Zhang Wins Inaugural ADA Gold Medal Fellowship

Dr. Shaoping Zhang, a post-doc research associate in the Department of Periodontology, was recently presented with the inaugural American Dental Association (ADA) Gold Medal Fellowship.

“I feel very honored to receive this Gold Medal Fellowship, especially as the first awardee for this fellowship,” said Zhang. “I also feel privileged to share my research with the dental community. I hope that my research supported by this prestigious Gold Medal Fellowship will contribute to advancing the current understanding of periodontal disease and improving periodontal health.”

The ADA Gold Medal Fellowship is named after the ADA’s prestigious Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research. The Gold Medal Award is presented every three years to a single recipient who is regarded as a leader in dental research. In 2015, that award went to UNC School of Dentistry Department of Periodontology Chair Dr. Steven Offenbacher.

“Dr. Zhang is a highly motivated and capable individual who is committed to advancing the field of periodontics through clinical and fundamental research as well as patient care,” said Offenbacher. “He is a young rising star in our profession and this award will help him gain early independence in his research career.”

The fellowship is awarded based on the Gold Medal Award winner’s choice of a new dentist in a master’s or doctoral program. Zhang, who graduated from the UNC School of Dentistry Graduate Periodontology Program in 2014, plans to continue work on his two clinical research projects.