Save the Date! Alumni Weekend 2023:

Oct. 19-21

The college is excited to continue its annual Alumni Weekend tradition with events such as the Dean's Circle Dinner and Alumni Awards Ceremony, and the Alumni and Friends Tailgate.

Please save the date and plan ahead to join us Oct. 19-21.

We will provide more details as events are confirmed and invitations will be mailed early September. We hope you will join us as we reconnect with classmates, colleagues and friends.

Celebrating 50 Years of the OU College of Dentistry

Since its inception in 1971, the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry has cultivated a tradition of educating and training its students to provide the highest quality of clinical care available. The college accepted its first dental class in 1972, and in September 2022, the college celebrated this milestone with a series of events in conjunction with its annual Alumni Weekend.

“Over the last 50 years, the OU College of Dentistry has grown and evolved,” said Paul M. Mullasseril, D.D.S., M.S., dean of the college. “We have been keeping up with industry advances, investing in research and cutting-edge technology, and attracting the best and brightest students who will no doubt, shape the future of dentistry.”

“However, the college continues to remain true to the principles that got us to this point. We continue to build upon our reputation as a top clinical education program and offer our students a superior hands-on experiences. And we continue to rely on our notable faculty to mold our students into exceptional clinicians, researchers, patient advocates and leaders within the profession,” said Dean Mullasseril.

During the week of Sept. 19 through 24, the college welcomed alumni and friends back to campus for its annual Alumni Weekend. This year’s celebration was especially grand as this was not only the first time in three years the college hosted this event, but also as the college recognized its 50-year anniversary.

On Sept. 19, the college hosted a campus kick-off event with food trucks for all students and employees on the OU Health Sciences Center campus. The next morning, Dean Mullasseril and the other deans served breakfast for all College of Dentistry students, faculty, staff and residents.

On Sept. 21, the college was thrilled to welcome back many of its retired faculty and staff members for a luncheon at the Robert M. Bird Library. “It was great to see so many retirees who played a critical and foundational role in the college’s success,’ said Dean Mullasseril. Following the luncheon, individuals were offered a tour of the college to see many of the updates and renovations made in the time since they retired.

The Dean’s Circle Dinner and Alumni Awards Ceremony was hosted on Sept. 22 at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Oklahoma City. Continue reading on the next pages for more details and photos from the Dean’s Circle Dinner and Alumni Awards Ceremony.

On Sept. 23, the college hosted a free continuing dental education conference. Participants received six hours of continuing dental education credits and chose among three enlightening morning session speakers. The afternoon keynote was delivered by Parag R. Kachalia, D.D.S., noted speaker who travels all over the country delivering seminars on a multitude of continuing dental education topics.

Immediately following the continuing education conference, the college hosted an Alumni Happy Hour on the Robert M. Bird Library Patio. All alumni, faculty and students were invited to join in celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary. There was live music, food, games and tours of the college offered during the event.

The week-long celebration commenced on Sept. 24, with the annual Alumni and Friends Tailgate on the Norman campus ahead of the OU v. Kansas State football game. The college is grateful for our friends at the OU Foundation who allow us to partner with Boomer Bash join in on the fun. More than 90 alumni, friends and their families attended this tailgate event. There were even special appearance by OU mascots Boomer and Sooner, along with the Pom Squad and the OU Pep Band.

Please mark your calendars now and join us for Alumni Weekend: Oct. 19-21, 2023.

Additionally, the college would like to thank the following sponsors for their generosity and support of one or more of our Alumni Weekend and 50-Year Celebration events:

Delta Dental of Oklahoma

A-DEC

Bien-Air

Patterson Dental

Oklahoma Dental Association

3iG

Heartland Dental

Embassy Suites OKC Downtown/Medical Center