Compassionate Contributions to the Community

At the recent Carolina Center for Public Service Award Ceremony, a UNC Adams School of Dentistry faculty member and student group were recognized 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 and Adams Distinguished Professor, 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 UNC Adams, he served for 12 years as chair of the school’s Department of Dental Ecology. He remains an active part of the UNC Craniofacial Center, where he cares for patients with craniofacial abnormalities.

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.

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