The American College of Prosthodontists is pleased to announce that its president, Lily T. Garcia, D.D.S., M.S., F.A.C.P., is the recipient of the 2012 Hispanic Dental Association Women’s Leadership Award. The HDA’s dedication toward the elimination of oral health disparities begins with service and education and continues through advocacy and leadership.
“To receive recognition from my colleagues, who represent my cultural heritage and have experienced similar challenges to achieve excellence in our profession, is so special to me,” said Dr. Garcia. “As advocates for strong dental education and best practices in oral health, we strive to improve patient outcomes.”
The 2012 HDA Awards Luncheon was held in Boca Raton, Florida. Presented by the HDA Board of Trustees, the Women’s Leadership Award recognizes and honors women who have helped to advance the HDA mission, displayed exceptional character and distinguished themselves as outstanding role models in the field of dentistry through service, education, advocacy and leadership.
Dr. Garcia is the first female Hispanic president of the American College of Prosthodontists. She began her one-year term as ACP President on Nov. 2, 2011. This has been a year of national advocacy and collaboration among the dental specialty organizations, and Dr. Garcia has led a comprehensive strategic plan for the ACP’s future. She also led the ACP’s sponsorship of the Ad Council’s first oral health campaign in its 70-year history, among other promotional efforts to raise awareness for the specialty of prosthodontics.
“As a prosthodontist, I know that oral health is part of our overall well-being. To be recognized by the Hispanic Dental Association is truly an honor,” said Dr. Garcia.
Dr. Garcia is also Professor and Division Head of the Advanced Education and External Affairs in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.
For ADEA, Dr. Garcia has led a task force to create guidelines for interactions between Academia and Industry which serves as a reference for all dental education entities on a national level, as well as for other professional organizations.
As an accomplished author and editor of numerous articles, abstracts and dental textbooks, Dr. Garcia is quoted in WebMD and a baby boomer insert in USA Today. She served as a reviewer and editorial board member for several scientific journals, and co-authored the texts Removable Partial Dentures-A Clinician’s Guide and Osseointegration and Occlusal Rehabilitation.