Graduates Celebrated at 2017 Senior Awards Brunch

Dean Hutter presents an award to DMD Class of 2017 Valedictorian, Michael Whitcomb
Dean Hutter presents an award to DMD Class of 2017 Valedictorian, Michael Whitcomb

On Saturday, May 20, 2017, faculty, staff, families and friends once again welcomed and congratulated the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) DMD and DMD Advanced Standing (AS) Class of 2017 at GSDM’s annual Senior Awards Brunch, held at the Fuller Building on the Charles River Campus. Dean and Mrs. Jeffrey W. Hutter once again hosted this now annual special event to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates and recognize those graduates who had excelled in their dental education, and faculty and staff who had played a major role in their education.

After a brunch buffet, with an attendance of over 550, Assistant Dean of Students Dr. Joseph Calabrese delivered a congratulatory introduction to all the attendees

Dean Hutter then delivered welcoming remarks in which he congratulated all the graduates on what they have achieved and wished them all the best in their future endeavors.

In his remarks, Dean Hutter recognized the following DMD students, DMD AS students, and staff members who were instrumental in the production of GSDM’s Class of 2017 yearbook.

Rebekah Gould DMD 17; Jade Pedersen DMD 17; Kelsey Wilcox DMD 17; Debbie Desravines DMD 17; Ashish Agarwal DMD AS 17; Vaibhav Jagad DMD AS 17; Manish Juneja DMD AS 17; Jasmine Khedkar DMD AS 17; Bhoomi Kotak DMD AS 17; and Jignesh Rudani DMD AS 17.

Staff Members Alex Singer, Graphic Designer, Office of Communications & External Relations; and Kirby Williams, Assistant Director of Marketing Communications, Office of Communications & External Relations and Chair of the Class of 2017 Yearbook Committee.

“Class of 2017, you have worked extremely hard during your years at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, and during yesterday’s Commencement Convocation, your hard work was rewarded as you received your Boston University Doctor of Dental Medicine degrees at our Convocation ceremony, and took a most important step toward entering your chosen profession of dentistry,” Dean Hutter told the graduates.

Dean Hutter also acknowledged several staff members who planned the 2016 Senior Awards Brunch: Ms. Erica Manczuk, Associate Director of Student Affairs; Ms. Amy Nelson, Student Affairs Coordinator; Ms. Diane Dougherty, Administrative Assistant for Meetings & Events; Ms. Stacey McNamee, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving; and Ms. Alexandra Singer; Graphic Designer in the Office of Communications & External Relations.

Graduates, faculty and staff then made their way onto the stage as Dean Hutter, faculty members, and special guests, presented them with their respective awards.

Award winners:

Omicron Kappa Upsilon Awards

Shilpa Agarwal, Rebekah Gould Augu, John Taylor Barrett, Farnaz Bayani, Shahin Bayani, Mahdieh Beheshti, Heidi Alyssa Borenstein, Jelena Cavric, Jing Guo, Sally Ann Jacob, Babak Javidi Dasht Bayazi, Baljeet Kaur Khaira, Jaegak Kim, Megan McDougall, Michelle Nikkita Muwanguzi, Linda Thanh Nguyen, Sofyan Sayfo, Maedeh Sedaghati, Joanna Song, Michael Danger Whitcomb, Min Zhu

American College of Dentists Award

Dr. Joanna Song

Gentle Dental Award for Clinical Excellence and Chairside Manner

Dr. Kelsey Wilcox

 Brasseler USA/Department of General Dentistry Award for Excellence in Removable Prosthodontics

Dr. Heidi Alyssa Borenstein

Brasseler USA/Department of General Dentistry Award for Excellence in Fixed Prosthodontics

Dr. Nima Iranmanesh

American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry Award

Dr. Lacrima Maria Nemulescu

International College of Dentists Award

Dr. Jignesh Dhirajlal Rudani

American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Award

Dr. Michael Danger Whitcomb

Department of General Dentistry – Excellence in Digital Dentistry Award

Dr. Min Zhu

American Association of Women Dentists Eleanor Bushee Award

Dr. Grace Hannawi

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Dental Student) Award

Dr. Michael Danger Whitcomb

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Dental Implant) Award

Dr. Francesca M. Tesone

American Academy of Implant Dentistry Award

Dr. Monica Renate Stiteler

American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Horace Wells Senior Student Award

Dr. Jelena Cavric

American Association of Endodontists Award

Dr. Kerolos Ragaey Elsayed

American Equilibration Society Award

Dr. Christopher R. Cason

Department of General Dentistry Excellence in Occlusion Award

Dr. Richard Edward Flynn

American Academy of Oral Medicine Award

Dr. Tiphannie Chen Yin

American Association of Orthodontists Award

Dr. Heidi Alyssa Borenstein

Academy of Osseointegration Award – Outstanding Dental Student in Implant Dentistry

Dr. Babak Javidi Dasht Bayazi

International Congress of Oral Implantologists Award

Dr. Heidar Zohrehei

American Association of Public Health Dentistry Award

Dr. Debbie Desravines

DentaQuest Foundation Award

Dr. Sally Ann Jacob

International College of Dentists Student Humanitarian Award

Dr. Michelle Nikkita Muwanguzi

Quintessence Award for Research Achievement

Dr. Jignesh Dhirajlal Rudani

Predoctoral Research Award

Dr. Michael Danger Whitcomb

Department of General Dentistry Lloyd B. Chaisson Memorial Award

Dr. Shahin Bayani

Department of General Dentistry William Cummings Award

Dr. Linda Thanh Nguyen

Academy of General Dentistry Award

Dr. Manish Juneja

Department of General Dentistry Fixed/Removable Prosthodontics Dr. Remo A. Sinibaldi Memorial Award

Dr. Michael Danger Whitcomb

Hanau Best of the Best Prosthodontic Award

Dr. Christopher R. Cason

American College of Prosthodontists Award

Dr. Min Zhu

Department of General Dentistry Implantology Award

Dr. Melissa Ashlee Morrison

Department of General Dentistry Excellence in Operative Dentistry Award

Dr. John Taylor Barrett

Academy of Operative Dentistry Award

Dr. Kyle Andrew Medeiros

Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Restorative Dentistry

Dr. Alex Thai Nguyen

Department of General Dentistry Excellence in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning Award

Dr. Erin Marie Hersey

American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Award

Dr. Mohammad Abbas Khan

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Award

Dr. Andrew Ayman Moawad

Department of General Dentistry Award for Excellence in Dental Practice Management

Dr. Megan McDougall

Pierre Fauchard Academy Award

Dr. Monica Renate Stiteler

American Association of Oral Biologists Award

Dr. Min Zhu

Department of General Dentistry Excellence in the Basic Sciences Award

Dr. Chiho Ahn

Student Government Certificates of Achievement

Dr. Ashish Ramesh Agarwal, Dr. McAllister Castelaz, Dr. Jelena Cavric, Dr. Debbie Desravines, Dr. Jobren, Dr. Matthew Dingle, Dr. Babak Javidi Dasht Bayazi, Dr. Pardis Koleini, Dr. Megan McDougall, Dr. Jignesh Dhirajlal Rudani, Dr. Sofyan Sayfo, Dr. Rohan Lalitkumar Shah, and Dr. Joanna Song

Proctor and Gamble Outstanding Faculty Award: Basic Sciences (selected by DMD Class of 2020)

Dr. Elizabeth Whitney

Proctor and Gamble Outstanding Faculty Award: Clinical Sciences (selected by DMD Class of 2017)

Dr. Heshem Nouh

Proctor and Gamble Outstanding Faculty Award: Clinical Sciences (selected by Advanced Standing DMD Class of 2017)

Dr. Mohammad Golparvar

Staff Recognition Award (selected by DMD and Advanced Standing DMD Classes of 2017)

Ms. Mary Ellen Sholes

Department of General Dentistry Joseph P. Speranza Memorial Award

Dr. Erin Marie Hersey

Northeastern Society of Periodontists Student Award

Dr. Shahin Bayani

Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Periodontics

Dr. Kerolos Ragaey Elsayed

American Academy of Periodontology Award

Dr. Vishal H. Gohel

Dr. Thomas Anderson Armstrong Memorial Award

Dr. Amr Aly

American Student Dental Association Award of Excellence

Dr. McAllister Castelaz

American Student Dental Association Faculty Award (selected by the ASDA Executive Committee)

Dr. Bing Liu

American Student Dental Association Advocate Award (selected by the ASDA Executive Committee)

Ms. Lori Fisher Davis

Department of General Dentistry – Excellence in Geriatric Dental Medicine Award

Dr. Danny Van Nguyen and Joanna Song

Department of General Dentistry Steven R. Gordon Memorial Award

Dr. Carly Jessica Greene

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine Richard Forcucci Alumni Award

Dr. Matthew Paul Caceci

Alpha Omega Awards

Dr. Shahin Bayani and Dr. Michael Danger Whitcomb

Photos from the Senior Awards Brunch can be found on Flickr.