Students
Recent dental grads awarded licenses at event
Recent dental graduates of Texas A&M University College of Dentistry gathered July 1 to receive their dental licenses at the 2025 Licensing Expo in Austin. Attendees reported that approximately 25-30 of the new graduates attended the event, which was optional. It was hosted by Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. Read More
17 dental hygiene grads awarded licenses at event
Seventeen recent graduates of Texas A&M College of Dentistry's dental hygiene program gathered June 30 in Austin to receive licenses from the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. Commonly referred to as Dental Hygiene Expo, the 2025 Licensing Expo event celebrated the final step for most dental hygiene graduates before they embark on their careers. Read More
Doctoral student receives future faculty fellowship award
Ran Tao, a third-year doctoral student in biomedical sciences at Texas A&M College of Dentistry, recently received the Texas A&M Future Faculty Fellowship (F3) Award for 2025-26. Read More
Doctoral student earns first place
Sanjaya Thapa, a doctoral student in biomedical sciences, won first place in the Bernard G. Sarnat Award competition at the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) 103rd General Session in this week in Barcelona, Spain. Read More
Class of 2025’s memories and final thoughts
Another graduation has come and gone at Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas, and students are embarking on their next chapters. We asked a handful of students about their expectations of dental college before they started and what they know now. "Before dental school, I thought it would mainly be an academic grind—just tougher classes and lots of lab time. I didn’t expect how deeply it would challenge my resilience, humility, and ability to grow through failure. Now I’ve learned that dental school is as much about becoming a better teammate and leader as it is about becoming a skilled clinician." Read More
Graduation 2025 brings smiles to all
Several years of study and work led to success for 170 dental students, dental hygiene students and graduate students who earned their degrees May 25 from Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas. The procession was led by Teachers of the Year Dr. Amp W. Miller III, professor in the comprehensive dentistry department, and Professor Brandy S. Cowen, clinical assistant professor and clinic coordinator in the dental hygiene program. Student speakers included Justin Thamsorn, class president representing the dental students; Jennifer Truong, class president representing the dental hygiene students; and Dr. Athanasios Rigos, who represented the graduate students. Read More
Biting into the next chapter: 2025 grad returns to military life as a Navy dentist
For Daniel Hupp of Colleyville, it’s molars and the military. He graduates May 25 from Texas A&M University College of Dentistry in Dallas and reports in July to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, as a Navy officer and a new dentist. Hupp is familiar with military life. He served in the U.S. Marines for a decade, including several years as a Naval Flight Officer flying dangerous missions in Syria and Iraq. He resigned in 2021, only to reenlist the next day in the Navy so he could participate in its Health Services Collegiate Program for Navy Sailors who want to become dentists or other health care professionals. Read More
Aggie triple crown: Mom’s degree dreams come true
Cristina Flores-Villarreal sent her sons, Gueriel and Eduardo Mendes-Flores, to Texas A&M University in College Station, like many proud Aggie parents, full of hopes and dreams for their futures. And she celebrated when each received a bachelor’s degree and went to law school. “From a young age, I made sure they understood that college wasn’t optional; it was the next step,” she said. “I couldn’t give them everything financially, but I could give them vision, discipline and belief in themselves.” Now it’s her turn. Read More
Shaping the future of health care: Making dentistry safe for service animals
Graduation Day at Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas is May 25, and participating in all the pomp and circumstance with the 27 graduates of the dental hygiene program is one who has been with the class since the beginning. Fozzie, a 5-year-old standard goldendoodle and full-time service dog, will accompany owner Cora Owens as she receives her bachelor’s degree. Yet it’s Fozzie who provided professors with a valuable education on maintaining a learning environment for students while also creating a safe situation for the dog. Read More
Providing a dose of dental care
Texas A&M College of Dentistry students provided dental screenings May 3 as part of UT Southwestern's 20th annual community health fair Carnaval de Salud at T.J. Rusk Middle School in Dallas. Dr. Martha Alvarez supervised four third-year dental students. The dental students are Nichols Baldetti, Leslie Bich Linh Nguyen, Henan Teklu and Vivian Liu. Read More