Donald E. Willmann, D.D.S., M.S. received the Stephen H. Leeper Award for Teaching Excellence.
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Donald E. Willmann, D.D.S., M.S., professor of periodontics in the Dental School of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, recently received the Stephen H. Leeper Award for Teaching Excellence from the Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) National Dental Honor Society.

The Leeper Award, awarded to one OKU member per year, recognizes dental educators who adopt novel and creative methods to instruct students, faculty and administrators. Dr. Willmann received the award in New Orleans at OKU’s annual business meeting, held in conjunction with the American Dental Education Association annual meeting.

Dr. Willmann is director of the predoctoral division in the department of periodontics. He has designed and taught courses in periodontics for all levels of students, and has received more than two dozen awards for teaching.

Textbook author
Among his works, he is co-author of the textbook Foundations of Periodontics for the Dental Hygienist, which is used in numerous dental hygiene programs throughout the U.S.

Dr. Willmann served on the steering committee of the Academic Center for Excellence in Teaching, which is encouraging educational scholarship and excellence in teaching at the Health Science Center.

Second Leeper Award winner
Dr. Willmann is the second Leeper Award winner from the Dental School. Tom Marshall, D.D.S., retired associate professor of restorative dentistry, received the award in 2003. Both men represented the Mu Nu Chapter, which is the Health Science Center chapter of OKU. The Leeper Award was inaugurated in 1998.

Periodontics specialty
According to the American Dental Association’s official definition, “Periodontics is that specialty of dentistry which encompasses the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth or their substitutes and the maintenance of the health, function and esthetics of these structures and tissues.”