DDS Class of 2025 celebrated at Senior Awards

Students from the Dental Class of 2025 were recognized at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s annual DDS Senior Awards. The ceremony was held April 17 in the Denton A. Cooley, MD and Ralph C. Cooley, DDS University Life Center.

Over 60 awards were bestowed upon members of the soon-to-be graduating class.

Order of ceremony:

• United States Armed Forces Recognition:
  • Air Force: Noah Daquita Manubay, Henry Touchton
  • Army: Paxton Connor Larson
• American Student Dental Association Award of Excellence: Loren R. Matrone
• Pierre Fauchard Academy Senior Student Award: James T. Tidwell
• Texas Dental Association Outstanding Senior Award: Stanton J. Pruitt
• American College of Dentists Outstanding Student Leader Award: James T. Tidwell
• Academy of General Dentistry Senior Student Dental Award: Kevin L. Hollar
• Houston Academy of General Dentistry Award: Hannah M. Cooley
• The Academy of Dentistry International Student Servant Leadership Award: Aemin Kim
• Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry Award: Ramzi R. LaVergne
• International College of Dentists Student Humanitarian Award: Noah D. Manubay
• International College of Dentists Student Leadership Award: Angela Angelova
• Elliott-Hale “Gunner” Award for Clinical Excellence: Kara G. Gibbon
• Stephen Laman, DDS Scholarship for Servant Leadership: John K. McQuitty
• UTSD Alumni Association Award: Joyce E. Hunsaker
• American Association of Public Health Dentistry Recognition Award: Stephanie Han N. Hoang
• S. Public Health Service Dental Award of Excellence: Cara Y. Zou
• PACE Center Award for Excellence in Practice Management: Jeffrey R. Orchard
• Kenneth Horwitz, DDS Ethics & Professionalism Award: Souhad Z. Bachnak, Maryam Baldawi, Alan K. Ho
• American Equilibration Society Award: Brock R. Kittle
• Ivoclar Digital Dentistry Student of the Year Honorable Mention: Hannah M. Cooley, Megan N. Thigpen
• Ivoclar Digital Dentistry Student of the Year Award: Sally L. Sheng
• James P. Ferguson Award for Excellence in Dental Anatomy: Keaton J. Moore
• Special Care Dentistry Association/Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities Student Award: Kevin L. Hollar
• Ninth District Dental Society Award for Collegiality: Adrianna L. Garza, Raven S. Landry, Nathan Neal, Andrew H. Pham, Megan N. Thigpen
• Ninth District Dental Society Ethics & Integrity Award: Jack Cherry
• The OPC Clinical Impact Award: Angela Angelova
• American Association of Women Dentists – Eleanor J. Bushee Award: Alexa M. Montemayor
• Academy of Laser Dentistry Award: Colton J. Sheperd
• Academy of Operative Dentistry Award: Mehar N. Khan
• Texas Association of Women Dentists Award: Kristina A. Mathai
• American College of Prosthodontists Award: America A. Garcia
• Academy of Osseointegration Outstanding Dental Student in Implant Dentistry Award: Adam G. de Sequera
• American Academy of Implant Dentistry Undergraduate Dental Student Award: Kara G. Gibbon
• Hanau Best of the Best Award for Excellence in Prosthodontics: Natalie A. Pruneda
• Rodney Beetar Award for Excellence in Removable Prosthodontics: Sally L. Sheng
• International Congress of Oral Implantology’s/DENTSPLY Student Achievement Award: Angela Angelova
• American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry Award of Merit: America A. Garcia
• Academy of Dental Materials Award: Claire Y. Chen
• Society for Color & Appearance in Dentistry Award: Claire Y. Chen
• Robert O. Dosch and James L. Rout Award: Peyton W. Garnett
• American Association of Orthodontics: Nour Hilal
• Society for Simulation in Healthcare Student Award: Devin J. Herd
• Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Restorative Dentistry: Duy D. Vu
• The Brian D. Stone Memorial Award from Dental Lifeline Network: Maryam Baldawi
• American Academy of Oral Medicine Certificate of Merit & Award in Oral Medicine: Nour Hilal
• American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Achievement Award: Stanton J. Pruitt
• UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry Student Award in Applied Basic Sciences: Nour Hilal
• Houston Chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral, & Craniofacial Research Award: Aemin Kim
• Quintessence Award for Research Achievement: Keaton J. Moore
• American Academy of Periodontology Dental Student Achievement Award: Ariana Bagheri
• Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Periodontics: Madison C. Miller
• Edwards C. Hinds Academy Award: Austin X. Iturralde, Stanton J. Pruitt
• Houston Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon Award: Nicholas Magana
• American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (Horace Wells) Award: Austin X. Iturralde
• American Association of Endodontists Student Achievement Award: Alan K. Ho
• American Academy of Orofacial Pain Outstanding Senior Award: Alexandra E. Mauck
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award: Cody M. Atack, Jack Cherry, Kara G. Gibbon, Haylee R. Garcia, Nour Hilal, Aemin Kim, Ramzi R. LaVergne, Nicholas Magana, Keaton J. Moore, Stanton J. Pruitt, Duy Duc Vu, Cara Zou
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Predoctoral Student Award: Angela Angelova
• American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology Dental Student Award: Austin X. Iturralde
• Jeanne Craig Sinkford Student Leadership Award: Raven S. Landry
• Walter G. Sterling Award: Stanton J. Pruitt

The program concluded with the presentation of the 2025 faculty teaching awards.

Associate Professor Vinu T. Sista, DDS, was named the recipient of the John P. McGovern Outstanding Teaching Award. Chosen by third- and fourth-year dental students, the McGovern Award recognizes excellence in clinical teaching.  

Associate Professor Anita Joy-Thomas, BDS, PhD, was named recipient of the John H. Freeman Award for Faculty Teaching. Chosen by first- and second-year dental students, the Freeman Award recognizes excellence in preclinical teaching.