American Association of Endodontists Announces 2023 Award Winners

The AAE is announcing the recipients of its prestigious awards, formally presented at the Association’s annual meeting in Chicago on May 6, 2023.

Terryl A. Propper, D.D.S., M.S., is receiving the Association’s highest honor: the Edgar D. Coolidge Award. Dr. Propper is a graduate of Sophie Newcomb Women’s College of Tulane University, University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and UNC Chapel Hill graduate endodontic program, where she received her certificate and M.S.

She began her career as a general dentist before being selected as a 1986 ADA Hillenbrand Fellowship Finalist. She is a former assistant director of marketing for the American Dental Association and former member of the ADA’s speaker bureau. Dr. Propper lectured across the U.S and Canada as part of the Success team and founded and edited the award-winning ADA Marketing newsletter, Dynamic Dental Strategies, for which the ADA won a Golden Apple Award.

Dr. Propper has represented both the TDA (Tennessee Dental Association) and her specialty in a variety of leadership roles in local, state and national associations. She has served in leadership roles with the Nashville Dental Society, and was elected president in 2001, the second female to hold that office in 50 years. She was honored to be named the first female president of the TDA in its 154-year history in 2020.

She is known as a trailblazer, an innovator, a visionary and a change agent. She made positive changes as president to meet the needs of members across the state. Through the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked to advocate for dentists in the state and led the association through its first steps toward recovery.

She initiated and co-chaired the UTHSC college of dentistry fund drive to support the Special Needs Clinic and engaged the alumna to surpass the set goal. In 2019, she was the White Coat speaker at the UTHSC graduation and left the students with the message: “Treat patients well and act in an ethical and professional manner. Success will follow.”

As a TDA life member, Dr. Propper has received numerous awards for leadership and accomplishments in her field. She has been awarded the TDA fellowship and CE award; the Nashville Dental Society Richard Sullivan Award; the Lucy Hobbs Project, Women to Watch award; the Tulane University Bea Fields Alumni award; the Outstanding Alumna award from the University of Tennessee dental school and most recently the coveted Jack Wells Memorial Award presented by the TDA.

In 2016, Dr. Propper served as president of the AAE. She has been an active member of the AAE since she was a resident, chairing more than 15 committees, serving on the strategic planning committee and serving on the AAE Foundation and AAE Board. Her presidency was filled with initiatives to foster participation by younger members and to engage them early in their careers. Dr. Propper has received the AAE’s Spirit of Service Award and the President’s Award. She has left her legacy with the AAE leading the way with energy, humility, candor and the unexpected. Her leadership style is that of consensus and enthusiasm and if she is involved in a project, it will be achieved with class and sass!