Awards, Education

Students, Staff and Faculty Honored at the Annual Spurgeon Awards

6 students standing holding their certificates

The Spurgeon Dental Society is the UNC-CH Adams School of Dentistry student governmental body. It promotes the highest professional ideals and standards in preparation for the practice of dentistry and oversees student body organizations.

Spurgeon was founded in 1980 by DDS students. Membership is extended to students currently enrolled in the DDS, dental hygiene and dental assisting programs at the UNC-CH Adams School of Dentistry. Associate membership may be granted to students pursuing advanced dental education.

The organization is named in honor of the late Dr. J.S. Spurgeon of Hillsborough, NC, who is regarded as one of North Carolina’s most outstanding dentists.

The 2023 recipients are as follows:

Academy of Dentistry International Student Servant Leadership Award
George Ilenikhena

Alpha Omega Award
Kameron Drew Tauber

American College of Dentists Student Leadership Award
Danielle Nicholson

DDS Hinman Scholar
Skylar McGaughey

International College of Dentists Student Humanitarian Award
Stephanie Wangerin

International College of Dentists Student Leadership Award
My-Lan Jolie Young

North Carolina Dental Society Student Leader Award (DDS4)
Olivia Nillissen

Pierre Fauchard Academy Junior Student Award
Jasmine Nevil

Pierre Fauchard Academy Senior Student Award
Caroline Allbert

AAWD Eleanor Bushee Award
Elizabeth Kay

ASDA Advocate Award
Kaylee Cutler

ASDA Award of Excellence
Lauren Bunch

ASDA Spotlight Award
Caleb Tinsley, Aaron Johnson

Lane & Associates Family Dentistry “We Love to Make You Smile” Award
Tyson Creech, Rachel Calloway

Dr. Rey Carnevale and Dr. Wilson Shoulars Jr. Scholarship
Jackson Sides

Four Corners Study Club Faculty Mentoring Award
Glenn Reside

James Harrell, Sr. Award for Citizenship and Leadership
Stephanie Wangerin

Kois Center Study Club of North Carolina Award
Elie Abboud

Richard Hunt, Jr. Award for Teaching Excellence
Sumitha Nazar Ahmed

Robert E. Tormey Jr. Memorial Award
Caroline Jennings

Zane Eargle, Jr. Award
Jeanie Chung

Pankey Study Club of North Carolina Scholarship
Dilek Uyan

American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology Award
Rachael Purvis

American Academy of Oral Medicine Graduate Awards
Rachel Calloway

American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Student Achievement Award
Bradley Blitstein

American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Horace Wells Senior Student Award
Zachary Burk

American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Dental Implant Student Award
Olivia Nillissen

Hillenbrand-Lupton Student Award
Teagen Vence

Susan P. Foy Award
Caroline Meier

American Association of Orthodontics Senior Dental Student Award
My-Lan Jolie Young

American Association of Public Health Dentistry Award Dental Student Recognition Award for Achievement in Community Dentistry and Dental Public Health
Kamaira Philips

Marvin J. Block Community Dentistry Achievement Award
Mary Margaret Campbell

AAPD Certificate of Merit Predoctoral Student Award
Emily Imes

American Academy of Periodontology Dental Student Award for Achievement
Jackson Sides

Grover C. Hunter Award
Neal Patel

John D. Moriarty Award for Excellence in Clinical Periodontology
Ethan Slater

Quintessence Award for Clinical Achievement in Periodontics
Kamaira Philips

American Association of Endodontists Student Achievement Award
Madeline Malueg

Academy of General Dentistry Award
Will Church, Elayne Shau Wang

Academy of Operative Dentistry Award
Brian Delehanty

American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry
Elayne Wang

American College of Prosthodontics Award
Paul Kuta

Monte Miska Award in Fixed Prosthodontics
Caroline Allbert

Southeastern Academy of Prosthodontics Award
Will Church

Dr. Murry Holland and Mrs. Helen Holland Award in Prosthodontic Dentistry
Paul Kuta

Academy of Osseointegration Award
Zachary Burk

American Academy of Implant Dentistry
Maya Vexler

International Congress of Oral Implantologists/Sullivan Schein Award
Olivia Nillissen

Whip Mix “Best of the Best” Award in Prosthodontics
Mustafa Girnary

Alberta Beat Dolan Scholarship Award
Lauren Ryall, Christina Buck

American Association of Public Health Dentistry Dental Hygiene Student Award
Christina Buck

Carolina First Campaign (1)
Jessica Torain, Breanna Foster

Colgate S.T.A.R. Award
Kaitlyn Stasko

Dental Hygiene Alumni Award
Cathy Xaysana, Kamryn Seymour

Dental Hygiene Scholarship
Cathy Xaysana

Eleanor A. Forbes Clinical Achievement Award
Bethany Welch, Mary Cate Kovash

Hu-Friedy Golden Scaler Award
Flor Gaspar-Perez

Linda Paschall Jarvis Memorial Scholarship
Joanna Cipriano, Jazmin Ibarra

Markie Wicker Thomas Award
Ashley Pastrana, Karina Ibarra

Sigma Phi Alpha DH Honor Society
Flor Gaspar-Perez, Sidney Hesmer, Cathy Xaysana, Shahab Siahpoosh

Priscilla Levine Scholarship
Adamaris Reyes

DH1 Staff
Sarah Liebkemann

DH1 Faculty
Jennifer Harmon

DH1 Classmate
Lauren Ryall

DH2 Staff
Tarrl Morley

DH2 Faculty
Roxanne Dsouza

DH2 Classmate
Christina Buck

DDS1 Staff
Tarrl Morley

DDS1 Resident
Fadi Bitar, Sanjay Nandwani

DDS1 Faculty
Mauro Nunes

DDS1 Classmate
Claudia Lemon

DDS2 Staff
Tammy Collins

DDS2 Resident
Jacqueline Massouda

DDS2 Faculty
Wendy Clark

DDS2 Classmate
Bryan Francis

DDS3 Staff
Tarrl Morley

DDS3 Resident
Shadoe Stewart

DDS3 Faculty
Wendy Clark

DDS3 Classmate
Christine Sulzer

DDS4 Staff
Yan Ying Yao

DDS4 Resident
Shadoe Stewart

DDS4 Faculty
Jack King, Steve Randall

DDS4 Classmate
Danielle Nicholson

Dwight Clark Memorial Award (DDS4)
Amanda Swanson

Dwight Clark Memorial Award (DH2)
Cathy Xaysana

AAPHD Dental Hygiene Student Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Dentistry
Adam Clark, Karina Ibarra