More than 80 alumni from class years spanning from 1962-2016 returned to Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) for Alumni Day on Friday, June 2. Alumni Day is an annual opportunity for graduates of all degree programs and class years to return to campus and reconnect with each other and hear about exciting updates at their alma mater. Alumni Day falls on the Friday of Reunion weekend, and this year HSDM welcomed back DMD classes ending in 3 and 8 for milestone Reunion celebrations in addition to Friday’s combined Alumni Day festivities.
The 2023 Alumni Day program kicked off the day with the traditional Harvard Dental Alumni Association (HDAA) annual meeting led by Miguel Roque, DMD16, MMSc19, president of the HDAA. “As a proud alumnus of HSDM, it is my pleasure to welcome you and thank you for joining us,” said Roque. “The meeting is now open!”
Roque introduced Dean William Giannobile, DMSc96, PD96, to a full auditorium for the State of the School presentation. Giannobile highlighted new leadership, the launch of a new strategic plan, diversity initiatives, and the expansion of new course offerings.
“We have and will continue to lead in dentistry and dental education with a level of intentional excellence in all that we do – in the classroom, in the lab, or in the clinic caring for patients, as a united, diverse, compassionate, and respectful community,” said Giannobile.
The dean also discussed the expansion of HSDM’s continuing education offerings, including HSDM’s inaugural Global Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry taking place November 3-4, 2023. HSDM will convene the two-day, in-person event focused on this emerging topic and showcase international expertise around the latest AI research and applications in the field.
Accomplished Alumni
After the State of the School address, Roque welcomed the newest graduating class to the HDAA family. Abigail Baldwin, DMD23, and Laura DiRienzo, DMD23, received the HDAA Silver Medal and HDAA Gold Medal Awards respectively for their exceptional all-around scholastic achievement.
Plummer has been committed to providing access to underserved populations for his entire 50-year career. His dental practice, Cosmetic Dentistry of Texas, is based in Houston. Previously, he served as Chief of Community Dentistry at the Harris County Hospital District. He was a former president of the HDAA and currently serves on the Alumni Council. Tate is the current Director of Research and Advocacy, and Pediatric Dentist for the Children's National Hospital. She also serves as associate professor of pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Tate believes in access to high quality dental care for all children, and her contributions to the dental field underscore a deep commitment to all children and their families.
Systemic Health
A symposium entitled Systemic Health: It All Stems from the Mouth followed the award presentation and featured keynote presentations by Lisa Simon, DMD14, PD15, MD20, and Rabie Shanti, DMD08. Simon reflected on the history of HSDM as the first dental school in the country and both medical/dental integration and medical/dental separation. Simon discussed the ramifications of the considering dentistry separate of general medicine and the exclusion of oral health integration and insurance coverage in the healthcare system. An oral surgeon at Rutgers School of Dentistry, Shanti shared cases where he detected oral cancer in patients, amplifying best practices and benefits of early cancer screenings in the mouth and neck during routine dental exams. After the presentations, both speakers joined Giannobile for an open discussion with the audience.
Reconnecting with Classmates
Following the HDAA meeting and symposium, alumni reconnected with one another over lunch under the Kresge Courtyard tent. During lunch, Giannobile and fellow alumni honored Dr. T. Howard Howell, A. Lee Loomis Professor of Periodontology Emeritus and cherished member of the HSDM community, who recently retired after more than 45 years of service to the School. The Lash-Williams-Howell-Stevens Fund, honoring Howard Howell and Jeffrey Stevens, and in memory of Ray Williams and Joan Lash, will establish a named Fellow in Periodontology at HSDM.
Alumni also had the opportunity to tour the School with HSDM student ambassadors. Some alumni had not been back on campus for decades, so the Research and Education Building, which was constructed in 2005, was of particular interest. “It was such a great way to meet new alumni and answer any questions they may have about HSDM, “said Christina Xu, DMD26, a student ambassador for the School. “Seeing alumni from different class years and hearing different perspectives on their experiences at HSDM was super interesting.”
On Friday evening, alumni in reunion years reconnected with HMS classmates for a special dinner and gala, celebrating their milestone Reunions together.
