Faculty Profiles: Logan wins American College of Dentists Award of Merit

Henrietta Logan, Ph.D.Henrietta Logan, Ph.D., a professor in the department of community dentistry and behavioral science, has won an Award of Merit from the American College of Dentists. The award, given since 1959, recognizes and acknowledges specific, outstanding achievements of non-dentists that link to the ACD’s mission of promoting excellence, ethics, professionalism and leadership in dentistry.

Logan earned her bachelor’s degree from Kansas’ Wichita State University in 1961, and her masters and PhD from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She was a professor at Iowa’s college of dentistry from 1976 to 1999, when she came to the University of Florida and joined our college.

Logan is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, has served on countless committees inside and outside the university. Logan is a member of seven professional organizations including the American Association of Dental Schools, the International Association of Dental Research, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Pain Society, the International Society for the Study of Pain, the American Psychosomatic Society, and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

Her research has focused on psychological and biological correlates including immune changes of the human stress and pain response which had theoretical and clinical applications, and included development and validation of a scale to measure individual’s perception of personal control. Her work in head and neck cancer was an extension of her interest in stress, pain and health outcomes.

Founded in 1920 in response to serious problems facing dentistry, the ACD is the oldest national honorary organization for dentists. Its members exemplify excellence through outstanding leadership and exceptional contributions to dentistry and society. The American College of Dentists is nonprofit and apolitical, and has long been regarded as the “conscience of dentistry.”

Over the years, the ACD has faced important challenges and created new opportunities in oral health services, professional issues, journalism, education, and research.

Where were you born?
Hutchinson, Kansas

What made you decide to go into dentistry or into your current field?
I love research and scholarly inquiry.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?
Giddon Award for Outstanding Research Paper

If you could live anywhere on earth (and money was no issue) where would you choose to live?
Manhattan, NYC

How do you most like to spend your free time?
Growing and tending my orchids

What was the last book you read?
It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium, by John Ed Bradley

Who are your heroes in real life?
My husband

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Ballet dancer

What is your motto?
All things come to she/he who waits if they worketh like “heck” while they waiteth!!!

Anything else you’d like to share?
I love the life of an academic and feel truly privileged to have been able to live my life as I have (I have two sons and one grandson). It is a true statement when I say that even after all of these years I can hardly wait to get to work each day!!