Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research

The Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research was established to recognize investigators whose clinical research has had a meaningful impact on some aspect of clinical dentistry. Thirty distinguished recipients have received the award since its inception in 1991.

This award honors the memory of Dr. Norton M. Ross (1925-1990), a dentist and pharmacologist who spent most of his career in academic and research positions. Dr. Ross elevated clinical research to a higher level of scientific standards. His considerable contributions to the fields of oral medicine and dental clinical research have had a positive and lasting influence on the public’s oral health.

This award recognizes 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 endeavors in other areas.

Submit a concise letter of nomination describing the nominee’s accomplishments in the context of the award’s objectives, along with the nominee’s curriculum vitae and a list of publications. The letter should be explicit in describing the impact of the nominee’s research on clinical dentistry.

Selection is based upon the scope of the nominee’s research, with special emphasis on its impact on clinical dentistry and on publications in refereed journals.

Award recipients typically demonstrate a high level of creativity and innovation. For example, individuals who have not only developed new materials but also conducted the clinical trials necessary to translate the research results to clinical application are more probable candidates than those involved solely in clinical testing of dental materials or other products. They may have generated new insights into disease etiology and/or pathogenesis, which, in turn, have led to changes in therapeutic and/or preventive measures for a given disease.

The recipient will receive a $5,000 honorarium and a plaque.

The American Dental Association sponsors the award with the generous support of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.

The call for nominations is now active until May 22, 2023.

Submit a concise letter of nomination describing the nominee’s accomplishments in the context of the award’s objectives, along with the nominee’s curriculum vitae and a list of publications. The letter should explicitly describe the impact of the nominee’s research on clinical dentistry.

Both the letter of nomination and CV should be emailed to SRI@ada.org.

Recipients of the Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research to date comprise a group of distinguished clinical investigators. The diversity of disciplines represented and the outstanding contributions to clinical research by each recipient truly reflects the objectives of the Award, thereby honoring the memory of Dr. Norton M. Ross.

Listed are the past winners of the Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research.

1991: Sigurd P. Ramfjord, Periodontics
1992: Sture Nyman, Periodontics
1993: Daniel M. Laskin, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
1994: William R. Proffit, Orthodontics
1995: Robert J. Gorlin, Oral Pathology
1996: Sol Silverman Jr., Oral Medicine
1997: Karl F. Leinfelder, Dental Materials
1998: Roy C. Page, Periodontics
1999: Sigmund S. Socransky, Periodontics
2000: Bruce J. Baum, Oral Medicine
2001: Lorne M. Golub, Periodontics
2002: Thomas E. Van Dyke, Periodontics
2003: Robert J. Genco, Periodontics
2004: Deborah Greenspan, Oral Health Issues, HIV/AIDS
2005: Samuel F. Dworkin, Orofacial Pain
2006: Steven Offenbacher, Periodontics
2007: John D. B. Featherstone, Cariology
2008: Jack G. Caton, Periodontics
2009: Jan T. Lindhe, Periodontics
2010: Jane A. Weintraub, Dental Public Health
2011: Leonard B. Kaban, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
2012: Peter Milgrom, Access to Baby & Child Dentistry
2013: Paul A. Moore, Dental Anesthetics/Pain Control
2014: Sebastian G. Ciancio, Dental Therapeutics
2015: Niklaus P. Lang, Periodontics
2016: Jocelyne Feine, Pain Control/Implants
2017: Paul S. Casamassimo, Pediatric Dentistry
2018: William Giannobile, Periodontics
2019: Laurie K. McCauley, Periodontics
2020–21: Hatice Hasturk, Periodontics
2022: Domenick Zero, Cariology