Many awards are given in the course of a year, some of which serve as perfect to be framed certificates for one's office; some of which go far beyond just that simple document and represent a true breakthrough in a particular. Such is the case of Dr. Arwa Bint Ali Al-Sayyid, consultant periodontist at the Armed Forces Hospital in Riyadh, who has just been awarded the King Abdul Aziz Medal First Class for her discovery of the gene disorder that causes swollen gums. No need to go into the complications that result from swollen gums as further discoveries about the physiology of the human body have shown that mouth diseases can have detremintal and even, sometimes, dangerous repercussions on vital organs. In this particular case, the award is especially significant as it has been awarded to the first Saudi and Arab to distinguish herself in the field of gum disease. Not only has her work earned acclaim in the Arab world, but she has also been instrumental in setting up the Canadian implantation system. As nascent steps are taken to incorporate females into the working world of Saudi Arabia, recognition such as that afforded Dr. Al-Sayyid is important beyond the doctor's individual work and discoveries. It is not often that periodontists serve as role models for the society at large, but Dr. Al-Sayyid has become just that. Her discoveries along with her current recognition is proof that the education of women and the use to which they put that education is every bit as important as the education and the employment of men in positions of responsibility. Not only is this Saudi doctor making strides in the Kingdom, but she also represents educated Saudi women in the world beyond Saudi Arabia, where many must still be convinced that the education of women and their rise to the professional classes is more and more a tenet of a developing and modernizing society. We congratulate Dr. Al-Sayyid on her award and we urge all Saudi women to look with pride and renewed ambition on her accomplishments. __
