CHICAGO--A study titled "Treatment of periodontal disease and the risk of preterm birth" is the 2007 recipient of the American Academy of Periodontology's Clinical Research Award.

Authors of the research are Bryan S. Michalowicz, James S. Hodges, Anthony J. DiAngelis, Virginia R. Lupo, M. John Novak, James E. Ferguson, William Buchanan, James Bofill, Panos N. Papapanou, Dennis A. Mitchell, Stephen Matseoane, and Pat A. Tschida.

The study appeared in the November 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study examined if periodontal (gum) treatment in pregnant women with periodontitis alters the number and timing of preterm births. The study was supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health.

This annual award honors an outstanding published scientific manuscript having direct clinical relevance and application to the practice of periodontics. The manuscript must have appeared in peer-reviewed scientific literature within the prior calendar year. The Clinical Research Award was sponsored by Quintessence Publishing.