CDA presented some of its 2009 awards during ceremonies held in Ottawa in April 2010.
Medal of Honour
Dr. Burton Conrod displays the inaugural CDA Medal of Honour.
Dr. Burton Conrod of Sydney, Nova Scotia, was presented with the first ever CDA Medal of Honour. This award, which was created specifically to honour Dr. Conrod's lifetime of service to the profession, recognizes outstanding service, leadership and humanitarianism at the local, provincial, national and international levels. Dr. Conrod's tireless work as a passionate advocate for oral health on the global stage culminated with his appointment as president of the FDI World Dental Federation in 2007–09.
See also: Dr. Burton Conrod becomes first Canadian dentist to assume FDI's highest office. J Can Dent Assoc. 2007;73(8):659-63.
Honorary Membership
Dr. David Sweet (right) received his CDA Honorary Membership award from Dr. Don Friedlander, CDA past-president.
Dr. David Sweet of Vancouver was the recipient of CDA's Honorary Membership, an award that recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the art and science of dentistry or to the profession over a sustained period of time. Dr. Sweet is a mentor, teacher, researcher and innovator in forensic dentistry. He has built a global reputation as an authority in his field, especially in the areas of forensic identification and forensic DNA evidence.
See also: Dr. David Sweet: Canadian forensic odontologist makes an impression on the global scene. J Can Dent Assoc. 2006;72(9):795-8.
Distinguished Service Award
CDA's Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession in a given year or over a number of years. This year, 3 recipients received this award: Dr. James Leake of Kingston, Ontario, Dr. Robert Sexton of Corner Brook, Newfoundland, and Dr. Peter Stevenson-Moore of Vancouver.
Dr. James Leake (right) and CDA president-elect Dr. Robert MacGregor.
Dr. James Leake's name is synonymous with dental public health in Canada. From 1981 to 2008, he was the head of community dentistry and program director of the dental public health specialty training program at the University of Toronto. Dr. Leake devoted his career to the advancement of the dental public health specialty and to the improvement of oral health services for the underserviced and disadvantaged populations of Canada.
His efforts resulted in the creation of a comprehensive curriculum for undergraduate students along with a graduate program that has provided Canada with public health specialists. A respected teacher and mentor, Dr. Leake has influenced almost 2 generations of dentists and dental specialists in Canada and abroad.
Dr. Robert Sexton
Dr. Robert Sexton has played a leadership role within the profession and the Newfoundland dental community for over 40 years. He has served on several provincial dental committees, including the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association (NLDA) Executive Committee. He was president of NLDA in 1973–74. Dr. Sexton also served as chair of the NLDA annual general meeting for 20 years.
At the national level, Dr. Sexton served on the CDA Board of Governors, Executive Council and Board of Directors for over 10 years. He also served on the CDSPI Board from 1988 to 1995 and on the CDA Committee on Insurance and Investment from 2000–02.
Dr. Peter Stevenson-Moore (right) and Dr. Ronald Smith, CDA president.
Dr. Peter Stevenson-Moore has been a leader in the prevention and management of the oral complications of cancer and cancer treatment for more than 30 years. His involvement with the BC Cancer Agency (BCCA) resulted in the creation of a department of oral oncology and dentistry within the BCCA. Under Dr. Stevenson-Moore's leadership, this department has set standards for cancer treatment and research and serves 5 cancer centres in BC.
Dr. Stevenson-Moore has been involved with many dental organizations including as a surveyor for the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. He has also been active with the Academy of Prosthodontics, the Association of Prosthodontics of Canada, the BC Society of Prosthodontics, the International Society for Oral Oncology, and the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia. Most recently, he became director of Oral and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics at Vancouver General Hospital.
For more 2009 CDA Award Winners, see J Can Dent Assoc 2010;75:a2