The Academy of Laser Dentistry is proud to announce its first honorary member: Dr. John D.B. Featherstone, professor and chair of the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
President Dr. Steven Parker announced the honor as one of his first endeavors as president at the 12th ALD Annual Session held April 6-9 in New Orleans.
"In a variety of exceptional ways Dr. Featherstone's impact on the evolution of dentistry through science has an overwhelmingly positive effect on the work that we do every day as clinicians. It is with pride and privilege that we welcome John as the Academy's first honorary member," said Dr. Parker.
Dr. Featherstone's research over the past 30 years has covered several aspects of cariology (study of tooth decay) including fluoride mechanisms of action, caries risk assessment, de- and remineralization of the teeth, apatite chemistry, salivary dysfunction, caries (tooth decay) prevention, and laser effects on dental hard tissues with emphasis on caries prevention and early caries removal. He is the Leland and Gladys Barber Distinguished Professor of Dentistry at UCSF.
He was the year 2000 recipient of the International Association for Dental Research distinguished scientist award for research in dental caries, and the T.H. Maiman award for excellence in dental laser research from the Academy of Laser Dentistry in 2002. The European Caries Research Organization awarded him the Zsolnai Prize in 2002 for his lifelong contributions to caries research. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Congress of Microdentistry in 2003.
Dr. Featherstone started working on laser interactions with hard tissues in 1981 in collaboration with investigators at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics in Rochester, NY.
Since that time he has published over 60 articles, reviews and chapters
dealing with lasers in dentistry and medicine, from a total of over 200
scientific papers and chapters that he has authored or co-authored. He is on the editorial board of the international journal "Medical Laser Application" and was guest editor for an issue of that journal devoted entirely to lasers in dentistry. He is a reviewer for several journals that publish research on laser use in dentistry and medicine.
Dr. Featherstone was one of the founders of the "Lasers in Dentistry"
program at the annual SPIE meetings, dating back to 1992 and was the
co-chair and chair of that program for 7 years. Within the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences at UCSF, there are several
investigators who do research ranging from basic laser/tissue interactions through clinical trials to practicing laser dentistry.
Dr. Featherstone is an active member of several international scientific
organizations including the International Association for Dental Research; the American Chemical Society; and the European Organization for Caries Research. He is principal investigator on one major research grant funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and co-investigator on three others. He serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals and is on three editorial boards.
An honorary member is an individual who has been recognized by the ALD Board of Directors for contributions to the Academy and to dentistry. An honorary member is not eligible to hold office or vote, nor shall they be required to pay dues.