Dr. Joel Berg of Bellevue has been named the Washington Dental Service Foundation Distinguished Professor for Dentistry for 2011-13.

Berg, one of the nation’s leading pediatric dentists, is the Lloyd and Kay Chapman Chair for Oral Health and Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs at the UW School of Dentistry, dental director at Seattle Children’s hospital and director of the Center for Pediatric Dentistry, a joint venture by the UW and Seattle Children’s that concluded its first year of operation in September. He is also president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

“I am extremely pleased and grateful to the Washington Dental Service Foundation for providing this platform to help advance dentistry and oral health research,” Berg said.

Berg received his DDS in 1983, a Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry in 1985 and an MS in Oral Biology in 1985, all from the University of Iowa. Before joining the UW, he also served on dental faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Texas.

Berg also has notable experience in the private sector. He has been executive vice president for research and clinical affairs for ESPE America, Inc. and vice president for clinical affairs for Philips Oral Healthcare.

Berg has authored or co-authored more than a hundred abstracts, articles and chapters, and is co-editor of a textbook on early childhood oral health. His current research includes new technologies for early caries detection, and he is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and International College of Dentists, as well as a board director of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry.