Awards, Faculty and Staff, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Three UNC School of Dentistry Surgeons Honored at National Meeting

Three faculty members of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina received awards at the opening ceremonies of the 84th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Chicago on October 2, 2002.

Dr. Ramon Ruiz was the recipient of the Faculty Development Award. This highly competitive recognition is presented to a promising academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. Dr. Ruiz received a D.D.S. degree from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry and M.D. degree from UNC School of Medicine. He received residency training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at UNC. After performing a fellowship in Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center, he joined the UNC faculty in 2001.

Dr. John Zuniga received the research recognition award for his contribution to neurosensation and pain of the head and neck. Dr. Zuniga is professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Pain Program in the School of Dentistry. He has been a faculty member since 1986.

Dr. Timothy Turvey, professor and chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery received the William J. Geiss Award. This award recognizes outstanding contributions and leadership to the advancement of the science of the field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

During the meeting, presentations were made by Drs. Ruiz, Zuniga and Turvey and by five residents including Dr. Carlos Ibanez, Dr. Steve Jacks, Dr. Susan Foy, Dr. Scott Bowen and Dr. Chris Cuomo. Four of these five papers were co-authored by Dr. Raymond P. White, Dalton L. McMichael, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.