Emeritus Alumni Honored, Tour Preclinic
Call Photography
Dean Peter Polverini welcomes and congratulates emeritus alumnus Fred Gerhardt.
"We were treated like royalty."
"Everyone made us feel so welcome."
Those were some of the comments heard from School of Dentistry alumni who returned to Ann Arbor last October for three days of Homecoming Weekend activities.
Among the honored guests were 24 graduates from the Dental Class of 1957 who received emeritus medallions, had their class pictures taken, toured the Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory, participated in the Hall of Honor Luncheon, and attended the Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony.
Marking the start of three days of events, Dean Peter Polverini welcomed dental and dental hygiene alumni and their spouses to the School of Dentistry and into the University of Michigan Emeritus Club on Thursday, October 11.
"As graduates of this distinguished School, you mean a great deal to us. We're glad you could be here today," he said.
As part of the emeritus recognition ceremony, each alumnus received a special medallion.
Each was called by name and walked to a stage to receive a gold medallion that was placed around their neck by Jeff Freshcorn, the School's director of development. As they walked off stage, each received a box with an emeritus pin and a stand for their medallion from Marty Bailey, development officer. Dean Peter Polverini congratulated each alumnus before they returned to their seat.
Touring the "High Tech" Preclinic
Jerry Mastey
Second-year dental student Jane Stieber answers questions from emeritus alumnus Dr. Charles McGary about how she is using technology in dental education. Next to McGary is his wife, Jan.
"Is this a little different
than when you were in dental school?" Dr. Merle Jaarda rhetorically asked emeritus alumni as they toured the Roy Roberts Preclinical Laboratory and talked to dental students.
"Sure is. We didn't even have electricity then," replied Dr. Marshall Hershon.
After the laughter from the emeritus alumni and their spouses subsided, Jaarda demonstrated and talked about how technology is being used to educate dental students today.
Commenting about the demonstration a short time later, Dr. Charles McGary, another emeritus alumus who toured the preclinic, said, "When I was a student, we used 5,000 rpm belt-driven hand pieces, didn't have mannequin heads, and were using carbon-steel burs."
McGary, who said he ranked first in his dental class during his years at U-M, also talked about a major advantage today's dental students have that he didn't.
"With the television cameras, students get to see, close-up, what an instructor is doing. But in the fifties, we had ninety-four guys who would crowd around an instructor, which made it difficult for those in back to see what was going on," he said. "Some of the guys in front would observe, and then turn around to classmates in the back and describe what he was doing."
