Students, Faculty, Staff Honored at Annual Spurgeon Banquet
Nearly 250 students, faculty and staff members and other guests attended the 2016 Spurgeon Dental Society Annual Awards Banquet, which is held annually in April. The event recognizes faculty, staff and student contributions to the profession of dentistry and to the mission of the school.
The Spurgeon Award Banquet is coordinated by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Spurgeon Dental Society. Kaushal Gandhi, DDS Candidate 2017, served as president of Spurgeon during 2015-16. The other executive board officers included Vice President Mallory Cochran, DDS Candidate 2018; Treasurer LaShawn Hart, DDS Candidate 2019; Secretary Kayleigh Bullard, DH Candidate 2017; and periodontology resident Elizabeth Campbell as the graduate representative.
Dr. Valerie Murrah, chair of the Department of Diagnostic Sciences, became the first female professor to receive the Richard F. Hunt, Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Predoctoral Teaching. The Hunt Award is considered the school’s most prestigious teaching award. Students nominate and select the recipient of this honor, named in memory of Dr. Richard F. Hunt, a member of the DDS Class of 1955.
The 2015-16 James Harrell Award for Citizenship and Leadership, awarded for bringing exceptional leadership, extraordinary enthusiasm, and strong sense of service to the community, went to Kandice Lee, DDS Candidate 2017. Chris Walker, DDS Candidate 2016, received the Robert E. Tormey, Jr. Memorial Award, which is given annually in memory of Bob Tormey (DDS Class of 1990) to a fourth-year student who demonstrates humor, loyalty and great caring for others. The Zane E. Eargle, Jr. Memorial Award, which honors the late Zane Eargle (DDS Class of 1988), was awarded to Mary Morgan Bitler, DDS Candidate 2018. Bitler was nominated for the award by her classmates who identified her as the member of the class who best exemplifies a strong dedication to community, faith and dental school.
Following is a full list of the awards and recipients.
Academy of Dentistry International Student Servant/Leadership Award
Daniel Bernstein, DDS ’16
Academy of General Dentistry Awards
Mackenzie Hatfield, DDS ’16
Caroline Mikaloff, DDS ’16
Academy of Operative Dentistry Award
Michael Cvelich, DDS ’16
Academy of Osseointegration Award
Michael Cvelich, DDS ’16
Alberta Beat Dolan Scholarship Award
Savanna Wall, DH ’17
Alpha Omega Award
Michael Cvelich, DDS ’16
American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry
Emilee Pilkington, DDS ’16
American Academy of Implant Dentistry
Preston Colven, DDS ’17
American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Award
Colin Sherwood, DDS ’16
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Certificate of Merit Predoctoral Student Award
Kelly Lipp, DDS ’16
American Academy of Periodontology Dental Student Award for Achievement in Periodontology
Claus Ullstad, DDS ’16
American Association of Endodontics Student Achievement Award
Jordan Van Dyke, DDS ’16
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Award
Kelly Lipp, DDS ’16
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Dental Implant Student Award
Blake Nelson, DDS ’16
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Student Achievement Award
Omar AbdelBaky, DDS ’16
American Association of Oral Biology Award
Kelly Lipp, DDS ’16
American Association of Orthodontics Award
Virginia Mayo, DDS ’16
American Association of Public Health Dentistry Student Awards
Cynthia Ellison, DH ’16
Katherine Rossitch, DDS ’16
American Association of Women Dentists Eleanor Bushee Award
Caroline Mikaloff, DDS ’16
American College of Dentists Outstanding Student Leadership Award
Chris Walker, DDS ’16
American College of Prosthodontics Award
Charles White, DDS ’16
American Dental Association/DENTSPLY Student Clinician Research Program Award
Shannyn Holder, DDS ’19
American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Horace Wells Senior Student Award
Sarah Brobeck, DDS ’16
American Student Dental Association Advocate Award
Dr. Lewis Lampiris, Dental Ecology
American Student Dental Association Award of Excellence
Tiffany Pinnix, DDS ’18
American Student Dental Association Spotlight Award
Dr. Matt Morano, Academic Affairs
Carolina First Campaign Scholarship
Kayla Ramsey, DH ’17
Class of 1958 Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Anne Sanders, Dental Ecology
Colgate S.T.A.R. Award (Student Total Achievement Recognition)
Kayleigh Bullard, DH ’16
DA Awards
Faculty: Professor Lynn Smith, Dental Ecology
Staff: Ms. Carletta Jo Keith, Clinical Affairs
Student: Ezie Ozoma, DA ’16
DA Clinical Achievement Award
Katie Creech, DA ’16
DDS-1 Awards
Faculty: Dr. Gina Donato, School of Medicine
Staff: Ms. Tammy Collins, Clinical Affairs
Teaching Assistant: Dr. Arash Khani
Student: Jordan Sawyers, DDS ’19
DDS-2 Awards
Faculty: Dr. James Fiordalisi, School of Medicine
Staff: Ms. Crystal Brown, Clinical Affairs
Teaching Assistant: Dr. Anthony Gragg
Student: Clara Hicks, DDS ’18
DDS-3 Awards
Faculty: Dr. Rick Walter, Operative Dentistry
Staff: Mr. Richard Scoltock, Clinical Affairs
Resident: Dr. Anthony Gragg
Student: Ian McDonald, DDS ’17
DDS-4 Awards
Faculty: Dr. Carol Haggerty, Operative Dentistry
Staff: Ms. Carletta Jo Keith, Clinical Affairs
Resident: Dr. Anthony Gragg
Student: Chris Walker, DDS ’16
Denise Hancock Memorial Award
Ms. Lori Self, Orthodontics
DH Alumni Award
Sommer Wisher, DH ’16
DH-1 Awards
Faculty/Staff: Professor Jennifer Harmon, Dental Ecology
Student: Katrina Knapp, DH ’17
DH-2 Awards
Faculty: Dr. Cheryl Hayes, Dental Ecology
Staff: Ms. Crystal Brown, Clinical Affairs
Student: Sommer Wisher, DH ’16
Dental Ecology Community Dentistry Award
Bianca Morris, DH ’16
DENTSPLY International Award in Removable Prosthodontics
James Little, DDS ’16
Dwight Clark Memorial Awards
Autumn Murray, DA ’16
Sommer Wisher, DH ‘16
Chris Walker, DDS ’16
Eleanor A. Forbes Clinical Achievement Award
Heather McClung, DH ’16
Four Corners Study Club Faculty Mentoring Award
Dr. Ceib Phillips, Orthodontics
Graduate Programs Awards
Faculty: Dr. Tung Nguyen, Orthodontics
Staff: Ms. Nikki Parkstone, Orthodontics
Student: Dr. Joseph Pittman, MS ’16
Grover C. Hunter Award
Kelly Lipp, DDS ’16
Hillenbrand-Lupton Student Award
Joshua Munson, DDS ’16
Hinman Scholars
Preston Colven, DDS ’17
Caroline Latta, DDS ’17
Sara Medlin, DH ’16
Hu-Friedy Golden Scaler Award
Alex Peace, DH ’16
International College of Dentists Humanitarian Award
Omar AbdelBaky, DDS ’16
International College of Dentists Student Leadership Award
Tayla Cunningham, DDS ’16
International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI)/Sullivan Schein Award
James Little, DDS ’16
James Harrell Award for Citizenship and Leadership
Kandice Lee, DDS ’17
Linda Pascall Jarvis Memorial Scholarship
Jessica Castaneda, DH ’16
Linda Stewart Professional Excellence Award
Ezie Ozoma, DA ’16
Kermit Knudtzon Award
Andrea Bojanski, DA ’16
Markie Thomas Award
Shianne Webb, DH ’16
Marvin Block Community Dentistry Achievement Award
Kaushal Gandhi, DDS ’17
Monte Miska Award in Fixed Prosthodontics
Zachary Flink, DDS ’16
N.C. Dental Hygiene Academy of Advanced Studies
Kayla Cunningham, DH ’16
N.C. Dental Hygiene Academy Award
Chelsea Wendel, DH ’17
Jessica Castaneda, DH ’16
N.C. Dental Society Student Leader Award
Ben Anders, DDS ’16
Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society Inductees
Omar AbdelBaky, DDS ’16
Katya Avanesyan, DDS ’16
Daniel Bernstein, DDS ’16
Michael Cvelich, DDS ’16
Kelly Lipp, DDS ’16
Blake Nelson, DDS ’16
Emilee Pilkington, DDS ’16
Blair Powell, DDS ’16
Mary Lanier Zaytoun, DDS ’16
Pankey Study Club of North Carolina Scholarship
Dr. Alex Yarborough, Prosthodontics
Pat Jacques Memorial Scholarship
Makalia Nyberg, DA ’16
Pierre Fauchard Academy Junior Student Award
Kaushal Gandhi, DDS ’17
Pierre Fauchard Academy Senior Student Award
Katherine Avanesyan, DDS ’16
Priscilla Levine Scholarship
Roxanne Dsouza, DH ’16
Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Periodontics
Chris Walker, DDS ’16
Richard Hunt Award for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Valerie Murrah, Diagnostic Sciences
Robert E. Tormey, Jr. Memorial Award
Chris Walker, DDS ’16
Sara O’Daniel Dental Assisting Clinical Experience Award
Octavia Humphrey, DA ’16
Sheila Harris Award
Andrea Bojanski, DA ’16
Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society
Roxanne Dsouza, DH ’16
Beth Kornegay, MSDH ’16
Hannah Roe, DH ’16
Shianne Webb, DH ’16
Southeastern Academy of Prosthodontics Award
Emilee Pilkington, DDS ’16
Student Research James Baldwin Mentor Award
Dr. Michael Roberts, Pediatric Dentistry
Susan P. Foy Award
Colin Sherwood, DDS ’16
Whip Mix “Best of the Best” Award in Prosthodontics
Gabrielle Jackson, DDS’16
UNC School of Dentistry Leadership Award
Dr. Ingebord De Kok, Prosthodontics
Zane Eargle, Jr. Award
Mary Morgan Bitler, DDS ’18
