Kent G. Palcanis, D.D.S., M.S.D., professor emeritus in the UAB School of Dentistry and a leader in academic dentistry, has been awarded the Fuller Award, the highest honor presented by the UAB School of Dentistry Alumni Association.
The award recognizes individuals whose contributions have had a lasting impact on the dental profession through leadership, service, and commitment to advancing the field.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Fuller Award,” Palcanis said. “Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work alongside outstanding colleagues and students who share a commitment to advancing our profession. This recognition is a result of those shared efforts over many years.”
Palcanis’s career reflects those qualities at every level. He joined the UAB faculty in 1987 in the Department of Periodontology and served as associate dean for academic affairs from 1988 until his retirement in 2007. During that time, he helped guide the evolution of the school’s educational programs, leading major curriculum development efforts and guiding the school through multiple successful accreditation cycles.
Palcanis is widely recognized as an educator and mentor. He contributed to the education of every graduating class at UAB over two decades, with a focus on clinical rigor, ethics, and a systematic approach to patient care that continues to shape how dentistry is taught today.
His leadership extended far beyond UAB. Through leadership roles with the American Academy of Periodontology and the American Board of Periodontology, he helped shape periodontal education, accreditation, and specialty certification nationwide. He served on the Academy's Board of Trustees and chaired its Committee on Education before going on to serve as executive director of the American Board of Periodontology for a decade. Through those roles, he helped advance standards for periodontal education and practice across the profession.
Colleagues and former students consistently point to his accessibility and steady guidance as defining characteristics of his career. Whether advising students through complex decisions or supporting faculty development, Palcanis built a culture of mentorship that extended well beyond the classroom.
“Dr. Palcanis has had a profound impact on dentistry, but his greatest influence may be the people he has mentored,” said Nicolaas Geurs, D.D.S., M.S., dean of the UAB School of Dentistry. “I have been fortunate to learn from him, and I know many others who would say the same. This recognition speaks to a lifetime of leadership, service, and commitment to the profession.”
In addition to his leadership in education, Palcanis has made a lasting impact on the future of the school through philanthropy. Together with his spouse, Phoebe, he established the Kent and Phoebe Palcanis Endowed Professorship in Periodontology. He also played a key role in supporting and helping fund the Weatherford/Palcanis Endowed Professorship in Dentistry, strengthening the department and its leadership.
In 2024, Palcanis was named to the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame, underscoring the scope of his contributions to academic dentistry. He also received the Fuller Award, the highest honor presented by the UAB School of Dentistry Alumni Association for outstanding contributions to the profession.
The Fuller Award was presented at the Gulf Coast Dental Conference.