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Scholarships

Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award

One $10,000 scholarship is awarded annually to support third-year periodontal residents pursuing careers in full-time teaching and research.

The award is not to be used to replace support that would have normally been provided by the recipient’s institution.

Dr. D. Walter Cohen
June 1
Application deadline
2012
Founded
About the award

Eligibility

Applicants must be in their third year of a nonmilitary accredited periodontal post-doctoral training program in the U.S. as of the application deadline and intend to pursue a career in full-time periodontal teaching and research in the United States.
Immediate family members of the Foundation Board of Directors, officers, and selection committee members are not eligible to apply.

Additional program details

A single $10,000 payment is made in February following the award presentation at the AAP Annual Meeting.
Donor

Colleagues of Dr. Cohen

The AAP Foundation is grateful to Carestream Dental, Ronald Tarrson, and the many other donors who made this award possible.

Philadelphia born and bred, Dr. D. Walter Cohen attended the University of Pennsylvania undergraduate school and earned his DDS degree from its School of Dental Medicine in 1950. During his 35-year career there, he established the school’s departmetn of periodontics and served as its first chairman; rose to the rank of Professor of Periodontics, and served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before becoming Dean. After becoming president of the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1986 he opened a new expanded campus. He received the Gold Medal from the American Academy of Periodontology and published 22 books and more than 100 articles. Drs. Joseph Gian-Grasso, Ed, Rosenberg, and Bryan Frantz led fundraising to create this award in Dr. Cohen’s honor.

“The true value of the award extended far beyond its monetary benefit. Being recognized for my dedication and commitment to periodontal education was a tremendous honor and a lasting affirmation of the importance of educational service to our profession.”
Jonathon Do, University of California, Los Angeles
2013 Recipient — Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award
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    Application & selection procedure

    Application deadline

    June 1

    Selection

    The recipient is selected by an award committee appointed by the AAP Foundation president.

    This award’s selection committee

    Anuja Doshi, Chair
    Monica Prasad Gibson
    Monica Prasad Gibson
    Yu-Cheng Chang
    Sangeetha Chandrasekaran
    Andrew Rossi Jr

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    Recipients

    Recipients by year

    2026
    Ankita Samal, University of Iowa
    2025
    Amanda B. Rodriguez Betancourt, University of Illinois at Chicago
    2024
    Mostafa Shehabeldin, University of Michigan
    2023
    David T. Wu, Harvard University
    2022
    Lan-Lin Chiou, Indiana University
    2021
    Chiho Ahn, Boston University
    2020
    Adam Lietzan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    2019
    Anuja Doshi, Ohio State University
    2018
    Fatemeh Momen-Heravi, Columbia University
    2017
    Yu Wang, Columbia University
    2016
    Guo-Hao Lin, University of Michigan
    2015
    Yau-Hua Yu, Tufts University
    2014
    Georgios Kotsakis, University of Minnesota
    2013
    Jonathon Do, University of California, Los Angeles
    2012
    Samuel Koo, Harvard University
    Ankita Samal

    2026 recipient

    Ankita Samal

    University of Iowa