SIU SDM Faculty and Families Celebrate Class of 2028 Dental Students at White Coat Ceremony

SIU SDM Faculty and Families Celebrate Class of 2028 Dental Students at White Coat Ceremony

October 21, 2024, 10:38 PM

On Friday, October 18, Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) recognized the progression of 51 first-year students (Class of 2028) and seven international advanced placement program students (IAPP, Class of 2026) to the role of student practitioners at the traditional White Coat Ceremony. In attendance to honor the dental students were Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, Saulius Drukteinis, DMD, MS, PhD, Dean of SIU SDM, Denise Cobb, PhD, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and members of SIU SDM faculty. The evening event took place in Morris University Center's Meridian Ballroom and was emceed by R. Duane Douglas, DMD, MS, Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness.

Watch a recap of the celebration.

Minor applauded the students and welcomed families by giving historical context to the "commitment of humanistic culture" of the White Coat Ceremony established by world-renowned pediatric neurologist Arnold P. Gold, MD, who was responsible for the very first white coat ceremony held at Columbia University in 1993.

"Dr. Gold believed that you're only half a physician, if you're only good at your craft-unless it is coupled, he argued, with patient-centered care and humanism, it is actually sub-optimal care," said Minor. "Dr. Gold thought it was important that students who aspire to become healthcare professionals pledge an oath early in their education, rather than at graduation, noting that graduation was too late and that the pledge to do no harm should be established on day one."

SIU SDM held its first White Coat Ceremony in 2001.

In a room filled to capacity with family, loved ones and supporters, Minor shared a sobering statistic that nearly 60 million Americans live in communities with a shortage of dental health providers with St. Clair County, just a few miles south of Edwardsville, designated as having a dental health shortage.

"Some of those shortages in areas might be relieved by adding just one or two more dentists in those communities," said Minor. "Children, families and communities are waiting for you to arrive equipped with the skills and technical competencies, but also imbued with empathy, kindness and compassion."

Days after his retiring from the Department of Clinical Dentistry, Vince Rapini, DDS, served as the evening's keynote speaker. Rapini spoke to students who may be hesitant about continuing in organized dentistry after participating in the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) and paying seemingly hefty dues when their membership transfers to the nearly 160,000-member networking and advocacy organization - the American Dental Association (ADA).

"In their past four legislative sessions, the Missouri legislature passed 12 bills directly related to the practice of dentistry. Each bill was endorsed and promoted by the Missouri Dental Association. A total of seven MDA-promoted and endorsed dental-related appropriations were directly added as a line item to the state budget over that same period," said Rapini.

"It's not a far reach to imagine that the bills affecting the assignment of benefits, virtual credit cards sent as insurance benefit payments, dental network leasing schemes and a major historic increase in the state Medicaid reimbursement rate not only improved the dental practices bottom line, but also covered the cost of one year's membership as well."

The highlight of the evening involved faculty issuing student practitioners their white coats. The three faculty members were Jessica Hinz, MA, PhD, Interim Chair for Department of Biomedical and Craniofacial Sciences, Debra Dixon, DMD, MSC, Section Head of Radiology and alumna ('93) and Manita Grover Utreja, DMD, Interim Director of the International Advanced Placement Program and alumna IAPP ('20).

Douglas pointed out that the most senior and most junior full-time faculty members were among the presenters.

With several rows of dentists ready to recite the Professional Oath based on the Hippocratic Oath, the Prayer of Maimonides, and the 1947 Declaration of Geneva, Drukteinis first reminded the class of the importance of their pledge.

"Ethical people are among the rarest of treasures, let alone people willing to stand and recite an oath of ethics," said Drukteinis. "Because we all yearn for an assurance that people are going to be ethical. And we absolutely need it from our health care professionals."

As with tradition after the class pledge, a student speaker offered lessons learned as a student practitioner in their final term. Gabrielle Ramirez, SIU SDM student body president. Ramirez reminded her fellow practitioners to lean on each other.

"Don't be afraid to be nervous, question yourself or get frustrated, it means that you care. On the other hand, don't allow the stresses of dental school to suck the life out of you," said Ramirez. "Attend after hours events, get involved, make memories, join a fraternity and choose happiness. There will be hard days, but you're allowed to ask for help, and I encourage you to not walk in this journey alone."

Sue Bishop, DMD, represented the sponsors on stage at the evening's ceremony. They included the Central Illinois Academy of General Dentistry, the Illinois Section of the American College of Dentists, the Illinois State Dental Society Foundation and the Eighth District of the International College of Dentists.

To end the evening, students received a round of applause from audience members with intimate knowledge of their various journeys.

IAPP student Jasleen Saini hails from the northern part of India and, at seven and a half months pregnant, is currently expecting her first child. "The faculty here is so kind to me, helping me at every point," said Saini. "I'm so grateful to be here."

Saini's support system includes her husband who works from home, and his parents, Saini's mother and father-in-law. The dentist received her dental degree in her home country in 2016 where she worked professionally for the government, stationed in the Himalayas, before getting married and moving to the United States.

"People used to have to travel for three hours, and then they would have to reach their house by hiking one hour, just for an extraction," recalled Saini. "I would say people here [in the U.S.] have opportunities and privilege."

PHOTOS: SIU SDM Class of 2028; Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD; Saulius Drukteinis, DMD, MS, PhD, Dean of SIU SDM; Gabrielle Ramirez, SIU SDM student body president; IAPP student Jasleen Saini (Class of 2026); Standing ovation from friends and family of Class of 2028