Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine hosted its second Alumni Class Reunion on November 8, welcoming graduates back to the north shore of Long Island to celebrate their milestone anniversaries.
The event included an afternoon barbecue, a question-and-answer session with current students, and a tour of the school led by Dean Patrick Lloyd, DDS, MS. The day concluded with a cocktail hour and sitdown dinner at the Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club.
For many alumni, the reunion provided an opportunity to revisit the campus and see how the school has changed since their graduation. Attendees were able to view ongoing multi-million-dollar renovations, which include new open-concept biomaterials and basic science research laboratories, as well as expanded and upgraded student and prosthodontic resident labs.
“Even with all those years gone by, the reunion felt like being with family again. We picked up right where we left off, and it was such a wonderful night,” said Gregory Maddalena, DDS ’95, chief dental officer at Sun River Health. “I’m impressed with the changes at the school and look forward to seeing the plans for constructing a new dental school building come to life.”
Maddalena and his fellow 1995 graduates also appreciated the opportunity to honor one of their late classmates.
“We all felt the loss of Yelena Brikina, DDS ’95, and the tribute made for her was excellent,” he said. “It helped us keep the memory of the kind-hearted and amazing person we knew alive.”
Dean Lloyd said the school looks forward to continuing the reunion tradition each year.
“By advocating for the school and supporting efforts to strengthen education, expand programs, and serve New Yorkers, our graduates play a vital role,” he said. “They also help recruit students and residents and represent the school in meaningful ways.”
The School of Dental Medicine will host its next alumni reunion on Saturday, November 7, for members of the classes of 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021. Alumni interested in serving as class ambassadors may contact Janet Masini, director of alumni programs, Office of Alumni Relations, at janet.masini@stonybrookmedicine.edu.