On June 6, 2025, the UCSF School of Dentistry Class of 2025, joined by their families and friends, gathered at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre to celebrate the end of their dental school journey and the beginning of their professional careers.
Michael Reddy, DMD, DMSc, dean of the UCSF School of Dentistry, welcomed the graduates and acknowledged the dedication it took for them to reach this moment.
"You all are about to step into the future you imagined when you started this journey," Dean Reddy said, "I'm extremely proud of your efforts and accomplishments."
Special guests at this year's commencement included Sam Hawgood, MBBS, chancellor, UC San Francisco; John Davis, MD, PhD, vice chancellor of education and student affairs; Linda Edgar, DDS, keynote speaker and 2023–24 president of the American Dental Association; Jennifer Nazareno, PhD, associate dean for graduate programs; and Raion Sabo, DDS, vice president of the UCSF Dental Alumni Association.
Ram Vaderhobli, DDS, MS, professor of preventative and restorative dental sciences, served as Grand Marshal. The graduates' names were read by Jennifer Perkins, DDS, MD, professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery and associate dean for education, with hooding by Robert Ho, DDS, professor of preventative and restorative dental sciences and Ambika Parti, DDS, MS, assistant professor of preventative and restorative dental sciences.
Lift Others as You Climb
In her keynote speech, Edgar focused her advice to the graduating class through the lens of her own experiences as a world-class distance runner, a non-traditional dental student, and a leader in the field.
"Everything I've accomplished started out because someone said 'You would be good at this. You should do it,'" Edgar shared. "Be that person for someone else when you graduate."
She rounded out her encouraging keynote with "practical pearls" for the graduating class, including one of her main takeaways: "Remove the word 'impossible' from your vocabulary and take the challenge."
Compassionate Care in a Divided World
Shervin Afghani, DDS, of the Class of 2025, delivered the student address with a moving call to action for his peers.
"Dentistry isn't about crowns, fillings, root canals, and the perfect occlusion. It's about people. It's about understanding the human behind the patient. And it's about listening and offering compassion in a world that feels increasingly divided." … "Let's redefine what it means to be a healthcare provider in a world that desperately needs more kindness, inclusivity, and understanding."
Chancellor Sam Hawgood conferred the degrees to this year's School of Dentistry Class of 2025, saying "The future is in your hands. I look forward with great anticipation to the future that you will shape for us all."
The 75 graduates will now pursue a range of opportunities, with half entering residency and the rest pursuing private practice, academia, research, community practice, or military service.
Watch a recording of the commencement ceremony.
