Hussein Basma, D.D.S., M.S., has been selected to receive the 2024 UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching for his exceptional accomplishments in didactic and clinical education.

Basma is an assistant professor in the UAB School of Dentistry Department of Periodontology and course director in Case Based Education 1, Periodontology D3, Periodontology Preceptorship Program, Periodontology Case Conference and Periodontology Digital Dentistry.

After receiving his Master of Sciences and Certificate in Periodontology from UAB, Basma joined the full-time faculty to teach at both the pre-and post-doctoral levels. He has since launched a preceptorship program catering to dentists seeking additional didactic and research-based exposure in the field of periodontology and implantology.

Nominators noted Basma’s dedication to enhancing his predoctoral students’ clinical skills.

“He voluntarily devoted countless hours after school to teach students the art of administering ‘painless’ injections — a skill that has become indispensable in our times in clinic,” according to a nominating letter signed by the Class of 2025. “His methods not only alleviate patient discomfort but also exemplify his tireless efforts to equip us with practical skills essential for our development.”

In addition to his innovative teaching, Basma is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and an associate scientist in the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS). His research and teaching efforts focus on bone augmentation, full-arch rehabilitation, multidisciplinary care, and integration of technology.

Basma's “research in soft and hard tissue augmentation for dental implants has not only advanced the field of periodontology but has also directly influenced our clinical practice,” the nominators continued. “By integrating digital technologies into his research and teaching, Dr. Basma has equipped us with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the evolving landscape of modern periodontal care.”