nysdfdeansaward

NYSDF Deans Award

This year, the Foundation established the New York State Dental Foundation Deans Award, in recognition of the fact that ensuring
a growing and sustainable oral health work force is crucial to expanding the availability of oral health services for all New Yorkers,
particularly as the needs of underserved and culturally diverse communities expand.

The New York State Dental Foundation Deans Award will be awarded annually to graduating students or postdoctoral trainees
who have demonstrated an exceptional level of achievement as measured by:

outstanding academic performance;
demonstrated commitment to enhancing and improving the oral health of underserved populations, and
membership in the American Dental Student Association.

The candidate for the NYSDF Deans Award, valued at $5,000, must be nominated by the dean of each of the following academic
dental institutions: Columbia University College of Dental Medicine; New York University College of Dentistry; State University of
New York at Buffalo; Stony Brook University, and the University of Rochester Eastman Dental Center. (Unless special
circumstances are cited by a dean and accepted by this Board of Trustees, only one award per school will be given; this year, the
Board did give two awards, each amounting to $2,500, to Columbia’s two nominees.)

Without exception, the deans of each of these institutions were highly supportive of this new program, and our Board was
delighted with this year’s nominees, who are:

Andrew Dusel, University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine – A student who has already won numerous awards based on
exemplary academic performance, and who has participated in the school’s active mission program which provides dental
services to indigent populations. He has also conducted several research projects and provided tutoring for first and second year
dental students in the basic sciences and preclinical courses.

Evan D. Christensen and Sylvia Shihpin Lin, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine – Mr. Christensen seeks an
Endodontics program or a strong General Practice Residency position. Without fail, his grades fall in the Honors range. He was
one of only six Academic Success Program tutors. In addition to serving as a class officer, he has presented research in various
settings. Ms. Lin, who graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kapa from New York Unviersity with a Bachelor of Arts in
Biochemistry and is now studying to become an orthodontist, has had one of the highest academic performances in the class
through the first three years of the curriculum, with particular mastery of biomedical core courses. She has received research
training grants and numerous awards, and has volunteered in many community programs.

Dr. Heeje Lee, Eastman Dental Center – Dr. Lee, who is about to graduate from the Prosthodontic Training Program at
Eastman, has consistently demonstrating independent thinking and the ability to objectively critique and analyze. Beyond his
obvious academic and research talents, Dr. Lee has demonstrated throughout his entire career a strong sense of community
involvement and a desire to advance the health of underserved populations. From 1997 -2000, he supervised the provision of
dental care in a free dental clinic in rural areas in Korea. Then, while he had already achieved a specialization in endodontics, he
elected to spend two years in Ethiopia as a staff dentist within the Korean International Cooperation Agency. Upon his return to his
native South Korea, he worked as a staff dentist at the Seocho Health Center Dental Clinic for the Handicapped in Seoul. He has
also provided dental services in refugee camps in the Phillipins, Russia, Malaysia, and Pakisatan. Here in the United States, Dr. Lee
has accepted a full-time position at Louisiana State University where he will be involved in teaching and research while providing
care to the population of New Orleans.

Jocelyn Jeffries, New York University College of Dentistry – Since her matriculation in 2003, Ms. Jeffries has selflessly
dedicated most of her own time to volunteering for community outreach projects, while ranking in the top 30 percent of her class
of 350. Whether it it through her responsibilities as president of the NYU College of Dentistry American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry Student Chapter or her hands-on involvement in a multitude of local outreach endeavors, Ms. Jeffries has consistently
demonstrated excellence in preventive dentistry and community service.

David Smith, Stony Brook University Health Sciences Center – Mr. Smith’s has consistently performed well above average
in both didactic and clinical studies; his critical thinking skills enable him to easily handle difficult educational concepts and his
patience and perseverance allow him to perform exceptionally well in all of the technically complex patient care dental procedures
carried out in medically stable, medically compromised and developmentally disabled patients. In addition to serving in numerous
leadership capacities in a organizations such as ASDA, etc., he was one of four students chosen to travel to Madagascar, spending
three weeks treating individuals with little access to health care. He also participated in a dental externship at the Public Health
Partnership Center and volunteered for Special Olympics Special Smiles. Finally, Mr. Smith was the recipient this year of the
Pierre Fauchard Academy Foundation Scholarship Award, which is presented to a dental student who has demonstrated the
greatest potential for development into outstanding leadership in the dental profession.This year, the Foundation established the
New York State Dental Foundation Deans Award, in recognition of the fact that ensuring a growing and sustainable oral health
work force is crucial to expanding the availability of oral health services for all New Yorkers, particularly as the needs of
underserved and culturally diverse communities expand.

20 Corporate Woods Blvd.
Suite 602
Albany, New York 12211
ph: 518-465-0044
fax: 518-465-3219
alt: 800-255-2100
nysdf@nysdental.org