Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine Receives $125,000 Donation from Great Expressions Dental Centers

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine Receives $125,000 Donation from Great Expressions Dental Centers

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla.- Nova Southeastern University’s College of Dental Medicine (NSU-CDM) recently announced that it has received a $125,000 endowed scholarship from Great Expressions Dental Centers (GEDC), one of the largest privately owned dental service organizations in the United States.

“We are very grateful to Great Expressions Dental Health Centers for its commitment to helping ensure that the next generation of dentists receive the financial support they need to pursue their careers,” said Linda Niessen, D.M.D., M.P.H., M.P.P., dean of the NSU-CDM. “It is thanks to corporate partners like Great Expressions that NSU is able to continue to provide the highest level of education and train future leaders in dentistry.”

Following the donation and an application process, NSU awarded $2,500 each to two CDM students who are interested in pursuing careers in community dentistry and helping underserved populations, Kevin Carbonell and Geoffrey Morris.

Carbonell of Boca Raton, Fla., is a third year NSU dental student who graduated from St. Andrews School in Boca Raton and earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and classical history from the University of Florida. Carbonell was selected due to his interest in educating and empowering his patients to ensure they are proactively focusing on their oral health. He plans to pursue general dentistry.

Morris of Coral Springs, Fla., is a third year NSU dental student who graduated from Coral Springs Charter School and earned his bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in psychology at NSU and his master’s degree in biomedical science from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Morris is president of NSU’s American Dental Education Association chapter and the Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery Club. He and a fellow student created a DVD that discussed and illustrated the anatomical structures of the brain and neuroanatomy. They sold copies to first-year students in the NSU Heath Professions Division to assist them in their studies and donated the $7,500 in revenues to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to help fund dental implants for children whose families are unable to afford treatment. He plans to pursue dental surgery.

“At Great Expressions Dental Centers we are dedicated to promoting dental education and helping to make that education more affordable,” said Dr. Robert Brody, head of the GEDC National Doctor Panel. “We take pride in assisting those pursuing a career in dentistry and we want to congratulate the recipients of the Great Expressions Dental Centers Scholarship. We look forward to seeing what these future doctors will accomplish.”

Editor’s Note: Fuller press releases on each of the officers/board members are available upon request. Reporters are invited to follow the ADA on Twitter@AmerDentalAssn

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