Dr. Barbara J. Steinberg

This marks the 60^th year of the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award.  A tradition since 1956, the award recognizes an exceptional alumnus who has been chosen based on general dentistry or specialty, education, healthcare advocacy, research, administration  and national and local dental services. It honors a dental innovator who displays outstanding professionalism, philanthropy and community service.

Since earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland College Park in 1972, this year’s honoree, Barbara J. Steinberg, DDS '74, has been working non-stop in the field of dentistry. Her efforts have resulted not only to advance the understanding of issues of dentistry within the professional community, but also in the greater community of patients and potential patients.

 She earned her DDS from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 1974 and her General Dental Practice Certificate from the Hospital of the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1976. At present, she holds nine positions at various institutions throughout the region, ranging from being on the Health, Nutrition and Fitness Advisory Board for Women’s Day Magazine to holding the position of Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Her many current roles include adjunct associate professor of Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine.

Dr. Steinberg specializes in the treatment of medically compromised patients.  She is a nationally and internationally invited lecturer in the areas of dental treatment of medically compromised patients and women’s health, having given hundreds of presentations by invitation on subjects ranging from “The Medically Compromised Dental Patient,” to “Dental Care for the Terminally Ill Patient.”

She has been a prolific contributor to the body of published materials in her fields of expertise, having authored numerous articles for professional journals as well as lay publications and has contributed to chapters in 20 text books.

For the last thirteen years Dr. Steinberg has been named by Dentistry Today “One of the Top Clinicians in Continuing Education”.  Dr. Steinberg is a former spokesperson for the American Dental Association on Women’s Oral Health Issues and has had numerous television appearances, including Good Morning America.  She represented the American Dental Association at a congressional briefing on Women’s Oral Health Issues.

Her community service involvement includes leadership roles in a range of projects, including having been part of a group of women dentists responsible for the restoration of the stained glass window depicting St. Apollonia that graces the National Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore.

Dr. Steinberg has served in consultant and advisory roles for a range of articles on oral health published in general circulation magazines ranging from Vogue to Ms. to Better Homes and Gardens.

Originally from Philadelphia, Dr. Steinberg lives in Margate, New Jersey with her husband, Alan J. Feldman, MD.

Sheryl Syme

Active in many community outreach efforts, honored four times as Dental Hygiene Teacher of the Year and a frequent presenter on many aspects of dental hygiene, Sheryl Syme, BS '88, RDH, MS, is this year’s Linda DeVore Dental Hygiene Alumnus Award honoree.

The award is presented to the dental hygiene graduate who represents the integrity , intellectual curiosity, community-mindedness and leadership epitomized by Ms. DeVore. Nominees are selected based on education and training, records of exceptional work experience, activism within the profession and impact on the future of dental hygiene.

Ms Syme earned her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and her master’s from the UMB Graduate School with an area of concentration in community/institutional health with focus in geriatrics. She is an associate professor and director of dental hygiene curriculum management and director of the Degree Completion Dental Hygiene Program. She has been in dental hygiene education for 22 years and was honored as Dental Hygiene Teacher of the year by the classes of 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.

Her many outreach efforts include having participated in an international dental mission for 20th Anniversary Operation Smile Vietnam, which provided screening, prevention and dental hygiene treatment services for over 800 school children; being Maryland State Clinical Director for the Special Olympics Special Smiles program; and serving as site visitor and curriculum expert for the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation.

Ms. Syme is Director of Education for the Mid-Atlantic P.A.N.D.A. Coalition an all-volunteer, non-profit organization with the mission to Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness. That organization recognized her this year with an award noting her many years of service.

Among her many written contributions to her field is a chapter she co-wrote on Abuse and Neglect for the 4th edition of Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice. She also is an editorial review board member for the Journal of Dental Hygiene.