Alex Matthews, a DMD/MPH dual-degree student at the School of Dental Medicine, earned top recognition this spring at the 2025 Ohio Public Health Conference in Columbus, taking home First Place in the Student Oral Presentation competition for his project titled Ohio Pediatric Dentists’ Perspectives on Access to Dental Care for Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs.
In addition to this significant achievement, Matthews was awarded Second Place in the 2025 Predoctoral Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Dentistry by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry—a national recognition that highlights excellence in research and service related to public health and dentistry. The project receiving this accolade was titled Dental Care Access for Children with Special Healthcare Needs in Ohio.
Earlier this year, Matthews made history as the first-ever Case Western Reserve University student to win first place in the Student Competition for the Advancement of Dental Research and its Application (SCADA) at the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research’s Annual Meeting. His award-winning project, Dental Hygienists’ Awareness and Support for Emerging Oral Health Personnel, stood out among entries from across the country. More than 1,500 students compete annually at the local level for the opportunity to represent their schools at the national competition; Matthews was selected as CWRU’s representative in October and triumphed on the national stage in March, marking a major milestone in the 66-year history of the SCADA program.
Matthews' research was conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Sena Narendran, a longtime faculty member and advocate for community-based dental education and public health research, and his achievements underscore the strength of the DMD/MPH dual-degree program, which prepares future dentists to approach oral health through a public health lens—focusing on prevention, policy and health equity.
His success at these conferences are proud moments for the university and a reflection of the impact student research can have on the future of health care delivery.