White Coat Ceremony marks the beginning of a journey

The School of Dentistry celebrated incoming learners with their White Coat Ceremony on Friday, September 18.

First celebrated in 1993 in New York, the White Coat Ceremony marks the moment in which each clinical learner is bestowed with their first white coat, recognizing the professionalism and patient-centered care expected of the wearer. Members of the DDS Class of 2030, Dental Therapy Class of 2029 and Dental Hygiene Class of 2028 took part in this year’s ceremony.

“The white coat is a standard of professionalism and caring and an emblem of the trust that is granted to healthcare professionals by the patients we care for, and must be earned and maintained by our actions,” shared Interim Dean Kristin Artinger, PhD, as she welcomed attendees to the event. “The White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored tradition of inducting students into the oral health professions. When you wear the white coat you are demonstrating that you are a healthcare professional who cares for all people, especially those in need, and that you seek to make them whole through the application of science, caring and clinical skill.”

Prior to receiving their coats, each class recited their class of ethics. These student-produced documents, created to be consistent with current university policies and ethical codes of professional organizations, serve as a guiding light that is personal and individual to each class. Upon crossing the stage and donning the white coat, learners are invited to sign their class’s code of ethics, which will then be displayed publicly in the school.

After each class received their quotes, they joined together to recite the Oath for New Dentists, Oath of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and Minnesota Oath for Dental Therapists, respectively.

Following the presentation of white coats to each student, attendees enjoyed a keynote presentation from Elmi Elmi, DDS ’20, general dentist and co-owner of All About Dentistry. Selected as a 2026 Bush Fellow, Elmi is committed to improving access to dental care and mentoring the next generation of dental professionals.

Elmi reflected on his own journey as a dental student, feeling out-of-place as a new father who had been out of school for five years. “I was not what I thought a typical dental student looked like,” he shared. “I share that with you because every one of you is coming ito this program from a different place, and some of you may be sitting here wondering the same thing I did: Am I really ready for this?”

He encouraged them, “You are ready. You were handpicked from a very competitive pool of applicants. And you belong here.”

He encouraged the learners to view each other not as competitors but as collaborators, classmates, colleagues—and friends. “This profession is not about proving how much you know,” he explained. “It is about taking care of the person in front of you.”

Elmi reminded these new oral health professionals that the white coat represents trust. “Not status. Not intelligence. Not perfection," he said. “When someone allows you to care for them, they are giving you something incredibly valuable. Never become so comfortable in this profession that you forget what a privilege that is.”

Join us in congratulating the DDS Class of 2030, Dental Therapy Class of 2029 and Dental Hygiene Class of 2028 on this important milestone in their journey!

The White Coat Ceremony is made possible in part by the generous support of Dr. Freeman and Mrs. Shirley Rosenblum, Pacific Dental Services and the Upper Midwest Section of the American College of Dentists.