Sesquicentennial Commencement: The Class of 2025 finishes in the school’s 150th year11 min read
See also:
• Video highlights of 2025 Commencement
• Video with comments from graduates
Ann Arbor, Mich., May 15, 2025 – Praise for their dedication to the educational challenges they’ve met thus far and predictions for their rewarding futures were common themes directed at the 2025 graduates of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry on Friday.
During commencement at Hill Auditorium, the school graduated 129 dental students; 44 master’s degree students in the various dental specialties and the Oral Health Sciences; 33 dental hygiene students; and two PhD students in Oral Health Sciences.
The ceremony was attended by family and friends from around Michigan and the country, as well as the families of the many international students the school draws from around the world.
Dean Jacques Nör said students in the graduating Class of 2025 received a special parting gift – the distinction of graduating in the school’s sesquicentennial year since its founding in 1875. Society and dentistry has changed in incredible ways in a century and a half, he said, but one thing has not changed at the school.
“From the beginning, the founders of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry were focused on leading the development of dentistry even before it was a profession,” Nör said. “The leaders, faculty, staff and students of this dental school have always insisted on excellence. They had the vision that scientific research and evidence-based practices are necessary to lead the evolution of the dental profession. That commitment has never changed – for over a century and a half – up to this very day.”
Nör praised the graduates for choosing a healthcare career that will have a major impact on the lives and health of thousands of people. “No matter what your next step is, we are confident that you will improve the lives of countless people, whether they be your patients or residents of the communities in which you live,” he said. “We predict that your career in dentistry will be even more gratifying, in more ways, than you could ever imagine as you sit here today. We will be cheering for you as you move forward and upward in the coming years.”
Keynote speaker Dr. Janet Southerland, a tenured professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and former Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, shared with graduates the importance of three variations of caring – for yourself, your family and your community. It is important, she said, for all of us to care for our authenticity, emotional health, creativity and sense of purpose. Caring for yourself is the most important because it is the foundation for the others.
“Listen to the voice inside that says, something isn’t right. Or, this matters, really matters, to me,” she said. “Care for yourself isn’t weakness, it is wisdom. It is the quiet daily act of choosing to stay connected to who you are, even when the world asks you to be someone else. We need you to stay curious and imaginative. … Let your failures become fuel. And most of all, chase your dreams, but also chase balance. Because the best version of you isn’t just the most productive; it is the one that is cared for, respected and open to possibilities.”
To accentuate the importance of caring for family, she asked graduates to think of family and friends who supported them over the years. Then she asked graduates to stand and in unison say “Thank you.” She urged graduates to make daily efforts to maintain those close ties even as their careers and lives will inevitably become busier. “The sweetness of success is magnified when it is shared with those who mean the most to you,” she said.
Southerland encouraged graduates to use their talents, knowledge and passion to serve others and be a force for good in their communities. “In today’s world, where division and indifference can sometimes overshadow unity and kindness, you must be the ones who choose to care,” she said. “Be the person who stands up for what is right, who listens to those in need and who leads with empathy. You are the future leaders, innovators and change-makers and we put our hope and trust in you completely. I ask that you commit to building a world where compassion and caring is the core for everything you do.”
Other speakers also offered a variety of wisdom and advice for graduates:
• Dr. Laurie McCauley, Provost of the University of Michigan, who returned to the school where she was dean for nine years, including the early tenure of this year’s DDS class: “In more than three decades of oral health practice, research and teaching, I have observed a crucial element that unites every successful oral health practitioner. It’s not intellectual brilliance or technical acumen. It is the ability to connect with people. The foundational skills you learned here are just that – a foundation. We provide a foundation as good as any in the world. But your professional and personal success will ultimately be determined by your ability to connect with the people and the communities that you serve. Wherever you go – academia, a private or a large clinic, a small town or a large city – your ability to connect with your people will define your success.”
• Dental Hygiene Class President Fareeha Ahmad: “Class of 2025, as we prepare to step into the next chapter of our lives, let us carry with us a profound awareness of the responsibility that comes with the knowledge, privilege and power we now possess. These are not tools for personal gain, they are tools for uplifting others, especially those whose voices are often unheard or silenced. As future leaders, professionals, and advocates, we are here not just to treat symptoms, but to build trust, foster understanding, and ensure that empathy, justice and dignity become the standard of care in every interaction. Let us lead with humanity, and let kindness guide our expertise. Never forget the power you hold to help shape a more just and equitable world.”
• Dental Hygiene Faculty Award Recipient Janet Kinney: “You have made me a better teacher by the questions and curiosities you had. We learned together. So, never stop asking questions, never stop learning. … As you enter the workforce, apply the clinical skills you have developed over these past two years. But equally important is for you to practice the solid ethics and professionalism you also developed during the program. Skills applied without ethics means nothing. However, when combined, you can make the ‘Michigan Difference.’”
• DDS Class President Elise DeConinck: “I believe that as we step into this profession today as Doctors of Dental Surgery, we are not just receiving a title – we are bestowed a lifelong commitment. We are now entrusted with the immense privilege and responsibility of serving others through ethical, compassionate and informed care. We have the power to change lives in our communities, and we have an obligation to continue to grow and better this profession each and every day. Let us be guided by the legacy of excellence that defines the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Let us be grounded in the values of continual learning, integrity, and service. And let us remain committed to those we care for in every action we take.”
• Adjunct faculty member Dr. Nael Meri, who received the Dr. Paul Gibbons Award from the graduating class for his teaching excellence: “I want to start by saying how incredibly proud I am of all of you today. … the hardest-working, most resilient, and – objectively – the best graduating class in the history of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Although I should disclose, there’s no peer-reviewed study to support that claim. Sorry, Dr. (Margherita) Fontana. I’d like to leave you with a few pieces of advice: Believe in yourself … take care of your body … be patient … give back when you can … as soon as you’re able, find time to serve the underserved.”
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The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is one of the nation’s leading dental schools engaged in oral healthcare education, research, patient care and community service. General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the school to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan. Classroom and clinic instruction prepare future dentists, dental specialists and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia and public agencies. Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide. For more information about the School of Dentistry, visit us on the Web at: www.dent.umich.edu. Email: [email protected], or (734) 615-1971.