Ann Arbor, MI — April 9, 2010 — Dr. Raymond Gist, a University of Michigan School of Dentistry alumnus who becomes the first African America president of the American Dental Association this October, will deliver this year’s commencement address to graduates of his alma mater on Friday, May 7. Graduation ceremonies begin at 3:00 p.m. at Hill Auditorium.

Gist earned his dental degree in 1966 and practices general dentistry in Flint, Michigan. He has been active in organized dentistry at local, state, and national levels for more than 40 years. He was president of the Michigan Dental Association (2003-2004) and a member of the ADA’s Board of Trustees (2005-2009) representing Michigan and Wisconsin.

“Our students, alumni, and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry are honored to have Dr. Gist deliver the 2010 commencement address,” said Dean Peter Polverini. “He is truly among the University’s ‘leaders and best.’ His commitment to the profession and the practice of dentistry are reflected in the critical issues he targets – access to care, diversity within our profession and advocacy. He is a role model for all.”

Born in Arkansas, Gist and his family moved to Flint when he was three. “My parents, like many others, moved here for better opportunities,” he said in a story that appeared in the School of Dentistry’s alumni magazine, DentalUM, in the spring of 2003. His father, Isaac, was a janitor at General Motors. His mother, Vesta, was a maid. “They were hard workers, and I learned a lot from their example,” he said.

As a fifth grade student at Fairview Elementary School in Flint, Gist said the praise he received from Mrs. Odell Broadway prompted him to seriously consider becoming a physician or a dentist. “No matter what I did, Mrs. Broadway always had something good to say about my work in the classroom,” he said. “Her support and praise, along with that of my parents, were great motivators.”

Gist is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Among the honors he has received for his work include the United Negro College Fund’s Outstanding Participation Award and the Michigan Dental Association’s Public Relations Award. Gist and his wife, Jill, reside in Gland Blanc, Michigan. They have one daughter, Holly, and two grand children.

Contact: Sharon Grayden, Communications Director (734) 615-2600, dentistry.communications@umich.edu, or Jerry Mastey, Editor, School of Dentistry (734) 615-1971, jmastey@umich.edu.