Page 21 - Academy of Osseointegration (AO) Academy News Vol 36, No 1 2025

Osseointegration Foundation receives approval for 2025-26 board
The officers and directors for the Osseointegration Foundation (OF) have been selected, as approved by the Academy of Osseointegration (AO) Board of Directors at its October 2024 meeting.
With Mehrdad Favagehi, DDS, MS, elected as president, the OF’s slate also includes the addition of two new directors, Christian Mertens, DDS, PhD and Megan A. Ratliff, DDS, MS. Dr. Mertens was elected to fulfill the remainder of the term for Lesley A. David, DDS. Dr. Ratliff was elected to a full, three-year term.
Dr. Favagehi has been in
private practice in Falls
Church, VA, since 1999
with his wife, Lourdes Ann
Christopher, DDS, MS. He
has also served as an adjunct
faculty member (Clinical
Assistant Professor) at the
Department of Periodontics
at Virginia Commonwealth
University School of Dentistry (VCU) since 1998. Dr. Favagehi graduated from VCU in 1994 and completed
his specialty training in periodontics & dental implant surgery at The Ohio State University in 1997 where he also received a Master of Science degree in Oral Biology.
Dr. Favagehi has been active with OF and AO, including currently serving as editor of Academy News since
2020. He also serves on the Membership and Website Education Committees. Dr. Favagehi was previously chair of the Research Submissions Committee and a member of the Bylaws Committee.
Dr. Mertens, from the University of Heidelberg Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery,
is currently a member of the Website Education, 2025 Annual Meeting, AO Credential Board, Global
Program Development and AO/ OF Research Grant committees.
A member since 2008, Dr. Ratliff is currently active on the Membership and ePoster committees. She also previously served on the Clinical Innovations Committee.
With the generous support of its extensive community of donors, the Foundation in 2024 has been able to provide:
• A cumulative total of nearly $150,000 in Basic; Translational and Clinical; and Restorative Science Grants to dental academic faculty and students pursuing groundbreaking implant research.
• $40,000 in named Research and Education funds to sponsor the Opening Symposium, Closing Session and Young Clinicians’ Luncheon at the 2024 Annual Meeting. The OF will continue to support these functions with these named funds at the 2025 Annual Meeting in Seattle.
• $25,000 in Travel Grants to students from around
the globe a cornerstone opportunity to present their research at the Academy’s Annual Meeting in Charlotte, NC.
• $25,000 to bestow the 16th annual Nobel Biocare Brånemark Osseointegration Award to honor an individual’s impact on, and leadership in, the field of implant dentistry in any or all of the Foundation’s mission categories.
2025-2026
OF Board of Directors
Officers
President
AO Fellow Mehrdad Favagehi, DDS, MS Vice President
Nipul K. Tanna, DMD, MS Secretary/Treasurer
Binnaz Leblebicioglu, DDS, MS, PhD Past President
Hans-Peter Weber, DMD Directors
AO Fellow Joerg Neugebauer, DDS, PhD (one year term)
AO Fellow Amerian D. Sones, DMD, MS
AO Fellow Robert J. Miller, DDS
NEW: AO Fellow Christian Mertens, DDS, PhD NEW: Megan A. Ratliff, DDS, MS
21