On Tuesday, Sep. 26, at the annual all-faculty retreat, four UW School of Dentistry faculty members were presented with the Bruce R. Rothwell Teaching Awards, the School of Dentistry’s highest faculty honor. Recipients of the 2022 and 2023 awards were both honored at the retreat.
Dr. James Newman (2022 recipient) and Dr. Alireza Sadr (2023 recipient) were presented with the Rothwell Distinguished Teaching Award for innovative and distinguished teaching. Dr. Beatrice Gandara (2022 recipient) and Dr. James Johnson (2023 recipient) were presented with the Rothwell Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Award for outstanding teaching throughout their years of service at the School of Dentistry. The recipients were chosen by a selection committee, chaired by Dr. Mark Drangsholt.
Dr. Newman is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry. Beloved by both students and his fellow faculty, he’s been nominated for the Rothwell Award several times and has been selected by students to participate in both White Coat and graduation ceremonies. He’s also received an Academy of General Dentistry Lifetime Learning and Service Recognition Award.
Dr. Sadr is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry. Having mentored over 53 DDS and graduate students in research, he was selected to give the White Coat Ceremony keynote address by the Class of 2021. “Dr. Sadr is a remarkable teacher with tremendous knowledge as well as enthusiastic passion required to share his knowledge effectively with students,” said Dr. Daniel Chan, Chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry. “He merits our strongest support and highest recommendation for the [Rothwell] Award.”
Dr. Gandara is a Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Oral Medicine. Dr. Gandara has been Director of the Office of Educational Partnerships and Diversity for the past 15 years, creating many successful programs such as the Community Health Professions Academy. She’s been honored with many outstanding achievements throughout her oral health career, including the 2019 Washington State Dental Association’s Citizen of the Year Award. Dr. Gandara retired this past June and was unable to attend the award ceremony because she was exploring the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan. Dr. Jacqueline Wong accepted the Rothwell Award on behalf of Dr. Gandara.
Dr. Johnson is the Chair of the Department of Endodontics and a Clinical Professor in the department. He retired as a captain in the Dental Corps of the US Navy and as Director of the Naval Postgraduate Endodontics program in 2003 after serving for 20 years. He’s been chair of the UW Department of Endodontics ever since then. Dr. Johnson even served as Interim Dean of the School of Dentistry from 2017-18.
The Rothwell Teaching Awards were established in 2001 to honor the late Dr. Bruce R. Rothwell and his teaching expertise at the School of Dentistry. After graduating from Oregon Health Sciences University in 1973, Dr. Rothwell completed specialty training in Oral Medicine at the UW in 1977. From there he would go on to become the director of the General Practice Residency for many years.
Dr. Rothwell was Chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry from 1993-2000, a valued member of the UW Medical Center leadership team and a pioneer in Forensic Dentistry. Representing Dr. Rothwell at the presentation were his niece, Molly Rothwell and his grandnephew, Kevin Rivera.