Steven E. Schonfeld, DDS, PhD
Although
I was born in New York
City (and yes, I still like the Yankees), and although my wife and I
now live in Colorado, we've been Californians for about 43 years (go
Giants!). After
graduating with a B.S. in biology from Stony
Brook
University (with a New York
State
Regents Scholarship) in 1969, I attended New
York University
College of Dentistry (also with
a
New
York State Regents Scholarship), graduating in 1973. My wife
and I then moved to Los Angeles, where I had a fellowship from the
National Institutes of Health to pursue a Ph.D. in Cellular and
Molecular Biology at the University
of
Southern
California. After
finishing my PhD in 1976, I joined the faculty at the USC
School of
Dentistry where I taught
full-time in the Basic Science Department and had an active research
program supported by grants from the National
Institute of Dental (and
Craniofacial) Research and
private industry. I chaired the
Microbiology/Immunology Section of the Basic Science Department from
1978-1985 and also had a joint appointment in the Graduate
School. I served on the dissertation committees of a number
of
PhD students and supervised the research of two PhD
candidates.
During that time, I also did an advanced program
in
Periodontics
at USC, getting my Certificate in Periodontics in 1983.
I eventually moved from the Basic Science Department to the Department of Periodontology, which I chaired from 1986-1991. I also practiced periodontics on a part-time basis in Huntington Beach.
I am a membmer of the national dental honor societiy Omicron Kappa Upsilon, and hold fellowships in the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the American College of Dentists. I was awarded both the Edward Hatton Award (postdoctoral) and the Scientific Sponsor Award by the International Association for Dental Research.
In the Summer of 1990 the family visited Northern California and a dream was born. In July, 1991 I got a letter from a practice broker informing me that the periodontist in Eureka had to retire and asking if any of my periodontal residents wanted to buy the practice. By Labor Day, we sold our house, I quit my job at USC, closed my part-time practice; and my wife, 2 kids, the dog and I moved to Eureka (on the California Coast 275 miles north of San Francisco).
I practiced in Eureka from 1991 until 2012. Now that I am retired, my wife and I moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to be near our son and his family and to make it easier to visit our daughter and her family in Rhode Island..
While practicing in Eureka, I began a long period of service to my profession. I worked in volunteer leadership in the Humboldt-Del Norte Dental Society, the California Dental Association, American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association, Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), California Society of Periodontists, and the American Academy of Periodontology.
I eventually moved from the Basic Science Department to the Department of Periodontology, which I chaired from 1986-1991. I also practiced periodontics on a part-time basis in Huntington Beach.
I am a membmer of the national dental honor societiy Omicron Kappa Upsilon, and hold fellowships in the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the American College of Dentists. I was awarded both the Edward Hatton Award (postdoctoral) and the Scientific Sponsor Award by the International Association for Dental Research.
In the Summer of 1990 the family visited Northern California and a dream was born. In July, 1991 I got a letter from a practice broker informing me that the periodontist in Eureka had to retire and asking if any of my periodontal residents wanted to buy the practice. By Labor Day, we sold our house, I quit my job at USC, closed my part-time practice; and my wife, 2 kids, the dog and I moved to Eureka (on the California Coast 275 miles north of San Francisco).
I practiced in Eureka from 1991 until 2012. Now that I am retired, my wife and I moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to be near our son and his family and to make it easier to visit our daughter and her family in Rhode Island..
While practicing in Eureka, I began a long period of service to my profession. I worked in volunteer leadership in the Humboldt-Del Norte Dental Society, the California Dental Association, American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association, Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), California Society of Periodontists, and the American Academy of Periodontology.
Various
positions included:
- Humboldt-Del Norte Dental Society: Continuing Education Chair; Webmaster; President
- California Dental
Association: Delegate to House of Delegates; member, various ad-hoc
committees;
reviewer for Journal of the California Dental Association; Chair,
Council on Education & Professional Relations; Chair, Screening
Committee; member, Board of Trustees; member, Foundation Board, member,
Council on Government Affairs
- American Dental Association: Delegate to House of Delegates; Vice-Chair, Council on Dental Education and Licensure; Vice-Chair, Commission on Dental Accreditation
- JCAHO: Member, Network Professional and Technical Advisory Committee
- California Society of Periodontists: Board Member; President
- American Academy of Periodontology: Chair, ADA Liaison Committee; Chair, State & Regional Assembly Coordinating Committee; member, Leadership Development and Qualifications Committee; member, ad-hoc Committee to Revise Advanced Education Standards
- Omicron Kappa Upsilon: President, Zeta Chapter
- Colorado Dental Association: Member, Finance Council
