Volume XLVI- October 2011

Dr. James B. Summitt receives "OKU-Stephen H. Leeper Award for Teaching Excellence"

The "Stephen H. Leeper Award for Teaching Excellence" is awarded to an individual who has shown innovation in teaching, and significant contributions to both dental education at their institution and to the entire dental education community. This year Dr. James B. Summitt was selected for this award.

After receiving a DDS degree from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1971, Dr. Summitt joined the U.S. Air Force Dental Corps. He completed a two-year residency in general dentistry in 1977 at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center and received a MS degree in general dentistry from the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston. He taught in Air Force general dentistry residencies for five years and in 1984 became chairman of the Department of General Dentistry and director of the two-year General Dentistry Residency at Wilford Hall. In 1988, he became Director of Dental Services at Wilford Hall. He retired from the Air Force and joined the faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio in 1989.  Dr. Summitt is currently a professor and served as chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry from 2002 through 2010.

Dr. Summitt has been actively involved in research in the area of current restorative dentistry techniques and materials, including adhesive systems and resin-based composites. He has published over 160 papers, book chapters, and abstracts concerning subjects related to restorative dentistry. He is a member of the editorial boards for Operative Dentistry, the American Journal of Dentistry and the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice. He also serves as a manuscript reviewer for the Journal of the American Dental Association, the Journal of Dentistry, Quintessence International, and the Journal of Dental Research. He is primary editor and co-author of the third edition of the textbook, "Fundamentals of Operative Dentistry: A Contemporary Approach", published by Quintessence Publishing Co. He is considered a national authority on minimally invasive dentistry, inhibition of bacteria that causes tooth decay, and restorative techniques and materials, including adhesive systems and resin-based composites.

Dr. Summitt is past-president and diplomat of the American Board of General Dentistry and is a diplomat of the Federal Services Board of General Dentistry. He is a fellow of the American and International Colleges of Dentists and a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry. He also has memberships in the American Dental Association, the Academy of Operative Dentistry, the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, the International and American Associations for Dental Research, the American Dental Education Association, and many other professional organizations. He is currently serving as president of the Academy of Operative Dentistry.

Omicron Kappa Upsilon congratulates Dr. James B. Summitt upon being this year's recipient of the "Stephen H. Leeper Award For Teaching Excellence."