School of Dentistry News
Top News from the Dental News Blog
See Full Blog
-
Dean’s High Five – November 2026
Wednesday November 11, 2026
Every day, special achievements and newsworthy headlines are happening at the School of Dentistry. In an effort to give proper acknowledgment and share these successes, please tune in for the monthly Dean’s High Five as we acknowledge those responsible for the top five stories happening at Detroit Mercy Dental. If you have news to share, click here to submit your story for a chance to be featured in an upcoming Dean’s High Five!
Zeggara wins first place at Hispanic Dental Association meeting
Fourth-year dental student Ronald Alejandro Zegarra won first place in the Student Poster Research Competition at the 2026 Hispanic Dental Association Annual Meeting in Boston. His winning research was titled “Functional and Skeletal Correction of Pediatric Recurrent TMJ Ankylosis Using Customized Total TMJ Prosthesis and Orthognathic Surgery.”
The recognition reflects the strength of student research at Detroit Mercy Dental and highlights its students’ contributions to advancing patient care.
Detroit Mercy Dental screens 380 at community men’s health event**
Detroit Mercy Dental students, faculty and staff provided oral health screenings at the Men’s Health event at Wayne State Fieldhouse. More than 1,000 men attended the free community health event, which offered preventive screenings without requiring health insurance. The Detroit Mercy Dental team screened 380 people for oral health concerns. Of those, 47 needed routine dental care and four had findings requiring follow-up biopsies.
The School of Dentistry is helping cover the cost of biopsies for those four patients, ensuring that concerning findings receive timely evaluation and, when necessary, treatment. The effort reflects Detroit Mercy’s commitment to community service and highlights the importance of early detection
Dental hygiene promotes whole-person wellness**
Dental hygiene students and faculty talked with attendees about how stress and daily habits affect oral health, and how oral health connects to overall well-being. A Rethink Your Drink display highlighted the effect of beverage choices on long-term health.
The team also distributed about 300 oral hygiene kits so attendees could maintain healthy habits at home. The effort reflects Detroit Mercy’s commitment to community service and highlights the importance of prevention and education.
Detroit Mercy Dental faculty and residents publish research on modified lip repositioning
Detroit Mercy Dental faculty members Bassam M. Kinaia, D.D.S. ’99, M.S. ’08, assistant director of Graduate Periodontics and associate professor, and Anthony L. Neely, D.D.S., M.Dent.Sc., Ph.D., associate professor and program director of Graduate Periodontics, co-authored a case report in Clinical Advances in Periodontics with residents, Joseph Samona, D.D.S., and Maria Latorre Sanchez, D.D.S, ‘24 and alumni Minki Kim, D.D.S, M.S.’26, and Joshua Graham, D.D.S., M.S.’26.
The report examines a modified lip repositioning technique for treating excessive gum display, commonly known as a gummy smile. The researchers followed identical twin sisters over eight years after the original procedure was partially relapsed. Both patients underwent modified techniques, which reduced gum display and improved smile balance. Results remained stable through 18 months of follow-up after retreatment, highlighting modified repositioning as a less invasive approach to improving smile esthetics and addressing recurrence.
The publication reflects Detroit Mercy Dental’s commitment to research collaboration between faculty, residents and alumni and highlights the program’s contributions to evidence-based periodontal care.
AEGD Partners with DMC family medicine for new interprofessional oral health rotation**
A big high five goes to our Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program for launching a new partnership with the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) Family Medicine Residency Program!
Through the new DMC interprofessional Oral Health Rotation, Family Medicine physician residents will spend a select Thursday at the AEGD Corktown Clinic, shadowing and working alongside our AEGD residents in patient care. During their time with us, the physician residents will learn to perform basic oral health screenings, identify risk factors from common oral diseases, recognize caries and think through dental management for medically complex patients.
The rotation is designed to raise awareness of oral health its role in overall health, deepen understanding of the oral-systemic connection and help non-dental providers bring oral health into the care they give their own patients.
This partnership is a great example of our commitment to interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) and to
preparing providers who treat the whole patient.
Dental gives back at homecoming**
Detroit Mercy Dental participated in the 2026 Homecoming and Live6 Street Fest Community Resource Fair. Students, faculty and volunteers provided oral health education and toothbrushes to 670 community members, including 520 adults and 150 children. Through interactive activities and educational resources, the team promoted healthier smiles and celebrated the University’s ongoing commitment to community service.
Detroit Mercy ASDA brings smiles to Wild About Smiles **
A High Five to the Detroit Mercy chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) and the volunteers who staffed Wild About Smiles on Aug. 30, 2026. Rain or not, the team handed out about 567 dental kits to children and adults and showed young visitors how to brush, all with smiles on their faces. Their energy and care made a real difference for the families who came out. Thank you for giving back and making us proud.
Krukonis recognized by NIH for peer review service**
Krukonis Recognized by NIH for Peer Review Service
Eric Krukonis, Ph.D., associate professor and assistant director of research at Detroit Mercy Dental, was recognized by the National Institutes of Health(NIH) for his service as a peer reviewer in 2025. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., acknowledged the contribution in a letter to the University. Peer reviewers evaluate the scientific merit of grant applications, helping determine which research projects receive federal funding.
The recognition reflects the respect he has earned for his research and scholarship and highlights Detroit Mercy’s commitment to advancing science in service of the broader community.
**These stories are mission and identity moments that highlight activities that reflect our Jesuit and Mercy values.
-
Detroit Mercy Dental Vermont advances toward 2027 opening
Monday October 19, 2026
Detroit Mercy Dental Vermont continues to move from planning to implementation, with the new facility expected to be completed in late 2026. Vermont faculty have been spending time in Detroit learning our clinical systems and participating in calibration to help ensure students receive a consistent educational experience across both locations.
On Oct. 13, representatives from the Vermont Agency of Education conducted a site visit as part of the state approval process, marking another important milestone toward opening the campus.
Patient care in Vermont will begin before students arrive, with the inaugural cohort scheduled to begin its clinical education there in fall 2027. Once fully implemented, 30 third-year and 30 fourth-year students will complete their clinical education through the Vermont clinic and rotations with community clinics and federally qualified health centers.
-
Mark Murphy
Tuesday September 29, 2026
The University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry is proud to recognize Dr. Mark T. Murphy ’81 as its 2026 Alumni Spirit Award recipient, honoring a career defined by leadership, education, service and an enduring commitment to his alma mater.
Since graduating from the University of Detroit School of Dentistry in 1981, Murphy has built a career extending far beyond the walls of his own practice. Over more than four decades, he has become a nationally and internationally recognized clinician, educator and leader, lecturing around the world on dental sleep medicine, leadership, practice management and treatment planning.
Murphy has served on the boards of the Pankey Institute, National Association of Dental Laboratories, Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology, St. Vincent de Paul’s Dental Center and The Dental Advisor, among others. He also spent more than a decade on the visiting faculty of the Pankey Institute.
A Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Academy of General Dentistry, Murphy is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, a distinction held by fewer than 1% of dentists nationwide.
His commitment to education continues through his work in dental sleep medicine with ProSomnus Sleep Technologies, but some of his most meaningful contributions have brought his expertise back to Detroit Mercy Dental.
Murphy helped establish the School’s dental sleep medicine program, has served as a guest faculty member for many years, and has presented continuing education programs for Detroit Mercy Dental, frequently donating his time and expertise.
Perhaps the best way to describe Murphy’s career is through one word: influence.
His impact reaches well beyond the organizations he has led or the audiences he has addressed. Throughout his career, Murphy has taught, mentored and challenged countless dental professionals to think differently about their patients, their practices and the profession itself.
That influence has a ripple effect. The clinicians he has educated take what they have learned back to the patients and communities they serve. As a result, his impact extends to people he may never meet. Somewhere, patients are breathing better and living healthier lives because of knowledge passed along by a clinician who once learned from Mark Murphy.
That is the extraordinary reach of a great educator.
Detroit Mercy Dental graduates experienced that influence firsthand in 2019, when Murphy returned to his alma mater as the School of Dentistry’s commencement speaker. He left the graduating class with three deceptively simple principles:
Do the right thing. Do your best. Treat other people the way you want to be treated.
Those words reflect not only the advice Murphy shared that day, but also the way he has practiced, taught and led throughout his career.
The Alumni Spirit Award celebrates graduates whose professional achievements, service and connection to Detroit Mercy embody the spirit of the University. Through his leadership, dedication to education and continued commitment to Detroit Mercy Dental, Murphy exemplifies those qualities.
Detroit Mercy Dental congratulates Dr. Mark T. Murphy ’81 on being named the School of Dentistry’s 2026 Alumni Spirit Award recipient and thanks him for the lasting influence he continues to have on the profession, his students, his colleagues and his alma mater.
-
Dean’s High Five – Summer 2026
Wednesday June 10, 2026
Every day, special achievements and newsworthy headlines are happening at the School of Dentistry. In an effort to give proper acknowledgment and share these successes, please tune in for the monthly Dean’s High Five as we acknowledge those responsible for the top five stories happening at Detroit Mercy Dental. If you have news to share, click here to submit your story for a chance to be featured in an upcoming Dean’s High Five!
Celebrating the Class of 2026
Class of 2026
Congratulations to all graduates of the Class of 2026 on reaching this significant milestone. Through dedication, perseverance and a commitment to excellence, you have completed your academic and clinical training and are prepared to enter the profession as skilled and compassionate oral health professionals.
As you move forward, you join a proud community of alumni dedicated to advancing patient care, service and lifelong learning.
Mayberry elected President of the Michigan Dental Association**
Melanie E. Mayberry, D.D.S., M.S.-HCM
Melanie E. Mayberry, D.D.S., M.S.-HCM, a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, clinical professor and division director of practice essentials and interprofessional education, has been installed as president of the Michigan Dental Association.
A respected leader in dental education and organized dentistry, Mayberry is recognized for her commitment to advancing oral health, fostering professional collaboration and mentoring the next generation of dental professionals.
Her installation as MDA president marks a distinguished milestone in a career defined by leadership, service and dedication to the profession.
Baghaie’s Research Featured in Journal of Endodontics**
Farhad Kevin Baghaie, D.D.S. ’22, Farzad Baghaie, DS4, Clinical Associate Professor and Endodontics Resident, Nahid Kashani, D.D.S., M.S.D., F.A.G.D
Farzad Baghaie, a fourth-year dental student; Farhad Kevin Baghaie, D.D.S. ’22; and Nahid Kashani, D.D.S., M.S.D., F.A.G.D., clinical associate professor and endodontics resident, recently published the article “Long-Term Outcomes of Predoctoral Root Canal Therapy: Retreatment and Tooth Loss in a 17-Year Institutional Cohort” in the Journal of Endodontics, widely regarded as a leading journal in the field. The article will also be featured in the Journal of Endodontics Magazine, Volume 52, Issue 7.
The study evaluated the long-term outcomes of root canal therapy performed in a predoctoral dental program over a 17-year period, contributing meaningful data on treatment success, retreatment rates and tooth survival. The project highlights the importance of evidence-based dentistry and the quality of care provided within academic dental institutions.
Publishing in the Journal of Endodontics is a significant accomplishment, and achieving first-author publication as a dental student is especially noteworthy. The significance of this work has also led to multiple invitations to present nationally, including at The Ohio State University, the Michigan Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry Annual Conference in Las Vegas, and the Delta Sigma Delta 142nd Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas.
This outstanding achievement reflects a strong commitment to advancing endodontic science and exemplifies excellence in academic dentistry.
Patel Appointed to Michigan Board of Dentistry**
Clinical Assistant Professor, Assistant Dean for Clinic Operations and Division Director for the Division of Clinical Dentistry,
Ashish Patel, D.D.S. ’17Ashish Patel, D.D.S. ’17;, clinical assistant professor, assistant dean for clinic operations and division director of the Division of Clinical Dentistry, has been appointed to the Michigan Board of Dentistry. His term begins July 1, 2026. Patel will bring a wealth of clinical expertise, operational leadership and academic experience to this important statewide role.
His appointment to the Michigan Board of Dentistry is a well-deserved recognition of his dedication to serving the profession and the public. As a member of the board, Patel will help guide policies and standards that support the future of dentistry and oral health care across Michigan.
We congratulate Patel on this outstanding achievement and look forward to the positive impact his leadership and expertise will continue to have on the dental profession and the communities it serves.
Honoring Top Honors at the MDA Poster Competition**
Group Photo at Michigan Dental Association (MDA) Poster Session
Congratulations to our research team for placing first and second at the Michigan Dental Association Annual Session Poster Session. First place went to Yulia Song, DS3, Salwa Atwan, D.D.S., M.S. and Tarik Shounia, D.D.S. ’14, from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, for their outstanding research presentation titled “Prevalence of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking and Its Impact on General and Oral Health Among High School and College Students.”
Second place was awarded to the Advanced Education in General Dentistry team at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry for its research presentation titled “Understanding Patient Knowledge of Dental Caries: A Qualitative Interview Study.”
Taylor Inducted as Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy**
Clinical Associate Professor and clinic lead, Charles Taylor, D.D.S.Charles Taylor, D.D.S., clinical associate professor and clinic lead, has been inducted as a fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. The honor was recognized during the Michigan Dental Association Annual Session in Grand Rapids. The Pierre Fauchard Academy is an international dental honor society that recognizes dentists for outstanding contributions to the advancement of the art and science of dentistry.
Taylor’s induction reflects his enduring commitment to excellence and leadership in the dental profession.
Van Dam Receives MDA Dental Faculty Award**
Christina Van Dam, D.D.S. ’11, M.S., Program Director, Advanced Education in General DentistryChristina Van Dam, D.D.S. ’11, M.S., program director of Advanced Education in General Dentistry, has received the Dental Faculty Award in recognition of her excellence in teaching, mentorship and commitment to student success. The award, presented in partnership with the Michigan Dental Association, highlights outstanding contributions to dental education and the profession. Known for her supportive and rigorous approach to dental education, Van Dam has made a lasting impact on her students and colleagues, reflecting the university’s Jesuit and Mercy values of service, compassion and professional excellence.
Haddow Named OKU Inductee**
Clinical Associate Professor, Michael Haddow, D.D.S.Michael Haddow, D.D.S., clinical associate professor, has been inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society that celebrates academic excellence, character and professionalism in dentistry. Haddow’s induction places him among a distinguished group of leaders whose impact extends across the dental profession.
This recognition highlights Haddow’s distinguished contributions and enduring commitment to excellence in dentistry.
Juday Named OKU Inductee**
Clinical Assistant Professor, Bradley Juday, D.D.S. ’94Bradley Juday, D.D.S. ’94, clinical assistant professor, has been inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society that celebrates academic excellence, character and professionalism in dentistry. The honor places Juday among an esteemed group of individuals whose leadership has made a lasting impact on the profession.
This recognition highlights Juday’s distinguished contributions and enduring commitment to excellence in dentistry.
**These stories are mission and identity moments that highlight activities that reflect our Jesuit and Mercy values.
-
School of Dentistry serves more than 400 patients during Jamaica mission trip
Wednesday June 10, 2026
During spring break in March, students and faculty from the Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry participated in a one-week, spiritually enriching mission trip to Jamaica. The region was still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, and many residents lacked access to essential dental care.
The team included 22 second- through fourth-year dental students and 11 dentists, including faculty, residents and alumni. Together, they represented specialties such as oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, general dentistry, restorative dentistry and periodontics.
During four days of service, the group treated 402 patients. Clinical care included 195 extractions, 109 fillings, 103 prophylaxis and gross debridement procedures, 27 root canals and two pulpotomies. Notably, a third-year dental student successfully saved the front teeth of a 16-year-old patient by performing a root canal and composite restoration.
Full-time faculty across all of UDM’s campuses will be honored for their service at the event, with prestigious awards bestowed upon two faculty members from the College of Engineering & Science.
An agreement between 'microPublication Biology' and University of Detroit Mercy will allow Titan researchers to publish an unlimited number of peer reviewed articles in the journal with no publication fees.
Detroit Mercy is the highest-ranked independent university in Michigan, and is among the top 100 private institutions nationwide.
Fall Festival at Homecoming returned to the McNichols Campus for two days packed with activities for Titans, friends and the community to enjoy.
Hundreds of new Titans were busy across four campuses as they began their University of Detroit Mercy careers during the final days of August.
UDM is welcoming the new academic year — and the celebration of its 150th anniversary in the city of Detroit — with a special Mass celebrated by a representative of the Vatican.
Happy birthday to us! University of Detroit Mercy is 150 years old, and we are throwing a yearlong celebration.
More than 1,700 Titans graduated from University of Detroit Mercy following the 2025-26 academic year.
If you’ve run into Mack Powell in the hallways at Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, there’s a very good chance that you’ve heard him say, “I’m living the dream.” It’s a mantra that holds true in more ways than one.
February is Black History Month, and University of Detroit Mercy will celebrate with a series of enlightening events across all campuses.
The launch and dissemination of these core values come during an exciting time of growth for UDM, highlighted by strong national rankings and new academic programs.
UDM graduates rank in the top 9% of 4,476 colleges and universities nationwide for salary earned over a period of 15 to 40 years during their career.
The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings focus on student outcomes rather than inputs, highlighting the tangible value a school delivers to its students. It evaluates colleges on several key measures, including social mobility and salary impact.
One alumnus from each of the seven schools is selected for the honor from nominations submitted from both inside and outside the University.
Jeanette Andrade ’25 wants to help people. It’s what she envisions doing with her Dental Hygiene degree from Detroit Mercy’s School of Dentistry. But before helping others and finishing her degree, Andrade needed to pause her studies so she could take care of herself.
The 'Opportunity College and University' designation highlights UDM as a model institution for fostering student success and advancing research on effective campus practices.
February is Black History Month, and University of Detroit Mercy will celebrate with a series of enlightening events across all campuses.
This new dental clinic and education program would bring UDM students to Vermont to complete their final years of training – strengthening the dental care provider pipeline and expanding access to much-needed care across the state.
The 2025 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking has put UDM at No. 43 in the nation, nine places higher than it ranked the University last year.
The world welcomed new Titans with more than 1,000 University of Detroit Mercy graduates receiving their diplomas across four Commencement ceremonies May 10-11 on the McNichols Campus.
Meet the Class of '24: Dental grad Maria Latorre Sanchez says “It’s not about what happens to you, it’s about how fast you get up.”
University of Detroit Mercy has recently received more than $2 million in grants to help educate students and their work in the community.