by Terri Hunter-Davis
Front: Drs. John D.B. Featherstone (left), dean emeritus; Mark Kirkland, interim dean; Michael Reddy, incoming dean; Sara Hughes, associate dean for education and student affairs. Rear: Michelle Lacues, Dental Alumni Association president; Biana Roykh, interim associate dean, clinical affairs; Pamela Alston '82; Russell Newell '63; Elsbeth Kalenderian, department chair, Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences. Photos by Elisabeth Fall
Subtle twists were the order of the evening at the 2018 Recognition Banquet, hosted by the UCSF School of Dentistry and the UCSF Dental Alumni Association May 31 at San Francisco’s Marines’ Memorial Club.
Most Recognition Banquets only get one dean in attendance. This year’s event got three: John D.B. Featherstone, MSc, PhD, dean emeritus; Mark Kirkland, DDS, FACD, who just ended his stint as interim dean; and incoming Dean Michael Reddy, DMD, DMSc, who added his well wishes to the soon-to-be graduates.
In another break from tradition — resulting from a late Alumni Weekend this year — the Dental Alumni Association Medal of Honor recipient was announced at the banquet: Susan Jordan Lopez, RDH, BS (class of 1972). With her husband, Michael Lopez, DDS, they make up the first spousal pair of Medal of Honor winners in school history (he was honored in 2016).
Medal of Honor recipient Susan Lopez '72 passes husband Michael Lopez '74 on her way to the podium.“We are proud to be UCSF graduates; it’s up to us to make sure we make UCSF proud,” Lopez told the largely student audience. She also noted that her honor coincided with the 100-year anniversary of the first dental hygiene graduate from UCSF — and the first in California.
Dental hygiene has been the framework for Lopez’s diverse career. She has taught first-year dental students at the University of the Pacific, conducted oral health research for Lever Bros., and served San Mateo County schools as a dental public health educator. Currently speaker of the house for the California Dental Hygienists’ Association, Lopez also has served on the organization’s executive committee, including a term as president. She also sits on the California Telehealth Coalition task force committees for Parity in Payments and Coordination of Care. For nearly four decades, she has provided clinical dental hygiene care, working alongside her husband and now their two adult children — Michael James Lopez Jr., DDS (UCSF class of 2005), and Devin Jordan Lopez, DDS (class of 2013).
Dental Alumni Association Awards went to Ava Arshadi, Karen Chong, Audrey Duong and Ivana Yi. Awards from the graduating class were:
- Outstanding Peer Award: Joseph Kwan-Ho Yun (Dental) and Priyanka Saxena (IDP)
- Staff Recognition: Rebekah Kastner (Dental) and Karen Maalona (IDP)
- Excellence in Teaching: Dr. Sophia Saeed (Dental) and Dr. Richard Mogensen (IDP)
- Riebe Award for Clinical Teaching: Dr. James Giblin (Dental) and Dr. Barry Burstein (IDP)
Graduating class presidents and awardees: (left) Bishoy Besada, Joseph Kwan-Ho Yun, Priyanka Saxena, Rebekah Kastner, Karen Maalona, Dr. Sophia Saeed, Dr. Richard Mogensen, Dr. James Giblin, Dr. Barry BursteinAwards for Outstanding Achievement
Academy of Dental Materials Student Award: Caleb Tam
Academy of General Dentistry Senior Student Dental Awards: Steven Phan Eric Sejin Joo
Academy of Operative Dentistry Outstanding Achievement Award: Tiffany Cheung
Academy of Osseointegration Outstanding Student in Implant Dentistry Award: Caleb Tam
American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry Student Award of Merit: Hamlet Khachatryan
American Academy of Implant Dentistry Certificate of Recognition: Raman Nazari
American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology Dental Student Award: Shaiba Sandhu
American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Dental Student Award: Graham Harris
American Academy of Oral Medicine Certificate of Merit Award: Shaiba Sandhu
American Academy of Orofacial Pain Outstanding Senior Award: Graham Harris
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Outstanding Senior Award: Wilson Tam
American Academy of Periodontology Dental Student Achievement Award: Sameer Bajaj
American Association of Endodontists Student Achievement Award: Keely Walgama
American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Dental Student Award: Joseph Youssef
American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Dental Implant Student Award: Audrey Y. Duong
American Association of Orthodontists Outstanding Student Award: Jessica Glauser St. Martin
American Association of Public Health Dentistry Achievement in Community Dentistry & Dental Public Health: Irene Ching
American Association of Women Dentists Eleanor J. Bushee Memorial Award: Yeli Luchkouska
American College of Dentists, Northern California Section Outstanding Achievement Award: Jenny Huang
American College of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Outstanding Achievement Award: Casey Lee
American College of Prosthodontics Outstanding Achievement Award: Dan Wu
American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Outstanding Achievement Award: Emily Zheng
California Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Certificate of Merit: Amin Sarraf
California Dental Association Outstanding Senior Award: Sameer Bajaj, Dean Gretzinger
International Congress of Oral Implantologists Predoctoral Achievement: Mais Al Dahan
Pierre Fauchard Academy Senior Award and Northern California Section Scholarship: Caleb Tam
Quintessence Award, Clinical Achievement in Periodontics: Kyung P. Nam
Quintessence Award, Research Achievement: Casey Lee
Quintessence Award, Clinical Achievement in Restorative Dentistry: Graham Harris
UCSF Pediatric Dentistry Outstanding Student Award: Helen Vilchez
Awards for Extraordinary Achievement
Western Society of Periodontology Dental Student Award: Jin Wan Kim
Whip Mix Award Hanau Best of the Best Prosthodontics Award: Geetanpreet Virdi
Delta Dental Student Leadership Award: Joseph Youssef
International College of Dentists Humanitarian Award: Rachel Forer
International College of Dentists Leadership Award: Alessandra Dieplinger
Willard C. Fleming Award, Excellence in Patient Service: Patrick Wolfgram
George Hughes Award, Excellence in Prosthodontics: Maryna Kozyryev
Nguyen T. Nguyen Awards, Achievement in Endodontics: Jenny Huang
Minkin Scholarship Award, Outstanding Scholastic Achievement: Patrick Wolfgram
Russell J. Newell Award, Working While in Dental School: Raman Nazari
San Francisco Dental Society Ethics & Professionalism Award: Keely Walgama
Milton and Mary Gabbs Award, Highest Ethical and Professional Behavior: Jenny Huang
Robert W. Rule Award, Highest Potential to Succeed in the Profession: Jenny Huang
Francis A. Sooy Cup, Outstanding Dental Professional: Steven Phan
Awards and Scholarships (previously announced)
Regents’ Scholarship: Jenny Huang, Casey Lee
Osher Scholarship: Elias Almaz, Daniel Belay, Jasselle Cabugao, Rachel Forer, Irene Louie
Derzon Butler Scholarship: Daniel Belay, Helen Nguyen, Steven Phan, Joseph Youssef
Pierre Fauchard Academy Foundation Dental Student Scholarship Award: Ethan Do
Capt. Meritte Maxwell Scholarship: Kei Katsura
Delta Dental Award: Jaclyn Young
Jim & Pam Starr Endowed Scholarship: Joseph Youssef
Clinton P. Ulrich Memorial Scholarship: Jin Wan Kim
George H. and Nana J. Weyerhauser Scholarship:Keely Walgama
UCSF DAA’s Dean John D.B. Featherstone Scholarship for Community Service: Ethan Do
Walter Cooper Scholarship: Patrick Wolfgram
Norman Jenssen Scholarship: Helen Nguyen, Ramsen Warda
Ted Hall Memorial Scholarship: Patrick Wolfgram
Donnell Fisher Scholarship: Jenny Huang
James Forge Award: Benjamin Hwang
Dr. Thomas and Helen Wu Endowed Scholarship: Ting Yi Lue
Class of 1965 Scholarship: Joseph Kwan-Ho Yun
Class of 1991 Scholarship: Yelizaveta Luchkovska
