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Awards
Photo taken at the 2025 Award Ceremony in San Diego, CA.
Pictured are past award recipients in attendance.
The American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists has identified a need to recognize exceptional dentists who have made outstanding contributions to the specialty of dental anesthesiology, wholly benefiting the dental profession. This Distinguished Service Award is named in honor of Leonard M. Monheim, DDS, whose many contributions to the art and science of anesthesiology and visionary leadership helped lay the foundation for a recognized specialty in anesthesiology for dentistry. Dr. Monheim established the first autonomous Department of Anesthesiology within a dental school (University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine) in 1949 and served as the only anesthesiologist for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for nearly twenty years. Also, in 1949, he initiated the first postdoctoral training program in anesthesiology for dentists. His prolific teaching and writings in the discipline of dental anesthesiology provided a strong educational foundation for all dentists rotating on his anesthesia service and he published the first modern textbook on general anesthesia specifically for dentistry. It is only fitting that the ASDA honor this man’s contributions to our discipline and dentistry.
Dr. Russell Paravecchio
2026
Dr. Joseph P. Seay
2025
Dr. John Leyman
2024
Dr. Lois I. Jacobs
2023
Dr. James Tom
2022
Dr. Mark Saxen
2021
Dr. Paul Moore
2020
Dr. Michael Mashni
2019
Dr. Lee Lichtenstein
2018
Dr. James Snyder
2017
Dr. Morton Rosenberg
2016
Dr. Stanley Malamed
2015
Dr. Christine Quinn
2014
Dr. Steven Ganzberg
2013
Dr. James Phero
2012
Dr. Michael Higgins
2011
Dr. Daniel A. Haas
2010
Dr. William A. MacDonnell
2009
Professor Yuzuru Kaneko
2008
Dr. C. Richard Bennett
2007
Dr. James Chancellor
2006
Dr. Ray Dionne
2005
Dr. Joel Weaver
2003
Dr. Joseph A. Giovannitti
2002
Dr. John Yagiela
2001
Dr. Ralph Epstein
2000
Dr. Larry Trapp
1999
The Larry D. Trapp Memorial Award recognizes and honors emerging Dentist Anesthesiologist educators who demonstrate an exemplary commitment to education, research, and/or service to the specialty of dental anesthesiology and the broader community.
This award is named in memory of Larry D. Trapp, DDS, MS, a founding leader of the ASDA and a pioneer in dental anesthesiology education. Dr. Trapp was a charter member and founding president of ASDA, a driving force behind specialty recognition, the first diplomate of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology (ADBA), and a dedicated educator and program director whose influence shaped generations of dentist anesthesiologists. His lifelong dedication to teaching, scholarship, and service embodies the spirit of this award, making it especially fitting to honor members dedicated to education and/or research.
Eligible nominees must be ASDA members in good standing, graduates of a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited dental anesthesiology residency program, have been in a faculty role for five (5) years or less at the time of nomination, and hold a current faculty appointment in education and/or research with a full-time equivalent (FTE) of at least 0.40.
How recipients are chosen:
Service and Memorial Award recipients are nominated by ASDA members each year for consideration by the ASDA Committee on Awards. The Committee reviews all submitted nominations and recommends one nominee for each award to the ASDA Board of Directors. Selection requires a two-thirds majority vote of the full committee. If the Committee is unable to identify a suitable candidate for an award, that award may not be presented in a given year.
Once the ASDA Board of Directors approves the nominee, ASDA will formally notify the honoree of their selection. A copy of the formal notification will be maintained permanently by ASDA as part of the organization’s records and in recognition of this honor.
The keynote lecture at the ASDA Annual Scientific Session is named in honor of Dr. John A. Yagiela, recognizing his extraordinary contributions as an educator, researcher, leader, and advocate for the advancement of Dental Anesthesiology.
John Yagiela was a leader in our field of Dental Anesthesiology. He retired from the UCLA School of Dentistry in 2011, after 30 years of service, as a Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Dental Anesthesiology. Dr. Yagiela was awarded the trifecta of Dental Anesthesiology awards – The Monheim Award from the ASDA, the Heidbrink Award from the ADSA and the Horace Wells Awards from IFDAS. John was a past president of the American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists and the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology. As President of our society, after the 1999 Specialty attempt, he proposed to the Commission on Dental Accreditation that it should accredit our residency programs. The recommendation was accepted and the standards for accreditation were approved in 2005, resulting in improved training opportunities for dentist anesthesiologists. Unfortunately, John passed away in 2012, before Dental Anesthesiology became the 10th recognized specialty in Dentistry, March 11, 2019.
John’s textbook of pharmacology became the standard reference for dental students in the US and he was also a prolific researcher, contributing to the field of dental anesthesiology. John was always the smartest person in the room (apologies to all the smart people in this room). He had an amazing recall of scientific articles and facts – so much so that many of us experienced some anxiety when he was in the audience. And, holy cow, if he asked a question……
John was “first and foremost a teacher”. He realized that there was a gap between didactic education in pharmacology and its clinical application. His goal as an educator was to bridge this gap. He always maintained very high standards for himself and all who he taught because he understood that the substandard administration of sedative and anesthetic agents was a leading cause of significant patient morbidity and mortality in dentistry.
Presenters of the John A. Yagiela Memorial Lecture are selected by the Committee on Annual Meetings and Programs each year.
