DCG faculty, students and alumni honored by Pierre Fauchard Academy

Dental College of Georgia faculty and students attended the Pierre Fauchard Academy (PFA) annual Alabama, Florida, Georgia 2024 Annual Convocation & Awards Ceremony at the Ritz Carlton at Lake Oconee Jan. 25-28. The event was full of volunteer opportunities like a Give Kids a Smile event to provide dental care to underprivileged pediatric patients, continuing education sessions to grow members in professional knowledge, scholarly presentations, a business meeting and the official convocation and awards ceremony.

Kim Capehart, DDS, interim associate dean of Academic Affairs and Advanced Education, was inducted into the PFA as a Fellow. Fellows of the PFA are chosen from among ethical dentists who have made outstanding contributions to the art and science of dentistry or to society. Fellowship is by invitation only and candidates must have graduated from an accredited dental school.

Also inducted as fellows were several DCG alumni: Noell Craig, DMD, (DMD, 2006; Orthodontics Residency, 2008) of Sanchez & Craig Orthodontics in Milledgeville; Jacqueline Delash, DMD, (DMD, 2015; MBA, 2020; MPH, 2008) of Fogle Family Dental in Fayetteville and a part-time instructor at DCG; Travis Garnto, DMD, (DMD, 2017) of Garnto Family Dental in Watkinsville; and Rebekah Hancock, DMD, (DMD, 2018) of Advanced Dental Care in Valdosta.

Several members of The DCG family earned accolades from the PFA. Mira Ghaly, DMD, associate professor in the Department of Periodontics and interim program director of the Periodontics Residency Program, was awarded the Excellence in Dental Education Award. Cathy Tran and Tigerwin “Tiger” Yang, both senior dental students, were named 2024 Mark Ritz Research Scholars. Tran and Yang are mentored by Ranya El Sayed, PhD, in the Department of Orthodontics. Dionne Aikhionbare, a senior dental student, was named the Pierre Fauchard Academy Scholar. Ponnie Davis Poisal, DMD, (DMD, 1994), of Loganville Family Dentistry and a clinical instructor at The DCG, was awarded the Volunteer Faculty Award.

Congratulations to all of our faculty, students and alumni on their glowing successes!