The award will be conferred upon an individual who has served in an outstanding capacity in the governing of the Canadian Dental Association or who has made similar outstanding contributions to Canadian dentistry:
- at least 2 full terms on the former Executive Council and/or Board of Directors;
- a number of years of service to any dental organization, institution or specialty section;
- member of a CDA council/commission/committee/task force/working group.
| Award of Merit - Past Recipients (Since 1987) | |
| 2023/2024 | Dr. Izchak Barzilay (Toronto, ON) |
| Dr. Gregory Chang (Vancouver, BC) | |
| Dr. Peter Kearney (Vancouver, BC) | |
| Dr. LouAnn Visconti (Timmins, ON) | |
| 2021/2022 | Dr. Tom Breneman (Brandon, Manitoba) |
| Dr. Michael Sullivan (Portage La Prairie, Manitoba) | |
| Dr. Mary Ann Wiseman (Moncton, New Brunswick) | |
| 2020/2021 | Dr. Tobin Doty (Calgary, Alberta) |
| Dr. Yu Kwong Li (Montreal, Quebec) | |
| Dr. John Perry (Winnipeg, Manitoba) | |
| Dr. Marina Sexton (Norris Point, Newfoundland) | |
| Dr. James Shosenberg (Oshawa, Ontario) | |
| Dr. Howard Tenenbaum (Thornhill, Ontario) | |
| Dr. Robert Wood (Toronto, Ontario) | |
| 2019/2020 | Dr. Linda Blakey (Mount Pearl, Newfoundland & Labrador) |
| Dr. Neil Peloso (Montreal, Quebec) | |
| Dr. Daniel Violette (Edmundston, New Brunswick) | |
| 2018/2019 | Dr. Ian Doyle (Sydney, Nova Scotia) |
| Dr. Frank Hechter (Winnipeg, Manitoba) | |
| Dr. Carlos Quiñonez (Toronto, Ontario) | |
| 2017/2018 | Dr. Douglas Brothwell (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) |
| Dr. Michelle Zwicker, (Bay Roberts Newfoundland) | |
| Dr. Anil Joshi, (Moncton, New Brunswick) | |
| 2016/2017 | Dr. Andrew Rowe (Fredericton, New Brunswick) |
| 2015/2016 | Dr. Jim Tennant (Hay River, Northwest Territories) |
| Dr. Paul Cameron (Antigonish, Nova Scotia) | |
| 2014/2015 | Dr. Michael Brown (Riverview, New Brunswick) |
| Dr. Edmund O'Neill (Kingston, Ontario) | |
| 2013/2014 | Dr. Dennis Bedard (Edmonton, AB) |
| Dr. Colin Jack (Souris, PE) | |
| Dr. Grahame Usher (Halifax, NS) | |
| 2010/2011 | Dr. Nicky L.K. Leung (Richmond, BC) |
| 2009/2010 | Dr. Debora Matthews - Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Dr. Mary McNally - Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| Dr. W. Peter Trainor - Listowel, Ontario | |
| 2008/2009 | No recipient |
| 2007/2008 | Dr. Gary Butler - St.John's, Newfoundland |
| Dr. Elizabeth MacSween, Orleans, Ontario | |
| 2006/2007 | Dr. Paul O'Brien - St. John's, Newfoundland |
| Dr. David J. Sweet - Vancouver, British Columbia | |
| 2005/2006 | Dr. David Sage - Woodstock, Ontario |
| Dr. H. Jack Stockton - St Pierre Jolys, Manitoba | |
| Dr. Steven K. Patterson - Wetaskiwin, Alberta | |
| 2004/2005 | Dr. John W. (Bill) Blair - Calgary, Alberta |
| Dr. Susan E. Sutherland - Toronto, Ontario | |
| Col James C. Taylor - Ottawa, Ontario | |
| 2003/2004 | Dr. Richard Beauchamp - Edmonton, Alberta |
| Dr. William A. MacInnis - Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| 2002/2003 | Dr. Robert M. Balfour - Oakville, Ontario |
| Dr. Keith R. Morley - Barrie, Ontario | |
| Dr. Evelyn D. McNee - Vancouver, British Columbia | |
| 2001/2002 | Dr. Peter Fendrich - London, Ontario |
| Dr. Garry Lunn - Vancouver, British Columbia | |
| Dr. Geoffrey Sperber - Edmonton, Alberta | |
| 2000/2001 | Dr. Richard Speers - Toronto, Ontario |
| Dr. David Donaldson - Bowser, British Columbia | |
| 1999/2000 | Dr. Charles P. Daly - St. John's, Newfoundland |
| 1998/1999 | Dr. Robert C. Baker - Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Dr. Rowland Haryett - Edmonton, Alberta | |
| Dr. William K. Hettenhausen - Thunder Bay, Ontario | |
| Dr. Gary R. MacDonald - Mount Pearl, Newfoundland | |
| Dr. Trey Petty - Calgary, Alberta | |
| 1997/1998 | Dr. Joel B. Epstein - Chicago, Illinois (USA) |
| Dr. Leonard Johnson - Eugene, Oregon (USA) | |
| Dr. Helen Lyttle | |
| Dr. David Somer - Hamilton, Ontario | |
| 1996/1997 | Dr. Henry Dick |
| Dr. Robert Romcke - Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | |
| 1995/1996 | Dr. Marcia Boyd - Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Dr. Richard Beyers - Kitchener, Ontario | |
| Dr. Bernie White - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | |
| 1994/1995 | Dr. Guy Maranda - Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, Quebec |
| Dr. W. Ian Vogan - Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| 1993/1994 | BGen J. Fred Bégin - Orleans, Ontario |
| Dr. Allen MacLean - Summerside, Prince Edward Island | |
| Dr. John Speck - Richmond Hill, Ontario | |
| Dr. Robert Turnbull - Toronto, Ontario | |
| 1992/1993 | Dr. Ralph Barolet - Westmount, Quebec |
| Dr. William Bedord | |
| Dr. Pierre Dow - Vancouver, British Columbia | |
| Dr. Jack G. Thompson - Quispamsis, New Brunswick | |
| 1991/1992 | Dr. Pierre Desautels - Montreal, Quebec |
| Dr. John E. Eisner - Buffalo, New York (USA) | |
| Dr. John Hardie - Lisburn | |
| Dr. Derek Jones - Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| 1990/1991 | Dr. Gérard de Montigny - St. Hippolyte, Quebec |
| Dr. Donald Gutkin - Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
| Dr. Bruno Martinello - Edmonton, Alberta | |
| 1989/1990 | Dr. Bruce Bowden - St. John's, Newfoundland |
| Dr. George Frank Copithorne - Kelowna, British Columbia | |
| Dr. John M. Phillips - Newmarket, Ontario | |
| 1988/1999 | Dr. Edward Allison - Calgary, Alberta |
| Dr. John Christie - Bedford, Nova Scotia | |
| Dr. Yoshihiro Kamachi - North Bay, Ontario | |
| 1987/1988 | Dr. James Wright - Kingston, Ontario |
