Rokos Receives 2010 Shafer Award
Dr. James Rokos, a third-year resident in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry’s oral and maxillofacial pathology graduate program, received the William G. Shafer Award at the recent American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (AAOMP) Annual Meeting in Tucson, Ariz.
The William G. Shafer Award is given to the oral and maxillofacial pathology resident who attains the highest score on the academy’s fellowship examination. The exam tests the clinical and histopathologic diagnostic skills of individuals seeking fellowship status in the academy. The honor comes with a $500 cash award. Rokos also is now a fellow in the academy.
Rokos, a School of Dentistry alumnus, was a private practitioner in general dentistry for almost 17 years before entering the oral and maxillofacial pathology advanced education program in 2007. He recently received his master of science degree in oral and maxillofacial pathology. His master’s thesis, titled “Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Sex Steroid Hormones in Sicca Syndrome,” explored the development of Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that affects the glands producing tears and saliva.
Following completion of his program this month (June), Rokos plans to pursue a career in academic oral pathology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
The Shafer Award is named for the late Dr. William Shafer, the AAOMP president in 1970 and principal author of the “Textbook of Oral Pathology.” In addition, he directed the advanced oral pathology residency program at Indiana University.
