PDA Recognition Award – Dr. Paul A. Moore
Dr. Moore’s acceptance speech:
I am extremely pleased to have been nominated by Dean Thomas Braun and to be
recognized by the officers and the members of the Pennsylvania Dental Association
for this year’s Recognition Award. I have been a member of the ADA long enough
to qualify for the senior dues rate, proving that good things like this honor may come
your way if you live long enough.
My dental career began with a great education at Penn State University and the
University of Pittsburgh. Tom and I were in the same class (’73) in dental school.
We were provided an opportunity to earn a master’s degree in pharmacology while
we were in our clinical years. I will always be grateful to Dr. James Smudski who
developed the program and created a vision for me to consider a career in academic
dentistry.
Outgoing president Dr. Herb Ray presented
Dr. Paul Moore with the 2017 PDA Recognition
Award. The Annual Awards committee honored
Dr. Moore for his important clinical research
contributions to the art and science of dentistry,
focusing on the development of drug therapies
for the safe administration of local anesthesia,
control of postoperative dental pain and the
elimination of dental fear and anxiety.
I practiced general dentistry for several years in Oakmont, PA, and, much to my wife’s
dismay, I decided to pursue a full-time career in academic dentistry. Most of my
career has focused on teaching pharmacology and dental therapeutics, providing
anesthesia services, preparing grant applications, organizing clinical research
projects, and publishing the findings primarily to dental practitioners.
Although publishing has been a significant part of my professional career, you never
know if what you write has an impact on dental practice and patient care. I was
humbled by an incident with one of my students as he passed by in a hallway at
Salk Hall. He called out “Hi Doc! I saw that paper you wrote in the JADA this month.”
When I inquired if he thought it was useful and worth reading, he responded,
“I said I saw your article, I didn’t read it.”
So, you can see that being recognized by one’s colleagues with this special
recognition award is something quite gratifying. Thank you all: my wife of almost
48 years, the members of the PDA and the life-long learners of our profession.
JU LY/AU G U ST 2017 | P EN N SYLVAN IA DEN TAL JOURNAL
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