Classes of 2025 honored at 120th graduation ceremony

UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry welcomed 173 graduates — 103 Doctorate of Dental Surgery, 45 advanced education, 20 Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, four registered dental hygienists, and one Master of Science in Dental Hygiene — of the Classes of 2025 to its alumni base during the 120th Commencement Ceremony on May 15 inside NRG Arena.

Photos from commencement can be viewed on Flickr, and a replay of the ceremony is available on YouTube.

Gary N. Frey, DDS ’79, chair of the Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health, called the graduates the future of the profession during his inspirational message. He reminded them of the full-circle moment of speaking to them at graduation after having also delivered their very first lecture at the start of dental school.

He told the graduates their potential was limitless, only bound by the restraints they put on themselves. He said the road that has been chosen will not be easy or smooth.

“You will stumble, and you will fall. But, guess what? It matters not that you fell. What matters is that you get up, brush yourself off, refocus on your goals, your family, and yourself, and head right back down that road of life. If you do that, you cannot help but succeed. Remember, this is your dream. Make the very most of it.”

The commencement address was delivered by Rita M. Cammarata, DDS ’96, former president of the Texas Dental Association. With a background as a dental hygienist and recently retired pediatric dentist, she understands the dedication and effort required to reach the pivotal moment of graduation.

Speaking to the adage of see one, do one, teach one, Cammarata charged the graduates to participate in many different experiences so that dentistry, dental hygiene, or their dental specialty becomes so second nature that they can explain it clearly to others.

She also reminded the graduates not to forget that their experiences extend beyond themselves.

“You are all about to create an experience each and every day for strangers. People who will respect you because they call you doctor, but whose trust you will need to gain and nurture through each experience you two are sharing together. Trust me when I say these shared experiences you create with your patients and staff can significantly influence your professional success, so approach each day with the mindset to succeed.”

Dental Class President Jeffrey Orchard, DDS ’25, and Dental Hygiene Class President Ivan Medellin, BSDH ’25, addressed their respective classes.

UTHealth Houston Interim President LaTanya J. Love, MD, conferred the degrees and certificates and delivered welcome and congratulatory remarks.

Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs Robert Spears, PhD, called the names of the School of Dentistry graduates to the traditional tune “Pomp and Circumstance,” and, in several instances, graduates were presented their certificate, diploma, or hood by a family member or significant other, some of whom are alumni of the School of Dentistry.

Faculty hooders for the ceremony were Elham Abbassi, DDS, D.ABDSM; Juliana A. Barros, DDS, MS; Dan A. Bentley, DDS; Randal Glenn, DDS; Stephen Laman, DDS; and Bonita A. Wynkoop, RDH, DDS, TTS.

Keely A. Hunsaker, DDS ’85, president of the UTSD Alumni Association; and Lori Jones, RDH, BSDH ’06, MBA, president of the UT Houston Dental Hygienists’ Alumni Association, led The Dentist’s Pledge and the Dental Hygiene Oath, respectively.

In his closing remarks, Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, shared a short story about something he saw on a recent trip abroad. High up on the side of a building in Chester, England, he saw, in big, bold letters, a series of insightful principles on how to work better called the “Ten Commandments of Eggert.” In his research, Valenza found that the author, Grady Booch, was an American software engineer from Amarillo, Texas. Still, despite the small-world nature of the Texas connection, Valenza said the words resonate broadly. They are:

1. Do one thing at a time.
2. Know the problem.
3. Learn to listen.
4. Learn to ask questions.
5. Distinguish sense from nonsense.
6. Accept change as inevitable.
7. Admit mistakes.
8. Say it simply.
9. Be calm.
10. Smile.