Valeria Gordan, D.D.S., M.S., MS-CI, received the prestigious 2021-2022 Hollenback Memorial Prize from the Academy of Operative Dentistry during their annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on February 25.
The Hollenback Memorial Prize was established in 1975 as a memorial to the late George M. Hollenback for his distinguished research and leadership, the results of which have had so beneficial an effect on improving the quality of dental practice. The prize is awarded to a researcher who has contributed substantially to the advancement of restorative dentistry. Research of a broad range is considered, spanning the investigative spectrum from fundamental to applied, and encompassing all levels of investigation from prevention of dental disease to development of improved materials and techniques. You can see a list of all winners since 1975 here.
Gordan is a professor in the UF Department of Restorative Dental Sciences and the director of the National Dental Practice-based Research Network, and is interim associate dean for research at the UF College of Dentistry.
Gordan received her dental degree from State University of Londrina, Brazil, in 1993; a master’s in operative dentistry from the University of Iowa in 1997; and a master’s in clinical investigation from UF College of Medicine in 2007. Her research interests are in the area of caries diagnosis and preservation of tooth structure using minimally invasive restorative techniques through translational and clinical research applications. This particular need and interest resulted in consistent collaborations on grant applications and publications with several institutions, such as, University of Manchester, University of Singapore, University of Chile, King Saud University, and other universities in Brazil, Chile, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Qatar, United Kingdom, South Africa, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
The Academy of Operative Dentistry, or AOD, was founded in 1972 by members of the Academy of Gold Foil Operators. They saw the need for an organization devoted to the operative dentist. The purpose of the AOD is to promote excellence in operative dentistry by influencing the practice of the health professions in organized dentistry, health science education and research.