Award descriptions and criteria
Nomination form
2011 award winners
Recipient testimonials

Award descriptions and criteria

Judging of all awards, with the exception of the WDA Foundation Philanthropic Award, will be done by the WDA Board of Trustees.  The WDA Foundation Philanthropic Award will be selected by the WDA Foundation Board of Directors. All nominations must include a completed nomination form and a letter from the nominator indicating how the nominee meets the criteria and why they should be considered for the award. In addition, nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award must include a current curriculum vitae. A dentist nominated in any of the award categories must be an ADA member.

Lifetime Achievement Award

PURPOSE
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the WDA’s highest honor. It was established to recognize an individual dentist who has given time, energy and expertise to the organizations representing dentistry throughout his/her career.

NOMINEE CRITERIA
The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a dentist who has accomplished the following:

• 20 or more years of continuous membership in the WDA
• Participation in the professional affairs of local, state, regional and/or national dental organizations
• Has made a significant contribution to organized dentistry throughout their lifetime

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than ONE recipient in any given year.

Community Outreach Award

PURPOSE
To honor an individual, a team of individuals, or an organization who has systematically provided exceptional service to the public, of a nature which reflects great credit on the dental profession.

NOMINEE CRITERIA
Nominees may be individuals or organizations who have contributed to dentistry in the “Purpose” section of these guidelines. Nominees need NOT be a dentist; however, all dentists who are nominated must be members of the WDA.

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than FIVE recipients in any given year.

Dental Care for Older Persons Award

This award was discontinued beginning with the 2010 nomination year.

WDA Foundation Philanthropic Award (new in 2010)

PURPOSE
The WDA Foundation Philanthropic Award recognizes a member of the dental community that supports the mission of the WDA Foundation.

NOMINEE CRITERIA
Nominees may have contributed to the mission of the WDA Foundation in any of the following ways:

• Material contributions to the WDA Foundation or other dental foundations
• Support of projects that provide dental care for the disadvantaged
• Involvement in WDA Foundation

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Foundation Executive Committee will select no more than ONE recipient in any given year.

Friends of Dentistry Award (new in 2010)

PURPOSE
The WDA Friends of Dentistry Award honors an entity that makes ongoing contributions to the mission of the WDA.

NOMINEE CRITERIA
Nominees may have contributed in any combination of the following ways:

• Material contributions to the WDA
• Involvement in WDA programs
• Service on a WDA committee, sub-committee or task force

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than TWO recipients in any given year.

Media Relations Award

PURPOSE
The Media Relations Award honors a dentist or team of dentists who have utilized mass communications to promote the WDA and its mission as detailed in the WDA Long Range Plan.

NOMINEE CRITERIA
Nominees must be dentists(s) who are members in good standing of the WDA.

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will review select no more than TWO recipients in any one year.

Media Awareness Award

PURPOSE
The Media Awareness Award recognizes a member of the print or broadcast media industry for demonstrating a commitment to inform and educate the general public about the importance of oral health and/or dental-related issues in Wisconsin.

NOMINEE CRITERIA

• Nominees can be an organization, individual or team.
• Nominees should serve Wisconsin residents on a local, regional and/or statewide basis

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than TWO recipients in any given year.

New Dentist Leadership Award

PURPOSE
The New Dentist Leadership Award recognizes the efforts of a WDA member dentist for significant involvement in organized dentistry at the local, state and/or national levels.

NOMINEE CRITERIA
Nominees must be dentists who have been out of dental school for 10 years or less who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities as they relate to new dentist issues and who are members in good standing of the WDA.

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than ONE recipient in any given year.

Outstanding Leadership in Mentoring

PURPOSE
This is an award to recognize a member dentist who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in mentoring.   The recipient of this award will be forwarded as that year’s entry into the ADA Golden Apple Award in the “Outstanding Leadership in Mentoring” category.

NOMINEE CRITERIA  
The eligibility and entry guidelines for the Pyramid of Pride Outstanding Leadership Award, which are identical to the ADA’s guidelines are as follows:

• Must be an ADA (WDA) member who demonstrates outstanding mentorship ability

Nominations must include:    

• A copy of the nominee’s c.v. (not more than 3 pages)
• Supporting essay of not more than 1,500 words detailing leadership qualities, professional and ethical conduct, and volunteer activities as a mentor
• Letters of recommendation from those mentored (not to exceed 2 pages each) will be considered

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than ONE recipient in any given year.             

Outstanding Service Award

This award was discontinued beginning with the 2010 nomination year.

Political Action Award

PURPOSE
The WDA Political Action Award honors an individual, a team of individuals, or an organization that has increased member involvement on the grassroots level to further WDA legislative interests.
 
NOMINEE CRITERIA
Nominees must have worked to promote the WDA legislative interests in one or more of the following areas:

• Fund solicitation or contributions to WIDPAC and the Direct Giver program
• Hosting and/or attending political action fundraisers
• Participating in local campaign efforts
• Coordinating letter writing campaigns or phone trees on important issues
• Testimony on issues of concern to the dental profession

Nominees who are dentists must be members in good standing of the WDA.

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than FIVE recipients in any given year.

WDA Award of Honor (formerly President’s Award of Honor)

PURPOSE
The WDA President’s Award of Honor recognizes individuals and organizations for contributions and activities that reflect great credit on the dental profession.

NOMINEE CRITERIA
Nominees may have contributed to the dental profession in any of the following ways:

• Material contributions to the Wisconsin Dental Association
• Advancement of the art and science of dentistry
• Provision of exception service to the dental community

RECIPIENTS
The WDA Board of Trustees will select no more than FIVE recipients in any given year.

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Nomination form

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2011 Pyramid of Pride awards was July 15.

Check back later for the 2012 nomination form.

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2011 award winners

De Pere resident and Green Bay pediatric dentist Dr. James Conrardy is the 2011 Wisconsin Dental Association Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in recognition of his significant contributions of time, energy and expertise to organized dentistry throughout his 31-year career.

Conrardy is one of nine individuals and three organizations who will receive Pyramids of Pride from the 3,000-member statewide dental organization on Nov. 11 at a banquet at The American Club in Kohler.

After earning a bachelor's at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Conrardy obtained his dental degree at Marquette University School of Dentistry and a pediatric dentistry certificate from MUSOD and Milwaukee Children's Hospital (now Children's Hospital of Wisconsin). He taught part-time at MUSOD from 1978 – 1980 before moving to Green Bay to practice.

Conrardy has been involved with multiple professional associations at the local, state, national and international levels. He served as past-president of the Brown Door Kewaunee Dental Society and Wisconsin Society of Pediatric Dentists and is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy. Conrardy's term as ICD USA-Section regent ends Dec. 31 at which time he becomes an ICD worldwide counselor representing the USA-Section.

A dedicated volunteer, Conrardy has served on multiple local, state and national committees for nonprofits and oral health initiatives, including the Surgeon General's 2000 Conference on Oral Health Care. He is also active politically at the local, state and federal levels. The WDA previously presented him with political action and outstanding service awards.

Drs. Matthew Kutz and Laura Tills, along with Lisa Bell, RDH, MPH will accept a Community Outreach Award on behalf of Madison's Salvation Army Thursday Night Dental Clinic. In its first two years, clinic volunteers delivered $300,000 in care to 500 of the city's homeless residents.

Sheboygan general dentist Dr. Robert Darling is also a Community Outreach Award recipient. Darling chairs the Sheboygan County Dental Access Committee's Fall Dental Exam Day for children in Head Start and Women, Infant and Children. Since 2007, more than $20,000 in free dental care has been provided to approximately 300 preschoolers. He also volunteers with Give Kids A Smile® national dental access day, the WDA Foundation/WDA Mission of Mercy and Lakeshore Technical College Community Dental Clinic.

Dr. Ken Yarnell of Madison is this year's WDA Foundation Philanthropic Award recipient. During his 20 years as chair of the WDA Dentists Concerned for Dentists Committee, he helped more than 150 dental professionals address a variety of mental and physical well-being issues, including substance addiction.

Henry Schein Dental, headquartered in West Allis, is being honored with the 2011 Friends of Dentistry Award for its ongoing contributions to the mission of the WDA. The company was instrumental in bringing the large-scale, charitable Mission of Mercy dental clinic to Wisconsin in 2009. Since then, the company and individual employees have provided financial and in-kind support to the annual MOM event helping make possible the delivery of more than $2.9 million in charitable care through more than 5,700 patient visits.

The Wausau Daily Herald is being recognized for its ongoing, balanced reporting of public oral health topics and statewide dental issues with a Media Awareness Award.

Wausau resident and general dentist Dr. Julie Fox is receiving the Media Relations Award for sharing important dental health messages through the news media. A member of the WDA Board of Trustees, Fox's commitment to providing charitable care, working on local government health policy efforts and taking time to speak with reporters makes her a valued WDA media spokesperson.

Sheboygan resident and general dentist Dr. Laura Rammer's professional involvement earned her the New Dentist Leadership Award. Rammer was active in the American Student Dental Association at MUSOD. Since graduation, she has volunteered locally on behalf of organized dentistry programs such as GKAS, Fall Dental Screening Day and the WDA Mission of Mercy. She also serves on the WDA Membership Committee and helps educate elected officials on dental issues.

The WDA Political Action Award goes to Manitowish Waters resident and general dentist Dr. Craig Janssen. Motivated by media coverage during the fall 2010 election cycle, Janssen decided to get involved politically. He has since participated in 13 fundraisers for state and national candidates.

Three 2011 WDA Awards of Honor are being presented to a dental hygienist, state legislator and dentist.

Carrie Stempski, RDH, BS is a Green Bay resident and executive director of the Brown County Oral Health Partnership. Established in 2007 with the help of multiple community partners, dentists and volunteers, the non-profit has provided preventive and comprehensive care and oral health education to more than 8,000 low-income children.

Upon learning the WDA Mission of Mercy was coming to Weston in June 2011, State Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He helped raise local financial and in-kind donations, produced a public service announcement to recruit prospective patients, conducted multiple media interviews and even helped set up clinic equipment. This award recognizes Petrowski's personal commitment to improving the dental health of central Wisconsin residents.

Kenosha general dentist Dr. Susan Cable's commitment to her profession spans 25 years, beginning with her service as ASDA secretary while attending MUSOD and as a clinical instructor at the school shortly after graduation. She has held numerous leadership positions with the Kenosha County Dental Society, WDA and WDA Foundation. Cable is also active politically and in various community organizations.

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