as a research staff member in the preventative medicine division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass. In fact, Yu recently collaborated on a significant publication on periodontitis interactions with cardiovascular disease.
“The best educators are also the best researchers; in more ways than one, they shape the future of periodontology, whether through their students or their research findings,” Ed Shellard, D.M.D., vice president, sales and marketing, Carestream Dental, said. “Carestream Dental is honored to support this teaching award and the professionals who are working so hard to make advances in the field of oral health.”
Yu was recognized at the Annual Meeting of the AAP in Orlando, Fla., during the Signature Recognition Event, Nov. 15, 2015.
The AAP Foundation award is named in honor of Dr. D. Walter Cohen for his contributions to the study and practice of periodontology. Cohen established the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine’s first department of periodontics, serving as its first chairman, and later advancing to the roles of professor of periodontics; associate dean and then dean of academic affairs; and eventually president of the Medical College of Pennsylvania—all during his 35-year career at the university. Carestream Dental has sponsored the award since 2012.
The teaching award assists beginning periodontal educators in launching their career with a one-time payment of $10,000 in the fourth quarter of the year.
Award candidates must be in their third year of a nonmilitary accredited periodontal post-doctoral training program in the United States, and intend to pursue a career in full-time periodontal teaching and research in the United States.
For more information about the AAP Foundation, please visit www.periofoundation.org. For more information about Carestream Dental and any of its innovative solutions, call 800.944.6365 or visit www.carestreamdental.com.
