OMS Resident Wins Multiple Awards

Varun Arya DMD 14 OMFS 17
Varun Arya DMD 14 OMFS 17

Varun Arya DMD 14 OMFS 17 has made Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) and the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) proud by recently winning two separate, highly-competitive awards. In December 2014, Dr. Arya was the recipient of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Philip J. Boyne Memorial Scholarship, and in January 2015, Dr. Arya received the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery National Insurance Company (OMSNIC) educational grant award.

Each year, select residents receive the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Philip J. Boyne Memorial Scholarship based on academic excellence and their contribution to research in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Dr. Arya’s research during his residency training is focused on temporomandibular joint and orthognathic surgery. He has been mentored by Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Dr. Pushkar Mehra.

As part of the scholarship, Dr. Arya received financial support from Geistlich Biomaterials to attend the 2014 AAOMS Dental Implant Conference held in Chicago, Illinois, from December 4–6, 2014.

“This was a very rewarding experience. It provided me with an exceptional educational opportunity on a high-level platform to expand my knowledge and understanding about diagnosis and treatment planning relative to dental implant surgery,” said Dr. Arya.

In January 2015, Dr. Arya received the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery National Insurance Company (OMSNIC) educational grant award for his case submission “Lesion Associated with Disturbance in Tooth Eruption.” Cases submitted to OMSNIC by oral and maxillofacial surgery residents, faculty, and clinicians are considered by the OMSNICase Review Committee. The surgical case presented by Dr. Ayra demonstrated successful treatment of a 13-year-old patient who had a benign tumor of the jaw, which was successfully removed by Dr. Arya and Associate Professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dr. Radhika Chigurupati.

OMSNICase, the collection of selected cases, provides learning opportunities in a variety of settings including OMS teaching seminars, case presentations, case discussions, and resident rounds. They also serve as study tools for board examinations. Dr. Ayra’s case was published on OMSNIC’s website, and thanks to his efforts, the Boston University OMS residency program is receiving an unrestricted educational grant of $1,000 from OMSNIC.

“Dr. Arya has made all of us at GSDM proud! Despite having very heavy clinical responsibilities, he has managed to successfully participate in clinical research and extracurricular activities,” said Dr. Mehra. “Both of these awards are highly competitive at a national level and I congratulate him on these achievements.”

“Congratulations to Dr. Arya for his impressive accomplishments,” said Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter. “I’m also very pleased with the support Dr. Mehra and the Department of OMFS provided in support of Dr. Arya’s excellence in research and clinical care.”