Tuesday 24 June 2014 9:56am
Professor Murray Thomson
A University of Otago researcher has become the first New Zealander ever to win two prestigious awards from the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).
The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) will present Professor Murray Thomson with the 2014 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Geriatric Oral Research. He will be recognised during the Opening Ceremonies of the 92nd IADR General Session & Exhibition tomorrow in Cape Town, South Africa.
Murray Thomson is a professor of dental epidemiology and public health at Otago's School of Dentistry. He earned his BSc, BDS and Master of Community Dentistry degrees from the University of Otago, an MA from the University of Leeds, UK, and a PhD from the University of Adelaide on a longitudinal study of dry mouth and tooth decay in older people.
Professor Thomson entered academia in 1994 after five years in general dental practice in New Zealand and England, and seven years in this country's public dental sector. He has been at Otago in his academic and research role since 1996.
He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Alan Docking Award for Distinguished Research in Dentistry (2009), and the IADR H. Trendley Dean Distinguished Scientist Award in Epidemiology and Public Health (2010).
His epidemiological and clinical research covers a wide range of subjects and has been supported by grants from several funding bodies in the US and New Zealand. These include the US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda; the New Zealand Dental Association; the Health Research Council of New Zealand; and the New Zealand Ministry of Health. Currently, he is editor of the New Zealand Dental Journal and an associate editor for Gerodontology and for Special Care in Dentistry
The Geriatric Oral Research Award consists of a monetary prize of USD$3,500 and plaque. The award is designed to stimulate, encourage, and recognize outstanding research accomplishments in the field of geriatric oral research, is one of the 16 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards, and is one of the highest honours bestowed by IADR.
About the International Association for Dental Research
The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with nearly 11,500 individual members worldwide, dedicated to: (1) advancing research and increasing knowledge for the improvement of oral health worldwide; (2) supporting and representing the oral health research community, and (3) facilitating the communication and application of research findings.
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