Foundation for Endodontics Names Two New Educator Development Grants and Second Chandra Memorial Recipient

The AAE Foundation for Endodontics announced the naming of two new Full Time Educator Development Grants (FTEDG) and the second recipient of the Chandra Memorial grant during its annual donor reception at AAE23.   

With military precision and paternal care, Dr Scott McClanahan trained generations of endodontists in the US Navy and at the University of Minnesota.  A legion of grateful students and appreciative colleagues contributed to name one of the Foundation’s most widely utilized grants in his honor as Dr McClanahan receives the prestigious IB Bender Award on Sunday morning, May 6.  The appeal was launched by Dr Katie Divine, one of Mac’s mentees and currently a faculty member at the University of Minnesota. 

Across decades, the AAE Alliance auxiliary raised more than $400,000 to grow the Foundation. Just as significantly, the Alliance forged lasting friendships and a true sense of community within AAE.  Alliance members and friends named a new Educator Development Grant has their final legacy donation to the Foundation.  The first recipient of the AAE Alliance grant is Dr Kathleen Gaboardi, associate professor of endodontics at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

A third named Educator Development Grant was created last year by a global network of friends, family, and students of the late Dr Anil Chandra of India, who succumbed to COVID in 2021.  Dr Chandra’s illustrious career as a dental educator and endodontist included many publications, awards, and patents, editorship of three journals, and faculty appointments at UCLA, SUNY, and Rutgers.  The second recipient of the Chandra Memorial grant is Dr Keith Boyer, associate professor of endodontics at Western University College of Dental Medicine. 

Educator Development Grants were created to assure that full-time academics in endodontics have full access to the most prominent continuing education conferences in the specialty.  Beyond simply providing travel funds, the program has catalyzed change and innovation within individual training programs and forged a stronger community among academic leaders through their interactions at the meetings.  

The awards were announced by Foundation President Dr Margot Kusienski of Lititz, Pa., at the Foundation’s annual reception on Wednesday evening, May 3, at the Marriott Marquis Chicago during AAE23 in Chicago. 

What did endodontics make of you? To whom do you owe your career?  See https://aae.org/foundation/whatendomadeofme for profiles of three AAE success stories… Contact Gary Rejebian at grejebian@aae.org or (312) 517-2159 about honoring your mentor. 

Top: FDN president Dr Margot Kusienski presenting Dr Keith Boyer with the Foundation’s 2023 Anil Chandra Memorial educator development grant.
Middle: Dr Kathleen Gaboardi received the first AAE Alliance educator development grant.
Bottom: Dr Scott McClanahan with Dr Nadia Chugal, inaugural recipient of the McClanahan educator development grant.