OMFS Grads Honored at Annual Dinner

On June 12, 2013, Chair of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs Dr. Pushkar Mehra hosted the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Annual Resident Graduation Dinner at the Venezia Waterfront Restaurant in Boston. The dinner honored residency, internship, and fellowship program graduates Mohammed Al-Janabi (Preliminary Internship), Jingyi He (Resident), Deeb Helal (Resident), Matthew Steuer (Intern, Chief Resident), and Waleed Zaid (Head and Neck Oncology Fellow).

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) faculty members joining Dr. Mehra in support of the graduates included Director of Clinical Services and Quality Improvement Dr. Hussam Batal; Clinical Associate Professor Dr. Ishwar Bhatia; Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Richard Bravman; Retired faculty member Dr. Lawrence Brenner; Director of Advanced Education in General Dentistry and Post-graduate Operative & Esthetic Dentistry Dr. John Ictech-Cassis; Associate Professor and Director of Research Dr. Radhika Chigurupati; Director of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology Dr. George T. Gallagher; Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Adam Orden; Assistant Professor and Director of the Preliminary Internship Program Dr. Timothy Osborn; Director of Advanced Specialty Education Program in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Dr. Andrew Salama; Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Bradford Towne; and Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. James J. Wu.

GSDM alumni attending the graduation dinner in support of the graduates included Alumni Board and Dean’s Advisory Board member Shadi Daher DMD 90, OMFS 94; Karen Crowley OMFS 85; Margaret Figueroa DMD 94; and Joseph Leibovici OMFS 98.

Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter praised Drs. Mehra and Salama as well as the entire OMFS faculty for their outstanding work. He said, “Congratulations to all of the Oral & Maxillofacial graduates on completing their program. It is certainly a tremendous accomplishment that deserves our sincere recognition.”

Dr. Mehra said, “It was heartening to welcome close to 100 friends and alumni of the Boston University/Boston Medical Center Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery to the 2013 annual graduation dinner. This is a special day for our residency, internship, and fellowship program graduates who are going out into clinical and academic practices. I want to thank all part- and full-time faculty and especially our staff members who have all contributed to another very successful academic year.”

Director of Advanced Specialty Education Program in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Dr. Salama addressed the guests: “Tonight is not just a recognition of accomplishment, but a celebration of individuals, their personalities, and the tapestry that has been weaved over the past few months and years. This shared experience of surgical training is as rich for me as an educator as it is for the trainees.”

To the trainees, Dr. Salama said, “I am grateful to all of you, for the time, attention, and sacrifice you have given to yourselves, our patients, our program, and the health care system. The work you have done is exceptional.”

At the reception, Dr. Timothy Osborn received the Faculty of the Year Award and Boston Medical Center Ambulatory Services Representative Gail Gopaul received the Employee of the Year Award.

Photos are available on Facebook and Flickr.