Dr. Gordon Christensen receives Irwin Smigel Prize from NYU College of Dentistry
Dr. Gordon J. Christensen, founder and director of Practical Clinical Courses (PCC), an international continuing education organization for dental professionals, has been selected as the third recipient of the Irwin Smigel Prize in Aesthetic Dentistry presented by NYU College of Dentistry. Nationally and internationally renowned as one of the all-time great teachers of aesthetic dentistry, Dr. Christensen has presented more than 40,000 hours of continuing education courses, produced hundreds of multimedia dental presentations, and written hundreds of articles and several books.
The Smigel Prize was presented to Dr. Christensen at a dinner hosted by NYU on June 9. The next day he presented the 2005 Smigel Prize Lecture, "The Christensen Bottom Line," at the Rosenthal Institute for Aesthetic Dentistry at NYU.
NYU College of Dentistry established the Smigel Prize in 2000 to recognize the pioneering achievements in aesthetic dentistry of Dr. Irwin Smigel, a graduate of the NYU College of Dentistry and the Founder and President of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics, and to honor significant contributions to the field by others throughout the world.
The Smigel Prize carries with it a $5,000 stipend and an award designed by Calvin Klein. Previous recipients of the Smigel Prize have been Dr. Ronald E. Goldstein, President of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry and a past president of the International Federation of Esthetic Dentistry, and Dr. K. William (Buddy) Mopper, Cofounder and Chairman of Cosmedent, Inc.
"Gordon Christensen's selection to receive the Smigel Prize is a fitting tribute to the pivotal role he has played in advancing aesthetic dentistry education," said Dr. Michael C. Alfano, Dean of the NYU College of Dentistry. "His devotion to innovation in continuing education has inspired countless dentists in the pursuit of excellence."
