Nguyen garners Freeman Award for Faculty Teaching
Selected by first- and second-year dental students, the Freeman Award recognizes excellence in preclinical teaching. Photo by Dylan Allen.
This year’s honor marks Nguyen’s fourth time receiving the award since joining the School of Dentistry faculty in 2017. Photo by Kyle Rogers.
Associate Professor Vuvi Nguyen, MS, PhD, has been named the 2026 recipient of the John H. Freeman Award for Faculty Teaching at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.
Selected by first- and second-year dental students, the Freeman Award recognizes excellence in preclinical teaching. This year’s honor marks Nguyen’s fourth time receiving the award since joining the School of Dentistry faculty in 2017.
For Nguyen, the recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the experiences of the students she works with daily.
“They are the ones who see me in my element and understand the amount of effort and care I put into helping them learn and succeed,” she said. “Knowing that the students felt impacted enough by my teaching to vote for me makes this recognition incredibly meaningful.”
Her approach to teaching continues to evolve alongside the needs of today’s learners, with an emphasis on engagement and accessibility.
“As an educator, I feel that it is important to adapt to today’s learners and recognize that the way students learn continues to change,” Nguyen said. “I want my classroom to feel welcoming and safe so students actually look forward to coming to lecture and leave feeling like they gained something valuable.”
That intentionality extends to how she presents complex material, particularly in the early stages of dental education.
“I try to focus on helping students truly understand concepts rather than simply memorize facts,” she said. “I also teach while remembering what it felt like to be a struggling student myself.”
Nguyen’s teaching style centers on simplifying foundational subjects while connecting them to real-world practice.
“I truly believe you are a content expert when you can explain difficult concepts in simple terms,” Nguyen said. “When students understand the purpose behind what they are learning, they tend to become more engaged and motivated.”
To enhance engagement, she incorporates interactive strategies such as game-based learning and audience response activities, creating a more collaborative classroom experience.
Beyond academic instruction, Nguyen prioritizes building students’ confidence as they adjust to the demands of dental school.
“It can be easy for students to doubt themselves when they are surrounded by so many talented people,” she said. “I remind them that they earned their place here and that they are more capable than they think they are.”
Moments of feedback from students, she added, continue to reinforce the impact of her work.
“Hearing students tell me that my teaching was effective, that they enjoyed my lecture, or that my slide shows helped them better understand difficult material is always meaningful to me,” she said. “Those moments remind me why I enjoy teaching so much.”
The Freeman Award comes with a cash prize. Previous award winners include:
- Anita Joy-Thomas, BDS, PhD, 2025
- Vuvi Nguyen, MS, PhD, 2024, 2020, 2018
- Juliana A. Barros, DDS, MS, 2023
- Harold Kolodney Jr., DMD, 2022
- Michele White, DDS, 2021
- Ashley Clark, DDS, 2019
- Raymond Koeppen, DDS, MS, MBA, 2017, 2012
- Robert Spears, PhD, 2016
- Carla Rogers, PhD, 2015
- Shelly Patel, DDS, 2014
- Yasmine Haddad, DDS, PhD, 2013
- Ryan Quock, DDS, 2011
- Gary Frey, DDS, 2010, 2004
- William Tate, DDS, 2009, 2007, 2002, 1991, 1989
- Robert (Rod) Dosch, DDS, 2008, 2003, 2000, 1998
- James Ferguson, DDS, 2006
- Barry Rittman, MS, PhD, 2005
- Franz S. F. Mong, PhD, 2001, 1997, 1992, 1990, 1988, 1986, 1984
- Kenneth Porter, DDS, 1999
- John McMahon, PhD, 1996, 1987
- Mary (Cindy) Farach-Carson, PhD, 1995
- Gene Stevenson, DDS, MS, 1994
- Kathleen Gibson, PhD, 1993
- James Newland, DDS, MS, 1985
- Philip Pierpont, DDS, 1983
- Matthew Seals, DDS, 1982
- Richard Madden, DDS, MS, 1981
- Rodney Beetar, DDS, MS, 1980
- William Radentz, DDS, 1979
- Thomas Wild, DDS, 1978