Dentistry Class of 2008

VCU dental graduates pledge $2,008 each

In November 2007, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry student Dave Turok came across a 45-year-old plaque bearing some familiar names.

The plaque, which had been locked away in an attic of the School of Dentistry’s Lyons Building for years, listed the names of each of the 63 members of the Class of 1962, including Dr. William Covington, Dr. Maury Hubbard and Dr. Gary Maynard. The three currently serve as part-time instructors in the School of Dentistry. The plaque commemorated a promise made upon their graduation that, at some point during their careers, each member of the class would donate $1,000 to their alma mater.

The old plaque sparked an idea in the young minds of the School of Dentistry’s Class of 2008. They wanted to “get a plaque like that” for their class, Turok said. So Turok and a group of his classmates began considering how they could make a similar impression.

“We wanted to ensure that our whole class was on board rather than making the decision for them. We held town meeting-style lunches to get everyone’s opinions on how to develop this idea and make an impact,” Turok said.

After numerous meetings, the dentistry students came up with the solution: Collectively, the class would make a pledge to donate more than $100,000 to the VCU School of Dentistry. So far, 62 graduates have promised to donate $2,008 over the next five years. A few others have pledged smaller amounts, so the class has topped its goal, pledging more than $125,000.

This is a big commitment for recent graduates, especially dentistry alumni who are “some of the poorest people in the country,” said 2008 alumnus Mike Cattogio. The class estimated their accumulated debt to be about $13.6 million.

The School of Dentistry Class of 2008 revealed their ambitious plan to give back at a Countdown to Graduation dinner held in February. At the dinner, more than 40 class members were joined by staff, alumni and faculty, including Covington, Hubbard and Maynard, of the school’s Class of 1962.

“I was so proud of those students,” Maynard said of the Class of 2008. “I think it’s wonderful what they’ve done. My hat’s off to them. … It makes me proud of my own class.”

During a presentation at dinner, Turok, Cattogio and classmate Jeff Allred announced that the money will be used to purchase new digital radiography equipment for the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Clinic in the School of Dentistry. The clinic currently uses conventional film radiography to capture X-ray images of patients’ teeth. Dr. Laurie C. Carter, professor and director of the radiology clinic, was moved, she said, by the class’s decision to provide new equipment with their gift.

“I was overjoyed that they chose to grace radiology with their gift and bring us into the state-of-the-art in predoctoral radiology education. I was also humbled by their willingness to pledge such a generous donation right at the beginning of their practice careers,” she said.

During the presentation, Allred compared the old, out-of-date radiography equipment with which they were familiar to a mattress in the road, slowing their journey toward a dental degree. By bringing the radiology clinic into the 21st century with digital equipment, the recent grads have cleared the path for dental students to come.

At the dinner, the students took a moment to acknowledge those who had given back to the school before them. In addition to the Class of 1962, Allred singled out Dr. Mike McMunn (D.D.S. ’77) for his class’s reunion gift of $109,000 and for establishing the Dentistry Class of 1977 Scholarship. Dr. Jeff Levin (D.D.S. ’68) was honored for his successful leadership of the school’s recent multimillion-dollar campaign for Clinical Simulation. Allred also recognized Dr. Baxter Perkinson Jr. (D.D.S. ’70) for his long history of giving to the school, as well as Dr. John C. Doswell II (D.D.S. ’79), who was instrumental in the creation of the school’s annual alumni golf tournament.

The students said they hope that someday their philanthropy will inspire another class of dental students. “Maybe some class will look back at us in 46 years and be inspired to give back, as well,” Allred said.

To make a gift to the School of Dentistry, contact Ed Kardos, senior director of advancement, at (804) 828-0324 or egkardos@vcu.edu.