Dr. Earl L. "Les" Tarver, a 1975 graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, is this year's recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. He earned the award at the 130th Annual Session of the Louisiana Dental Association at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in April.

The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by the LDA and is presented annually to individual members who have exemplified the highest standards of professional conduct in dentistry and have made extraordinary contributions in organized dentistry and their community. While enrolled at ULM, Tarver was president of Kappa Sigma, a fraternity focused on fellowship, leadership, scholarship and service.

Tarver, a general dentist, has been a member of the LDA, the American Dental Association and the Northeast Louisiana Dental Association for over 31 years. He has served the ADA and LDA in many capacities, including president for the 2002-2003 year and delegate or alternate delegate to the ADA House of Delegates since 1988.

He is the current chair of the ADA Committee of Dental Accreditation and serves on ADA's Committee G, formerly known as the Recognition of Specialties. He has also served on the ADA Council on Dental Education and chaired the Recognition of Dental Specialties Committee and Recruitment and Retention of Allied Personnel Committee.

Tarver is married to Susan Tarver, and they have two sons, Josh and Justin.