Student Activities & Organizations

White Coat Ceremony

The white coat ceremony is conducted during the first quarter of the freshman year. During the ceremony, the freshman dental student is recognized and presented with a white clinic jacket. The ceremony is to recognize the incoming students' accomplishments and for the students to recognize and accept the high ethical standards to which they will be held while at dental school and later as dental practitioners.

Alumni Weekend

Each year, in February, the School of Dentistry Alumni Association holds its annual meeting. Students and faculty of the School of Dentistry are invited to attend and participate in the weekend activities.

Activities include luncheons with alumni, lectures, class reunions, exhibit displays, and student research table clinics. The purpose of the weekend is to foster relations between alumni, students, and faculty, and to provide quality continuing education programs, and to renew old friendships.

Student Research Table Clinic Competition

The student research table clinic competition, held during Alumni Weekend, is an annual tradition sponsored jointly by the School of Dentistry Student Government Association and the Phi Phi Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon.

The table clinic demonstrations are poster presentations of clinical and/or basic science research involving techniques or procedures concerned with some phase of dental research, diagnosis, or treatment. The research is conducted by the student under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

The presentation selected as the most outstanding, represents the School of Dentistry at the table clinic program during the annual meeting of the American Dental Association.

Honors Convocation

Honors Convocation is held at the end of each academic year to recognize the graduating class. Merit and achievement awards and special honors, including the Dean's Medal, the school's highest honor, are announced and presented. The Lister Hill Lecture is delivered by a distinguished guest, and doctoral hoods are presented.

Parents' Visitation Day

Parents and immediate families of second- and fourth-year dental students are invited to Parents' Visitation Day each year. This extremely popular event, sponsored by the Dental Student Government Association, includes a luncheon followed by a tour of the school. This allows parents to see the school in operation and to meet faculty, staff and other students.

Dentala

The University of Alabama School of Dentistry is one of the few dental schools to publish its own yearbook.

Student Organizations

American Student Dental Association (ASDA)

The American Student Dental Association is the branch of the American Dental Association which deals with students' needs and concerns and is governed by students through an established constitution and bylaws.

ASDA allows dental students to voice their opinions and address their common needs through two voting delegates sent to national and regional meetings. At these meetings debate is conducted on a variety of timely issues in order to determine future policies through a legislative body. ASDA also promotes leadership skills among students and prepares them to participate actively in their community and in organized dentistry.Their web site can found at UAB ASDA

Student Government Association

Every dental student, upon matriculation, becomes a member of the Student Government Association of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry. By registering, each student acknowledges compliance with the association's system of student government as administered by the elected officers and representatives.

The Student Government Association consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary, elected from the fourth-, third-, second-, and first-year classes, respectively.

The Student Government Association publishes a student directory and sponsors several annual events.

Student National Dental Association

This is a national organization of minorities in dental schools. Its purpose is to advance diversity in the dental student population and ultimately in the practice of dentistry.

Alpha Omega

Alpha Omega is an international professional dental fraternity. Their web site can found at http://students.ao.org/uab