DENTISTRY

Dr. Richard Christiansen

Jeffrey Freshcorn, director of development, presents Dr. Richard Christiansen with the Distinguished Service Award.

A former dean of the School of Dentistry and director of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Institute, Dr. Richard Christiansen, received the School's Distinguished Service Award at graduation. Presenting the award, Jeffrey Freshcorn, the School's director of development, said Christiansen "is a gentleman who is well known in dentistry, both nationally and internationally."

The Distinguished Service Award is presented each year at graduation by the School's Alumni Society Board of Governors to a living person who has made significant contributions to the U-M School of Dentistry, the dental profession, or to the School's Alumni Society. Christiansen's career spanned more than twenty years at U-M and nearly twenty years at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

After receiving the award, Christiansen told graduates, "Congratulations to you, and wherever you go, Go Blue!"

Reflecting on his career, Christiansen said he had "many wonderful memories of my years at the School of Dentistry." Among the achievements he said he was proudest of included helping to realign the size of the School's dental classes "to better reflect the professional services demanded by the citizens of Michigan" during the early 1980s, the growing recognition for the School's research program, and increased international cooperation and worldwide recognition of the School.

In her opening remarks, commencement speaker Dr. Dushanka Kleinman acknowledged Christiansen's presence on the stage and said, "It is a pleasure to have known you before you came here to Michigan and to see you again."

Helene Bednarsh

Helene Bednarsh

A School of Dentistry alumna who has been involved with dozens of local, state, and federal public health programs also received the School's Distinguished Service Award.

Helene Bednarsh, who received her dental hygiene certificate in 1974, was unable to attend, but was recognized for her outstanding achievements and dedication to the dental hygiene profession.

Currently, she is the director of the Boston Public Health Commission's HIV Dental Ombudsman program, consultant for the U.S. Public Health Service's Region I Head Start program, and consultant for the Indian Health Service's Indian and Migrant Head Start programs.

Two years ago, Bednarsh received the Alfred Fones Award from the American Dental Hygienists' Association recognizing her outstanding achievements and dedication to the dental hygiene profession. In 1998, she received the School's Outstanding Dental Hygienist Alumnae Award (DentalUM, Spring & Summer 1999, pages 16-18).

Besides participating in local, regional, national, and international programs on infection control and HIV/AIDS, Bednarsh has coauthored articles for Access, a publication of ADHA; lectured at colleges and universities; published chapters for textbooks and book reviews; and has made more than 70 presentations at colleges, universities, seminars, and conferences.