Dental Hygiene Class of 2008

Hygienists make historic pledge to program

When the School of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene Class of 2007 graduated, its members made a combined gift of $2,100. It was the first student gift in the history of the 39-year-old program. One year later, their philanthropy has inspired another class to follow in the same path.

The members of the Dental Hygiene Class of 2008 have also banded together to give back to the program, making a class gift of $2,500. The class members decided that their gift should go toward the Virginia Commonwealth University chapter of SADHA, the student member sector of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. In partnership with the Salvation Army in Richmond, Va., the VCU chapter of SADHA offers dental screenings and oral hygiene instructions to residents who might not otherwise have access to dental care.

But the Class of 2008 went even further, pledging a collective $16,867 to be paid during the first five years following graduation and completed by the time the classmates return for their first reunion in 2013. This is the first student pledge in the program’s history, and 14 of the 21 graduates have signed on.

The aim, said class President Golby Jalali during a May dinner to announce the gift, is to start a tradition of giving and to support future students coming into the dental hygiene program.

“Our class wanted to do something to help future dental hygiene students and start a new generation of alumni who are more involved with the school,” Jalali said.

To that end, the money from the pledge will be used to purchase new equipment for the dental hygiene program, including a new intraoral camera, air polishers and typodonts. Any part of the pledge money not used for equipment costs will be available to Kim Isringhausen, director of the Division of Dental Hygiene, to use as most needed.

How can this group of fresh graduates make such a commitment? Each of them will meet their pledge at $20.08 a month, fulfilled electronically using the new VCU online giving system. Pledge fulfillment will not begin until Sept. 15, 2008, to give graduates time to secure jobs and to feel comfortable satisfying their commitment.

In addition to Golby’s announcement of her class’s ambitious giving goals, several faculty members also spoke at the May dinner, praising the students for their philanthropy.

“Students to come won’t know your faces but will recognize you for the gifts you’ve left behind,” Isringhausen said.