Dr. Philip Kang Recognized for Advancing Periodontal Education

For periodontal residents, educators, and clinicians, keeping up with an expanding body of research can be a daunting task. Dr. Philip Kang, professor of dental medicine at CUMC and director of the Periodontics Postdoctoral Program at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, led the development of a reference list that is helping them navigate that literature and supporting periodontal education around the world.

Kang received the American Academy of Periodontology’s (AAP) 2026 Special Citation Award for his leadership in creating the AAP Periodontal Literature Reference List. As chair of the AAP Postgraduate Program Directors Committee, he led a working group of 12 program directors and department chairs from across the United States, with additional contributions from periodontal educators nationwide.

The project addressed a need shared across postgraduate programs: an updated foundation for reviewing the research that informs periodontal science and practice. Kang recalled that programs had long relied on a widely used literature review published in 1996. Decades of subsequent research made a new reference list an increasingly important undertaking.

“Everybody felt that we needed this,” Kang said.

Over more than a year and a half, the team identified topics spanning basic science and clinical research, from anatomy and pharmacology to periodontal treatment and dental implantology. Participants selected subjects based on their interests and expertise, then worked in smaller groups to identify relevant literature.

The process also included cross-review among volunteers and input from educators attending an AAP annual meeting workshop. Those contributions helped the team refine a resource that programs and individuals could adapt to their educational needs.

Coordinating the effort required persistence. Participants balanced the project with demanding academic and clinical responsibilities, meeting remotely across time zones. Kang credits the group’s commitment to a shared goal with bringing the project to completion.

“It was a group effort, for sure,” he said. “Every single one of them was very helpful, and then we worked really hard, every single one of us.”

Now available for free download on the AAP website, the list has been widely downloaded by individuals, postgraduate programs, and academic institutions worldwide. Its applications extend beyond periodontics to prosthodontists and other clinicians working with dental implants.

At Columbia, Kang said, periodontal residents use the list to guide their regular reading. For educators, it offers a foundation for coursework and discussion; for clinicians and researchers, a starting point for exploring evidence that informs clinical practice. Continued updates will be essential as new research emerges.

For Kang, the award recognizes both that practical impact and the collaboration behind it.

“It feels wonderful, and I'm especially proud to receive this award as a Columbia faculty member. I've been at Columbia for many years, and one thing I've always appreciated is that we're encouraged not just to educate our own students and residents, but to make a broader impact on our profession. This project brought together educators from across the country, and seeing something we created being used around the world is incredibly fulfilling. To me, this award is not just a personal recognition. It reflects the spirit of collaboration, academic excellence, and leadership that we value at Columbia.”