Stony Brook University Professor Receives Dental Research Association’s Highest Honor
Award recognizes Dr. Israel Kleinberg’s outstanding achievements that have contributed to the prevention of dental decay
STONY BROOK, N.Y., July 23, 2014 – The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) has awarded Stony Brook University’s Israel Kleinberg, DDS, PhD, DSc, the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Research in Dental Caries. One of the highest honors bestowed by the association, the award is designed to stimulate and recognize outstanding and innovative achievements that have contributed to the basic understanding of the causes and/or the prevention of dental caries, commonly known as decay or cavities.
Dr. Kleinberg is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology and Director of the Division of Translational Oral Biology in the School of Dental Medicine. For more than 40 years, he has conducted research that has made unique and important contributions to understanding dental decay, saliva, dental plaque, and periodontal disease. Internationally recognized in the field of salivary and microbial research, his pioneering work on factors in saliva has led to novel and effective approaches to prevent the initiation and progression of dental caries.
The IADR recognizes Dr. Kleinberg’s body of work that includes some 50 years of teaching dentistry, research and discovery, and mentoring students and faculty. The association defines him as a true visionary in academics and dentistry research and credits him with advancing dental education and having helped develop the field of oral biology as a basic science. Dr. Kleinberg is sometimes referred to in the field as the “father of oral biology.”
“When I began my research, the field of oral biology was in its infancy, and there was a dearth of knowledge about prevention of oral disease and dental decay,” said Dr. Kleinberg. “I am truly honored to be selected for this important award, but, more importantly, I am heartened by the recognition of the critical importance that this type of research plays in contributing to the science of oral health care.”
Dr. Kleinberg has published more than 150 articles, holds over 60 patents for treatments related to oral diseases, and was part of a research collaboration that discovered a way to deliver an oral mixture to reduce halitosis, gingivitis, and periodontitis. His patents include inventions for preventing or treating dental hypersensitivity, reducing dental caries, promoting the production of human saliva, and developing an ultraviolet camera system for dental photography.
He has received numerous academic honors, including an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Manitoba, and the American Dental Association’s ADEA Gies Foundation Award for Innovation as a dental educator.
The IADR is a dedicated to advancing research and increasing knowledge for the improvement of oral health worldwide, supporting and representing the oral health research community, and facilitating the communication and application of research findings.
