Jeanne Craig Sinkford, dean emerita of the Howard University College of Dentistry, will receive the prestigious William John Gies Award from the American College of Dentists. It is the highest accolade the organization bestows.
Dr. Sinkford was appointed associate dean at the Howard University College of Dentistry in 1967. In 1975, she broke the gender barrier when she was appointed dean of Howard University College of Dentistry, the first woman to lead a U.S. dental school. She served as dean from 1975 to 1991.
“The William John Gies Award 2020 is both an inspiration and a treasure that I will value always,” Dr. Sinkford said. “As an octogenarian and one of the first women members of the college, I continue to serve and devote my life to the advancement of women and minorities. While this award recognizes past achievements, it also is a compelling call to action for continued support of the lofty ideals of the American College of Dentists on which our beloved profession depends.”
Dr. Sinkford enrolled at Howard University when she was 16 years old. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and chemistry, she went on to earn a doctor of dental medicine degree at Howard. Later, Professor Sinkford earned a Ph.D. in physiology at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.