Kevin Guze

"I can't begin to tell you the freedom this award has allowed me to pursue the training that I needed both in research and the clinical setting," says Kevin Guze, DMD, DMSc. Dr. Guze is the 2010 recipient of the Richard J. Lazzara Fellowship in Advanced Implant Surgery, sponsored by Biomet 3i. He serves as a postgraduate periodontal faculty member at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity.

Dr. Guze's current work is focused on bone regeneration. He is comparing platelet-derived growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein in vertical and horizontal ridge augmentations, looking at a new prominin peptide, conducting in vivo studies, and doing a retrospective analysis on implant failure. Over the past year, Dr. Guze has been clinically active in working on complex restorative cases, working directly with the restorative dentistry department on the finer details of restorative dentistry. Dr. Guze says, "I've had opportunities to teach and my research has been a very enjoyable part of my experience. I'm able to involve myself in projects that I feel will one day make an impact on how we practice regenerative dentistry."

Between being a husband and father to three children and his work, Dr. Guze says there is little time for anything else. This fall, however, he is planning a trip to Israel where he will work in a clinic that serves underprivileged children who represent Israelis of all faiths. "I consider it an honor to go there," says Dr. Guze. He adds, "It expensive to go, but you come back a lot richer than when you went."

When commenting on his award, Dr. Guze says, "This award was pivotal for me. If I had needed to go into private practice to support my family, I don't know if I would have been able to jump back into academia. I have been given the time to discover what will work for me and for my family. This has been a career changing gift."