UAB School of Dentistry celebrated our 75th anniversary through a year jam packed with activities and events. Here are some highlights reflected in photos.
Alumni Weekend
Feb. 2-5: Alumni Weekend officially kicked off our 75th anniversary. One of the largest dental meetings in the state with more than 1,900 attendees, the number of exhibitors, guests, students, and continuing education hours all set records.
Scholars Symposium
March 2: The eighteenth Scholars Symposium theme was microbiology and immunology. The event included poster student poster presentations, a national speaker, and the faculty lecture given by Dr. Ping Zhang. 75th Anniversary Crawfish Boil May 18: Faculty, staff, residents, and students enjoyed a crawfish boil sponsored by the school’s alumni association in partnership with ASDA and the SGA.
Commencement
June 3: The sparks flew as the School of Dentistry honored the 75 D.M.D. graduates of the Class of 2023 at its 71st commencement ceremony. Held in Bartow Arena, the event included a U.S. Military Officer Commissioning, an awards ceremony, and the annual Lister Hill Lecture. 1st Floor Clinic Dedication Aug. 14: The school held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the renovation and re-opening of our 1st floor clinic. The project added 40 new dental chairs to serve patients in a modern setting.
White Coat Ceremony
Aug. 11: Our D3 class celebrated their commitment to dentistry during 24th White Coat Ceremony. The white coats are symbolic of the beginning of their clinical focused years.
Dental Hygiene Symposium & Hinman Lecture
Aug 18-19: The 17th annual dental hygiene symposium saw record crowds in 2023. More than 1,300 dentists and dental team members attended the two-day event at The Wynfrey Hotel, making it one of the largest hybrid dental meetings (approximately 200 more attended virtually) in Alabama. Staff volunteers are a foundation of the event.
Be Seen In Green Fridays
Sep. 6: Each Friday, our staff shows off their Blazer pride by wearing their best UAB green attire. Go Blazers!
UAB SOD 75th Anniversary
Oct. 18, 2023 marked 75 years of excellence, innovation, and memories for UAB School of Dentistry. We celebrated the day with the launch of an anniversary website, which includes a series of stories to highlight each decade of life and accomplishments.
Field Day
Oct. 18: In addition to a cupcake break earlier in the week, students celebrated the school’s 75th anniversary with a field day at Railroad Park. The competition included capture the flag, musical chairs, and several other fun games. Congrats to the D1 class who clenched the title in the final relay race!
EXCEL (Excellence through Continued Enrichment & Learning)
Oct. 18: The second daylong EXCEL program of the year, nearly 150 faculty and staff gathered at Vestavia Hills Civic Center on the school’s anniversary for a day of learning, planning and team building.
Anniversary Gala
Oct. 19: The SOD alumni association hosted an anniversary gala at the Country Club of Birmingham. Guest speakers included James Spann, Chief Meteorologist for ABC 33/40; Dr. Mary Lynne Capilouto, the school’s 6th dean; and Interim Dean Nicolaas Geurs.
First Annual Dr. Perng-Ru Liu Memorial Lecture
Oct 21: In recognition for Dr. Liu’s more than 30 years of service to the school - and his dedication to continuing education - UAB Continuing Dental Education held its first annual Liu Memorial Lecture at Red Mountain Theatre. Joined by Dr. Liu’s family, the program featured a national speaker and Dr. Len Mueninghoff shared heartwarming stories about Dr. Liu.
UAB Homecoming: Y2Blaze
Oct. 30 - Nov. 4: Students and employees celebrated UAB Homecoming with a week full of activities, including a student lunch and a door decorating competition. The D1 class constructed a Y2Blaze themed computer that took 3rd place in the campus wide Blazer Build It competition!
Halloween Costume Contest
Oct. 31: Faculty, staff, residents, and students came decked out in their most creative Halloween costumes. Check out some of the great ones!
Ugly Sweater Contest
Dec. 1: Our monthly Funday Fridays wrapped up with an ugly sweater contest - something everyone looks forward to each year!