Honors and Awards

10D Close Up with patient

Criteria for Honors and Awards

To encourage higher scholastic endeavor, leadership, and to stimulate individual study in the various disciplines, honors and awards are given to deserving students.

Dean’s List and Dean’s Scholar

The SPPC shall identify students who are worthy of recognition for academic excellence at the end of the students' first and second years.

  1. The SPPC shall recommend that each student who has a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 and earns a current term GPA of 3.70 or above, be placed on the Dean's List.
  2. The SPPC shall recommend that each student who has a cumulative GPA of at least 3.70 and earns a current term GPA of 3.90 or above be designated as a Dean's Scholar.
  3. In order to be eligible for recommendation for Dean's List or Dean's Scholar recognition, a student may not have an F grade, a D grade or a W (administrative withdrawal) in a course. Also, the student may not have an I or X grade from any of the previous semesters.

Honors and Awards

American College of Dentistry Student Leadership and Professionalism Awards
The Kentucky Section of the American College of Dentistry annually grants an award to the outstanding dental student who has most clearly demonstrated the important characteristics of professionalism and leadership.

Biomedical Science Awards
Each biomedical science discipline recognizes one dental student each year for outstanding academic accomplishments. Awards are given in the following areas: Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology & Immunology, Physiology, Oral Biology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Physiology and Biophysics. Each recipient receives a formal certificate of achievement.

Clinical Disciplines
Recognition is made of graduating dental students for outstanding achievement in the following:

  • Endodontics
    • American Association of Endodontics Student Achievement Award
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
    • Dr. Brian Alpert ULSD Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Award
    • American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Student Award
    • X. Elwood Sanders Oral Surgery Award
    • American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons William H. Bell Award
  • Oral Medicine
    • American Academy of Oral Medicine Certificate of Merit
  • Oral Pathology
    • American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Award
  • Orthodontics
    • American Association of Orthodontists Award
  • Pediatric Dentistry
    • American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Certificate of Merit
    • Dr. Robert D. Elliott Pediatric Dentistry Award
  • Periodontics
    • American Academy of Periodontology Dental Student Award
    • Quintessence Book Award for Clinical Achievement in Periodontics
  • Preventive Dentistry
    • Alliance to the Louisville Dental Society Award for Ethics in Dentistry
  • Prosthodontics
    • Hanau Prosthodontic Award
    • L.D. Pankey Occlusion Award
    • Southeastern Academy of Prosthodontics
    • International Congress of Oral Implantologists Predoctoral Student Achievement Award
    • American Academy of Implant Dentistry Dental Student Award
    • Academy of Osseointegration Outstanding Dental Student in Implant Dentistry Award
    • American College of Prosthodontists Student Achievement Award
  • Diagnosis and General Dentistry
    • Louisville Dental Society Professionalism Award
    • Quintessence Book Award for Clinical Achievement in Restorative Dentistry
    • American Academy of Orofacial Pain Outstanding Senior Award
    • Academy of Operative Dentistry Student Award
    • American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry Student Award
    • Society for Color and Appearance in Dentistry Student Award of Merit
    • Kentucky Academy of General Dentistry Future Leader in General Dentistry Award
    • American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Horace Wells Senior Student Award
  • Community Dentistry
    • Lt. Dr. Claire VanLandingham Memorial Scholarship
    • The American Association of Public Health Dentistry Award in Community Dentistry and Dental Public Health
    • The E.B. Gernert Community Service Award
    • US Public Health Service Dental Award of Excellence

Other Awards and Scholarships

  • ADEA Dr. Jeanne Craig Sinkford Student Leadership Award
  • American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Award
  • American Association of Women Dentists Eleanor Bushee Senior Woman Dental Award
  • American College of Dentists Outstanding Student Leader Award
  • American Student Dental Association Award for Excellence
  • Brian D. Stone Memorial Award
  • DMD Professionalism Award
  • Dr. Suzanne Voss-Sexton, Class of 2004 Memorial Scholarship
  • Dr. T. Gerard Bradley Leadership Award
  • Hispanic Dental Association UofL Chapter Award
  • International College of Dentists Award for Student Leadership
  • International College of Dentists Humanitarian Award
  • Karen Andrus Award
  • Kentucky Offsite Clinical Community Service Scholars
  • Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases Research Award
  • Pierre Fauchard Award
  • Quintessence Book Award for Research
  • Scholastic and Fraternal Achievement Awards of Psi Omega Fraternity

Honorary Organizations

Delphi Society
The Delphi Society was chartered in 1980 to officially recognize dental students who have shown exceptional aptitude and interest in dental basic sciences. This is an honorary group dedicated to the recognition of student achievement in biomedical sciences and research. Students are eligible for induction after their successful completion of two full years in the dental curriculum.

Omicron Kappa Upsilon
Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU), a national honor society, was founded in 1914 to recognize exemplary traits of character, scholarship and the potential for future professional growth. The seniors are selected by OKU faculty members from students in the upper 20% in their class.  Because of its very rigorous selection criteria, OKU is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious awards that can be earned by a dental student.

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