Celebrating brightness

Distinguished alumni honored at Alumni Award luncheon

When Hai Pham, D.M.D., R ’09, graduated from the School of Dentistry in 2006, he was on top of the world with lots of plans. He was about to take his next step, having been accepted into the OHSU Pediatric Dentistry Residency program, when his plans came to an abrupt halt.

At 27 years old, he was rushed to the hospital with internal bleeding. The prognosis was bleak. Doctors considered removing his leg.

Myeloid leukemia.

The challenges didn’t stop once he knew the diagnosis. They intensified after being discharged from the hospital. Pham discovered he couldn’t afford the aftercare or get accepted by an insurance company because of his pre-existing condition.

Alumni Awards

Pham’s story and others were on display Saturday, April 6 during a School of Dentistry Alumni Award luncheon, sponsored by the OHSU Alumni Association. More than 100 alumni, faculty, staff and students attended the gathering at the Oregon Convention Center.

Pham’s situation brightened when he started his pediatric dentistry residency in 2007 and his care was transferred to Brian Druker, M.D., chief executive officer of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

“He was the one who got me the financial assistance I needed, so I could get the care I needed,” said Pham, adding “he provided me the care I needed so I could start living life again.  Ever since I have been paying it forward.”

After finishing his residency in 2010 and while managing his disease, Pham opened a dental practice called Hi5 Dental. He quickly dived into community service and was elected to public office in 2022, focusing on reforming health care, given his experience.

Pham talked about his passion for public service during the alumni luncheon, in which four individuals were applauded for their dedication to the profession and mentoring of students.

The award recipients took part in a panel, led by Barry Taylor, D.M.D. ’95, executive director of Oregon Dental Association. In addition to community service, they talked about patient care and professional development.

Fill the toolbox

Amy Pruett, D.M.D. ’13, assistant professor of restorative dentistry since 2021, received the Early Career Achievement Award for her work with her students and serving as a role model.

“Be humble. Be calm. Take time to collaborate with other clinicians,” was her advice to the students in the audience.

Gary Allen, D.M.D. ’73, was the Agent of Change awardee. His 50-year dental career spans the U.S. Army to working at Advantage Dental for 13 years. Allen focuses on expanding access to care in rural and frontier areas. He stressed the importance of understanding the backgrounds, cultures and nuances of each patient. He considers himself an ambassador of oral health and suggested guests at the luncheon volunteer as mentors for high school and college students.

Lifelong learning is the commitment of Kimberly Wright, D.M.D. ’89. She was recognized with the President’s Award at the luncheon.

“I’m passionate about filling our toolbox with tools we can use to treat our patients better,” she said.

Dozens of dentists were in the audience, and so were dental hygienists. Several members of the class of 1999 were recognized by School of Dentistry Dean Ron Sakaguchi, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., M.B.A. during his opening remarks.

Class of 1999

The luncheon was part of a multi-day celebration for alumni, including class year reunions and gatherings during an Oregon Dental Conference held at the Oregon Convention Center.

One such reunion was the dental hygienists from the Class of 1999 who also attended the award ceremony. They are Dana Moody, Tabitha Helphinstine, Olga Korotkih, Rebecca Wolthuis, Meg Bishop and Meghan Duey.

The hygienists enjoyed catching up with each other and sharing memorable moments from their collegiate years. The reunions and dental conference were filled with exchanges of information, new learnings, networking and the sharing of stories.

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Story by Rhonda Morin, APR

Photos by OHSU and Rhonda Morin, APR