State Senator Saud Anwar Earns Legislative Achievement Award

The Connecticut State Dental Association has presented State Senator Saud Anwar of South Windsor with the organization’s 2026 Salvadore Squatrito Legislative Achievement Award.The Squatrito Award is presented to an individual or organization whose legislative activities have had a significant impact in the best interests of the public or CSDA.

Senator Anwar was elected in 2019 to represent East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington, and South Windsor, following earlier service on the South Windsor Town Council and two terms as mayor. He is a physician specializing in pulmonary and critical care medicine and currently serves as Chair of Internal Medicine at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals, with training from Yale University and a Master’s in Public Health.

At the State Capitol, Sen. Anwar serves as Deputy President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee and Vice-Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Beyond medicine and public office, he has led local, national, and international humanitarian and peace initiatives during his career, including disaster relief missions in Haiti and Pakistan, and has held advisory and leadership roles with organizations including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and state and international commissions.

The award was presented on May 13 at the CSDA Annual Meeting by Dr. N. Summer Lerch, CSDA President. The award is named in memory of Dr. Sal Squatrito, a legendary advocate from Connecticut for the dental profession at the State and National levels.

“Senator Anwar is dedicated to public health and the best interests of his constituents and the people of Connecticut, and it is a privilege to recognize his commitment and leadership,” saidDr. Lerch.“He has earned the trust of his constituents and his patients, and the appreciation of CSDA for his unwavering efforts.”

“Senator Anwar consistently reflects the highest standards of public service, and he is fiercely dedicated to preserving quality oral healthcare in our state,” added Kathlene Gerrity, Executive Director of CSDA.“This is evident through his preservation of community water fluoridation; Connecticut remains the only state to proactively protect fluoridated water. The CDC named community water fluoridation one of the 10 greatest public health achievements in the 20th century.Relying on science and his passion to bring quality care to all, he truly epitomizes integrity in legislative leadership.”

The Connecticut State Dental Association, the trusted leader and voice for oral health in Connecticut, is dedicated to the profession and the public.It is a statewide, professional membership organization representing Connecticut licensed dentists, committed to protecting the health and well-being of people of all ages, with a statewide membership of more than 2,200 licensed dentists in Connecticut.