Awards, Faculty and Staff, Students

Strauss, Adams Hispanic Student Dental Association Chapter Win UNC Public Service Awards

At the recent Carolina Center for Public Service Award Ceremony, one UNC Adams faculty and one UNC Adams student group were recognizes for outstanding contributions to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus and to the broader community.

Ronald P. Strauss, DMD, PhD., executive vice provost for the University, Adams Distinguished Professor at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, was awarded the Ned Brooks Award. The award recognizes a faculty or staff member of the UNC-Chapel Hill community who has, in a collaborative and sustained manner, made a difference in the larger community throughout their career. Specific to his roles at Adams, he served for 12 years as chair of the school’s Department of Dental Ecology and remains an active part of the UNC Craniofacial Center, where he cares for patients with craniofacial abnormalities.

One of his nominators wrote, “Dr. Strauss is most deserving of this lifetime achievement award. Dr. Strauss has been a pillar at Carolina during times of tremendous transition. He is an incredible leader, mentor, servant and friend.”

The UNC Adams Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) chapter was also honored at the ceremony. The student group won the Robert E. Bryan Public Service Award in the “organization” category. The award recognizes exemplary public service efforts conducted by UNC-Chapel Hill students, staff and faculty. HSDA provides dental treatment twice monthly in Siler City at Vidas de Esperanza primarily to Hispanic and Latinx patients in need of oral health care. During 2021, HSDA provided more than $47,500 of no-cost dental care to patients.

Among the nominations for HSDA, it was said that by relieving people’s pain and helping them regain their smiles, they have a lasting impact in not only each individual patient’s life, but in the life of volunteers, and in the health and wellbeing of the community.

The Public Service Awards are annually presented by the Carolina Center for Public Service. CCPS is a pan-University unit that engages and supports the faculty, students and staff of UNC-Chapel Hill in meeting the needs of North Carolina and beyond. For the past 21 years, the Center has strengthened the University’s public service commitment by promoting scholarship and service that are responsive to the concerns of the state and contribute to the common good.