In 2021, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) established the Dean’s Scholarship for Leadership & Excellence to celebrate and support outstanding student leaders who aspire to have a positive impact on their communities. 

UMSOD is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Dean’s Scholarship for Leadership & Excellence.

Established in 2021, the honor celebrates and supports outstanding student leaders who aspire to have a positive impact on their communities. 

“Each year, this scholarship makes a tangible difference to our superlative students, supporting them so that they can maintain their focus on academic excellence, professional development, and service,” said Mark A. Reynolds, DDS, PhD, UMSOD dean and professor.

The range of achievements, contributions, and aspirations of the four students selected this year is quite impressive. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate and commend our 2025 Dean’s Scholarship for Leadership & Excellence recipients.”

Read about the four student leaders who are the 2025 recipients of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry’s Scholarship for Leadership & Excellence by clicking their names below:

Longhui Gao, DDS Class of ’25

Longhui Gao was 21 years old before he first visited a dentist. He and his parents were living in a small village in Fuzhou, in China’s Fujian province where knowledge of and access to oral health care was limited.

But all things considered, he was lucky. “My older sister was 27 when we went to the dentist, and she needed extractions and root canals. For me, there was some mild periodontitis and some cavities.”

Witnessing his family postpone needed medical or dental treatments because of cost and lack of information piqued his interest in dentistry — and instilled a desire to aid the underserved. “Growing up with a lack of general care and knowledge about oral health care made me really interested in dentistry,” he says. “It made me want to provide affordable care for people who otherwise couldn’t receive it.”

That appreciation for knowledge and access form threads throughout Gao’s college and dental school years. As an undergraduate at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., he connected students from low-income families with paid research opportunities so that they could afford to participate in summer research. As a pre-dental committee member in UMSOD’s American Student Dental Association, he organized a drive to collect used Dental Admissions Test study materials and donate them to low-income students applying for dental school. “When I was in college, I knew dental school was expensive, but I had no idea how expensive it was to apply to dental school,” he says. “I felt like donating our materials to other students was a win-win.”

As a 2022 participant in UMSOD’s Summer Research Program, Gao investigated the effects of the anti-diabetic drug metformin on the release of pro-angiogenic factors from dental pulp cells, under the mentorship of Abraham Schneider, DDS, PhD, associate professor in UMSOD’s Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences. Gao won first place in UMSOD’s science poster competition and was awarded a travel grant to attend the 27th Hinman Student Research Symposium at the University of Tennessee School of Dentistry.

He also participated in the President’s Student Leadership Institute, a nine-month interprofessional program aimed at enhancing intercultural competence, public speaking, and leadership through training seminars and community service.

Since 2023, he has volunteered as an admissions student interviewer to help ensure fair assessment of prospective candidates and foster a welcoming environment for applicants. 

Since August, Gao also has served as an implant prosthodontics clerk, honing his proficiency in fixed and removable implant prosthodontic procedures.

After graduation, he plans to enter a general practice residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network with the goal of one day working in private practice in Maryland. But he doesn’t rule out also teaching — perhaps one day at UMSOD. “In college, I had four jobs: Working as a student mentor, a campus tutor, a private tutor in chemistry, and an office assistant. I really liked teaching. I like to be helpful to other people.” 

Benjamin Hung, DDS Class of ’26

Benjamin Hung noticed early on that his dentist could put patients at ease by taking the time to ask a question as simple as, “How are you feeling today?” 

“I could see the tension and anxiety fade from the patients’ faces as they chatted about their families, recent movies, and holidays,” he says. “I realized that paying attention to small details can foster connection and make others feel seen.”

The observation stuck with him. 

Hung, who grew up in Laurel, Md., and graduated in 2021 from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neurobiology and Physiology, ever since has taken an interest in building connections and creating welcoming environments. 

Fluent in Japanese and Chinese, he’s working on learning Spanish so that he can communicate with a wider range of patients. “I plan to use these languages to connect with my patients on a deeper level than a translator could achieve,” he says. 

As a UMCP teaching assistant, he aimed to help his biology students feel heard and understood. “I found it really rewarding to adjust my teaching style to meet their needs,” he says. “There’s a big sense of satisfaction in seeing that light bulb go off when someone understands.”

In his roles as vice president of the American Student Dental Association, Maryland (August 2022-present), and fundraising chair of the Korean American Student Dental Association (August 2022-June 2023), Hung organized lunchtime presentations on topics such as managing a dental practice and financial literacy. 

On behalf of the American Student Dental Association District 3, he worked earlier this year with students from five dental schools to coordinate events for its annual conference in Hershey, Pa. 

His volunteer activities also include providing oral health screenings and fluoride treatments to athletes at the 2024 Special Olympics and mentoring middle and high school students at UMSOD’s 2024 Planet Smilez Summer Camp. He tutored middle and high school students in physics, math, and chemistry through the A Bridge to Academic Excellence, a University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy student-run organization that aids Baltimore youths. He continues to seek opportunities to mentor and teach fellow UMSOD students at “Wax and Relax” and “Drill and Fill” sessions and serving as a mentor for pre-dental student through the ASDA. 

He meanwhile is conducting research under the guidance of Mary Anne Melo, DDS, MSc, PhD, FADM, professor, director of Operative Dentistry, and chair, Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, that is focused on resin infiltration materials to help guide clinical decision-making. 

A member of the Gorgas Odonatological Honorary Society and Gamma Pi Delta, Prosthodontic Honor Society, Hung participated in the 2024 University of Maryland, Baltimore President’s Student Leadership Institute, which is interprofessional program that creates opportunities for students in different fields to interact and learn from one another. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity to receive this scholarship, and I will continue to strive for the model of leadership and excellence that my fellow recipients and previous scholarship recipients have exemplified,” he says. 

After graduation, Hung says, he plans to complete a residency program before practicing general dentistry — and, yes, to teach.   

Elvia Jimenez Ciriaco, DDS Class of ’25

Growing up in South Florida, Elvia Jimenez Ciriaco, DDS ’25, was aware of how diligently her parents worked to ensure their 3 children would thrive. As Hispanic immigrants, her mother and father worked in a variety of positions from strawberry picker and dishwasher to construction worker and banquet hall specialist that frequently offered few or no benefits.  

“But my mom always made it a point to take us to the doctor and dentist for care,” Jimenez Ciriaco said. “I have a lot of memories of waiting rooms at community centers because the wait was always long. We got a lot of family time while sitting in the waiting room, but the doctors and dentists were always nice.” 

Those experiences and the care she received fueled Jimenez Ciriaco’s desire to become a dentist. “One of the things I like about practicing dentistry is being able to make a difference. People don’t always realize how important teeth are and how much oral health can affect your life,” she said. “The ability to help people in need — especially when there is a language barrier — means a lot.”  

Jimenez Ciriaco worked for seven years as a dental assistant in pediatric and orthodontic practices while attending Miami Dade College in Homestead, Fl. on a part-time basis. After receiving a scholarship, she transferred to Florida International University in Miami as a full-time student (although she continued working part-time). She graduated in 2021 cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences.

As a recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship of Leadership and Excellence, Jimenez Ciriaco was both honored and surprised. "Receiving the Dean’s Scholarship of Leadership and Excellence was an incredible honor. I was both surprised and deeply grateful, as it reaffirmed the value of my hard work and dedication," she said. "This scholarship has allowed me to focus on my education and community service without the constant worry of financial strain. It serves as a reminder that perseverance and passion for service do not go unnoticed."

These days, in addition to fulfilling her required dental training, Jimenez Ciriaco also is completing an orthodontic clerkship, an elective in which fourth-year dental students gain basic orthodontic didactics and clinical skills. Additionally, she was a 2022 participant in the Summer Research Program, a nine-week program in which she gained firsthand experience in analysis, scientific writing, ethics, and lab safety. Under the guidance of Nasir Bashirelahi, PhD, professor; and Jeffery Price, DDS, MS, clinical professor and director of Oral Radiology; co-director, Division of Artificial Intelligence Research, both in the Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, Jimenez Ciriaco also was a co-author of “What Every Dentist Needs to Know About the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry,” published in the General Dentistry journal in 2023.

At UMSOD, in addition to honing her dental skills, Jimenez Ciriaco has focused on addressing health care disparities and language barriers, particularly among Spanish-speaking patients, and promoting oral health education. She acts as the community service chair of UMSOD’s Hispanic Dental Association, a club focused on promoting service and dental awareness within the community through screenings, health fair tables, and distribution of dental hygiene kits. She served in a similar role from August 2019-April 2021 for UMSOD’s Community Outreach and Engagement Club, which promotes local awareness of public health issues. Her other volunteer activities include working to socialize dogs and cats at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (2024-present); providing free dental treatments at the Mission of Mercy-Eastern Shore of Maryland (September 2024); giving oral health presentations at non-profit organizations such as the Baltimore Station (November 2023); leading tours of UMSOD during orientation (2022); among many others. 

A member of Gamma Pi Delta Prosthodontic Honors Society and UMSOD’s Orthodontic Interest Group, Jimenez Ciriaco after graduating plans to complete an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program in Immokalee, Florida. “This opportunity will allow me to further develop my clinical skills while serving a community with limited access to dental care. I am excited to continue providing comprehensive treatment to underserved populations and addressing the oral health disparities that first inspired me to pursue dentistry”.  

Cameron Watson, DDS Class of ’26

An anecdote relayed years ago by a family clinician fueled Cameron Watson’s interest in the field of dentistry. The clinician, who had spent years researching implants, was asked by a patient if he would ever eat steak again.

Several dental appointments later, the patient had been provided with implants and was able to eat steak.

Something about the patient’s request and the positive impact the clinician’s care had on the patient’s life, clicked with Watson.

By sharing that story, the dentist “was highlighting that the field is continuing to evolve, and it's an exciting field to get into, especially now,” Watson says. “I also appreciated the skill, dexterity, and care he provided to both me and my family over the years and this strengthened my interest in the field.”

Now a third-year dental student, Watson hopes to have similarly positive patient-dentist interactions in the future — as well as an ongoing role in oral surgery and prosthetic research. “I really saw the importance of prosthetic research in an everchanging field like dentistry.”

Watson, who graduated from Washington College in Chestertown, Md, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, participated in the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) Dental Student Summer Research Program during the summers preceding his first and second dental school years. Designed to allow predoctoral students gain direct, hands-on biomedical research experience under faculty mentorship, the nine-week program concludes with a science poster competition.

He has continued working as a student researcher or laboratory research technician assistant in a number of UMSOD labs. Earlier this year, he presented the science poster “In Vivo Insights: Mapping ENPP1 and SLC13A5 Interactions in a Mouse Model,” at the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research annual meeting held in New York. He also is a co-author of the article “Exposure to Low-Intensity Blast Increases Clearance of Brain Amyloid Beta,” published in 2022 in the Journal of Neurotrauma.

Watson serves as president of the Class of 2026, leading class meetings, representing his peers as a member of the Student Government Association, and acting as confidant and advocate on behalf of classmates. The experience has allowed him to build rapport with faculty, alumni, and students.

“One of the things that I am proudest of for our class is how we come together when it’s crunch time. For example, during practicals, we’re sharing information, composites —looking out for one another,” he says.

Raised by a single mom in Washington, D.C., Watson grew up with a keen awareness of how hard she worked to support her children and how personal circumstances affect access to health care. Seeing the care and effort she took galvanized him to work hard. “I saw how much effort it took my mother and grandmother to support me,” he says. “I would like to bridge the gap between dentistry and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Recent experience volunteering at the Eastern Shore Mission of Mercy in Salisbury, Md., strengthened his resolve. “When you volunteer at a free clinic, you have a different experience. Our own biases get diminished, and you see how happy people are to get their teeth cleaned or a tooth extracted. You’re seeing dentistry at its core – helping others.”