- The School regularly awards awards and recognitions for scientific excellence.
- Award-winning researchers contribute to the visibility of the School in the academic community in Croatia and abroad.
Winners of the National Science Award
Prof. IVA ALAJBEG, PhD is the winner of the 2023 State Science Award in the field of biomedicine and health. The results of the scientific work are based on research conducted as part of two projects of the Croatian Society of Health Research (2015-2024). She first implemented the DNA isolation procedure at the School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, and the resulting results were presented in three scientific papers published in three international Q1 journals (Oral Diseases, Antioxidants and Scientific Reports) (IF 3,8, 7 and 4). She and her team proved that the gene for opiorphin, which was first investigated in painful disorders of the orofacial system, is a risk factor for temporomandibular disorders. The published results are relevant for further explanation of the fundamental mechanisms of chronic pain and have clinical application in the work of the Reference Center for Temporomandibular Disorders of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia. The published works are a continuation of scientific research published in 12 scientific papers in the period from 2017 to 2022 and form a whole that contributes to the understanding of temporomandibular disorders and their genetic predisposition.
Prof. IVANA MILETIĆ, PhD is the winner of the 2020 National Science Award in the field of biomedicine and health. During 2020, she published eight papers, five of which in high- impact journals, which are a continuation of years of efforts in the development of biologically and environmentally acceptable materials for the purpose of replacing dental amalgam in the treatment of dental caries. With her team, she designed biological materials with the addition of hydroxylapatite and nanoparticles and tested their physical and mechanical properties. A valuable contribution to the creation of global health policy that encourages the removal of harmful mercury compounds is a two-year multicenter clinical study conducted with collaborators from Italy, Turkey and Serbia on the effectiveness of two commercial dental restorative materials. Prof. Ivana Miletić designed and organized, and then conducted the analysis of the results, and is the first author of the study. This research laid the foundation for a collaboration with Germany's Charite University and the subsequent cost analysis of the global replacement of amalgam with biocompatible materials as a strategic goal of the World Dental Association.
Prof. HRVOJE BRKIĆ, PhD is the winner of the 2012 State Science Award in the field of biomedicine and health. He is awarded for the application of the results of scientific research work in the scientific field of biomedicine and health. The candidate's contribution is particularly evident in the development of the fields of dental anthropology, forensic dentistry and paleostomatology. He is the founder of the Department of Forensic Dentistry, of which he is the head, and a member of the Identification Team of the Office for Detainees and Missing Persons at the Government of the Republic of Croatia.
Prof. ZRINKA TARLE, PhD winner of the 2011 State Science Award in the field of biomedicine and health, is awarded for significant scientific achievement in the field of biomedicine and health for her contribution to the research of new composite materials based on amorphous calcium phosphate. These scientific results, with their originality and excellence, greatly contribute to the development of the field of dental materials.
Prof. ASJA ČELEBIĆ, PhD is the winner of the 2011 State Science Award in the field of biomedicine and health for her research into the function of the orofacial region and for her research into the impact of prosthetic work on the tissues of the stomatognathic system on distant tissues in the human body. Her published scientific publications and high citation rate have contributed to the recognition of Croatian scientific dentistry in the world.
Winners of the “Andrija Štampar” award
- Prof. Zrinka Tarle, 2025
- Prof. Arjana Tambić Andrašević, 2024
- Prof. Iva Alajbeg, 2023
- Prof. Hrvoje Brkić, School of Dental Medicine, 2022
- Prof. Ivana Miletić, School of Dental Medicine, 2021
- Prof. Asja Čelebić, School of Dental Medicine, 2020
AMZH award winners
- The "Borislav Nakić" award was awarded to Iva Alajbeg for the paper entitled: "The
influence of dental status on masticatory muscle activity in elderly patients" published in the journal Int J Prosthodont
Award winners at international scientific conferences
EAOM Young Investigator Award
Marko Zlendić, PhD was awarded for the best scientific lecture at the joint congress of the American and European Associations of Oral Medicine (2025 AOM/EAOM Joint Meeting), held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 13 to 17 May 2025. The main topic of the congress was Global Transformation in Oral Medicine, and it brought together numerous renowned experts from all over the world. The award is given to young authors who show exceptional potential for significant future achievements in the field of oral medicine. The research presented by Dr. Zlendić resulted from his doctoral thesis entitled Gene Polymorphisms and Clinical Expression of Temporomandibular Disorders, prepared under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. sc. Iva Alajbeg and funded by the Croatian Science Foundation project (IP-2019-04-6211). In the lecture entitled Relationship between cytokine-encoding genes and subtypes of pain-related temporomandibular disorders, Dr. Zlendić presented the results of research on the association of inflammatory genes with subtypes of painful temporomandibular disorders. This international recognition confirms the excellence of Croatian scientists on a global level and highlights the importance of the University of Zagreb's School of Dental Medicine's continued investment in its staff, as well as the Republic of Croatia's investment in research and development.
