The Columbia University College of Dental Medicine will celebrate its 90th anniversary with a gala celebration featuring alumni and faculty awards on Saturday, October 20.
Founded in 1917, the College was one of the first dental schools founded in the United States, and boasts an orthodontic program that is among the oldest in the nation.
In addition to its educational mission, the College has taken a leadership role in national health care policy issues. Its faculty have advocated for expanded oral health care for both children and the elderly, and have developed novel programs to expand care locally and in developing countries around the world. The College’s robust research program is at the vanguard of oral health advances. Current projects include research into the use of stem cells for craniofacial reconstruction and the relationship between oral health and systemic diseases.
"This is a proud moment for our distinguished faculty and alumni. This celebration is an opportunity to honor our legacy of innovation and achievements and to plan the future of dental medicine at Columbia. We recommit to our three-part mission of educating the next generation of dentists, of developing novel ways to provide dental care for the underserved, and of conducting innovative research," said Ira B. Lamster, DDS, MMSc, dean of the College of Dental Medicine since 2001.
At the celebration, four alumni will be honored for their exemplary achievements:
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Irwin D. Mandel, DDS, a 1945 graduate of the school and professor emeritus in dentistry;
- Professional Service Award: Susan Karabin, DDS, a 1981 graduate and president-elect of the American Academy of Periodontology;
- Research Achievement Award: Lawrence A. Tabak, DDS, PhD, a 1977 graduate and director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health; and
- Community Outreach Award: Robert P. Renner, DDS, a 1968 graduate and volunteer for Save the Children
College of Dental Medicine faculty and officers of administration with 25 or more years of full-time service will also be honored.
The 90th anniversary celebration marks the launch of the college’s capital campaign, which aims to raise $15 million in outright gifts and pledges and an additional $15 million in estate gifts, to support its mission to achieve excellence in dental education, patient care, and research.
The monies raised will be used to expand scholarships and student loans; to fund recruitment and support for outstanding faculty; to support the college’s innovative research projects and community initiatives; and to renovate facilities where professional dental care is provided to thousands of residents of northern Manhattan.
Those interested in making a donation to the College of Dental Medicine, should contact Nancy Mathiasen in the Columbia University Medical Center Development Office at (212) 342-5612 or [email protected].
