2025 Honors & Awards Banquet celebrates dental student superstars
Each spring semester, IUSD gathers to celebrate extraordinary students from all of that year’s graduating classes. This year’s Awards banquet, held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral on April 11, 2025, divvied out more than 65 awards, honors, and recognitions.
Dean Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Admissions Dr. Sylvia Frazier-Bowers, and Associate Dean of Education and Academic Affairs Dr. Laura Romito teamed up to present the awards, with various faculty stepping in to present awards from their respective programs.
“Each of these awards are highly competitive. Student awardees have been selected according to the criteria provided by the sponsoring organization or donor, and after careful consideration by a group of faculty members with the relevant expertise and experience to make the selection,” Dr. Frazier-Bowers said.
“This evening is a testament to the hard work, perseverance, and passion of each honoree throughout their academic journey. Our students have demonstrated not only their capacity to excel individually but also a commitment to advancing the field of dentistry, with an unwavering dedication to serve the community with care, compassion, and integrity. Tonight, we recognize those who have gone above and beyond, setting a standard of excellence that inspires us all.”
Full list of winners below:
DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY AWARD RECIPIENTS
INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MAYNARD K. HINE AWARD
Selected by his or her class, this award recognizes the DDS student who the class believes demonstrates the highest level of
professional attitude and behavior.
Recipient: Joon Han
DR. CYRIL S. CARR DENTAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
This award honors a DDS student who has displayed outstanding achievement in original dental research in any field of dentistry.
Recipient: Johnna Castedo
STUDENT RESEARCH HONORS PROGRAM – CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
The IUSD Undergraduate DDS Student Research Honors Program recognizes students committed to quality research. The
student’s research begins the summer between the first and second year and continues until graduation, while maintaining active
membership in the IUSD Student Research Group and the American Association for Dental Research.
Recipients: Johnna Castedo & Aditi Gadhvi
QUINTESSENCE PUBLISHING COMPANY AWARDS IN RESEARCH
This award honors a DDS student for outstanding achievement in dental studies.
Recipient: Anushri Rajapuri
DEAN’S AWARD FOR RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
This award honors a DDS student who has displayed outstanding achievement in original dental research in any field of dentistry
while demonstrating the ability to think critically, assimilate and synthesize the work of others, and state/defend research
hypotheses through oral and written communication. In addition, the student displays an interest in furthering the public’s
understanding of dental research and education.
Recipient: Aditi Gadhvi
ACADEMY OF DENTAL MATERIALS AWARD
This award recognizes a DDS student for excellence in dental materials science.
Recipient: Lauren Hardebeck Wheeler
ACADEMY OF OPERATIVE DENTISTRY AWARD
This award recognizes the DDS student exemplifying outstanding achievement in operative dentistry.
Recipient: Drew Ashley
QUINTESSENCE PUBLISHING COMPANY AWARD IN RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
This award honors a DDS student for outstanding achievement in research dental studies.
Recipient: Anushri Singh Rajapuri
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY AWARD
This award honors a DDS student who has demonstrated a special interest and/or achievement in community dentistry and
dental public health.
Recipient: Riley Wolfgang
BRYAN D. STONE AWARD
This award honors a DDS student who has demonstrated outstanding work with special needs patients and has volunteered
extensively in the community.
Recipient: Nathan Hacker
INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF DENTISTS STUDENT HUMANITARIAN AWARD
This award recognizes the DDS student who has exhibited an altruistic attitude to assist the underserved or less fortunate and
motivates others to serve and provide for the common good. This individual demonstrates the potential to continue to be a leader
and a participant in humanitarian outreach programs after graduation.
Recipient: Joe Fluegemann
DELTA DENTAL FOUNDATION COMMUNITY COMMITMENT AWARD
This award recognizes an outstanding DDS student who has demonstrated commitment to community service by agreeing to
practice in an identified underserved community located in Indiana for at least one year immediately following graduation.
Recipient: Kayla Judd
JOHNSON PUBLIC HEALTH DDS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
This award honors DDS students who have exhibited outstanding achievement in public and community health programs.
Recipients: Laura Burke, Isabella Case, Samuel Marksberry, Marc Mertsching & Olivia Robertson
JOHNSON PUBLIC HEALTH DDS/MPH SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
This award honors DDS/MPH students who have exhibited outstanding achievement in public and community health programs.
Recipient: Riley Wolfgang
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENDODONTISTS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN ENDODONTICS
This award recognizes a DDS student who has demonstrated a broad interest in endodontics and has excelled in didactic
endodontic courses.
Recipient: Ashley Winterbottom
DR. JOSEPH J. LEGAN AWARD IN ENDODONTICS
This awards honors Dr. Joseph Legan a longtime and beloved faculty professor and recognizes a student who shown interest and
proficiency in endodontics.
Recipient: Patrick Kelly
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL PATHOLOGY DENTAL STUDENT AWARD
This award honors a DDS student who has demonstrated exemplary aptitude and achievement in oral and maxillofacial pathology.
Recipient: Tyler Grace
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORAL MEDICINE CERTIFICATE OF MERIT AND AWARD IN ORAL MEDICINE
This award honors a DDS student who has demonstrated proficiency in the clinical management of medically complex patients,
the diagnosis and non-surgical management of medically related conditions of the oral and maxillofacial regions, as well as
academic achievement and interest in oral medicine.
Recipient: Quynh Tran
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL RADIOLOGY AWARD
This award honors a DDS student for exceptional interest and accomplishment in oral and maxillofacial radiology.
Recipient: Joe Fluegemann
AMERICAN DENTAL SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGY HORACE WELLS SENIOR STUDENT AWARD
This award recognizes a DDS student who has demonstrated proficiency in the field of dental anesthesia.
Recipient: Jenna Phillips
ACADEMY OF OSSEOINTEGRATION OUTSTANDING DENTAL STUDENT IN IMPLANT DENTISTRY AWARD
This award recognizes an outstanding DDS student in implant dentistry.
Recipient: Delaney Seger
GLENN J. PELL AWARD
This award recognizes an outstanding dental student in oral and maxillofacial surgery who has also been accepted into a postgraduate
program in oral maxillofacial surgery.
Recipient: Gisselle Zamora
THE DR. CHARLES L. NELSON ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY SCHOLARSHIP
This award recognizes a graduating DDS student who has been accepted into an accredited Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
residency program in the United States.
Recipient: Riley Wolfgang
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEONS DENTAL STUDENT AWARD
This award honors a DDS student with high academic standing and outstanding performance in undergraduate study and clinical
training in oral and maxillofacial surgery and anesthesiology.
Recipient: Nio Baltzell
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ORAL IMPLANTOLOGISTS PRE-DOCTORAL STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This award honors a DDS student who has displayed the greatest interest in and commitment to oral implantology/implant dentistry.
Recipient: Delaney Seger
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF IMPLANT DENTISTRY AWARD
This award recognizes the DDS student who has demonstrated the most academic and clinical interest in implant dentistry.
Recipient: Joon Han
GLAO AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
This award honors the DDS student who has demonstrated exceptional interest in the development of the orofacial complex.
Recipient: Johnna Castedo
DR. FREDERICK L SPUTH, DDS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This award recognizes a DDS student with a minimum 3.0 grade point average, who has demonstrated honesty, integrity,
community mindedness, and is an ambassador for the profession. Preference is given to a student who has been accepted into
the IUSD Orthodontics Program.
Recipient: Olivia Robertson
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY PREDOCTORAL STUDENT AWARD
This award recognizes the DDS student who has displayed the most promise in pediatric dentistry.
Recipient: Marcella Lucia
INDIANA SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY AWARD
This award recognizes a DDS student who has demonstrated excellence in pediatric dentistry studies and has been accepted into
a graduate pediatric dentistry program.
Recipient: Marcella Lucia
ROLAND R. DITTO AND MARCUS R. DITTO PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY SCHOLARSHIP
This award recognizes a fourth-year DDS students who has been accepted into the postdoctoral residency program in Pediatric
Dentistry at IU School of Dentistry.
Recipient: Kaitlyn Mullin
DENNIS P. ZIMMERMAN, DDS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship recognizes students enrolled in the graduate pediatric dentistry program who have demonstrated a love for
dentistry, dedication to the oral health care of Indiana children, and true friendship to fellow classmates.
Recipient: Rachel Boler
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PERIODONTOLOGY DENTAL STUDENT AWARD
This award recognizes a DDS student for the highest level of academic and clinical achievement in periodontology.
Recipient: Sydney Steinhardt
INDIANA SOCIETY OF PERIODONTISTS AWARD
This award recognizes a DDS student for outstanding achievement in periodontology.
Recipient: Rilee Taege
QUINTESSENCE PUBLISHING COMPANY AWARD IN PERIODONTICS
This award honors a DDS student for outstanding achievement in dental studies.
Recipient: Emili Dobronics
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ESTHETIC DENTISTRY AWARD
This award recognizes the DDS student who has demonstrated the most clinical proficiency and interest in esthetic dentistry.
Recipient: Monica Gutierrez
AMERICAN EQUILIBRATION SOCIETY AWARD
This award honors an outstanding student who has demonstrated the greatest commitment to and interest in temporomandibular
disorders or orofacial pain.
Recipient: Susanna Sharossi
THE AMERICAN PROSTHODONTIC SOCIETY STUDENT OF MERIT AWARD
This award honors the DDS student who has demonstrated the highest level of clinical proficiency and greatest interest in
prosthodontic dentistry.
Recipient: Savanna Stolz-Reed
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PROSTHODONTISTS AWARD
This award honors the DDS student who has shown high academic and clinical proficiency in prosthodontics and has indicated an
interest in pursuing graduate training in prosthodontics.
Recipient: Drew Ashley
WHIP MIX HANAU BEST OF THE BEST PROSTHODONTICS AWARD
This award recognizes a DDS student who has excelled in the study and clinical application of prosthodontics.
