Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) recently reached a goal of raising $1 million in support of the Donoff Scholars DMD Scholarship. Created in recognition of R. Bruce Donoff, DMD67, MD73, and his 28 years of dedication, innovation, and leadership as Dean of HSDM, the Scholarship will support future generations of HSDM pre-doctoral students who are seeking innovative careers in dentistry by pursuing a second Harvard graduate degree. The scholarship aims to strengthen the School’s mission of developing and fostering a community of global leaders dedicated to improving human health by integrating dentistry and medicine at the forefront of education, research, and patient care.
“I was flabbergasted to learn that the scholarship fund exceeded $1 million dollars,” said Donoff. “It is more about the strength, culture, and vision of our School than any individual or program. I fervently believe that we need to create champions for medical-dental integration, public health thinking, and moving from fee-for-service to value-based care. This fund will enable the career goals of DMD students for transformational change in our profession.”
The scholarship committee included a diverse group of supporters who are equally as passionate about medical-dental integration as they are about honoring Donoff and his tenure as dean at HSDM. The committee included John DaSilva, DMD87, MPH87, PD89, PD91, SM92, Steven Kess, Vicky Levin, Kevin Mosher, Gerard Moufflet, Kimberly Ritrievi, and Kenneth Wright, DMD78, MPH79.
“I think that the Donoff Scholars DMD Scholarship will ultimately better equip leaders by giving them the opportunity to gain the knowledge and credibility to advance the cause of well-rounded, integrated care,” said Gerard Moufflet. “Unfortunately, older methods of providing care are fairly isolated, even though institutions like Harvard School of Dental Medicine have made strides in providing an education for dental school students that integrates dentistry with systemic health care. The goal of this scholarship is to break down the barriers in education and make the public more aware of the importance of overall health. I think this scholarship will enable dental students to grow beyond oral care and view the world from a broader perspective.”
Moufflet served as chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board (DAB) for nearly 12 years, and continues to be a member. He credits his involvement with the DAB for opening his eyes to the concept of educating providers in a new way to meet the needs of the changing healthcare landscape.
“I learned a lot from Dr. Bruce Donoff, who really became a mentor to me in the oral health care space. I had not been involved at all in dentistry from a professional standpoint and he really opened my eyes to the challenges that providers face. I am extremely appreciative to Dr. Donoff for everything he has taught me,” said Moufflet.
The Donoff Scholars DMD Scholarship will be eligible to students fitting the criteria in the 2022 academic year.
