Chester Gary wins top two 2025 Williams J. Gies Editorial Awards

BUFFALO, N.Y. — As a dentist and attorney, Chester J. Gary, DDS, JD, knows the benefits and pitfalls of artificial intelligence.

“Despite its advances to the dental profession, AI cannot think, feel or have a soul,” Gary says, adding that any advice that AI provides to a dentist won’t hold up in court if something goes wrong.

“AI in its best form is still only a computer,” says Gary, who has served as clinical assistant professor of restorative dentistry in the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine since 1996. He recently retired from a longtime legal practice that primarily represented dentists.

“AI doesn’t have the clinical judgment of a human being, taking into account a patient’s finances, social challenges, mental ability or other relevant situations.”

An editorial that Gary wrote from the perspective of AI, “True Confessions of an Artificial Intelligence System,” took first place in the 2025 William J. Gies Editorial Awards from the American Association of Dental Editors & Journalists (AADEJ) and the American Dental Education Association’s ADEAGies Foundation.

Gary also won second place for his editorial, “I’m Mr. Brightside: Optimistic Dentistry Can Maintain Its Leadership Role in Dentist-Patient Decision-making.”

The Gies Editorial Award honors authors of the most valuable editorials published in a dental journal or periodical. Gary’s winning editorials were both published in the New York Dental Journal in 2024, for which he served as editor from 2016 to 2024.

Gary was recognized for his outstanding editorial achievements on Sept. 10 during the AADEJ’s annual meeting in San Diego. This marks the sixth year that Gary has won a Gies award.

“Dr. Gary’s first- and second-place 2025 Gies Editorial Awards highlight his exceptional contributions to dental scholarship, building on his remarkable legacy of awards in 2020, 2014, 2009, 2005 and 2003,” says Marcelo W.B. Araujo, dean of the dental school. “His insightful work continues to inspire and elevate our academic community.”

Gary’s second-place editorial looks at the relationship between dentists and insurance companies through the lens of the 2004 pop song by the Killers, “Mr. Brightside,” which tells the story of a man who catches his girlfriend being unfaithful.

“While listening to this song, I thought how managed care organizations can feel like the other man in the dentist-patient relationship, essentially taking our place in patient-decision-making by choosing not to cover recommended procedures,” Gary explains. “While we don’t know if the man in the song gets his girlfriend back, as dentists, we must eliminate MCOs’ intrusion into the dentist-patient relationship that interferes with informed decision-making.”

In addition to his teaching and professional duties, Gary serves as a reviewer for the Journal of the American Dental Association (ADA) and has published more than 100 editorials and papers in academic journals.

Gary earned both his doctorate in dental surgery and juris doctorate from UB.

“I learned how to write critically in law school,” he says. “I’m glad people are reading the journal articles. It feels worthwhile sharing these ideas with my colleagues across the state and beyond. When I receive recognition like this, it gives me incentive to write more.”