2019 Predoctoral Convocation Awards

The 2019 Predoctoral Convocation Awards were held on May 1, 2019 recognizing the accomplishments of freshmen, sophomore, and junior dental students.

Zeki Abdulaali, DS3, was awarded the UT Health San Antonio Ambassador Scholarship. This honor is given every year to one outstanding student from each of the five UTHSA schools. A $5,000 scholarship was awarded to each ambassador in April. Zeki will represent the dental student body and the university at numerous events throughout AY 19-20.

Dr. Ray Scott, UTHSA alumnus and former President of Carus Dental, presented two junior dental students with the Carus Dental Scholarship. Samantha Whitten and Kyle Gopffarth received this award for their exhibition of leadership, team work, and characteristics of future group practitioners. Both students received $3,000 for their tution and fees.

Every year, one DS3 from each accredited dental school in the United States of America is selected to be awarded the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ACOMS) William H. Bell Award for Predoctoral Achievement in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. This year, Juliana Gaviria was chosen for this award due to her high level of academic and clinical achievement relating to oral and maxillofacial surgery. Juliana received a certificate and is invited to attend and be recognized at the upcoming ACOMS Annual Scientific Conference and Exhibition.

Alyson Miller, DS1, was presented with the Edward G. Rennels and Vick Williams Award. This award is named after two Professor in the Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy who contributed substantially to the education of dental students with regard to anatomical sciences. With this award, Alyson was recognized as the student with the highest overall score in the Human Health and Disease Craniofacial Complex (HHD2) course. She was given a certificate, a plaque, and $900, which is applied towards her tuition and fees.

• Ambassador Scholarship Award: Zeki Abdulaali, DS3

• Rennels and Williams Award: Alyson Miller, DS1

• Pierre Fauchard Academy Dental Student Scholarship Award: Samantha Whitten

• ACOMS William H. Bell Award for Predoctoral Achievement in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Juliana Gaviria, DS3

• Student Clinician Research Program Award: Robert Brock, DS2 • Arthur T. Storey Scholars Award: Kyle Gopffarth, DS3 • Carus Dental Award: Samantha Whitten and Kyle Gopffarth, DS3 • Carr Scholarship: David Bingham, DS3 • CACTUS Individual Award: Meredith Turbeville, DS2 • CACTUS Outstanding Team Award: Gala Myers, David ‘Luke’ Seiler, Easton Trejo, Meredith Turbeville, all second year students. • Alliance of Texas Dental Association Endowed Scholarship Fund: Priya Patel, Erin Son, and Laura Aguilar, all DS3s • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 1: Eduardo Lima • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 2: Ben Bartlett • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 3: Kyle Gopffarth • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 4: David Bingham • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 5: Juan ‘Johnny’ Verastegui • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 6: Joseph Dickson • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 7: Brandon Key • Jr. Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry, GPG 8: Parker Wentz • Omicron Kappa Upsilon: Read about the OKU awardees HERE

Additionally, each class bestowed three faculty members with the title of “Professor of the Year”.

• DS3’s 2019 Professor of the Year: Dr. Daniel Lavin

The class of 2020 was represented by their president, Zeki Abdulaali, who commented that in addition to Dr. Lavin’s “mean pickled jalapeno, sock game, and armadillo impression”, Dr. Lavin is “supportive and encouraging even when things don’t go according to plan”.

• DS2’s 2019 Professor of the Year: Dr. Edward Wright

Dr. Wright was not able to attend the ceremony however, sophomore class president, Katharina Tosti, remarked that Dr. Wright “made dental school feel like home” and she expressed appreciation that he “took the time to memorize everyone’s names”.

• DS1’s 2019 Professor of the Year: Dr. Haley Nation

Freshman class president, Pablo Medina, shared that Dr. Nation “made a class that was supposed to be intimidating, inviting”. He went on the remark that she “still cares about [her students] even after they leave her class”.

Congratulations to all the award recipients!