Dana Graves of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine is this year’s recipient of the International Association of Dental Research’s Distinguished Scientist Award in Basic Research in Periodontal Disease. The prize, supported by the Colgate-Palmolive Company, recognizes and encourages “outstanding achievements” in periodontal disease research.

Graves is a professor in the Department of Periodontics and vice dean for scholarship and research at Penn Dental Medicine. With more than 150 published papers in peer-reviewed, high-level journals, his research has focused on inflammation, wound repair, diabetes and their relationship to periodontal disease.

The International Association for Dental Research is a nonprofit organization with nearly 11,500 members dedicated to advancing knowledge to improve oral health, supporting oral health researchers and facilitating the communication and application of research findings. 

The Distinguished Scientist Awards are among the highest honors bestowed by the IADR. The prizes will be awarded at the 92ndIADR General Session & Exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa.