Celebrating Excellence: 2026 AAE Award Winners Honored at Coolidge Brunch
At the AAE26 in Salt Lake City, the American Association of Endodontists is recognizing a distinguished group of individuals whose contributions have advanced the specialty through innovation, research, education, leadership, and service. Being honored during the Edgar D. Coolidge Brunch on Saturday, April 18, 2026, these award recipients represent the very best of endodontics.
Dr. Alan S. Law, Edgar D. Coolidge Award
Dr. Alan Law received his Doctor of Dental Surgery and Certificate in Endodontics from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, Iowa. He also completed his PhD, “Mechanisms and Modulation of Orofacial Pain”, with the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Iowa. Dr. Law has published over 40 articles in scientific and clinical journals, and has co-authored chapters on orofacial pain and regenerative Endodontics in Pathways of the Pulp and The Dental Pulp, is an editor of Endodontics: Principles and Practice, and has lectured at over 400 local, national and international meetings. He is a member the American Dental Association, American Association of Endodontics, and Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society, and a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists. He is a Past President of the Minnesota Association of Endodontists, The American Association of Endodontists, and American Board of Endodontics. He is in full–time practice in the Twin Cities, President of The Dental Specialists, a multi-specialty dental practice with over 44 specialists, and Chief Clinical Officer-Specialty Practices for Park Dental Partners, Inc. He is also a Research Professor in the Division of Endodontics at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Fred Barnett, I.B. Bender Lifetime Educator Award
Dr. Barnett received his DMD degree in 1978 and his Certificate in Endodontics in 1981, both from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine. He received his Board Certification in Endodontics in 1988, and is currently the Chairman and Program Director of the IB Bender Postdoctoral Endodontic Program at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Dental Traumatology Journal, is a Director of the International Association of Dental Traumatology and a former Associate Editor of the Journal of Endodontics.
Dr. Harry T. Cosby, Edward M. Osetek Award
Dr. Harry Cosby has proudly served as Chairman of the Department of Endodontics at the University of Tennessee since 2019. His journey in dentistry began with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from East Tennessee State University in 1981, followed by a Master of Science from Memphis State University in 1982. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Tennessee in 1988 and completed his Endodontic Certificate at the University of Pennsylvania in 1992. During his time at Penn, he was mentored by a wonderful group of professors, Drs. I.B. Bender, Sam Seltzer, Seymour Oliet, George Stewart, and Syngcuk Kim. Following his postgraduate training, Dr. Cosby established a private practice in Tupelo, Mississippi, where he became the first endodontist in Northeast Mississippi. Over his 26 years in practice, he built lasting relationships with patients and colleagues, always striving to deliver compassionate, high-quality care. In 2017, Dr. Cosby returned to the University of Tennessee, driven by a deep commitment to education and mentorship. He considers it a privilege to support and guide the next generation of dental professionals, and he continues to find inspiration in learning alongside his students.
Dr. Yanling Jiang, Calvin D. Torneck Part-Time Educator Award
Dr. Jiang came to US as a post-graduate student from Peking University, China, and completed Doctor Science in Oral Biology, Dental Medicine and advanced training in Endodontics at Boston University, School of Dental Medicine. She started her academic career with research on inflammatory mediators and bone resorption mechanisms, founded by American Cancer Society, NIH and AAE foundation. Her study lead to a few dozens of publications in prestigious journals, such as “Science”, “Journal of Biochemistry”, ”The Journal of Immunology”,” Infection and Immunity” and “American Journal of Physiology”. She has mentored doctoral, master and CAG students including several research competition winners at AAE. After a decade of productive research career, she was called to serve as the director of pre-doc endodontics, later taught postgraduate endodontics for more than two decades. Besides research and teaching, Dr. Jiang has been practicing in private practice. Dr. Jiang was a clinical professor and become a professor emeritus now. After nearly four decades spent at BU, she is focusing on the love of her life, family and travel the world.
Dr. Asma Khan, Louis I. Grossman Award
Dr Asma Khan is a tenured Professor at UT San Antonio. She received her dental degree from India, her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Maryland, and her Certificate in Endodontics from UT Health San Antonio. She completed a Fellowship in Clinical Research at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship on Neuro-Immune interactions. She currently serves on the Council of Scientific Affairs of the American Dental Association and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Journal of Endodontics. Her research interests include the use of AI to improve clinical practice and the development of new diagnostics and analgesics.
Dr. Kenneth B. Wiltbank, Spirit of Service Career Dental Community Volunteer Award
Dr. Kenneth B. Wiltbank attended dental school at the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) and graduated in the class of 1998. After seven years working as a general dentist, he returned to school at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, where he completed a Certificate in Endodontics (Class of 2007). He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics. Dr. Wiltbank is a member of and volunteers in the American Association of Endodontists, where he serves as a member of the Practice Affairs Committee and as an AAE representative to the American Dental Association’s Codes Maintenance Committee and to the American Association of Dental Consultants. He is also a member of the American Dental Association, the Oregon Dental Association and the Clatsop Country Dental Association. He is the current president of the Oregon State Association of Endodontists and has served in other capacities in organized dentistry. As well as owning two endodontic practices and regularly seeing patients, Dr. Wiltbank serves as an adjunct associate professor at the OHSU School of Dentistry, department of endodontology. When he is not in the office, Dr. Wiltbank enjoys the outdoors, running, sports, reading and spending time with his wife, Krista Lucas, and their two children.
Dr. Carolyn Primus, Honorary Membership
Dr. Carolyn Primus is an innovator whose work in bioactive ceramics has transformed modern endodontic care. From her role in bringing ProRoot MTA and White ProRoot MTA to clinical practice, she went on to develop many next-generation calcium silicate cements through NIH-funded research. She founded Avalon Biomed Inc., later acquired by another company. Her engineering innovations in endodontics have preserved countless teeth worldwide. Dr. Primus has devoted her career to bringing new technologies from concept to clinical reality. She developed an array of dental porcelain products and accessories, is the inventor on 13 dental patents. She has published 37 dental articles and contributed 10 chapters for dental texts. This year she published a book with appeal for dentists and biomaterials engineers, “Ceramics in Dentistry: Materials, Manufacturing, and Clinical Applications” on the multiplicity of ceramics used in dental products. Beyond innovation, Dr. Primus has achieved FDA clearance for a variety of medical products and has served as the chair of the ADA and ISO committees for endodontic and restorative materials to guide clinical quality and safety.