Pride and joy brimmed and – fittingly – smiles stretched from ear to ear as Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine’s Class of 2025 proudly crossed the stage to receive their dental school degrees and advanced degree certificates at the annual convocation ceremony held at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts.
The school’s newest dentists, 47 Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) graduates will now continue their residency training in areas including general dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics and prosthodontics. Additionally, 37 residents, one doctoral student and one graduate student were feted by the event’s more than 500 attendees.
Patrick Lloyd, dean of the School of Dental Medicine, acknowledged the lasting impact the class has had at Stony Brook, having brought distinct personalities, life experiences and varied educational backgrounds to the school.
“Thank you for helping shape our school,” he said. “You’ve left a mark on it that will benefit those who follow for years and year to come. And for that we are truly grateful.”
His address was followed by that of Class President Dana Lee, DDS ’25, who encouraged her peers to take a moment to reflect on their incredible achievement, and the path it took to arrive at their goal.
“We didn’t just survive dental school. We thrived. We persevered,” Lee said. “We grew into clinicians, advocates, and caregivers in the truest sense of the word. And through every challenge — every practical, every patient, every setback — we showed up, with grit and grace.
“It’s easy to forget what we’ve actually accomplished after the whirlwind has died down, to forget how extraordinary it is to get here,” she continued. “So before we rush off into residencies, practices, or well-deserved vacations — take a second to breathe this in. Let the weight of this moment settle in your chest. You took the road less traveled, and getting here, to this moment, was no small task. You deserve it. You’ve earned it.”
Lee, like more than 30 of her classmates, will begin residency next month in New York State. The SDM’s newest alumni will also join programs in 10 other states, including California, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. At graduation, Vito Liut, DDS ’25, soaked in the moment before heading off to his prosthodontics residency with the United States Dental Corps at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
“Everything will probably kick in for me in a couple days,” Liut said. “There were a lot of challenges, tears and happiness in dental school, but I’m glad I went through it, especially with my classmates. I would definitely do it again. It was worth it.”
Aditya Mehra, DDS ’25, will continue his career as a general practice resident at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. He called convocation “a beautiful experience” but also acknowledged that the moment was bittersweet.
“It’s been really nice to celebrate with my classmates, who I’m going to miss,” Mehra said. “Dental school was definitely daunting at first, but the four years went by really quickly. It all came together in the end. I’m thankful for everybody who was there to help me throughout the way. I couldn’t have done it without the faculty, my friends and my family.”
They included Arielle Adams, DDS ’25, who came to Stony Brook after started her career in oral healthcare as a dental hygienist. With two of her dental school classmates, Adams will soon start her general practice residency at the VA Medical Center in Buffalo, New York, not far from where she grew up.
“It feels fantastic,” Adams said. “Many years of hard work were put into this, and I give thanks to my family and friends. We made it. I’m so grateful.”
Like with the DDS class, residents and graduate students crossed the stage to great applause. Among them was Kyle Reeves, DDS, OMFR ’25, who owned and operated a private practice in Texas for more than 20 years before coming to Stony Brook to complete an oral and maxillofacial radiology residency. His son, daughter-in-law and 2-year-old granddaughter flew in to celebrate at convocation, after which Reeves will split his duties between an oral and maxillofacial radiology private practice as well as teaching part-time in Dallas and Houston.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be able to pursue a Plan B in my career,” Reeves said. “Being in private practice and coming back into an academic institution, it was humbling to have to learn and relearn some things. I had an excellent experience at Stony Brook, and the time I got to spend with my co-residents, and with Dr. [Mina] Mahdian and Dr. [Dan] Colosi, has been very rewarding.”
The afternoon’s keynote address was delivered by Canise Bean, DMD, MPH, professor emeritus at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and a leader in helping to deliver oral healthcare services to underserved areas in Ohio. Bean served as the director of community education at OSU for more than 20 years, overseeing the Oral Health Improvement through Outreach (OHIO) Project, a mobile dental coach that cared for children in Columbus City Schools as well as 27 other community-based sites.
Bean implored the Class of 2025 to allow their passions and values to serve as beacons throughout their careers, and to continue to learn, mentor, innovate and give back.
“The road is yours to shape,” she said. “You’re stepping into a world of tremendous opportunity, and you’re entering a profession that has the power to change lives. Not only are you dental professionals, but keep in mind that you are healers, you are educators, you are innovators and you are advocates.”
