Martin Kaplan, DMD, Becomes an Honorary Member of the American Laser Study Club
Martin Kaplan, DMD, has been awarded an Honorary Membership at the American Laser Study Club (ALSC). Dr. Kaplan was a recipient of the 2020 Kumar Patel Prize in Laser Surgery for his outstanding contribution to pediatric dental laser surgery education. He received this prestigious award at the ALSC’s third annual Symposium on February 29, 2020, in Delray Beach, FL.
Dr. Kaplan earned his dental degree at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1975. While attending dental school, he became involved with pediatric dentistry and was captivated by the comprehensive nature of the specialty and the ability to treat the youngest of patients and direct them to better oral and physical health.
Upon graduating from Tufts he was accepted into a pediatric dental residency program at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center in New York where he received his certification as a pediatric dentist.
Following the residency, he opened his pediatric dental practice in Stoughton, Massachusetts. In 2003, Dr. Kaplan became an early adopter of the soft and hard tissue dental lasers. He has been a volunteer laser instructor at Tufts Dental School in the post-graduate pediatric dental department. During 2015-2017 he developed the first in the country “Pediatric Laser Frenectomy” training class through the continuing education departments at Tufts University and Boston University. Dr. Kaplan continues to teach his program now through the American Laser Study Club. His courses were attended by thousands of dentists and physicians from around the globe.
Dr. Kaplan is a member of the American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society, the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition, Breastfeeding USA plus multiple other professional organizations, including the American Laser Study Club. Dr. Kaplan has authored several articles and book chapters both dental and breastfeeding related.
About the Kumar Patel Prize in Laser Surgery
The Kumar Patel Prize in Laser Surgery was named after C. Kumar N. Patel, PhD, MSc, the inventor of the carbon dioxide laser, which has become the most popular soft tissue surgical laser across all specialties of human and veterinary medicine. The Kumar Patel Prize is awarded based on the merits of the recipient’s contribution to science, education, and the practice of laser surgery.
About the American Laser Study Club
The ALSC was created to fill the void in the current laser dentistry and laser surgery education (i.e., the physics of laser-tissue interaction, such as absorption, scattering, ablation, coagulation and hemostasis, soft and hard tissue ablation, laser safety, etc.) and help dentists, physicians, veterinarians, and practice staff Members to excel at the efficient and safe application of laser energy in everyday practice. ALSC has designed its curriculum based on the peer-reviewed physics reviews on the foundations of laser-tissue interaction and laser surgery, the detailed physics of soft tissue ablation and coagulation with a laser beam and hot tip (non-laser) devices.