Banquet honors Dental Therapy Class of 2026

The School of Dentistry honored members of the Dental Therapy Class of 2026 with a banquet on April 29, 2026.

Faculty, staff and loved ones of the graduates gathered to celebrate the eight graduating dental therapists as they transition from students to practitioners. Members of the Class of 2026 include Samrawi Aron, Stephanie Barrera, Abigail Ericksen, Amy Hisrich, Emma Louwagie, Ruwayda Malim, Barni Mohammed and Reilly Wahlers. Together, they make up the fifteenth graduating class of dental therapists from the School of Dentistry.

Karl Self, DDS, MBA, professor and director of the Division of Dental Therapy, kicked off the celebration with welcoming remarks. “Each of you has come a long way over the past 32 months,” he reflected. “Your journey has been filled with challenges, late nights of studying and moments of self-development. Yet, you’ve taken this journey together as a group, and your  camaraderie and commitment to each other will be invaluable assets for you as you enter this evolving profession.”

Dean Keith Mays, DDS, MS, PhD, encouraged the graduates to celebrate their accomplishments—and to continue to work hard. “As you graduate, I’m challenging you to be come advocates, faculty, teachers, lobbyists on behalf of oral health and dental therapy,” he said. “Enjoy the journey, enjoy this moment. Relish it, celebrate it.”

Jenna Johnson, MDT ’16, dental therapy representative for the School of Dentistry Alumni Society, welcomed the new graduates to the rank of alumni. “You are representatives of this groundbreaking program extending oral health to underserved populations,” she said. “The School of Dentistry Alumni Society is here to continue to support you in achieving your goals and to help you maintain close ties to each other and your alma mater.”

Johnson also announced the winner of the 2026 Karl D. Self Dental Therapy Student Achievement Award. The annual award is presented to a senior dental therapy student in recognition of outstanding leadership, scholarship and personal character—characteristics embodied by Self. This year, the award was presented to Emma Louwagie.

Following Johnson’s remarks, class president Barni Mohammed shared remarks reflecting on the learners’ experience over the past 32 months. “Every day I am grateful that I chose this career, and I hope you all feel the same way,” she said to her classmates. “This is where we can practice both preventative and restorative work. In a little over a week we will complete our program as dental therapists, a rewarding profession that was formed to reduce the disparities our communities face and to increase access to care. We entered into this profession with the same passion and mission: to fight inequality in healthcare. We committed our years to care for those who are overlooked, to serve and also create a long-lasting positive impact on our patients. This is more than a profession. It is who we are as individuals.”

Mohammed also presented the faculty of the year award on behalf of the class to Phonsuda Chanthavisouk, BSDH ’20, MDT ’21, research assistant professor of dental therapy. “Professor Chanthavisouk went above and beyond in making sure that we felt supported,” she reflected. “Thank you for opening our eyes to opportunities for dental care outside traditional dental clinics. Thank you for your patience with us, for your role in advising us and for your encouragement. Your passion and dedication to this program and you students do not go unnoticed.”

Following a slideshow depicting photos and memories of the students’ journey, Self returned to deliver concluding remarks. Reflecting on the students’ experience through the lens of the hero’s journey as outlined by Joseph Campbell, Self encouraged graduates to see themselves as the heroes in their own story. “Today is not the end of your journey, but the beginning of a new one,” he concluded. “There will be new challenges, new calls to adventure, new trials, moments that stretch and try you. Throughout it all, practice dentistry with excellence and joy. Serve your communities like the heroes you have become. Your impact will be found in healthier patients, brighter smiles and lives changed because you chose to care. Congratulations, graduates—your journey continues.”

Congratulations to the Dental Therapy Class of 2026!