Offenbacher Named Periodontology Chairman
Dr. Steven Offenbacher, a UNC-Chapel Hill faculty member since 1991, has been selected chairman of the School of Dentistry’s Department of Periodontology.
His appointment was effective July 1. Offenbacher had been serving as interim department chairman since Feb. 1.
“Steve is a gifted scientist, renowned internationally for his research on the possible associations between periodontal and systemic health. He has brought enormous distinction to the school for his translational discoveries,” said Dr. John W. Stamm, the school’s interim dean. “Steve exudes an unusual level of creativity and brings enormous passion to his work. These characteristics are matched by his exceptional ability to present complex concepts and hypotheses in a clear and readily understood manner, whether on the page or from the lectern. Despite all he brings to the classroom or the laboratory, Steve maintains an open, low-key and approachable style, especially for his students.”
Offenbacher is the OraPharma Distinguished Professor of Periodontal Medicine in the school, and he also directs the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases. A past president of the American Association for Dental Research, Offenbacher’s national and international honors include the International Association for Dental Research’s Basic Research in Periodontal Disease Award, the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Special Impact Award and the American Dental Association’s Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research.
Offenbacher introduced and popularized the term “periodontal medicine” and for his translational research has become a three-time recipient of the American Academy of Periodontology’s Clinical Research Award.
