Spotlight on President’s Award Winner: Dr. Gary R. Hartwell

The President’s Award is the AAE’s annual celebration of an individual who has made a notable impact on our specialty of endodontics.

This year’s winner has served as president of both the American Association of Endodontists and the American Board of Endodontics.

He has the unique distinction of having served as interim executive director of the AAE from 2013 to 2014, dedicating much of his time and energy to the task of running the operations at AAE headquarters and managing staff.

He earned his D.D.S. from West Virginia University School of Dentistry in 1966. He graduated from the U.S. Army Dental Corps Endodontic Residency Program in 1973 and earned an M.S. in Special Studies the following year from George Washington University.

In 1980, he achieved Diplomate status with the American Board of Endodontics. During a military career of more than 20 years, he served as Director of the Endodontic Residency Programs at Madigan Army Medical Center and Eisenhower Army Medical Center. He was the consultant for endodontics to the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1987.

Upon retirement from active military service at the rank of colonel, he became a full-time faculty member in the Department of Endodontics at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry.

In 1992, he was appointed Chair of the Department of Endodontics, and subsequently also served as the Endodontic Residency Director.  He left VCU, to spend the next decade as the Chair of the Department of Endodontics and Director of Advanced Education in Endodontics at the New Jersey Dental School (now Rutgers School of Dental Medicine).  He is Professor Emeritus at both VCU and Rutgers.

This year’s awardee has promoted a culture of excellence in patient care and in the art and science of endodontics and has numerous research publications and book chapters to his credit.  This same culture stressed the importance of service: to our country, to the specialty of endodontics and to the community.  He made certain that everyone in his sphere of influence understood the importance of board certification and has served as board mentor to residents, faculty, and to early-career and seasoned practitioners alike.

A hearty congratulations to this year’s President’s Award winner: Dr. Gary R. Hartwell.