Spring Gala Celebrates BUSDM Community

Hundreds of BUSDM alumni, students, faculty, and staff gathered at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf May 19 for a night of dinner, dancing, celebration of reunion classes, and presentation of Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Dr. Joseph Calabrese, president of the BUSDM Alumni Association, and Dr. Jeffrey Hutter, senior associate dean, started the evening, welcoming members of the BUSDM family. "I am delighted to see so many familiar faces joining us tonight," Dr. Hutter said.

Director of the Office of Extramural Affairs Madalyn Mann presented the night’s first award for Service to the School to Richard Short DMD 82 along with DMD III Class Officer James Rochefort, who completed his APEX in Dr. Short’s office. Short has welcomed APEX students into his practice since the program began in 1989.

Mitch Sabbagh DMD 87, alumni board member, presented the award for Service to the Profession to Maria Cue on behalf of her late brother Richard Forcucci DMD 87, who is remembered as a great friend and leader by the reunioning class of 1987. Dr. Forcucci was an active member of the Massachusetts Dental Society‘s Young Dentists Committee, Council on Membership and Human Resources, Membership Survey Task Force, Subcommittee on Recruitment, and House of Delegates. He served as presiding chair of Yankee Dental Congress 24, 26, and 27.

Dr. Michelle Henshaw, assistant dean for community partnerships and extramural affairs, presented the award for Service to the Community to Raymond Kuthy DPH 79, the former director and president of the American Board of Dental Public Health. Kuthy has worked as chief of the Division of Dental Health in the Illinois Department of Public Health and is currently professor and head of the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

Dr. Hutter presented the Special Dean’s Award to Dr. Thomas Armstrong, clinical associate professor emeritus. A faculty member since 1973, Dr. Armstrong is the 2001 recipient of the Spencer N. Frankl Award for Excellence in Teaching and this year received the distinguished emeritus title.

Following dinner, guests danced to the music of the band Rare Form.

See photos from Spring Gala here.