Alumni Day Attracts Nearly 400

Alumni Day 2014, held on September 19, attracted a record 400 attendees. Leadership speaker and humorist Dave Weber entertained the audience with a motivating and inspiring presentation about how our words affect our attitude, morale, and productivity. In addition, three restorative technology experts, Drs. Glenn Appleton, Nelson Lo, and Brent Harris, demonstrated and explained how restorative technology can transform dental practices. The all-day event also featured a silent auction, special awards, and a post-program celebration. Over $20,000 was raised to benefit the LSUHSC School of Dentistry (LSUSD) Alumni Association, which strives to foster relationships among alumni, students, parents, faculty, and friends.

A special highlight of Alumni Day is recognition of the support and accomplishments of individuals within the dental community. Recipients for 2014 were Dr. John Barksdale, the Alumnus of the Year Award; Dr. Douglas Damm, the Distinguished Alumnus Award; and Dr. Philip Carruth, the Shawky Mohamed Distinguished Faculty Award.

Alumnus of the Year

John M. Barksdale, Jr., DDS

Dr. John Barksdale received his DDS from LSUSD in 1975 and maintains a general dentistry practice in Baton Rouge. He is one of only 404 dentists worldwide to be accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Barksdale is well-known at LSUSD due to his years of leadership and oversight of the Louisiana Academy of Continuing Dental Education (LACDE), the continuing education arm of LSUSD. As president, he has spent hundreds of hours providing support and guidance to the LACDE staff and its board members. He also serves as presenter or course director for a number of LACDE courses, including the nationally-recognized LSU Cosmetic Continuum. In addition to his generous gift of time and counsel, Dr. Barksdale is a member of the Committee of 100 donor program and is leading his reunion class gift effort in 2015.

Distinguished Alumnus

Douglas D. Damm, DDS

Dr. Douglas Damm received his DDS from LSUSD in 1977 and a certificate in oral pathology from Emory University School of Dentistry in 1979. He joined the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Dentistry in 1979 and is currently a tenured full professor at both the UK colleges of medicine and dentistry. A diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and past-president of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Dr. Damm has an active practice in clinical and histopathologic oral pathology. Author of over 175 publications in dental journals, Dr. Damm also co-authored two popular textbooks, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Color Atlas of Clinical Oral Pathology. The former title, used in numerous dental schools, has been translated into Portuguese for use in Brazilian dental schools. Dr. Damm has received the UK College of Dentistry Best Instructor Award from 16 graduating classes, was one of six to receive the prestigious University of Kentucky Great Teacher Award in 2002, and was awarded the UK Provost's Outstanding Teaching Award in 2009.

Shawky Mohamed Distinguished Faculty Award

Philip L. Carruth, DDS, FAGD, FICD

Dr. Philip Carruth has been a member of the LSUSD faculty since 1982. While teaching part-time at LSUSD, he enjoyed a long and distinguished federal service career. After a four-year enlistment in the U.S. Navy, he received his DDS from the University of Tennessee in 1970. He completed a dental internship at the Vetera ns Administration (VA) Hospital in New Orleans in 1971 and a general practice residency at the VA Hospital in San Diego in 1975. Dr. Carruth spent the majority of his career at the VA Medical Center in New Orleans, becoming chief of dental services in 1982. After retiring from the VA in 2006 with 39 years of federal service, he increased his LSUSD commitment to full-time, becoming director of the removable prosthodontics course. He served in this capacity until 2012 when he reduced his teaching duties to part-time. He has received three Golden Apple Teaching Awards, was named the 2010 C. Edmund Kells Honor Society honorary faculty member, and in 2013 was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society. The Shawky Mohamed Award recognizes faculty members for outstanding contributions in teaching, mentorship, and scholarly work.

The LSUSD leadership is pleased to honor the above individuals for their contributions to dental education. Special thanks to all our event and silent auction sponsors who helped to make this year's Alumni Day a success.