2020 Commencement Ceremony

The UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry conducted its 2020 Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 28th through a virtual platform in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony was broadcast live from the Holly Auditorium where administrative leadership, supportive faculty and staff safely gathered to cheer on the Class of 2020. All graduates and their guests viewed the ceremony from the comfort of their homes around the globe. Peter M. Loomer, B.Sc., D.D.S., Ph.D., MRCD(C), FACD, professor and dean of the School of Dentistry welcomed the dental and dental hygiene classes of 2020, along with their family and friends, by congratulating the new graduates with a round of applause for all they’ve accomplished in pursuit of their education. Dean Loomer addressed the 2020 classes as new colleagues and acknowledged the challenges they have faced over the course of their programs and also the difficulties that the COVID-19 pandemic presented. He commended them for the countless hours of patient care provided, research carried out, service provided to communities of need throughout South Texas, and oral health advocacy work. “This is truly the most outstanding class I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” Dean Loomer announced. “I know going forward, even bigger and more significant accomplishments are in the works.” Dr. Loomer, a newly minted Texan of little more than a year, added sincerely, yet lightheartedly, “I am so proud of you all, or is it all y’all?” President of the UT Health San Antonio, William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, addressed all dental graduates in a specially recorded message. Dr. Henrich acknowledged the disappointment felt by the entire UT Health San Antonio community of not being able to celebrate in person. Yet he added that “the fact that we can’t [gather together], shouldn’t in any way diminish the pride you must feel for finishing these curricula and earning this degree, particularly from this distinguished and decorated School of Dentistry.” Dr. Henrich proclaimed his pride in the Class of 2020 by pointing out that as many as twenty-four of our dental graduates have been accepted into graduate residency programs, while the other eighty-nine in the class will be going right into practice. “Immediately, your presence will be felt in the needed care and attention that has to be devoted to oral health.” Nine of the 2020 dental graduates have been accepted into advanced education programs right here at the School of Dentistry. Congratulations to those accepted into the following UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry graduate programs: • Advanced Education in General Dentistry: Lauren Bierschwale, D.D.S., Kareem Ahmed Metwalli, D.D.S., Nikita Mistry, D.D.S., and Juan Antonio Verastegui Jurado, D.D.S. • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Jared Hope, D.D.S., and for an internship, Samantha Whitten, D.D.S. • Orthodontics: Belal Heddaya, D.D.S. • Pediatric Dentistry: Hohyun Ryan Ryou, D.D.S., and Keaton Shin, D.D.S. Dental and dental hygiene senior class presidents, Zeki Abdulaali, D.D.S., and Clarissa Hernandez, RDH, shared a few heartfelt words with their classmates about their collective journeys and expressed deep appreciation for family, friends, faculty, and one another. Dean Loomer closed the ceremony by sharing these parting words, “I would like to say that this ceremony does not mark the end of your education and training, rather it is just the beginning…I am honored to stand before you and call you colleagues, alums of the UT Health San Antonio, and welcome you to the profession of dentistry!” The School of Dentistry’s 2020 Commencement Ceremony can be viewed in its entirety HERE