Class of 2026 honored at Dental Hygiene Awards
Students from the Dental Hygiene Class of 2026 were recognized at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s annual DH Awards. The ceremony was held May 12 in the Cooley University Life Center. Photo by Shyam Tailor.
Students from the Dental Hygiene Class of 2026 were recognized at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry’s annual DH Awards. The ceremony was held May 12 in the Cooley University Life Center.
In total, 17 awards were bestowed to dental hygiene students and faculty.
Order of ceremony:
- Academic Achievement Award: Seidy Lopez
- American Association of Public Health Dentistry Award: Jacqueline Canamar
- Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals Star Award: Khia Shandy
- E-Portfolio Excellence Award: Selena Torres
- Greater Houston Dental Hygienists’ Association Outstanding Professional Leadership Award: Mia Jackson
- Mentor of the Year Award: Seidy Lopez
- Sigma Phi Alpha Award: Mia Jackson, Hailey Matthews, Seidy Lopez
- Student Teaching Award: Lyann Le
- UTSD Dental Hygienists’ Alumni Association Award: Cindy Nguyen
- UTSD Simulation Award: Ashlin Moreno
- Procter & Gamble Preventive Dentistry Award: Hailey Matthews
- UTSD Student Award in Interprofessional Education: Nha (Alice) Pham
- Cleverick Johnson Award: Karyn Lu
- Cloud Dentistry Dental Hygiene Devotion Award: Jazmin Samuel
- Educator Platform Scholarship: Lejini Roy, RDH
- PACE Excellence in Interviewing Award: Tamaya Dixon
The program concluded with the presentation of the Lorna J. Bruning Award for Outstanding Teaching. The 2026 recipient was Sumayyah King, RDH, MS, assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics and Dental Hygiene.
Chosen by the second-year dental hygiene students, the Bruning Award recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates exceptional knowledge and competence towards effective learning.
