Each year, the Annual Awards Committee selects for the PDA Distinguished Service Award a dentist:
- whose contribution of time and effort to PDA has been exceptionally significant,
- whose significant achievements and high standards have been of such character as to have materially aided and advanced the science and art of dentistry or
- whose public life and activities have been of such a nature as to reflect great credit upon the profession.
The nominee shall have the endorsement of their local society or of at least 25 PDA members in good standing.
Past Recipients of the PDA Distinguished Service Award**
| 1946 – Dr. George T. Gregg | 1974 – Dr. Isaac Sissman | 2003 – Dr. John W. Staubach | ||
| 1947 – Dr. John J. Stetzer Sr. | 1975 – Dr. Lester W. Burke | 2004 – Dr. Eli Stavisky | ||
| 1948 – Dr. R. Hamill D. Swing | 1976 – Dr. Jay H. Eshleman | 2005 – Dr. Augustine J. Chialastri | ||
| 1949 – Dr. Milon P. Eaton | 1977 – Dr. Charles F. McDermott | 2006 – Dr. Ronald B. Gross | ||
| 1950 – Dr. Cris S. Van Horn | 1978 – Dr. Laurence L. Lathrop | 2007 – Dr. Ronald D. Bushick | ||
| 1951 – None | 1979 – Dr. Bernard Shair | 2008 – Dr. George A. Kirchner | ||
| 1952 – Dr. George S. Schlegel | 1980 – Dr. Dale F. Roeck | 2009 – Dr. William G. Glecos | ||
| 1953 – Dr. Joseph D. Whiteman | 1981 – Dr. W. Arthur George | 2010 – Dr. Judith A. McFadden | ||
| 1954 – Dr. W. Earle Craig | 1982 – Dr. Edward J. Forrest | 2011 – Dr. Richard J. Galeone | ||
| 1955 – Dr. Zachary Jackaway | 1983 – Dr. John L. Bomba | 2012 – Dr. Charles R. Weber | ||
| 1956 – Dr. Cloyd S. Harkins | 1984 – Dr. George P. Boucek | 2013 – Dr. Craig A. Eisenhart | ||
| 1957 – Dr. Albert R. Pechan | 1985 – Dr. Alex J. McKechnie Jr. | 2014 – Dr. Robert S. Runzo | ||
| 1958 – Dr. Leroy M. Ennis | 1986 – Dr. Waldo G. Gamba | 2015 – Dr. Linda K. Himmelberger | ||
| 1959 – Dr. Herbert K. Cooper | 1987 – Dr. William A. Booth | 2016 – Dr. Jerrold H. Axler | ||
| 1960 – Dr. William F. Swanson | 1988 – Dr. Eugene E. Katz | 2017 – Dr. Andrew J. Kwasny | ||
| 1961 – Dr. Walter Wade | 1989 – Dr. James W. Smudski | 2018 – Dr. William T. Spruill | ||
| 1962 – Dr. Charles H. Patton | 1990 – Dr. William B. Trice | 2019 – Dr. Raymond R. Lancione | ||
| 1963 – Dr. Gerald D. Timmons | 1991 – Dr. Nicholas D. Saccone | 2020 – Dr. Ronald K. Heier | ||
| 1964 – Dr. George A. Coleman | 1992 – Dr. Lester L. Levin | 2021 – Dr. Jay R. Wells, III | ||
| 1965 – Dr. Harry K. Willits | 1993 – Dr. Marvin Sniderman | 2022 – Dr. Stephen T. Radack, III | ||
| 1966 – Dr. Clarence Hagan | 1994 – Dr. Frank J. Sammartino | 2023 – Dr. John F. Erhard, III | ||
| 1967 – Dr. Thomas P. Fox | 1995 – Dr. Simon A. Horkowitz | 2024 – Dr. Bruce Terry | ||
| 1968 – Dr. Albert Goho | 1996 – Dr. George W. Brett | 2025 – Dr. Cynthia L. Schuler | ||
| 1969 – Dr. R. E. V. Miller Sr. | 1997 – Dr. Marlin A. Miller | |||
| 1970 – Dr. W. Harry Archer | 1998 – Dr. Kay F. Thompson | |||
| 1971 – Dr. Homer D. Butts Jr. | 1999 – Dr. Herman M. Aqua | |||
| 1972 – Dr. Albert L. Borish | 2000 – Dr. Jack H. Neff* | |||
| 1973 – Dr. Victor H. Frank | 2002 – Dr. John B. Lathrop | |||
*Posthumously
**Formerly known as the PDA Annual Award, renamed in 2008.