Dr. Paul Benjamin: A Legacy of Excellence and Enthusiasm in Dentistry

• Member Spotlight

Dr. Paul Benjamin is not just a dentist; he’s a beacon of enthusiasm and excellence in the dental profession. Whether at a professional gathering or a casual get-together, his presence lights up the room. The enthusiasm, dedication, and excellence that he has brought to the dental profession through practice, research, and teaching have always been extraordinary. And he not only has fun doing so, but he also makes you have a good time too.

One of his favorite stories is how he was the first graduate of the first dental class of the University of Florida College of Dentistry. Since there was no one with an ‘A’ last name in that class, Benjamin was literally the first to cross the stage at graduation. This early achievement set the tone for a career marked by humor, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. He has maintained the humor and excitement of the profession to this day.

After years of private practice in Miami, in 2004 Dr. Benjamin received some information about a new endeavor in dentistry: practice-based research. The Dental Practice-Based Research Network, which later became the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network, promised to bring an additional component to his practice and patients. He jumped on the opportunity and, after attending the very first introduction and orientation session in Florida, joined on the spot.

The National Dental PBRN was committed to practitioners identifying and approving the studies of most interest to practitioners through the Executive Council (EC). Benjamin’s interest and enthusiasm resulted in him becoming a charter member of the EC from one of the five Network regions on the Executive Council, serving from 2005 to 2012. As a member of the EC, he not only helped steer the course of the research but also allowed him to share his experience participating in research in national meetings with NIDCR (National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research), the ADA (American Dental Association), AGD (Academy of General Dentistry), and more.

While an active practitioner-investigator in in-office research, he participated in five multiyear studies and contributed to 17 Network manuscripts. Over his career, Dr. Benjamin has authored many peer-reviewed publications in a variety of journals, including JADA (Journal of the American Dental Association), Journal of Public Health Dentistry, Journal of Endodontics, and the Journal of Dental Education. He also has authored several peer-reviewed presentations at AADR (American Association of Dental Research), IADR (International Association of Dental Research), and other research meetings.

Dr. Benjamin has always been a standard-bearer for the profession. In fact, he gave a presentation in 2009 to the Minnesota Dental Association entitled “Promoting evidence-based dentistry through PBRNs: learning never gets old!” And it didn’t: promoting evidence-based dentistry and practice-based research did not stop him, not even when he retired from private practice. He started a new career as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Florida College of Dentistry Hialeah Clinic. His style of encouragement, kindness, and humor made him one of the most popular instructors for the past nine years, attested by his award as “Dentist of the Year,” given by the South Florida Dental Association in 2012. His leadership in academia can also be exemplified by his role as Chairperson of the Operative Dentistry Section of the University of Florida, Hialeah Dental Clinic from 2009 to 2014.

The Network and profession owe him a debt of gratitude for all his contributions, and we wish him well in his retirement from academia. We hope he will continue to share some of the wonderful pictures he takes, especially now that he can dedicate more time to the hobby. Though he will not be as actively involved in dentistry and research, we expect we will still hear from him now and then.