Ann Arbor, MI — October 9, 2006 — Members of the dental Class of 2010 received their white coats welcoming them into the dental profession during a ceremony at the Power Center September 29.

The 106 students, 68 men and 38 women, represent less than five percent of more than 2,160 who applied for admission.

Welcoming the students and their families to the fifth annual ceremony, Dean Peter Polverini congratulated them on their admission to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and for reaching "this important milestone in your lives."

In his keynote address, Dr. Edwin Secord, president of the Michigan Dental Association, told the students that they were now "part of a select group" and reminded them that the white coat "is a symbol of honesty and integrity."

Obligations to Patients, the Profession, the Community

With their status as oral health care providers, Secord reminded them of their obligations to their patients, the profession, and to the communities where they will practice after they graduate.

"You have a responsibility to provide ethical care to your patients, that's your top priority and your moral obligation as a professional," he said.

Also mentioning that "integrity is the foundation of our profession," Secord reminded students of the importance of self-regulation. "This is what distinguishes us from other professions," he said. "By putting on the white coat, you're making a commitment to uphold your profession's high standards."

He also challenged students to become involved in their communities and with professional dental organizations at local, state, and national levels.

Secord also cautioned the students against complacency. "It's absolutely not an option," he said. "We have an obligation to become life-long learners."

Oral-Systemic Health Link

Dr. Kyle Pullen, an adjunct lecturer at the School of Dentistry, told students that they were entering the profession at an exciting time.

"Few physicians understand how much of an impact oral health can have on a person's systemic health," he said. "Frequently, serious systemic problems are discovered by dentists who then advise the patient to talk to their physician."

Pullen told the students, "make sure you talk to your patients, not at them, and try to see things from their perspective." The best way to get that perspective, he continued, is, on occasion, "to be a patient yourself."

Advising students that they would not be the same person in four years that they are now, Pullen said "that what you get from this outstanding dental school will be directly related to what you put into it in terms of your time and efforts."

"Your training and learning will be continuous," he said. "It will only end when you retire."

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