Entire class of third year Perio residents named Prichard finalists

Every third year resident of the Graduate Program in Periodontics has been selected as a finalist of the Southwest Society of Periodontists’ (SWSP) 2021 John F. Prichard Graduate Research Competition. Hunter Allen, DDS, Amanda Morris, DMD, Ryushiro Sugita, DDS, and Michael Vieth, DDS, were each selected as a competition finalist by SWSP, securing four of six spots. “This speaks highly of our residents and of the quality of their research,” says Brian Mealey, DDS, MS, professor and director of the Graduate Program in Periodontics. “It is rare indeed for all four of a given class to be named finalists!” Three of the Prichard finalists will compete virtually in the Clinical Sciences Research Category and the other three in the Basic Sciences Research Category on Friday, January 22, 2021. Since 2017, the Graduate Program in Periodontics has celebrated the consecutive success of a Prichard Award Winner or runner-up. In 2020, Arwa Al Hugail, BDS, MS, took the win in the clinical sciences category, Jeffrey Penner, DDS, MS, won in 2019, Phillip Garrett, DDS, MS, placed as runner-up in 2018, Blaine Calahan, DDS, MS, won in 2017, and Eirleen Hyun, DMD, MS, won the basic science category in 2015. This year’s UT Health San Antonio competitors were mentored by Dr. Mealey, Yong-Hee Chun, DDS, PhD, associate professor, David Deas, DMD, MS, clinical associate professor, and David L. Cochran, DDS, PhD, professor and chair, all in the Department of Periodontics. The Prichard Award was established to maintain and encourage graduate student participation in scientific presentations, fulfilling the mission and goals of the SWSP and to honor Dr. John F. Prichard, president of the Society in 1964 and in 1965.