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Naval Postgraduate Dental School Class of 2024 Graduation

20 June 2024

From Petty Officer 1st Class Heath Zeigler

The Naval Postgraduate Dental School (NPDS), a directorate of the Naval Medical Leader and Professional Development Command (NMLPDC), held its 101st graduation ceremony on June 7th, 2024, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Memorial Auditorium.

The ceremony commemorated the successful completion of one-to-three-year dental residency programs for 17 dental officers from both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army. Rear Adm. Walter Brafford, Chief, Navy Dental Corps and Commander, Naval Medical Forces Development Command, and Dr. Rodney D. Phoenix, Associate Dean for Dental Research, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS),, Capt. Katharine Shobe, NMLPDC Commanding Officer, and Capt. Steven Stokes, NPDS Dean, delivered inspirational remarks, recognizing the graduates’ dedication and achievements throughout challenging clinical and academic specialty programs.

This year’s graduates showcased a diverse range of accomplishments. Four officers concluded three-year programs in Periodontics and Prosthodontics, 12 officers completed two-year programs in Comprehensive Dentistry and Endodontics, and one completed the Maxillofacial Prosthetics Fellowship Program. Notably, 16 residents earned a master of science in Oral Biology from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).

The following graduates successfully completed NPDS residencies:

Three-Year Residency in Periodontics:
Cmdr. Tyler Johansen
Lt. Emma Wood

Three-Year Residency in Prosthodontics:
Lt. Timothy Daudelin
Lt. Won Yu

Two-Year Residency in Comprehensive Dentistry:
Cmdr. Taylor Landon
Lt. Cmdr. Opeyemi Fadoju
Lt. Cmdr. Jesse Froehner
U.S. Army Maj. Alyson Lasater
Lt. Cmdr. Kenny Tran
Lt. Cmdr. Yuning Weber
Lt. Cmdr. Scott Westra
Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Wilde

Two-Year Residency in Endodontics:
Lt. Cmdr. Tae Kim
Lt. Cmdr. Jabrenta Hubbard Reese
Lt. Cmdr. Ricardo Wassmer
Lt. Brian Nadeau

One-Year Fellowship in Maxillofacial Prosthetics:
Lt. Renz Anthony Antonio

During the ceremony, residents were presented awards for research by Dr. Ira Titunik, President, USA Section, International College of Dentists.

First Place:
Cmdr. Tyler Johansen

Second Place:
U.S. Army Cpt. Reed McKinney

Third Place:
Lt. Cmdr. Eunice Lee

Cmdr. Jared Beck, associate dean for NPDS, presented the Award for Civism to Dr. John Schmidt, who contributed significantly to the programs of NPDS.

Beck also presented the Deans Award for Teaching Excellence to Cmdr. Laleh Abdolazadeh, Prosthodontics department head at NPDS.

Shobe also presented also presented the Dean’s Award for Excellence to Lt. Julia Collazo, who was selected by the faculty and her peers for her outstanding performance in and out of the classroom.

Brafford and Shobe presented the Chief of the Dental Corps award to Lt. Timothy Daudelin, for his excellent performance as a military officer and dental health care professional during his years of residency training.

NPDS equips its recent graduates with the essential skills to excel as clinicians and leaders within their specialized fields, perfectly aligning with the Navy Surgeon General’s campaign order mandating that Navy medical forces be fully trained, equipped, certified, maintained, and sustained to support Joint and Naval forces across all operational environments. It emphasizes readiness to project medical power in complex, contested battlespaces, including distributed maritime operations and expeditionary advanced basing.

As leaders of the Dental Corps, these graduates will play a crucial role in this transformative effort, applying their expertise in education, research, and clinical practice to ensure peak operational readiness.

From here, the graduates are assigned to diverse global assignments, including deployments on ships, Marines Corps units, and roles in Medical Treatment Facilities. These assignments are vital in honing their leadership and clinical capabilities, preparing them to meet the evolving challenges of naval healthcare, shaping the future of naval dentistry and upholding the highest standards of care in any deployment scenario.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: Naval Postgraduate Dental School Class of 2024 Graduation 

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