American Academy of Periodontology Publishes Tribute to Dr. Steven Offenbacher

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP)
recently announced that a 96-page tribute to legendary periodontal researcher Dr. Steven
Offenbacher is now available as a supplement to the Journal of Periodontology.

The publication can be accessed at aap.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19433670.

“A Tribute to Dr. Steven Offenbacher: Honoring Four Decades of Research Contributions to
Periodontal Medicine” was inspired by 10 presentations given at an October 2019 symposium
honoring Dr. Offenbacher, who had died unexpectedly 14 months earlier. The symposium was
hosted by the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry, where Dr. Offenbacher
was a Distinguished Professor and former chair of the Department of Periodontology.

Both the symposium and the publication were made possible by the generous support of
Colgate-Palmolive Company. “Dr. Offenbacher was a true pioneer in the field of periodontology
whose scientific discoveries forged a path for precision oral health. His research to better
understand the pathophysiology of periodontal diseases led to new approaches for improved
diagnostics and therapeutics targeting periodontal diseases to improve on oral and overall
health,” said Dr. Maria Ryan, Chief Dental Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Company.

“It would be difficult to overstate Dr. Offenbacher’s impact on dentistry in general or
periodontics in particular,” said Dr. James G. Wilson, AAP president. “He had a profound
influence in so many areas, including periodontal disease and the oral-systemic connection. He
was widely known as ‘The Father of Periodontal Medicine,’ and for very good reason.”

Many of the publication’s 10 papers were authored by a variety of past collaborators of Dr.
Offenbacher, including Drs. James Beck, Kenneth Kornman, and Thomas Van Dyke. The
supplement also includes an 18-page summary of over 340 peer-reviewed articles published by
Dr. Offenbacher from 1975 through 2020, 15 of which were published after his passing.
For more information about the American Academy of Periodontology, please visit
https://www.perio.org.