OKU Dental Honor Society
inducts new members at annual banquet

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OKU also chooses up to three faculty members to honor annually, and this year's inductees included Associate Professor Robert L. Engelmeier, D.M.D., Prosthodontics; Urgent Care Clinic Director and Associate Professor C.D. Johnson, D.D.S., Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials; and Associate Professor Lisa P. Thomas, D.D.S., Diagnostic Sciences.

Dentists and non-dentists may be invited to join as honorary members on the basis of outstanding work on behalf of the profession. W. Ken Horwitz, D.D.S., of Houston won that honor this year. Horwitz was a driving force in establishing the White Coat Ceremony as a Dental Branch tradition.

Third-year dental student Aileen Y. Wang was the 2008 William S. Kramer Award recipient. Chapter President Jeryl English, D.D.S., professor and chair, Orthdontics Department at UTDB, said the award is presented each year to a student from the top three or four candidates in the third-year class.

Seventeen freshmen were honored at this year's banquet, including Stephanie J. Aramwattananont, Christopher D. Dauterive, Mary B. Eldiwany, Leslie K. Frels, John J. Garza, Jr., Daniel Giv, Urvi G. Jadav, Bradley M. Jetton, Katy J. Jones, Sayaka Kondo, Jennifer M. Nguyen, Philip H. Pan, Michelle Q. Pham, Aegean L. Phamnguyen, Elizabeth B. Robinson, Katya Shevchenko and Jun Wu.

Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society was organized in 1914 by the faculty of Northwestern University Dental School to encourage and develop a spirit of emulation among students in dentistry and to recognize appropriately those who distinguish themselves through scholarship. The Mu Mu Chapter was established in 1940.

Third-year dental student Aileen Y. Wang (right) won the William S. Kramer Award, presented by Dean Catherine Flaitz, D.D.S.

Jeryl D. English, D.D.S., president of the Mu Mu chapter, introduced special guests and the keynote speaker.

UTDB victorious in Dental Olympics

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Houston volunteers were instrumental in making the day a success. Our volunteers helped with everything from scoring events, monitoring the lunches, taking out the trash, working the registration table, updating the scores, etc. We also want to thank all faculty members who came out to show their support on Saturday.

The weekend activities concluded Saturday evening at the Red Door in the Village where Houston celebrated victory! Many Baylor and San Antonio participants also stayed in town for the social. There was great camaraderie to be had between the three Texas dental schools, and a lot of fun to be had by all.

The Dental Olympics trophy will be on display at the UT Dental Branch at Houston until we have to defend our title next April in San Antonio.

Our sponsors were key to helping with the funding of the event. A special thank you goes out to all of them, including:

Thanks to all the athletes, volunteers and sponsors for making this year's Dental Olympics a HUGE success! The championship win would not have been possible without you.