Third-year resident earns Prichard Award

Dr. Sarah Kelly became the 2022 recipient of the coveted Prichard Award in late January. Kelly, a third-year resident in the Department of Periodontics at Texas A&M College of Dentistry, earned the award for her research titled Clinical and Microbiological Evaluation of Interproximal Open Contacts and Periodontal Disease: A Cross-sectional Study. Also involved in the research were Dr. Carlos Parra, Dr. Steve Harrel and Dr. Emet Schneiderman.

“Congratulations to Dr. Kelly, to the research co-investigators, the collaborators/mentors, faculty, staff and the overall department,” says Parra, clinical assistant professor and Director of the Postdoctoral program in the periodontics department. “We’re proud of her and the team effort that supported her.”

The Prichard Award, established in 1984, was named after Dr. John F. Prichard. Prichard was a 1928 graduate of the College of Dentistry and practiced in Fort Worth. He was a visiting lecturer at the school, as well as director of the American Board of Periodontology. The award, according to the Southwest Society of Periodontists, is to “establish, maintain, and encourage participation in scientific presentations to fulfill the mission and goals of the society and honor the memory of Dr. Prichard.”

“I’m honored to have presented at the annual Southwest Society of Periodontists meeting, and to have represented Texas A&M to the periodontics community,” Kelly says. “I am thankful to have my co-residents and faculty members cheering me on and am thrilled to bring this award back to Texas A&M. I hope to encourage future residents to pursue clinical research at our university.”

Only a handful of A&M graduate students have earned the award since its creation; Kelly’s honor makes it seven total.

“It is a real honor to have ‘his’ award once more back in our school,” Parra says.