Annual SGA Awards Event Recognizes Teaching Excellence



Faculty, staff, and students gathered at Ohio State's Longaberger Alumni House on Tuesday, April 23rd, to recognize outstanding faculty at the college's annual Student Government Association (SGA) Teaching Awards event. The faculty who receive awards are chosen by the college's dental and dental hygiene students for their teaching excellence in the areas of pre-clinical, didactic, clinical, and specialty instruction.

The Student Government Association Teaching Award winners are:

• Dental Hygiene Class of 2024: Didactic, Irina Novopoltseva, BSAS, MS; Clinical, Mason Colon, BSDH, MSDH
• Dental Hygiene Class of 2025: Clinical, Mason Colon, BSDH, MSDH; Didactic, Denise Messina, BSDH, MDH
• Dental Class of 2027: Didactic, Eileen Kalmar, PhD; Pre-Clinic, Diana Smyres, DDS
• Dental Class of 2026: Didactic, Lisa Knobloch, DDS, MS; Pre-Clinic, Diana Smyres, DDS
• Dental Class of 2025: Didactic, Matthew Messina, DDS; Clinical, John Webster, DDS; Clinical, Mark Gordon, DDS
• Dental Class of 2024: Specialty, Sara Fowler, DMD, MS; Specialty, Mark Gordon, DDS; Associated Faculty, John Webster, DDS; Associated Faculty, Mark Gordon, DDS; Full-Time Clinic, Robert Davidson, DDS; Full-Time Clinic, Robert Gardner, DDS; Full-Time Clinic, James Stone, DDS; Full-Time Clinic, Robert Uhlin, DDS; Didactic, Courtney Jatana, DDS, MS
• Class of 2024-2025: Honorary Residents - Alex Daneshgar, DDS; Kevin Schwartzman, DMD; Yu-Chang (John) Wu, DDS; Katelyn Conley, DMD

Kim Hammersmith, DDS, MPH, MS, and Colleagues Receive Award for Program of Excellence in Engaged Scholarship

Dr. Kim Hammersmith is an Associate Professor-Clinical in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry, and she is the Director of the Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry for the College of Dentistry and at Nationwide Children's Hospital. In that role, she provides instruction for pre-doctoral students and pediatric dentistry residents, while also caring directly for pediatric dental patients and supporting outreach activities in the community.

Motivated by a concern for the underserved and vulnerable pediatric populations for whom she and her colleagues provide dental care, Dr. Hammersmith submitted a proposal that was funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The project is titled "From Classroom to Clinic," and it highlights collaborations among different areas of Ohio State’s Health Sciences, including the Colleges of Dentistry and Public Health and Nationwide Children's Hospital in the effort to care for underserved communities and provide unique resident training experiences.

The project was recently recognized as a “Program of Excellence in

Engaged Scholarship,” which was presented by Ohio State’s Office of Engagement and Outreach. The award is given to projects that demonstrate excellence in community-engaged scholarship and meet the criteria of high-impact engaged scholarship.

Dr. Hammersmith (center) with Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Karla Zadnik (left) and Dean Carroll Ann Trotman at the awards luncheon for Programs of Excellence in Engaged Scholarship

Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) Presents Awards and Welcomes New Members



The College of Dentistry's Theta Chapter of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) honor society welcomed new members at a dinner event in April that included the presentation of two student awards. OKU was established in 1914 to promote and recognize scholarship and character among students of dentistry.

The new D4 student inductees were introduced: Olivia Barger; Austin Clyde; Sana Ghiba; Brandon Graf; Olivia Jackson; Mallory McMurray; Gabriel Militello; Kazune Pax; Matt Shafron; Sydney Sherek; Aina Weinstein; and Robert Wood. Faculty inductees were also introduced: Daniel Claman, DDS, OKU member and Assistant Professor-Clinical, Division of Pediatric Dentistry; and Brian Foster, MS, PhD, OKU honorary member and Associate Professor, Division of Biosciences.

The William S. Kramer Award of Excellence was presented to Nicholas Jones (D3). And the Orville E. Russell Award of Excellence was given to Nicole Fleming (D2). Both students were honored for their scholastic achievements, outstanding character, and their potential for contributing to the advancement of dentistry and service to humanity.

Sigma Phi Alpha Welcomes New Members



Continuing its tradition of recognizing dental hygiene students who demonstrate outstanding leadership and academic excellence, the College of Dentistry's Zeta Chapter of the Sigma Phi Alpha honor society welcomed its newest members at a ceremony held in conjunction with the college's Omicron Kappa Upsilon celebration.

Sigma Phi Alpha's new members are senior dental hygiene students Macy Burchett, Brynn Chaplik, and Justin Villarreal.

Irina Novopoltseva, BSAS, MS, an Assistant Professor-Clinical in the Division of Dental Hygiene, was inducted as a new Sigma Phi Alpha member. Leonardo Nassani, DMD, MBA, an Assistant Professor-Clinical in the Division of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry, and Assistant Dean for Digital Dentistry and Advanced Technology, was inducted as an honorary member of Sigma Phi Alpha.

Photos at right, shown top to bottom:

Macy Burchett, DHY Class of 2024;

Brynn Chaplik, DHY Class of 2024;

Justin Villarreal, DHY Class of 2024; Dr. Leonardo Nassani; and Ms. Irina Novopoltseva.

Dental Hygiene Students Receive Hummel Family Scholarships



Ms. Rachel Albertson, Ms. Suyee Chen, Ms. Makenna Foust, Ms. Yolanda Vicente Mendoza, Ms. Ayah Musaitif, and Ms. Marisol Vargas are members of the dental hygiene class of 2024 who were recently chosen as recipients of the Hummel Family Scholarship.

Created by Mrs. Carole Hummel, an alumna of the college’s dental hygiene class of 1958, and her husband, the late Dr. Robert Hummel, who graduated from Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1961, the scholarship provides financial assistance for students in the dental hygiene program.

Established by the Hummel Family Foundation, the Dental Hygiene Scholarship is a renewable award that provides full tuition and fees for dental hygiene students who demonstrate leadership skills, financial need, the ability to contribute to society, and are the first members of their family to attend college.

Click here to view the Convocation Ceremony via live-streaming on Friday, May 3 at 1:00 p.m.