Portland, Ore.
Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry recently selected Bruce A. Burton, D.M.D., to receive its John C. Peterson Alumnus of the Year Award.
Burton is president-elect of the Academy of General Dentistry, the second largest dental organization in the world, representing the needs of more than 37,000 general dentists internationally. He has volunteered significant time to the Oregon Dental Association and the Mid-Columbia Dental Society.
Burton is committed to continually improving his clinical skills through quality continuing dental education. He has earned both fellowship and mastership awards from the Academy of General Dentistry, and fellowship awards from both the American Society of Dentistry for Children and the Academy of Dentistry International.
Burton is extremely active in the Hood River community. He coached football, one of his many passions, at Hood River Valley High School for more than 20 years. For six of those years, he served as head coach. He also has coached Little League and youth basketball.
"For me, Dr. Burton is the ultimate role model," said Claire Campbell, D.M.D., who served with Burton on the board of the Oregon Academy of General Dentistry and presented him with the alumnus award. "He is an amazing leader and the most genuine of individuals. He is an outstanding clinical dentist. He has and continues to sacrifice so much for his profession and his community. He is truly the type of individual that we should be proud to claim as our own."
Burton and his wife of 30 years, Constance, have three children. His hobbies include gardening and sports.
The John C. Peterson Alumnus of the Year Award was created to recognize an alumnus for their years of service and to advocate for dentists and dental hygienists to take an active role in guiding the future of their community, their school and the dental profession. Peterson was a 1955 graduate of the North Pacific Dental College and served as the School of Dentistry Alumni Association president in 1991.
The 105-year-old School of Dentistry is Oregon's only dental school and one of two dental schools in the Northwest. More than 80 percent of Oregon's dentists graduated from the OHSU School of Dentistry. For more information about the OHSU School of Dentistry, visit www.ohsu.edu/sod