2026 class celebrated at DDS Senior Awards

Fourth-year dental student Hanan Abdelgilil holds awards and certificates received at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s annual DDS Senior Awards. Photo by Shyam Tailor.

Students from the DDS Class of 2026 were recognized for academic achievement, ethics, leadership, and clinical excellence during UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s annual DDS Senior Awards, held April 16 in the Cooley University Life Center.

More than 60 awards were presented to members of the soon-to-be graduating class, highlighting accomplishments across specialties, service, and scholarship.

The ceremony opened with United States Armed Forces recognition, honoring Beatriz Lee (Army) and Dominick L. Fierro (Navy).

Award recipients included:

• Hanan Abdelgilil
• American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Dental Student Award
• American College of Dentists Outstanding Student Leader Award
• James P. Ferguson Award for Excellence in Dental Anatomy
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• PACE Center Award for Excellence in Practice Management
• Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Periodontics
• Society for Color and Appearance in Dentistry Award
• UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry Informatics Award
• UTSD Alumni Association Award
• Alexis Adams
• Academy of Osseointegration Outstanding Dental Student in Implant Dentistry Award
• Miranda Allbee
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Predoctoral Student Award
• Noah Blackwell
• Academy of General Dentistry Senior Student Dental Award
• Ninth District Dental Society Award for Collegiality
• Bailey Boyle
• Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry Award
• Rosha Chittuluru
• American Association of Public Health Dentistry Recognition Award
• Texas Association of Women Dentists Award
• Suchi Chowdhary
• International College of Dentists Student Humanitarian Award
• Sydney Creath
• Ninth District Dental Society Award for Collegiality
• Allyson Doan
• Special Care Dentistry Association / Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities Student Award
• UTSD Digital Dentistry Student Leadership Award
• Brooke Ellis
• ASDA Award of Excellence
• Eriny Greiss
• International Congress of Oral Implantology’s / DENTSPLY Student Achievement Award
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• W. Kenneth Horwitz, DDS Ethics and Professionalism Award Finalist
• Alejandra Guerra
• ADEA Dr. Jeanne Craig Sinkford Student Leadership Award
• Nicole Harari
• Ninth District Dental Society Award for Collegiality
• Kamryn Jackson
• UTSD Digital Dentistry Student Leadership Award
• Sanjna John
• UTSD Digital Dentistry Student Leadership Award
• Ethan Katz
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Seyed Keshavarz
• Hanau Best of the Best Award for Excellence in Prosthodontics
• Darby Johnson
• International College of Dentists Student Leadership Award
• Society for Simulation in Healthcare Student Award
• Beatriz Lee
• Ivoclar Digital Dentistry Student of the Year Award
• Umar Malik
• Houston Academy of General Dentistry Award
• Camie McFarland
• American Academy of Periodontology Dental Student Achievement Award
• Lauren Milvenan
• Ninth District Dental Society Award for Collegiality
• Zachary Montz
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• UTSD Digital Dentistry Student Leadership Award
• Brendan  Moxley
• American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (Horace Wells) Award
• Greater Houston Dental Society Community Dentistry Award
• W. Kenneth Horwitz, DDS Ethics and Professionalism Award Winner
• Linh D. Nguyen
• Dr. Rodney Beetar Award for Excellence in Removable Prosthodontics
• Thy Thy H. Nguyen
• Houston Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Award
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Robert O. Dosch and James L. Rout Award
• Nicolas Pace
• American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Achievement Award
• American Academy of Orofacial Pain Outstanding Senior Award
• American Association of Endodontists Student Achievement Award
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Restorative Dentistry
• Matthew Pham
• Stephen Laman, DDS Scholarship for Servant Leadership
• Spencer Pham
• Academy of Dental Materials Award
• Alex Pistorius
• Academy of Laser Dentistry Award
• Trevor Plihal
• Edwards C. Hinds Academy Award
• Grayson Privett
• Ninth District Dental Society Award for Collegiality
• Emily Ray
• Academy of Operative Dentistry Award
• American Association of Women Dentists – Eleanor J. Bushee Award
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Sara Roach
• American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry Award of Merit
• Ninth District Dental Society Ethics and Integrity Award
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Tiffany Saba
• American Academy of Oral Medicine Certificate of Merit and Award in Oral Medicine
• American Association of Orthodontists Award
• UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry in Applied Basic Science Award
• Walter G. Sterling Award
• Francesca Scalise
• American Equilibration Society Award
• American College of Prosthodontists Award
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Sergio Solis
• American Academy of Implant Dentistry Undergraduate Dental Student Award
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Zachary Taylor
• U.S. Public Health Service Dental Award of Excellence
• Alina To
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Amy Tran
• Houston Chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research
• Kathy Tran
• The Academy of Dentistry International Student Servant Leadership Award
• Tiffany Tran
• Texas Dental Association Outstanding Senior Award
• Heather Whitmire
• Elliott-Hale “Gunner” Award for Clinical Excellence
• UTSD Digital Dentistry Student Leadership Award
• Emma Wolfe
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Award
• Nathaniel Worley
• W. Kenneth Horwitz, DDS Ethics and Professionalism Award Runner-Up
• Adam Ybarra
• The Brian D. Stone Memorial Award from Dental Lifeline Network
• Julia Zheng
• Pierre Fauchard Academy Senior Student Award
• Quintessence Award for Research Achievement

The program concluded with the presentation of faculty teaching awards.

Associate Professor Dan A. Bentley, DDS, received the John P. McGovern Award for Outstanding Teaching, selected by third- and fourth-year dental students in recognition of excellence in clinical instruction.

Associate Professor Vuvi H. Nguyen, PhD, MS, received the John H. Freeman Award for Faculty Teaching, selected by first- and second-year students for excellence in preclinical education.