CHICAGO, July 9, 2013 — The American Dental Association (ADA) is accepting applications for the John W. Stanford New Investigator Award through Sept. 30. The award highlights the crucial role dental standards play in assuring patient health and safety and the efficacy of dental products. Dental students and new dentists working on original research in the realm of dental standards may apply for the award online.

Dental standards are developed by dental professionals to establish specific technical, performance and/or safety requirements for dental products. The John W. Stanford New Investigator Award was designed to encourage dentists and dental students to conduct standards-based research and standards development.

Dental students or dentists who earned their D.D.S. or D.M.D. degrees no more than five years prior to the time of selection are eligible to submit applications. Submissions must be original research that addresses some aspect of the use of standards in dental research or clinical application.

The winner will be notified in December and will receive airfare and accommodation to present the winning research at the March 2014 ADA Standards Committee annual meeting in Charlotte, NC.

The ADA Standards Program established the John W. Stanford New Investigator Award in 2011, underscoring the crucial role that dental standards play in patient health and safety and in the efficacy of dental products.  The award pays homage to Dr. Stanford, a 40-year ADA employee who played a pivotal role in establishing the ADA’s current standards program. Dr. Stanford died in February 2011.

For more information about the ADA Standards program, visit www.ada.org/dentalstandards.