At the Four Seasons Hotel on the night of Friday, September 25, 2015 more than 100 alumni, faculty, students and guests from the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) community came together to reminisce and reconnect during a special GSDM Alumni Weekend Reception, which was just one of many events taking place across the broader BU campus during the 2015 Alumni Weekend—taking place from September 24 to 27.
At 7 p.m. on Friday, September 25, alumni from various GSDM classes gathered with current faculty, staff, students, and other guests at the Four Seasons as Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter welcomed all the attendees.
“Each of you: alumni, faculty, staff, students, spouses, distinguished guests, and friends are an integral part of our Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine community and it means a great deal to me, as Dean, to see our School gather to celebrate all of our accomplishments, both past and present, as we continue into the future,” Dean Hutter told those in attendance.
Dean Hutter than acknowledged a few special guests who were in attendance at the reception. The guests were:
- Shadi Daher DMD 90 OMFS 94: Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Alumni Board member, Dean’s Advisory Board member, and member of the BU Board of Overseers. Dr. Daher was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Millie Serrano, and their three children, Gabi, Anthony, and Hannah.
- Steve Hall: Boston University Vice President for Alumni Relations.
- Bing Liu DSc 99 DMD 03: Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of General Dentistry, President of the GSDM Alumni Association, and member of the Dean’s Advisory Board.
- Mitch Sabbagh DMD 87: GSDM representative on the Boston University Alumni Council and Immediate Past-President of the GSDM Alumni Association
- David Lustbader CAS 86 DMD 86: Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board, and newly elected Vice President of the Massachusetts Dental Society. Dr. Lustbader was accompanied by his wife, Wendy, who is an alumnus of Sargent College.
- Suneel Kandru ENDO 07: Dean’s Advisory Board Member, Staff Endodontist at Fitchburg Community Health Connections and at the Dimock Street Health Center, and Adjunct Clinical Instructor in General Dentistry at GSDM. Dr. Kandru was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Santhi Kilaru.
- Jonathan Levine DMD 81: Dean’s Advisory Board Member, Founder of GLO Science, and Immediate Past-President of the Dean’s Advisory Board. Dr. Levine was accompanied by his wife, Stacey.
- Ernesto Muller PERIO 61: Dean’s Advisory Board Member, Chair of the Department of Periodontics at Centro de Especialidades Odontológicas in Caracas, Venezuela.
- Mina Paul SPH 97: Dean’s Advisory Board Member, Dental Director of the Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center, and President of the American Association of Dental Boards. Dr. Paul was accompanied by her husband, Mr. Ajay Saini, an alumnus of the Boston University School of Management.
- Ron Weissman PROS 77: Dean’s Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder of Gentle Dental, Inc. Dr. Weissman was accompanied by his wife, Maria.
- Uday Reebye DMD 98: Founder of Triangle Implantology Center.
Dean Hutter then acknowledged the alumni in attendance who were celebrating their 20 year (class of 1995), 25 year (1990), and 30 year (1985) reunions.
Alumni Association President Dr. Bing Liu DSc 99 DMD 03 then gave a welcome of his own to the approximately 100 alumni who had gathered at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Dr. Liu’s welcome was followed by a speech from Dean Hutter to the attendees.
In his speech Dean Hutter characterized GSDM as a school dedicated to the concept of “commitment.” He said the faculty, students, and staff at GSDM are committed to ensuring that GSDM maintains its status as both a premier institution of dental education and an institution that is not afraid of the future, and whatever innovation it requires.
Dean Hutter highlighted some of GSDM’s most recent accomplishments, such as the success of GSDM’s Group Practice Model, which allows students from each of the four years in the DMD program, each of the two years in the AS program, and soon-to-be residents from each Advanced Specialty Education Program to work together in a Patient Treatment Centers.
“Having just celebrated the first year of implementation, we are already finding that the Group Practice Model is making a significant difference in the clinical experiences of our students, in the comprehensive care they are providing their patients, and in the efficient operation of our Patient Treatment Centers,” said Dean Hutter.
In closing his remarks, Dean Hutter urged those in attendance to continue to work toward excellence.
“I am thrilled to be leading the charge into our future, and I am honored that you, our alumni and friends, faculty, staff, students and residents will join me,” said Dean Hutter. “We now have an opportunity to have a new Facility which will allow us to expand our programs, properly house our Group Practices and continue to bring the best and most advanced technology to our School, and shame on us if we do not take advantage of it.”
After Dean Hutter’s remarks, the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award for Outstanding Service to the School, Profession and Community was presented to Dr. Shadi Daher DMD 90 OMFS 94.
Dr. Daher’s wife, Dr. Millie Serrano, and their three children, Gabi, Anthony, and Hannah, were in in attendance to watch Dr. Daher receive the prestigious award.
“This is truly humbling and an honor,” said Dr. Daher. “I am grateful to the Alumni Board for giving me this award. I am also very grateful for my wife and family, my classmates, colleagues, professors and patients for their support and the many opportunities they always offer me.”
Dr. Daher is a Fellow of The International College of Dentists, The Pierre Fauchard Academy, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and a member of the Massachusetts Society of Oral Surgeons and an honorary member of Academia Lancisiana in Rome, Italy.
After brief remarks from Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board Dr. David Lustbader CAS 86 DMD 86, Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter thanked the alumni for their attendance and for all of their continued support of GSDM, while encouraging them to continue enjoying the evening and to have a safe trip home.