UNC Craniofacial Center Wins ADEAGies Foundation Award
The ADEAGies Foundation today announced that the UNC Craniofacial Center (UNC CFC) won the 2013 William J. Gies Award for Outstanding Achievement in the academic dental institution category. The award will be presented March 18, 2013 at the 2013 American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Annual Session and Exhibition in Seattle.
The Gies Award for Outstanding Achievement for an academic dental institution is awarded for an accomplishment of worthy and socially commendable actions that make material contribution to oral health and dental education. It is considered one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a dental school. The Gies Awards, named after dental education pioneer William J. Gies, Ph.D., honor individuals and organizations exemplifying dedication to the highest standards of vision, innovation, and achievement in dental education, research, and leadership.
The UNC CFC has been a leader in research, service and engagement to improve the physical, behavioral and social effects of cleft lip, cleft palate and craniofacial conditions for a half century. The UNC CFC serves as an interdisciplinary diagnostic and treatment center for patients with craniofacial anomalies, provides twice weekly diagnostic clinics, daily out-patient dental services, care coordination team meetings, research across the scope of craniofacial care, and resident speech-language therapy programs. The CFC provides coordinated medical, surgical, speech pathology, psychological, social work, orthodontic and dental treatment from birth to age 21 or beyond for patients with craniofacial anomalies. Approximately 70 percent of patients are under 12 years of age and many now entering the center are now under 2 years of age. These patients have special healthcare needs, many with disfiguring clefts of the lip and palate that interfere with the basic life functions of eating, drinking, breathing, hearing and speaking. The UNC CFC treats over 50 percent of the cleft lip and palate patients in North Carolina, all of whom benefit from the center’s carefully coordinated care and treatment planning.
“It is an absolute honor to win one of the William J. Gies awards,” said Dean Jane Weintraub. “We are thrilled that the ADEAGies Foundation agreed that the UNC Craniofacial Center is deserving of such a high accolade. UNC CFC is a part of our school that we’re incredibly proud of and that makes a tremendous difference in the lives of its patients. The center is very deserving of this award.”
The Gies Awards are presented by the ADEAGies Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ADEA. For more than 50 years, the ADEAGies Foundation has enhanced the oral health of the public through programs that support dental education, research, leadership, and recognition.
