If it wasn’t for dentistry, Elizabeth Durham, DMD22, probably would have been an illustrator. Growing up in central Massachusetts, she knew from a young age she wanted a career involving art in some way. It wasn’t until her regular checkups with the pediatric dentist where she looked forward to going to the office that she realized she wanted to pursue a career in dentistry.

“I started shadowing there from a young age and was...

Grateful. That’s the word Nicole Beck, DMD22, uses to sum up her time at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM).

Growing up just outside of Philadelphia, PA, Beck headed to the west coast to attend the University of California (UC), Berkeley as an undergrad, balancing her academic career between her studies and research in integrative biology, and playing Division I lacrosse.

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Judith Vance, director of Human Resources, has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Sharon P. Clayborne Staff Diversity Award which is presented annually to a Harvard Medical School (HMS) or Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) staff member.  

The Sharon P. Clayborne Staff Diversity Award and the Harold Amos Faculty Diversity Award were established to recognize HMS/HSDM staff and faculty respectively, who have made significant achievements in moving HMS/HSDM toward being a diverse and inclusive community. ... Read more about Judith Vance is Awarded the 2022 Sharon P. Clayborne Staff  Diversity Award

For many Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) students, juggling life while in dental school includes attending class, performing research, completing homework, and treating patients. What most don’t expect is to meet the love of their life amidst everything else in their busy schedules. These alumni did just that: fall in love. Whether it was during a school event or a chance meeting in Vanderbilt Hall, each of these stories are unique in their own way.

For Natalie Inoue dentistry is about more than creating great smiles. As an Advanced Graduate Education (AGE) student, it’s a way for her to combine her interests in healthcare, business, and artistry, while positively impacting the community. Pursuing a degree in prosthodontics and in dental education, Inoue has had the opportunity to work on several research projects that will have an impact for patients as well as dental students. Before becoming a resident at Harvard...

Advanced Graduate Education (AGE) student Lama Alabdulaaly, DMSc21, recently completed her advanced degree program in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, graduating from Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) this past spring . Now she will continue her educational journey at HSDM by pursuing a certificate in Oral Medicine. While earning her Doctor of Medical Science degree at HSDM, Alabdulaaly taught pre-doctoral courses and published a number of papers in the fields of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine, and Bone Biology.... Read more about Dr. Lama Alabdulaaly Combines Art and Science in Dual Postdoctoral Programs

On Thursday, May 27, 2021, family, friends, and Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) community members gathered, both near and far, to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2021. Virtual Commencement and Class Day exercises, combined with a celebratory outdoor send-off at HSDM, provided the backdrop for a special graduation experience for the School’s newest alumni.

The festivities began in the morning with the University-wide Commencement ceremony, which featured a video of students from across Harvard’s schools chronicling all of the places from which they studied this...

Ashiana Jivraj, DMD21, jokes that she was born in a dental chair. Her mother worked through most of her pregnancy as a general dentist, and Jivraj spent most of her childhood being shuttled to and from the orthodontist’s office. While it would be easy to assume that for these reasons, Jivraj was destined for a career in dentistry, she actually credits a trip to India during her sophomore year of college with her decision to pursue a career in dentistry.

“I wound up working in a dental clinic and saw the immense challenge that the social determinants of...

Prior to his arrival at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in 2017, you might have found William “Brennan” Arden, DMSc21, jumping out of helicopters, practicing dentistry on an oil tanker-sized hospital ship, or visiting the farthest corners of the globe to deliver humanitarian aid. As a military dentist with the United States Navy, Arden treated service members and organized humanitarian efforts in countries like Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. At HSDM, he pursued an advanced degree in endodontics and served as...

For Kobie Gordon, MMSc21, the ability of dentists to transform lives by fixing smiles was a superpower he wanted to possess.

“There was a young girl in my neighborhood back home who was born with cleft lip and palate,” Gordon said. “Over the years, she received various dental treatments. By the time she got to university, one could hardly tell that she was born with a cleft lip and palate. Her self-esteem went through the roof. I was always impressed that dentistry was able to make such a profound impact on her life,” he said.

This May, when Gordon...

In November of 2019, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) established its first Green Team and Sustainability Committee, bringing together students, faculty, and staff who were committed to exploring ways to make impactful changes to the School’s environmental footprint. The committee came together as a result of a Harvard Worldwide Week presentation by Dr. Donna Hackley, instructor in Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, which focused on the bi-directional relationship between environmental health and oral health through the lens of health equity. The committee focused on evaluating...