Lasting Impressions | Fall 2014

NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 11 Students take one last photograph before the commencement ceremony. From left are Ning Chi, Victoria Jones, Keren Castellucci, Margaret Matthews, and Kristina Marklin. and helped out however they could. “I felt very supported,” she said. “Everyone is like a family to me, and with them, I am able to graduate without any delay.” Saili Ruiz has transcended political upheaval to become a dentist for the second time in her life. Born in Cuba, Ruiz and her family faced political persecution because her grand- father was involved in efforts to overthrow Fidel Castro. He was killed by the regime in 1962, she said. She and her father, mother, and brother were able to get to the Dominican Republic in 1995, where Ruiz and her brother eventually gradu- ated from dental college in Santo Domingo. She practiced as a dentist before coming to Florida. Without a license to practice here, Ruiz had to start over. The first hurdle was learning English. About six months after arriving, she was hired as a dental assistant by a West Palm Beach dentist who is an NSU graduate, and she later was licensed as a dental hygienist. Her brother, Eliseo Ruiz, was accepted to NSU’s dental college, and urged her to follow suit. “My brother was an inspiration to me,” she said. “He said, ‘you can do it.’ ” Even with her background, the need to know medical terminology in English made classes difficult for Ruiz. Also, being the mother of two young children and going to school full time was challenging. Now that she has prevailed, Ruiz plans to go into practice with her brother in Miami-Dade County. “God put me on this planet to take care of people and make them smile,” said Ruiz, 39. The CDM faculty is sending the graduates out into the world knowing they will do well, Lippman said. “I know we have provided them with the opportunities to grow and flourish as dental professionals,” he said. “We are ready for them to go ahead and take our good name out into the community and be our ambassadors for good dental health.” u