Lasting Impressions | Summer 2017

NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 21 Third-year student Jesse Schwartz was honored with a scholarship from Great Expressions Dental Centers (GEDC) during a ceremony at the Grande Oaks Golf Club in Davie, Florida. Schwartz, who will graduate in May 2018, plans to prac- tice general dentistry in South Florida, with an emphasis on cosmetic procedures. Schwartz decided on a career in dentistry during his junior year of college. “I participated in a medical mission trip to Honduras, where I worked exclusively with the dental team. Around this time, my younger brother underwent a dental transforma- tion, which enhanced both his aesthetic appearance and his confidence. Both experiences inspired me to pursue a career in dentistry,” said Schwartz, who grew up in Suffern, New York—a small town 30 miles northwest of New York City. Among those attending the ceremony to present the scholarship were Greg Nodland, B.A., GEDC chief operat- ing officer; Robert Brody, D.M.D., GEDC national clinical director; Linda C. Niessen, D.M.D., M.P.H., M.P.P., CDM dean; Peter A. Keller, D.D.S., executive associate dean at the CDM; and Denise Goldson Rau, B.S., director of develop- ment for the NSU College of Dental Medicine, College of Nursing, and College of Health Care Sciences. Anhtuan Nguyen, a fourth-year student at the CDM and the 2016 recipient of the award, also attended. GEDC has been a longtime supporter of the CDM. Based in Michigan, GEDC runs more than 200 practices in nine states, including Florida. The practices offer a wide range of dental services, including preventive care, orthodontics, specialty care, and cosmetic dentistry. GEDC is known for its contributions to improving oral health through quality and safety initiatives, and for providing access to affordable dental care services. Their dentists are all members of the American Dental Associa- tion, and their orthodontists are all members of the American Association of Orthodontists. u CDM Impressions STUDENT RECEIVES GREAT EXPRESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP Thomas J. Balshi, D.D.S., founder of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania’s Prosthodontics Intermedica Dental Center and associate professor of implant prosthodontics, received his profession’s highest award from the American College of Prosthodontists in San Diego, California. The Dan Gordon Award is presented annually to an individual who “contrib- utes at the highest level to the welfare and advancement of the college, the specialty of prosthodontics, science, and the health professions.” In presenting the award to Balshi, Carl Driscoll, D.M.D., president of the American College of Prosthodontists and director of the University of Maryland Prosthodontic Graduate Program, described the award as a recognition for lifetime achievement and stated that Balshi “epitomized the description of the Dan Gordon Award.” The Pi Dental Center has a 30-year history of providing state-of-the-art dental implant and restorative dental treatment, with an emphasis on excellence and expediency. The center also includes a research and educational com- ponent and will soon launch personal mentoring options for dental practitioners in their own offices, with Balshi as the coach. u CDM PROSTHODONTIST HONORED WITH NATIONAL AWARD Jesse Schwartz, left, and Anhtuan Nguyen