School’s Comprehensive Campaign Focuses on the Future

The School of Dentistry's next philanthropic campaign launched on April 4, gathering momentum from its dedicated community members that will encourage the world to “Look to Michigan for the Future of Oral Health.”

Alumni, donors, faculty, and students gathered for a day committed to advancing the School of Dentistry into its next era, emphasizing conversation, collaboration and the celebration of philanthropy.

An “Ideation Workshop” united alumni and donors with faculty leaders for an afternoon of brainstorming about the school’s future needs. The event marked an important step in the early stages of a comprehensive fundraising initiative, part of the university’s “Look to Michigan” campaign.

The themes of philanthropy, generosity and impact resonated throughout the day, culminating in the inaugural “Donors and Scholars” event – a meaningful celebration of donor support and student success.

Held at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA), this special gathering brought together the school’s most engaged donors who support student scholarships and the students who have benefited from their funds. Student speakers expressed their heartfelt gratitude, sharing how philanthropy has profoundly changed their lives. Donors, in turn, spoke of the various and often deeply personal reasons they create and contribute to student scholarship funds, underscoring the vital role philanthropy plays in empowering future generations and enriching the lives of both the students and their donors.

The two events signal the start of an in-depth conversation across the entire School of Dentistry community to ensure the school remains a national and international leader in shaping the future of oral health.

Ideation Workshop

The 25 alumni, donors and faculty who met during the afternoon workshop are the foundation of what will become a larger Campaign Council that will continue to shape a donor-driven vision for the school's future. The goal is to create a call to action for others to support the school and ensure that Michigan Dentistry remains at the forefront of dental education, research and practice by identifying and investing in the critical areas that will define the profession over the next decade. The volunteer alumni champions and faculty are guiding conversations on the challenges and opportunities ahead, and harnessing the power of philanthropy to drive meaningful, transformational change.

Such discussions are critical in an era when the models for practicing dentistry have evolved dramatically in recent years, with increasing integration of technology, new care delivery models, and shifts in workforce expectations. The champions leading this effort will consider: How do we best prepare future clinicians to be nimble and successful in an ever-changing landscape? What investments are necessary to maintain Michigan Dentistry’s position as the premier institution for dental education and innovation?

To address the variety of issues, organizers set up four areas of emphasis for the discussion leaders:

• Next Generation and Wellness, led by Faculty Champion Dr. Sarah Tomaka and Donor Volunteer Dr. Riley Schaff, is focused on the many ways to provide holistic support for student success in and out of the classroom.

• Community of Culture and Health Equity, led by Faculty Champion Dr. Todd Ester and Donor Volunteer Dr. Jordan Brunson, is focused on ensuring oral healthcare access across all communities.

• Art, Aesthetics, and Technology, led by Faculty Champion Dr. Dennis Fasbinder and Donor Volunteer Dr. Rob Nakisher, is focused on how investments in physical spaces and artistic enhancements can transform teaching, learning and patient care.

• Innovation and Research, led by Faculty Champion Dr. Alex DaSilva and Donor Volunteer Dr. Gregg Lurcott, is focused on how the school can integrate new technologies, such as the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, digital dentistry and biomaterials, into world-class training and patient care.

Dean Jacques Nör said the dental school must move forward with a collective vision and collective action. “For more than 150 years we have led the way in dental education, patient care, research and innovation. Now, through ‘Look to Michigan’ and the generosity of our alumni and friends, we are building on that legacy to shape the future of oral health.” These early conversations helped surface shared priorities and reaffirmed the important role philanthropy will play in turning visionary ideas into reality.

Donors and Scholars Reception

The evening reception at the UMMA celebrated just a few of the Michigan dentistry community who unlock the potential of aspiring dental students and graduate residents by making financial gifts that fund scholarships and fellowships. About 150 alumni, donors and students attended the event, which is one of many this year that also celebrate the 150th anniversary of the school’s founding.

For some of the students in attendance, they were meeting, greeting and thanking their benefactors in-person for the first time, sharing the profound, personal impact on giving for both donors and students.

Dr. Joe and Barb Kolling, who chair the school’s Sesquicentennial Committee, opened the evening’s program by noting the extraordinary support and generosity the school receives. “You are not just donors and advocates; you are the foundation upon which our success is built and the key to our future innovations in dental education and practice. … We are deeply grateful for your commitment and partnership on this journey. Together, we are shaping a future that honors excellence, fosters innovation, and embraces inclusivity.”

The students who spoke – Joi McClellan, Elise DeConinck, James Bennett III and Abby Puckett – each shared details of their path to the dental school as a way to thank the donors who contributed to their scholarships.

“In addition to the financial considerations, I see the scholarships as representing a belief in the next generation of dentists like me,” said DeConinck, a fourth-year student. “These scholarships show me that we are supported by our Michigan dental community from the moment we start dental school. We are establishing our careers with an understanding of how impactful giving back to dentistry can be. We are humbled recipients of generosity, and we are empowered by the commitment you all have made to support us as we delve into this profession.”

Bennett, a third-year student, said he is grateful for the leadership of the U-M dental school alumni who have gone before and now remain committed to help the current generation. “That is what leadership is all about – leaving the field better than you found it,” he said. “Your generosity allows us to focus on our education, develop as leaders, and shape the future of our profession without being weighed down by financial burdens. I know I speak for every student in this room when I say: You have set the standard, and we are incredibly fortunate to have you here tonight.”

Donors who spoke during the program – Dr. Mark Adams, Dr. Karen-Lee Jones Stewart and Harvey Sackett – briefly recounted their inspiration for keeping close ties with the dental school and its students. Adams, a prosthodontist and alumnus living in Colorado, said he is grateful the dental school accepted him from a blue-collar family background. He and his wife D’Ann created the ASK Scholarship (for Adams, Shick and Kotowicz) in honor of his mentors Drs. Richard Shick and William Kotowicz, who “completely personify the Michigan tradition of leadership and had an extraordinary and lasting impact on my life.”

Stewart, an alumnus who practices in Ann Arbor, is the daughter of the late Dr. Lee Jones, an alumnus who was the first Black dentist in Ann Arbor and led the dental school’s early commitment to diversity by directing the school’s Office of Minority Affairs beginning in 1973. Stewart said she and her family think often of her father’s stories about having to work during dental school. He washed dishes at a sorority, running back and forth from the dental school to do the job after both lunch and dinner. During one summer break, he earned tuition money by working in a General Motors auto plant. For his senior year, he took the advice of a classmate and took out a loan, which made his senior year more enjoyable. Stories like those are why the Lee Jones Scholarship Fund is so important for today’s students, Stewart said.

Sackett, an attorney from Napa, California, has honored his late father, Sidney, a 1938 alumnus of the dental school, with two financial gifts to the dental school. One is a scholarship for students who are hearing impaired, as was his father. A second is the bequest of a significant art collection that Hackett and his wife Patti Connery have accumulated. Sackett said maintaining ties to his father’s alma mater and helping current students honors the love his father had for his time in Ann Arbor and his talent as a dentist in New York. “My Dad’s high standards were largely self-generated, yet I am quite comfortable in saying what his professors taught him impacted how he chose to practice general dentistry for 47 years. For this I say ‘Hail!’”

Carrie Towns, the school’s Chief Development Officer, concluded the program by thanking donors who are, by investing in dental school students and residents, “shaping the future of oral health and improving the well-being of countless individuals.” She said the dedication and passion of the school’s student scholars are inspiring and set the standard for the profession of dentistry moving forward. “Tonight reminds us of the power of collaboration, community and shared purpose. Together – through shared vision and action – we are building a brighter future for dental education, research and care.”