Alexandria, VA – The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) has announced Lois Cohen as the 2026 recipient of the AADOCR Jack Hein Public Service Award. Cohen, from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), was recognized during the Opening Ceremonies of the 55th Annual Meeting of the AADOCR, which was held in conjunction with the 104th General Session of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) and the 50th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research on March 25-28, 2026 in San Diego, CA.
Cohen began her career with a Ph.D. in sociology, joining what is now the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As a social scientist, she became part of a small team that gave rise to the field of social and behavioral science research in dentistry. Cohen retired in 2006 after serving as Associate Director for International Health at the NIDCR, Director of the Division of Extramural Research and the Assistant Director for International Health at the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR, renamed NIDCR in 1998). She is currently a consultant and advisor of several U.S. and international organizations such as the NIDCR, the American Dental Association, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Throughout her career, Cohen coordinated and facilitated intramural and extramural international research activities, as well as staff involvement in multi-lateral, bilateral and organizational representation abroad. She served as the Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Dental & Craniofacial Research, established in 1980 under the umbrella of the NIDR. Cohen’s research contributions include authoring more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals and editing four books on the social sciences and dentistry.
Cohen served as president of the IADR Behavioral, Epidemiologic and Health Services Research Group (BEHSR) in 1977 and as a member-at-large on the IADR Board of Directors in 1977-78. She won the 1996 IADR BEHSR Award, the 2002 IADR Distinguished Service Award, and the 2021 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Global Oral Health Research, since renamed the John Greenspan Global Oral Health Research Award.
AADOCR established the Jack Hein Public Service Award to honor those AADOCR members who have given exemplary service in the area of public affairs by consistently promoting the interests and activities of oral health research to a wide constituency. The recipients are selected by the AADOCR Government Affairs Committee.
About AADOCR
The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. AADOCR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. AADOCR is the largest division of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. Learn more at www.aadocr.org.
