Each year, the Annual Awards Committee selects for the PDA Recognition Award a dentist:
- who has contributed original research,
- 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 health profession.
Past Recipients of the PDA Recognition Award
| 1977 – Dr. George P. Boucek | 2002 – Dr. Gregory D. Pence | 2022 – Dr. Stanley J. Heleniak |
| 1978 – Mr. Henry Thornton | 2003 – Dr. Susan E. Calderbank | 2023 – Dr. R. Donald Hoffman |
| 1983 – Dr. Gerald J. Cox | 2004 – Dr. Leonard Abrams | 2024 – Dr. Roopali Kulkarni |
| 1986 – Dr. Arthur C. McFeaters* | 2006 – Dr. Dennis N. Ranalli | 2025 – Dr. Hyeran Helen Jeon |
| 1987 – Dr. H. William Gross | 2008 – Dean Marjorie K. Jeffcoat | |
| 1988 – Dr. Anthony L. Checchio | 2009 – Dr. Elliot V. Hersh | |
| 1990 – Dr. Emanuel Ploumis | 2012 – Dr. Thomas W. Braun | |
| 1991 – Dr. Betty J. McWilliams | 2015 – Dr. Steven R. Jefferies | |
| 1992 – Dr. Manuel M. Album | 2016 – Dr. Susan M. Chialastri | |
| 1993 – Dr. C. Everett Koop | 2017 – Dr. Paul A. Moore | |
| 1994 – Dr. Benedict Kimmelman | 2018 – Dr. Thomas P. Sollecito | |
| 1995 – Dr. Samuel B. Detweiler | 2019 – Dr. Bernie P. Dishler | |
| 1996 – Dr. David C. Hamilton | 2020 – Dr. Mark S. Wolff | |
| 2021 – Dr. R. Donald Hoffman |
*Posthumously