DCG Graduates Celebrate with Hooding Ceremony

The Dental College of Georgia held an in-person hooding ceremony for the first time in two years on May 13 at First Baptist Church of Augusta, celebrating this year’s graduating class with faculty, staff, family and friends.

The program included an encouraging speech by 2020 DCG Distinguished Alumni Dr. Emmanuel Ngoh, reflective comments from class president John Morris and the graduates reading their class pledge led by Dr. Kathleen Robinson, 2022 DCG Distinguished Alumna. The graduates were hooded by Dean Carol Lefebvre and a few dental family members including parents, spouses, and siblings. Dr. Fadi Al-Farawati served as a ceremony marshal as the graduates’ choice as the Judson C. Hickey Outstanding Faculty Awardee.

“Earning a doctorate requires years of hard work and sacrifice. But earning a doctorate during a two-year pandemic requires strength and resilience that we have never had to ask of our students,” said Dr. Carol Lefebvre, Dean of the DCG. “We are so proud of the Class of 2022.”

Dr. Emmanual C. Ngoh, Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Endodontics, served as the featured speaker. Ngoh spoke about notes he would give to his younger self.

In addition to their DMDs, nine graduates earned a distinction in research and two earned distinctions in leadership. Two students simultaneously earned their Master of Business Administration. Six were inducted into Alpha Upsilon Phi (AUP), a leadership and service honors society. Ten were inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU), a dental honor society. And 10 were inducted into Phil Kappa Phi (PKP), an academic honor society.

During the ceremony, the DCG recognized Ali Azadi with the Outstanding Senior Dental Student Award. In addition to earning multiple academic honors, Azadi served as president of the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association in Dentistry, participated in two research projects and placed first in the Clinical Materials – Dental Student category at the annual DCG Research and Table Clinic Day.

The faculty and alumni who attended formed two lines and cheered the newest alumni as they exited the sanctuary. The college hosted a dessert reception, featuring a photo booth from Health Center Credit Union (HCCU), following the ceremony.