Basel, 1 April 2015 – At the General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) in Boston, MS, USA, the 2015 IADR/Straumann Award in Regenerative Periodontal Medicine was presented to Professor Mariano Sanz in recognition of his remarkable achievements in the field – both in basic and in clinical periodontal research.

The focus of Professor Sanz’ research in the area of regenerative therapies has been on the use of periodontal stem cells and cementoblasts in experimental models and in clinical trials. He has authored over 200 scientific articles in peer reviewed scientific journals in periodontology and implant dentistry. 

Worth USD 5000, the IADR/Straumann Award was created to honor significant contributions in basic and/or clinical research in regenerative periodontal or peri-implant medicine. This year’s Award was presented by Prof. Evanthia Lalla, President of the IADR Periodontal Research Group and Professor of Dental Medicine at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. 

At the ceremony, Prof. Lalla commended Mariano Sanz as “an internationally renowned researcher in periodontology, whose work and remarkable achievements over many years are widely recognized”. “He has led cutting-edge clinical trials evaluating various approaches to hard- and soft-tissue regeneration around teeth and dental implants, and assessing different protocols in implant surgery and the treatment of peri-implant infections. This prestigious award is a further testament to his long-standing contributions to periodontal research and his support to the IADR and its mission”, she added.

Mariano Sanz is Professor of Periodontics and Director of the ETEP (Etiology and Therapy of Periodontal Diseases) Research Group at the University Complutense of Madrid, Spain. He is past President of the Pan European Region of the IADR, the European Federation of Periodontology, the Spanish Society of Periodontology, and the Association for Dental Education in Europe. Prof. Sanz is a member of the editorial board of 10 international dental journals and serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Clinical Periodontology and the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice.

The IADR/Straumann Award and previous winners

Initiated in 2010, the IADR/Straumann Award in Regenerative Periodontal Medicine is sponsored by Straumann and administered by the Periodontal Research Group of the IADR. Previous winners are: Martha Somerman, Ulf Wikesjö, Nikolaos Donos, Anton Sculean, Andreas Stavropoulos, and Mark Bartold. Straumann is a leading contributor to R&D in implant and regenerative dentistry and this award is a further example of the Group’s long tradition in fostering and recognizing excellence in dental research.

About the International Association for Dental Research

The International Association for Dental Research (IADR), headquartered in Alexandria, Va., USA, is a nonprofit organization with nearly 11,000 members worldwide. Its mission is: (1) to advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health worldwide; (2) to support and represent the oral health research community; and (3) to facilitate the communication and application of research findings. For more information on the IADR, see www.iadr.org. Within the IADR, the Periodontal Research Group is the forum for members who are active in periodontology. Its aim is to improve periodontal health through encouraging research activities.

About Straumann

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Straumann (SIX: STMN) is a global leader in implant, restorative and regenerative dentistry. In collaboration with leading clinics, research institutes and universities, Straumann researches, develops and manufactures dental implants, instruments, prosthetics and tissue regeneration products for use in tooth replacement and restoration solutions or to prevent tooth loss. Straumann currently employs approximately 2400 people worldwide and its products and services are available in more than 70 countries through its broad network of distribution subsidiaries and partners.